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Irwin man sentenced to jail after being found with almost 30 pounds of marijuana - TribLIVE

WASHINGTON The Great Lakes region took a beating last decade with the collapse of its manufacturing sector.

The regions economy has been in recovery but the pandemic threatens to deal another devastating blow.

Unemployment is spiking and cities and states are facing massive revenue losses, which have the potential to destabilize the regions renowned higher education system and other publicly funded programs and services. Wisconsins unemployment rate reached nearly 15% in April, an historic high.

A veteran Democratic lawmaker is devising a plan for a massive influx of federal aid to boost the region.

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), co-chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, is exploring the possibility of a new federal entity to revitalize the region a project that could mirror the scale of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for the eight states that border the Great Lakes.

Why is the Great Lakes always in the sink? she said in an interview. Why are we always forgotten? We have all these mammoth power needs and water needs, and the federal government just sits back and sort of turns its back on us. For me, that day is over.

A senior member of the powerful U.S. House Appropriations Committee and chair of its subcommittee on energy and water development, Kaptur is sussing out support for the concept among lawmakers from the region and leaders in Congress.

She may try to include the concept in a larger coronavirus recovery package, if and when Congress takes one up.

Rep. Debbie Dingell a Michigan Democrat who co-chairs the House Great Lakes Task Force with Kaptur and Republicans Bill Huizenga of Michigan and David Joyce of Ohio said that federal lawmakers from the region work closely together and are exploring ways to support and protect it. She did not comment specifically about Kapturs concept.

Wisconsin Reps. Ron Kind (D), Gwen Moore (D), Mike Gallagher (R) and Glenn Grothman (R) also sit on the task force, while Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D) belongs to a Senate Great Lakes group.

In February, the House passed Joyces bill to renew and increase funding over five years for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a multiagency program created a decade ago to preserve and protect the lakes.

Seven of the states House lawmakers voted for it; the states other seat now held by GOP Rep. Tom Tiffany was vacant at the time.

The bills fate in the U.S. Senate is unclear. Baldwin has signed on; Sen. Ron Johnson (R) hasnt.

The passage was praised by members of Wisconsins congressional delegation from both sides of the aisle.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.) cosponsored the bill. In Northeast Wisconsin, the Great Lakes are critical to our economy and way of life, said Gallagher. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has proven itself not only to be an efficient use of taxpayer dollars, but also an important way to preserve our waters for generations to come. Im glad were taking bipartisan action to dedicate more resources to this vital program.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), who is also on the task force, sent a letter shortly after that bills House passage requesting full 2021 funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees environmental and interior funding calling the program successful and results-drive.

We are pleased that the Administration agreed to bipartisan requests from Congress to include at least $320 million in its FY 2021 budget request for this important program, which supplies drinking water to millions of people and contributes billions of dollars to the economy each year, she wrote in a letter sent with her colleagues.

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Advocates for the region are also asking Congress to target the Great Lakes region in coronavirus relief bills. Funds are needed to help modernize water infrastructure, increase access to safe drinking water, prevent erosion and maintain navigation systems, a coalition of nine organizations wrote in a recent letter to congressional leaders.

Administering funds through existing programs could quickly spur job growth and economic activity in the region, they said.

Kaptur says a new entity may be needed to support long-term revitalization and reclamation throughout the Great Lakes region.

Such an agency would support access not only to safe drinking and wastewater but also to other utilities and clean up old and obsolete industrial and defense sites, which she said drag down the regions economy.

Existing agencies and programs address various aspects of these issues at the federal, regional and state levels, she said.

But she fears none is up to the monumental task of addressing them comprehensively and revitalizing an entire regional economy. Instead, she looks to federal models like the Bureau of Reclamation in the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Congress created the reclamation bureau at the beginning of the 20th century to undertake water storage and irrigation projects to help settlers farm or reclaim the American West. The bureau, perhaps best known for construction of the Hoover Dam on the Arizona-Nevada border, operates and maintains water and electricity projects in 17 western states.

