Flats and shops will be built at the site of a former superstore in Swansea despite some of the new gardens facing a very high retaining wall.

The old Morriston Superstore at Rhodfa Fadog, Cwmrhydyceirw, will be demolished to make way for a new four-block scheme comprising 22 flats, seven houses and three retail units.

Swansea Council's planning committee voted in favour of the application by Morganstone Ltd by seven votes to one at a meeting on August 7.

Planning officer Ian Davies said the applicant had made changes to their previous scheme which the committee, and then a Welsh Government -appointed planning inspector, had rejected.

The alterations included gabled roofs on the main three-storey block, instead of a flat roof, and the introduction of some Juliet balconies.

Mr Davies said some concerns remained about the new proposal, but insisted all the housing would be affordable.

"It is finely balanced," he said.

"However, it is considered that the provision of 100% affordable housing, coupled with positive changes to the scheme, marginally outweigh the identified harm."

Some of the gardens at the rear of the sloping site will face a retaining wall up to eaves height, and will be just under the recommended 10m length.

"It is an issue that we have wrestled with," said Mr Davies.

He said the scheme, according to the applicant, would no longer be viable if there was a reduction in the number of residential units.

There will be 33 spaces for residents, and 15 spaces - including three disabled ones - for the retail units.

Planning agent Geraint John, on behalf of Morganstone, said the current scheme had 11 residential units less than the original one, and that no statutory consultees had objected.

Addressing the committee, ward councillor Ceri Evans said he backed some redevelopment at the site and was in favour of social housing.

"However, I cannot personally in good conscience support this application as it currently stands," he said.

Cllr Evans said he didn't think the two principal refusal reasons from the previous scheme had been overcome.

Affordable housing, he said, should not be used as a "loophole for inappropriate and substandard housing".

Committee member Cllr Mary Jones said she shared this "loophole" concern and wanted to know who would be responsible for maintaining the retaining wall at the rear.

Cllr Mike Lewis said he backed the development, saying the site would otherwise be left as a "desolated piece of land".

Cllr Linda Tyler-Lloyd was worried that occupants of the flats might "feel trapped" inside, but noted the introduction of Juliet balconies.

The consent given by the committee is subject to 23 planning conditions.

Officers had recommended approval, saying in their report it was a close-run thing but that the "current proposal overcomes many of the issues identified in the previous appeal".

Read more:
Superstore to be demolished to make way for new affordable flats, houses and shops - Wales Online

The pen drive, a revolutionary digital storage device, was invented by a Malaysian engineer. (Pixabay pic)

Malaysia has much to be proud of its rich diversity of cultures, food beyond compare and many beautiful natural sights to enjoy.

But Malaysians are also responsible for many inventions, some which are used worldwide on a daily basis.

Here are five:

1. Flash drive

Office workers of the older generation would remember when floppy disks were the size of dinner plates and could store only a limited amount of data.

Then came compact discs, which were much easier to carry around but could easily be damaged with the slightest scratch or an accumulation of dust.

Sekinchan-born Pua Khein Seng came up with the idea of a portable data storage device that could easily fit into the palm of the hand. While working in Taiwan, he would create the worlds first flash drives, a milestone in the field of data storage.

Given how people store everything from photographs to songs to videos to documents on their tiny but reliable flash drives nowadays, there is much to thank Pua for.

2. Loom bands

These colourful rubber bands, which were a huge commercial success in the US, were the brainchild of a Malaysian.

Called Rainbow Looms, they are little plastic devices that weave colourful rubber and plastic bands together to make bracelets and charms for children.

Cheong Choon Ng was working as an automotive engineer in the US when he made some colourful rubber band bracelets for his children.

When his daughters went to school with their new bracelets, schoolmates began to ask where they could get them, and the rest is history.

It was reported that as at 2014, his company had sold over eight million Rainbow Looms worldwide as well as 40 million packets of the rubber bands that go with them.

3. Lytro camera

Avid photographers will know of the occasional struggle to get just the right amount of light in the picture and to control its direction.

Malaysian-born Ren Ng ran into this problem while taking a photograph of a friends daughter and decided to solve it.

At the time, he was studying light fields as a student in a Stanford University programme in Australia and he came up with the idea for a light field camera.

