It is Government 101: Protect the citizenry and allow them to flush their toilets.

From left, EPA Region 4 administrator Mary Walker, EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler, DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, DeKalb Watershed Management Director Reggie Wells and DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson pose for a photo following a Monday morning press conference to discuss a $265 million loan that will pay for sewer repairs in DeKalb County. SPECIAL PHOTO PROVIDED BY EPA

Thurmond said that 59 miles of new sewer trunk line (the big uns) will be installed in the county, including 41 miles in southwest DeKalb, where the most and the worst sewer spills occur. So much of the work must be done there partly because it has some of the oldest and most deteriorating lines.

The other part of it is race, Thurmond said. You dont make significant investments in lower-income minority communities. They were complaining but their voices were not being heard.

I get why people are frustrated, he added. You dont have any easy answer. (The fixes) are expensive and time consuming.

Its good news that DeKalb is finally getting on with it. Thurmond likes to say the work has accelerated since 2017. By the way, that is when he came to office. He says $800 million in repairs have happened since then, compared to just $300 million before. Part of that is a new leader recognizing this had to be done. And part of it is a government that has slowly pulled itself out of a morass of its own making.

In 2013, the courts released a grand jury investigation into corruption in DeKalb. It found evidence of endemic incompetence, patronage, fraud and cronyism in the government. The digging started when a DeKalb grease-trap inspector got caught taking bribes from restaurants.

Then-District Attorney Robert James initially focused his investigation on work connected to the $1.35 billion in capital improvement projects with the sewers. When you have that kind of money around, he figured, funny stuff happens.

Water and sewer upgrades are planned across DeKalb County, including at the Snapfinger Creek Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility in Decatur. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

After the grand jury report came out, I was assigned to look into the findings. I decided to start by examining the first major contract awarded in this enterprise. It was $7.7 million to an engineering firm for work at the new Snapfinger Creek Wastewater Plant in south DeKalb. But the hiring of the small, obscure firm raised several questions. When AJC reporter April Hunt and I raised some of those questions to county officials, they let the firm go. And then the county had to rebuild a retaining wall because of shoddy work.

It went on like that. Stuff was screwed up from the start. Literally.

The investigation ended with the prosecution, conviction and imprisonment of then-CEO Burrell Ellis on tangential charges. The higher courts later overturned his case.

But over the years, three more of the seven county commissioners were indicted on various corruption charges, and DeKalb couldnt get out of its own way. The sewer revitalization project languished. During this time, the county burned through $80 million in interest on the money borrowed for the projects.

In 2015, DeKalbs interim CEO Lee May hired Scott Towler to oversee the sewer project. In interviews with those who worked with Towler, I was told he was a hard-charging, square manager who started getting the county focused on the job.

However, Towler ran into trouble with higher-ups when he started complaining that businesses were hooked up to DeKalbs system, even though there wasnt the sewer capacity for it. This was a touchy subject because no government entity wants to have its hands tied when bringing in development.

A year later, Towler was gone, leaving behind a letter blasting the county for, he said, making him bend the rules. Thurmonds office called him a disgruntled ex-employee who was double-dipping with his car allowance.

He later settled a whistleblower lawsuit for $40,000.

Commissioner Nancy Jester, who jumped headlong into the sewer issue after coming on the board in 2015, said: Scott Towler was crucial in changing the course in making DeKalb compliant. He was the necessary manager. Anyone who says otherwise is not clear on what happened. He ran up against politics.

Now, DeKalb is barreling forward, again, with a plan to fix its sewers even though critics like Jacqueline Echols, head of the South River Watershed Alliance, said the county has dragged its feet in trying to forthrightly face the issue. Her organization last year filed suit in federal court, saying the county was not doing enough to prevent spills. Her org said DeKalb was not being held responsible when it spills.

Between 2012 and 2019, the county reported 1,297 spills and paid $859,000 in fines an average of $662 per spill. Thats like a bad speeding ticket.

They could fine you $10 million, but thats $10 million you cant use to fix it, Thurmond said.

He added that no rate increase is in the offing for the near future. The county had several increases a decade ago. But commissioners say a hike is inevitable.

Zack Buersmeyer, a Tucker resident, has complained for years about sewer spills on his property and has used urinal cakes outside to help quell the smell. His property, next to South Fork Peachtree Creek, was on a 2017 list for sewer repairs. He said the county has three times in the past decade brought bulldozers to his property and taken down trees to allow work to be done on a sewer line behind his home. Theyve also been there many other times for minor repairs. Crews were out there again Tuesday.