In 1933 at the height of the Great Depression Congress launched the Tennessee Valley Authority to support impoverished mountain communities in seven southeastern states. The agency a federally owned power company was created to provide electricity to rural and underserved areas and address other problems such as flooding, erosion and migration.

Kaptur doesnt know what such an entity would be called perhaps the Bureau of Great Lakes Restoration or how it would work.

But shes prepared to move forward. Youve got to start with a big idea that could be transformational, Kaptur said. Other regions of America have figured it out. So should we.

The Great Lakes region also known as the countrys Third Coast stretches from Minnesota to New York and runs through Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania as well as parts of Canada. Wisconsins eastern border runs along Lake Michigan and its northern one borders Lake Superior.

The region holds nearly all of the nations fresh surface water and is known as its industrial heartland, thanks to its manufacturing industries. In Wisconsin, manufacturing accounts for nearly a fifth of the states gross state product and more than 16% of its workforce.

The sector collapsed in the early 2000s. From 2000 to 2010, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin lost 1.6 million manufacturing jobs, a 35% decline, according to a 2017 report by the Urban Institute.

Median household incomes in all but one of those states Minnesota dropped more sharply that decade than the country overall, the report found.

The region began to recover in 2010 but still struggles from income and revenue losses, as well as from segregation, poverty, violence and legacy manufacturing sites.

Utility costs are also crushing consumers, Kaptur noted a problem exacerbated by the loss of jobs and income amid the pandemic. Access to safe and affordable drinking water has taken on added urgency under shelter-in-place orders.

Over the next 20 years, Wisconsin needs $15 billion to repair and replace crumbling water infrastructure, and the region as a whole needs nearly $200 billion, according to Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition in Ann Arbor, Mich. The group aims to secure and fund a sustainable Great Lakes restoration plan.

In addition to supporting the public and environmental health, such funds would stimulate the regions economy, according to the groups director, Laura Rubin.

Ultimately, the region needs more robust federal investment soon, Kaptur said. If were going to have any kind of industrial America were going to have to modernize more quickly.

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A new federal agency to revive the Great Lakes region? - Wisconsin Examiner

Its official! The fifth season of Home Town is on its way!

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On Thursday, May 28, HGTV announced that Erin and Ben Napier (the co-hosts of the home renovation show) will be back on our screens in 2021 with 16 brand-new episodes to keep us entertained for weeks on end.

As excited as we are for the husband-wife duo to grace our screens with all the Southern charm and home projects we could hope for, it seems theyre just as smitten about the announcement.

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Following HGTVs announcement, Erin took to Instagram to share a few throwback photos of her and her husband from the past five years of Home Town adventures and fame.

These old photos from seasons past make me smile, she wrote. Weve been making #HGTVHomeTown since 2015 and its been the honor of our lives. Its been a hard secret to keep that well begin shooting SEASON 5 in a few weeks, as the pandemic dust continues to hopefully settle. We cant wait to meet 16 more families and bring 16 homes back to life. Thank yall for following the journey with us. See you on @hgtv!

To stay up to date on all things Home Town, be sure to click over to HGTV. And, dont forget: New episodes air on Mondays at 9 P.M. ET. While we dont know the exact date of the new season, we can anticipate an early 2021 release. Until then, re-watch old episodes of Home Town and make sure to tune into the special 90-minute season-four finale on Monday, June 8.

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HGTV Just Announced That Erin and Ben Napier's 'Home Town' Will Return for Season 5 - countryliving.com

Fox News senior political analystBrit Humetold "Special Report" Monday that President Trump hadset a "pretty strong goal for himself" by committing to bring an end to the riots and violent protests that have rocked dozens of cities across America.

"The president has clearlydecided to align himself withthose that feel that the restoration of order is jobone and everything else issecondary ... ," Hume told host Bret Baier. "It is amazing to see howthis will be received.He set a pretty stronggoal for himself to end therioting, restoration of order,and now it needs to happen forthis to pan out for him."

