"The Writing On The Wall" art installation projects writings by incarcerated people onto the sides of buildings, such as The New York State Supreme Court Building, above. Chemistry Creative hide caption

"The Writing On The Wall" art installation projects writings by incarcerated people onto the sides of buildings, such as The New York State Supreme Court Building, above.

With millions of people behind bars in the U.S., artist Hank Willis Thomas thinks about all of the ideas that are locked away with them. "Look at all the wisdom, look at all the heart that is imprisoned in our society," he says.

He and professor Baz Dreisinger are the co-founders of The Writing on the Wall, a project that takes the words of incarcerated people beyond prison and jail walls. "There was so much poetry in there, just so much beauty, drawings, thoughts, so much reflection of humanity," says Dreisinger.

Dreisinger also founded the Incarceration Nations Network, a coalition of prison reformers, and she teaches English at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. "Technically I was teaching English classes, but really I was teaching criminal justice through the lens of the humanities and that to me is what The Writing on the Wall is," she says.

The project began small and grew to institutional proportions through projections of those words on the sides of buildings in the U.S. and Mexico.

Initially, Dreisinger and Thomas enlisted architects to design a mobile installation booth that resembled a prison cell with the words of the incarcerated on the walls, floor and ceiling. The idea was to take the booth to cities around the U.S. and Canada, but after its New York debut, the pandemic hit.

With the tour canceled, the organizers got the idea of projecting those words on public buildings, often ones that are part of the criminal justice system. A company called Chemistry Creative came up with a projection system. The Writing on the Wall has been seen in Detroit, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Columbus, Ohio and Mexico City. Their last installation was at Brooklyn Public Library.

A poem projected onto the Brooklyn Public Library. Chemistry Creative hide caption

"There is nothing that I as an artist or anyone can really do or say that is more extraordinary than the things these artists were doing ..." says Thomas. "Some of them had not thought of themselves as artists but it was clear that they were."

One of those artists, Devon Simmons, served 15 years in New York prisons, graduated from the Prison-to-College Pipeline program, and is now working as a paid curator and tour guide for the project.

"People who are incarcerated are not only talking about issues that they're enduring in prison, but talking about issues which impact everybody ..." Simmons says. "It's really powerful for the Writing on the Wall to be in these public spaces to create the dialogue in pursuant to create the change that we need to see."

In the coming weeks, The Writing on the Wall will be projected on buildings in East Harlem, Boise, Idaho and the San Francisco Bay Area.

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'The Writing On The Wall' Finds Poetry Behind Bars, Projects It Onto Buildings - NPR

Smart Leak Detector

Give Moen credit. The plumbing fixture company is making the expansion from the likes of regular old faucets, sinks and shower heads into smart versions of those products as well as flood prevention devices.

I have been trying out the companys Flo by Moen Smart Water Detectors. You just download the smartphone app (iOS or Android), electronically pair it up with the 3.5-inch long, 1-inch-thick detectors naming them in the app after wherever youre placing them and set them down discreetly on the floor of your bathroom, laundry room, under the kitchen sink, or wherever water can get to. You can also snap them into the included cases, stick them to the wall, and plug in the included remote sensing disc to dangle down to the floor. Whichever method you choose, thats the entire setup. Then if any of the sensors come in contact with water, you instantly receive notifications on your phone. With the three-pack I tried, I put mine next to a toilet and in the cabinets under two bathroom sinks. The sensor will also notify you if it detects freezing temperatures or high humidity. Trust someone who had to move out of his house for 60 days after a broken $7 water line to the toilet caused a flood: You want leak detectors in your home. They can save you loads of money, time and worry.

Another part of Moens system you can buy is the Smart Water Shutoff. Essentially it hooks up to the water valve coming into your home, and perpetually checks for leaks and vulnerabilities in your house pipes. At your choice, it will either notify you if it detects an event and give you the option of shutting off your water remotely, or it will automatically shut it off for you and notify you. Talk about peace of mind while youre on vacation. To be honest, I wanted to set this up at our home. A local plumber who specializes in installing this Moen product came to the house and ultimately determined that we had an unusual setup: He could install it, but it would require repiping and then adding a power cord across our front porch. I opted to skip. But even he told me that in most every home he sees the installation of the Smart Water Shutoff is a breeze. He said that his customers have loved the product so far and in fact, he installed one at his own home because he was so impressed. Plus he mentioned that some insurance companies will subsidize the installation costs on their homeowners policy.

Moen is also selling smart kitchen faucets that you can simply communicate with by voice to pour water in precise amounts and at exact temperatures. There are several models in the companys product line.

For now, Im just trying out Moens water detectors. I now have this type of detector from four different manufacturers around my home. They all work similarly ringing out a loud alarm when water touches them as well as notify my smartphone. But take it from someone whos experienced a flood: Ill take any help I can get in keeping our home dry.

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Moens Smart Products May Save You Plenty Of Money...And Aggravation - Forbes

Over the past six months, in a full throttle effort to modernize the time-honored establishment that is Monsignor Farrell High School, Lou Tobacco has unapologetically spent $4.7 million.

