Critical violations are those factors leading to foodborne illness and must be corrected immediately. Noncritical violations relate to maintenance of food operations and cleanliness.

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Dec. 27

Colton's Steakhouse

642 E. Millsap Road, Fayetteville

Critical violations: Sanitizer spray bottle not labeled with contents.

Noncritical violations: Cardboard boxes of food items being stored directly on floor of dry storage area and walk-in cooler. Missing and loose tiles on main service line. Loose tile spaces holding water. Light shields not properly installed over expo area.

Domino's

1814 N. Crossover Road, Suite 1, Fayetteville

Critical violations: None

Noncritical violations: No CFM documentation available at time of inspection.

Lomok I

709 W. Emma Ave., Springdale

Critical violations: in refrigerator, packaged raw beef items are stored above packaged ready-to-eat food.

Noncritical violations: Food Manager Certification through an accredited program has not been attained. There is not verifiable document about employee has been informed about their responsibility to report health issues. Cleanup procedures for a bodily fluid event is not available at time of the inspection. Frozen chicken at room temperature. Refrigerator does not have a thermometer. At time of the inspection, cooks are frying on a stove, ventilation system is not available. Food permit is not posted in view of customers.

The Galley

3932 S. Thompson St., Springdale

Critical violations: Small steam table has meat balls at 119 degrees and chili beans at 112 degrees.

Noncritical violations: Clean up procedures for bodily fluid event is not available at time of the inspection. Food Manager Certification through an accredited program has not been attained. Test strips not available.

Dec. 28

Andy's Frozen Custard

1523 W. Martin Luther King Blvd., Fayetteville

Critical violations: None

Noncritical violations: No Certified Food Manager at the facility. Facility did not have a bodily fluid event cleanup procedure in place for employees. There is an accumulation of mold-like substance inside the ice machine. The facility is washing and reusing strawberry containers for storing other foods. The facility lacks an irreversible registering temperature indicator for the hot water sanitizing dish machine. Permit is valid but is not posted.

Arby's

1263 W. Martin Luther King Blvd., Fayetteville

Critical violations: The permit has expired 11/30/21.

Noncritical violations: There is an accumulation of dust on the air vents about the prep line. There is accumulation of grease on the wall and vent hood fixtures around the fryers.

Capi's

1891 Reed Ave., Springdale

Critical violations: None

Noncritical violations: Food Manager Certification through an accredited program has not been attained. Food permit expired in 2019.

E-Z Mart

1417 W. Martin Luther King Blvd., Fayetteville

Critical violations: There are no handwashing signs for the bathrooms or the front hand sink. There were boxes of eggs being stored over drinks. The creamer cold hold unit measured 59 degrees. Opened packages of hot dogs were not date marked.

Noncritical violations: There is an accumulation of dark mold-like substance inside the fountain drink nozzles. The boxes of single use cups were being stored on the floor in the back storage room. Facility lacks sanitizing test strips.

Foghorns

1545 W. 15th St., Suite 1, Fayetteville

Critical violations: A storage container of pineapple date marked 9/10/21 in the walk-in refrigerator has molded.

Noncritical violations: Handwashing sink drain pipe is leaking in food preparation area. One of the bar hand sinks and the food preparation handwashing sink lack employee handwashing notices posted. Back door to the food preparation area is propped open. The storage container for wrapped bread is cracked in the corner and duct taped. Circular floor fan lacks cleaning.

Green Submarine Sub Shop

1641 W. 15th St., Suite 1-3, Fayetteville

Critical violations: None

Noncritical violations: Employee manager lacks Food Manager Certification. Retail Food Permit expired 11/30/2021.

Mong Dynasty North

3101 N. College Ave., Fayetteville

Critical violations: Packaged raw eggs are stored above packaged tofu, container with raw chicken is stored above packaged carrots. Surfaces of shelves are not clean.

Noncritical violations: Food Manager Certification through an accredited program has not been attained. Cleanup procedures for bodily fluid event is not available.

Ohana Poke

1135 W. Martin Luther King Blvd., Fayetteville

Critical violations: The paper towel dispenser in the men's restroom was empty.

Noncritical violations: There is no Certified Food Manager at the facility. Facility lacks bodily fluid cleanup procedures. The rice spatulas are being stored in a bowl of water at room temperature and are only changed out every 24 hours. There are boxes of single-use items being stored on the floor.

Staybridge Inn and Suites

1577 W. 15th St.,

Critical violations: Food Fayetteville employee donning disposable gloves handled personal drink bottle and half-eaten cookie and then handled ready-to-eat leaf lettuce.

Noncritical violations: Three personal drinks in plastic bottles are stored in the bulk ice maker used for drinks. Food employee is wearing a wristwatch.

