Spectacular views from a spectacular home. From inside the house or outside on the deck you can see Helena Valley for miles. If that is not enough, out your back is the beautiful Mount Helena City Park. Trail heads are located right outside the back door. 5 bedroom, 3 1/2 bathroom air conditioned home that sits on cul de sec-like street leaving you with privacy yet, community. Enjoy your gas fireplace in living room while you sit and enjoy the views. An open main level living space, with plenty of natural light shining through. Stainless steal appliances, granite counter tops, and alder trim and cabinets. Beautiful hardwood and tile flooring throughout home. Master en suite with soaking tub and tiled shower. Landscaped yard that includes slate retaining wall and water fountain.

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3 of the Most Expensive Homes for Sale in the Helena Area - Helena Independent Record

Two of the biggest European cairns are facing destruction in the World Heritage city of Maulbronn, Germany. If it happens, the prehistoric monuments would be lost and scientific investigation impossible. This would be extremely unfortunate for all the citizens who would like to see these huge prehistoric cairns restored not buried under trash.

If the present owners of the citys quarry - Lauster-Steinbruch Stuttgarter Strae - had their way, the mighty buildings would be sold to the landfill operator Fischer in Weilheim and be covered by 400,000 cubic meters of construction waste.

The cairns in Maulbronn, Germany are under threat. (Author provided)

In the archaeology of Western Europe these impressive relics are generally referred to as megalithic cairns , but they are totally undervalued in Maulbronn. In other parts of Europe, these monuments have been investigated and restored for almost 70 years.

The long, stretched step-pyramids are similar to structures found in Brittany, on the Canary Islands, and in South America and Egypt (such as the mastabas of Saqqara). They are recognized as earlier, quadratic versions of the pharaohs pyramids.

Mastaba of Pharaoh Shepseskaf of the 4th dynasty. ( Jon Bodsworth )

Official and academic archaeologists have been aware of the existence of the megalithic cairns in Maulbronn for a long time, but no investigations have been completed. Some may believe that they dont like to be outperformed by citizen scientists announcing such sensational discoveries, but the discoverer Troy Hans Schliemann, was a citizen scientist too.

In Anglo-Saxon countries, citizen scientists may be considered as useful associates in public research, but in this country they are hindered by the state agency which protects historic monuments because they are forbidden by law to carry out excavations.

But it was only by examining the Zwerchhlde-Cairn of Sternenfels that we have proven that this supposed rubble heap does not only possess a circular wall, but also systematically set stonework deep inside it. In the early 2000s, geology students at the University of Karlsruhe performed geo-electrical measurements and detected a central cavity measuring 5 meters (16.4 ft.) in height in the mound. If this is the tomb, it is comparable in size with similar but more famous Egyptian structures. However, digging a tunnel to be certain of the find would require engineering skills and financial support.

The first time the three megalithic cairns of the area were mapped was by the surveyor Johann Michael Spaeth from Kleinsachenheim in 1761. The map is upside down, meaning the cardinal points are mixed up.

North should be located at the bottom of the 1761 map. (Author provided)

As you can see on the correctly orientated and shaded relief map in the image below, the volume of the quarry is virtually equal to the two purported rubble heaps. In fact, these heaps are built with square-hewn stones without mortar a technique that is seen in some of the oldest architectural features in the world.

A shaded relief map showing the three megalithic cairns. (Author provided)

You can see the exposed stonework at Cairn 2 next to the entrance at the corner of the building. If this was just a pile of rubble, it would consist of boulders, clay, sand, and remnants of broken stones. Yet here you can only find sandstone ashlars (finely-dressed stonework), which would have been used as paving blocks.

A dredger damaged the systematically placed stonework. Nonetheless, you can still see the horizontal set of stones at the very back. With the owners permission we could restore the wall within a day. But they have other interests.

The exposed stonework at Cairn 2. (Author provided)

The original faade of Cairn 1 is well-preserved all along the street side and obviously it was set with dry stones. The knee-high wall you see in the image below the prehistoric wall was built circa the 1940s - like the walls inside the entrance which were grouted with cement.

The original faade of Cairn 1 with the modern wall below it. (Author provided)

Cairn 3 is on the South-side of Stuttgart Road, on the citys builders yard.

Cairn 3. (Author provided)

This cairn shows ashlars over the entire wall. The typical stepped style of prehistoric cairn architecture is evident. This is one of the best-preserved specimens.

Cairn 3 is one of the best-preserved. (Author provided)

The megalithic grave it contains has been known about for a long time. It is closed by a steel door.

The steel door on Cairn 3. (Author provided)

You may not expect to find the entrance into the cairn so high up the side, but in the Schmie district we know of the existence of about 20 cairns and some of them have ramps to what are now destroyed grave chambers. This is especially true in Freudenstein, where one can see the existing foundations of grave chambers on what seem to be the second and third floors of a very tall cairn.

Over the years, people have used the well-shaped rock plates and cut stones of the grave chambers for their own purposes and so many of the cairns were reduced to their foundations. This is the sad story of the gradual destruction of our own culture. But it was not so different in Egypt - hundreds of pyramids shared the same fate. Since our monuments stood in archaic quarries the people who dismantled them may have been unaware of their importance.

Big blocks of stone were used in building the corner of the monuments. This was common in ancient buildings. But who would believe in the existence of prehistoric pyramids in this country if responsible archaeologists do not?

Big block cornerstones. (Author provided)

The former owner of the quarry, Rolf Burrer, told us that there are two more tunnels at Cairn 1.

A portal into a grave seems to be next to the access road at Cairn 2. There you can see big blocks of stone that are so familiar to people who have looked at the Egyptian pyramids. The burial chamber tunnel is arched in Cairn 2. The entrance is still walled up and the left side is obviously destroyed. It is the only part of the outer cairn where such big blocks are visible.

The visibly arched portal of Cairn 2. (Author provided)

As an art teacher who studied comparative art history I always compare such findings with more well-known prehistoric monuments, for example to the so-called kennel-hole portal tombs of Tobernaveen and Corracloona in Ireland , which are cut in stone too...

Tobernaveen and Corracloona portal tombs in Ireland. ( irishmegaliths.org.uk)

...and with the burial chamber entrance in the cairn of Montioux nearby Saint Soline in Eastern France. This Celtic period mastaba is dated by some archaeologists to about 1800 BC. However, others say 500 BC would be a more accurate date because iron tools were only officially used from about 800 BC.

Inside (Sylvain Crouzillat/ CC BY SA 4.0 ) and outside (Regissierra/ CC BY SA 3.0 ) the Montioux tumulus.

You can compare typical Celtic portals with the burial chamber portal of the mastaba of Pharaoh Shepseskaf of the 4th dynasty (2510 - 2500 BC), which was originally walled up, too. Such global comparisons are quite legitimate because pyramids are everywhere in the world and they are similar in architecture.

The Egyptian monument measures 99.6 meters (326.77 ft.) in length, 74.4 meters (244.09 ft.) in width, and 18 meters (59.06 ft.) in height. In comparison, Cairn 2 in Maulbronn measures 166 meters (544.62 ft.) in length, 82 meters (269.03 ft.) in width, and 20 meters (65.62 ft.) in height over the actual level of the road. Both the Egyptian and the German mastabas are comprised of red sandstone.

