A former college football player is teaching young men with autism how to boxand theyre teaching him some lessons, too

By Steve Roberts

| Published: 2019-12-16 09:25

On Jan. 1, 1981, Ken Gear played wide receiver for the University of Michigan at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. A crowd of 104,863 watched the Wolverines pummel the University of Washington by a score of 23-6. These days, Gear runs the Bethesda Boxing & Kickboxing Academy, a small storefront gym on St. Elmo Avenue, where he teaches a class of four young men with autism. There are no marching bands or television cameras, no cheerleaders or championships. But at 59, he is rediscovering the passion and purpose he felt long ago as a college athlete.

In our autism class, at the end of each class we put our hands together and we say, team on three, he tells me. Were a team, and I think thats resonating with them. Were all in it together, and thats the approach that seems to work.

They were not allowed to be on sports teams, and I view this like its a sport, Gear says of his students, who range in age from their late teens to mid-30s. Were just practicing, we dont have any games, but practice is our game. Were getting better every time, and theyve responded very well. People rise to the expectations that are set for them. Thats always been my experience.

Progress is measured in very small steps. Gear describes one class regular who could not learn to throw a left hook. Finally, the boys mother, who was observing the lesson, suggested he move his left foot at the same time. As soon as he turned his left foot, his shoulder turned as well, he was doing the form I was looking for, Gear recalls. That was a huge breakthrough, I could see in his face how happy he was at getting it.

Gear grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, where his father worked as an extension agent for the University of Wisconsin and his mother was a nurse practitioner. At the beginning of his junior year at Michigan, six months after the Rose Bowl, he pulverized his liver when he ran into a retaining wall during preseason practice. That ended my football career, he says, but it opened the door for me to explore as a student.

He took a creative writing class, hung out with a group of grad students, read a lot of black literature and, after graduation, earned a masters degree in urban policy at the New School for Social Research in Manhattan. Gear was working on Wall Street for Standard & Poors, the bond-rating agency, when his wifes job with a financial services company brought the family to this area in 2006. They settled in Potomac with their three children, who are now in their 20s, and Gear cycled through jobs with Fannie Mae and the D.C. government.

More here:
Former College Football Player Teaches Boxing to Men with Autism - BethesdaMagazine.com

Two people are dead and three others were taken to a hospital Saturday morning after a single-car crash.

The car, a 2008 Saturn Aura, was headed east on Dewey Avenue at a high speed, Omaha Police Sgt. Neal Bonacci said. The car, with five people inside, left the roadway to the south, struck a tree, then hit a retaining wall near 37th Street, Bonacci said.

The crash occurred before 3:15 a.m., police said.

Be the first to know when news happens. Get the latest breaking headlines sent straight to your inbox.

On Saturday afternoon, police identified one of the two men who were killed as Justin Estrada, 18, of Omaha. He and the other person who was killed were in the back seat with Eltio Plater, 19, of Omaha, police said. Plater suffered a life-threatening head injury.

The driver of the Saturn was identified as Angela Alejo, 21, of Omaha. She suffered a serious head injury that is considered life-threatening, police said.

The front-seat passenger was identified as Alisha Jones, 20, of Council Bluffs. She suffered a serious injury to her arm.

At least four of the occupants were ejected, Bonacci said. The two people who were fatally injured were declared dead at the scene, and the other three were taken to the Nebraska Medical Center.

Most of the occupants were not wearing seat belts, said Officer Michael Pecha, a police spokesman. Alcohol use and speed were considered factors in the crash, police said.

World-Herald staff writer Chris Machian contributed to this report.

Omaha's 10 busiest intersections

2016 rank: 9

2018 vehicles per day: 64,000

Traffic trend: Dropping

This intersection, just north of Interstate 80, saw its traffic numbers dip over the two years. But the totals are up significantly from 2014, when it ranked as the regions 40th busiest intersection.

2016 rank: 14

2018 vehicles per day: 65,100

Traffic trend: Growing

The 108th Street and West Maple Road intersection is a gateway to and from the Interstate. It draws 16,300 more vehicles a day than the 120th and West Maple intersection.

