21 staff to go as SWEK announce swathe of cuts

Twenty one Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley staff positions will be cut and a swathe of services will be cut or closed, including the Wyndham Childcare Centre if its Budget is passed at Tuesday's special meeting.

Twelve staff members will be told to leave their positions while a further nine vacant positions will not be filled.

Other services on the chopping block include pre-cyclone clean-ups while there will be a scaling back of cumbungi management, and maintenance in areas such as lawn-mowing and ranger functions.

The Shire will also "no longer have a specific focus on providing assistance to sporting clubs or the provision of recreation services to Wyndham".

Shire president John Moulden announced the potential changes in a media statement released this morning, and said the putting together the "tight budget" had required a lot of consideration and deliberation by all councillors and executive management.

In the statement, he said the reductions had become necessary as a result of reductions in Federal Government Financial Assistance Grants and major Economic Development Stimulus Grants.

"The tight budget has meant councillors have had to make tough decisions about what services the Shire can and cannot provide and where savings can be made, to ensure the future sustainability of the Shire," Mr Moulden said.

Last month, Shire chief executive Gary Gaffney told The Kimberley Echo tough financial decisions would have to be made to balance the books on the back of fewer Commonwealth grants and costly flood damage.

A meeting for Shire employees was scheduled for this morning to discuss possible impacts on staff but Mr Gaffney is understood to be on holiday, with director of infrastructure Kevin Hannagan filling in as interim chief executive.

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Shire cuts staff and services

21 staff to go as SWEK announce swathe of cuts

Twenty one Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley staff positions will be cut and a swathe of services will be cut or closed, including the Wyndham Childcare Centre if its Budget is passed at Tuesday's special meeting.

Twelve staff members will be told to leave their positions while a further nine vacant positions will not be filled.

Other services on the chopping block include pre-cyclone clean-ups while there will be a scaling back of cumbungi management, and maintenance in areas such as lawn-mowing and ranger functions.

The Shire will also "no longer have a specific focus on providing assistance to sporting clubs or the provision of recreation services to Wyndham".

Shire president John Moulden announced the potential changes in a media statement released this morning, and said the putting together the "tight budget" had required a lot of consideration and deliberation by all councillors and executive management.

In the statement, he said the reductions had become necessary as a result of reductions in Federal Government Financial Assistance Grants and major Economic Development Stimulus Grants.

"The tight budget has meant councillors have had to make tough decisions about what services the Shire can and cannot provide and where savings can be made, to ensure the future sustainability of the Shire," Mr Moulden said.

Last month, Shire chief executive Gary Gaffney told The Kimberley Echo tough financial decisions would have to be made to balance the books on the back of fewer Commonwealth grants and costly flood damage.

A meeting for Shire employees was scheduled for this morning to discuss possible impacts on staff but Mr Gaffney is understood to be on holiday, with director of infrastructure Kevin Hannagan filling in as interim chief executive.

Original post:
21 staff to go as SWEK announce swathe of cuts

21 staff to go as SWEK announce swathe of cuts

Twenty one Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley staff positions will be cut and a swathe of services will be cut or closed, including the Wyndham Childcare Centre if its Budget is passed at Tuesday's special meeting.

Twelve staff members will be told to leave their positions while a further nine vacant positions will not be filled.

Other services on the chopping block include pre-cyclone clean-ups while there will be a scaling back of cumbungi management, and maintenance in areas such as lawn-mowing and ranger functions.

The Shire will also "no longer have a specific focus on providing assistance to sporting clubs or the provision of recreation services to Wyndham".

Shire president John Moulden announced the potential changes in a media statement released this morning, and said the putting together the "tight budget" had required a lot of consideration and deliberation by all councillors and executive management.

In the statement, he said the reductions had become necessary as a result of reductions in Federal Government Financial Assistance Grants and major Economic Development Stimulus Grants.

"The tight budget has meant councillors have had to make tough decisions about what services the Shire can and cannot provide and where savings can be made, to ensure the future sustainability of the Shire," Mr Moulden said.

Last month, Shire chief executive Gary Gaffney told The Kimberley Echo tough financial decisions would have to be made to balance the books on the back of fewer Commonwealth grants and costly flood damage.

A meeting for Shire employees was scheduled for this morning to discuss possible impacts on staff but Mr Gaffney is understood to be on holiday, with director of infrastructure Kevin Hannagan filling in as interim chief executive.

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21 staff to go as Shire announces swathe of cuts

BAY CITY, MI Mowing his lawn in the nude has cost a 62-year-old Bay City man several hundred dollars in fines and some probation time.

Bay County District Judge Dawn A. Klida on Wednesday, Aug. 27, gaveBobby O. Blodgetta one-year delayed sentence, during which time he'll be supervised by the Bay County Probation Department. He is also to pay $785 in fines and costs and must be assessed by staff at Saginaw Psychological Services and follow their recommendations.

Blodgett is also not to work in any capacity with children or vulnerable adults, unless such work is approved by the court.

