A granite quarry and crusher facility has bared the divide between the politically connected and the ordinary, allegedly cracked open the walls of houses nearby and is fast changing the landscape from a verdant green to an angry red at Peruvayal village in Kunnamangalam.

But mistake not. Chaliyar Granite Private Ltd. is a licensed outfit. Their papers say so. Moosa Moulavi, a partner, introduces himself as a social worker and general convener of the Indian Union Muslim Leagues Kunnamangalam Assembly constituency committee. He says the quarry is run by a few workers from the neighbourhood. It is a livelihood for us, he insists.

Mr. Moulavi invitesThe Hinduinto a small office opposite the crusher unit up a winding narrow road atop the Pallikadavu hill with a panoramic sight of the Chaliyar glistening in the evening sun.

In the dust-laden atmosphere, a few trucks have queued up for their daily load of quarried granite, in various forms from gravel to blocks. Somewhere in the slopes of the hill, metallic thuds of an excavator punching the rock face of the hill fills the air.

Mr. Moulavi does not for a moment hesitate to produce the documents giving him the right to dig the hill. The licences are handed over to this correspondent. The factory licence, the explosives licence, environment certificate, and the no objection certificate from the panchayat all of them.

We have nothing to hide. What we are doing is totally legal, he said. His certificate under the Kerala Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 1967, gives him permission to quarry two plots measuring 24 cents each on the hill. We bought 15 acres here. The crusher does not require all that land. But we bought it anyway so that the local people are not disturbed by our work We are all residents of this area, he said.

He pouts when told about the cracks on peoples homes. Their houses are over 100 metres from this quarry. Look at my office, there is no crack on my walls, he reasoned.

Khadeeja Puthukadi, who lives on the steep slope leading to the quarry, hardly agrees with Mr. Moulavi. Her front yard is cracked, so are her walls. She says the earth trembles when explosives are detonated. But we are poor. There is no one to talk for us, she said.

Her neighbour, Rekha Rajesh, a young widow who lives with her two children, has just moved into a small concrete house from a tin-roofed shed.

Her husband died in an accident last year. We pooled money to build a house for her. Now she is scared that jerks from the quarry may damage her new house, T.C. Ali, a local madrasa teacher and neighbour, said.

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Granite quarry in Kozhikode cracks open a divide

Thursdays snowfall closed schools around the area and postponed the vast majority of after school athletics activities for Friday night.

Heres a list of the games that have already been rescheduled from Friday night. If you know of a game that has been rescheduled and is not included in the list below, please e-mail hss@washpost.com with the schools, gender and new date and time.

Boys Basketball

Arundel at Annapolis postponed to Jan. 7, 6:45 p.m.

Atholton at Mount Hebron postponed to Jan. 7, 5:30 p.m.

Battlefield at Robinson postponed to Jan. 4, 7:30 p.m.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase at Richard Montgomery postponed to Jan. 4, 6:15 p.m.

Blake at Springbrook postponed to Jan. 4, 2 p.m.

Briar Woods at Kettle Run postponed to Jan. 17, 7 p.m.

Champe at Loudoun Valley postponed to Jan. 8, 7:15 p.m.

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Postponements and rescheduled basketball games from Friday, Jan. 3

The approach to the citys department of public works headquarters takes you up a gentle hill, on a frequently patched asphalt road, and into a landscape out of 1970s Soviet Russia.

A nonworking municipal incinerator rises up in front of you. Piles of broken concrete are everywhere.

A bright spot: a big stack of new brown-and-yellow yard waste bins that have yet to be distributed throughout the city.

Diesel engines idle everywhere. A shiny purple Christmas tree is wired to the grill of an idling, growling trash truck. There are shiny green balls on the tree.

Its snowing on Thursday, a little past 11 a.m., and its supposed to keep snowing until sometime Friday.

You can hear cars going by down on the highway. A wet American flag is wrapped around the top of a flagpole. The wind isnt hard but its steady.

