Posted: Oct 19, 2020 / 03:14 PM EDT / Updated: Oct 19, 2020 / 03:14 PM EDT

Congratulations to Michele Fricano of Syracuse. Shes the winner of Everyone Deserves a Roof Over Their Head, our contest with The Roofing Guys. Her entry was chosen by a panel of judges to receive a new roof.

The prize includes a roof replacement or repair including materials and labor from The Roofing Guys, valued at up to $10,000. Angela Flynn of The Roofing Guys says Micheles short essay touched her heart. Michele can expect her new roof to be installed before Thanksgiving.

If youre looking for a new roof, check out The Roofing Guys. Theyre a family owned and operated business that strives to offer excellent roofing and siding services. They are fully insured and offer free estimates. Connect with them at 315-640-3351 or TheRoofingGuysCNY.com.

Their goal: To Make Customers Happy Every Shingle Time.

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The Roofing Guys Help A Family In Need With New Roof - WSYR

DODGE CITY, Kan. (KSNW) A new Kansas Department of Transportation Short Line Rail Fund program will be bringing much-needed upgrades to rail systems across the state.

The project is part of Governor Kellys IKE Program and will fund five million dollars annually for three years toward improving railway grain transportation.

There are a total of 13 renovations taking place on three short-line railway systems across the state aiming to improve and build nearly 15 miles of track.

Four of the projects will be focused on improvements to short-line rails, and the other nine projects will bring repairs to grain elevators.

It will really benefit rural Kansas and a lot of small communities, some of which, dont have rail service to their grain elevators, said Ron Seeber, president and CEO Kansas Grain and Feed Association.

Railways are critical in the transportation of grain. The USDA reported rail cars account for a quarter of all grain shipments.

Rail is one of the most cost-effective ways to get grain from the farmer to the end-user, said Seeber.

The project will repair and increase the capacity of bridges, improve elevator siding, lay down additional tracks, and allow more grain cars to be filled at once.

For farmers, this could mean less trucking and quicker payments.

For farmers, instead of having to drive their truck all the way to an elevator a county away, if this is centrally located, they can just bring it to the rail stop, said Seeber.

For towns, the project creates an economic lifeline.

The railways will now be able to put up to 2,400 grain cars on the tracks each year, taking an estimated 10,000 semis, or motor-carrier trucks, off the highways.

This is expected to create less wear on state roads while helping provide a small-amount of relief for the transportation industry and its current shortage of licensed commercial drivers.

It will allow for a lot more railcars to be serviced in rural Kansas, said Seeber.

The Cimarron Valley Railway will be the largest of the 13 projects. The line of tracks will see rail replacement and bridge repairs totaling nearing $1.1 million in grant money alone.

The total investment of all the renovations will reach nearly $7 million dollars. It will be funded 70% by the state and 30% by the applicants.

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Renovations to rural rail service estimated to take nearly 10,000 semis off the roadways - KSN-TV

Protesters saved the Weddle Covered Bridge in Sweet Home, Oregon, and helped protect the rest of the state's covered bridges.

After the construction of a concrete bridge further down Thomas Creek in 1980, the Weddle Covered Bridge fell into disuse, was deemed unsafe, and slated for demolition later that decade, according to Covered-bridges.org. This sparked outrage among local bridge enthusiasts, leading to protests and one individual even chaining himself to a bulldozer.

This all attracted the attention of Senator Mae Yih, a covered bridge enthusiast herself, who led the Oregon Legislature to establish the Oregon Covered Bridge Program, which helps cover the costs of repairing and maintaining the state's covered bridges. The Weddle Covered Bridge was the first to receive a grant from the program and in 1989, the bridge was moved to its current location over Ames Creek.

The Artist's Bridge in Newry, Maine, is named after an American painter who loved the structure.

Every artist has their muse. For John Joseph Enneking, one of America's first impressionist painters, it was the Sunday River Bridge in Newry, Maine. According to Atlas Obscura, after Enneking finished his duty as a Union soldier in the Civil War, he devoted himself to painting. He became so skilled that he was one of the first Americans to paint Claude Monet's garden.

Over the years Enneking became a master of painting New England's landscapes and, though he lived in Boston, loved traveling to Newry. Enneking was seen painting en plein air near the bridge so often that it became commonly referred to as Artist's Bridge.

