He says there are thicker vinyl products, which alsocost more, butbelieves Hardie board would have stood up.

Its a double up-front cost now, but over the course of 10, 20 or 30 years, it will look the same as it does now. No fading, no melting it with the barbecue. It also has resale value, Roberts says.

As an example of pricing, the average two-storey home is 2,600 square feet of exterior wall. To replace damaged siding with new vinyl siding including tearing off the damaged vinyl, repapering, and installing the new vinyl the cost is about $15,000 to $16,000. The same scope of work with Hardie as a replacement would be about $26,000 to $27,000. Another way to look at it is it costs about $6 per square foot for vinyl, and $10 per square foot for Hardie cement board.

But Danny Ritchie of Ultimate Renovations, who launched his company based on the large volume of work he picked up after the notorious hail event of Sept. 7, 1991, thinks this storm would have wrecked anything short of brick or stone.

If this storm was breaking windows, it would have chipped stucco and cracked Hardie board. At that pace, nothing would have stopped it except maybe stone and thats very expensive. If someone has vinyl now, I could just go back to vinyl siding, Ritchie says.

The rest is here:
What sidings will withstand a hail storm like the one that ripped across Calgary's northeast? - Calgary Herald

Once upon a time there was a little white boathouse. For years and years, it was my special place at the cottage, my refuge.

In 1958, when I was 15, my dad was ready to build our long-awaited boathouse. He'd had a windfall on the stock market and finally had the wherewithal to buy the lumber. The boathouse would go in a shallow, protected spot behind the huge rock we still call the elephant hump.

Dad had a three-weekholiday that summer and I worked with him every day. It was a special time indeed, to be old enough to be a real help to my father. We constructed a 16-by-20-foot platform, assembled the framing and put on the clapboard siding. There was many a dint in the studs where I missed many a nail. For the flat roof, he used pine floor boards under tar paper and shingles as he planned to add a second storey the following year. Sadly, that was not to be, as he died unexpectedly that fall at the age of 55.

After that, I had summer jobs elsewhere, but when I had cottage time, I made the boathouse my bedroom. As a teenager, I wanted time to myself and my boathouse gave me that. Never much interested in decor, I managed with an iron cot and the occasional visit from mice. An old oak dresser, bequeathed by cousins, was a place to stow clothes, although anything left in its drawers over the winter was nicely nibbled.

We recycled the tiny front porch from the cottage and moved it to a spot behind the boathouse. I was married by then and we savoured our mornings there, as the sun found its way to that deck before it warmed the rest of the property. We were sheltered from the prevailing westerly breeze and it became my favourite place to swim.

One of the best things was to sleep in the boathouse, having the time to listen to the water gently lapping against the cribs, a peaceful, nurturing sound that never failed to put me to sleep.

Nesting time comes to us all, and little by little, we added domestic comforts to that 320-square-foot space: a retired linoleum dance floor became flooring. We installed indoor-outdoor carpet, acquired a second dresser, night tables, a coffee table, curtains, a refrigerator, a toaster, a kettle, a coffee maker and an electric frying pan. There was no plumbing, but the clean water of the lake was right there and the biffy was near by too.

At the end of our holiday, we had to put away the boathouse, stacking everything in preparation for its off-season use as a storage building.

We had to make time for the endless maintenance. Every summer for years I painted one of the boathouse walls, working my way around the building in a four-year cycle. The flat roof leaked early on and was replaced with a slightly peaked roof, which also leaked and was replaced at least twice.

I do not fully understand why I became so foolishly fond of a building built to store boats. It was decidedly rustic, but for me, that was part of its appeal. Certainly, when things got too busy in the main cottage as they did with teenage daughters, I found time for peace and quiet in my boathouse home.

Continued here:
Finding refuge in a small Muskoka boathouse - muskokaregion.com

READY NOW!! New Luxury 2 Story 4 bedroom 4 bathroom, finished lower level home offered by Kirkwood's premier builder Kelly Development Group! This custom home features an open floor plan, Job Finished Hardwood Flooring, 2nd Floor Laundry. Master Bath offers a Free Standing Tub, Huge walk in custom Master Shower floor to ceiling tile, and Ceramic Tile Flooring. Kitchen features Painted Cabinets, Large Island, Quartz Counter Tops, Tile Backsplash, and Stainless Steel Appliances. This home also includes an high level of fit and finish, Moen Faucets, Kohler Elongated Toilets, 2 Panel Doors with satin Nickel Interior Doors Handsets, Custom Stained Front Entry Door, Direct Vent Fireplace with Marble Surround, 3 Door and Window Casing, 5 Base Molding, Crown Molding, Long Panel Garage Doors with Glass, Custom Lighting Package, and Recessed Lighting. Ideally located for a quick commute and all the amenities!