The entrance to the mastaba of Pharaoh Shepseskaf. (Author provided)

Because our portal is walled up to the archs apex it could be a wonderfully simple starting point in the search for the burial chamber. The retaining wall should be some meters thick, if you compare it with the Egyptian monument. But as things are, the prehistoric tomb is not allowed to be uncovered.

Following Dr. Wielands theory, the dry masonry walls should only appear at the base as an encircling wall of a rubble heap. But we find stone steps and horizontal stonework even on the crest of Cairn 1, where it makes little sense in terms of safety. In comparison, excavators found clay up to 4 meters (13.12 ft.) high along the sides of the pyramids of Teotihuacan, and in Giza meteoric clay from the monuments transformed into desert sands.

There are breaches on the summit of the cairn, which point to burial chambers that have been broken into. (Author provided)

At the street side of Cairn 1 you can see part of a stone step. The stonework could easily be uncovered down the side by removing the erosional rubble. (Author provided)

Horizontal dry stone masonry is visible on the steep Western slope of Cairn 2. The cairn has a length of about 166 meters. (Author provided)

In comparison Cairn F of Bougon has a length of about 72 meters. (Author provided)

If step pyramids were built all around the world, even by the prehistoric farming cultures of North America, why shouldnt there be any at the productive center of the prehistoric European continent? The preconditions were optimal. In the Celtic Iron Age they had enough raw material to produce steel tools thanks to their enormous ironstone on the Swabian Albtrauf.

Hill sides offered the necessary building blocks and after breaking the stable ground people were able to erect the monuments which are misinterpreted today, even by serious (?) archaeologists, as ordinary rubble heaps.

We do not know if both cairns on the North side of Stuttgart Road were built to be the same length. But there are clues. Near Schlaitdorf there are twin-cairns in front of a quarry too. They are not the same length, either. Maybe a King and Queen were buried together, side by side.

Near Schlaitdorf there are twin-cairns in front of a quarry too. (Author provided)

Nearby Roigheim has a similar layout at the long access path to the rock cut room. But here only one cairn was built along the way. Maybe the queen died and the king was lost on the battle field of the clan wars of the time. The rectangular quarry is completely filled by another cairn. Luckily this is one example which is not fully looted.

Nearby Roigheim has a similar layout, but only one cairn. (Author provided)

Another pair of cairns is standing at the top end of the cloister lake. It looks like the wings of a bird. The soul bird was a popular motif in ancient cultures and can be found on several rockfaces of our rock necropolises.

Another pair of cairns look like the wings of a bird. (Author provided)

The northern cairn. (Author provided)

Such well-preserved ancient stonework can be seen at the back side of the Southern cairn. Imagine, a wall in a rubble heap! I have never seen such a phenomenon before.

The back side of the southern cairn. (Author provided)

It is not the first time that impressive prehistoric monuments have been buried under rubbish. Near the city of Karlsruhe at Grtzingen there is a former quarry called Kaisergrub (Emperors pit or Emperors grave), a hint that once an emperor, presumably a Gallic Caesar, was buried in this stone grave. After World War II people built a landfill over this supposedly meaningless stone pit the garbage mountain is now taller than a forest.

Grne Heiner stands in Weilimdorf near Korntal. It is an imposing prehistoric construction. A triangular monument protrudes out of a quadrangular socket. The US military is said to have unloaded their rubbish at this site.

The rubbish heap over a monument in Weilimdorf. (Author provided)

And this is how it could soon look at Maulbronn. If it does, there is no chance of finding the entrance to the burial chambers.

The area of Fuchsberg near Haberschlacht, which served for decades as a nuclear missile site after World War II, was misused as a dump by the US army too. But there the triangular layout of the large monument is very well preserved. There seems to be a portal to an underground vault there, but concrete slabs block it. It could have been used as a storage space for unknown pollutants. We dont know.

The supposed portal is identical to the left eye of a stylized bull head. To the left side is the real dump. (Author provided)

It is incomprehensible that there is no acknowledgement of these big prehistoric monuments with us when you can encounter them everywhere in the country. They are never registered by archaeologists - quite the opposite of Great Britain, where people are proud of every single one, for example the tumulus of Langdale End, Scarborough, North Yorkshire.

The tumulus of Langdale End, Scarborough, North Yorkshire. (Author provided)

No one would dare to transform such a magnificent building into a dump. But with us only utilitarian thinking counts, our brilliant ancient culture seems to stand no chance against it.

Another significant example is found in Franconia near Nenzenheim. You can still see the long alley to the main doorway of this Celtic mastaba. It is 395 meters (1295.93 ft.) long, 230 meters (754.59 ft.) wide, and 27 meters (88.58 ft.) tall.

You can still see the long alley to the main doorway of this Celtic mastaba. (Author provided)

Every attempt to represent this building as a dump would fail because such an incision would never occur, it would have been filled in from the beginning. No one would try so hard to avoid a deep ditch like this. An entrance to the buildings interior should have remained open. You can imagine a subterranean disposal site, too. But you can only speculate how much rubbish was tipped on the original building.

If you compare the famous megalithic monument of Maeshowe on the Orkney Islands (circa 3000 BC) you see a similar long, deep incision. That mount is 7 meters (22.97 ft.) tall and its diameter is 35 meters (114.83 ft.) wide. The alleyway has a length of nearly 12 meters (39.37 ft.), but in Nenzenheim it is about 60 meters (196.85 ft.) long.

It makes you wonder, how vast are the hidden chambers of Nenzenheim?

The officials of the federal state of Baden-Wrttemberg are called upon to take responsibility for these colossal prehistoric monuments and start exploring the burial chambers we are forbidden to investigate ourselves.

At comparable taxpayers expense, unnecessary rescue digs are carried out just to explore the last cesspool of the Middle Ages, instead of important monuments of real world heritage, which could be restored for the people of our country and for all of mankind.

You can read more information about the current status of our research on our homepage: http://www.megalith-pyramiden.de

Top Image: The visibly arched portal of Cairn 2 in Maulbronn, Germany. Source: Author provided

Continue reading here:
Two of Europe's Biggest Cairns are About to Be Buried in Trash - Ancient Origins

In response to a news item published in Northeast Now on March 25, 2020, the district administration of West Garo Hills in Meghalaya has issued a clarification through its facebook page.

The news item was regarding repair of a retaining wall.

The post clarified that the permission to work on the retaining wall for the collapsing road was an emergency for which necessary permission was given one day before the lockdown.

Also read:Why did Meghalayas IAS officer defy Modis nationwide lockdown call?

The district administration of West Garo Hills maintained that the work continued as it was an urgent disaster management work exempted from curfew to be completed before the rains.

It further stated that the retaining wall was posing a threat to the health workers, police and other emergency services.

The wall was facing a threat of collapsing in case of rain, it stated.

The post further stated that as the labourers are now frightened by someone from working we (district administration, West Garo Hills) request concerned people to volunteer for work provided social distance is maintained in this crisis.

The work has been necessitated to avert another disaster on this road and adjoining houses.