Theres been so many changes with personnel; it seems like they start from scratch every three years, he said. But its just been a Band-Aid. Id like to see it future-proofed so they dont have to come back.

Not to worry, CEO Thurmond swears its a new day in DeKalb.

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OPINION: Flushed with pride that fix is in, finally, for DeKalb sewers - Atlanta Journal Constitution

A section of 1st Avenue (in light orange on the map at top) will undergo major reconstruction later this month. Detours will be marked

COLLEGEVILLE PA A portion of Route 29 from the Perkiomen Bridge Hotel, at the intersection of Main Street and 1st Avenue, north to Transfleet Concrete at 101 1st Ave. will be closed between Oct. 30 (2020; Friday) and Nov. 14 (Saturday) so contractors can complete renovations related to the realignment of the state-owned highway, the Collegeville Economic Development Corp. reported.

Improvements to the short stretch of highway coincide with the construction of a new Royal Farms convenience store (below) and fuel station near the intersection, and its accompanying changes to the roadway to improve traffic flow and reduce accidents an Main and 1st and 2nd avenues. The road will be closed to ensure the safety of residents and businesses located there, and the safety of those who will be working below-grade within feet of traffic, a CEDC blog post stated Friday (Oct. 23).

It said construction crews will install a more solid base under the road. They also need to complete a water main extension, do storm water work, build a retaining wall, curbing, sidewalks and full depth paving. Theres a rush to complete those projects before weather turns colder in mid-November, the blog added.

Detour routes are set and will be signed, CEDC said, but also advised we recommend you use a GPS tool like Google Maps to find efficient ways to get around.

Photo by The Post; map from Google Maps

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Reconstruction Ahead on Collegeville 1st Avenue - The Post - The Sanatoga Post

Staff reports| Herald Democrat

This week, The Texas Department of Transportation will begin its annual crack sealing operations in Grayson County. Throughout the process, there will be daytime lane closures.

In a news release issued by TxDOT, officials said delays along certain roadways can be expected.

"The following roadways in Grayson County will be crack sealed this year; Business US 377D in Tioga, Business US 377C in Collinsville, SH 289 from the Collin County line to US 82, FM 996 from FM 120 to FM 1417, SH 91 from US 75 to FM 1310, the US 82 frontage road in Sherman, FM 120 from FM 1753 to the Oklahoma State line, FM 1897 from SU 69 to the end of State maintenance, FM 898 from SH 11 to the Fannin County line, FM 121 from FM 3356 to SH 289, FM 120 in Pottsboro from Chrissa Drive to Vine St. and the US 75 frontage roads from FM 902 to the Collin County line," the release said.

Along with this special project, Texoma roadways will receive their regular maintenance as part of long term TxDOT projects.

"These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues," the same release said. "Motoristsare advised toremain alert and pay special attention to all signs, barricades and traffic controls, and reduce their speed as they approach and travel through work zones. They should also avoid distractions such as cell phones, eating, drinking, or car audio or navigation systems."

The following roads will be under construction this week:

"US 75, Grayson County: from FM 1417 to SH 91 (Texoma Parkway). Watch for shoulder closures and lane shifts on northbound and southbound US 75 between Center Street and FM 1417 as crews work on building new main lanes and the new South Travis Street Bridge. Watch for lane closures on the frontage roads between FM 1417 and Washington Street as crews work on building detours and installing drainage structures. The northbound exit ramp for Houston and Lamar (SH 56) is currently closed, and exiting traffic is requested to use the Park Avenue exit ramp. The southbound exit ramp for Park Avenue is currently closed and exiting traffic is requested to use the Houston/Lamar Street (SH 56) exit. The northbound frontage road from South Travis Street to near Park Avenue is closed in order for crews to work on building the remaining portion of the retaining wall along US 75 at the South Travis Street intersection. Traffic is requested to use the US 75 mainlanes during this closure. The southbound Washington Street exit ramp will be closed beginning October 25th as crews work on the frontage road between Preston Drive and Pecan St. Exiting traffic wishing to access Washington Street should use the North Travis Street exit. A reduced speed limit of 60 mph has been set for this construction project.