2016 rank: 8

2018 vehicles per day: 65,900

Traffic trend: Decreasing, too

This one held its place as the eighth-busiest intersection.

2016 rank: 5

2018 vehicles per day: 66,200

Traffic trend: Decreasing

Traffic counts are down through the stretch of Dodge Street east of Omahas busiest intersection and through intersections including 86th, 84th, 78th, 72nd and 69th Streets. Its still Dodge Street theyre still busy intersections. Just not as busy.

2016 rank: 26

2018 vehicles per day: 69,150

Traffic trend: Increasing greatly

Traffic at this intersection backs up often, and its counts grew by 14,450 in the two-year period.

2016 rank: 3

2018 vehicles per day: 72,300

Traffic trend: Dropping, too

The 72nd and Pacific intersection ranked third but now is fifth.

2016 rank: 2

2018 vehicles per day: 75,850

Traffic trend: Dropping

The 72nd and Dodge Street intersection is still a busy one. But the numbers show that traffic there has dropped a bit in the past few years. In 2016, it ranked as Omahas second-busiest intersection. With the daily vehicle total dropping by 7,750 and with southwest Omaha traffic picking up 72nd and Dodge fell a couple of spots.

2016 rank: 7

2018 vehicles per day: 84,250

Traffic trend: Increasing a lot

The 132nd and L Street/Industrial Road intersection isnt far behind its counterpart a mile east at 120th and L, seeing just 500 fewer vehicles per day. But its increase is greater growing by 13,500 vehicles a day in the two-year period. It draws a lot of traffic from Millard, and Sarpy County beyond that, along with traffic from west Omaha and the West Center Road corridor. In 2013, the Streetsblog website named it the Worst Intersection in America for the trouble it poses pedestrians.

2016 rank: 4

2018 vehicles per day: 84,750

Traffic trend: Increasing a lot

A several-mile stretch of L Street/Industrial Road -- including the 132nd and 144th Street intersections -- is drawing a lot more traffic. Traffic at 120th and L Street grew by 10,200 vehicles a day over the two-year period, according to MAPAs numbers. Thats a nearly 14% increase. Its an important corridor through southwest Omaha. At 120th Street, the intersection is essentially a gateway and exit point for Interstates 80 and 680.

2016 rank: 1

2018 vehicles per day: 106,900

Traffic trend: Growing

This is Omahas busiest intersection, as it has been since construction of the elevated West Dodge Expressway, which addressed traffic backups at 114th Street and West Dodge Road. When that $100 million project happened, it was expected that the busiest intersection would shift down Dodge to 90th Street. It has 90th Street and West Dodge Road now has more traffic than 114th and West Dodge did before construction of the elevated expressway.

Read the original here:
Omaha police ID 1 of 2 people killed in Saturday morning crash at 37th and Dewey - Omaha World-Herald

RAVEto whomever decided it was a good idea to put a grid on the back of wrapping paper as a cutting guide. Every Christmas, I send good vibes to the genius who started this and to the companies who adopted this practice.

RANTto the Seattle Aquarium for its plans to create a $113 million pavilion with sharksandstingrays for the new waterfront promenade. BOOOO! No more sharks and rays in captivity. Have they not seen the horrendous situations around the world with orcas and dolphins in captivity for the last 40 years? Shame on you, Seattle Aquarium.

RAVE to Courtney, who came to my rescue at the cashiers counter on Thanksgiving eve when I found I had left home without my wallet. Ill pay it forward, thank you.

RANTto people who make you take your shoes off when entering their home and dont warn you ahead of time or provide slippers/socks for you to wear. I have very unattractive feet and do not like to flaunt them. Imagine my horror at a recent holiday party when I had to be barefoot all evening. Never mind that the floors were tile and hardwood. My feet are still frozen stumps! Had I known, I would have made the proper footwear choice.

RAVE to all the parents who have taught children good table manners, chewing with a closed mouth being the most important. It is not pleasant to watch people chew their food.

RANT to whoever designed those gaudy, tacky lights that dance across the girders above T-Mobile Park at night. They are way too bright and cheesy and there are too many colors. I call them Galloping Girders. A simple, staticone-or-two color display (like the oneabove CenturyLink Field) would be better.