Blodgett in July pleadedno contestto indecent exposure, the only charge he faced. The count is punishable by up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine.

A no contest plea is not an admission guilt but is treated as such for the purposes of sentencing. Klida reliedon police reports to enter a conviction on the record.

According to thosereports, officers on the evening ofWednesday, May 21, responded to Blodgett's home in the 300 block of McDonald Street after Bay County Central Dispatch received a call of himmowing his lawn naked. The caller, 40-year-old Jason S. Linton, told dispatchers he yelled at Blodgett to put some clothes on, and that Blodgett had done so, police reports show.

Linton told an officer that he and his teenage son were visiting his mother-in-law in the neighborhood and that they were in her back yard when they heard a lawnmower start up.

"Then the guy came walking out and started cutting his lawn in the nude," Linton said. "I yelled at him and told him that he needed to put some clothing on."

Linton said that though there is a privacy fence separating the yards, there are gaps in it that one can see through.

Linton's mother-in-law, Nancy M. Mercier, told the officer that a similar incident happened the week beforehand when Blodgett mowed his lawn wearing only lady's stockings.

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Bay City man gets probation, $785 in fines for mowing lawn naked

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) When Durham resident James Wilson's lawn mower failed several weeks ago, he said he wanted to find a lawn service without flipping through the phonebook.

He had a half-acre of grass to cut, which had grown to around 8 inches tall.

But, he discovered he could solve his problem with a smartphone app.

Launched in Durham earlier this month, Mowz is an Apple and Android application that connects customers with local lawn care services.

A customer downloads the app, enters their address, grass length and some other details about their lawn. The app then calculates the price, and a customer can schedule the service as early as the next day.

"With our app, you know exactly when providers are going to be there," said Wills Mahoney, co-founder of Mowz.

Once the Mowz provider is done mowing, they take a picture of the lawn and the customer rates the job for quality control. Customers can then use the provider for future jobs.

Wilson said the service cost him $69, which include the mowing, weed-eating, and grass blowing.

About 70 percent of the Mowz revenue goes to the providers.

The application hires local contractors who choose from submitted requests. Mahoney said the contractors must have at least $500,000 in general liability insurance and that Mowz checks on the service itself.

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App allows Durham residents to find yard service

AAP Some of the most common daily activities could be causing hearing damage, an expert has warned.

Hairdryers, food processors, lawn mowers, noisy restaurants and even the daily train commute are putting Australians at risk of hearling loss, an expert says.

One in six Australians suffer from hearing loss, and this is expected to rise to one in four by 2050.

"Exposure to everyday noises, not age, will be the leading cause of hearing loss in the near future," says Professor Richard Dowell, director of the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital Cochlear Implant Clinic.

A new Cochlear survey found that while 71 per cent of Australians know going to a nightclub and listening to loud music on headphones can damage hearing, less than a quarter believe hearing can be affected by day-to-day noises.

The level at which noise can cause permanent hearing loss begins at about 85dB, typical of a hairdryer, food processor or kitchen blender.

Prof Dowell says there's a belief that if you don't do something very often, such as going to live music events or attending a sporting event, it won't damage your hearing in the long run.

"However, no matter how seldom you participate in an activity, there is still the very real possibility that it is causing you permanent damage."

Health organisations and groups are encouraging Australians to look after their hearing health as part of Hearing Awareness Week, which runs until August 30.

It comes as parents of some of Australia's 20,000 deaf children are fighting to block the sale of Australian Hearing, which they say is an essential Federal Government service providing free hearing aids and cochlear implants to thousands of young Australians.

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Everyday noises can damage your ears

Crossett City Council members were given an update on Media 3, adopted two resolutions and discussed a lawn maintenance issue during their meeting on Monday, Aug. 18.

In old business, Lisa Gulledge updated the council on franchise taxes owed by Media 3 to the city. Gulledge said the company, which was a year behind on taxes, is up to date and currently owes taxes on the second quarter for the year.

City Attorney James Hamilton gave a background on when the city entered into an agreement with the company. Hamilton said the city's contract is due for renewal. He also noted that if the city chooses not to renew the contract, the company may continue to provide service, but that the service, which is already poor, may become worse.

Mayor Scott McCormick said he is aware the contract is due for renewal and has been waiting for the company to contact the city to renew the service. It was also noted that the renewal was due in June.

The council also discussed service the company provides to citizens. Mayor McCormick said although a lot of people prefer satellite over cable, there are citizens who subscribe to cable and those he has spoken with do not appear satisfied with the service.

McCormick said he has spoken with other cable companies, but those he has spoken with do not feel it would be profitable to provide services to the city. "I know a lot of folks here in Crossett are upset with the cable system, and there are times I get upset with them because I have cable at my house," added the mayor.

The council approved a motion for Hamilton to contact Media 3 regarding the franchise tax and the company's intentions for its customers in Crossett.