Inside the headquarters, badly lit, dark hallways lead to offices and a break room full of dented gray metal lockers and a swaybacked green-and-black armchair, no doubt brought in by some employee cleaning out his or her basement.

John Perry is the DPWs director of operations. The title comes with a very dark office. He sits with his back to the window.

Maybe another inch, inch-and-a-half before it turns dark, he says.

Thats when the fun starts.

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SIDE STREETS: Fall River's DPW doesn't go home until the snow's over

Researching the documentary on the rocks of Hyderabad, we met urban geographer Anant Maringanti, executive director Hyderabad Urban Lab, to reckon with issues around urbanisation and geology. We found that the relaxed and welcoming attitude there, had as its bedrock, an intense engagement with the geographic-historic discourse of the city and contemporary re-mappings of it.

Starting out, Anant pointed out that it is impossible to imagine the rocks of Hyderabad without the water bodies that suffuse the landscape. Water laden sagars, kuntas, nullahs, cheruvus and bowlis are as ubiquitous in describing various parts of Hyderabad, as are rock filled bandas, kondas, gaddas and pahads. The region is home to a quirky geology that creates a unique drainage pattern. Anant elaborated that because of the rocky outcrops being in various directions, water does not flow off on one side evenly as in the Gangetic Plain. It flows instead in any direction that the rock surface takes it. This water run-off is caught in various lakes, ponds, canals and other water bodies, in the middle of the rock formations, creating the water-rock combination that is so familiar to us.

For instance Durgam Cheruvu, the beautiful secret lake, was so well hidden within the rocks that it historically used to supply drinking water to the rulers at Golconda, as fear of the water being poisoned by enemies was reduced. Today, Durgam Cheruvu is the celebrated centrepiece of the Cyberabad avatar of Hyderabad, with construction and offices invading its space.

Relentless urbanisation today is denuding our landscape of rocks while water bodies are shrunken, polluted and built into. Retracing a few key historical moments of this urbanisation, Anant describes how, initially there was a small rocky hill fort in the time of the Kakatiyas and the gollas (shepherds) caused it to be named Gollakonda (shepherds hill). Over the years it grew and attained grandeur under the Qutb Shahi rule, morphing to Golconda. When the Golconda fort was overcome by population rise and rampant disease, the Qutb Shahi rulers established the city of Hyderabad.

Once Hyderabad came into being and expanded, it was relatively well-governed; until population growth in the 1970s created huge demands that the municipal system was unable to meet. The 1990s saw the Cyberabad Act passed, allowing large tracts of surrounding agricultural land to be urbanised. The Greater Hyderabad Development Authority and Airport Development Authority came into being to help manage the growth. However the situation currently calls for far more forethought and planning. Indiscriminate quarrying has cut into the rocks, decimating entire hill ranges. Building infrastructure has filled up lakes and dried them, cutting through natural drainage paths in haphazard, hazardous overbuilding.

The leitmotif synergy of rock, water and green cover of our area is in crisis. While increasing urbanisation is a resolute current fact, we need a responsible reimagining of our urban future: moving ahead while retaining our core strength of a uniquely beautiful and ecologically sound landscape, and, respecting a shared heritage of human and physical geography in responding to the compulsions brought by that future.

(The writer is a documentary film maker, writer and teacher)

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Understanding our quirky geology

Difficulty: Moderate. The 2.9-mile loop travels up and along the ridge of Sanders Hill, which reaches its highest point at 854 feet above sea level.The trail is well-marked with blue blazes and signs.

How to get there: From the intersection of Route 27 and Route 225 in Rome, Maine, drive 1.1 mile north of Route 27 and take a left onto Watson Pond Road. Drive about 1.3 miles and the small parking area for the trail will be on your right, marked with a blue Kennebec Highlands sign.

Information:Sanders Hill a part of the Kennebec Highlands, which at 6,500 acres is the largest contiguous block of conserved land in central Maine. Rising 854 feet above sea level, Sanders Hill is located just west of the undeveloped Watson Pond and is surrounded by peaks of similar height.