View Listing

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30 of the Most Expensive Homes for Sale in the Park Hills Area - WiscNews

Dear Inter-Parliamentary Union,

I am a concerned citizen of Zimbabwe who is worried bout the corrupt collusion between the Parliament, Senate and Government Zimbabwe and a faction of the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (Tsvangirai) (MDC-T) following a mooted Supreme Court Judgement passed on 31 March which encouraged the warring factions of the MDC-T to organise a special Extra Ordinary Congress to elect a leader who will replace the founding President of the Party who passed away on 14 February 2018. I hope that my letter will find its way to the appropriate offices for consideration.

To give a bit of background, the Supreme Court Judgement came about as a result of a court appeal by a member of the MDC-T who felt he had not been accorded an opportunity to elect a President of his choice following the death of the late founding MDC-T President. In its wisdom, following the death of the founding President, the National Council of the MDC-T, chaired by Senator Morgan Komichi, who was the Acting Chairman in the absence of the 2014 elected Chairman Hon Lovemore Moyo, had decided to elevate one of the three Vice-Presidents of the Party, Advocate Nelson Chamisa, to the position of Acting President. Of the three Presidents, one Dr. Thokozani Khupe, was the only one who had been elected at the Partys last Congress held in 2014, while Advocate and Senator Engineer Elias Mudzuri had been appointed to Vice President positions which had been found essential to strengthen the Party in readiness for the 2018 elections. Senator Morgan Komichi was assigned by the late MDC-T President to lead the consultation which resulted in those appointments, which were endorsed by the National Council of the Party.

The Supreme Court ruled that the appointments of the Vice-Presidents was unconstitutional according to the Party constitution, even though the Constitution gave the power to the National Council to make decisions in between congresses, and it also allowed the President to appoint deputies to officers of Congress from a pool of National Executive members elected from provinces and other office bearers where such is provided for in the Constitution. Officers of Congress are the officials who are elected at Congress, and the President is one of such officers. The Party had then thought that there was nothing sinister in the Vice-President appointments, so the Supreme Court Judgement really came as a surprise, and many believe that the Judgement was influenced by Government of Zimbabwe which likes to divide the opposition by siding with the weaker faction in the main opposition party.

Regardless of whether the Supreme Court judgement was influenced by Government or not, following its opinion that the Vie-President positions appointed in 2016 were not constitutional, the Court ruled that all decisions made after the death of Dr. Morgan Tsvangirai were null and void, and assigned the elected Vice-President, Dr. Khupe to organise an Extra Ordinary Congress to elect a replacement for the late leader (The Court ruling is attached with this letter for your perusal), and she was given 90 days to do so. Failure by Dr. Khupe to discharge the assignment within the time-frame, Senator Morgan Komichi, who the Court mistook to have been the Chairman of the Party at the time of death of Dr. Tsvangirai, if not influenced by the Government of Zimbabwe to declare Senator Komichi as the Chairman at the time of Dr. Tsvangirai. Let me clarify that assertion by saying that the Supreme Court said all decisions made by the MDC between the time of Dr. Tsvangirais death and the 31 March 2020 when the judgement was passed were null and void. At the time of Dr. Tsvangirais death, the Chairman of the MDC-T was Honorable Lovemore Moyo, Senator Komichi was a Deputy Chairman. Honorable Moyo only tendered his resignation on 23 March 2018 to an Acting President who the Court said could not make binding decisions. The resignation of Hon Lovemore Moyo is, therefore not recognized by the Supreme Court. However, the Court mistook Senator Komichi to be the legitimate Chairman as the judges were not aware who was the Chairman of the Party at the time of Dr. Tsvangirais death, especially as Senator Komichi, who was third appellant in the court case had declared himself as the National Chairman of the first appellant. The Judges did not ask whether he became Chairman before or after the death of Dr. Tsvangirai, and this is something that should be raised with the Court. the legality of Senator Komichis Chairmanship aside, the Court mandated Senator Komichi to try to organise the suggested Extra Ordinary Congress in thirty days, failure which the issue becomes water under the bridge.

According to Section6.2.6 the Party Constitution that was presented before the Supreme Court a notice convening an Extra-Ordinary Congress shall be sent to all members entitled to attend and to each branch by the National Council at least one month before the date of the meeting. However, a bogus Council meeting to which eligible membersknown to be supporting Advocate Chamisa were not invited was held through whatsapp as reported by local media. The meeting came up with a list of members of Parliament of the MDC Alliance who had to be recalled from Parliament and also unconstitutionally deliberated on the planning of the Extra Ordinary Congress. The meeting was unconstitutional in that it did not have a quorum, and eligible members had been left out.

It should be put on record that following the death of Dr. Tsvangirai, due to leadership differences, Dr. Khupe and Advocate Chamisa registered for elections as two different parties, Dr. Khupes party using the name MDC-T while Advocate Chamisas team registered their party for the elections as MDC Alliance, a fact confirmed by Senator Mwonzora in media interviews at the time of the registration for elections. Now because of the Supreme Court ruling which never instructed Dr. Khupe to recall MDC Alliance Parliamentarians, who were elected under the MDC Alliance ticket. The Parliament and Senate have all their records showing that the number of seats and the names of the legislators won by MDC-T, and the Supreme Court judgement which Speaker of Parliament and President of the Senate say they based their decisions to expel MDC legislators from Parliament and Senate respectively does not instruct Dr. Khupe to recall any legislators. If anything, Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, who is a lawyer, should have read the Supreme Judgement carefully and understood that the mooted judgement, described as such by the Court, only gives a time frame for which Dr. Khupe and Senator Komichi should organise an Extra Ordinary Congress, failure which the parties which he Court was encouraging to unite will revert to their post Tsvangirai ventures. What then would happen if the warring parties do not get back together as suggested by the Supreme Court?