The post, however, thanked Northeast Now in particular and the entire media in general for encouraging during these trying times.

Continue reading here:
Meghalaya: West Garo Hills administration clarifies on urgency to repair retaining wall - Northeast Now

Report Synopsis

XploreMRoffers a 9-year forecast for the foundation repair services market between 2018 and 2027. In terms of value, the foundation repair services market is expected to register a lower single-digit CAGR during the forecast period.

This study demonstrates the global foundation repair services market dynamics and trends across six regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Japan, APEJ and MEA, which influence the current nature and the future status of the foundation repair services market over the forecast period.

Report Description

This research report provides a detailed analysis of the foundation repair services market and offers insights on the various factors driving the popularity of foundation repair services. The report includes an extensive analysis of the key industry drivers, challenges, trends and structure of the foundation repair services market.

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The foundation repair services report starts with an overview of the foundation repair services market in terms of value. In addition, this section includes an analysis of the key trends, drivers and challenges from the supply, demand and economy side, which are influencing the foundation repair services market.

The foundation repair services market is classified on the basis of end-user, service type and region. Based on end user, the foundation repair services market is segmented into residential and commercial. Based on service type, the foundation repair services market is segmented into settlement repair, wall repair, chimney repair, floor slab repair and others (retaining walls, slope stabilisation, grouting and soil nailing).

A detailed analysis has been provided for every segment of the foundation repair services market in terms of market size analysis for the foundation repair services market across different regions. This section provides a detailed analysis covering the key trends.

The next section of the foundation repair services market report contains a detailed analysis of the foundation repair services market across various countries and regions across the world. This study discusses the key trends within countries, which are contributing to the growth of the foundation repair services market, as well as analyses the degrees at which the drivers are influencing the foundation repair services market in each region.

The key regions and countries assessed in this report include North America (U.S. & Canada), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico & the rest of Latin America), Europe (Germany, U.K., Spain, France, Italy & the Rest of Europe), Japan, APEJ (China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and the rest of APEJ) and MEA (GCC Countries, Israel, South Africa, & the rest of MEA). The foundation repair services market report evaluates the present scenario and the growth prospects of the foundation repair services market across various regions globally for the forecast period.

To offer an accurate forecast, we have started by sizing the current market, which forms the basis of how the foundation repair services market will grow in the future. Given the characteristics of the foundation repair services market, we have triangulated the outcome of different types of analysis based on the technology trends.

In the final section of the report, we have included a competitive landscape to provide clients a dashboard view based on the categories of providers in the value chain, their presence in the foundation repair services market and key differentiators. This section is primarily designed to provide clients an objective and detailed comparative assessment of the key providers specific to a market segment in the foundation repair services supply chain and the potential players for the same.

Key Segments

By End User

Residential

Commercial

By Service Type

Settlement Repair

Wall Repair

Chimney Repair

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Floor Slab Repair

Others (retaining walls, slope stabilization, grouting, & soil nailing)

Key Regions covered:

North America

U.S.

Canada

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Rest of Latin America

Europe

Germany

U.K.

France

Spain

Italy

Rest of Europe

APEJ

China

India

Malaysia

Singapore

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Australia

Rest of APEJ

Japan

MEA

GCC Countries

Israel

South Africa

Rest of MEA

Key Companies

BASIC FOUNDATION REPAIR

Foundation Repair Services, Inc.

Connecticut Basement Systems

Erics Concrete & Masonry Services Ltd.

Dwyer Companies

Supportworks, Inc.

SOS Foundation Repair

GROUNDWORK

MASTER SERVICE COMPANIES

RAM JACK SYSTEMS DISTRIBUTION

ADVANCED FOUNDATION REPAIR

BDRY

Maryland Building Industry Association

ARIZONA FOUNDATION SOLUTIONS

DFW FOUNDATION REPAIR SERVICES

ESOG.

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Foundation Repair Services Market to Witness Increase in Revenues by 2018-2027 - Monroe Scoop

ROUTE 29 / GAINESVILLE

No significant traffic impacts scheduled.

ROUTE 234 BUSINESS (SUDLEY ROAD) / MANASSAS

I-66 West near Bull Run

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Temporary 15-minute stoppages of traffic for blasting operations.

I-66 West between Route 29 Centreville and Cub Run

Monday, March 30, through Thursday, April 2: 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, April 3: 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Three right lanes will be closed for crews to install bridge beams over Cub Run.

ROUTE 28 (SULLY ROAD) / CENTREVILLE

I-66 East and West between Route 29 Centreville and Stringfellow Road

Route 28 North and South between Route 29 and Braddock Road

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Temporary 15-minute stoppages of traffic on I-66 East and West, and Route 28 North and South for blasting operations.

I-66 West between Route 29 Centreville and Cub Run

Monday, March 30, through Thursday, April 2: 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, April 3: 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Three right lanes will be closed for crews to install bridge beams over Cub Run.

Route 29 Centreville North and South at I-66

Turn lanes from Route 29 Centreville South to I-66 West

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 4: 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Single lane closures on northbound and southbound Route 29 at I-66 for bridge pier construction. The turn lanes from Route 29 South to I-66 West will also be narrowed to a single lane.

ROUTE 286 (FAIRFAX COUNTY PARKWAY) / FAIR LAKES

Stringfellow Road North and South from Westbrook Drive/Village Square Drive to Fair Lakes Boulevard

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The right lane will be closed for utility relocation.

Route 286 North and South from Lee Highway (Route 29) to Fair Lakes Parkway

Monday, March 30, through Thursday, April 2: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, April 3: 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Two lanes will be closed for overhead bridge demolition of I-66 bridges over Route 286. Drivers should expect occasional 20-minute stoppages along northbound Route 286.

ROUTE 50 / FAIRFAX

Route 50 East at I-66

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The left lane will be closed for bridge abutment construction.

I-66 West from Route 123 to Route 50

Monday, March 30, and Tuesday, March 31: 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Three lanes will be closed for crews to a implement a lane shift at Waples Mill Road. Drivers should expect periodic 20-minute stoppages between 12:00 midnight and 4:00 a.m.

I-66 West from Jermantown Road to Route 50

Beginning 8:00 p.m. Monday, March 30, through Monday, April 20

The HOV lane will be closed for bridge pier work in the median.

I-66 East from Route 50 to Jermantown Road

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The HOV lane will be closed for bridge pier work in the median.

ROUTE 123 (CHAIN BRIDGE ROAD) / OAKTON CITY OF FAIRFAX

Ramp from Route 123 North and South to I-66 East

Sunday, March 29, through Friday, April 3: 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

The ramp from northbound and southbound Route 123 to I-66 East will be closed. Traffic will be directed to I-66 West, to Route 50 East, and then stay to the left and follow signs to I-66 East.

I-66 West from Jermantown Road to Route 50

Beginning 8:00 p.m. Monday, March 30, through Monday, April 20

The HOV lane will be closed for bridge pier work in the median.

I-66 East from Route 50 to Jermantown Road

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The HOV lane will be closed for bridge pier work in the median.