Poured into science lab suites and STEM centers, a monstrous learning commons and renovated restrooms, the hard-earned, alumni-donated funding is now spread across the 18-acre campus of the all-boys Catholic school, evident in 45 touch-screen SMART boards, a life-size virtual dissection table and an entire Marine biology ecosystem. Defined as Farrells largest technological investment and facility modernization to date, the expansive spending is the first phase of a $12 million Strengthen the Legacy campaign aimed at transforming the college preparatory school, which for decades has coasted on its football accolades and a legendary local reputation alone.

The new 5 Court Bocce Complex (Courtesy/Lou Tobacco)

But for Tobacco, a Farrell alum himself who was awarded the title of school president and CEO in 2019 and tasked with providing visionary leadership and ensuring the schools continued viability, the improvements are personal.

Monsignor Farrell High School is steeped in tradition, known throughout Staten Island for its premier education and system of values, but we are also currently on the threshold of a transformative period, Tobacco noted while giving the Advance a recent tour of the revamped school. The lessons learned at 2900 Amboy Road are timeless: Brotherhood, discipline, respect, compassion, critical thinking and collaboration. But as time moves on, methods and tools for learning evolve and advance. Farrell, grounded in our storied history, is also evolving and advancing into a new era through significant investments in facility and technology.

Bubbling with enthusiasm, Tobacco bounds through the hallways during the tour, greeting uniformed students by name and invading classes mid-lecture. Its 9 a.m. and hes just had his coffee but its obviously not the caffeine thats causing his exuberance. The president is pumped for whats about to become for his alma mater.

The new Brother Henry S. Wright Learning Commons. (Courtesy/Lou Tobacco)

We put a lot of thought and effort into what was needed to update this school, Tobacco said. We worked to identify what modern tools would best support a well-rounded education, one that would prepare our students to be the next generation of successful leaders. We have made critical investments in our future, ensuring that our school will continue to be a positive force in this borough. We are extremely excited about what weve been able to set in motion already and are eagerly anticipating other advancements for the future.

Opened in 1961 and named after a prominent Catholic priest and community leader, Farrell has long been associated with athletics and is regularly referenced for its long list of locally famous alumni: The hallways have been home to a couple of assemblymen, (Cusick, 87, Tobacco, 90), three congressmen (Fossella, 83, Donovan, 74, McMahon, 75), a state senator (Lanza, 82), a former assemblyman and now surrogate (Titone, 79) and a borough president (Oddo, 84). Theres also several actors of note, a handful of professional athletes and scores of other professionals who have gone on to procure prominent titles. High ranking fire chiefs and police brass are also included on that list in a word - the Farrell network of alums, currently 14,000 strong, is impressive.

So many important and influential men have walked these halls, Tobacco said. I think that speaks volumes about our efforts to develop the whole man mind, body and soul. Some of the lessons we teach here are just as important as math, science and social studies. The students come here as boys and leave as men.

New graniteand gold leaf school seal in front of the main entrance and lobby. Donated by alumnus Brian Hall. (Courtesy/Lou Tobacco)

Vir Fidelis meaning the faithful man is the schools long-standing motto, serving both as a summation of a Farrell education and a life-long challenge to each Farrell student. Priding itself on providing a premier Catholic education and well-rounded experience of extracurricular activities, college placement and community service, the school recently implemented a tradition of handing out a Challenge Coin to each incoming freshman. Tobacco says the military-inspired ritual is supposed to remind the boys to be faithful 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year a sentiment which is etched on the back of the coin.

Theyre told to keep it on their person at all times, in their pocket or their backpack, Tobacco said. It serves as a reminder to challenge themselves every day and to be the best they can be.

When appointed president, it was modern ideas like these that Tobacco was quick to implement. Hitting the ground running, he immediately worked to secure a Con Edison partnership for the school, an alliance which allows Farrell to save on their electricity costs while supporting local solar power development. He turned the campus green, replacing porcelain drinking fountains with energy efficient refill stations and started the installation of a phased, school-wide air conditioning replacement. In his first 12 months of leadership, a good portion of which was disturbed by quarantine and COVID, Tobacco got things done.

When COVID hit and schools closed, we had a choice, he said. We could have canceled everything; in fact the easy thing wouldve been to just say no. But we persisted. We took advantage of the six months we had with no students on campus and completely changed the building for the better.

Born and raised on Staten Island, Tobacco graduated from Farrell in 1990, four years after his brother, Dominic. He attended SUNY Albany and graduated from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.

He started his career in public service in 1994 as the assistant director of Contract Oversight in the office of the Staten Island Borough President, where he also served as the director of community relations from 1996 to 1997. Tobacco then worked in pharmaceutical sales, first with Novartis and then Pfizer Inc., for 13 years. In 2007, he was elected to the New York State Assembly, where he served three consecutive terms, representing the 62nd legislative district.

After retiring from the Assembly he became the associate executive director of community and government affairs for Staten Island University Hospital, Northwell Health. He also held the titles of senior director of external affairs, as well as director of surgical business development at the hospital.