The US 75 pedestrian bridge near Pecan Street in Sherman is closed to pedestrian traffic. The east side over the frontage road has been removed. The remaining pedestrian bridge will be removed at a later time. Pedestrians wishing to cross US 75 are advised to cross at the Houston Street signalized intersection.

US 75 Full Depth concrete repair, Grayson County: Crews will be working on US 75, weather permitting, each week from Sunday night through Thursday night. Lane closures will be present during the nighttime only in order for crews to replace failed concrete slabs. Lane closures begin at 7:30 p.m. and should be reopened to traffic by 6 a.m.

FM 1417, Grayson County: from US 82 to SH 56. Watch for lane shifts and shoulder closures between US 82 and SH 56 while crews are working to construct a portion of the new Sand Creek bridge. Watch for occasional daytime lane closures as crews perform utility work. A reduced speed limit of 45 mph has been set for this construction project.

FM 121, Grayson County: from Jim Jones Road to FM 3356. Watch for occasional daytime lane closures as crews work to build portions of the new bridges and roadway. Watch for lane shifts and narrow lanes throughout the project as crews have moved traffic to the temporary detour section. The ultimate roadway will be a five-lane section consisting of concrete pavement when the project is completed.

US 377, Grayson County: Willis Bridge at the Oklahoma State line. Watch for occasional lane closures on the existing bridge as workers pour concrete for the new bridge structure.

US 75 Ramp Reversal in Denison, Grayson County: on the southbound US 75 main lanes and frontage road between Spur 503 and FM 691. Watch for a lane closure on the southbound US 75 frontage road while construction crews work on building the new southbound US 75 entrance ramp. A new traffic pattern has been implemented where westbound Spur 503 will be shifted to the southbound US 75 frontage road and will travel through the FM 691 intersection and then enter southbound US 75 using the on-ramp after FM 691. The new FM 691 exit ramp is open to access FM 691.

Spur 503, Grayson County: from US 75 to SH 91. Watch for daytime and nighttime lane closures for both eastbound and westbound lanes as crews perform concrete pavement repairs.

US 377, Grayson County: from US 82 to FM 901. Watch for temporary daytime lane closures and shoulder closures as workers install safety treatments on fixed objects.

US 75 debris pickup, Grayson County: from Collin County line to Oklahoma State line. Watch for mobile lane closures as workers pick up debris from the roadway every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the daytime.

US 82 & US 69, Grayson County: from FM 131 to FM 1897 on US 82, and from SH 56 to US 75 on US 69. Watch for temporary daytime lane closures and shoulder closures as workers install safety treatments on fixed objects.

SH 289, Grayson County: between SH 56 and FM 121. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews blade level the roadway.

FM 121, Grayson County: from SH 289 to FM 3356. Watch for daytime lanes closures as maintenance crews blade level the roadway.

SH 160, Grayson County: between SH 11 and the Collin County line. Watch for daytime lane closures as maintenance crews blade level the roadway.

FM 1753, Grayson and Fannin County: from FM 1897 to SH 78. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.

The annual contract to perform crack sealing operations in Fannin County is beginning. Daytime lane closures will be present during the crack sealing operations and drivers should expect delays. The following roadways in Fannin County will be crack sealed this year; FM 1396 from SH 78 to FM 2029, FM 1752 from US 82 to FM 1753, US 82 from SH 121 to the Grayson County line, SH 11 from SH 121 to SH 78, SH 78 from SH 11 to US 69, and FM 68 from SH 78 to SH 34.

FM 898, Fannin County: from the Grayson County line to SH 121. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.

FM 2815, Fannin County: from FM 1629 to SH 11. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.

FM 1743, Fannin County: from SH 56 to FM 1550. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.

FM 824, Fannin County: from SH 56 in Honey Grove to the Lamar County line. Watch for temporary one-lane closures as workers rehab and widen the roadway.

SH 121, Fannin County: from the Collin County line to SH 56. Watch for temporary daytime lane closures and shoulder closures as workers install safety treatments on fixed objects.

US 82, Fannin County: from SH 121 to the Lamar County Line. Watch for slow moving construction equipment as crews work on widening US 82 from a two-lane roadway to a four-lane divided section. Westbound US 82 traffic has been shifted to the new pavement on the eastern end of the project between the Fannin and Lamar County line and County Road 2975. Eastbound traffic will remain in its current lane, while crews work on the inside lane to work on building the crossovers and turn lanes. Drivers who frequent this roadway are advised that all driveways, county roads and farm-to-market roads approaching the new westbound main lanes on US 82 will have a full stop before crossing over to the median. The SH 121 and US 82 frontage road intersections have been converted to signalized intersections. The on-ramp to westbound US 82 from SH 78 has been closed while crews work on building the new westbound main lanes. The westbound exit ramp for SH 121 is closed as crews work on building the new main lanes in this area. Exiting traffic for SH 121 is asked to use the SH 78 exit and continue along the frontage road to SH 121.