ROUTE 243 (NUTLEY STREET) / VIENNA

Cedar Lane from Hilltop Drive to Cottage Street

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Flagging operation alternating two-way traffic in a single lane for water line relocation.

I-66 East from Blake Lane to Nutley Street

Sunday, March 29, through Thursday, April 2: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, March 3: 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Two right lanes will be closed for barrier wall demolition. The eastbound collector-distributor lanes at Nutley Street will also be narrowed.

I-66 West at Nutley Street

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The right lane will be closed for paving work. The westbound collector-distributor lanes at Nutley Street will also be narrowed.

I-495 (CAPITAL BELTWAY) / DUNN LORING

I-495 North from Route 29 to I-66

Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Single lane closure for bridge work.

I-495 North and South from Route 29 to Route 7

Wednesday, April 1, and Thursday, April 2: 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Three left lanes will be closed on northbound I-495 and two left lanes on southbound I-495 will be closed for bridge work. Drivers should expect periodic 20-minute stoppages between 12:00 midnight and 4:00 a.m.

See the original post here:
I-66 Lane Closures and Traffic Changes, Week of March 29 - Prince William Living

Labourers walking to their villages take a nap along the Lucknow-Faizabad highway on Thursday.

In four days and 200 km of walking, Pravin Kumar, 46, was stopped at every checkpoint. Police checked whether he and 11 others with him had their Aadhaar cards and then waved them on, with an instruction to maintain social distancing.

So, for their only proper meal in 65 hours, offered by a voluntary organisation, the 12 sat one metre apart in Dehradun on Thursday afternoon.

Kumar, employed like the others at the Char Dham Road Projects Hanuman Chatti site in Uttarkashi, says he knows the value of hygiene in the time of coronavirus. So, every time he found a source of water along the route, he ensured he washed his feet at least. That also gave some relief from the footsores he developed from the long walk, with 60 km more to go, to home in Kutubpur village of Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh.

Between the 12 of them, only one had a mask.

For the past four months, Kumar and the others have been building a retaining wall using boulders for the Char Dham Road Project, earning around Rs 500 a day each. Now, Rs 500 is the maximum any one of them has, as they head home.

Also Read |Holes in the net: Many who have been hit still left out, relief too little

Back in his village, Pravin Kumar, a father of three, said, he can make a maximum of Rs 150 a day, with a meal thrown in, working as a farm labourer.

In Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, district authorities came to the aid of a group of 19 who had walked two days for over 450 km from Delhi, and arranged transport for them to Bahraich, a further 135 km away.

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The lockdown announcement caught them by surprise, Pravin Kumar said. On Janata Curfew day, March 22, the 12 had taken it easy, relaxing in the makeshift tents they stayed in, watching movies on their mobile phones. When the restrictions were tightened to a lockdown by the state the same evening, Kumar said, they rushed to their contractor. He said he cannot provide food to us without work for so many days. We were uncertain as to how long the work would remain stopped.

Kumar said they asked the contractor for a weeks worth of pay so that they could go home. However, he said he had no money. With no transport available, we decided to walk back.

Also Read |300 migrants found crammed in two trucks, thousands in a railway train

They left early morning on March 23, and made their way to Dehradun on Thursday via Chamba, Kaddukhal and Raipur.

Having carried food barely for one day, they could not eat anything after Monday night as everything along the way was shut. On Thursday afternoon, as they rested under trees at Banjarawala on the Haridwar bypass highway, a security guard at a nearby marble shop, Mohammad Akhtar, spotted them and rushed over with water. A few minutes later, four volunteers of a social organisation came with a packet of pooris, a bucket of sabji and disposable plates.

pm garib kalyan scheme, coronavirus economic package, coronavirus package for poor, food subsidy, coronavirus india news, coronavirus covid-19

Story continues

A Delhi constable provides hand sanitiser to a child at a slum area in Rangpuri on Thursday. (Express photo/Amit Mehra)

Pritam Kumar, a resident of Kaasampur village in Saharanpur, said that in the plains of Raipur near Dehradun Thursday morning, a family offered them tea and biscuits. However, as Deepak Saini, who is from Manjhipur village in Saharanpur, said, such instances were rare. We found several people outside their homes, but we could not understand their accent and they could not get what we were saying. The only breadwinner of his family, including his parents, wife and two children, Saini said he was getting constant calls from home checking where he had reached and if he was safe.

Explained:Unpacking the Garib Kalyan package

Zakir of Tanda village in Saharanpur, returning home with younger brother Usman, said that because they crossed forested areas during their walk, they slept hardly two hours at night and that too in shifts. We feared attacks by wild animals or criminals.

Usman said they came across many in a similar situation as them, headed home on foot. Before implementing the lockdown, the government should have made arrangements for workers like us to get home, Zakir said.

The brothers are also worried about returning without any earnings. The family has a farm where they grow foodgrains. Zakir pointed out that in the forests of Kaddukhal area, they had to leave behind their blankets and quilts as well, as the load got too heavy.

The labourers said they also faced problems finding their way, as they had earlier always used public transport to get home. We approached police for directions. But that was the only help they provided. Otherwise, they checked our ID proof (Aadhaar) at every check-post and barricade, said Pritam Kumar.

In Dehradun, as they ate, police arrived in a jeep and questioned them. Before leaving, the officials told them, Why are you seated so closely? Keep a distance of at least 1 metre, including when you walk.

Coping with coronavirus: Big challenge for Indias 37% internal migrants

A self-run site with almost 200 migrant construction workers from UP, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, accommodating men, women and children in several hutments in Delhi's Uttam Nagar. (Express photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

Additional District Magistrate, Lakhimpur Kheri, Arun Kumar Singh said they spotted 19 migrant labourers in Mohammadi area. They told us they were coming from Delhi, where they were employed with a construction firm, and were headed for Nanpara in Bahraich. With dhabas and hotels on highways closed, they hadnt eaten in three days. We provided them food and arranged a bus to take them, the ADM said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath intervened to help around 80 people, including a pregnant woman, travelling in a bus from Mumbai to Sant Kabir Nagar and Basti districts who had been stopped by police between Teekamgarh and Chhatarpur.

In Dehradun, with home nearer, Deepak Saini clung to one silver living. My contractor gave me Rs 500 for travel. I saved that because I could not find transport.

with MANISH SAHU, Lucknow

The rest is here:
India lockdown: 12 walk 200 km, down hills and past forests, on biscuits, one meal - Yahoo India News

Devon is arguably one of the best places to live in the current climate of coronavirus lockdown.

Many of us will live in beautiful cities, towns and villages with stunning views on our doorsteps.

But there are so many stunning locations in Devon, that we thought now would be a good time to make a list of the places you should visit once all this madness is over.

We've carefully hand picked these 18 delightful Devon towns and villages which we think you need to see - but remember, for the moment stay home and #ComeBackLater.

The tranquil village of Berrynarboris just east ofIlfracombe, near Combe Martin, in the scenic Sterridge Valley.

It lies within the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with the North Devon Coastal Path close by, offering wonderful walks and scenery. There's a 12th century church and 15th century manor hall.

This gorgeous village on the edge of Lustleigh Cleave on Dartmoor has been inhabited since before records began.