RAVE to Seattle Public Utilities and the graffiti-intake staff. I made an online report of new graffiti on a retaining wall across the street from my property, received acknowledgment and a tracking number for my report, and the graffiti was removed a few days later. Another email informed me my report had been resolved. Their system made the reporting process easy and I was impressed with their speed and efficiency! Thank you.

RANT AND RAVERave to pedestrians who make eye contact with drivers to be sure theyve been seen before crossing the street. Rant to pedestrians who jump out from behind cars that are parked too close to the corner, so theyre not visible to passing drivers until the last second. Think and look!

RANT AND RAVE Rave to the Phinney Neighborhood Association for putting on their 39th annual Winter Festival & Crafts Fair, which supports many local artists. It is so much fun! Rant to the parking Grinch that called Seattle police, who ticketed me because my car was parked within 5 feet of her driveway (not blocking it). I had no idea this was a law in Seattle!

Originally posted here:
Rant & Rave: A toast to the inventor of cutting guides on wrapping paper - The Seattle Times

LAYTON The Utah Department of Transportation says traffic on Interstate 15 through Davis County soon will be backed up due to the ongoing Express Lanes project there.

UDOT Region One spokesman Vic Saunders said north- and southbound I-15 will close just north of the Layton Parkway at Gentile Street in Layton sometime between 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15, and 5 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 16, as crews lower and relocate utility lines in that area.

Saunders said the road will close once in each direction for approximately 15 minutes each, with a short break in between to allow traffic to clear. UDOT says motorists should expect southbound lanes to be reduced prior to the closure, beginning at about 7 p.m. on Sunday. Lane reductions on northbound lanes will begin at 9 p.m.

As work on the $169 million Express Lanes project continues, Saunders said median work which includes the construction of overhead signs, median barrier placement and retaining wall construction is ramping up during both day- and nighttime hours. Bridge construction is ongoing at 5600 South in Roy, 650 North in Clearfield and at Church Street and 700 South in Layton.

As part of the project, UDOT is adding lanes to north and southbound I-15 between Hill Field Road in Layton and Interstate 84 near the Riverdale/Ogden border.

The project isnt scheduled to be complete until 2021. Once its done, Utahs Express Lanes system will extend 80 miles, running continuously from Utah County to Weber County. UDOT officials have said the completed project will make Utahs Express Lane the longest uninterrupted system in the United States.

Follow this link:
Northern Utah I-15 traffic impacts upcoming this weekend with Express Lanes work - Standard-Examiner

A police officer was flagged down, and he came upon the body near a retaining wall by the east entrance to the old Selby Avenue streetcar tunnel. She was naked except for a black T-shirt. A stream of blood ran from her head.

An autopsy later revealed she was stabbed 11 times in her neck, chest, back and arms, with six of the wounds concentrated on her neck, one of which severed her carotid artery. There also were bruises and cuts on the body and face.

Using fingerprints, investigators learned her name, Annette Gail Seymour, and that the 39-year-old lived in a nearby apartment on Dayton Avenue.

Authorities say her husband, James Fletcher, had a combative, estranged relationship with Seymour and argued with her hours before her body was found on July 14, 1992. Fletcher was brought in for questioning but released.

Eventually the case went cold.

About a year ago Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Andrew Johnson had wrapped up his work charging Michael Anthony Withers with the long-unresolved murder of Lillian Kuller, an elderly woman strangled inside her St. Paul home in 1987.

Johnson and his colleague, Rick Dusterhoft, developed a knack for finding paths forward for long-dormant cases.

So Johnson picked up the file on Seymours death.

He said it didnt take long to realize there was the makings of a solid case against John Robert Capers, including DNA evidence from tests the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension ran in 2009 from Seymours shirt.

The DNA matched Capers, now 65, and equally important, excluded Seymours husband, Johnson said. Fletcher died in 2008.

Capers was interviewed about the findings in 2011, and denied knowing Seymour or having any involvement in her death, but his word cant refute DNA evidence, Johnson said.