Technically, there were cameras that could do what he wanted but they were impractical, consisting of nearly 100 digital cameras connected to a supercomputer.

By looking into electrical and mechanical engineering, he came up with a practical light field camera that was capable of taking photographs in dark conditions without using a flash.

4. Egg boiler

A relatively simple but brilliant invention, egg boilers can be found everywhere, from traditional kopitiams to tea stalls and quite possibly the kitchen at home.

Necessity, they say is the mother of invention. Hew Ah Kow was a bulldozer operator in a lumber camp. He loved half-boiled eggs for breakfast but, unfortunately, those served at the camp were often overcooked.

Hew began looking for a way to perfectly half-boil eggs and, eventually, he put together four pieces of plasticware to make the first egg boiler.

In addition to being effective, these boilers are also highly practical as one just needs to put in hot water and eggs before leaving the boiler to do its job.

5. Nehemiah walls

Driving alongside a flyover, walls consisting of hexagonal blocks can be seen. They are called Nehemiah walls and they serve a purpose beyond looking aesthetically pleasing they provide structural integrity to bridges.

Named after Nehemiah Lee, each hexagonal panel is connected with steel bars and together they form a strong and versatile wall.

Lee was studying for his Masters when he came up with his own uniquely patterned retaining wall.

The effectiveness of his invention is proven by the fact they are used not only in Malaysia but also Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong.

See the article here:
5 everyday things invented by Malaysians | Free Malaysia Today - Free Malaysia Today

Most readers would already be aware that nVent Electrics (NYSE:NVT) stock increased significantly by 10% over the past three months. But the companys key financial indicators appear to be differing across the board and that makes us question whether or not the companys current share price momentum can be maintained. Particularly, we will be paying attention to nVent Electrics ROE today.

ROE or return on equity is a useful tool to assess how effectively a company can generate returns on the investment it received from its shareholders. In short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments.

View our latest analysis for nVent Electric

Return on equity can be calculated by using the formula:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) Shareholders Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for nVent Electric is:

5.8% = US$150m US$2.6b (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2020).

The return is the yearly profit. Another way to think of that is that for every $1 worth of equity, the company was able to earn $0.06 in profit.

Thus far, we have learned that ROE measures how efficiently a company is generating its profits. Depending on how much of these profits the company reinvests or retains, and how effectively it does so, we are then able to assess a companys earnings growth potential. Assuming all else is equal, companies that have both a higher return on equity and higher profit retention are usually the ones that have a higher growth rate when compared to companies that dont have the same features.

When you first look at it, nVent Electrics ROE doesnt look that attractive. Next, when compared to the average industry ROE of 11%, the companys ROE leaves us feeling even less enthusiastic. Given the circumstances, the significant decline in net income by 7.1% seen by nVent Electric over the last five years is not surprising. However, there could also be other factors causing the earnings to decline. For example, it is possible that the business has allocated capital poorly or that the company has a very high payout ratio.

So, as a next step, we compared nVent Electrics performance against the industry and were disappointed to discover that while the company has been shrinking its earnings, the industry has been growing its earnings at a rate of 6.7% in the same period.

Earnings growth is an important metric to consider when valuing a stock. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. By doing so, they will have an idea if the stock is headed into clear blue waters or if swampy waters await. Is nVent Electric fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.

Despite having a normal three-year median payout ratio of 50% (where it is retaining 50% of its profits), nVent Electric has seen a decline in earnings as we saw above. It looks like there might be some other reasons to explain the lack in that respect. For example, the business could be in decline.

Additionally, nVent Electric started paying a dividend only recently. So it looks like the management may have perceived that shareholders favor dividends even though earnings have been in decline. Upon studying the latest analysts consensus data, we found that the company is expected to keep paying out approximately 54% of its profits over the next three years.

On the whole, we feel that the performance shown by nVent Electric can be open to many interpretations. Even though it appears to be retaining most of its profits, given the low ROE, investors may not be benefitting from all that reinvestment after all. The low earnings growth suggests our theory correct. Wrapping up, we would proceed with caution with this company and one way of doing that would be to look at the risk profile of the business. Our risks dashboard would have the 4 risks we have identified for nVent Electric.