When Monsignor Edmund Whalen, who served as Farrells first alumnus principal from 2010 until 2019, was elevated to the position of Vicar for Clergy by Cardinal Dolan, Tobacco was called up to fill in a new spot on the schools roster. For the first time in its history Farrell transitioned to a president/principal philosophy, which has emerged as a popular form of school governance over the past decade. Aligned around two distinct leadership profiles - the outward-facing entrepreneur and institution builder (president), and the inward-facing academician and champion of teaching, learning, and best practice (principal) the model rested the job of endowment and improvement on Tobaccos shoulders.

Under the schools new structure, Tobacco joined Larry Musanti, who was named principal of Farrell in 2019. Musanti, who has taught at the school for five decades, shares Tobaccos vision.

This school is rich in history, noted Musanti, who began teaching chemistry at Farrell in 1970 and has worn many hats there since. Formerly serving as an assistant principal, dean of students and baseball coach, the dedicated educator is currently focused on advancing the school forward.

Its difficult to top our past successes, but with all of these improvements, Farrells best days are yet to come, Musanti said.

The flooring is new, the lighting is energy efficient, the urinals are waterless and not one stick of chalk can be found in the classrooms (white boards are cleaner, safer, more environmentally friendly, Tobacco says). And the school is keenly focused on educating students with applicable knowledge teaching them skills and abilities that can be used in their future professions.

A cutting edge Anatomage Table, the most technically advanced virtual dissection table for anatomy education, was just installed in the Biology lab, allowing students to view the different systems of the body and watch how they function. State-of-the-art university grade microscopes and a dual-ecosystem marine-biology tank were also recently introduced.

The Anatomage Virtual Dissection Table. (Courtesy of Lou Tobacco)

If this inspires just one student to become a cardiologist then weve done our jobs, Tobacco said, pushing buttons on the impressive touch-screen table, switching the display from the musculoskeletal system to a detailed view of the heart. These are the same tools used in the top colleges and Universities throughout the country. By introducing our students to this we are giving them a true advantage.

Unique collaborations with Staten Island University Hospital Northwell Health, Engineering Tomorrow and the Billion Oyster Project are aimed at extending education beyond the campus giving students the opportunity of real-life experiences on-site at various major construction sites like the Bayonne Bridge and Amazon distribution centers. Farrell students are even given the opportunity to make rounds at SIUH and learn from top surgeons.

Theres also a Medical Education Development Institute, or MEDI, and a Pre-Med Society that gives students the opportunity to complete volunteer hours at SIUH, allowing them to shadow different departments of the hospital and participate in an ER to the classroom experience. The entire student body is also exposed to guest lectures that open them up to a variety of careers in the field of medicine.

Chemistry Lab. (Courtesy/Lou Tobacco) - .

Brand new computers were installed in the schools third-floor computer lab, allowing AP Computer Science, AutoCAD, and Video Game Programming courses access to some of the fastest hardware available. Students can quickly sketch 3D structures in AutoCAD and then print them using a 3D printer.

Weve chosen to innovate in areas that best serve our students' interests, Tobacco said. Many of our graduates go on to study engineering so weve placed great importance on our science and mathematics departments. But this technology weve introduced serves all students across the board.

A Video Game Programming class allows students to design and code virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) games and applications. AP Computer Science students can code more highly advanced algorithms, such as using computer vision for facial recognition programs. An E-sports competitive gaming elective has already yielded significant scholarship money for students.

Theres a high-tech television studio in the East Wing of the school, accompanied by a brand new state-of-the-art communications center where all of Farrells digital and print publications will be produced. The brand new Brother Henry S. Wright Learning Commons, a multi-use seminar and research space that provides access to several educational databases, will soon be the setting for a lecture series that virtually invites college professors from all over the country into the Farrell class schedule.

Farrells WFBN-TV. (Courtesy/Lou Tobacco)

Our teachers were tasked with finding their collegial counterpart at a college or university somewhere in the U.S. in a sort of pen-pal type exchange, Tobacco said. They will then virtually bring their newfound colleague/friend to speak in class. Our first such lecture will feature an English professor from Pepperdine University.

For Tobacco, its just one of the innovative steps that he and his staff have taken to propel Monsignor Farrell High School into the future.

For these young men Farrell is the introduction to collegiate and then professional life, Tobacco said as he concluded the tour in Farrells breezeway, now home to a Bocce Complex that features five regulation-size courts.

We hope to have reunions and other gatherings here, he concluded, clutching a Vir Fidelis folder under one arm, a proud grin evident underneath his mask. Were making these improvements for our students and families and for our strong network of alumni too. Brotherhood runs deep at this school, it always has. And this campaign supports everyone who has ever walked these halls, every member of Farrells past, present and future.

(Jessica Jones-Gorman is a freelance writer based on Staten Island and former fashion editor for the Staten Island Advance.)

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As Monsignor Farrell enters its 60th year, the school turns a corner, modernizing its facility and curriculum - SILive.com

What is the value of a Black life in America?