The Stark Covered Bridge in New Hampshire's Stark Village was swept downstream in the 1890s but still handles traffic today.

When the Stark Covered Bridge was built in 1862, it only had one central pier holding up the structure. This proved to be no match for the Upper Ammonoosuc River, which, during high waters in the 1890s, destroyed the pier and pulled the bridge downstream, according to the State of New Hampshire. A team of men and oxen had to pull the bridge back to its proper location, where it was repaired and placed on a new set of stone piers.

Campbell's Covered Bridge in Gowensville, South Carolina, is the state's last standing covered bridge.

Now located in a Greenville County park, Campbell's Covered Bridge and the nearby grist mill are perfect places to take in the fall foliage.

At only 38 feet long, it's one of America's smaller covered bridges. But its impact on local communities was felt. According to the SC Picture Project, Campbell's Covered Bridge connected several rural communities and turned what was once a 25-mile, day-long trip into one that took only an hour.

The Philippi Covered Bridge in Philippi, West Virginia, is the only covered bridge in use by the US Highway System.

On June 3, 1861, the first land battle of the Civil War took place in Philippi, West Virginia. During the course of the battle, Union troops took control of the Philippi Covered Bridge and used it as barracks, according to West Virginia Tourism.

Today, despite 60% of the bridge burning in 1989, the double-barreled 286-foot-long bridge, which was built in 1852, is the only remaining covered bridge in service by the US Federal Highway System, transporting cars on US Route 250, according to WDTV.

The Flume Covered Bridge in Lincoln, New Hampshire, is named after a nearby gorge.

Located in Lincoln, New Hampshire, the picturesque Flume Covered Bridge overlooks the Pemigewasset River in Franconia Notch State Park. It is debated whether the candy-apple red structure was built in 1871 or 1886, but regardless, it one of the oldest covered bridges in the state. According to New Hampshire State Parks, bridges like Flume "were often called 'kissing bridges' because of the darkness and privacy they provided."

Today, only park traffic such as tour buses are allowed to drive through the bridge. But there's a walkway attached to the bridge's north side so that hikers can travel to its namesake, Flume Gorge, which extends 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty.

The Felton Covered Bridge in Felton, California, is the tallest in the US.

Originally constructed in 1892 as the main access point into Felton, California, the Felton Covered Bridge is now only used for pedestrian traffic. It stretches 80 feet across the San Lorenzo River and stands a whopping 35 feet tall, making it the tallest covered bridge in the country, according to Culture Trip. The bridge is also reportedly haunted by the ghost of a woman who was killed there after she was accused of being a witch.

Connecticut's West Cornwall Covered Bridge is one of the most iconic in all of New England.

After years of trying and failing to construct a bridge to span the Housatonic River, the 172-foot-long West Cornwall Covered Bridge in West Cornwall, Connecticut, was built in 1841 and still carries traffic to this day. But its longevity hasn't come without issues.

According to Connecticut History.org, as traffic advanced, the safety of the bridge was questioned, leading to its temporary closure in the 1920s. In 1945 a 20-ton oil tanker fell through the bridge's floor and in 1968, the State of Connecticut planned on replacing the bridge until the local community petitioned to renovate it instead. In 1973 the state's Department of Transportation inserted a steel support deck that has not only kept the structure healthy well into the 21st century but also won an award from the Federal Highway Administration for historic preservation.

The bridge has grown to become one of the most popular in New England, inspiring historian Michael Gannett to pen "A Historical Guide to the West Cornwall Covered Bridge," and earning it a spot in the opening scenes of the 1967 movie "Valley of the Dolls."

A quirky arch defines Humpback Covered Bridge in Covington, Virginia.

Built in 1857, Humpback Bridge is Virginia's oldest remaining covered bridge, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. Spanning 100 feet across Dunlap Creek, it is 4 feet higher in the middle, giving the bridge its iconic arched structure.

Traffic hasn't crossed the bridge since 1929, and for many years the bridge was neglected and became rundown at one point a nearby farmer used the bridge to store hay. But in 1954 the bridge was reopened to the public as a tourism spot, following local fundraising efforts to restore it.