PromotedWhen trading nVent Electric or any other investment, use the platform considered by many to be the Professionals Gateway to the Worlds Market, Interactive Brokers. You get the lowest-cost* trading on stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds and funds worldwide from a single integrated account.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. *Interactive Brokers Rated Lowest Cost Broker by StockBrokers.com Annual Online Review 2020

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.

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nVent Electric plc (NYSE:NVT) Is Going Strong But Fundamentals Appear To Be Mixed : Is There A Clear Direction For The Stock? - Simply Wall St

KB Home (NYSE:KBH) has had a great run on the share market with its stock up by a significant 24% over the last three months. As most would know, fundamentals are what usually guide market price movements over the long-term, so we decided to look at the companys key financial indicators today to determine if they have any role to play in the recent price movement. In this article, we decided to focus on KB Homes ROE.

ROE or return on equity is a useful tool to assess how effectively a company can generate returns on the investment it received from its shareholders. Put another way, it reveals the companys success at turning shareholder investments into profits.

See our latest analysis for KB Home

Return on equity can be calculated by using the formula:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) Shareholders Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for KB Home is:

12% = US$303m US$2.5b (Based on the trailing twelve months to May 2020).

The return refers to a companys earnings over the last year. Another way to think of that is that for every $1 worth of equity, the company was able to earn $0.12 in profit.

So far, weve learned that ROE is a measure of a companys profitability. Based on how much of its profits the company chooses to reinvest or retain, we are then able to evaluate a companys future ability to generate profits. Assuming everything else remains unchanged, the higher the ROE and profit retention, the higher the growth rate of a company compared to companies that dont necessarily bear these characteristics.

To start with, KB Homes ROE looks acceptable. Even when compared to the industry average of 14% the companys ROE looks quite decent. As you might expect, the 14% net income decline reported by KB Home is a bit of a surprise. Based on this, we feel that there might be other reasons which havent been discussed so far in this article that could be hampering the companys growth. Such as, the company pays out a huge portion of its earnings as dividends, or is faced with competitive pressures.

However, when we compared KB Homes growth with the industry we found that while the companys earnings have been shrinking, the industry has seen an earnings growth of 18% in the same period. This is quite worrisome.

Earnings growth is an important metric to consider when valuing a stock. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. Doing so will help them establish if the stocks future looks promising or ominous. Is KB Home fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.

KB Homes low three-year median payout ratio of 6.4% (or a retention ratio of 94%) over the last three years should mean that the company is retaining most of its earnings to fuel its growth but the companys earnings have actually shrunk. This typically shouldnt be the case when a company is retaining most of its earnings. So there could be some other explanations in that regard. For example, the companys business may be deteriorating.

Moreover, KB Home has been paying dividends for at least ten years or more suggesting that management must have perceived that the shareholders prefer dividends over earnings growth. Our latest analyst data shows that the future payout ratio of the company is expected to rise to 9.5% over the next three years.

On the whole, we do feel that KB Home has some positive attributes. Although, we are disappointed to see a lack of growth in earnings even in spite of a high ROE and and a high reinvestment rate. We believe that there might be some outside factors that could be having a negative impact on the business. With that said, we studied the latest analyst forecasts and found that while the company has shrunk its earnings in the past, analysts expect its earnings to grow in the future. Are these analysts expectations based on the broad expectations for the industry, or on the companys fundamentals? Click here to be taken to our analysts forecasts page for the company.

PromotedIf youre looking to trade KB Home, open an account with the lowest-cost* platform trusted by professionals, Interactive Brokers. Their clients from over 200 countries and territories trade stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds and funds worldwide from a single integrated account.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. *Interactive Brokers Rated Lowest Cost Broker by StockBrokers.com Annual Online Review 2020

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.