Thats the fundamental question posed by a new exhibit in Baltimore, created in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and designed as a commentary on 400 years of systemic racism in America.

Societys Cage is the name of a 15-foot by 15-foot pavilion that was erected this summer on the National Mall in Washington as both an educational exhibit and a work of public art, forged in the aftermath of the killings by police officers ofGeorge Floyd in Minnesota and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky.

The pavilion was intended to travel to other locations, and the first stop outside Washington is Baltimore, where it opened today and will remain until Oct. 30.

Instead of the National Mall, where it was on display from August 28 to September 12, Societys Cage has been erected on War Memorial Plaza, the green lawn at 101 North Gay Street, in front of City Hall. An opening ceremony will be held at 2:30 p.m. today.

The installation was the work of African American architects and designers from SmithGroup, an architecture firm with offices in Washington. Its a cube-like structure thats part open-air pavilion and part freestanding cage, an experiential environment that people can walk in and around to learn about the impact of racism and police brutality on America.

The outer edges of the pavilion and the floor inside are layered with words and statistics that make it clear the killings of Floyd and Taylor were not isolated incidents but part of a continuum of racist activity and that has been going on for centuries. It asks a fundamental question: What is the value of Black Life in America? When they first enter the pavilion, visitors are encouraged to see how long they can hold their breath, a reminder of the eight minutes and 46 seconds Floyd endured when a police officer pressed a knee on his neck. The floor contains the names of thousands of African Americans killed over the years by lynching, incarceration, capital punishment and police terrorism.

And yet the pavilion has a certain beauty to it as well, especially at night. The metal bars of the cage evoke prison cells and the weight of oppression. But the interior can also be calm and peaceful, an inner sanctum removed from the world around, a place for contemplation and introspection. Small lights in the ceiling become visible after dark, like stars in the sky. In Washington, the cage was even used for singing and dance performances, and people left roses around the perimeter in memory of those who have died. Different people had widely different reactions, from adults willing to linger and read every word to some children not wanting to go inside at all.

Taylor, a 26-year-old African American emergency medical technician, was fatally shot in her own apartment by plainclothes police officers who were looking for drugs and executing a no-knock warrant on March 13. Gunfire was exchanged between the officers and Taylors boyfriend, who said he thought the officers were intruders. Taylor was shot at least eight times and was pronounced dead at the scene. No drugs were found in her apartment.

Baltimore City States Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced last week that she will no longer authorize no-knock warrants in Baltimore.

Floyd, 46, was killed on May 25 during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. He died after a police officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee on his neck even though he was subdued. Two autopsies later found Floyds death to be a homicide. His death triggered weeks of protests in the United States and beyond.

SmithGroup architects Dayton Schroeter and Julian Arrington, who led the effort, said they wanted to do something meaningful after the deaths of Floyd and Taylor, a tangible project that would use their craft and talents as designers. Others on the team were Monteil Crawley, Ivan OGarro and Julieta Guillermet.

They initially thought they might use their own funds and go to a home improvement store and get the supplies needed to construct the pavilion. But their companys leaders heard about what they were doing and decided to support their efforts with seed money for materials, even allowing them to spend some work time on the project. In essence, we were our client, Schroeter said.

The team thought about putting the pavilion on Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, a section of 16th Street N.W. thats close to the White House, but the city wasnt issuing permits for temporary art installations during the pandemic. The mayors office directed the architects to the National Park Service, which offered a spot on the Mall that had become available after a previous applicant cancelled. It was a prime location, near 12thStreet between the Capitol and the Washington Monument, with plenty of foot traffic in late summer and also room for social distancing. The installation was originally planned to come down before Labor Day but turned out to be so popular the architects asked the Park Service if they could keep it up for another week and the agency agreed. Now lots of cities want it.

Kathleen Lane, executive director of the Baltimore chapter of the American Institute of Architects, saw the installation in Washington in August and led an effort to bring it to Baltimore as a highlight of the AIAs Baltimore Architecture Month activities in October. The AIA worked with the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA), which has made the installation a signature event for the citys Free Fall Baltimore lineup. The city issued permits for the War Memorial Plaza site last week, allowing construction to begin, and the pavilion opened at 9 a.m. today.

Were very excited to see the installation in a new city, said Christa Montgomery, a corporate communications specialist for SmithGroup, in an email message. Baltimore has been very interested in hosting Societys Cage since seeing it in D.C., and both AIA Baltimore and BOPA have been strong advocates for the installation. Ultimately, it was the enthusiasm and commitment from our partners and those in city government that made Baltimore a great next location.

According to BOPA, Societys Cage will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and social distancing and masks are required to visit. SmithGroup has joined with the non-profit Architects Foundation to raise funds to help pay for the pavilions construction and to support the foundations Diversity Advancement scholarship program (architectsfoundation.networkforgood.com). So far, 219 people have contributed $68,605 toward a goal of $150,000, and donations are still being accepted.

Ed Gunts is a local freelance writer and the former architecture critic for The Baltimore Sun.