TRUMP UNLOADS ON 'WEAK' GOVERNORS OVER PROTEST RESPONSE

Hume was reacting toTrump's announcementin the White House Rose Garden that he is taking immediate action and mobilizing all available federal resources to stop the riots and looting, threatening to deploy the military if states dont send in the National Guard to protests.

Trump made the comments over thesound of teargas beingdeployed in Lafayette Park, just a few hundredyards away from where he spoke, as policein riot gear andhorseback moved protesters away from the vicinity.

"I never thought I would seethis moment where the president[is]speaking in the Rose Garden andthe sights and sounds youdescribe [are] just across the street," Hume told Baier."Just when we thought this year,this amazing year, could notbecome more tumultuous, it nowhas."

TRUMP VOWS TO MOBILIZE FEDERAL RESOURCES TO END RIOTS

Hume later statedthat those responsiblefor hijacking peaceful protests and organizing the violencehave turned a country united in shock and outrage over the death of George Floyd into a further divided one.

"We saw this hideous image ofthis man having his neck steppedonto his death.I think America was united aboutthat," he said, "but what we are seeing now is notuniting but dividing andthis is the contribution thatthose who have turned this intolooting and rioting have madeagainst, one might suppose, thecause they claim they aresupporting.It is damaging to that cause."

Fox News' Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

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Brit Hume reacts to Trump remarks: President made 'restoration of order' the goal, 'now it needs to happen' - Fox News

Just before we were forced to spend 24 hours a day inside of our home, we finished with the last major piece of renovation that it required: a new bathroom. It was an opportunity to put my pledge to the test in the most substantial way yet, and finally fix up a room not only to be modern and nice-looking but also sustainable.

In fact, the process served only as a reminder of the difficulties faced by anyone trying to be green. Trying not to cost the Earth can mean costing a lot of money.

It is, of course, the most immense privilege to be able to have bathroom and the ability to re-decorate it, and one that I am grateful for each day. But, it turns out, even more privilege is required if you want to do that in a eco-friendly, green way.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

Examples are everywhere you turn. It's true at the most disposable end of the market: if you want a shower gel that's made sustainably, for instance, or comes in a bottle you can re-use, then you're going to have to pay up. At the other end of the market comes the big ticket items, such as showers, many of the most expensive of which boast special technology to keep water use down but require you to spend a lot more to actually get it.

Our shower is resolutely normal, surely using up a fair whack of water, since we couldn't spend a fair whack on buying it. Likewise, our lights switch off and on at the tug of a string, with not a motion sensor or WiFi connection in sight. Our heating system is nothing smarter or greener than a radiator.

The bathroom is not even the most egregious room of the house for it. New windows and solar panels would make our home much more green, but would require the kind of investment that we can't afford even in the best of times; new televisions promise energy efficient panels but would of course require you to throw away your old one first, and them stump up for a new one.

None of this is to whinge or moan. People have products to sell, and those products need new features; it is certainly something to be celebrated that those new features are things that make the products more sustainable rather than less.

But it will surely be to the detriment of the environmental movement if green credentials turn into little more than a feature, and one you have to pay up for. It is wonderful that people are hankering after green bathrooms and not just clean ones but it would be great if people did not have to hanker at all.

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20 pledges for 2020: When it comes to home renovations, why do we have to choose between costing the Earth and costing a lot of money? - The...

Renovation works for Housing Board flats and private homes that were disrupted can restart in phase one of the post-circuit breaker period, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said yesterday.

Suspended building works for single-dwelling landed residential properties will also be able to resume from June 2.

The BCA said that new renovation works for residential units, including new building works for landed homes, will be allowed to commence only at a later date.

The construction sector has largely been in limbo since circuit breaker measures kicked in on April 7. But it will return to life soon, with works allowed on critical projects with safe management guidelines.

All firms intending to restart suspended renovation and building works will have to seek BCA's approval, and have to show photos of suspended works and contractual agreements with home owners.