County Road 3530, Fannin County: at Wafer Creek. County Road 3530 is closed for crews to remove the existing bridge and build a new culvert. Traffic on CR 3530 will need to use an alternate route during construction.

County Road 4250, Fannin County: at Freeman Creek. County Road 4250 is closed for crews to remove the existing bridge and build a new bridge. Traffic on CR 4250 will need to use an alternate route during construction.

FM 1550, Fannin County: from FM 271 to FM 2077: Watch for daytime lane closures as crews perform base repairs.

FM 897, Fannin County: in Lannius from US 82 to CR 2950. Watch for daytime lane closures as crews perform ditch cleaning work."

More:
Road crack sealing operations to begin in GC; other road reports - Sherman Denison Herald Democrat

U.S. Navy Adm. William H. McRaven speaks to special operations commanders during a commander's call at King Auditorium on Hurlburt Field in Florida in 2012.

Adm. William H. McRaven has had more than his fair share of heart-stopping moments.

As a member and leader of the Navy SEALs for 37 years, McRaven took part in hundreds and oversaw thousands of missions that put his own life and the lives of his fellow service members in peril, including the 2011 raid that ended in the killing of Osama bin Laden.

From the agony of basic training as a SEAL to jumping out of hundreds of planes into the darkness, all of McRavens time spent staring down danger have given him some clarity on the nature of fear.

If youre not afraid, thats not a good sign, McRaven told the audience on Wednesdays Walker Webcast, hosted by Willy Walker, chairman and CEO of Walker & Dunlop. Fear focuses you. It sharpens your perceptions of everything around you. As you do events over and over again, you learn to manage it and turn it to your advantage.

The first time he jumped out of an airplane, McRaven said, he was scared to death. After dozens of jumps, he still felt fear, but the fear focused him on making sure he did his best to lower the potential that anything could go wrong.

One memorable jump over the Philippines, on the date of his first anniversary with his wife, Georgeann, McRaven added another coping mechanism. As he prepared to launch himself out of the plane, he started singing the Little River Bands Happy Anniversary to himself. He still sings the song, which he calls silly, to himself every time he jumps to stay calm.

Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, also a former University of Texas chancellor, on the Walker Webcast.

In the years after his military service, as chancellor of the University of Texas, McRaven came to be known for his belief in the power of small rituals. In a 2014 commencement speech to the graduating class of the University of Texas at Austin, which has since racked up tens of millions of views on YouTube, he explained how having to make his bed to perfection every morning of SEAL training instilled in him diligent habits and pride in accomplishing tasks, no matter how small.

But McRavens career has been just as defined by a handful of big decisions. On the Walker Webcast,he described the last meeting that he had with then-President Barack Obama before the raid on the walled compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, where bin Laden was suspected to be living.

For weeks, United States National Counterterrorism Center Director Michael Leiter and the intelligence staff in the room had been tracking a man they dubbed the pacer make daily walks around the compound courtyard.

The president asked Leiter if he thought it was bin Laden, and Leiter said there was about a 40% to 60% chance it was him, McRaven said. Right then, I didnt think the president would pull the trigger on it. It was a gamble, and he knew that he was betting his own political future on this, not to mention risking the lives of the SEALs and Army aviators going in.

Walker & Dunlop CEO Willy Walker on a webinar with Adm. William H. McRaven

When Obama did give the go-ahead order, it fell to McRaven to mitigate the risk to the lives of his fellow Navy SEALs. The process for that, he said, was to break down the raid into thousands of discrete steps, imagine all the ways things could possibly go wrong, and come up with thousands of contingency plans.

People think of Navy SEALs as cavalier about the risks that we take, McRaven said. Nothing could be further from the truth. You always have to think through the worst-case events and make backup plans. You never want to find yourself in the middle of a worst-case scenario not having thought through it. Its not enough to have plans B and C.