See the original post:
Has KB Homes (NYSE:KBH) Impressive Stock Performance Got Anything to Do With Its Fundamentals? - Simply Wall St

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Oakmont wall restoration project to start in early July, traffic to be altered near Verona border - TribLIVE

Black Lives Matter mural painted on retaining wall in Downtown Pittsburgh

Updated: 8:24 PM EDT Jun 9, 2020

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CONTROVERSY. PITTSBURGHS TRIBUTE TO THE NATIONAL MOVEMENT WAS INITALY PAINTED SATURDAY BY TWO WHITE ARTISTS FROM PHILADELPHIA. >> THERE WERE BLACK ARTISTS THAT HAD BEEN REACHED OUT TO THAT HAD CANCELED WHICH IS FINE. ANDREW: NOT HAVING BLACK ARTISTS, BLACK PITTSBURGH ARTISTS, DID NOT SIT WELL WITH THE CITYS BLACK ARTISTIC COMMUNITY. >> UPSET, DISAPPOINTED A LOT OF , DIFFERENT THINGS BUT I DO KNOW IT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE FIXED AND SOMETHING THAT NEEDED ACTION TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT. ANDREW: THE TWO ARTISTS, FROM OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE STATE, HAVE SINCE CONNECTED AND CLEARED UP THE MISCOMMUNICATION. >> I AM FORTUNATE AND HAPPY THAT CAMERON AND ME HAVE REACHED OUT TO EACH OTHER AND TALKED AND ALREADY ITS BEEN A COUPLE OF HOURS BUT ALREADY ITS MUCH MORE VIVID AND I THINK ITS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE OF A POSITIVE THING . ANDREW: TONIGHT, OVER 25 LOCAL BLACK ARTISTS JOINED LENT THIER TALENTS, ADDING A PITTSBURGH PERSPECTIVE TO THIS PIECE OF ART. >> IT WAS NOT HANDLED THE BEST WAY AND NOT HANDLED THE WORST WAY BUT I DO THINK IT WAS A STEP FORWARD AND WHAT WE DOING TODAY IS A GOOD ICING ON THE CAKE. ANDREW: PITTSBURGHS ACTION N

Black Lives Matter mural painted on retaining wall in Downtown Pittsburgh

Updated: 8:24 PM EDT Jun 9, 2020

Black Lives Matter is a statement that is being heard and seen throughout the nation.In Pittsburgh, a large "Black Lives Matter" mural has been painted on a retaining wall along the Allegheny River. It includes portraits of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Antwon Rose.See the mural in the video player above.Drivers can see the large mural as they cross the Fort Duquesne Bridge onto the Fort Pitt Bridge. It's also visible from the North Shore area near PNC Park.Mayor Bill Peduto's office says it welcomes the mural and has asked Public Works crews not to paint over it.

Black Lives Matter is a statement that is being heard and seen throughout the nation.

In Pittsburgh, a large "Black Lives Matter" mural has been painted on a retaining wall along the Allegheny River. It includes portraits of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Antwon Rose.

See the mural in the video player above.

Drivers can see the large mural as they cross the Fort Duquesne Bridge onto the Fort Pitt Bridge. It's also visible from the North Shore area near PNC Park.

Mayor Bill Peduto's office says it welcomes the mural and has asked Public Works crews not to paint over it.

Read more from the original source:
Black Lives Matter mural painted on retaining wall in Downtown Pittsburgh - WTAE Pittsburgh

Alas, it looks like New York City's Amy Cooper, who called the police on a black Harvard-educated bird watcher in Central Park back in May, might be upstaged by San Francisco skincare CEO Lisa Alexander after she was filmed criticizing a local man for writing "Black Lives Matter" outside his home.

In the day-and-age of smartphones and social media platforms, scenes of Karen-ness are on full display. One of the more recent episodes of the meme-able conduct? The CEO of the luxury skincare line LAFACE accusing a Pacific Heights man of vandalizing... his own property.

According to KRON4, James Juanillo, a "proud Filipino," was writing "Black Lives Matter" in yellow chalk on a gunmetal gray retaining wall at the home he's lived in since 2002 when Alexander began accusing him of defacing someone else's property with wash away calcium carbonate, mind you. During the filmed confrontation, Alexander is heard threatening to call the police on Juanillo: "[I would] be more than happy to talk to them," he retorted.

Lisa who was not wearing a face-covering during the entire ordeal, ignoring one of the Citys foremost social-distancing policies continues to scold Juanillo in the video for "expressing his beliefs" in a way that's not respectful of the renter or homeowner, saying she knows the folks that live there.

Which, again, would include him.

Juanillo later told the media company Storyful that when police came, on-site officers recognized him immediately as a resident of the house; they never left their patrol car nor even bothered to ask for his ID.