Goodpasture Covered Bridge near Vida, Oregon, is famous for its louvered windows.

Stretching 165 feet across the McKenzie River, the Goodpasture Covered Bridge, built in 1938, is truly one of a kind. While some covered bridges are open on the sides so pedestrians can admire the surrounding landscape, Goodpasture features 10 Gothic-style louvered windows on each side, which have helped make it, as Eugene Cascades & Coast writes, "Oregon's most frequently photographed covered bridge."

Though the bridge is picturesque among the fall foliage, during the holidays the bridge is lit up using LED lights and decorated with Christmas trimmings, turning it into an even more photogenic destination.

The Horton Mill Covered Bridge is one of three intact structures that make Blount County, Alabama, the state's covered bridge capital.

Towering 70 feet above the Calvert Prong of the Little Warrior River, the Horton Mill Covered Bridge in Oneonta, Alabama, is the highest covered bridge above a body of water in the US, according to Alabama.com. Built in 1935, the 208-foot-long bridge is one of three bridges in Blount County that make it the state's covered bridge capital. After a renovation in 2013, the bridge reopened to traffic.

The bridge features a dedicated nature trail, which has become a popular spot for local bird watchers to spot resident and migratory birds. It is also the site of the state's annual Covered Bridge Festival.

The Roseman Covered Bridge in Winterset, Iowa, is Hollywood famous and reportedly haunted.

Popularized by the novel and film "The Bridges of Madison County," the Roseman Covered Bridge in Winterset, Iowa, is one of six and arguably the most famous remaining bridges of the original 19 structures erected in the area. The bridge, built in 1883, is not only famous for being the romantic backdrop for Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep it's also reportedly haunted.

According to Only In Your State, there are two spooky folktales involving the bridge. The first tells the story of a father's disapproval of his daughter's boyfriend. One night, the young man rode toward his lover's house intent on being with her but found the father and his friends instead. They chased him back across the bridge but when the horse appeared on the other side, the young man was nowhere to be found.

The second tells the tale of an escaped convict who, when blocked off on both sides of the bridge by the sheriff's men, reportedly screamed and disappeared into thin air, never to be found.

Pioneers and miners first used the Wowana Covered Bridge in the Yosemite Valley during the mid-1800s.

One of the few remaining covered bridges in California, the Wawona Covered Bridge was once the gateway for pioneers and tourists to travel to Yosemite National Park. According to the National Park Service, the bridge was constructed in 1857 and extends 130 feet across the South Fork of the Merced River. It wasn't actually covered until 1879, when a trio of brothers from Vermont who ran the nearby Wawona Hotel felt homesick and decided to add walls and a steeply pitched ceiling which, according to their granddaughters, reminded them of the covered bridges and houses back home in New England.

Throughout the years, many famous people traveled to Yosemite National Park via the Wawona bridge, including Theodore Roosevelt and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The Cornish-Windsor Bridge connecting New Hampshire and Vermont is the longest wooden bridge in America.

Built in 1866, the Cornish-Windsor Bridge crosses the Connecticut River and connects the towns of Cornish, New Hampshire, and Windsor, Vermont. According to the State of New Hampshire's website, at 449 feet and 5 inches, the bridge is the longest wooden bridge in the country and the longest two-span covered bridge in the world.

Prior to its construction, three other bridges existed in its place but were all destroyed by floods. The Cornish-Windsor bridge also suffered flood and ice damage in 1977, eventually forcing it to be closed to traffic in 1987. In 1989, after a $4.4 million renovation, the bridge reopened to traffic.

Union and Confederate troops used the Sachs Covered Bridge in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during the Civil War.

For over 100 years after David Stoner built this 100-foot-long bridge in 1852, pedestrian traffic flowed over Marsh Creek via the Sachs Covered Bridge; in 1968 it was closed to automobiles. Today it's still a popular tourist attraction. According to Destination Gettysburg, the Department of Highways, in 1938, designated the bridge as Pennsylvania's "most historic bridge," largely due to its use by both Union and Confederate troops during the Civil War.