As part of the bin Laden raid, the SEALs stationed two backup helicopters just on the Afghan side of the Pakistani border. As the raid unfolded, one helicopter clipped the retaining wall of the compound with its tail, grounding it. Without those backups, service members could have been stranded in the compound.

There was not a single plan that didnt involve backup helicopters, McRaven said.

Hesaid the iconic image of Obama and members of his staff watching the raid was captured soon after it became clear that one of the helicopters had become unserviceable. Throughout the raid, McRaven himself was in communication with Air Force Lt. Gen. Marshall Bradley Webb, who sits at the center of the picture.

Members of the Obama administration watch the progress of the Osama bin Laden raid from the situation room in the White House. Lt. Gen. Marshall B. "Brad" Webb, in uniform, center, was in contact with Adm. William H. McRaven throughout the raid.

It was McRaven who was tasked with identifying bin Ladens body once the remains had been flown back to the staging ground for the raid, and reporting to Obama that the mission had been successful.

But as important and historic as the raid was, McRavensaid that it was only one of 11 special operations undertaken by the SEALs that night. On a typical night, McRaven oversaw 20 to 25 operations from Afghanistan. During his time in Iraq, the number was closer to 40.

We worked on a two-team rotation, McRaven said. Every other night, this group of guys would be getting on a helicopter and going into harms way. You want to talk about heroism? That was on full display every single day. You cant help but be inspired by this next generation.

On Nov. 4, Willy will host JPMorgan's Cayman Wills andPeter Cook of the American Bankers Association. Register here for the event.

This feature was produced in collaboration between the Bisnow Branded Content Studio and Walker & Dunlop. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

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What Adm. William H. McRaven Learned About Fear And Risk During The Osama Bin Laden Raid - Bisnow

Highland Council says it will monitor the situation over the weekend.

A REMOTE Highland route affected by a fallen tree will be monitored over the weekend amid concerns about inclement weather.

The Salen and Kilchoan road on the Ardnamurchan peninsula remains open after yesterday's incident.

The single track B8007 links the two villages.

The upturned root of a fallen tree caused damage to a retaining wall.

Highland Council says it will monitor it over the weekend "along with the forecasted inclement weather".

Strong wind and heavy rain showers are forecast over the weekend.

Operatives are hoping to complete repair work on the wall on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

Related: Fallen tree damages wall on remote Highland route

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Highland route affected by fallen tree to be monitored over weekend - RossShire Journal

The retaining wall on Lake Front Boulevard will be completed by Memorial Day 2021 according to a contract in discussion between Dunkirk Mayor Wilfred Rosas and contractor St. George Enterprises.

The Lake Front Boulevard situation, we are moving forward with that, I have made contact with the contractor, Rosas said during Tuesdays Dunkirk Common Council meeting. We have a new contract, we just added a couple of things to the other contract that was approved, basically two issues that were spoken about in executive session. The contractor is agreeing to have the project 100% complete by Memorial Day of 2021. The payment plan will be that were working with FEMA, the contractor has agreed to work with us with the FEMA payment plan.

The contract, which is still in negotiation, is expected to be signed soon and the supplies and materials will be ordered and the crew should be working on the project next week.

First Ward Councilman Don Williams questioned what might happen if the contractor is unable to finish the repair by the agreed upon date.

We considered all the options. There was a lot of behind the scenes communication, Rosas responded. To get to the point where were at now, there was a lot of work done, the process with FEMA and getting that plan approved was a long process.

Rosas added that the city could have decided to re-bid the project out after conferring various department heads, but ultimately what was decided that what was best for the city was to try to work with this St. George Enterprises.

In an effort to get them to agree we have been very lenient with the contract language, Rosas said. If he didnt agree then our options would be that there is no timeline in the contract or we bid it and find another contractor, if we did that wed jeopardize paying more for this project and wed also jeopardize the timeline with FEMA.

Another project that was also mentioned was the LED Replacement program the city was working on. A letter read during the public portion of the project from Cassandra Pinkoski questioned what buildings have been done currently, what buildings are slated the be completed, if street lighting is still a part of the project and what are the savings to date?

Rosas said LED updates were provided throughout the year but due to COVID, the $1 million in funding earmarked by the state and approved by the Financial Restructuring Board was withheld.

We have not received those funds, Rosas said. I have stopped the project until such time that we receive those funds. The good news is that I directed our Fiscal Affairs officer to contact Albany every week and this week the funding process is going to be moving forward, so we expect to receive funds soon. Ive been in contact with the contractor and he is ready to start as soon as we can start moving the process forward.