Besides, the the outcome of the Supreme Court implementation process, the MDC-T and MDC Alliance satisfied the requirement of the Zimbabwe Elections Act and registered with the Zimbabwe Elections Act as political parties for purposes of the elections, and each is entitled to enjoy the benefits of what they achieved in the elections. After all, the MDC-T as left by Dr. Tsvangirai was not operational at the time of the elections, so there is no way Dr. Khupe can claim parliamentarians who are a product of a process that took when it could not make decisions.

Instead of calling the appropriate structures that were in place as at the time of the death of Dr. Tsvangirai to organise the suggested Extra Ordinary Congress, Dr. Khupe is busy appointing people into positions which had officials who are supporting Advocate Chamisa, which are not the 2014 structures that should plan the Extra Ordinary Congress, and then go about telling the world that she is implementing the Supreme Court Judgement. Where in the Supreme Court Judgement is Dr. Khupe asked to replace officials from the 2014 structures, the very ones that should plan the Extra Ordinary Congress. There is no harm in Dr. Khupe filling gaps in the Party that she led into the 2018 elections, because that should be her fall back party should the Extra Ordinary Congress not happen, and already 9 days before the period she was given to organise it, no Constitutionally constituted council meeting has met to start planning for the Congress when the Partys Constitution specifically states that the Communication for an Extra Ordinary Congress can only be made by Council, yet Dr. Khupe and her team are already telling the world that the Extra Ordinary Congress will take place on 31 July 2020. They should stop dreaming and face the reality that despite claiming to be implementing the Supreme Court ruling and upholding constitutionalism, they are doing the opposite. What they are calling an Extra Ordinary Congress does not meet the requirements of the Supreme Court Judgement and the Constitution of the Party combined, and therefore not binding.

The firing of officials of the MDC 2014 structures, despite being unconstitutionally carried out, is also not part of the Supreme Court Judgement. The Supreme Court Judgement does not mandate Dr. Khupe to fire officials of the party in place at the time of Dr. Tsvangrais death, but mandates her to unite them and is she successfully does so, organise the Extra-Ordinary Congress with them. Furthermore, there are processes laid down in the Constitution regarding the expulsion of officials from the Party, which Dr. Khupe did not follow. So, Dr. Khupe and Senator Mwonzora who wrote the expulsion letters are even worse that the hideous Zanu PF which follows procedures when expelling its officials. Recently, Zanu PF Politburo expelled Chivi South legislator, Mr Killer Zivhu following a recommendation by the partys National Disciplinary Committee (NDC). Zanu PF folowed a process there in expelling Mr. Zivhu, and ask the so-called Champions of Constitutionalism Dr. Khupe and Senator Mwonzora what process they followed in expelling Advocate Chamisa. Honorable Charlton Hwende, Senator Lilian Timveous and Honourable Thabhita Khumalo?

Interestingly, despite breaking the Supreme Court Judgement and the Party Constitution, Dr. Khupe and her team are getting support from Government, with the Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi stating that that the government would disburse the $7,5 million due to the MDC under the Political Parties (Finance) Act to the Thokozani Khupe led group that is temporarily in charge of the party following the recent court rulings. As leader of Government in Parliament, Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi should know better that the MDC-T and MDC Alliance are registered as different political parties, hence non should enjoy the others benefits.

What is evident from what has been happening is that the holding of an Extra Ordinary Congress of the MDC-T as prescribed by the Supreme Court has failed , and therefore that judgement is water under the bridge, unless if Dr. Khupe reflects on the numerous blunders she has made to date and quickly calls for a National Council meeting as required by the DC Constitution to get the Extra Ordinary Congress back on track, but that will also be an uphill task with numerous court cases pending before the courts arising from her own blunders.

Government of Zimbabwe, Parliament and Senate should stop supporting a faction of the warring MDC, and are in contempt of the Supreme Court Judgement for their unethical interference to date.

By Kennedy Kaitano

Read more from the original source:
Parliament of Zimbabwe in shoddy deals with a weaker faction of the opposition - The Zimbabwe Mail

Students at South Canoe Elementary recently got a look at an example of the outdoors moving indoors.

Construction work continues at Salmon Arms outdoor school, with the old siding removed and new siding going up.

In the process of removing soffits and siding, School District #83 carpenters Jonathan Paull and Daylon Gray uncovered two large, almost intact wasp nests. The two were grateful the nests were empty of their former residents.