With that in mind, he and police reached out to old witnesses to corroborate their findings.

Johnsons office charged Capers this week with one count of second-degree murder in Seymours death. Police took him into custody Wednesday morning, Dec. 11.

It came down to, with the people who were still alive, can we make the case, Johnson said. And we believe we can.

Johnson called Seymours family to tell them his office was finally charging someone in her death.

They were very pleased, he said.

Capers was known to the Ramsey County Attorneys Office. The St. Paul man was charged in 1987 with two home invasions, one of which involved the rape of a stranger, Johnson said.

Capers wound up reaching a deal with prosecutors after a jury failed to reach a verdict in his case. His contact with law enforcement after that was for minor crimes: misdemeanor level domestic assault, lying to police, theft.

But one was a conviction on a drug charge that mandated his DNA be entered into the offender database, Johnson said.

Thats how investigators linked him to the DNA sample taken from Seymours shirt when they reexamined evidence in the case in 2009, Johnson added, noting that none of the evidence tested contained Fletchers DNA.

Thats when his office and police started looking for witnesses who might still be alive who could help them build their case, Johnson said.

At the time Seymours husband told police he had been at her apartment the night she died and the two had argued. He said she followed him out of the apartment not far from where her body was found.

The argument continued, but Fletcher said he eventually told Seymour, who he said was drunk at the time, to go home. He said he watched her walk back toward the Cathedral and out of sight.

A couple who were friends of Fletchers confirmed to police at the time that hed been in and out of their home that evening, with the woman saying Fletcher returned for the last time around 2 a.m.

She told police Fletcher didnt appear nervous and described the clothes he was wearing at the time, noting that she didnt notice any blood on him or see him carrying anything suspicious. The woman reiterated her story to investigators when she was contacted again recently, Johnson said.

Capers lived at 940 Marshall Avenue, which is less than 2 miles from where Seymour was found.

This is the third cold case Ramsey County has charged in recent years.

Withers pleaded guilty in Kullers death in 2018.

And, the office secured a conviction against Norman Bachman in 2015 for murdering and dismembering his wife, Toni Bachman, in 1997.

Johnson and Dusterhoft often try to chip away at the stack of unsolved homicide cases in the evening or on weekends.

They are interested in solvable, cases, they said, adding that some even when police and prosecutors think they know the perpetrator cant be proven for various reasons. Johnson estimated the cases that fit the bill number in the teens.

I mean cold cases are cold for a reason, Dusterhoft said. Some of them, absent someone coming forward with a story, and a good story, you are just never going to figure it out. Theres just too many suspects.

Both men said they are drawn to the work, describing cold cases as puzzles that can come with an unusual reward when solved.

Ive now had three cases where I have been able to tell somebody that I know who killed their loved one and they didnt think theyd ever know or they didnt think that person would ever be brought to justice, Johnson said.

In Seymours case, her family thought it was likely her estranged husband killed her until the DNA evidence indicated otherwise, Johnson said.

I got a thank you card from her daughter and it was pretty effusively thanking me. I have never gotten anything like that before, Johnson said.

For Dusterhoft, reading through old police files and piecing together which ones still have witnesses alive today is fascinating.

He and Johnson say they have learned that there are several elements to cracking cold cases.

Relationships change over time. Reasons why people didnt talk or did talk can change over time, and new technology. Thats how you solve these things, he said.

Capers is expected to make his first court appearance Thursday morning.

The St. Paul Police Department is planning to dedicate a homicide investigator to work on cold cases when the current caseload allows us to do so, said Steve Linders, a department spokesman. The city has seen the most homicides this year in more than two decades.

Mara H. Gottfried contributed to this report.

Original post:
Man charged in 1992 stabbing of St. Paul woman whose body was found near St. Paul Cathedral - Grand Forks Herald

Blizzards walloping Newfoundland's west coast on Monday have left a pair of restaurant owners worried their life's work will be washed away.

High winds have whipped the water near Trout River into a frenzy, causing flooding and damage to structures along the harbour, according to Seaside Restaurantco-owner Jenny Parsons.