Wendy's

1473 W. Martin Luther King Blvd., Fayetteville

Critical violations: There were no handwashing signs posted in the bathrooms. There were no paper towels for the back hand washing sink.

Noncritical violations: There is accumulation of dark mold-like substance inside the ice machine and around the opening of the soft serve dispenser. Facility lacks refrigerator thermometer for the under-counter fridge, and the thermometer for the drive-through fridge is broken. The sanitizer test strips have become discolored and are no longer accurate. The permit is valid but is not posted.

Dec. 29

Graduate Hotel

70 N. East Ave., Fayetteville

Critical violations: Mechanical warewasher is not chlorine residual is at 0 ppm.

Noncritical violations: One of the two handwashing sinks in the food preparation area lacks employee handwashing notice posted.

Little Bread Company

116 N. Block, Fayetteville

Critical violations: None

Noncritical violations: Unable to verify Certified Food Manager employee. Handwashing sink in back food preparation area cold faucet handle is stripped. Food employee is wearing a bracelet. East side wall finish is damaged and lacks repair in food preparation/mechanical warewashing areas. Posted Retail Food Permit expired 10/31/2020.

On The Mark

2588 N. Gregg, Fayetteville

Critical violations: Tomatoes at 52 degrees and sliced cheese at 53 degrees in the prep table. Blue cheese dressing at 46 degrees in the prep table refrigerator.

Noncritical violations: At least one employee that has supervisory and management responsibility and the authority to direct and control food preparation and service shall be a certified food protection manager. One of the kitchen hand washing sinks does not have hot water. Restrooms lack handwashing signage. Several items in both freezer are not covered. The food slicer has a buildup of debris from the previous day. Bottles of cleaners were not labeled. Facility lacks refrigerator thermometer and prep table refrigerator thermometer. Ice scoop stored on top of the ice machine. A bowl was stored in the seasoning and a cup was stored in the breading. Dumpster lids were open upon arrival at facility.

Powerhouse Seafood and Grill

112 N. University Ave., Fayetteville

Critical violations: None

Noncritical violations: No documentation of a Certified Food Protection Manager. The tea station counter is missing the protective cover around the sink. The wood is flaking. Posted permit expired on 9/30/2021.

Sushi

522 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville

Critical violations: None

Noncritical violations: Rice dispensing utensils are stored in unheated containers between use. A cleanup procedure for bodily fluid events is not available. A three-compartment sink for manual warewashing, rinsing and sanitizing is not installed.

The Event Group Inc.

2418 N. Gregg, Suite 5, Fayetteville

Critical violations: None

Noncritical violations: Food Manager Certification through an accredited program has not been attained. Cleanup procedures for bodily fluid event is not available at time of the inspection. Floor around dishwashing machine lacks repair, it is not smooth and easy to clean. Wall and floor around dishwashing machine is not clean.

Dec. 30

Taqueria Mi Hacienda

1501 W. Sunset Ave., Suite B, Springdale

Critical violations: The handwashing sink drain is broken, and a bucket is being used to collect the water. No hand soap is available to wash hands in the handwashing sink. Foods in the reach in cooler lack covers.

Noncritical violations: At least one employee that has supervisory and management responsibility and the authority to direct and control food preparation and service shall be a certified food protection manager. A retail food establishment shall have procedures for employees to follow when responding to bodily fluid release events. The back of house area has a buildup of food residues on surfaces.

The following establishments had no violations this reporting period:

Dec. 27 -- Chili's, 772 E. Millsap Road, Fayetteville

Dec. 29 -- Crisis Brewing, LLC, 210 S. Archibald Yell Blvd., Fayetteville; Harp's Deli-Bakery, 1308 N. Thompson St., Springdale; Onyx Coffee Lab, 2418 N. Gregg, Fayetteville; Pearl's Books-Retail, 28 E. Center St., Suite 120, Fayetteville; Sunset Grill and BBQ, 3418 W. Sunset, Suite A, Springdale; Taqueria Bien Salsa, 1902 W. Huntsville Ave., Suite A, Springdale

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Washington County restaurant inspections - Arkansas Online

Last year was the deadliest in New York Citys jails since 2013, with 16 people dying after being held in custody. Their deaths came amid a sharp rise in absenteeism among correction officers which began in 2020 and has continued into this year. At a Board of Correction hearing on Tuesday, a staff member for Mr. Molina, who was appointed the citys Correction Commissioner in December, said that 2,300 of the close to 9,000 staff members are currently out sick.

The morale of our staff is at an all-time low, Mr. Molina said.

Christopher Boyle, a lawyer with the New York County Defender Services who represents some of the incarcerated people who are currently protesting, said in an interview that the situation at Rikers Island had deteriorated since last year.

This is an emergency situation, he said.