Its always wonderful when we can take something like this and turn it into a learning moment for students and staff, commented South Canoe Principal Jared King. The workers here did a great job preserving the hive and Im really grateful they kept it for us to show students.

Were also really appreciative of the work being done at South Canoe Elementary to upgrade and beautify our building and have it looking sharp for September. Im very excited to see the finished product!

Read more: From mouldy attics to giant wasp nests, Shuswap home inspector shares surprising finds

Read more: 135 B.C. kids stung by wasps in rolling nest while on annual Terry Fox run

The upgrades include installing Hardie board shake and lap siding, replacing current windows with new fibreglass double pane sealed units, as well as installing several new doors.

They are rebuilding the ramp into the school as well as having the stairs that are for the emergency exit for the library sandblasted and re-painted, reported the school district in a June 10 release.

SD83 facilities manager Glynn Warnica explained the upgrades were to be done in two phases, with the north portion of the school in phase one and the south portion in phase two. He said the upgrades will improve the schools learning environment for students and increase energy efficiency.

The chosen colour scheme is intended to blend with the surrounding area and the schools outdoor focus.

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School District #83 carpenters Jonathan Paull and Daylon Gray rebuild the ramp into South Canoe Elementary. (School District #83 photo)

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Giant wasp nests uncovered in reno of Salmon Arm school - Keremeos Review

CHINOOK Its been an icon in the area for more than 100 years, and a new restoration project aims to ensure it stays that way for many more.

On June 1, a crew with Dr. Roof began work on the renovation of St. Marys McGowan Church, located between the Chinook tunnel and the Astoria-Megler Bridge, a few feet from the Columbia River. Dr. Roof owner Glenn Trusty said his crew expects to be working on the renovations for about six to eight weeks.

'We dont want you to be able to tell that anything was done, other than that it looks fresh and new, like it got a good bath.'

Glenn Trusty

Leader of church restoration crew

The renovations are the most substantial the church has undergone, according to Bill Garvin, parishioner and church builder P.J. McGowans great-grandson.

I dont think theres ever been a renovation this thorough, this extensive, said Garvin. Theres been piecemeal work done, I would say, every 10 or 15 years painting, just repairs as needed. But nothing as comprehensive as this.

The last time the church experienced a major renovation was almost 60 years ago, in 1962. With that in mind, Trusty was expecting his crew to encounter more problems with the building than they have, which has been a pleasant surprise.

The bones of the structure are pretty good, with all things in consideration to its age Things were built good back then, things were built a little differently, Trusty said.

Like many residents of the area, Charlie Peliza and his wife are Long Beach Peninsula transplants. They began visiting the area about 10 years ago, and eventually decided to move to the peninsula for good. Whenever they visited the area and drove by the church, he always thought there was a symbolicness to it.

It made you feel like you were coming home, when you finally came across the bridge, Peliza said.

Now, Peliza serves on the McGowan Restoration Committee and acts as the liaison between the contractor, Dr. Roof, and the church. Pelizas family background is construction, and was pleased to find out later on that the church was actually part of the St. Mary Parish.

Its been really fun, and its a great place to come worship in the summertime when its open. Its just nice to be part of it, Peliza said.

The town of McGowan was established in 1853, a year after P.J. McGowan took a Donation Land Claim and started a commercial salmon saltery that was located on pilings on the river. Prior to that, the area had also been home to a Chinook Indian village and a Roman Catholic mission established by Father Joseph Louis Lionnet.

The church was erected in 1904, about 99 years after Meriwether Lewis and William Clark spent 10 days in what was dubbed Station Camp in November 1805 before crossing the river to occupy Fort Clatsop for the winter. The land for the church and the cost for its construction was donated by P.J. McGowan, and today it marks the site of the community of McGowan. The church is wrapped within the Middle Village-Station Camp Unit of Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, its future use enshrined in an agreement with the National Park Service.

Its such a great old church in terms of not only a visual icon on the river, but the family connection to how it was built and when it was built, said Garvin. Its so significant, because its got a great piece of the layers of history on the entire site.

Since 1904, the only notably different feature of the church from when it was built is the color of the building. It was originally painted white, but it weathered out very quickly and transformed into a blueish gray, which it has been kept as ever since.

The interior of the church has also remained true to its original form, with no heating or other utilities. Mass is held at the church during the summer, on Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and conditions are usually pleasant enough for parishioners inside the building.

No heating, no electricity, no water. Its a very primitive church, and we obviously had the opportunity to maybe do something about that, but we said, No, lets leave it the way it is, said Garvin. Thats kind of the charm of it, its really a step back in a different era.

Over the next two months, the crew with Dr. Roof will remove and replace the siding on the three main sides of the church and the tower, replace window trims, restore the original front entry doors, repair the deck and give the church a new paint job that is as precisely matched to the current blueish gray color as can be.

For Trusty and the Dr. Roof crew spearheading the renovations, the intent of their work is to stay on top of the churchs needed maintenance, while also preserving the churchs historical character.

We dont want you to be able to tell that anything was done, other than that it looks fresh and new, like it got a good bath, Trusty said.