Robert, her apparent partner according to individuals on Nextdoor, was seen filming from a distance and siding with Lisa as she proceeded to accuse Juanillo of criminal conduct.

Per SFGate, LAFACE is an independent skincare line described as an "anti-aging luxury natural and organic VEGAN skincare line [that] is extremely effective for all skin types"; Alexander has since been removed from the company and all mention of her name is no longer found on the website.

In response to the CEO's actions, the monthly subscription makeup mogul Birchbox formally cut ties with LAFACE over the weekend, saying in a tweet "we condemn the actions of Lisa Alexander" and explained that they "have not worked with LAFACE for several years," adding "we've removed their products from [Birchbox's] website."

In the clip's waning seconds, Juanillo can be heard saying "and that, people, is why black lives matter" as Karen leaves to call police. And with New York state lawmakers, including Governor Cuomo, pushing to pass the Amy Cooper bill against false 911 accusations, is California next in line for a Karen-inspired piece of legislation?

The now-viral video's amassed north of 12 million views since it was posted on June 11 at 9:13 a.m. on Twitter.

Update: Alexander has issued an apology, saying she would love to have coffee with Juanillo and work on continuing to "learn and grow and be a better person."

"I want to apologize directly to Mr. Juanillo. There are not enough words to describe how truly sorry I am for being disrespectful to him last Tuesday when I made the decision to question him about what he was doing in front of his home, she writes. I should have minded my own business. The last 48 hours has taught me that my actions were those of someone who is not aware of the damage caused by being ignorant and naive to racial inequalities.

When I watch the video I am shocked and sad that I behaved the way I did. It was disrespectful to Mr. Juanillo and I am deeply sorry for that. I did not realize at the time that my actions were racist and have learned a painful lesson. I am taking a hard look at the meaning behind white privilege and am committed to growing from this experience."

Related: Racist East Bay Letter Writer Arrested By San Leandro Police; Released Due to Backed-Up Bail Schedule

Black Woman on Horse At Oakland Protest Says She Knew The Image Would Be Powerful

Video: SF Couple Gets Engaged During Black Lives Matter Protest On Golden Gate Bridge

Image: Twitter via @jaimetoons

Read this article:
SF 'Karen' Filmed Confronting Pacific Heights Man Over Writing 'Black Lives Matter' on His Property - SFist

Monday night into Tuesday morning, officers arrested 37 adults and two juveniles related to unlawful assembly.

ST. CLOUD, Minn. For a second night in a row, crowds clashed with police in St. Cloud.

Monday night into Tuesday morning, officers arrested 37 adults and two juveniles related to unlawful assembly. One adult was taken into custody on burglary charges related to the looting of Southtown Liquor. According to St. Cloud Assistant Police Chief Jeffrey Oxton, that adult is part of the 37 adults mentioned which means a total of 39 were arrested.

Monday night at 10:20 p.m. officers responded to a report of multiple gunshots heard near 9th Avenue and University Drive S. Police say they didn't find any victims but while investigating, a crowd of up to 200 gathered in the area. According to St. Cloud police, Southtown Liquor was being broken into and looted around 11 p.m. - surveillance video from inside the store shows about a dozen people rush in and leave as quickly as they arrived.

A mandatory warning to disperse was given because the gathering had turned into an "unlawful assembly," according to police. Police said rocks were being thrown and the crowd showed no signs of dispersing so they ultimately used tear gas to break them up.

For the next four hours, police responded to multiple reports including gunshots fired, assaults within the crowd and three dumpster fires.

"Somewhere between 2 and maybe 3 a.m. we started hearing flash bangs going off and the tear gas getting shot," said Kevin McCarthy, who lives near Southtown Liquor.

Bhavik Patel, owner of St. Cloud Liquor and Stop-N-Go gas station, said four people broke into his store around 3:30 a.m. His security system alerted him to the break-in. One person used a cinder block to smash his front door while another used an axe to break another window. They stole cash from the register, lottery scratch-offs and liquor. But Patel said it'll cost the most to fix the damage.

"We have to go through so much ... trying to clean it up, calling insurance and closing the business down for a few hours and losing the loss of business. It's just, it's not worth it for a couple hundred dollars," said Patel, referring to how much money was stolen from the register.