A large granite boulder in the village orchard topped by a granite throne is the centre of the annual May Day celebrations.

The Cleave Inn and Primrose tea rooms are legendary and popular with walkers heading to Lustleigh Cleave and down the river Bovey valley. Paths criss-cross the Cleave (which is mostly common land) and surrounding fields, meadows and woods.

This idyllic spot at the mouth of the River Teign is known for its great community spirit. It has been growing in popularity ever since a retaining wall was built in 1800 to stop the sea washing the beach away.

Before that time the river settlement was upstream in Ringmore, sheltered from the sea.

The River Teign is home to one of England's largest rowing clubs.

This gorgeous little village on the edge of the River Dart two miles upstream from Dartmouth. It is opposite Agatha Christie's beautiful Greenway Estate, now run by the National Trust.

The most picturesque way to approach it is on the Greenway Ferry and land on the pontoons where children love to go crabbing. There are picturesque cottages alongside the quayside and the delightful Ferry Boat Inn.

This picture-postcard fishing village on the North Devon coast is completely unique.

Higgledy piggledy cottages roll down the cobbled main street to reveal the stunning harbour and turquoise ocean looking out over Bideford Bay.

But it's not just good looks - Clovelly has a thriving community spirit.

Tiny olde-world Lee Bay, or just Lee, is on the rugged North Devon coastline near Woolacombe - at the foot of the fabulous Fuchsia Valley.

The village is just a few hundred metres from the gently sloping, sandy beach which is revealed as the tide goes.

The jewel in South Devon's crown and one synonymous with heft house prices.

Salcombe is a charming, vibrant little town that still manages to retain that unique Devon character.

Home to numerous shops, art galleries, bars and restaurants, Salcombe is a hotspot for tourists who don't mind a bit of extra spending.

Woolfardisworthy in North Devon was recently ranked as the fifth most difficult-to-pronounce place name in the UK by a team of linguists - which is why it's just known as Woolsery.

The pretty village has an estimated population of just 1,100. Life has changed since this time last year when wealthy San Franciscans Michael and Xochi Birch, who founded social media firm Bebo (and sold it for a whopping $850million), opened the Farmer's Arms pub in Woolsery.

Michael, whose family originate from the village, has also spent serious money restoring the village's fish and chip shop, village stores, several residential properties, a large manor house which the couple are converting into a hotel and spa - and 90 acres of farmland.

Where the Taw and Torridge rivers meet, sits the delightful quayside village of Appledore.

This quiet fishing village has been an important ship building centre for centuries.

It's also home to one of North Devon's finest exports - Hocking's ice cream!

With enchanting streets and a fantastic scenic river location, Dartmouth overlooks one of the finest natural harbours in the UK and has a strong maritime heritage.

Quirky shops and art galleries line the quaint streets.

Dartmouth is the perfect spot for a romantic getaway, sightseeing expedition or family break.

The stunning three-mile beach at Woolacombe was recently voted the best in the UK - and this picture shows why.

A quiet surf village in the winter, Woolacombe's population skyrockets in the summer when it becomes a haven for sun seekers, families and wave worshippers.

Sitting on its own estuary, Kingsbridge is a market town with a friendly atmosphere in the heart of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Located close to Salcombe and the stunning Thurlestone Bay, Kingsbridge feels like a proper town with a proper community - despite it's picture perfect looks.

There's no better place to laze with a coffee or a glass of wine looking out over the estuary.

Lynmouth - also known as Devon's Little Switzerland - is a the definition of natural beauty.

Along with its twin town of Lynton, Lynmouth is home to the Grade I listed, water-powered cliff railway which offers stunning views of the bay below, the rugged cliffs and the rolling beauty of Exmoor.

In the right conditions, it is also one of the finest surf spots in the UK - but be warned, this wave isn't for beginners.

If you have a hankering to live like a Hobbit for the day, Cockington is the place to be.

Take a walk back in time along the narrow lanes, lined with thatched houses and youll experience a quiet charm that is quintessentially English.

Theres a water mill and forge, and the cricket pitch was once a medieval deer park.

Sat directly opposite Appledore (which you can reach via a small ferry), Instow boasts stunning views over the Torridge estuary - best viewed at sunset.

It also features some cracking restaurants, quaint shops and an award-winning delicatessen in John's of Instow.

The beach and rolling dunes are a hit with families and dog walkers.

In a gorgeous setting with tea rooms, hotels, shops and pubs, this village often has wild ponies, sheep and cattle meandering on the village green.

The scenery surrounding the village is also stunning, with far-reaching vistas spanning out over Dartmoor.

If dramatic scenery is what you're after, Hartland is the place.

This quaint village is home to some of the most unique, rugged coastline on Devon's shores - as well as a couple of lovely old pubs to watch it from.

It's also very popular with Hollywood movie producers and TV production crews, having been used as a set for films such as Treasure Island and TV shows including The Night Manager, Top Gear and Sense & Sensibility.

Located in the stunning South Hams and within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Bigbury on Sea is a favourite with families, couples and watersports enthusiasts.

Bigburys most famous landmark is Burgh Island, which overlooks the beach itself. The island is accessible at low tide, when the waters reveal a causeway that links it to the beach.

However, when the tide is in you can still reach the island by hitching a ride on the popular and unique sea tractor.

Read the rest here:
19 incredibly pretty Devon towns and village to visit when the coronavirus crisis is over - Devon Live

In my memoriesof thehouse,the retaining wall is always around three feet high. But after three decadesand a little Googling, I now realize theres no way it was taller than 21 inches. Still, when I was seven and a half years old, it was a big deal.

I had a black and gold Huffy Thunder 50 dirt bikethat, in retrospect, I realizewas a vehicle for many life lessons, not the least of which was learning how to get up a hill, courtesy of my mom, who would not let me stop pedaling and walk my bike up it on the way back to our house after Little League practice; instead,wed just ride circles around a flat spot until my legs stopped screaming, and then wed finish pedaling up the last two blocks to the house. That was a noble lesson in persistence, which continued to pay dividendsin many areas of my life in thedecades afterward.

The other lesson learned onmy Thunder 50was about physics. Mostly gravity. Thatretaining wall along the driveway of our housethree railroad ties stacked on top of each otherkept the neighbors front yard from rolling into our driveway, which was just wide enough for two cars. If you were playing basketball, the wallwas almost enough for a high school regulation three-point line: 19 feet9 inches from the hoop, or just past the edge of the driveway and in the dirt of the front yard, under the branches of the big sugar maple tree. You could get off a shot without hitting the branchesif you stood right in front of where the three-point line would be.

I had seen my brother Chad, who is a year and a half older than me and naturally more relaxed and athletic in everysportwe tried as kids,ride his BMX bike off the retaining wall with no hesitation or real effort, landing on both wheels in the driveway and then steering out to the right onto Cherry Street. Im sure I assumed I would try it someday myselfit was just a matter of working up the nerve. I have since wondered why I chose the night before my first day of third grade, and I haveno explanationother than kids who are seven are kind of dumb shits. (We continue to be dumb shits in many ways throughout lifebut hopefully recognize this fact early on and spend significant effort trying to become less of a dumb shit every year we are alive.Of course there are pivotal moments, and this wasone of mine.)