The Sanders Hill Loop hiking trail is 2.9 miles long and can be hiked in either direction, according to the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance, which manages the land in partnership with the Maine Department of Conservation.

To hike the loop counterclockwise, start at the north side of the parking area (if you face away from the road, it will be on your right-hand side). Follow the blue blazes into the forest. At about 0.2 miles, youll come to a boulder with a ladder leaning up against it. If you climb the ladder to the top of the boulder, youll be greeted with nice views from the south end of Watson Pond.

The trail crosses the inflow for Watson Pond and makes several twists and turns. Make sure to always follow the blue blazes to avoid getting lost on side trails, old logging roads and paths made by resident wildlife.

The trail gradually climbs the Sanders Hill. As you climb higher, the hill will drop off on your right. The trail descends a bit before leading to the first outlook of the hike Watson Pond, Mount Phillip and French Mountain, partially obscured by trees. After that, the trail will climb to the sparsely wooded summit area, where you can enjoy partial views to the east and south through the trees, approximately 1.1 miles into the hike. There is no summit sign, but the top of the hill is fairly evident because after it, the trail starts to descend.

At 1.3 miles, the trail meets the Kennebec Highlands Trail. Turn left (south) and follow the broad gravel trail, lined with birch trees. At 1.9 miles, just before a bridge over Beaver Brook, turn left and follow the blue blazes into the woods on a narrower trail. This part of the loop travels through a beautiful mixed forest and past a large boulder called Snapper Rock, according to the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance. The trail then swings north and meets an old logging road, the final leg of the hike. Turn right and follow the old road back to the parking area.

The trail is free for the public to use year round, but visitors should note that the Kennebec Highlands Trail (which the loop follows for a short distance) is a multi-use trail allowing snowmobile use in the winter. Dogs are permitted but should be under control of their owners. Pack in, pack out (including dog waste).

Continued here:
1-minute hike: Sanders Hill in Rome

Not surprisingly, Plymouth looked to its past for inspiration in 2013, spending considerable time and money on a variety of restoration projects that bode well for the towns future.

This was a watershed year for Burial Hill, as first the Community Preservation Committee approved a $500,000 grant for the restoration of 1,000 of the Hills original gravestones and, later in the year, after a concerted effort by town officials and the nonprofit Friends of Burial Hill, the site was finally placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Going forward, the town has hired a firm to develop a master plan that, if approved, would expend several million dollars to restore and/or improve the sites landscaping, pedestrian pathways, major structures and security in time for the towns 400th birthday in 2020.

For the past decade, the town has also been involved in the restoration of the original Town Brook and this year several major projects along that historic waterway made significant progress.

Several dams and the old Plymco mill buildings were removed, and contaminated soils taken out, bringing the town closer to its goal of an unfettered pathway for pedestrians and herring.

When this latest project is complete in 2017, the Billington Street Dam, the Off Billington Street Dam, the Plymco Dam and the Holmes Dam will have been either removed or completely reconfigured and the landscape between them radically modified.

Though there was little money spent on the 1820 Courthouse in 2013, at least compared to other historic projects, a great deal of time and effort was expended by town officials and others to develop a proposal to revitalize the downtown and preserve the most historic aspects of the Courthouse by transforming the hodgepodge of abandoned and worn buildings known as the Courthouse Corridor into a municipal center.

Before this year, most of the effort has been focused on trying to find a commercial buyer for the entire corridor. This year, though, an old idea attributed in part to the late Rev. Peter Gomes was dusted off and given a new coat of wax. A $75,000 feasibility study was commissioned and, when it was completed, the concept of moving Town Hall from Lincoln Street and refurbishing the buildings original courtroom to allow for special meetings and tourist events was presented to the town for its deliberation.

2013 also marked the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, and fittingly the town also found the funding necessary to restore the Civil War Monument on the Training Green on Sandwich Street.