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Retaining wall to begin construction, LED plan on hold - Evening Observer

InYourArea Community

The nearby Castle Inn Footbridge remains closed to ensure the safety of the public, following damage it sustained during Storm Dennis.

Image:Rhondda Cynon Taf Council

Submitted by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has started work to repair and rebuild sections of the retaining wall at A4054 Cardiff Road in Treforest following damage caused by Storm Dennis and the current traffic lights will be removed when complete next month.

Sections of the wall, along the River Taff near Castle Inn Footbridge, were damaged by the unprecedented weather in February 2020.

The repairs are scheduled across two phases of work the first of these started on Monday, October 19. The council has appointed Kaymac Marine & Civil Engineering Ltd as the contractor to carry out this work, which will last up to two weeks, subject to good weather.

The second phase of work will see the collapsed section of wall rebuilt by contractor Hammond Civil Engineering Ltd. This is expected to start in early November and last around three weeks.

Once complete, the temporary traffic lights will be removed and Cardiff Road will be re-opened for two-way traffic. Work across both phases will adhere to the latest social distancing guidance.

Please note, the nearby Castle Inn Footbridge remains closed to ensure the safety of the public, following the significant damage it sustained during Storm Dennis. The council will provide an update to residents in the near future.

Councillor Andrew Morgan, leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and cabinet member with responsibility for highways and transportation, said:

Important schemes to repair damaged structures have progressed in recent months including retaining wall repairs at Ynysybwl Road and Blaen-y-Cwm Road, while work has recently been completed at Station Street in Treherbert.

Preparations are also ongoing at Ynysangharad Park in Pontypridd to repair the Marks and Spencer Bridge over the coming months, while specialist surveys at Castell Ifor Bridge in Treforest and the White Bridge in Pontypriddare are under review.

The council is committed to repairing or replacing both of these damaged bridges and will provide an update to residents in due course.

Cllr Morgan said:

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Retaining wall repairs at A4054 Cardiff Road in Treforest - In Your Area

Ann Arbor, Mich. | $1.99 MillionA house custom-built in 1979, with five bedrooms and six and a half bathrooms, on a 0.77-acre lot

Designed by Don Paul Young, a local architect, this home is part of the Hillwood Preserve, a wooded subdivision dating to the 1930s that was created by a pair of sisters who were landscape designers, on their family property. The house sits near the prairie part of the University of Michigans Nichols Arboretum, with winter views of the Huron River. One can cut through the arboretum to reach the university campus and downtown, less than a mile west, or travel a more roundabout route by road. Built for an orthopedic surgeon, the house was expanded in 2000 by a later owner.

Size: 5,249 square feet

Price per square foot: $379

Indoors: Recent updates include new exterior siding that promises to last for decades, many new windows (some of them huge) and fresh oak flooring in the living room, dining room and main study (there are three studies altogether). A substantial part of the lower level was also remodeled, and hardscaping was added outdoors.

The entrance leads into a foyer with an attached powder room (variegated ceramic tile covers the floors of both). To the left of the front door is a dining room with a 16-foot-high wall of glass and a wet bar. It flows into a living room, for an area that totals 38 feet in length and up to 25 feet in width and includes a wood-burning fireplace.

On the other side of the fireplace wall is an office with a built-in desk, wraparound upper and lower cabinets and windows on three sides, with arboretum views. On the opposite side of the living room and up a few steps is an open, tiled breakfast area and, beyond that, a kitchen with an L-shaped center island topped in granite, a Wolf range, a Sub-Zero refrigerator and a pantry. This room walks out to a 24-by-19-foot screened porch, which opens to an ipe-wood patio. Next to the kitchen is a laundry room that includes a wine refrigerator and a built-in desk and cabinetry.

A hallway past the rear staircase leads into guest quarters. Here are a bedroom with arboretum views, a bathroom with a walk-in glass-and-stone-tile shower and an office with two built-in desks and three walls of cabinets. An elevator in this wing takes you to any floor.

The front staircase ascends to a hall lofted above the dining room. The first door belongs to the master suite, which includes a carpeted bedroom with a walk-in closet behind frosted-glass doors (a dresser and shoe cubby are lodged inside) and a private balcony overlooking the arboretum. The master bathroom is sheathed in dark and light gray stone and includes a wraparound vanity with a pair of metal vessel sinks and a separate tub and shower.