I pedaled around the driveway, then up the neighbors driveway, checking out the launch point but chickening out several times. I probably spent a few thousand hours in the driveway of that house, mostly playing basketball by myself, andin my memory, the scene of this particular August dayis always lit with the golden light just before dusk, when I finally got together the nerve for my attempt. Nobody else was around, no friends peer-pressuring me into it, no one wanting me to hurry up so they could take a turn. It was just me, trying stuff by myself.

Biking through the grass and up to the top of the retaining wall, Iexpected I would just float off as I had seen my brother do, landing on the pavement and rolling away, a small triumph. Instead: I didnt pull up on the handlebars hard enough (or at all?), I might have been going too slowly, and I rolled off the retaining wall, plummetingdown ontomy front wheel, toppling over the handlebars, and catching most of the brunt of the fall with my face. It had less the grace of a bicycle stunt a third-grader imagines andmore the grace of a load of dirt sliding from the back of a dump truck as the driver tilts the bed up and back and the tailgate swings open.

My family moved from that house in southwest Iowa across the state a few years later, so I havent been back to the scene of the crash since I was 13, but thanks to Google Street View, I can revisit it online and see where it happened. The house has been painted a different color, andthe basketball hoop has changed, but everything else looks the same.

(Photo: Brendan Leonard)

And like a lot of things from my earlier years, including not getting sent to detention in high school (just keep your mouth shut about 75 percent more often) and dating (also keep your mouth shut about 75 percent more often), doing it better seems so simple in retrospect: pedal hard, pull up. As the saying goes: Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from poor judgment.

(Photo: Brendan Leonard)

Of course, at the time, I didnt pedal harder or pull up, so after I peeled myself and my bicycle off the pavement, I went into the house with blood starting to trickle downmy face and my upper lip starting to swell. The first day of school started in about 13 hours, and I dont remember exactly what I worethat next day, but when I was growing up, you wore nice clothes the first day of school, so I probably did, maybe even a new shirt. But also: two giant scabs on my face.

Eight years later, I went to high school on the opposite side of the stateand befriended a classmate named Dan, who had a smile that took up half his face. He loved to laugh, and so did I, but his laugh was so loud and bright that whenever I made him laugh in class, or in the hallway, or anywhere, I felt like I was doing everyone else a favor. And at some point, I told Dan the story of riding my bike off the edge of the retaining wall, landing on my face like a pile of dirt falling out of the back of a dump truck, and heloved the story. Specifically when I remembered that there were two women walking down the street at the time, who had probably seen the whole thing from about 150 feet away, which struck Dan as probably the funniest part, and once he started laughing at it, I agreed with him. Dan probably made me retell him that story seven or eight times in high school, in the lunchroom, in the football locker room, in the back of someones car when we were drinking Busch Light driving down a gravel road somewhere in Chickasaw County.

When youre really young, you get ideas from some rather ridiculous places about what you want to be when you grow up. You want to play in the NBA, be a rapper, or have a job that literally only exists in movies, like a hero cop who doesnt play by the rules but always saves the day, or a writer who can afford to live in Manhattan. Lots of us, at one point or another, want to be good at flying off things on skateboards, skis, and/or bikes, and some people do become good at it and maybe make a living at it. I didnt give up riding my bike off things that day in the drivewayI learned to ride wheelies, went off a few small trailside ski jumps, andlatermountain biked proficiently enough to enjoy both of my tires leaving the ground for up to three-quarters of a second at a time. But Im sure somewhere in my seven-and-a-half-year-old brain, I started to think maybe big air wasnt going to be a thing for me.

By the time I turned 25, I really wanted to be an adventure writer, following in the footsteps of climbing writers like Mark Jenkins, Jon Krakauer, and Daniel Duane. For a long time,I felt like I should write stories about strong, courageous deeds, survival in near impossible situations, the sort of heroism we find in classic adventure tales. Thankfully, theres room for other types of tales, not just the capital-A Adventure stuff I was first inspired by, and Ivebeen able to make somewhat of a living from telling stories about the outdoors. Every once in a while, someone will ask me how I got started doing what I do, writing about the human-powered things we do for fun, and funin the mountains and on trails. Usually I tell them about the first mountain-climbing story I ever had published, for $40 back in 2004. But now that I think about it, thats not true at all. It was probably dumping my bike off a knee-high jump in a driveway in a small town in southwest Iowa, landing on my face, and practicing telling and retelling that story to my giggling friend Dan, hoping to get it just right so everyone would hear him laughing three rows of lockers away.

Brendan Leonards new book, Bears Dont Care About Your Problems: More Funny Shit in the Woods fromSemi-Rad.com, isout now.

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Go here to see the original:
Smashing My Face into the Pavement Changed My Life - Outside

District 47 - West TN - NorthernBENTON COUNTY, I-40:Wednesday, March 25, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.: There will be temporary lane closures on I-40 westbound in Benton County between MM 133.0-MM 134.7 (LM 8.46) for routine bridge inspection.

CARROLL COUNTY, SR-22A: Bridge repair in Huntingdon over Brier Creek at LM 0.34 and over CSX Railroad atLM 3.10.

Restrictions: Monday, March 9, 2020: SR 22A will be reduced to one lane traffic with a traffic signal system.

DYER COUNTY, SR-20 (US-412): The resurfacing on SR 20 from US 51 (SR 3) to the Crockett County Line will cause temporary lane closures throughout the project.

HENRY COUNTY, SR-54: The grading, drainage, construction of bridges, retaining wall and paving on SR 54 from near Rison Street to near Smith Road. Motorists should watch for trucks entering and exiting the roadway. *Speed limit has been reduced to 35MPH.

Restrictions: Beginning on Monday, November 25, 2019: Bridge work on SR 54 at LM 12.02 (Bridge nearest Guthrie) will cause a 10 lane restriction. *Traffic has been shifted to Phase 3 of traffic control.

OBION COUNTY, Future I-69 (Phase 2): Grading, drainage, construction of eight bridges on future I-69 from south of US 51 (SR 3) to south of US 45W (SR 5) will cause possible lane closures throughout the project. *Speed limit is reduced to 45 MPH through the US 51 (SR 3) portion of the project. The southbound traffic has been switched to the northbound side on SR 3 throughout the work zone, for phase 2 construction.

Restrictions: Wednesday, November 6, 2019: SR 3 will have traffic in the outside lanes in both directions. Inside lanes will be closed for construction. Traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction with an 11 6 lane restriction.

OBION COUNTY, Future I-69 (Phase 3): Grading, drainage, construction of bridges and paving on future I-69 from west of SR 21 to US 51 (SR 3) will cause possible lane closures throughout the project.

Beginning on Monday, July 29, 2019: SR 21 North will from Clifford Rives Road to Lindenwood Road. The closure is expected for approximately 1 year to allow the construction of the overhead Bridge on the new portion of SR 21 along with the Road & Drainage of the I-69 mainline. Northbound traffic will detour from SR 21 East onto Clifford Rives Road, then North on Bethlehem Road, West onto Lindenwood Road before proceeding North on SR 21. Southbound traffic will be in reverse order. Detour routes are posted.