Perhaps because of its proximity to the location of the Battle of Gettysburg, where more than 50,000 Union and Confederate troops died, the bridge is reported to be one of the most haunted spots in the state. According to Civil War Ghosts, at least three Southern soldiers were executed at the bridge; visitors report seeing three heads floating on the bridge at night, and some claim they've even snapped pictures of the three soldiers' ghosts. Visitors have also reported feeling taps on their shoulders and hearing the sound of gunshots.

The Portland Mills Covered Bridge in Parke County, Indiana, was saved from demolition and is now the perfect backdrop for a picture.

Five years after its construction in 1865, the Portland Mills Covered Bridge was scheduled for demolition. The Town of Portland Mills was to be filled in as a part of the project to create Lake Mansfield, according to Raccoon Lake's website. Instead, in 1961 the bridge was moved to the location of the Dooley Station Covered Bridge, which was destroyed in an act of arson in 1960. After various restorative efforts throughout the last century, the bridge is now open to traffic.

The Newfield Covered Bridge in Newfield, New York, was supposed to feature a European-style mural until the artist died.

When the Newfield Covered Bridge was built from 1851-1853, it originally featured solid siding along the length of the structure. But later, according to the Newfield Historical Society, diamond-shaped windows were cut to let light in and to observe the West Branch of the Cayuga Inlet.

Legend has it that $200 of the original $800 it cost to build the structure were intended for a decorative mural like the ones commonly found in covered bridges in Lucerne, Switzerland. But the artist died and no one could agree on a replacement before the start of the Civil War. The bridge has had to be reconstructed twice and in 1969 it was almost torn down, but Grant and Marie Musser who are nicknamed the "Keepers of the Bridge," saved the structure.

Floods and fires destroyed the four bridges that preceded Bath Covered Bridge in Bath, New Hampshire.

Based on the Town of Bath's history of covered bridges crossing the Ammonoosuc River, it's a miracle the Bath Covered Bridge has handled traffic since its construction in 1832. The area's first three bridges were lost to floods and the fourth burned down, according to theState of New Hampshire.

In March 1833, the town voted to post a sign (that still hangs today) reading "ONE DOLLAR FINE TO DRIVE ANY TEAM FASTER THAN A WALK ON THIS BRIDGE," encouraging people to "walk" their horses across the structure instead of gallop, fearing that the impact would cause the fifth bridge to collapse, according toHistoric Structures.

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21 beautiful covered bridges to visit on a fall road trip - Insider - INSIDER

Setting term limits for the justices on the Supreme Court is a much better way to respond to the expected confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett than packing the court. Many who recommend term limits suggest that each term should last eighteen years. Justices terms would be staggered so that there would an equal number of openings during each presidential term. Such a plan would reduce the role of fortune in determining how many justices a president nominates, and the political parties would no longer be tempted to resort to all-out war every time a justice leaves the court, as their departures would be mandated and fairly distributed.

Term limits would also eliminate the incentive for presidents to pick young and relatively inexperienced judges just to try to prolong their time on the high court. And leaders from both parties could tell their voters that they have ensured that the other side will never again get a lifetime appointment, as stated in a Washington Post editorial. Steven G. Calabresi, a law professor at Northwestern, adds, In the case of early retirements or deaths, the president would nominate and the Senate would conrm a replacement to ll out the unexpired term with no possibility of reappointment.

When the founders were debating the Constitution and seeking to create an independent judiciary, they determined that lifetime appointments would be beneficial, helping to protect both judges and the Constitution from political influence that might undermine them. But many now believe that the pendulum swung too far the other way, with a high court too reflective of past political fights and thus unresponsive to contemporary realities, as Ilya Shapiro, Director of the Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute, wrote in the Atlantic.

The main shortcoming of the often-suggested implementation of term limits is that it will leave the current court in place, possibly for a decade or more, because the currently sitting justices would retain their lifetime appointments. This would leave in place a court many believe includes a justice who was appointed in an illegitimate way, who is expected to vote to undo health care rights (by demolishing Obamacare) and womens rights (by overturning Roe v. Wade), as well as play a key role in tilting the results of future elections in favor of Republicans.

For this reason, some advocate for packing the court. However, packing the court will make it difficult for the court to function smoothly. Imagine consensus building with fifteen members. If the Supreme Court would have different judges ruling on different matters, that would create a lot of tension in terms of what is assigned to which panel of justices. And the GOP may well come back in the future and pack or repack the court some more, turning its composition into even more of a political arena than it now is.