Approval will only be granted when firms show they can comply with the Ministry of Manpower's Safe Management Measures and BCA's Covid-Safe Restart Criteria, which include the following:

- the use of contact tracing apps

- the testing of workers before the resumption of works, followed by regular testing once every two weeks

- the training of workers who are carrying out construction-related activities to ensure familiarity with Covid-Safe measures; and

- the provision of dedicated accommodation and transport between worksite and accommodation for workers

The cost of swabbing for existing projects will be paid by the Government until August, the BCA said in a circular yesterday. Beyond that, the Government will work out the arrangements on how the cost of testing should be shared fairly among parties. Subsequently, if workers who are working are found to have missed regular testing, any approval given for resumption of works may be withdrawn, it added.

Those restarting building works at landed properties will have to use digital check-in system SafeEntry, as well as appoint safe-management officers to enforce the measures. Companies that are carrying out renovation works in HDB units will also need to apply to the board for the necessary permits after receiving approval from BCA.

A copy of BCA's approval has to be displayed outside the premises undergoing renovation. The contractor will be responsible for implementing the required safeguards.

Mr Richard Yea, 43, chief executive of interior design firm Design 4 Space, said his firm had around 70 projects with suspended works, which would need official approval. But he said it was unlikely works would resume on June 2 as seeking the necessary approvals takes time.

He said: "I'm definitely happy but there are many rules to follow and things to apply for, which I understand, but it makes restarting quite complicated."

Read more:
Disrupted home renovation works can restart from June 2 - The Straits Times

Now halfway through the month, new clients must wait about five weeks because of the backlog.

"It's typical of a summer. It's not unusual for me to be five and six weeks deep," Matthews said. "It's stressful, but I'm blessed I have clients who will wait for me."

Buildfax also expects maintenance and remodeling to rebound over the second half of the year as the economy returns to a semi-normal state.

While Matthews was able to string together jobs and now sees a rush of business, other contractors aren't so lucky. Rick Hitt, who works solely on commercial properties, had just three work orders over the past six weeks. There doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel, however.

"I've been starving here," said Hitt, who's done work in the past for Target, FedEx and other large companies in the metro area. "If I didn't know how to manage my money, I don't know where I'd be right now.

"The good Lord above takes care of me, and I take care of my money so I'm not in trouble yet. But I'm gonna be pretty soon."

Compounding the problem, Hitt said he never received his economic stimulus check from the federal government and can't file for unemployment.

He's been a contractor in Oklahoma City for the past 25 years. As he approaches 60 years old, Hitt said it's probably too late to consider another career if business doesn't pick up soon.

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Home, business repairs halted during the brunt of pandemic, leaving contractors out of work - Oklahoman.com

Law enforcement personnel dressed in riot gear used tear gas to disperse protesters near the White House as a curfew neared in the nation's capital. (June 1) AP Domestic

Attorney General William Barr ordered protesters to be cleared from a park near the White House, setting the stage for authoritiesto break up a peaceful demonstration ahead of President Trump's surprise visit to a nearby church, a senior Justice Department official said Tuesday.

The official, who is not authorized to comment publicly, said the decision to expand the security perimeter around Lafayette Square was made Monday morning, after previous protests scorched the area andbefore it was known that Trump would walk to historic St. John's ChurchMonday evening.

The official said Barr was "surprised" that the security perimeter had not been expanded when he visited the area just before Trump's scheduled speech at the White House. It was then, the source said, that Barr was informed of Trump's planto visit the church, prompting the attorney general toorder federal authorities to clear the area ofprotesters.

Historic church: St. John's Church has intersected with Donald Trump at key moments of his presidency

President Donald Trump walks past police in Lafayette Park after he visited St. John's Church across from the White House on June 1. Part of the church was set on fire during protests the night before.(Photo: Patrick Semansky, AP)

Barr was not involved in planning the staged photothat enraged church officials and was condemned by some lawmakers, the official said.

Earlier Tuesday, Barr vowed that Monday's show of force involving more than a dozen law-enforcement agencies was only a warm-up for what is to come.

After offering thanks Tuesday to a legion of military and law enforcement officials, including Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, for their efforts Monday, Barr warned that "even greater law enforcement resources" would be deployed to keep the peace in D.C.