OBION COUNTY, SR-43 (US 45E): Repair of the bridges (right & left) on SR 43 over overflow will cause possible lane closures throughout the project.

Restrictions: Beginning on Friday, January 24, 2020: SR 43 traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction at the bridges over overflow with a 12 lane restriction and a 5 6 shoulder restriction.

WEAKLEY COUNTY, SR-43 and SR-372 (45E Business) interchange (Region 4 Concrete Repair):

Wednesday, March 18 through Wednesday, March 25: There are no scheduled closures.

District 48 - West TN Middle/Southern

HAYWOOD COUNTY, SR-19 (Brownsville Bypass): The construction of an I-Beam bridge along with grading, drainage, and paving may cause temporary lane closures on SR 19 (Brownsville Bypass) from east of SR 87 LM 11.12 to west of Windrow Rd. LM 14.73. One lane will remain. Motorists should watch for trucks entering and exiting the roadway. Speed limit is reduced to 45 MPH within the project limits. Beginning February 17 Shaw Chapel Rd will be closed, and a detour put in place.

MADISON COUNTY, I-40: Saturday, March 21, 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.: There will be a temporary lane closures on I-40 east and westbound in Madison County at MM 67.0-95.0 for pothole repair.

MADISON COUNTY, SR-186 (US 45 Bypass) and I-40: Interchange improvements on SR 186 (US 45) north and southbound from the I-40 ramps to Old Hickory Blvd for paving and construction of retaining walls. Widening of I-40 from just east of Exit 79 to just east of Exit 82.

Wednesday, March 18, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: Left lane closure on I-40 east bound MM 81.5-83.0 for removal of temporary barrier rail. Backup date Thursday, March 20, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.

Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge construction activities.

Friday, March 20, 8:00 p.m. through Monday, March 23, 6:00 a.m.: Intermittent left and right lane closures on I-40 east and west bound MM 81.5-83.0 for milling, paving, and barrier rail movement.

Saturday, March 21, 6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge construction activities.

Monday, March 23 through Wednesday, March 25, 8:00 p.m.6:00 a.m.: Intermittent left and right lane closures on I-40 east and west bound MM 81.5-83.0 for removal of barrier rail and installation along the shoulder.

Monday, March 23 through Wednesday, March 25, 9:00 a.m.3:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge construction activities.

LOOK AHEAD:

Thursday, March 26 and Friday, March 27, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge construction activities.

Friday, March 27, 8:00 p.m. through Monday, March 23, 6:00 a.m.: Close and detour I-40 east bound onto ramps at exit 82 (Hwy 45/Highland Ave.) Close and detour Highland Ave. (Hwy 45) north and south bound from Ridgecrest Rd. to Vann Dr. for demolition activities at Bridge 4.

Friday, March 27, 8:00 p.m. through Monday, March 30, 6:00 a.m.: Intermittent left and right lane closures on I-40 east and west bound MM 81.5-83.0 for milling, paving, and barrier rail movement.

Saturday, March 28, 6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge construction activities.

Monday, March 30 through Wednesday, April 1, 9:00 a.m.3:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge construction activities.

MADISON COUNTY, SR-198: The construction of a concrete box bridge on SR 198 over Bear Creek (LM 8.65) along with grading, drainage, and paving will cause temporary lane closures.

Restrictions: Beginning April 29, 2019 there will be an 11 width restriction and a temporary signal will be put in place. Motorists should watch for crews and equipment in the roadways.

WEATHER PERMITTING

TDOT District 48 MAINTENANCE:

Wednesday, March 18 through Wednesday, March 25, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: There will be possible lane closures at various locations in Region IV in order to repair pavement on an as needed

District 49 - West TN Southwest

FAYETTE COUNTY, I-40: Resurfacing on I-40 from M.M. 35.0 to the Haywood County Line

Friday, March 20, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.: There will be outside lane closures with one lane to remain open on I-40 east and westbound (MM 34.2) to allow for coring on the shoulder 1000 feet before Wilder Creek Bridge (LM 7.49.) If weather does not permit, closure will be moved to Monday, March 23 or Tuesday, March 24.

FAYETTE COUNTY, SR-194: The repair of culverts will cause temporary lane closures throughout the project near Tall Forest Ln (MM 13.0) and Feathers Chapel Rd (MM 18.0.)

FAYETTE COUNTY, SR-196: The repair of culverts will cause temporary lane closures throughout the project near Douglas Dr (MM 4.0) and near Douglas Dr (MM 10.0.)

SHELBY COUNTY, I-40: Resurfacing on I-40 from the Hernando Desoto Bridge to near the Wolf River Bridge (Chelsea Avenue)

Wednesday, March 18 through Tuesday, March 24, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: There will be INTERMITTENT MOBILE closures with one lane to remain open on I-40 east and westbound

(MM 1.10 to MM 4.95) to allow for punch list items and clean up. Weather Permitting.

SHELBY COUNTY, I-40: Mississippi River Lighting Repair (Hernando Desoto Bridge)

Tuesday, March 24 and Wednesday, March 25, 7:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: INTERMITTENT lane closures on I-40 east and westbound at MM 0.00 on the Hernando Desoto Bridge to allow for bridge lighting repairs. Weather Permitting

SHELBY COUNTY, SR-14: The grading, drainage, construction of concrete Bulb-Tee and I-beam bridges, signals and paving on SR 14 from east of Old Covington Pike to SR 385 will cause possible lane closures throughout the project. *Speed limit has been reduced to 45 MPH.

Wednesday, March 25 through Friday, March 27, 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.: There will be intermittent lane closure on SR 14 in order to set beams across the Loosahatchie River.

SHELBY COUNTY, SR-14: Construction on SR 14 for a widening project from SR 385 to east of Kerrville Rosemark Rd. There will be possible temporary lane closures throughout the project. *Speed limit has been reduced to 45 MPH.

SHELBY COUNTY, SR-205: Bridge repair at Big Creek drainage ditch (MM 1.0)

Beginning Monday, March 2, 6:00 a.m. through Wednesday, April 22, 2020: There will be a full closure of SR 205 at Big Creek drainage ditch (MM 1.0) to replace the bridge. Detours will be provided.

TIPTON COUNTY, SR-3 (US-51): Resurfacing on SR-3 (US-51) from Winn Avenue to Hope Street

Wednesday, March 18 through Tuesday, March 24, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: There will be intermittent lane closures on north and southbound SR 3 (US-51) from Winn Avenue to Hope Street (MM 15.0 MM 19.0) for curb ramp installation. Weather Permitting.

TDOT District 49 MAINTENANCE: Thursday, March 19 through Wednesday, March 25, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: There will be possible lane closures on all interstates and state routes in District 49 for routine maintenance activities on an as needed basis.

TDOT District 49 On-Call Guardrail/Concrete Barrier Rail Repair:

Wednesday, March 18 through Tuesday, March 24, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: There will be night time lane closures at various locations on SR 3 (Shelby, Tipton, and Lauderdale Counties), SR 385 (Shelby County), SR 15 (Shelby County), SR 175, SR 14 (Shelby and Tipton County), I-40 (Fayette and Shelby Counties), I-269 (Shelby and Fayette Counties), I-55 and I-240. One lane will be CLOSED to repair damaged guardrail.