Along with the support of the St. Mary Parish, Garvin said the outpouring of support from the community has made the project feel like a real team effort. Through public awareness campaigns both online and through word-of-mouth, the church received enough donations over the past several years to begin the restoration, including a donation of materials from Oman and Son Builders Supply to restore the churchs east wall.

The hope is that the current renovation will stave off any need for other large-scale restoration projects for many years.

Judging by the last 115 years, it has withstood the elements very well, and were confident this will allow it to do it again, Garvin said.

Trusty, also a member of the McGowan family after marrying his wife, Hillary, said ensuring the preservation of the church is something that the whole community can get behind.

[Were] hoping that people will continue to donate, to keep this iconic property in its state and condition it will soon be in [after the renovations are completed] for years to come, so everybody gets to enjoy it, said Trusty. This is probably one of the most exciting, just rewarding projects that weve ever worked on, frankly. Its a piece of history.

View original post here:
'It's a piece of history': Renovations begin on St. Mary's McGowan Church - Chinook Observer

Tom Carnduff Journalist

16:50 June 13, 2020 8 min read

The Bundesliga continues on Saturday and Tom Carnduff picks out three best bets at prices of 7/4, 29/10 and 9/2.

FC Koln v Union Berlin

Union Berlin captain Christopher Trimmel

A battle between two of the current struggling sides in the Bundesliga as Koln and Union Berlin both desperately seek to snap their winless runs.

The hosts have failed to secure victory in any of their previous six league fixtures while the same can be said for Union's last eight. Both were also held to draws last weekend.

For Koln, they thought they had finally ended the wait when Anthony Modeste struck from the bench in the 85th minute away at Augsburg, only for Philipp Max to equalise three minutes later.

In truth, it was a game that Augsburg deserved to win as they were clearly the better side in the first-half. That opening 45 minutes saw a total of 15 attempts, four of which were on target, while they failed to capitalise from seven corners.

Crucially, Florian Niederlechner was denied from the penalty spot just before the half hour mark. If the forward has scored there, it really had the feel of a game that could have ended up in a convincing win for the home side.

Erik Thommy scores against Koln

Prior to that fixture, we saw Union Berlin being held to a 1-1 draw with Schalke. Robert Andrich gave them a first-half lead before Jonjoe Kenny's eye-catching strike from outside the area drew David Wagner's out of form men level.

Like Augsburg, Union should have wrapped the game up during a promising early spell. Yunus Malli, Florian Hubner and Anthony Ujah all had good opportunities to score inside the first 30 minutes.

That result, again like the one involving Koln, didn't accurately reflect the course of the game. Union's 2.40 xG was met by Schalke's 0.17; their inability to convert the chances ultimately costing them two valuable points.

For Koln, they posted a 0.79 xG to Augsburg's 2.20. Markus Gisdol's men have failed to inspire following the break despite their fine form under his leadership and that puts them in a difficult position against a Union side who looked lively in their last outing.

Despite Union's poor recent away results, there is still appeal in their near 3/1 price for victory here. Those two defeats on the road have come against a Hertha side in form and Monchengladbach, who are aiming for a top-four finish.

Sebastian Andersson scores a header against Mainz

Union aren't quite safe from relegation yet and there is a lot more riding on this game for them than Koln. Given Dusseldorf's clash with Dortmund and Bremen's meeting with Paderborn, they know that this is an opportunity to move seven points clear with nine left to play for.

Last weekend suggested that Union are better equipped for this game than Koln and if they can sort their finishing out, they will hit the net a couple of times en route to victory.

Recent showings have failed to demonstrate that Koln justify their even money price; particularly against an opponent whose performances have picked up as time has progressed.

Three points will all-but-confirm Union's status as a Bundesliga team next season. The value is in siding with another away side on Saturday.

Score prediction: FC Koln 1-2 Union Berlin (Sky Bet odds: 11/1)

Best bet: Union Berlin to win at 29/10

Fortuna Dusseldorf v Borussia Dortmund

Jadon Sancho scores his first goal against Paderborn

Dortmund have responded well following their defeat to Bayern Munich; a result that ended their hopes of securing the Bundesliga title.

Since that narrow 1-0 defeat they've hammered struggling Paderborn 6-1 and beaten the in-form Hertha Berlin. This week takes them to Dusseldorf, who are looking to find a way out of the relegation places.

To their credit, Dusseldorf's results have been positive since the break. Apart from a 5-0 defeat to Bayern, which can always be viewed as a free hit, they've seen three draws and one win. It is worth highlighting how the fixture list has been somewhat kind to them up until this point.

Dortmund should continue their winning run against a team at the other end of the table. Victory could actually secure their top-four place if Monchengladbach or Leverkusen lose; although it should be said that Lucien Favre's men are expected to finish runners-up given the current four-point gap over Leipzig in third.

The Asian Handicap currently has the visitors at -1.5 and it's difficult to argue with that. The 81 goals scored by Dortmund more than demonstrate their attacking threat and Dusseldorf are likely to find that out first hand here.