This level contains three additional bedroom suites (one with a Juliet balcony), as well as a library that opens to an indoor-outdoor oak-floored exercise room above the screened porch.

The lower level has more than 2,400 square feet of finished space not counted in the homes official square footage. This encompasses a large family room with sunlight streaming through glass doors and multiple exposures (it walks out to a patio), an office with a fireplace, a full bathroom and two workshops. There are also storage and utility rooms, as well as access to a three-car garage.

Outdoor space: In addition to the porches, decks and balconies is a large paved patio hugged by a new retaining wall; it has a fire pit. The surrounding landscape is, not surprisingly, tree-filled.

Taxes: $30,646 (based on a tax assessment of $611,179), plus an annual $100 homeowner fee

Contact: Jean Wedemeyer, Reinhart Realtors, 734-604-2523; jeanwedemeyer.reinhartrealtors.com

This two-story 1936 complex is in the Bayshore neighborhood, two blocks west of Indian Creek and the nearby cluster of Mid-Beach hotels, including the Miami Beach Edition and the Faena. Within a mile to the south are Collins Park, with its cultural attractions; the Miami Beach Convention Center, where the Art Basel Miami Beach fair is typically held; and the Lincoln Road shopping district. Currently, three of the four units are rented, with leases that extend six months at the most. The rents range from $2,900 to $3,200 a month, depending on the season. Short-term rentals are not permitted.

Size: 4,478 square feet

Price per square foot: $446

Indoors: Two units are downstairs, and two upstairs; all four have identical layouts of about 1,200 square feet. They are being sold furnished, and in two units, the furniture is new.

The lower units have direct access from within a gated courtyard; between their doors is the entrance to the upper units. In each apartment, the entry door opens to a living room with wood floors and a decorative fireplace mantel. A stepped archway leads into a wood-floored dining room, and a similar archway introduces the kitchen. The kitchen surfaces and colors vary from unit to unit. In unit No. 1, which is currently vacant, the counters are white marble, the flooring is gray linoleum and the appliances are stainless steel.

The units occupy the four corners of the building, so one bedroom in each has windows that wrap around two walls. The bedrooms also have wood floors and en suite bathrooms with showers. (Again, surface materials and colors vary.) Unit No. 1 has its own washer and dryer. The other three share free laundry facilities in the complex.

Outdoor space: The seller did some landscaping of the shared garden, which includes a seating area and a grill. The building does not have parking, but occupants can apply for city permits that cost $60 a year and that allow them to park on the street, in front.

Taxes: $36,000 (estimated)

Contact: Patricia Agudelo, Coldwell Banker Realty, 347-623-7163; coldwellbanker.com

This property in the town of Shawangunk, west of the Hudson River, is the country seat of Cristy Lee McGeehan, an interior designer with a penchant for patterned wallpaper, and her husband, Colan McGeehan, the chief investment officer of Publicis Health Media. The couple are enthusiastic entertainers; to accommodate a regular parade of friends and family as well as corporate retreats, they recently built a log house from reclaimed barn wood near the Greek Revival farmhouse. The furnishings for both homes can be negotiated with the sale.

The houses are about 75 miles north of Manhattan and about 16 miles southwest of New Paltz, in southern Ulster County. Local attractions include mountain preserves, vineyards, orchards and rail trails.

Size: 5,400 square feet (combined)

Price per square foot: $375

Indoors: The yellow clapboard-sided farmhouse, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, includes a traditional double parlor with wide, antique floorboards and rooms separated by pocket doors. Wallpaper in complementary patterns with a lot of black gives a modern Victorian frisson to the rooms. Rustic wood of different shades also makes an appearance on a wall of the sunny front parlor. A brick fireplace with a black-painted mantel is in the rear parlor.

A formal dining room is papered in a mix of more subtle patterns and colors. The homey kitchen has a vaulted beadboard ceiling with exposed brick above the wall cabinets; stainless steel and concrete countertops; and a window seat.

Downstairs, in the original kitchen, with its fireplace designed for cooking, the owners created an exuberant space they describe as a speakeasy and use for karaoke. On the second floor, Ms. McGeehan hand-glued hundreds of scalloped bits of paper to the slanted wall of the master bedroom. Two additional bedrooms also have angled ceilings that follow the rooflines, and the bathroom is a medley of raw brick, white-on-white brocade-patterned paper, hexagonal floor tile and rough concrete for the vanity. There is a vintage tub and a walk-in shower.