Michael Tatum, 51, said that he had already been in several fights since being arrested in October on a charge of third-degree burglary. Like a number of others interviewed, he expressed concern about Covid-19, which has surged at Rikers in recent weeks. Like other detainees, Mr. Tatum said that the beds in his dormitory were only a foot away from one another and that it was impossible to remain hygienic.

A number of those interviewed complained about the cold. Arian Medina, 26, said that he was wearing as many thermals, hats and other articles of clothing as he could to stave it off.

People are going crazy in here, Mr. Medina said. Theyre losing their minds.

Raheem Ford, 62, said that he had missed multiple court dates, and there were not enough staff members working to escort detainees to essential appointments. He described unsanitary conditions including black mold in the bathrooms and mildew on the carts that were used to serve food.

It should be taken over by another agency, he said.

Read more here:
Hundreds at Rikers Protest Conditions, Citing Covid and the Cold - The New York Times

###

Hemp,or Cannabis sativa L, was legalized for commercial production by theU.S. Farm Bill of 2018. To comply with federal law, the hemp musttest below .3 percent THC and must be cultivated by licensed growers.Since then, hemp production has exploded across the nation, as haveconversations about hemps usefulness in industrial applicationsand environmental remediation.

Infact, some argue that hemp can save the planet through carbonsequestration, phytoremediation of contaminated soils, biofuelproductionand the creation of earth-friendly consumer, industrialandfood products. Hemp is also used to produce cannabidiol or CBD, whichoffers many health benefits and will be discussed here in the comingweeks.

CarbonSequestration

Carbonsequestration refers to the process of capturing and storing carbondioxide from the atmosphere. Because carbon dioxide absorbs and emitsinfrared radiation, it is deemed to play a significant role in theEarths surface temperature. Simply put, more carbon dioxide in theatmosphere would lead to higher temperatures here on the third rock.Without politicizing the issue, it seems that reasonable people,based on this information alone, would want less carbon in theatmosphere.

Hempcan help. A lot. While it is estimated that a hectare of pine treescan absorb approximately 10 tons of carbon dioxide per year, thesame size hemp field can absorb up to 15 tons. In certain regionstwo hemp crops can be grown a year, thus doubling this figure. Inaddition, trees take a number of years before they begin capturingsignificant amounts of atmospheric carbon, while the hemp growthcycle is just 120 days.

Phytoremediation

Phytoremediationrefers to the use of plants to absorb contaminants in soil andgroundwater. Industrial activity, oil & gas spills, agriculturalchemicalsand buried waste materials contribute to soil andgroundwater contamination. Heavymetals, pharmaceutical compounds and other toxins are now a majorthreat to both soil and water quality around the world. Certainplants, called hyperaccumulators, can grow in contaminated soil orwater. They absorb the pollutants through their root system andcontaminants then concentrate in plant tissue over time. This processcleanses the soil and allows abandoned lands to be reclaimed forproductive use.

Phytoremediationhas been somewhat inefficient in the past as many hyperaccumulatorshave shallow roots and are smaller in size, thus limiting how manytoxins could be extracted and accumulated in the plants tissue.Hemp plants, on the other hand, have a deep taproot and can grow verylarge, allowing for much greater environmental benefits. Afterharvest, the contaminatedhemp biomass can be used in biofuel production, helping toovercome the economic constraint hampering the adoption ofphytoremediation more broadly.

Hemp,in the eyes of many, is a more environmentally responsible solutionto the very serious and increasing problem of soil and groundwatercontamination. Proponents argue that hemp cultivation is preferredover traditional methods of remediating contaminated land such asexcavation, incineration, or the use of chemical additives tostabilize contaminants. Additionally, hemp fields are known forbiodiversity friendliness.

Biofuel

Itis no mystery that fossil fuels are problematic. Resource wars,pollution and potential climate impacts are areas of controversy andheated debate. The hemp seed contains approximately 30 percent oil,and this oil can be transformed into biodiesel. Hemp can also be usedto produce methanol, ethanol and biogas. The hemp seed renders moreoil than other crops like soybean, sunflower or peanuts, making itsuse far more efficient as a source of biofuel. Hempbiodiesel is said to outperform conventional diesel in nearly allperformance areas.

IndustrialProducts

Hempfiber has been used for thousands of years and has been traced backto 8,000 BCE in ancient Mesopotamia where researchers found hempcloth. The long, straight hemp fibers have incredible strength andare currently used for paper products, textiles, insulation andcordage like twine, yarn, rope and string.

Interestingly,a waste product from hemp fiber production is hemp shives. Shiveswhen combined with lime and a binding agent form hempcrete, anon-load-bearing substitute for concrete. Hempcrete is strong, weighs90 percent less than concrete, is flame- and mold-resistant, andinsulates incredibly well. Hemp cellulose can be formed intobiodegradable plastics and high-strength plastics which are currentlybeing explored by automakers Porsche, BMW and others.

