RESIDENTS are furious after being "barricaded in" to their homes by Commonwealth Games security fences.

People living near the Emirates Arena say they are dealing with prison-like conditions and are unable to drive in or out of their street due to the "over-the-top" security measures.

The fencing, which is around 8ft tall, comes up to the pavement and is blocking local access.

The worst affected areas are Springfield Road between the Emirates Arena and the Athletes' Village and Baltic Street.

Eleanor Miller, 58, who lives on Springfield Road, said: "We are being barricaded into our own homes. I don't know how I will get in and out to work. "

Residents have also been told they are not allowed to park their cars in front of their homes, leaving many having to park vehicles far away.

John McGregor, 59, is disabled and lives with his wife Marjorie on Springfield Road.

They have had to move their car to a relative's house and are stranded without transport.

John said: "It's a disgrace. I have a walking stick and rely on the car. We were on holiday and were told by the police not to park our car outside the house before we left. We came back and saw all the fencing.

His wife Marjory said: "It's just not very friendly at all, is it?

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Fury as street fenced in for Games

The Northport City Council unanimously approved a new fence ordinance Monday that places restrictions on fence construction. Residential fences can be no higher than eight feet in the backyard and no higher than four feet in the front yard.

A city permit is now required to build a fence in Northport.

The Northport City Council unanimously approved a new fence ordinance Monday that places restrictions on fence construction. Residential fences can be no higher than eight feet in the backyard and no higher than four feet in the front yard and cannot obstruct sight distances. For a commercial property, fences can be no more than 10 feet tall. Any fence eight feet or higher must be inspected by the city.

We are just wanting to put together something in policy form, said City Council President Jay Logan. To me, its a needed ordinance.

Northport did not have a fence ordinance previously, Logan said.

But, not everyone was happy with the idea. Councilwoman Judy Hayes said she was concerned with making people pay for a fence permit. It will cost $15 for a residential permit and $20 for a commercial fence permit.

People are complaining about the city restricting what they can do in their own yards, Hayes said. If we are forcing them to abide by new regulations, I dont feel like they should have to pay a fee.

But, the fee will recuperate city expenses from the permit, including inspection costs, Logan said.

The fence regulation only pertains to new fences or fences that are more than 50 percent damaged.

People can still do repairs on their existing fence without a permit, said Councilman Bart Harper.

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Northport requires permit for fences

2014-06-03 08:47 Blantyre - Malawi President Peter Mutharika said on Monday economic stability and national unity would be the focus of his government as he became the fifth leader of the southern African state following a disputed election.

Mutharika, declared the winner of the 20 May election last week, said his administration would target annual economic growth of 7% and promised a lean cabinet of 20, including deputy ministers - half the size of previous governments.

"We are determined to change the direction of the economy. This is why ...I chose a running mate outside of political ranks," Mutharika said in his inauguration speech.

The new vice president, Saulos Chilima, is an economist and former Managing Director of telecommunications firm Airtel, a local unit of Bharti Airtel.

Logistical problems

Mutharika, a former law professor, also sought to mend fences with his predecessor Joyce Banda, who at one point disputed the validity of the vote and demanded a re-run. Banda did not attend Mutharika's inauguration in the commercial capital, Blantyre.

Joyce Banda (File: AFP)

"I look forward to shaking hands with her to bury the past. I come to her with an olive branch. Don't let it drop," Mutharika said.

The poll, which was plagued by logistical problems and followed by sporadic protests, was declared generally "free, peaceful and credible" by a Southern African Development Community observer mission.

Mutharika, 74, is the brother of president Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in office in April 2012.

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Mutharika seeks to 'mend fences' with Joyce Banda

India and the US should engage with each other in defence and other areas. Brinkmanship on IPR issues is best avoided

The astounding mandate secured by Narendra Modi has led scholars and commentators to focus on what more the US can do to win Indias favour. While some argue that the Obama administration ought to modi-fy its advance, others recommend developing a new relationship with India.