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New exhibit asks: What is the value of a Black life in America? - Baltimore Fishbowl

As I sit here, typing from the living room at home as the good folks from G&G install our new air conditioner, my thoughts drift back to this past Saturday when everything smelled like and was covered by pumpkin.

As it turns out, creating a pumpkin pudding (pie as us Americans call it) is a messy endeavor at least the way I make it it apparently is.

In short, the pies turned out to be not great, but not bad; the glaring issue being that I clearly got way too much pumpkin into the pie.

It REAAALLLLYYY tastes like pumpkin. Also the molasses for some reason didnt really spread about the pie like I would have liked. One bite REAAALLLLYYY tastes like pumpkin while the next bite will only REALLLLYY taste like pumpkin. It tends to be the difference in the number of As.

I dont really understand the molasses spread problem either, especially considering I beat the everloving stuffing out the batter. A good solid 10-15 minutes so one would think it would have dispersed in good order, but then again if I have proved anything; its how I can really make a simple thing difficult.

But, I get ahead of myself. Those of you who enjoy a good trainwreck are probably wanting to hear how I got pumpkin everywhere.

First, it started with the cutting of the pumpkin and the time-hallowed tradition of getting seeds and innards everywhere.

Slimy and slippery, the seeds refused to stay where they were meant to go and I would be finding pumpkin strings for a couple days after the fact.

Once prepped, the pumpkins went into the oven at 350 degrees for an hour in order to make it easier to get the skin off.

Elsewhere in the process, the pumpkin leaked all over the open, pumpkin juice adhering nicely to the oven base, boiling up and burning, creating a lovely smell of burnt pumpkin, which if you want to break the love of pumpkin spice, introduce burnt pumpkin spice. Just imagine the sweet smell of pumpkin with the harsh burn of pumpkin.

I ushered the baked, burnt pumpkin to the counter, dripping pumpkin liquid on the floor as it fell off the pan.

Next came the mixing of ingredients and this is where the two much pumpkin came into effect.

The pumpkin mashed remarkably easy, but it certainly wasnt the pint the recipe asked for, which I neglected to really check. Classic Eric cooking.

On top of that, the recipe calls for a quart of milk and four well-beaten eggs. It became quickly apparent that I did not have a big enough bowl.

By the time I completed said beating of the batter, it was just about an inch from the top so the mixing Ive alluded to sent batter all over the counter and the floor.

This was made easier by the fact that the batter was the consistency of well melted milkshakes and it shouldnt be ignored that pumpkin strings came along for the ride and had to be removed as well, which was just a hoot and half.

The pie crust behaved so there wasnt anything to worry about there and luckily the pie didnt spill everywhere which, to be honest, I fully expected at this point to put one on the floor.

And, as Ive said, the pie came out okay. Not great, not bad.

Ill try it again at some point because the smell in the kitchen once the burnt pumpkin went away was divine, thick with allspice and ginger and molasses sweeping through the house.

Maybe next time Ill trying measuring.

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The Wide Angle: Here's pie in your eye and the floor and the counter - Austin Daily Herald - Austin Herald

South Harrison, NJ, October 13, 2020-A school in South Harrison, New Jersey is encumbered by toxic mercury fumes rising from its floors, reports NJ.com.

The community is currently voting on a $1 million bond to remediate and replace the all-purpose room floor at South Harrison Elementary School. The phenol mercuric acetate (PMA), used to seal a rubbery surface to flooring, can break down over time and release fumes that are odorless but toxic.

From the 1960s to the early 2000s, schools, communities, colleges, universities, prisons throughout the country installed indoor gymnasiums, field houses, outdoor running tracks and similar rooms and athletic facilities, reports Penn Jersey Environmental Consulting. According to the 3M Corporation, their Tartan brand polyurethane flooring product (along with 8 other known brands) may contain as much as 1,000 2,000 parts per million (mg/kg) total mercury. It is now known that the PMA breaks down to metallic mercury over time, which is released as a vapor into the air.

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NJ School Voting on Bond to Replace Floor Emitting Toxic Mercury Fumes - Floor Focus

A $1 million bond referendum is on the ballot again in November after residents in a small Gloucester County town defeated it in the spring.

The proposal in South Harrison seeks to fund the replacement and remediation of flooring that is emitting toxic mercury vapors in the one-school town.

The all-purpose room in South Harrison Elementary School has flooring made with phenol mercuric acetate (PMA). The substance, used to seal a rubbery surface to flooring in gyms and other school rooms, can breakdown over time and release fumes that are odorless but toxic.

Superintendent Jim Lavender, who also oversees the nearby Kingsway Regional District, said he and other school officials hope a larger turnout in the general election will approve the proposal.

We did it in March and it failed, Lavender said Thursday. The voter turnout was 15%, maybe. So the thinking was, taking advantage of a general election were going to have a higher turnout. The board believes were going to have a truer representation of how the voters feel about this project.

If approved, the measure would add $62 to the residential property tax bill of $3,489.67 for the typical homeowner.