Food

Hempis also healthy for ones diet. Hemp seeds contain between 25-35percent fatty acid-rich oil and 20-25 percent protein.Theyare also high in fiber, magnesium and other nutrients. Hemp seed isprocessed into oil or milk or consumed as hemp hearts and added tothings like salad. Hemp oil is often used as a supplement and isinfused into beauty products, while hemp milk is non-dairy andreportedly non-allergenic.

Challenges

Likemost things, hemp production has a couple of downsides. While hempcan be grown with less water, nutrients, and pesticides than othercommercial crops, farming it at scale will put some strain on naturalresources. That said, hemp production is said to be carbon negative,meaning the crop will sequester or absorb more carbon than emitted bythe equipment used to grow, process, and transport it. A more naturalor regenerative approach to hemp farming would be advised to furtherbenefit the environment.

Additionally,infrastructure in terms of processing plants would need to beconstructed to allow the mass commercialization of hemp. As we know,commercial developments are generally disruptive to the naturalenvironment. The hope would be that over time, the environmentalbenefits of more sustainable products would outweigh the initialenvironmental costs.

Hempfarming has also created enforcement issues as some hemp farms are afacade masking enormous illicit cannabis grows. As we know from ourneighbors to the north, many of Oregons hemp operations arebeing raided by law enforcement as they are actually growing high THCvarietals destined for the unregulated market. Because CBD hemp looksessentially like traditional cannabis, illicit operators aresubstituting THC plants for their hemp in attempts to score big.

Finally,hemp crops subject traditional cannabis operations tocross-pollination risk. Hemp pollen can travel many miles and seedout neighboring gardens. Given such risks, Humboldt County banned itsproduction altogether and I support that move for our region.

Despitehaving some hurdles to overcome, industrial and environmental hempapplications offer both economic and ecological promise. I expect thecoming years to show further developments and advancements in theworld of hemp. While not a panacea for all evils, perhaps hemp can bepart of a broader solution to save the world we live in.

###

Jesse Duncan is a lifelong Humboldt County resident, a father of six, a retired financial advisor, and a full-time commercial cannabis grower. He is also the creator of NorCal Financial and Cannabis Consulting, a no-cost platform that helps small farmers improve their cultivation, business, and financial skills. Pleasecheck out his blogat, his Instagram at jesse_duncann, and connect with him on Linkedin.

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THE CANNABIS CONVERSATION: Can Industrial Hemp Save the Planet? - Lost Coast Outpost

Simply put, cast iron pans aren't maintained the same way as other pans. For example, it's not common to use soap to clean them, though you're free to reach for the soap with other styles of pans. Also, you should never store them wet, and you'll want to build up a coating of oil-based seasoning on cast iron over time. These differences can lead to a misconception that they're finicky and delicate to work with.

The idea that cast iron pans are delicate is just not true. If it was, we wouldn't be able to find decades-old pans at thrift shops and garage sales or passed down over generations.Though, that said, you should be careful handling cast iron pans. That's because they're heavy and solid enough to damage your stovetop, countertop, or kitchen floors not the other way around. However, just stay mindful of where and how you're moving that big cast iron pan and you should be perfectly fine.

According to Serious Eats, these metal pans are about as tough and resilient as you can get in cookware. And if you've chipped off the pan's seasoning, you can always build up more over time as you cook. Found some rust? No problem. Just buff it out with steel wool and cover it with oil. Compare that to a non-stick pan that has to be pampered and tossed at the first sign of a surface scratch. Not so delicate now, is it?

Read more:
The Truth About Cast Iron Pans - Tasting Table

A mold work order is created when:

Once you report a mold issue to NYCHA, either through the Customer Contact Center CCC, MyNYCHA app, or the website, NYCHA will schedule an inspection of your apartment. Remember! NYCHA does these inspections and repairs free of charge.

Note: Mold Service Requests are subject to NYCHAs Right of Entry.

The inspector (superintendent or assistant superintendent):

Identify the probable root cause(s) of the mold condition. This means the inspector will try to determine the underlying cause of mold and/or moisture and ensure the root cause repair is addressed. An example of a root cause may be leak from the apartment above, faade penetrating water or roof needing repairs. The inspector might take a few photographs of the reported complaint, and ask you a few questions about the mold issue in your apartment to be able to better assess the history.

If there is mold present, the inspector will also:

The timeline for taking care of the mold will depend on whether the mold condition in your apartment involves simple or complex repairs:

After completing the work, NYCHA will schedule a quality assurance inspection to evaluate the quality of the repair, ensure the mold removal work was done effectively, and that the root cause was addressed. This step is very important because it will reduce the risk of recurrence. If issues are observed during the inspection, NYCHA will correct those repairs.