In most instances, punditry appears focused on the immediate future, perhaps for good reason. Commentators seem sold on Modis campaign slogan that the good days are coming. Getting on the right side of the new Prime Ministers expected economic and fiscal turn is considered chief priority for most governments, especially the US, which had banned Modi from its shores.

The current state of political transition in India offers an opportunity to ask questions that look past immediate concerns. This is, of course, not to suggest that efforts designed to overcome the touchy issue of a visa ban on Modi are not important.

Personal anguish can make all the difference in state-to-state relations. Conviction on the part of incumbents is sometimes the key to unforeseeable advancements, a point clearly illustrated by the determination shown by President George W Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in negotiating a landmark civil-nuclear agreement between 2005 and 2008.

Yet, the exaggerated focus on how best an Obama White House may reach out to a Modi-led PMO risks losing sight of what this crucial relationship means for world politics in a more general sense.

Indeed, there is little doubt that India-US relations will strengthen. It maybe joyless, as Ashley Tellis, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, persuasively argues, but it will be productive nonetheless.

There is an urgent need to address differences pertaining to intellectual property standards. India is one of 10 countries listed on the priority watch list of the United States Trade Representatives (USTR) annual report. The key issue, according to it, has to do with Indias weak IPR legal framework and enforcement system which hamper Indias innovation climate. This is most acute, according to the report, in areas such as pharmaceuticals and agro-chemicals, where it is difficult to secure and enforce patents.

In turn, the BJPs retort is unrelenting. During the campaign, Hardeep Puri, the former Indian ambassador to the UN and now a party member, made it clear that the report is extra-constitutional.

Even special provisions such as settling matters prior to an out-of-cycle review were put down by Puri as nonsense. The answer, according to him, lay in taking the matter to the World Trade Organisations dispute settlement body. Rather than resort to brinkmanship, simply because this is a determined US-led initiative, it would be prudent to engage the US bilaterally to arrest such divergence.

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Time to mend fences with the US

Omaha native brothers are making headlines in the baseball world, professionally and at the college level.

Conor and Casey Gillaspie both played baseball at Millard North High School. Now, Conor Gillaspie is having a great season playing third base for the Chicago White Sox. Casey Gillaspie is generating a lot of talk approaching the MLB draft.

The younger Gillaspie granted KETV a recent interview, just wrapping up what could be his final season at Wichita State. As a junior, he finished with a .402 batting average, hit 11 home runs and had a perfect stolen base percentage (8 for 8).

"Looking back at the season, I didn't really look at my numbers, just tried to go out and play the best that I could to help my team win, Gillaspie told KETV.

Wichita State didnt make a regional, but Gillaspies excitement continues. He is nominated for the 2014 Golden Spikes Award and is projected to be a highly touted first baseman in the upcoming Major League draft. The Millard North alumni said hes not picking favorites, he just wants to be picked.

I just want the opportunity to go to the right club thats a good fit for me, said Gillaspie. I know how it works, you never know who's going to pick you, when or where. Whatever will happen's going to happen and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to play professional baseball.

Gillaspie has seen the process before; his older brother Conor Gillaspie, who also played baseball at Millard North, now plays third base for the Chicago White Sox. Monday he had four hits, including three doubles, the first White Sox player to do it since 2012.

Sometimes its weird when I turn on a ball game and see my brother playing, said Gillaspie. It's fun to watch. I still think about the days when we were both in Omaha, hitting in our backyard and stuff. I don't think about him in Chicago, playing for the White Sox.

Conors advice to his younger brother, is the same advice Casey has for kids dreaming of playing in the majors.

Id just tell them to enjoy it, said Gillaspie. Have fun. You never know when your time is up, when you cant play the game anymore.

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Omaha brothers swinging for the fences

MICHAEL KARAS/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Madison Levine getting a big hug from a teammate as others surround her after her walk-off home run.

SADDLE BROOK Madison Levine might have been the last one to know.

"I dont know what it looked like going over the fence. I rounded first and saw the [outfielder] on the ground and everyone cheering and I figured it went over," she said.

The Indian Hills catcher roped a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to lift the Braves to a 5-4 victory over Immaculate Heart in the Bergen County softball final Saturday at Smith Elementary School in Saddle Brook.