The good news for Dortmund is that Mats Hummels returns to the line-up following his suspension. There were questions about how structured they would be at the back without his presence, but the clean sheet against Hertha demonstrates that they can cope in short spells.

Erling Haaland may not be risked and the forward trio of Julian Brandt, Jadon Sancho and Thorgan Hazard have provided the goals in his absence. We should see a similar forward line against Dusseldorf.

Sancho and Hazard each floating around the even money mark provides little appeal. Instead, it's worth looking at Emre Can in the stats market with a shot on target priced up at 7/4.

He scored the only goal in that victory over Hertha, playing in a centre-back role to replace Hummels, but this week he should return to central midfield alongside Axel Witsel.

Can has posted five shots across his last two games with one on target in each. In fact, the victory over Wolfsburg was the only one of his nine Bundesliga games as a Dortmund player where he failed to register a shot.

Borussia Dortmund celebrate Emre Can's goal against Hertha Berlin

Against a Dusseldorf side who conceded 21 shots against Bayern, Dortmund should have opportunities to find the net and Can provides the best price to have an effort on target.

There's little appeal in taking Dortmund's outright price but they are certainly worth inclusion in any weekend accumulators. For an outright-based single bet in this contest, the -1 handicap in the away side's favour comes out at shades of odds-on.

But the stats market have provided good value in Dortmund matches since the break and that will hopefully continue on Saturday.

Dortmund should enjoy another victory here, and while the 9/2 best price on Can scoring anytime in this contest is intriguing, it's better to play it safer and back at least one shot on target.

Score prediction: Fortuna Dusseldorf 0-3 Borussia Dortmund (Sky Bet odds: 9/1)

Best bet: Emre Can to have 1+ shots on target at 7/4

Bayern Munich v Borussia Monchengladbach

Robert Lewandowski: Bayern Munich forward heads home against Bayer Leverkusen

Bayern remained in the hunt for the treble after they made the final of the DFB-Pokal with a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek.

They could actually secure the title this weekend if Dortmund are beaten by Dusseldorf in the afternoon kick-offs and then they beat Monchengladbach here. It's unlikely, but one to consider if we see a surprise earlier on.

Bayern have been hit with some suspension trouble though and that could give Monchengladbach hope. Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller are both out after picking up yellow cards in last weekend's victory over Bayer Leverkusen.

There is still quality throughout though and they have a number of options available to them for a short-term fix. Serge Gnabry can always play up front while Leon Goretzka could push forward into attacking midfield, allowing Thiago to pair up with Joshua Kimmich in the middle.

That highlights the strength of this Bayern team and how they could become the next great side from Bavaria. Based on what we've seen under Hansi Flick's leadership, they could also go on and win the Champions League.

The removal of Lewandowski and Muller have shortened the odds on everyone else grabbing a goal for Bayern this weekend. Goretzka is now floating around the 2/1 mark while Gnabry is odds-on in the majority of places.

Monchengladbach have suspension problems of their own with Alassane Plea out following his red card last weekend. The good news for them is that Breel Embolo is back in training and available for the trip to the Allianz Arena.

Simply sitting back and trying to keep Bayern out won't work; quality in every position makes that difficult. If Monchengladbach are to get something, they will have to look to take the game to Flick's side as Frankfurt did in the second-half of their cup meeting on Wednesday night.

They actually outshot Bayern 7-5 in the second-half there, while Leverkusen, Dortmund and Frankfurt (in their league meeting) all hit double figures in the shots statistic. Even Union Berlin, who offered virtually nothing going forward in their meeting with the champions, finished that game with nine total shots.

That will give Monchengladbach hope given that their shot average has increased since the break. Marco Rose's side sit on 14.8 shots per game over their last five games.

Borussia Monchengladbach celebrate Alassane Plea's goal against Eintracht Frankfurt, which came after 37 seconds

Granted that those games weren't against teams of Bayern's calibre but, knowing that victory is important given Leverkusen's meeting with Schalke on Sunday, we should expect to see Monchengladbach aim to hit that same margin with points needed.

Sky Bet have a big price of 9/2 on Monchengladbach having 14 or more shots in this game and I'm willing to back the visitors to hit that target. It's a bet that depends on the flow of the game but the value is too appealing.

Ultimately, even without the influential Lewandowski and Muller, Bayern should have enough to secure yet another victory as they continue their match to the title.

But it's a game where Monchengladbach can look towards a solid attack of their own. Games away at Bayern should always be viewed as a free hit; that may well play into the hands of the visitors when they push forward.

Score prediction: Bayern Munich 3-1 Borussia Monchengladbach (Sky Bet odds: 9/1)

Best bet: Borussia Monchengladbach to have 14+ total shots at 9/2

Odds correct at 1255 BST (11/06/20)

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Sky Bet's responsible gambling tools are detailed here and if you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, or visit begambleaware.org.