Under new business, the council adopted two resolutions for the levy of five mills to be collected on real and personal property to be collected next year and a resolution to levy 2.4 mills for the ongoing maintenance expenses for the city public library to be collected in 2015.

In other business, Robert Wright spoke with the council concerning citizens blowing grass clippings onto city streets while mowing. Wright said although the city has a street sweeper, the sweeper can not keep up with an excessive amount of grass clippings being thrown out onto streets. Wright asked that citizens blow clippings back onto their lawns when mowing and stated that the clippings will actually assist in fertilizing lawns.

With no other business the meeting adjourned.

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Crossett Council Gets Cable Report, Complaint about Lawn Clippings

Richard Wilder stands next to his truck after clearing brush from a lot. Published Aug. 21, 2014 at 4:30 p.m.

A gray lawnmower sits idle with a bright red plastic gas can hanging from its handle. Dead grass and rust fill its small crevices.

Dewey and his girlfriend Naomi, who declined to give their last names, depend on the ancient machine to make money. The unemployed couple go door to door asking home and business owners if they can mow their lawns, sometimes for just $5.

"It can get pretty rough out here. It takes a lot out of you, but we take it day by day," said Dewey, standing near the lawnmower outside of a corner store at 38th and Burleigh streets in the Sherman Park neighborhood. "Our area is from here to wherever we can find work."

Dewey and Naomi walk miles a day throughout the North Side, visiting regular clients every two weeks in the hopes of cutting their lawns. At times, clients cancel, leaving them frustrated and broke. On occasion, they bring their three children with them on landscaping jobs, hoping that the sight of the children elicits sympathy from potential clients.

"My kids work too. My 3-year-old knows how to pull weeds," said Naomi, wearing a tank top with a bandanna covering her cropped hair.

Naomi rested a mini pizza on her lap as she sat in a lawn chair against the brick wall of the store. She lifted a small piece high enough for the cheese to dangle into her mouth as she explained her plight.

On a good day, she and Dewey mow five lawns, making about $50. On a bad day, like this one, when they make not a dime, they resort to eating small microwaveable pizzas from the store.

"I didn't even eat it because it was old. I have had lots of days going to bed hungry," said Dewey, who has Naomi's name tattooed on his neck. "There are days that there's more gas in that gas can than food in my stomach, because I have to stay ready for work."

Naomi and Dewey are part of an informal service industry in Milwaukee made up of landscapers who go door to door, offering up their services at a discount as a way to make a living. During the winter, many of the landscapers go door to door with shovels, hoping to make a few dollars clearing snow and ice.

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Micro lawn-mowing businesses put food on table for poor laborers

James A. Morrow

Funeral services are Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2014, for James A. Morrow, 74, Belle Plaine, at 11 a.m. at First Lutheran Church, Belle Plaine.

Morrow went home to be with our Lord on August 15, 2014, at the Vinton Lutheran Home in Vinton.

Minister officiating is Pastor Dean Duncan. Organist is Jolene Blanchard. Vocalist is Miranda Pope.

Casket bearers are M.J. Pope, Codi Morrow, Kyle Morrow, Brent Morrow, Matthew Morrow and Christopher Morrow.

After the services, all are cordially invited to the First Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall for a time of refreshments and fellowship

He was born Sept. 23, 1939, in Fulton, IL, to Allen Bud & Georgia (Creecy) Morrow. Jim received his education in public school in Fulton, IL, and in Glidden and Belle Plaine. He graduated from Belle Plaine High School in the Class of 1957. After high school, Jim enlisted in the U.S. Army and was very proud to have served as a member of the Honor Guard. On July 5, 1959, Jim married Virginia Dunn in Waterloo. To their union, they were blessed with five children, 18 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren. They have resided in Fort Eustes, VA, Clinton, Bryant, Charlotte, Alden, Des Moines and Belle Plaine.

Jim was an active member of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, most recently belonging to First Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine. He enjoyed gardening, lawn mowing, fishing and spending time with his loved ones. He was known by all for his generous and caring personality. Always lending a helping hand to anyone who needed it. He never, ever hesitated to put anyone before himself. Jim was definitely a good and faithful servant.

Jim is survived by four children, Allen (Kimberly), Clinton, Douglas, Minier, IL, Teresa (Randy) Kennegieter, Iowa Falls and Kristine (Marcus) Pope, Belle Plaine; three siblings, Janet Johnson, Thompson, IL, Donald (Linda), Belle Plaine and William (Lucy) of Des Moines. Preceding him in death were his wife (2012), a son David (1986), his parents, a sister, Dorothy Anders, and a brother Michael.

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OBITUARY: James A. Morrow

Property Services Sunbury | Your Local Home and Garden Maintenance Service
Your Local Home and Garden Maintenance Service - Home Maintenance, Landscaping, Garden Maintenance, Picket Fencing, Lawn Mowing, Garden Services Sunbury | Gisborne | Macedon | Kyneton | Woodend...

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Property Services Sunbury | Your Local Home and Garden Maintenance Service - Video