On the western corner of Temple Sinai's Forbes Avenue property in Squirrel Hill, 50 people spent five hours Sunday creating a 16-by-23-foot sponge of plants and mulch.

It will be fed when the next rain pours from the roof to the gutter, down the disengaged downspout into a bank of gravel that will release it at a trickle across a small trench in the sidewalk to the rain garden.

Depending on the duration and severity of any one storm, one little patch like that keeps tens to hundreds of gallons of water out of the municipal system.

As impatient as a hungry raccoon, I always think "little by little" means "too little by too little" when I hear about another small, sustainable solution to our wildly expensive and massive problems.

I wonder why everybody who has cognizance and a few hundred dollars doesn't do what Temple Sinai has done. The more water that's kept out of underground pipes, the less overflow. The less water to treat, the less cost to us all -- except that if Alcosan builds pipes and tanks to the tune of $2 billion to meet a government mandate to reduce sewage overflow, our bills will go up regardless of solutions we provide at home.

Alcosan should consider offering people who spend on solutions of their own some relief from the rate hike.

At Temple Sinai, I imagined the rain garden as a patch on a quilt of Pittsburgh that's still a mostly empty frame. I imagined patches filling in the quilt from where I stood: a patch in the property across Murdoch Street and patches on each property across Forbes and then, hopping over Wightman and up Forbes toward Murray Avenue.

I took my fantasy citywide: Alcosan subsidizes a rain barrel for every property owner and partners with Nine Mile Run Watershed Association to install them. In fantasy, of course, time stands still. In reality, Alcosan has until Jan. 23 to submit its final plan to the Allegheny County Health Department, state Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Rabbi Ronald B.B. Symons, director of Temple Sinai's Tikkun Olam Center for Social Justice, said the rain garden, whose installation was organized by Zelda Curtiss, was one result of a session in which congregants were asked to name things that "kept them up at night -- not arthritis or money or kids but something they could dedicate time to" to make the world a better place.

About 200 people voted on 17 categories, paring the list to four: public education, transportation, elder care and the environment. The rain garden shows the synagogue's commitment to that environmental goal as Alcosan wrestles with its costly choices.

Original post:

Walkabout: Synagogue plants environmental cure to curb rain runoff

Seventeen handymen and builders in Seaside were cited and released after a statewide undercover sting operation, Contractors State License Board officials announced Friday.

Undercover investigators from the board's Statewide Investigative Fraud Team, known as SWIFT, posed as homeowners looking for help with tree trimming, gutter installation, water heater repairs, fence building, painting and home repairs.

Although the sting took place in Seaside, the unlicensed contractors hailed from around the Central Coast.

Besides Seaside, those cited reside in Pacific Grove, Monterey, Salinas, Soledad, Marina and one in Gilroy.

The stings took place Wednesday and Thursday in Monterey, Alameda, Los Angeles, Placer, San Diego, San Luis Obispo and Sonoma counties.

Of the cities targeted, Seaside had the most citations after Redondo Beach, where 18 people were cited.

Investigators said 92 people were cited, but the number may grow because some targets still might fax or email bids to the undercover officers.

The Monterey County District Attorney's Office and Seaside police worked with the state investigators.

Seaside police Cmdr. Louis Lumpkin said the sting was similar to one conducted two years ago in the city.

Asked if Seaside was chosen as a target for any special reason, he said, "It was just our turn again."

Read more from the original source:

17 unlicensed contractors cited in Seaside as part of sting

The City of Douglas continues work on various projects. This work is being completed by the Department of Public works and is part of the Mayor and Councils ongoing infrastructure improvement program.

Please be aware of the need for water conservation. We respectfully request residents conserve water by checking faucets, pipes, and toilets for leaks and only watering lawns and gardens between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. On behalf of the City of Douglas, thank you for your commitment to ensuring a sustainable water supply for our community.

3rd Street & Chino Road

All vehicles traveling to Mexico via the Port of Entry continue to use Chino Road to Pan American Avenue. Heavy commercial trucks continue to be diverted to 3rd Street via H Avenue.

Construction roadside improvements begin and include sidewalk installation and street lighting work on 3rd Street and Chiricahua Avenue to Chino Road.

Curbing Installation

Curb and gutter installation is taking place on 19th through 23rd Street and Tompkins Avenue. Construction hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Fire hydrant and water system maintenance continues along with miscellaneous concrete sidewalk repairs, pothole patching, cleanup, and graffiti cleanup throughout the city. If you have questions, please contact the Department of Public Works at 417-7329. Should problems arise with water and/or sewer services on the weekend or a holiday, please contact the Douglas Police Department at 417-7550, and on-call staff will be dispatched to your residence.

The City asks that you please obey all construction detours and use caution while driving or walking through these construction zones. We apologize for the inconveniences and we thank you for your patience. Please help keep everyone safe.

Read more from the original source:

Road Constuction