What is Right to Entrythe Right of Entry?

Right to of Entry is used when NYCHA needs to address environmental hazards and perform critical mold-related inspections and repairs as soon as possible. According to your lease, a NYCHA worker can enter your apartment to make repairs whether or not you are home, if you are given written notice two days prior. See the sample Right to of Entry Notice below.

If repairs were made when you werent home, the NYCHA worker will leave a tag on your door noting the repairs that were completed.

If your door lock was changed due to the repair, pick up your new keys from the property management office the day the repairs were made, up until 4:30pm. After that, pick them up at your local Police Service Area (bring your ID).

This door tag will be used to indicate the presence of NYCHA staff or completed repairs when Right to of Entry is employed.

If you are not home for a scheduled mold inspection, the NYCHA worker will leave a notice with a new appointment date for you explaining that a staff member will be back again in 48 hours to do the inspection. If the NYCHA staff member is unable to get into your apartment for the second visit, NYCHA may use its right of entry under the lease to go into your apartment. See more details about scheduling mold inspections and the right of entry at on.nyc.gov/mold-busters.

If you missed your scheduled appointment, please contact the Customer Contact Center (718-707-7771).

Residents who have already contacted the NYCHA Customer Contact Center (718-707-7771) but still have concerns or complaints regarding mold/leaks and any associated repairs can contact the NYCHA Compliance Department at compliance@nycha.nyc.gov or the independent court-appointed Ombudsperson Call Center (OCC) at 1-888-341-7152 or at ombnyc.com.

If the issue hasnt been fixed, call 311 or visit nyc.gov/health and search for mold. For more information about mold: Visit epa.gov/mold. For more information on NYCHAs Mold Busters Program, visit on.nyc.gov/mold-busters.

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mold-remediation-procedure

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Staten Islands Tunnel to Towers Foundation gathered the community of Mayfield, Ky., together and distributed more than 15,000 toys during a free barbecue Tuesday in Americas Heartland.

The foundation also made a financial commitment promising millions of dollars to help Kentucky and the surrounding states recover and rebuild from the devastating storms going forward.

A Tunnel to Towers team, including about 50 active and retired New York City firefighters, arrived with about 2,000 hamburgers, 2,000 hot dogs and 4,000 buns for the event, aimed at helping families in the wake of this months deadly and destructive tornadoes. They handed out gifts and manned the grill for the families in attendance.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation supports families with young children, and right now the families that need help are here in Americas Heartland,' said Frank Siller, of Westerleigh, the foundations CEO and chairman. After losing so much, I hope these gifts bring a little joy to these families this holiday season.'

Tunnel to Towers volunteers and more than 50 active duty and retired firefighters distribute lunch and toys to families in Kentucky on Dec. 21, 2021.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was founded by Siller and his family to honor the sacrifice of his brother, firefighter Stephen Siller, who lost his life at the World Trade Center on 9/11 after running through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel while off-duty to help others.

For 20 years, the foundation has supported first responders, veterans and their families by providing them and the families they leave behind with mortgage-free homes.

The foundation also has a nearly 10-year history of helping communities rebuild following natural disasters. Starting in 2012 with Hurricane Sandy, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has been raising funds and deploying teams of volunteers to assist with storm cleanup and recovery.

The foundation has raised funds and deployed volunteers to assist in the wake of hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Florence, and Tropical Storm Michael.

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the foundation gutted 1,500 homes, rebuilt more than 200 homes, distributed $5 million in strategic supplies to homeowners in need and performed mold remediation on more than 1,000 homes.

Tunnel to Towers volunteers and more than 50 active duty and retired firefighters distribute lunch and toys to families in Kentucky on Dec. 21, 2021.

Read more:
Tunnel to Towers Foundation delivers cheer and a promise to Kentucky in wake of devastating tornadoes - SILive.com

Its frozen pipes season in Park City, UT. Photo: Emily Witham

PARK CITY, Utah Frozen pipes can be a problem that will impose costly damage throughout the season. The government agency that oversees Utah counties has the following helpful tips and tricks.

Water expands as it freezes. This expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever contains it, including metal or plastic pipes. Pipes can freeze when temperatures drop rapidly or stay below the freezing point (32 Fahrenheit/ 0 Celsius) for an extended period. Once a pipe freezes and has expanded, the pipe can break and cause flooding.

No matter the strength of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break, posing a significant water damage risk during the winter months. When water invades, it creeps into every crevice and crack, causes thousands of dollars in damage to clean up and repair, and even opens the door for mold and mildew growth.

Pipes that freeze most frequently are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, and water sprinkler lines; water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, or garages; and pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation.