The story lines coming in were plentiful: Indian Hills sought revenge after getting blanked, 10-0, in last years county final against IHA. The Blue Eagles sought to become the first team in the events history to win four consecutive titles.

And IHA senior pitcher Steph Thomas was sitting on 112 career wins, tied for the most in state history. She could have been the first pitcher to win four Bergen titles.

It was a showdown of two undefeated teams, No. 1 vs. No. 2 in North Jersey, and the fans were treated to a classic.

And it ended with the swing of Levines 33-inch, 23-ounce CF5 Demarini bat on a 2-1 pitch from Thomas.

"She had been throwing mostly inside pitches to me," said Levine, 18. "That one was outside. I knew it was coming eventually. It was there and I hit it."

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H.S. softball: A swing for the fences, and for the ages

Bisons #39; Goedert clears the fences
5/26/14: Buffalo #39;s Jared Goedert hits a two-run homer in the Bisons #39; 6-2 win over the Indianapolis Indians Check out http://www.MiLB.com/video for more! MiLB.com is the official site of Minor...

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Bisons' Goedert clears the fences - Video

WILKES-BARRE First it was Coughlin High in Wilkes-Barre, now administrators say there are structual concerns with a second high school in the city. Some parents are worried about safety and the districts image.

Orange fences went up outside Meyers High School yesterday afternoon as a safety precaution about a crumbling facade.

Because some of the entrances are now blocked off, the Wilkes-Barre area superintendent said summer school will not be held there.

Students at Meyers High School are counting down the last two weeks of class until their summer vacation.

But many of the kids and their parents cant help but notice the bright orange fences and the signs directing them away from the sides of the school and some of the entrances.

The Wilkes-Barre Area School District superintendent says the fences went up around parts of Meyers High School on Carey Avenue because a recent review revealed structural concerns over the facade.

Its the same reason why fences and barriers went up around Coughlin High School on North Washington Street earlier this month: the buildings are showing their age.

It does. But on the whole on the inside it is not that bad as people think it is, said Mary Conrad.

Conrad, a crossing guard at Meyers High School, said she graduated from Meyers in 1948 and has a great grandson going to class there.

Conrad hopes Meyers will be repaired and can stay open for another generation.

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Structural Concerns at Second High School in Wilkes-Barre

By Henry J. Evans Jr | May 30, 2014

Milton Good fences make good neighbors is not holding true in Milton.Town officials and some residents do not see eye-to-eye about fences sought to protect the towns water utility facilities.

Milton Mayor and Town Council in April unanimously approved a $37,000 contract with Abel Fence LLC of Wilmington, to install fencing around the Chandler Street elevated water tank, the Public Works Department maintenance yard on Front Street and the elevated water tank adjacent to Shipbuilders Village.

Most of the money would come from a grant, but town residents say the council's choice of chain-link fencing will reduce property values. They called on council to seek public input before making decisions.

A 2013 grant of $30,000 would pay for most of the fencing, but Kristy Rodgers, Miltons acting town manager, said the town must use it by June 30 or the funds will be lost. Rodgers had earlier stated the grant, which the town applied for in 2012, came from the Department of Homeland Security.

At mayor and councils May 22 meeting, Rodgers clarified the money is from the Delaware Emergency Management Agency.

Mayor Marion Jones has called the fencing a legacy of her administration, and she suggested council upgrade from standard chain-link fencing to decorative aluminum fencing for the Chandler and Front street portions of the project.

The panel approved the $6,900 upgrade but only for a portion fronting the Chandler Street site, and amended the town budget May 7 to cover the additional expense. Black chain link fencing will be used around the Chandler Street water tower.

Milton property owners Jeff Daily, Ed Harris, Barbara Wagoner and Ginny Weeks were the only residents to attend the May 21 meeting.

Harris, who owns a house immediately adjacent to the Chandler Street water tower and a house across the street, told the panel neither DEMA nor the Department of Homeland Security requires municipalities to put fences around water facilities because there have been no cases of water poisoning in the country.

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Milton residents oppose new fences

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