The way out of these difficulties is to make the terms limits retroactive. Such a law would immediately end the term of one liberal justice, Stephen Breyer, who was appointed in 1994, and a conservative justice, Clarence Thomas, who was appointed in 1991. This would allow President Joe Biden to appoint two liberal judges, which would still leave a conservative majority, but of the kind we have had recently, with a five to four makeup, rather than the six to three configuration that Coney Barretts confirmation is expected to cement. Chief Justice John Roberts could continue to provide glimpses of some kind of political balance by occasionally siding with the liberals.

One may argue that there is a strong norm against introducing laws that take effect retroactively. However, given the extremely unfair way the Republicans blocked the nomination of Merrick Garland and the way they are rushing through the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett, this seems merely to balance the books.

Beyond the number, there is a voice issue. The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg left the Supreme Court not merely short of one liberal vote but also deprived of a powerful justice and persona. No one has ever charged Justice Breyer with these qualities. Hence, if Biden is able to replace him, he could appoint a liberal with a strong voice, so that liberal Americans feel that at least they have been heard, even in cases in which their views still will not be heeded.

Amitai Etzioniis a University Professor and professor of international affairs at The George Washington University. His latest book,Reclaiming Patriotism, was published by the University of Virginia Press in 2019 and is available fordownload without charge.

Image: Reuters.

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Forget Court Packing: Only Term Limits Can Save The Supreme Court - The National Interest

Fall is a great time to tackle projects around the house. The weather each fall allows homeowners to make improvements to their homes exteriors without worrying about extreme heat or cold, while interior projects like painting are made easier because homeowners can open the windows to allow for proper ventilation.

Fall also marks a great time to prepare for upcoming projects that can make winter work that much easier. For example, fall is a great time to take stock of your gutters so you can address any issues before leaves begin to fall or the first snowstorm touches down. Compromised gutters can contribute to water issues in basements and adversely affect a homes foundation if not addressed immediately, so it behooves homeowners to learn the signs that gutters are in need of repair or replacement.

Gutters hanging off the home: Gutters were once installed predominantly with spikes. However, many industry professionals now install gutters with hanger brackets. Why the change? Spikes loosen over time, leading to the gutters hanging off the home. That can contribute to serious issues if left untreated. Gutters hanging off the home need not necessarily be replaced, but rather secured to the home, ideally with hanger brackets instead of spikes. Brackets hook into the front of the gutter and are then screwed into the fascia of a home. A professional who specializes in gutter repair can perform this task relatively quickly, and its an inexpensive yet highly effective solution.

Gutter separation: Gutters that are no longer fastened together can leak and contribute to issues that affect the homes foundation, siding and appearance. Clogs and the accumulation of debris can cause gutters to separate because they are not designed to hold too much weight. Replacement of separated gutters may or may not be necessary depending on how big the problem is and the condition of the existing gutters. If replacement is not necessary, separated gutters may be remedied by securing the joints, another relatively simple and inexpensive fix.

Peeling exterior paint: Paint that appears to be peeling off of your home may indicate that water is seeping over the edge of the gutter closest to your home. When that happens, water is coming down the side of the house, causing the paint to peel. In such instances, replacing the gutters is often necessary.

Basement flooding: Not all signs of deteriorating gutters are outside a home. Many a homeowner has been flummoxed by flooding in their basements, and such flooding can be caused by aging, ineffective gutters. Thats because deteriorating gutters sometimes allow water to leak near the foundation of a home, contributing to basement flooding.

Fall is an ideal time to inspect gutters and have any issues fixed before leaves begin to fall or harsh winter weather arrives.

Story courtesy of Metro Creative Connection

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Signs your gutters are in need of repair - The Oakland Press

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The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,403 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and five additional deaths Sunday, as several regions saw a significant drop in positivity rate.

The state received the results of 46,496 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Sunday afternoon. The state's seven-day rolling positivity rate went down to 4.04%.

Illinois now has seen 249,580 total cases of the virus and 8,171 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 4,418,372 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Saturday, Illinois had 1,504 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Of those, 356 were in intensive care units, and 134 were on ventilators.