"The most basic function of government is to provide security for people to live their lives and exercise their rights, and we will meet that responsibility here in the nations capital," Barr said in a statement.

In addition to military units, the attorney general referred to a long list of forces that would probably make a return appearance Tuesday night. At least a dozen agencies in all have been thrust into the mix, with more to come.

Among them: the FBI; the Secret Service; the U.S. Park Police; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Capitol Police; at least two Department of Homeland Security agencies; the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and "others."

'Domination': Trump calls for officials to 'dominate the streets' in response to protests

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The government's aggressive enforcement action Monday prompted criticism from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser,and religious leaders assailed President Donald Trump for clearing the streets so he could be photographed in front ofSt. John's Church, ahistoric worship center on the edge of Lafayette Square, just north of the White House.

D.C., like dozens of other cities, has been the scene of violent protests after the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in the custody of Minneapolis police. An officer who pinned Floyd's neck to the ground with his knee was charged with murder and manslaughter.

A protester treats a friend injured by a police projectile in Washington, D.C. on June 1, 2020. (Photo: Hannah Gaber, USA TODAY)

Critics hammered Trump for using police, armed with flash grenades and shields, to clear protesters from the Lafayette Square area to provide him cover for Monday night's brief event outside the church, where the president posed with a Bible.

"Tear-gassing peaceful protesters without provocation just so that the president could pose for photos outside a church dishonors everyvalue that faith teaches us," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a joint statement.

The U.S. Park Police has disputed that tear gas was used on the crowd.

Yet the attorney general appeared more than satisfied with the outcome.

Last night was a more peaceful night in the District of Columbia," Barr said. "Working together, federal and local law enforcement made significant progress in restoring order to the nations capital."

Hiding out:Trump briefly taken to underground bunker as protests grew outside White House

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/06/02/george-floyd-protests-barr-promises-more-patrols-white-house/3124628001/

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Attorney General Barr ordered park protesters cleared before Trump's visit to St. John's church - USA TODAY

New modelling released on Wednesday by the Community Housing Industry Association and National Shelter found a four-year social house building program of 30,000 homes would create on average up to 18,000 full-time equivalent jobs each year.

Association chief executive Wendy Hayhurst said the Social Housing Acceleration and Renovation Program (SHARP) would not only deliver better homes to those in need but also secure jobs for thousands of Australians.

Ms Hayhurst said the main benefit would fall where the job losses had been greatest in Sydney and Melbourne but also create jobs in regions and towns.

"With the period 2021-22 earmarked as an anticipated economic weak point, the program would create up to 24,500 jobs both on-site and in the wider building services industry," Ms Hayhurst said.

"The federal government has stated that we have to maintain a laser-like focus on jobs to get Australia moving and this new modelling shows that SHARP does just that".

"Whether it be new investment in social housing, or whether it be upgrades and renovations of social housing. And it should not be forgotten as part of a comprehensive package which is needed."

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It is estimated SHARP would raise output in Australia by at least $15.7 billion over the four years of construction and increase GDP by anywhere between $5.8 billion to $6.7 billion.

SGS Economics and Planning partner Terry Rawnsley, who led the modelling, said building homes had wide reaching impact beyond on site jobs and would call on services from equipment hire to waste removal.

"All this activity will have positive multiplier effects through local and regional economies, as construction and local supplier employees spend their newfound wages at local cafes, stores and even a weekend away," Mr Rawnsley said.

The Morrison government has so far ruled out an increased investment in social housing, instead leaving it to state governments, and focusing on a post-September commercial housing build when the industry says the current pipeline of projects will run dry.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese said the federal government was "ignoring" support for community housing.

"Social housing is an investment that produces a return, of course, for government. Because it's an asset," Mr Albanese said.

Rob Harris is the National Affairs Editor for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based at Parliament House in Canberra

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Social housing package proposed as government finalises new home grants - Sydney Morning Herald

Before the coronavirus lockdown, 70 per cent of Brits had never worked from home, according to the Office for National Statistics. Fast forward nine weeks and this life-altering global threat has resulted in an estimated 20 million people swapping crowded and long journeys for smooth 10-second commutes to makeshift workspaces on kitchen worktops or the living room table.