Frozen pipes and the problems they cause can be prevented by following a few basic steps:

If pipes do freeze, there are steps you can take to minimize water damage:

If you experience frozen or, broken pipes take photos of the damage, which will help make an insurance claim easier to process and prove useful. Counties have the authority to call a restoration company (i.e., Utah Disaster Kleanup) immediately to mitigate their damages.

Originally posted here:
Tis the season for frozen pipes - TownLift

A private housing contractor that subjected military families across the country to toxic mold, insect infestations, water leaks, burst pipes and other problems pleaded guilty to major fraud against the United States on Wednesday, agreeing to pay more than $65 million in fines and restitution.

The contractor, Balfour Beatty Communities LLC, falsified its performance data and destroyed resident comment cards so it could pocket performance incentive fees from the Army, Air Force and Navy, the U.S. Department of Justice wrote in a press release. Balfour Beatty Communities operates military housing communities at 21 Air Force, 18 Navy, and 16 Army bases across the country.

Instead of promptly repairing housing for U.S. service members as required, BBC lied about the repairs to pocket millions of dollars in performance bonuses, said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, the second-highest ranking official in the Department of Justice. This pervasive fraud was a consequence of BBCs broken corporate culture, which valued profit over the welfare of service members.

Specifically, Balfour Beatty Communities was sentenced to pay over $33.6 million in criminal fines and over $31.8 million in restitution to the U.S. military, serve three years of probation, and engage an independent compliance monitor for a period of three years. Separately, Balfour Beatty Communities settled a False Claims Act case with the U.S. and was found liable for $35.2 million. However, any amounts paid under the civil settlement will be credited against the $65 million owed under the companys criminal plea, the Justice Department said.

The punishment was not enough for some onlookers, who wanted Balfour Beatty Communities taken off the government payroll and forbidden from military housing responsibilities.

This is a fucking joke right, there is no way the DoD is going to allow a company who pled guilty to defrauding its troops all over the country to continue to do business with its troops right? wrote one commenter reacting to the news on the unofficial Air Force subreddit.

They still have their contract, wrote another. So its basically a slap on the wrist and a warning to not do it again.

Balfour Beatty Communities may still run private housing for some bases for another four decades. In 2011, Air Force Global Strike Command announced the company was selected to privatize military family housing for Beale, F.E. Warren, Malmstrom and Whiteman Air Force Bases under a 50 year lease.

At closing, the houses become property of BBC who will own and operate the rental housing development for military families, as well as finance, plan, design, and construct improvements in the development that maintain the housing units for the 50-year lease period, said Jessie Barrera, who was program manager for Global Strike Commands Western Group bases at the time.

Still, the fines could have a dramatic impact on the bottom line of Balfour Beatty, BBCs United Kingdom-based parent company. The Guardian reported that the fines levied against BBC are more than Balfour Beattys entire profit before tax for 2020 of 48 million ($64.4 million). However, the company made 8.6 billion ($11.54 billion) in revenue that year.

American lawmakers and military officials have pressured Balfour Beatty Communities to clean up its act for years. In 2019, after Reuters and CBS reported that Balfour Beatty had falsified its Tinker Air Force Base maintenance records for years in order to appear responsive to resident complaints and secure its incentive fee bonuses from the Air Force, the Air Force gave the company 90 days to come up with a plan to fix those problems.

This is not the first time allegations have been raised that Balfour Beatty has used fraudulent work order practices at Air Force bases, said Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) at the time, in response to the Reuters report. This isnt even the second time. It is the third timeand it is completely unacceptable and disturbing. How much more should we ask military families to endure?

But two years later, Air Force and Army families were still filing lawsuits against Balfour Beatty Communities. One lawsuit alleged one instance after another of squalid conditions, such as plumbing issues, insect and rodent infestations, asbestos, and mold, that the housing provider did little to repair.

One family involved in the lawsuit alleged that they developed asthma and migraines after moving into their Balfour Beatty-maintained home at Sheppard Air Force Base. James Banner, the father of the family, had such intense migraines he was eventually discharged from the military, the lawsuit said. Another family at Fort Bliss said a hot water pipe ruptured in their childrens bedroom in the middle of the night, burning them with [scalding] hot water, the lawsuit said.

Theyre still doing the same things today that theyve got people in jail for, Air Force Staff Sgt. Jonn Roellchen told Task & Purpose in June. The airman and his family have been dealing with problems in Balfour Beatty homes since 2019.

The issues with the work orders that they were under federal investigation for, its still happening, he said. Nothing has changed.

In its defense, Balfour Beatty said on Thursday that it is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct, the company wrote in a statement.

The wrongdoing that took place is completely contrary to the way the Company expects its people to behave, Balfour Beatty added. The Company apologizes for the actions of Communities to all its stakeholders. It has been made clear to all employees that breaches of policies, procedures, or law will not be tolerated.