Wednesday, March 18 through Tuesday, March 24, 8:00 p.m.6:00 a.m.: The following ramps will be closed to repair damaged guardrail.

I-40

Westbound EXIT 18 on ramp from SR 15 (US 64)

I-55

Northbound EXIT 7 to Third Street

Northbound EXIT 12 on ramp from Metal Museum Dr

I-240

Westbound EXIT 15A to Poplar Ave eastbound

Westbound EXIT 21 to Lamar Ave southbound

Westbound EXIT 25A to I-55 southbound

Eastbound EXIT 12B to Sam Cooper Blvd

SR-14

Northbound EXIT to Raleigh-Millington Rd

THP will assist with traffic control. Weather Permitting. If weather does not permit, the closure will be on the next available night.

Thursday, March 19 through Wednesday, March 25, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: There will be day time lane closures at various locations in Tipton County on SR 14, SR 59, SR 206, and SR 178; Fayette County on SR 86; and Shelby County on SR 204 and SR 388 to repair damaged guardrail. One lane will be CLOSED in each direction to repair damaged guardrail. If weather prohibits, the repairs will be performed on the next available day. Flagmen will be used where necessary. Weather Permitting.

LOOK AHEAD

Wednesday, March 25 through Tuesday, March 31, 8:00 p.m.6:00 a.m.: The following ramps will be closed to repair damaged guardrail.

I-40

Westbound EXIT 18 on ramp from SR 15 (US 64)

I-55

Northbound EXIT 7 to Third Street

Northbound EXIT 12 on ramp from Metal Museum Dr

I-240

Westbound EXIT 15A to Poplar Ave eastbound

Westbound EXIT 21 to Lamar Ave southbound

Westbound EXIT 25A to I-55 southbound

Eastbound EXIT 12B to Sam Cooper Blvd

SR-14

Northbound EXIT to Raleigh-Millington Rd

THP will assist with traffic control. Weather Permitting. If weather does not permit, the closure will be on the next available night.

TDOT District 49 On-Call Drain Cleaning:

Thursday, March 19 and Sunday, March 22 through Thursday, March 26, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: There will be INTERMITTENT MOBILE closures with one lane to be closed on I-40 east and westbound (MM 0.0 to MM 27.0), I-55 north and southbound (MM 0.0 to12.0), and I-240 between Walnut Grove and Madison Ave (MM 0.0 to 18.0), SR 385 (MM 0.00 to 13.0) to allow for drain cleaning operations. Weather Permitting.

NON-TDOT/City of Memphis work

SHELBY COUNTY, I-40: Memphis Cook Convention Center

Beginning Monday, October 7, 6:00 a.m. through Monday, March 30, 2020: The exit ramp from I-40 eastbound (EXIT 1 Front Street) will be CLOSED for upgrades to the Memphis Cook Convention Center. This closure will be a permanent closure for approx. 6 months. The ramp split to Riverside Dr. will remain open. Traffic will be controlled by signage and traffic barrels. Drivers should exercise caution when approaching and traveling through work zones.

From your desktop or mobile device, get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras at http://www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic. Travelers can also dial 511 from any land-line or cellular phone for travel information, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel or for West Tennessee follow https://twitter.com/NicLawrenceTDOT.

As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and Know Before You Go! by checking travel conditions before leaving for your destination. Drivers should never tweet, text or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel.

In 2016, the Tennessee Department of Transportation lost three workers in the line of duty. All three were struck by passing motorists. Those tragedies bring the total number of TDOT lives lost to 112. We dont want to lose another member of our TDOT family. Were asking you to WORK WITH US. Click on the WORK WITH US logo to learn more.

Read the original here:
West Tennessee Weekly Construction March 18-25, 2020 - tn.gov

Jefferson Parish government and Cornerstone Chemical Co. could be close to settling a nearly year-old lawsuit over the Parish Council's decision to rescind a permit it initially granted for the company's planned hydrogen cyanide storage facility in Waggaman.

The council unanimously approved the plan in January 2018 without any public discussion. The plan flew under the radar at that time because, even though Cornerstone had been making cyanide at the plant since the 1950s, residents knew nothing about it.

But when residents got wind of what was in the works almost a year later, an uproar broke out, and the council reversed its decision. Cornerstone then sued.

Under the terms of the settlement, which still must be approved by the council, Cornerstone will abandon plans to build two new 26,000-gallon hydrogen cyanide storage tanks. Instead, the company will revise its site plan to include two new 4,500-gallon "process vessels."

The reduced size of those vessels keeps the plant under the 10,000-gallon storage threshold that requires approval by the council, according to a summary of the proposed settlement created by parish attorneys and distributed by Councilman Deano Bonano, whose district includes many residents who opposed the plan.

The company has also agreed to other safety measures, including the construction of a concrete retaining wall and systems to prevent overflow and vapor releases, the document says. The company will also keep a public alert system in place.

Cornerstone officials have said the plan approved in 2018 would not have added new cyanide production capacity to the plant, only replaced production that has been lost because of improvements to other processes. They also said Cornerstone sells all its hydrogen cyanide to an on-site tenant, which means it never leaves the facility.

But residents worried that the potential to store more than 50,000 gallons of hydrogen cyanide at the plant was dangerous. Hydrogen cyanide has a number of industrial uses, but it is highly toxic and can be quickly fatal to humans, according to information from the federal Centers for Disease Control.Those concerns were the focus of the public outcry over the company's plans in 2019.

After the council voted 6-1 to rescind the permit, Cornerstone sued. In the summary given to Bonano, attorneys warned the parish could be liable for millions of dollars.

"The potential damages would likely be substantial," the summary says, noting that the company earns about $40 million annually from hydrogen cyanide sales and that the plant is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Bonano was not on the council when the permission was granted nor when it was revoked, and he said he hasn't decided yet whether he will vote to approve the settlement.

At least one council member, Dominick Impastato, said he thought the settlement was a positive. Impastato was the lone member to vote against revoking the permit in 2019, warning the decision could open the parish up to significant lawsuit losses.

The settlement plan, he said, satisfies his two objectives: It makes the plant safer and it removes the specter of a significant judgment against the parish.

However, Lisa Karlin, who lives in River Ridge and has been at the forefront of much of the environmental activism that has swept Harahan and River Ridge in recent months, said she still had questions. She sent a list of them to Bonano after reading the document he distributed to interested residents.

"We want to be assured that public safety will be the parish's priority in considering the settlement terms proposed by Cornerstone," Karlin said. Among her questions were what guarantees the parish would get that the terms of the settlement would be enforced and whether the issue will be given a full public vetting.

The item is currently scheduled to come up before the councilApril 1, but that could change as the coronavirus situation continues to force changes to government plans.

Editor's note: this story was changed on March 22 to correct a statement that Cornerstone is in District 2. It is in District 3.

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Settlement proposed over Jefferson council's rescinding of cyanide plant permit in Waggaman - NOLA.com