Clapboards and shingles have been ripped off her restaurant, which normally sits a few dozen metres from shore, Parsons said.

"Nobody has ever seen it this bad before," she said. "Trout River is in a state of emergency."

Submitted by Jenny Parsons

The boardwalk along the harbour isn't holding up to constant battering, she added.

Parsons now fears for the retaining wall just underneath that walkway. "If that goes and if the seas keep like they are that's a major possibility there will be major destruction here on the waterfront."

She said townspeople have been making calls to provincial officials for help and hopeit comes soon.

"Seconds are important here right now," she said. "We may have to take it in our own hands. I'm not going to let my restaurant go out to sea."

Environment Canada continued a blizzard warning on Monday afternoon that covered the Gros Morne area.

Winds have been gusting as much as 110 km/h in places.

"Visibility will be frequently reduced to near zero to give blizzard-like conditions in blowing snow. Little improvement is expected until winds begin to ease on Tuesday evening," the statement said.

Submitted by Jenny Parsons

Nestled into the coastline by Gros Morne National Park, Trout River draws tens of thousands of tourists each year.

But successive storms and harsh weather over the years have threatened the narrow beach and the boardwalk that runs alongside it.

Heavy flooding in western Newfoundland in January 2018 took a dramatic toll on the community's infrastructure.

In other years, harsh weather was also destructive. In February 2007, pounding waves hit the retaining wall and damaged the railing.In January 2006, a storm surge washed away sections of the boardwalk.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

Visit link:
Trout River restaurant owners fear its destruction as fierce waves tear siding from building - Yahoo News Canada

Long ago, much of Greater Cincinnati was covered in glaciers. When they receded, they left us with soil that is susceptible to landslides. Michael Nyerges, Cincinnati Enquirer

What we reported:In March and April, The Enquirer reported on several homeownersfacing landslides on their private property.

In one case, about 40properties in Bellevue were caught up in a landslide threatening their yards and homes. Those homeowners had secured a federal grant to help fix the problem, but the multi-million-dollar project had stalled for years.

In North Avondale, a different landslide was threatening four houses. The damage was irreversible at one of the homes, which was evacuated, condemned and quickly demolished. The remaining homeowners were scrambling to come up with the $300,000 needed to build a new retaining wall.

Tom Gerrein stands in his Bellevue, Kentucky, backyard in February 2019. The yard used to be flat, Gerrein said, until a landslide started creeping closer and closer to his house.(Photo: The Enquirer/Meg Vogel)

Tom Gerrein first noticed the slide in his Bellevue backyard in 2010.He and his wife spent nearly $11,000 out-of-pocket for two studies that helped secure a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant, but for years, the project sat idle.

Now, it looks like work will finally start this spring.

Weve had those hopes before, but we do have solid people in charge," Gerrein said. "It looks like if we keep plugging, hopefully we'll be a go."

It is a complicated project, though.

First, it had to be cut in half. There are about 40 homes involved, but this first phase of the project will only address 23.

Phase one will cost roughly $2.3 million, with FEMA picking up 87% of the tab and homeowners responsible for the remaining 13%.

That means each of the 23 homeowners will have to agree to pay nearly $13,000. It's a house-by-house decision, so if one property owner in the middle doesnt want to participate, for example, that could derail the whole project.

Its a good chunk of money, but relative to the value of your house, its well worth it, Gerrein said. Youre only paying 13% of what it costs if you would do it yourself.

The plan is to build two retaining walls now, covering the 23 homes, and to wait on the other two walls until more funding can be secured.

The second phase of the project is estimated to cost roughly $4 million.

Splitting the work wasn't ideal, but theFEMA grant just wasnt big enough to cover everything at once, said Bellevue City Administrator Frank Warnock.

Warnock worries about what might happen in the interim especially if its a particularly wet winter or spring but this was the only way to get going now with the money available, he said.

Its a problem for Northern Kentucky, Warnock said of landslide damage. Its all over Theres not a month that goes by that I dont receive a phone call: My yard has moved.

A buckling garage was the first sign of a landslide in North Avondale. The house in this photo ended up being evacuated, condemned and demolished.(Photo: Phil Didion)

In North Avondale, Richard McKenzie and Timothy Lane feel stuck.