Lavender said the cost for replacing just under 5,000 square-feet of flooring could be less than $1 million if concrete under the floor is not also contaminated with PMA. He said any savings would be credited back to the bond amount. The superintendent said the district also qualifies for a rebate of up to 40% of the bond repayment from the state.

Lavender said the gym in the elementary school has been closed for more than a year after environmental testing showed mercury vapors in the room exceeded environmental standards of .8 micrograms per cubic unit of air.

The floors can stay in use by ventilating the rooms with fresh air and keeping temperatures between 68 to 72 degrees. The warmer the room is, the more vapors that are likely to be emitted. Students in the district returned to in-person classes on an alternating, cohort schedule for the upper and lower elementary school.

South Harrison is not the only school in the state, or nation, facing this problem. This type of flooring was widely installed until the early 2000s as an alternative to traditional wood floors for gyms and tile floors for cafeterias and all-purpose rooms which may also serve as auditoriums.

Washington Township, Gloucester County found it in flooring in eight of the townships 11 schools. Only one of the schools, Whitman Elementary, had levels that exceeded safe limits.

The remediation efforts in Washington Township were estimated at $3.2 million, officials there said. But an engineer the district hired to study the problem said she thinks it extends far beyond Washington Township.

This is not just a Washington Township problem, this is not just a state problem. This is a national problem, Annina Hogan said.

A bond referendum was passed in Deptford, Gloucester County in January that included funding to replace contaminated gym floors in three elementary schools.

The New Jersey Education Association warned its members last year that 11 school unions have sought help with the issue and that it suspects there are more mercury-laced floors out there.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com.

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Mercury vapors are seeping out of N.J. schools floor. $1M plan will fix it, if voters OK it. - NJ.com

Engineers at Viega use simulation applications to share results of finite element modelling with their customers, offering them valuable engineering support as they design radiant heating and cooling systems for both residential and commercial applications.

Imagine the race against time that emergency workers compete in on a daily basis, as well as the panic, stress, adrenaline and rush that comes with driving an ambulance or emergency helicopter. Now, imagine the emergency worker arriving on scene in the dead of winter, only to find the helicopter landing zone covered in ice and snow. Under such intense time constraints, can this area be shovelled quickly enough? What about emergency vehicles slipping on hidden ice? Is it worth the risk to be held at the mercy of these arctic conditions with such high stakes?

Fortunately, there is technology that can safeguard against these issues and it is becoming increasingly prominent: hydronic snowmelt systems. Piping encased in a thermal mass (typically concrete) allows for warm water to circulate throughout the area requiring snowmelt. With regards to an emergency situation, when designed properly, the system will prevent the buildup of ice and snow, thus alleviating the need for manual cleanup.

When it comes to applications where heating or cooling is required, radiant floor systems use a similar piping design to control space temperature and comfort by regulating the flow and temperature of water in tubing installed beneath the floor (Figure 2).

Viega, a company that both designs and manufactures radiant heating systems, helps tackle situations where special methods of temperature control are needed.

Although they have existed in various forms since the Roman Empire, radiant systems are turning out to be particularly useful in modern society for both commercial and residential applications. Radiant heating is used not only for floor warming applications but also to control the temperature of a room. When the floor can be kept at a warm temperature, it will give off thermal radiation in the room. This radiation will only be absorbed by opaque surfaces; in other words, it will be absorbed by our bodies (but not the air), creating a feeling of warmth.

A tubing layout is designed in a specific configuration by Viega. The tubing is then laid beneath the flooring in a panel system. Hot water (or cold water in cooling applications) runs through the tubing and heats the surrounding material. The uppermost surface of the floor then radiates heat to the rest of the room. This is just like when you move from a shady spot to a sunbathed one; although the air temperature is the same, your skin feels much warmer because of the absorption of thermal radiation. The special tubing is made of a cross-linked, high-density polyethene (known commonly as PEX). The cross-linking benefits are two-fold: It provides the capability to withstand higher temperatures and pressures and increases its resistance to stress cracking. These tubes are vigorously tested, adhering to standards for temperature and pressure ratings, minimum bending radii and pipe wall thickness.

The recent emergence of environmental consciousness and energy efficiency at the forefront of building design has contributed strongly to the increased popularity in radiant heating. Radiant heating systems pair quite well with modern, high-efficiency water boilers and since they dont circulate air and utilise lower water temperatures than a baseboard system (115F vs. 180F), they optimise the energy consumption. The water temperature in the tubing distribution is simply controlled by the opening and closing of valves and even yields a more constant temperature throughout the room.

Brett Austin, supervisor of heating and cooling design at Viega, uses the COMSOL Multiphysics software to design a system to meet their customers needs. COMSOL supplements our heating and cooling design and layout program, Austin says. We draw the layout on floor plans, move it into COMSOL and eventually share it with customers. Simulation allows us to provide engineering data to support our designs. When a project is proposed to them, a mechanical engineer from the site provides requirements for heating and cooling outputs, structural specifications, floor covering materials and usually a range of acceptable water temperatures. They then use simulation to determine tube placement and spacing, temperature distributions (Figure 3) and heating or cooling capacity to make sure the customers needs are met. COMSOL is primarily helpful for nonstandard applications where there is multidirectional output or more complex structures, Austin says.