The unrest started Monday morning when social media rumors spread that officers had shot two Black men. That was false. What really happened, according to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, was that an officer was shot in the hand while arresting an 18-year-old suspect. Police say no officers returned fire, and the suspect was taken into custody.

At a press conference Monday morning, police and community leaders emphasized that the shooting had not been fatal, and reminded the community that the spread of misinformation on social media can be dangerous.

"I'm not a big fan of social media. I know it has its benefits. I don't subscribe to it and this is a good reason why people need to breathe and think before they react," said Sam DeLeo of Kramer Leas DeLeo Land Surveying and Engineering.

DeLeo's building is right next to the police department and was vandalized Monday morning. He arrived at work to find two of the side windows broken, the front window chipped and his work truck vandalized.

"It caused a lot of damage and this will all come out of my pocket because our deductible is fairly high in the building and the vehicle so it's a loss for us," DeLeo said.

Patel said he's unsure how much the damage will cost him but said, "We are here trying to make a living, trying to provide for the family. We're doing our part in the community and we are the ones getting hit the most... It's sad to say but the cause is great but then there are others that are just doing this for the wrong reasons."

During the unrest, one person in the crowd was assaulted and needed medical attention. A witness to the assault told KARE 11 that the man had been pushed backwards off a retaining wall and stomped on his head. The witness said he wasn't moving when he was carried away. Police say he was taken to the hospital and ultimately was able to leave.

The rest is here:
Second night of unrest in St. Cloud leads to nearly 40 arrests - KARE11.com

The Road Commissions for Oakland County (RCOC) expects to close N. Holly Road between Grange Hall Road and Belford Road next Monday, June 22, in the village of Holly and Holly Township. The work is part of the larger resurfacing of North Holly Road from Grange Hall Road north to the Genesee County line.

During the Grange Hall to Belford closure, traffic accessing homes and businesses within the closed section will be allowed to travel to and from their destinations. The detour for through traffic will be Grange Hall Road to Dixie Highway to Baldwin Road (in Genesee County) and back to N. Holly Road and vice versa.

The closure of this section of N. Holly Road is expected to last until approximately Sept. 1. At that point, the closure will shift to the section of N. Holly from Belford Road north to the county line.

Traffic traveling to and from the Great Lakes National Cemetery on Belford Road east of N. Holly Road should access the cemetery via N. Holly Road north of Belford Road during the Grange Hall to Belford closure.

The approximately $4.3-million project is funded by a special federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant with the remainder shared by RCOC and Holly Township.

4.5 miles of asphalt resurfacing

Improved sight distances

Guardrail installation

High-friction pavement treatment at significant curves to improve safety

Reconstruction of the retaining wall at the N. Holly Road/Belford Road intersection

Raising the elevation of the road in three locations to improve drainage

The project should be largely done and the road fully re-opened to traffic by mid-October, with landscape restoration completed by Nov. 7. For more information, visit the project page at rcocweb.org/536/Holly-Road.

Read the rest here:
Section of N. Holly Road to close June 22 - Fenton Tri County Times

When he got the text, Jordan Harlow was building a retaining wall in the backyard of his new house. Harlow had watched the first round of the MLB draft the night before, but he wasnt thinking about it now. The 2020 draft was cut to five rounds as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, leaving many players suddenly unsure of their future.

So the former McMinnville High School coach wasnt thinking about the lanky pitcher he met when he took the head coaching job.

But when the text from Linfield College head coach Dan Spencer where Harlow now works as an assistant came through Thursday, Harlow had to read it a couple times, just to make sure it was real.

Hey, Kade Mechals just went in the fourth round, the text from Spencer said.

Harlow chucked and smiled. The player he had helped develop had been drafted by the Chicago White Sox.

I just couldnt have been happier," Harlow said. "I was ecstatic for him and his parents and his family. It just couldnt have happened to a better kid and I just had a moment of just gratefulness for being able to coach him.

Current McMinnville head coach Todd Peterson remembers Mechals coming to baseball camps as an elementary school kid. Peterson worked those camps when he was a high school player at McMinnville, graduating in 2005, and remembers Mechals always being passionate for baseball, and always wanting to learn more.