While lockdown restrictions are just starting to ease, for many British businesses, allowing employees to work from home at least some of the time will be the new normal.

The big tech firms have started the ball rolling. Twitter recently announced it will allow some of its workforce to continue working from home "forever" if they choose. Facebook expects up to half of its staff to transition to working from home within the next five to 10 years.

Many more large businesses are likely to follow suit as flexibility and work-life balance become key to a happier workforce.

Big lessons have been learned from home during lockdown. We are now more aware than ever of the need for multifunctional spaces for living, working, exercising and schooling.

Houzz, the leading online platform for home renovation and design, analysed search data and consulted home interiors and renovations professionals to predict how the coronavirus pandemic could shape homes of the future.

It is crucial for future homes to be designed with multiple uses in mind, such as carving out dedicated workspaces or gyms, or creating rooms that are reconfigurable depending on the time of day.

After lockdown measures were introduced in March, searches on Houzz for small offices rose by 82 per cent, garden offices by 72 per cent and desks by 69 per cent.

Huge emphasis now needs to be placed on setting up space for remote working, even if its only a fold-up desk squeezed into an unused corner.

Richard Hobden, director, RHJB Architects said: Making spaces work for multiple occasions is critical to being able to utilise every centimetre of space in the home. A comparatively easy win is to replace a divan or fixed-frame bed in the spare room with a simple folding bed. This can be a stand-alone piece of furniture or built into a storage wall, disguised as wardrobes. This will free up space elsewhere to create a multipurpose study, home gym or playroom."

Home gym space is also being prioritised, with equipment such as exercise bikes, dumbbells and yoga mats now needing dedicated temporary space - along with smart storage options to hide them away when not in use.

Interior designer Samantha Watkins McRae said: One of the most effective and flexible design solutions for making your home work harder is found with bespoke joinery. Smart, well-considered bespoke furniture will always improve living and aesthetic, but now more than ever this can be used to transform a room into different functions.

Spending more time in our homes - and paying higher utility bills - means many of us will prioritise energy efficiency and sustainability. According to Houzz research, energy efficiency is a top priority for 40 per cent of renovating homeowners.

Samantha Watkins McRae said: The most efficient way to conserve energy with any conversion or work to a home is through effective insulation. A properly insulated home will ensure that energy does not get wasted and that thermostats don't constantly need changing.

Low-VOC paints, recycled homewares and eco-friendly building materials are some examples of how this trend could manifest in the home.

"When it comes to ethical materials, we have seen cork become more popular, used in flooring and wall solutions for both residential and commercial projects. It is an incredibly ethical, durable material with amazing acoustic properties so it is perfect for flooring, and with its innate renewability, it is becoming more used in furniture. Natural grain, tinted or stained it is incredibly durable with a raw and timeless appeal, adds Watkins McRae.

After being confined to homes with little or no outdoor space, some clients have declared to architect Tommaso Giunchi that they will never again live in a house that does not have at least a small outdoor space.

Many homeowners in the same position will agree, particularly after this year's sunniest spring on record. Demand for homes with balconies and gardens has surged during lockdown, while applications to adapt rooftop spaces for outdoor use are likely to rise.

"We are now finding that with families spending more time at home, the volume of space this offers, together with the intrinsic links we seek to create between home and garden, have become invaluable. Although somewhat cliched, the merging of internal and external environments provides the impression of greater space and significantly reduces the feeling of confinement, said Richard Hobden of RHJB Architects.

Homes have also become safe havens amid the Covid-19 pandemic and this sentiment is likely to become more literal with interiors designed to provide comfort, security and calming wellness spaces.

Houzz says that less than a week into lockdown, searches were spiking for meditation rooms and yoga rooms.

More here:
Flexible spaces:how the Covid-19 lockdown will affect the design of our future homes - Homes and Property