Viega truly benefits from multiphysics simulation through the use of simulation applications and COMSOL Server to share them with their customers. When Viegas team is at meetings with prospective customers, they can now quickly adjust parameters, like water temperature or tubing diameter and show the output of the heating or cooling system on the spot.

Prospective customers often have many initial questions involving multiple iterations, Austin explains. But the simulation applications allow us to go above and beyond and offer them the invaluable service of visualisation. It is a great tool that allows us to share data virtually anywhere in the world from our office.

In environments like Southern California, cooling contributes more to comfort than heating. Thats why the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC, Figure 4) came to Viega about installing a radiant cooling system. Because of the massive size of the building, a forced-air circulation system would be near impossible to achieve and hopelessly expensive. Once again, the team underwent the task of modelling smaller sections of flooring and extrapolating the data to the entire layout. This scenario, however, had some added difficulty and required quite the balancing act from Austin. For starters, because of the dome-shaped structure and high amount of window space (Figure 5), there were abnormally high solar gains that added significant heat energy to the building. The cooling capacity, therefore, had to be very high to counteract this. On the flip side, because of constraints from the engineers on the ARTIC side, the water temperatures in the tubing had to be much lower than usual cooling systems (50F vs. 58F); but as temperatures neared dew point at the surface of the floor in some areas that had closely spaced tubing, Viega wanted to ensure peace of mind to the customer that condensation was not a concern.

Using COMSOL Multiphysics, they were able to determine what to do to prevent condensation from forming; installing a thin layer of insulation around the pipe. We worked out a solution with the onsite engineer to add an insulation layer on top of the supply tubing to slightly reduce the output, Austin says. It seems counterintuitive, but in this case, it prevents condensation in areas that had closely spaced tubing due to construction constraints. Additionally, on other projects, they have used COMSOL to run time-dependent simulations to help develop a control strategy where the slabs in the floor are cooled overnight to conserve energy. The chilled water is run throughout the night, cooling the concrete to a low temperature. In the morning, the water is turned off and the floor temperature stays cool for the remainder of the day. This contributes strongly to the reduction of necessary cooling power. Simulation was used to see how long the output will continue throughout the day and if this is a feasible strategy.

Even though snow-melting systems can act as a critical safety feature for emergency entrances and helicopter landing pads, they can be equally as useful at the other end of the spectrum: luxury. High-end ski resorts place extreme value on their customers safety and a sophisticated and reliable snow-melt system is essential to their experience. In a snow-melt system, the ground is kept at a warm temperature, which continuously melts snow and ice.

When Sun Valley Ski Resort, located in Ketchum, Idaho, came to Viega, Austin knew how sizable a task they were about to undertake. The ski resort wanted to install a radiant snow-melting system throughout the entire resort, requiring more than 60,000 square feet of walk areas and driveways. To deal with such a large project using simulation, Austin and his team had to model sections of the system. Fortunately, there are similar types of panels throughout most jobs, he explains. We used our internal program to draw out a section in a CAD format. Then wed draw a small cut-piece in the software, specify the radiant panel material properties and water temperatures and then run the simulation. Simulation applications made it seamless to present the results to Sun Valley representatives and played a major part in completing this job.

Sun Valley Ski Resort benefitted tremendously from Viegas design and installation. All pathways and areas with high foot traffic were involved (Figure 6). As it was not always feasible to plough or shovel these areas, another method of snow removal was needed. A snowmelt system such as this minimises any cleanup, reduces maintenance and contributes to a professional appearance as there is no need for salt or chemicals. It also, most importantly, adds an extra level of safety and reduces liability by allowing for ice-free zones.

COMSOL Server has provided a robust solution to couple Viegas services with their sales team. COMSOL has given much added value to our work and extended finite element modelling to our sales team, Austin says. It was very intuitive and easy to pick up the software and we plan on using more coupled physics interfaces in the future to increase our modelling capabilities.

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Each leaf will have Hope written on it

The cathedral will play host to The Leaves of the Trees, an art installation by sculptor Peter Walker.

The artwork is made up of 5,000 steel leaves, each with the word HOPE written on them, designed to honour those who have died during the pandemic and to allow everyone to reflect on their experiences.

The Dean of Lichfield, the Rev Adrian Dorber, said the artwork matches the mood of people during the pandemic. He said: The pandemic has affected every facet of life and since the start of the lockdown in March weve experienced new stresses and challenges.

This large-scale work by Peter Walker, our artist in residence, matches the mood with the moment as autumn sees leaf-fall, shorter, cooler days and the approach of winter darkness.

We house the installation in holy space that testifies always to hope and we offer this exhibition as an opportunity to think, pray, reflect and figure out the nature of our hope.

All 5,000 steel leaves will appear as if naturally scattered by the wind on the floor of the cathedral.