Still, the scheme to which Balfour Beatty Communities pleaded guilty is despicable, said David Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, in the Department of Justice statement. Tens of thousands of service members and their families live in Balfour Beatty communities around the country, for which the company earns not only fees from the military, but also the payments of service members basic allowance for housing.

While Balfour Beatty Communities usually receives a monthly base fee, the company also received performance incentive fees from service branches paid quarterly or semi-annually, the Department of Justice explained. To obtain the incentive fees, Balfour Beatty Communities had to submit proof that it was maintaining the properties and satisfying residents. But from 2013 to 2019, Balfour employees altered or manipulated data in property management software, and destroyed or falsified resident comment cards to make it seem like they were doing a better job than they actually were, the Department of Justice wrote.

As a result, according to court documents, there were lengthy and unnecessary delays in the resolution of maintenance issues to the detriment of service members and their families, the department said.

Earlier this year, two of those employees, former community manager Stacy Cabrera and former regional manager Rick Cunefare, pleaded guilty to charges related to those fraudulent incentive fee submissions.

The defendants greed undermined a program designed to protect service members homes while they courageously fight to protect our homeland, said Robert Troester, acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma on Wednesday. Service members and their families deserve better.

Those families have understandably had enough.

You can sit here and tell me that youre sorry all you want, Roellchen said in June. I dont want sorry, I want you to do the job.

Want to write for Task & Purpose? Click here. Or check out the latest stories on our homepage.

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Military housing company to pay $65 million after years of 'pervasive fraud' - Task & Purpose

Rocco & Roxie is a family-owned small business named after theMagleby family's pets Rocco, a Labradoodle, and Roxie, a former shelter tabby cat. They make a variety of pet supplies, including cleaners, treats, grooming tools, accessories, and toys.

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Check out our in-depth Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator review.

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38 Things You *Shouldnt* Buy If You Want To Continue To Live In Filth In 2022 - BuzzFeed

In Mayfield, Kentucky, storm warnings had been coming for days, then came radar observations of a rotating storm of debris to the south, and finally urgent alerts to the imminent strike of a severe tornado.

In the seconds it took for the quad-state storm to pass over the higher elevations of the city soon after midnight on 10 December, the notional separation between the man-made and natural world was effectively obliterated as were large sections of Mayfield

Damage to life and limb caused by the vast and powerful tornado that passed over Mayfield was epic and profound. The broader storm front also caused havoc as more than 30 powerful tornadoes tore through Dixie Alley. There were 76 dead in Kentucky alone, with eight lost in a candle factory where night-shift workers, some on work-release from jail, later claimed they were dissuaded from leaving their positions or seeking shelter by threats of termination.

Last week, as collapsed houses were marked clear of victims and turned back in on themselves by bulldozers and condemned to demolition, Mayfield residents barely had time to assess the impact. The raging winds had left metal siding wrapped tight around dismembered trees, demolished the town hall Christmas tree and torn the roof off the building itself and scattered debris for miles around in a manner reminiscent of an air-crash.

Its not normal to get a tornado in December, but then its not normal for it to be 73 degrees at night, said Mayfield resident Tim Wetherbee, referring to the local temperature on the day the onslaught destroyed 15,000 buildings and trailer-homes and caused at least $3.5bn in damage.

In a world that is failing to do enough to curb emissions that cause global heating and thus make extreme weather events more likely, the wider context of what happened in Mayfield was not lost on Wetherbee. People think about today, not tomorrow, and its only going to get worse, he said.

His niece, Huda Alubahi, was sheltering in a bathroom closet when the tornado struck. Clutched to her side was her three-year-old son, Jhalil, who was struck and killed as the house collapsed. His other niece and her children narrowly escaped injury when their house over the road was struck.

On the other side of the post office, which lost its roof, his sisters house was also destroyed. In all, Wetherbee, a refrigeration and heating contractor, counted five family members whose houses were destroyed.

As power company workers began restoring power to Mayfieldfor some there was little to do but gawp at the scale of the destruction.

Lengths of two-by-four had become airborne spears, penetrating the metal skins of cars; overturned school buses and semis; storage bins ruptured to reveal tons of grain now exposed to the elements; a collapsed water tower; and dozens of structures, from statuesque municipal buildings or private homes, that will now likely be demolished to prevent black mold from setting in.

Smaller tornadoes bounce, but an EF-4 stays on the ground, said property owner Hoot Gibson surveying several of his ruined properties. The only difference between this and an atom bomb is that a bomb would have fried people.

Climate change was not a subject all were willing to be drawn on.

Most people dont want to know, said James Hyatte, owner of The Catfish House. Theyll go with what Fox News or their church tell them.

Joava Good, deputy director of the Church of Scientologys disaster response team, ascribed the event to an act of evil. Good, who has attended the aftermath of 45 tornadoes, said that to have one of this magnitude in December was open to interpretation. Its quite amazing to see whats happening. Something has changed.