Regional update: According to aJuly 15 updateto Gov. JB Pritzker's COVID-19 response plan, the state will be tracking public health metrics in a slightly different way to monitor any potential resurgences of COVID-19. Additional restrictions can be placed on any of the state's 11 health regions if the region sustains an increase in its average positivity rate for seven days out of a 10-day period.

A region also may become more restrictive if there is a seven-day increase in hospital admissions for COVID-19-related illness or a reduction in hospital medical/surgical beds or ICU capacity below 20%. If a region reports three consecutive days with more than an 8% average positivity rate, additional infection mitigation will be considered through atiered system of restriction guidelinesoffered by the IDPH.

The North Suburban region (McHenry and Lake counties) has seen four days of positivity increases and three days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased to 5.4%, a decrease of 0.6 percentage points in one day. Currently, 41% and 57% of medical/surgical beds and ICU beds are available, respectively.

The West Suburban region (DuPage and Kane counties) has seen four days of positivity increases and two days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased to 5.3%, a single-day decrease of 0.6 percentage points. Currently, 32% of medical/surgical beds and 47% of ICU beds are available.

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen three days of positivity increases and four days of hospital admission increases.The region's positivity rate decreased to 7.6%, a decrease of 1.1 percentage points in a single day.

Additional mitigation measures from the IDPH have been placed on the region, and the region has gotten down below 8%. If it can hold below 8%, it will avoid additional mitigations. To return to the standard Phase 4 restrictions, the region will need to maintain an average positivity rate of less than or equal to 6.5% over a 14-day period. Currently, 31% of the region's medical/surgical beds and 30% of its ICU beds are available.

The North region (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties) has seen six days of positivity increases and two days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased to 5.7%, a decrease of 0.9 percentage points in a single day. Currently, 42% of medical/surgical beds and 50% of ICU beds are available.

The North-Central region (Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, La Salle, Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren and Woodford counties) has seen five days of positivity increases and three days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased to 7.5%. Currently, 41% of medical/surgical beds and 41% of ICU beds are available.

Chicago has seen two days of positivity increases and two days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased to 5.0%. Currently, 27% of medical/surgical beds and 40% of ICU beds are available.

Suburban Cook County has seen three days of positivity increases and four days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased to 5.9%, a single-day decrease of 0.8 percentage points. Currently, 30% of medical/surgical beds and 35% of ICU beds are available.

To see how other regions across the state are doing, see the full IDPH dashboard online.

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Here's where each health region in northern Illinois stands as of Sunday - The Herald-News

Expectations are always sky high at most Power 5 programs before the season.

Dreams of magical runs to a championship or an upper-tier bowl game dance in the heads of nearly every fan at every program, but the reality is the majority of the fans will be disappointed by these high expectations.

What should fans expect? What is a reasonable expectation for your team?

We are taking a look at every Power 5 program in the country and assigning a realistic win expectation for each team. These are not over-under betting odds you will find overseas or in Las Vegas. No, these are my personal expectations for each team and why I believe fans should keep these realistic expectations in mind as they try to provide a proper perspective on the upcoming season.

Today we end with the SEC, the only Power 5 conference siding with a conference-only schedule this fall. Alabama and Georgia are the favorites to meet in the SEC Championship Game, but upsets are bound to happen in an expanded conference season, right? The conference is also breaking in four new head coaches while replacing several star quarterbacks, including LSU's Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow. Could chaos reign in the SEC?

More importantly, as a rabid fan, how can you put this season in perspective? How many wins should you realistically expect for your team? My win totals and explanations can be found in the space below.

Reasonable expectations for Big 12 teams

Reasonable expectations for ACC teams

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Assigning reasonable expectations for every SEC team in 2020 - 247Sports

During Cordovas early days (1908-1911), when it was a boisterous railroad boomtown, the religious and social needs of both construction workers and the more genteel town residents were served by an Episcopal social club called the Red Dragon. Built on land donated by the Copper River and Northwestern Railway and painted railroad red with paint provided by the railway, the Red Dragon was a 24-feet-by-36-feet wood-frame building perched atop a steep hill overlooking Odiak Slough (the oldest section of town).