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Bundesliga: Weekend preview with best bets and odds for matches on Saturday June 13 - Sportinglife.com

A bypass road is in the process of being constructed near Brodin Comfort Systems in Thief River Falls. The temporary road will enable motorists to bypass construction work for the future roundabout at that intersection.

by April ScheinohaReporter

The crystal ball has been activated, and Pennington County Engineer Mike Flaagan shared his plans regarding future construction projects with the Pennington County Board on Tuesday, April 28.

The board approved the Five-Year Road and Bridge Plan at its meeting that evening. If all of the projects were to come to fruition, they would cost more than $25.3 million.

Every year, things move up and down in the five-year program, Flaagan said at a public hearing for the plan.

After the public hearing, commissioners met as the County Board and approved the plan.

This years projects include: The County State Aid 8/Mark Boulevard reconstruction, roundabouts and bridge. The project will span from Highway 32 to CSAH17. Two roundabouts will be constructed, including one roundabout at the intersection with Highway 32 (north of Sanford Health) and another at the intersection with Pennington Avenue (near Challenger Elementary School). Two-foot shoulder paving and safety enhancements on CSAH 8 from CSAH17 to Highway 59 The installation of rumble strips on CSAH16 from Highways 32 to 59The installation of a box culvert at the intersection of CSAH 7 and Highway 32 as part of the Westside Flood Damage Reduction ProjectThe installation of a box culvert at the intersection of County Road 61 and CSAH 16 as part of the Westside Flood Damage Reduction ProjectThe installation of culverts at the intersection of County Road 62 and CSAH 16 as part of the Westside Flood Damage Reduction ProjectOther proposed projects include: In 2021 Lighting at the intersection of CSAH 7 and Highway 32In 2022 A mill and overlay of CSAH 6 from CSAH 22 to CSAH 24, and the reconstruction of CSAH 30 from Highway 59 to Barzen Avenue In 2023 The replacement of the Kratka bridge, and the mill and overlay of CSAH 10 (from the south county line to CSAH 3) and CSAH1 (from Polk County to CSAH 10). Flaagan said the bridge replacement project may be completed a different year depending upon its condition.In 2024 Seven projects are planned. I just listed several projects that are on the radar, said Flaagan, who added that some of the below projects will likely be moved to another year.Those projects include: The installation of curbing at the following Highway 1 intersections CSAHs 27 and 28. Flaagan noted this project would be made to encourage truck traffic to use the latter two roadways, as opposed to Highway 89, when traveling to the Roseau area from the Twin Cities.The mill and overlay of CSAH 25 (from Red Lake County to CSAH 3) and CSAH 22 (from CSAH 3 to Highway 1)The mill and overlay or reclamation of CSAH 7 from CSAH 17 to Highway 59 Regrading CSAH 21 from Highway 1 to Marshall County, CSAH 2 from CSAH 17 to CR 80, and CSAH 15 from CSAHs 3 to 7 Reconstructing CSAH17 from CRs 57 and 59. Flaagan noted this project would be dependent on whether the Thief River Falls Regional Airport Authority extends the runway at the airport.

Flaagan also included countywide crack sealing, shouldering and striping as part of the projects for each year described above.

County Board accepted a grant from the Minnesota State Transportation Fund. Funded through the state bonding bill proceeds, the $167,521.90 grant will be used for the installation of the CR 61 box culvert listed above. Flaagan noted that the county is required to pay more than $5,000 for the project.

Commissioners approved the wetland delineation report for a Farmers Co-op Grain and Seed project. The application noted one natural wetland and two manmade ditches would be impacted. The project would require the filing of 0.3754 acres of regulated wetland and 0.4114 acres of manmade linear ditch wetlands. It plans to use 0.7508 in wetland bank credits from Beltrami County for the project.

Farmers Co-op Grain and Seed plans to construct railroad siding east of its existing three rail lines. In July 2019, County Board approved a wetland delineation for its initial project, which involved 4,800 feet of railroad siding. Now, it has determined that it needs an additional 1,500 feet in railroad siding to allow for the loading of a 134-car train. This report covers the latter, and the new railroad will span from north of the golf course road south to the elevator in Thief River Falls.

No work has been done on this project yet, but they hope to start this this summer,said Bryan Malone, manager of the Pennington Soil and Water Conservation District.

In separate motions, commissioners approved four personnel actions for the Pennington County Jail.County Board approved hiring Ginger Alby as a full-time dispatcher/jailer, accepted the resignation of Jail Sergeant Gregory Martinez, and approved internally posting for Martinezs position.

Commissioners also approved allowing Sheriff Ray Kuznia to advertise for two part-time corrections positions. Kuznia believed a part-time employee may be hired for Martinezs position, and he noted there is another vacancy among part-time staff.

County Board accepted a petition to clean about one-and-a-half miles of County Ditch 41 and approved scheduling that work to be completed.

Chairperson Darryl Tveitbakk signed a proclamation declaring May as Bike Month in Pennington County. The proclamation noted that BikeMn, Bike Thief River Falls and the League of American Bicyclists will promote bicycling during the month. It further indicated that they are promoting greater public awareness of bicycle operation and safety education in an effort to reduce collisions, injuries and fatalities, and improve health and safety for everyone on the road.