Following the track of a tornado is a relatively straightforward task of following a trail of broken trees and debris.

Half a mile out of town is the Mayfield Candle Factory, that had 110 workers on night shift when the storm hit. For many, it was work of last resort: poorly paid but easily accessible to those without transport. It offered consistent work, running 10-12 hour shifts around the clock at starting pay of $8 an hour to meet demand from customers like Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Its pitiful, said a project manager for the factory. We lost eight lives, but we could have lost more.

The factory, reduced to a pile of twisted metal and concrete, lies a quarter mile from a feed factory that was relatively unscathed, a demolished chicken hatchery missing its chicks, likely drawn 35,000ft up into the storm; a tractor dealership that while badly damaged lost none of its equipment.

Many in town, including workers at the factory that night, contradicted managements claims that employees had been free to leave after multiple tornado warnings were issued for the area. Even with weather like this, youre still going to fire me? 20-year-old worker Evan Johnson reportedly asked a manager. Their response, Yes.

Amos Jones, an attorney representing Haley Conder, one of those trapped in the factory after it collapsed, said the candle factory, along with the partial collapse of an Amazon fulfillment center in Edwardsville that killed six, could be a turning point for labor rights.

Amid the tragedy, we hope there will be more responsible care for employees and an end to all American sweatshops, Jones said.

Jones said he he was compelled to file a workers compensation suit after a spokesman for the factorys owner, Mayfield Consumer Products, continued to discredit and eyewitness declarations that workers were prevented from leaving and subjected to roll-calls and line-ups to determine who had left so they could be disciplined or fired. Company officials denied the allegations.

The tornado also helped focus some minds on exactly who those workers were.

Jaime Mass, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana, who had turned his small church into a outreach to supply Mayfields Mexican and Central American migrant worker population with food, said many workers at the factory registered under assumed names leading to confusion over who was missing.

Its part of the problem theyve been looking for the wrong people, Mass said. Theres a fear of authorities, and theyre not going to risk exposing themselves. Theyre here, but weve got emergency responders searching the rubble.

Jane Hoopingarner, a crisis responder with the Red Cross, said the job for emergency workers was to start to build trust with communities that often see themselves and are seen as outsiders. We are here to walk beside and support them not provide everything they need because theyre already being provided for by their own community.

The storm itself, though, did not discriminate.

Ten miles south-west of Mayfield, Amish farms dot the landscape, and the communities horse-drawn buggies are a common sight on the country lanes and in town.

The storm tore apart the home of Jacob and Emma Gingerich, killing both along with two of their five children. Chris Crawford, a nearby farm owner an Englisher to the Amish said hed been over to warn the couple of the storms approach. They had no way to know what was coming. We talked, they thanked me, and then 30 minutes later it came through.

Crawford went back after it had passed to find the couples infant baby, Ben, wearing only a diaper, under a vehicle more than 50 yards from the home and some distance from where his mother lay dead. I heard the whimper. He was laying in the driveway. I cuddled him up, and just ask God dont let him die on me.

Timber supplier Ronnie Murphy, helping to co-ordinate the barn rebuilds, said he believed the infant had been ripped from his mothers arms. All the babies that made it through are miracles, but this one he trailed off.

By midweek, the family were buried in a single grave, and 200 of the community were coming from as far away as Canada by train to help rebuild the sawmills that had been destroyed. I guess thats the way God wanted it, commented neighbor Joe Stutzman.

He declined to speculate on climate-science interpretations. We dont get involved in stuff like that, but the end is getting closer for sure. Why did this thing come through here? I think it was to wake people up. Hey! Work together better. Show your love. Pray.

Much of the Gingrichs farm ended up a quarter-mile away in the wood next to Joey Rogers, who lost his home, four barns, poultry and livestock. Many of his surviving cattle were still too spooked to be rounded up.

They sense the storm coming and go crazy, but theres not much place to go when youre out in a field, said local vet Timothy Jones. But in the manner of natural disasters, he said, human life was first and foremost, but the animals were part of the trickle down, expansive consequences of a tornado strike.

Domestic animals, too, had been injured a dog with a splinter in his chest, another that required a leg amputated. Others, though, had been simply swept up into the story and lost for good. How far they go, who knows?

It maybe too early to talk of recovery in Mayfield. For some, it is a going to be a haul that goes on long after the immediate dizzying intensity of the event itself and its aftermath subsides.

Sandra Delk, co-ordinator for Mayfields community response, said she slept in her car the first two nights, then moved into a trailer with electrical issues, and finally moved back home, though still without light or heating.

People are in a daze, and some are never going to go back to their homes, she said.

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Tornadoes in Mayfield, Kentucky caused profound losses: Some are never going back to their homes - The Guardian