And as the summer waned and word spread that the town was considering demolishing several historic fishermens shacks on land adjacent to Plymouth Beach, supporters of preserving these remnants of the towns not-too-distant past mobilized quickly and the shacks were saved.

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2013: A LOOK BACK: Burial Hill, Town Brook highlight ‘historic’ year

Published at 07:38, Wednesday, 01 January 2014

THE following applications for planning permission have been lodged with Northumberland County Councils west area planning team.

Barrasford pensioners enjoy Christmas lunch courtesy of Tony and Monica Binks and the staff at the Barrasford Arms.

Acomb: Ian Pattison, works to trees in a conservation area: fell three ash, one elder and two silver birch trees at 1 Town Foot Cottage, Main Street, ref. no 13/03810/TREECA.

Allendale: Richard Thompson, siting of 16 ground mounted photovoltaic solar panels to generate electricity at Finney Hill Green, ref. no 13/03738/RENE

Cambo: The National Trust, creation of car park on land north of Thistleby Wood, B6342 Rugley Walls to Rothley Cross Roads, ref. no 13/03723/FUL

Corbridge: Northumberland County Council, Increased width of parking bay to 3.3m minimum, plus two individual dropped kerb sections with tactile paving into Hill Street adopted footpath. External lighting to ramp and steps, surface mounted plastic signs to rear of building and external handrail to concealed rear steps to basement at Corbridge Tourist Information Centre, Corbridge Library,Hill Street, ref. no 13/03735/FUL. Simon Dronfield, removal blue atlas cedar and removal of larch at 30 Princes Street, ref. no 13/03801/TREECA.

Greenhead: Haltwhistle Golf Club, certificate of lawfulness for refurbishment of existing clubhouse: replacement of existing roof cladding, reclad walls, adjustment of existing window openings; creation of two new window openings on east elevation; new entrance door to south elevation and siting of a temporary building to be used as a starters hut and secretary's office at Haltwhistle Golf Club, ref no 13/03636/CLPROP.

Haltwhistle: Northumberland County Council, installation of tactile paving into footpath south east of public toilets, Westgate, ref no 13/03753/PA. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust/Northumberland County Council, non material amendment to approved planning application 12/00778/FUL - changes to landscape scheme at former Haltwhistle War Memorial Hospital, Westgate, ref. no 13/03777/FUL

Heddon on the Wall: Paul Watkins, extension on ground floor to living room incorporating front entrance porch and loft conversion at 42 Calvus Drive, ref. no 13/03733/FUL

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Planning applications: Friday, December 27, 2013

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Gryphon Adams

Gryphon Adams began publishing in 1985. He contributed to the "San Francisco Chronicle" and "Dark Voices." Adams writes about a variety of topics, including teaching, floral design, landscaping and home furnishings. Adams is a certified health educator and a massage practitioner. He received his Master of Fine Arts at San Francisco State University.

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Hills present a challenge in landscaping. Without planning, the area may present an eyesore. Erosion, landslides, weeds, run-off, wasted topsoil, mulch, gravel and other topical treatments provide ongoing hassles without ongoing maintenance. Landscaping with rocks provides a cost-effective solution that can turn a hill into a pleasing focal point on the property. With some planning plus the right tools and materials, you can create a hill landscape that's an asset to your property.

Look over some pictures of hills with rock landscaping. Designs range from rocks that form planned patterns of abstract art to natural-looking landscapes where the rocks sit in the earth amid native plants to create the look of a long-standing natural terrain. Adding plants to the hill will help reduce erosion by creating a network of roots that hold the soil.

Choose what types of rocks and plants you will use for the hill landscaping. It may be useful to list the pros and cons of the materials you are considering. For example, lava rock comes in black and red and have the advantage of being porous and lightweight. They may be more convenient to carry up the hill than solid boulders.