The next County Board meeting is scheduled Tuesday, May 12 at 10 a.m. at the Justice Center.

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Road and Bridge Plan approved - Thief River Falls Northern Watch

Moments after signing a proclamation honoring National Nurses Day on Wednesday, and in the middle of a pandemic that has already claimed tens of thousands of American lives, President Donald Trump reaffirmed his support for throwing out the Affordable Care Act.

While speaking with reporters in the Oval Office Wednesday, Trump was asked about a federal lawsuit, Texas v. California, which was brought by a coalition of Republican state attorneys general and seeks to have the landmark health care law thrown out entirely.

Obamacare is a disaster, but weve made it barely acceptable, Trump said.

Wednesday was the deadline for the Department of Justice to file a brief in the case, which will be heard by the US Supreme Court this October. DOJs brief agrees with the litigants and asks the Court to rule the entire law unconstitutional instead of a more narrow request that the Court throw out only the laws preexisting conditions as the Trump administration had asked for at one point in 2018. US Attorney General William Barr had lobbied the president to revert to that previous position in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Politico report.

While Voxs Ian Millhiser notes that its unlikely SCOTUS will overturn the law, the outcome is not certain. And doing so without an adequate replacement would kick millions of Americans off their insurance. The Urban Institute reviewed the likely consequences of tossing out the law:

The number of uninsured people would increase by approximately 20 million, or 65 percent nationally, [and] the increases in uninsurance would be most heavily concentrated among people with the lowest incomes (below 200 percent of the federal poverty level), young adults, families with at least one full-time worker, and residents of the South and West. These subpopulations of the United States have experienced the largest gains in insurance coverage under the ACA and consequently would be hit the hardest if the law were repealed.

It would also have consequences for the countrys future potentially devastating ones regarding the countrys ability to combat the coronavirus pandemic, and interesting ones in this falls general election.

This is not the first time Trump has gone against the advice of his highest-level advisers on the lawsuit. When originally argued in district court in northern Texas, the DOJ argued not for the ACA to be thrown out, but instead to scrap smaller portions of the law, like protections for patients with preexisting conditions.

But after federal Judge Reed OConnor ruled that the whole law should be thrown out, the administration changed its position on the suit. In a terse two-sentence note submitted to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which by that point had taken up the case, the administration came out in support of OConnors position.

The Department of Justice has determined that the district courts judgment should be affirmed, wrote three Justice Department lawyers. [T]he United States is not urging that any portion of the district courts judgment be reversed.

The administrations decision was reportedly driven by then-domestic policy chief Joe Grogan and acting director of the Office of Management and Budget Russ Vought, both close allies of then-acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, according to a Politico report last March. Mulvaney was a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus when he was a Congress member from South Carolina.

According to the Politico report, Barr and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar opposed changing the DOJ position in the suit, putting Barr in the awkward position of running the department responsible for arguing the case. Supporting throwing out the law without a viable Republican plan to replace it, they argued, would play badly electorally.

At the time, HHS spokesperson Caitlin Oakley denied that Azar opposed the administrations new position in the case to Politico. Any insinuation that Secretary Azar has butted heads with Mulvaney on this issue is false, she said in a statement.

The timing of the case means that a SCOTUS decision will likely come after this falls general election. That wont stop Democrats from hammering Republicans on the issue throughout the campaign season.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, released a statement Wednesday denouncing Trumps decision to follow through his support for the suit. By siding with the Republican Attorneys-General who are seeking to invalidate the ACA in the U.S. Supreme Court, Trump has made clear where his priorities lie, he wrote, saying that Trump doesnt side with people with preexisting conditions or those who may develop preexisting conditions due to Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Trump has decided hed rather destroy President Obamas legacy than protect the health care of millions upon millions of Americans. Hed rather look after the profits of the insurance industry than make sure people can access healthcare in their hour of need. Its despicable, Biden said.

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Trump moves to get rid of the Affordable Care Act amid coronavirus - Vox.com

A woman and an infant were killed in a south Tulsa collision Monday after a reported beer theft.

Police Lt. Kurt Dodd said a car, driven by a man and carrying the woman and infant, was speeding west on 51st Street and ran at least one red light at Hudson Avenue before it crashed into a pickup exiting Interstate 44 about 4:30 p.m.

Dodd said the car appeared to be fleeing from the 7600 block of East 61st Street, where the beer theft was reported, but he said detectives will investigate further.

The woman died at the scene, and firefighters extricated the man and infant before they were rushed to a hospital in critical condition. The baby later died.

The pickup driver was hospitalized with injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening, Dodd said.

He called the collision horrible and grappled with the contrasting consequences of what would have been a basic misdemeanor crime but turned into a matter of life and death.

This is tragic on so many levels, Dodd said.

Officers closed 51st Street from Harvard Avenue east to Marion Avenue, as well as the adjacent I-44 entrance and exit ramps, while they processed the scene.

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One killed in crash at 51st and Harvard - Tulsa World