Their neighbor's house was demolished, and the same landslide that wrecked her home is threatening theirs. Still, despite months of fundraising, hunting for grants and petitioning Cincinnati City Council for help, McKenzie and Lane don't have the roughly $330,000 they need to stabilize the hill.

McKenzies driveway has buckled as the landslide moves underneath his property, he said.

And Lanes backyard gets smaller and smaller every day as the hill creeps closer.

I think were a little bit starving for some empathy, McKenzie said. Its easy to say, Oh, gosh, that sucks. Glad were not you, and move on. We just want some empathy. And if that empathy leads to some solutions that dont put us in the poorhouse, thats a good thing.

Landslides are generally not covered by insurance, which means homeowners are on the hook. McKenzie and Lane have asked city council for help, but some council members are worried about setting up a precedent if the city steps in to help one group of homeowners, what about everyone else whose home needs a costly repair?

McKenzie and Lanefeel they've done all they can on their own. And they're worried about what might happen if another winter and spring passwithout a solution.

"It's time for someone else who has the power to do something greater to step in and help us," Lane said. "There's just times when people need help."

Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/12/13/cincinnati-landslides-homeowners-deal-fallout-hillside-slippage/2567710001/

Excerpt from:
'My yard has moved': Landslides are a big, expensive headache for homeowners. - The Cincinnati Enquirer

West Tisbury voters will be asked next year whether they want to spend a significant sum on the towns local dropoff for garbage and recycling, or close the facility after upgrades are completed at the regional refuse district in Edgartown.

Board of health member Erik Lowe made the suggestion to close the dropoff, telling selectmen at their Wednesday meeting that it needs $110,000 in repairs to a retaining wall and faces other costly work to meet state environmental standards.

Weve invested, as a member of the refuse district, in a facility that can handle, more effectively, the peoples trash, Mr. Lowe told the board. Why keep the local dropoff operating when its just another thing well have to maintain in the future?

Town health agent Omar Johnson added that an injury was reported at the dropoff this summer.

An individual stepped into one of the gaps between the wall and a trash receptacle, Mr. Johnson said.

Selectmen gave tepid responses to Mr. Lowes proposal.

The biggest questions probably going to be, whats going to happen to the Dumptique? asked board chairman Skipper Manter, referring to the popular free shop located at the dropoff and run by volunteers.

I think that the town should move the gate back beyond the Dumptique and give them some kind of lease and let them operate, Mr. Lowe responded.

Selectmen Kent Healy and Cynthia Mitchell, both cool to the idea of shuttering the dropoff, backed Mr. Manters suggestion to let voters choose the future of their local facility.

People have an attachment to it, Mrs. Mitchell said.

Town administrator Jen Rand said she would work with the board of health to craft a warrant item that would present a clear choice to voters by specifying the dollar amount of capital needed to make the local dropoff safe and compliant with environmental rules.

Were either going to invest in this, or were not going to invest in it, but if were keeping it were going to invest in it, Ms. Rand said. Were not going to part-do this fix.

Mr. Lowe agreed. Lets bring it to the town and see what peoples consensus is, he said.

Also Wednesday, selectmen approved a weekly indoor produce market at Howes House in January and February, run by Island Grown Initiative as an extension of its seasonal outdoor mobile market.

A lot of our elder customers have said they would like to be inside, said Olivia Rabbitt of Island Grown.

The senior centers central West Tisbury location, adjacent to the library, makes it a convenient stop for up-Island residents, who also can sign up there for food assistance, Ms. Rabbitt said.

Mr. Manter asked if there would be traffic problems caused by the weekly market. Island Growns Sophie Abrams Mazza said the mobile market, which sells produce and eggs from Island farms at below-retail prices, generally attracts 15 to 26 people an hour.

Well have to monitor it, Mr. Manter said.

The produce market will set up in the Howes House community room Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in January and February.

Ms. Mazza Abrams said the market, which travels around the Island several days a week, will resume in July and run through February, 2021.