Mark the desired positions for the largest rocks or boulders with plant stakes or tent stakes. Go down the hill and check the effect from different vantage points. For a natural effect, place the rocks in a random configuration with uneven spacing. For a more formal effect, place rocks in a pattern, such as a spiral, or space them evenly apart.

Dig a hole into the hill for each boulder. Make the hole large enough to bury at least 1/4 of any boulder or large rock. The larger and heavier the rock, the deeper you need to seat it in the earth to reduce the risk of a rock slide and potential property damage or injury. For example, if the boulder is 40 inches tall, make the hole 10 inches deep.

Place each rock or boulder in the corresponding hole and fill the earth back in around it. Stamp the earth firmly around the rock with your feet.

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How to Landscape With Rocks on a Hill | eHow

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in...

As Democrats survey a troubled 2014 political landscape, it's easy to forget how optimistic they seemed less than a year ago.

"I would expect that Nancy Pelosi is going to be speaker again pretty soon," President Obama told cheering House Democrats at a party retreat last February.

In the rosy scenario that took hold in some Democratic circles, the party was positioned to recapture the House in 2014 and maintain control of the Senate, allowing Obama to defy the history of second-term presidential decline. Great successes and good years lay ahead.

Had Democrats forgotten Obamacare, the law they passed in 2010 that was scheduled to take effect in 2014? It almost seemed as if they had.

Obama and his allies put off the arrival of Obamacare until after the president faced re-election in 2012. His administration also delayed releasing key rules regarding the law until after the election for fear of angering voters. But now they can't put it off any longer. 2014 will be the year Democrats pay for Obamacare.

When Obama spoke to the House retreat, polls consistently showed Democrats leading in the so-called "generic ballot" question, that is, whether voters will choose a Democratic or a Republican representative in the next election. Now, however, there's been a big swing away from Democrats and toward Republicans.

In addition, a new CNN poll found that 55 percent of voters surveyed said that when it comes to congressional races, they're more likely to vote for a candidate who opposes Obama than one who supports the president. "Those kind of numbers spelled early trouble for the Democrats before the 1994 and 2010 midterms, and for the GOP before the 2006 elections," CNN polling director Keating Holland reported on the network's website.

Meanwhile, support for Obamacare, already low, could fall further as more middle-income Americans voters figure out that they are the ones who will be paying for the Democrats' national health care scheme.

In 2009 and 2010, Obama, Pelosi and their fellow Democrats sold Obamacare as a kind of miracle. It would give health insurance to 30 million previously uncovered people and cut the federal deficit by more than a trillion dollars at the same time. And the only taxes needed to pay for it all would fall on the very wealthy. It seemed impossible, but that's what they claimed.

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Democrats will pay political price for Obamacare in 2014

CREATED 9:36 PM

The giant hill in Camels Back Park has been a hot spot for outdoor lovers in Boise for generations.The iconic area in the North End is the gateway to the foothills, and could soon be getting a facelift.

Ridge to Rivers trail experts, city engineers and landscape architects have developed a proposal that would convert the top third of the steep trail into stone steps and landscaping with native plants.

"They do a lot of maintenance and a lot of it makes sense, park regular Fred Roe said. Once there starts to be erosion it can really take off, so it's good to stem it before it gets worse."

Other trail regulars dont seem to mind the changes either.

"I think it serves the purpose that people use the hill for well- to climb to the top," Roe said.

"Looks like the proposal is going to be pretty beautiful, Daniel Walsh said. I'd still use the stairs and probably still get as good of exercise."

Some say if they cant stop Mother Nature from running its toll, they'll just have to fix what they can to keep the landmark around for generations to come.

"You know, sometimes I wish it could stay the same, but the reality is it doesnt, Roe said. So if it's going to change on its own, and we want to keep it, we need to maintain it."

The plan is still in its beginning stages and is estimated to cost $70,000. The city is seeking a grant from the State of Idahos Non-motorized Recreational Trails Program to help fund the project in 2014.

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Possible changes to iconic Boise landmark