The Red Dragon served as a social club six days a week, but on Sundays an altar was lowered from the rafters for services. This arrangement served the needs of Cordova during its early years before the railroad was completed, but by the mid 1910s, the now well-established parish needed a church building.

The priest in charge of the Cordova parish during the 1910s, Eustace Ziegler, was also an accomplished artist and draftsman. He drew up plans for a church building that shared the same dimensions as the Red Dragon. Although smaller in size, Cordovas Episcopal church is similarly-styled to Sewards St. Peters Episcopal Church (built in 1906), with steeply-pitched gable roof, arched windows, decorative buttresses and shingle siding.

It took several years to arrange adequate financing, but in the fall of 1918 construction of the Cordova church started at a site about 100 feet east of the Red Dragon, at the corner of Lake Avenue and Second Street. Construction was financed in part by a large contribution from the Kennecott Copper Corporation. According to Nicki Nielsens book, The Red Dragon and St. Georges, the churchs pulpit was even constructed in the railways shops.

By the spring of 1919 the church building was debt-free and sufficiently finished to be consecrated on Easter Sunday, April 20 as St. Georges Episcopal Church. The building was dedicated to the memory of Erastus Corning Hawkins (1860-1912), who was the chief engineer in charge of construction of the White Pass and Yukon Railway as well as the CR&NW. He was also an active member of the St. Georges parish.

National Park Service documents state that St. Georges, as constructed, was a 24 feet wide by 36 feet long single-story wood-frame structure, with an 8-feet-by-12-feet entrance vestibule at the buildings northern end. Both the sanctuary and the entrance had steeply pitched gable roofs. Atop the sanctuary roofs northern gable end sat a square, pyramid-shaped belfry with steeple, and a chimney occupied the sanctuarys southern gable end.

Decorative buttresses divided the sanctuarys east and west walls into four bays, and each bay had a tall arched multi-paned window centered in it. Smaller matching windows were located on the east and west walls of the entrance vestibule. The entire building roof, steeple, and walls was sheathed in wood shingles, with the shingled painted a dark brown and trim painted white.

The original structure had a concrete basement under half the sanctuary. In 1980 the concrete basement was extended under the entire structure.

The church has changed very little since it was constructed. In 1982 it, as well as the Red Dragon parish hall next door, were added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Red Dragon Historic District.

In 2013 St. Georges parish began restoration work on both the Red Dragon and St. Georges Church, including roof replacement, and foundation and electrical work. Most of the work on the Red Dragon has been finished, but work continues on the church building.

The National Park Service, through its Heritage Documentation Programs division, has produced a fascinating 2-minute fly-through of both the Red Dragon and St. Georges. The video can be viewed at bit.ly/3h0QFUb.

Sources:

Buildings of Alaska. Alison K. Hoagland. Oxford University Press. 1993

Cordovas Red Dragon Historic District website, https://reddragoncordova.org/. 2016

Red Dragon Historic District, National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. Nicki J. Nielson & Michael S. Kennedy. National Park Service. 1982

The Red Dragon and St. Georges. Nicki J. Nielsen. Fathom Publishing Company. 1983

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Cordova's version of the Dragon and St. George's - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

A wildfire hazard property assessment class was held in Castle Valley Aug. 25 to train eight members of the Castle Valley Fire Department and several fire personnel from the State Division of Forest, Fire and State Lands.

The class was held to train students on assessing the fire risk by using several homes in Castle Valley as examples and used a point system to determine how likely they were to catch fire during a wildland blaze. The class was conducted by Grand County Fire Warden Bruce Jenkins and FFSL Wildland/Urban Interface Coordinator Duncan Fuchise.

When determining the assessment for each property, the evaluator looks at the road leading to the property to determine if the road and bridges are adequate for fire engines to enter. The roads in the town are mostly adequate, but some are steep with inadequate cul-de-sac space at the end of the road. The evaluator also looks at the driveway leading to the structure and whether access is restricted by gates, low overhanging limbs, inadequate culverts or bridges, or narrow passage with no turnarounds. There should also be a reflective noncombustible address sign that can be seen from the road.