In the log house, Ms. McGeehan amped up the eclecticism, using botanical- and animal-themed papers to contrast with the pervasive wood-and-mortar striping. In the downstairs powder room, the animals are dressed in Victorian garb and set within ornate picture frames. In the upstairs bedrooms (each of which has a private bathroom), they portray hummingbirds, butterflies, moths and garlands. There is also a main-floor master suite whose bathroom paper is festooned with silhouetted boats and rosy Chinese lanterns. (You will also find a vanity converted from an American Colonial-style desk, brass sconces sprouting crystals and a very contemporary glass-walled shower.)

Outdoor space: A hot tub, a bandstand, a firepit and several seating areas add to the entertainment value. Alpacas, among other animals, have recently enjoyed the paddock.

Taxes: $14,472

Contact: J.C. Keeler, Heather Croner Real Estate, Sothebys International Realty, 917-603-1946; sothebysrealty.com

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Here's What $2 Million Buys You in Michigan, Florida and New York - The New York Times

WILLCOX, Ariz. A semi tractor-trailer driver died after the truck drove through the City of Willcox Visitors Center Monday.

The driver's identity has not been released by authorities.

According to the City of Willcox, an investigation revealed that the vehicle was going westbound on I-10 near milepost 341 when it suddenly left the roadway to the right, which led to the vehicle driving through a fence and the visitor center.

Witnesses say the vehicle did not apply brakes as it approached the center.

"After traveling - mile the vehicle struck a retaining wall on the north side of the Visitor Center property and continued to travel southbound. The vehicle struck the north side of the building and maintained enough velocity that it traveled through the entire building and exited through the south side of the building," the city said about the crash.

The vehicle then reportedly dropped off its loading drop, causing it to "jackknife" in the Arizona Department of Public Safety's parking lot, narrowly avoiding officers inside the building.

I would like to thank all personnel involved in this incident. Although tragic, this incident again shows how well first responders in rural Arizona come together to accomplish tasks. Thank you to all personnel who had a hand in this. Your dedication to preserving life brings great credit upon yourselves, your agencies and the State of Arizona, Chief Hadfield, Director of the Willcox Department of Public Safety stated.

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Tractor-trailer crashes through Willcox Visitor Center, driver killed - KGUN

NOTICE TO BIDDERS BY THE RIVANNA WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY BID FOR THE MCAWRRF ENGINEERING BUILDING ADDITION - RFB NO. 376 Sealed Bids will be received by the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, hereinafter called the OWNER, in the Administration Building at the Moores Creek Advanced Water Resource Recovery Facility, 695 Moores Creek Lane, Charlottesville, VA 22902 until 4:00 p.m., local prevailing time on November 20, 2020 and then at said office be publicly opened and read aloud (virtually at the sole discretion of RWSA) for the following: GENERAL CONSTRUCTION: Includes all site preparation work needed for the Addition to the Engineering Building Facility. Site preparation includes site grading; retaining wall construction; asphalt pavement; building foundation work; and water, sewer and electrical utility installation. The foregoing description shall not be construed as a complete description of all work required. Contract Documents may be examined at the following locations: Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, 695 Moores Creek Lane, Charlottesville, VA 22902; Hazen and Sawyer, 4011 West Chase Blvd., Suite 500, Raleigh, NC 27607. Digital copies of the Contract Documents may be obtained through the office of Hazen and Sawyer located at 4011 WestChase Boulevard, Suite 500, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607, at no cost. Inquiries should be directed to Mr. Bret Edwards, P.E. at (919) 755-8588. An optional virtual pre-bid conference will be held on November 4, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. to review the scope of work and clarify any aspect of the work that may be in question. Attendance at the virtual pre-bid conference is not mandatory. To obtain a link to the virtual pre-bid conference, contact Scott Schiller, P.E., Engineering Manager at the Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority at (434) 977-2970 x206 or sschiller@rivanna.org, or Bret Edwards, P.E. at Hazen at (919) 755-8588 or bedwards@hazenandsawyer.com. A more detailed Notice to Bidders can be seen at http://www.rivanna.org.

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NOTICE TO BIDDERS BY THE RIVANNA WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY BID FOR THE MCAWRRF ENGINEERING BUILDING ADDITION - RFB NO. - The Daily Progress