As selectmen began their annual budget review process, emergency manager Russ Hartenstine asked for and received permission to increase the budget for his part-time department from $18,207 in fiscal year 2020 to $26,000.

Im doing more than my stipend allots, said Mr. Hartenstine, who gave a series of talks on emergency preparedness earlier this year.

He said he is being asked to join town committees, write grants, start a community emergency training program and train with the police department as an emergency public information officer.

Its basically what the town wants me to do, Mr. Hartenstine said. Id really like to put more time into the job to do what the town needs.

Mr. Johnson added that he needs Mr. Hartenstines assistance as well to make sure the town health department is ready for emergencies.

Selectmen backed the request, which must also pass muster with the towns financial committee.

Emergencies are going to be more ever-present, Mrs. Mitchell said. Public awareness is high at the moment, and I think youd get a lot of support for the increase.

Read more:
Voters to Decide Fate of West Tisbury Dump - The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News

When Ken Adcock built his Carolwood Drive home two decades ago, White Oak Creek was a meandering stream, lined with trees and a sloping creek.

Today, because of development upstream, the creeks formerly slow waters have increased such that they are eating away at the shoreline, damaging backyards and flooding homes.

Adcock and neighbors say the problem stems from development upstream.

He particularly blames development in west Ridgeland. All of the properties on the west side of Highland Colony Parkway drain into the creek. Theyve overloaded the creek, he said. There was little or no consideration on what that would do to downstream property owners.

White Oak Creek stretches from Bridgewater Boulevard in Ridgeland to Hanging Moss Creek in Jackson. Along that journey, it cuts through both business and residential areas, including neighborhoods along Briarfield Road, River Thames Road and Carolwood Drive.

Its drainage basin includes the Bridgewater and Dinsmor subdivisions, The Junction shopping center at I-55 North and County Line Road and a developed stretch of property along I-55 North that is home to numerous hotels and car dealerships.

As development has increased upstream, so too has the amount of water flowing downstream. That increased flow has eroded the shoreline and felled numerous trees.

Residents along Carolwood and River Thames have reported the water eroding away portions of their backyards.

To stave off some of the effects of erosion, Adcock built a makeshift retaining wall behind his fence using rebar and Quickrete.

The erosion was causing caves to form underneath my fence. I had to do something, he said.

Farther north, those same waters have caused what appears to be a minor landslide next to an access road behind Select Specialty Hospital. On a recent visit, the area was roped off with yellow caution tape.

During heavy storms, like the one that occurred in late October, the creek overflowed its banks, flooding yards.

Any time you have two days of rain, its like white water rapids, Adcock said. It should be called White Oak River.

Development in the drainage basin has skyrocketed as the population has moved north.

Since 1990, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), has granted 25 construction permits for the White Oak drainage basin.

MDEQ regulates the development of construction in drainage basins through the states stormwater permitting program, according to agency spokesman Robbie Wilbur.

The permitting process is designed to lessen the impact of these developments on receiving waters,he said.

Of those, eight were stormwater runoff permits for the Bridgewater neighborhood. It was not known how developers were to mitigate stormwaters under terms of the permits.

Wilbur said all permits require developers to implement best management practices to minimize off-site impacts to receiving waters.

Construction on Bridgewater began in the 1990s. Today, the subdivision has more than 500 luxury homes, according to previous Sun reports.

White Oak also runs to the west and the south of Dinsmor, a community of 485 homes in 10 subdivisions, according to its website.

Like Bridgewater, construction in that neighborhood also began in the 1990s.

In Jackson, the creek was re-routed in the 1990s to make way for the Junction, a 43-acre shopping center at the corner of I-55 and East County Line.

White Oak ran through what is now the parking lot of the Target department store, Ward One Councilman Ashby Foote said.

All three of the developments were started prior to the passage of stormwater ordinances in Jackson and Ridgeland.

Additional plats have been approved for the Bridgewater neighborhood following the passage of Ridgelands ordinance in 2009. All plats approved since the ordinances passage have been in compliance with it, according to Ridgeland officials.

Jackson passed its stormwater ordinance in 2000.

Development causes stormwater runoff to increase, largely because it means replacing natural surfaces, such as fields, with impervious surfaces, such as parking lots and rooftops.