Mr Walker said he had chosen steel as the material to help remind people of resilience and collective strength.

He said: As the artwork tours around the country the steel will age, rust and change colour, just as the leaves of trees do when they fall each year.

It is hoped that the simplicity and beauty of the installation will give people the chance to pause and contemplate on their own experience and also the wider situation that we find ourselves in.

Visitors to Lichfield Cathedral can view the installation from October 31 to November 25 during usual daytime opening hours.

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Reflective pandemic art installation to be hosted at Lichfield Cathedral - expressandstar.com

Tim Leiweke

New York Islanders and state officials gathered at the future home of the UBS Arena last Friday morning to watch as construction crews placed the highest beam atop the 885-square-foot facility.

Today is a very, very special day, Northwell Health CEO Michael Dowling said at the topping-off ceremony. The health system the largest in New York State has partnered with the Islanders and lead developer Oak View Group to provide more community-based wellness programs and ensure peoples safety and well-being while inside the future live entertainment and sports venue.

This is about hope, he said. This is about the future.

Construction on the nearly $2 billion project was delayed by two months when Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced his New York on Pause order in March, but now, Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke said, the project is back on track to open next fall. He and Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky attributed that success to the hard work of the projects 10,000 union workers.

Its because of each of you that we are able to reach this important milestone, Ledecky told the workers on-site at the ceremony, with Leiweke adding that he cannot believe what a phenomenal job youve done.

Officials broke ground on the site last September, and they expect the roof to be two-thirds complete by the holiday season. From there, Leiweke said, crews could start working on the electricity and plumbing, and putting up drywall.

Crews have already begun installing the beams and stanchions for the stadium seats, and watched as the highest beam, signed by officials and union workers, was put in place on Oct. 9.

The facility is expected to open in time for the National Hockey Leagues 2021-22 season, and will house a 17,000-seat arena for the Islanders hockey team, as well as 20,000 seats for concerts. There will also be 56 suites, private clubs and 2,000 premium seats.

Musical artists, many of whom postponed their 2020 tours, will also benefit from a two-way ramp that will accommodate eight trucks, one of which will be able to drive right onto the arena floor, for artists to easily unload their equipment. They will also be able to stay in a four-season presidential suite, complete with their own greenrooms and offices that will be only 15 steps from the stadium.

They went out of their way to make sure we didnt cut any corners, Leiweke said of designer Populous at a webinar about the future of live sports and entertainment on Oct. 8, adding that UBS bathrooms are nicer than most arenas.

Oak View Group officials have also spent months looking into different sanitation technologies to implement at the new UBS Arena, and assembled a task force to discuss health and safety. They will also create new standards for health and safety at arenas that an independent agency would rate them on.

Our job is to ultimately deal with the virus, Leiweke said, noting that he had met with Dowling early on in the planning stage to discuss how they could safely open an arena during a pandemic, and Dowling informed him about the need for air-filtration systems.

The arena will now feature four massive air-pumping stations and technology that disinfects the air. It will also use ultraviolet lights to help disinfect surfaces and will feature outdoor spaces, and the grab-and-go technology that Amazon uses at its Amazon Go stores. Oak View Group was able to get that technology at its UBS Arena due to its naming rights agreement with Amazon for the Seattle Krakens new stadium.

Were working with the gold standard, Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky said. We have to make sure a fan feels 1,000 percent safe when they enter the building.

But the Oak View Group, the Islanders and Northwell Health are also making sure people in the community stay safe. They announced on Oct. 6 that, as part of the partnership, Northwell and the Islanders will create community programs focused on health, nutrition and physical activity. The partnership will also help Northwell expand its outreach efforts, Dowling said, and learn more about the communitys needs.

It will be continuous learning, Dowling said, with Leiweke adding that officials from the different organizations will learn more about the communitys needs before the first puck drops at the arena in 14 months.

A retail village included in the plans for the redevelopment project, however, may open a year later due to coronavirus delays, and the south platform of a new Elmont Long Island Rail Road station at the site will open around Nov. 1 of next year with the north platform serving westbound trains finished a year later. The station will include 5,500 parking spaces, with 150 reserved for commuter parking.

We will be fine, and we will get through this, Leiweke said at another panel discussion about the construction project on Oct. 8. Im not going to let a temporary virus affect what were doing here.

The project is being privately funded, Leiweke said, and is expected to provide a significant boost to the regional economy, at a time when economic activity has slowed because of the coronavirus pandemic. It is expected to generate roughly $25 billion in economic activity over the term of its lease, and developers have vowed to fill 30 percent of the arenas permanent jobs with workers who live in the surrounding area.

Additionally, 30 percent of contracting dollars for construction was earmarked for state-certified minority- and female-owned businesses, and 6 percent was earmarked for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.

If you dont think New York is going to return, you are blind to whats going on around us today, Leiwekee said at the ceremony on Friday. To all of those that doubt New York, come visit us at UBS.

For more information about the arena, visit http://www.UBSArena.com.

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Highest beam installed at UBS Arena - liherald