He remembers Mechals staying after McMinnville games wanting autographs from the players. Mechals mom, Jody, was one of Petersons high school teachers, and said her son loved watching Peterson play. In those days, those were the stars Mechals always wanted to be.

And when Harlow got the McMinnville job the summer before Mechals sophomore year, that little kid was wearing the uniform hed always looked up to, even if he didnt seem that much more grown up.

Even as a sophomore in high school, he looked like he was about 12 years old, Harlow said. Amongst his friends and the other coaches, he just always had this kind of boyish look to him and that was his personality, too. He was just like a 12-year-old kid all the time.

Harlow said Mechals was under-sized, under-developed and slow-footed his sophomore year. But he was on the varsity team anyway. For Harlow, it was Mechals intelligent play on the field, and love for the game that earned him a spot despite his physical stature.

His body just had to catch up to his ability.

So Mechals spent extra time in the weight room. He spent extra time doing drills after practice. When most slept in on New Years Day, Mechals sent a text to Harlow asking to go practice. He fit into all the clichs of a hardworking athlete.

But Harlow didnt see Mechals as a future pro just yet.

It took two years and two transfers for Mechals to finally settle into his college career.

Mechals committed to Western Oregon University, where he pitched as the closer. He had nine saves and a 1.59 ERA. He stuck out 37 batters in 22.2 innings of work.

As a sophomore, he transferred to Skagit Valley College, a community college in Mount Vernon, Washington. Ultimately, he dreamed of playing Division I baseball. With a year of community college, he could make the jump to join a Division I team as a junior.

At Skagit Valley in 2018 he made eight starts and pitched to a 1.72 ERA. He stuck out 77 batters in 47 innings and led the Northwest Athletic Conference in batting average against. That summer, he went to the Cape Cod League, college baseballs top summer league, to pitch for the Orleans Firebirds.

That got him ready to pitch at the Division I level, and Mechals transferred to Grand Canyon University.

At 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, Mechals was still slightly undersized at Grand Canyon. But the numbers he had produced at lower levels continued.

As a junior, Mechals had an 11-1 record and a 2.16 ERA. In 91.2 innings, he struck out 100 batters against 35 walks.

Those numbers resulted in Mechals being selected by the Miami Marlins in the 40th round of the 2019 MLB draft. Just like many other juniors selected in the late rounds, Mechals chose to return to school, looking for a chance to improve his draft stock and make a larger signing bonus as a result.

Even in the shortened 2020 season, Mechals managed three starts and pitched to a 2.35 ERA. His .164 batting average against was the best on the team.

Now having produced strong numbers at the Division I level for two years, Harlow believes scouts had seen enough to look past Mechals size and instead at his numbers and his ability. In college, Mechals developed a swing-and-miss slider along with a changeup that vastly improved over his college career.

It was good enough to look past his Tommy John surgery this spring.

In a normal year, Harlow would have been very confident Mechals would be drafted.

But with the injury set to keep Mechals out for at least the next year, Harlow wasnt sure if a team would take a risk with one of its few draft picks.

The White Sox took that risk, selecting Mechals in the fourth round with the 112th overall pick.

Harlow stopped working on the retaining wall when he heard the news. He ran inside to find his wife and tell her, too.

I think I heard her jaw hit the floor probably as quickly or quicker than mine, Harlow said.

Harlow called Mechals soon after he was selected. It was the first time they had talked since March. They only talked for around five minutes. He knew Mechals was celebrating, but he had to say how proud he was.

I had Kade in class, as a teacher at the high school, Harlow said. All those memories come flooding back and you remember how hard he worked, and the things that he did on the field. So then when you get to see that come together for him, it's just an amazing feeling.

That elementary school kid, wide eyed and dreaming of the future as he looked on at McMinnville games, had made it to the MLB draft. Years later, the roles are flipped. Now young kids want to be like Mechals.

"Its incredible what he has accomplished in his baseball career, Peterson wrote in an email. Looks like there will be a lot of young Grizzly ball players seeking Kades autograph now!

-- Matt Cohen, mcohen@oregonian.com

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From McMinnville to the MLB: Coaches reflect on Kade Mechals journey - OregonLive