Normally, much of the stormwater would soak into the ground, reducing the amount that enters creeks, streams and drainage ditches.

However, with fewer natural surfaces, that water enters nearby creeks.

As of 2011, 51.6 percent of the White Oak Drainage basin had been developed, with 14.44 percent of that land having impervious surfaces, according to data from the United States Geological Survey.

That development has meant higher and faster waters downstream, increased erosion and more instances of flooding.

In April and May, the creek rose to nearly 14 feet, about nine feet higher than its normal levels. And in October and November, the creek rose to 10 feet and 12 feet.

Earlier data on creek flow was not available, according to Michael Runner, a supervisory hydrologist with USGS.

Read more:
Overload: Upstream development eroding properties to the south - Northside Sun

Standing on dirt and loose rocks along West Houston Street, Kerry Averyt explained that the San Antonio River Authority has tried to be a good neighbor during construction of San Pedro Creek Culture Park.

Construction of the linear park has required many road closures downtown, impacting area businesses. The river authority keeps an updated webpage of road closures on the San Pedro Creek Culture Park site.

We affect businesses along Houston Street and theres no question, theres some impact there, said Averyt, the river authoritys senior engineer. But we keep working and coordinating with all of our stakeholders up and down the creek to minimize it as much as possible.

Averyt led a tour Thursday of a segment of San Pedro Creek Culture Park stretching from Houston to Nueva streets. Phase 1s second segment is targeted for completion in November 2021. The price tag for Phases 1 and 2 of four planned phases is $260 million, Averyt said.

Historic preservation and respect for archeological exploration have influenced construction in a segment of the project that includes two historical landmarks: the 1949 Alameda Theater and the 18th-century Spanish Governors Palace. Construction has had to adapt to the occasional archeological dig, Project Manager Ryan Silbernagel said; there have been three digs in Calder Alley and one by the Spanish Governors Palace.

But the digs dont delay construction, as archeologists are able to set up alongside construction, Silbernagel said.

There havent been any major significant finds, Silbernagel said. Mostly a lot of pottery shards.

Some of the more interesting cultural artifacts will eventually be displayed as part of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park, Averyt said.

Designers and engineers have also maintained many historic elements throughout the project. Averyt pointed to a fire escape on the side of the Alameda Theater that they decided to keep through its renovation.

Originally we wanted to take that fire escape down, but this is a historic building, a historic structure, he said. It was a lot less complicated to leave that in place if we could.

Bonnie Arbittier / Rivard Report

The original fire escape is preserved on the side of the Alameda Theater next to the future entertainment plaza.

The Historic and Design Review Commission approved the final renovation design for the theater in October; work is expected to begin early next year.

About 30 percent of a retaining wall in Calder Alley was salvaged to use in the creek project too, Silbernagel added.

This segment of the linear park will include two permanent art installations. In November, Bexar County commissioners selected Brooklyn artist Adam Franks design for an interactive light installation at a water wall along one of the paseos. A microphone picks up close-range sound, and people can manipulate the light reaction with what kind of noises they make. And further down the creek, the river authority is looking for artists to paint a five-panel mural, public art curator Carrie Brown said.

We are just now starting the selection process but were working closely with Bexar County to frame what the mural content will be, Brown said.

The segment also will have an entertainment plaza by the Alameda Theater that can be utilized in many different ways, Brown said. Designers had considered building an amphitheater, but that would not have been as useful, she added.

When you have an amphitheater, its an amphitheater, and thats how you have to use it, Brown said. Now that we have a plaza, its much more flexible. We didnt want to build something that wouldnt be functional for people who would use it.

Funding sources for Phases 3 and 4 of the San Pedro Creek project are still being identified by the river authority. Those phases are being planned and would extend the linear park to South Alamo Street. Bexar County has paid for the bulk of the project, while the 2017 municipal bond allocated $19.5 million to the linear park. The county also expects to receive some federal dollars from the Mission Reach projects federal reimbursement.

View original post here:
River Authority Shows Progress on Construction of San Pedro Creek Culture Park - Rivard Report