The construction of the structure is also considered in the assessment. The chimney should be screened, the gutters should be made of noncombustible material and are clean, fences that are attached to the house should be of fire-resistant material, windows should be double or triple paned or tempered glass. The eaves of a house, the vents, roofing material, exterior siding, and decks and balconies are also considerations, not to mention the defensible space around the house.

Anyone can ask for a free assessment of their house and property by calling the fire department and leaving a message at 435-259-3655. One or two of the evaluators will visit your property to determine how firewise it is and make possible suggestions.

It is sad to report the death of our longtime neighbor, Hank Freeman, who died at home during the early morning hours of Friday, Aug. 28. Born Harris Brown Freeman on Dec. 12, 1938, he lived in Castle Valley for many years and worked at various occupations, including as surveyor and satellite television technician.

He was an avid ham radio operator, having many friends, and was in contact with fellow ham operators around the world. He was very intelligent and had a technical mind with interests in many technical fields and he was always friendly with a keen sense of humor.

Hank was proud of his service in the United States Air Force. As an airman first class, he served six years in the Strategic Air Command during the turbulent Cold War years after the Korean War. He spent time at a SAC base in Wichita, Kansas, serving in an armament and electronics squadron and traveled on many missions to SAC bases across the country.

He spent a lot of time in the air in those historic B-52 Stratofortress bombers. During those years of high alert, he told me once, SAC kept a third of their fleet in the air at all times.

One night earlier this month Hank was out in the yard after dark getting a photo of the comet NEOWISE that was visible at that time. He tripped in the tall grass and damaged the bone around the area of an earlier hip replacement. After an operation in Salt Lake City and a period of recuperation at Moab Regional Hospital, he returned home but a reoccurring lung illness finally took its toll and he died. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

It was also tragic to learn of the untimely death of one of our former Castle Valley young women. Deone Ehlers Rhorer, 54, died unexpectedly from heart failure Saturday, Aug. 22 in Ogden. Even though Deone, the daughter of the late Jerry Ehlers and JoAnna Stoddard of Castle Valley, hasnt lived in the valley for a long time, she will be remembered by people in Castle Valley and Moab as a beautiful, bright and happy young woman.

Her family moved to the valley when she was 10 years old and she attended elementary and high school in Moab along with her nine sisters and a brother. Deone was a sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and a 30-year real estate professional who left this world as a successful contributor to society during her short life.

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Local firefighters trained in wildfire hazard lot assessment - The Times-Independent

You can't always get what you want something Brie Larson has discovered the hard way and on a lot of occasions.

The Oscar-winning actress posted a video to YouTube on Sept. 3 in which she lists off a battery of films that she auditioned for and didn't get, and the list is stunning.

From just 2008 to 2009, she said she missed out on"Sucker Punch," "Gulliver's Travels," "It's Kind of a Funny Story," "Mars Needs Moms," "Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief," "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," "The Book of Eli," "Get Him to the Greek," "The Descendants," "Jennifer's Body," "Legion," "The House on the Left," "Drive Angry" and "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen."

After listing "Untitled Nancy Meyers Project," Brie said, "Not sure what that one was but I didn't get it!"

Similarly, she missed out on the "Untitled Wayans Brothers Project."

"Not sure what that is, but it didn't happen for me," she said.

She didn't get "Avatar" either, but she doesn't even remember auditioning for the film.

Ironically, Brie who went on to star in the blockbuster "Captain Marvel" didn't get cast in Marvel movies "Iron Man 2 or "Thor."

Taking the long list of rejections in stride, the actress said was nearly cast in "Juno," "Thirteen," "Brink," "Smart House," "Tomorrowland," "Pitch Perfect," "Into the Woods," "Youth in Revolt" and "Peter Pan." Brie also made it to the final round of "Halt and Catch Fire" and "The Big Bang Theory" castings. Ultimately, she got none of them.

"It's a lot of heartbreak, folks," Brie said. "Here I am, still standing."

Brie noted that networks and studios actually passed on her for several projects, only to later offer her work. That's how she booked her gig on "United States of Tara."

In July, Brie said she also auditioned for "The Hunger Games," "Star Wars" and a "Terminator" film all of which she didn't get.

Brie's getting the last laugh now.

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Erin Andrews thinks Tyra Banks will 'nail' DWTS hosting gig - Wonderwall