A new image captures a winding jet of material that looks like a garden sprinkler expelled by a young stellar object.

The stellar object, formally known as 244-440, resides in the Orion Nebula, a stellar nursery that lies about 1,350 light-years from Earth. Taken using the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) instrument on the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) in northern Chile, the photo captures the striking "S" shape of the jet of matter.

The curved nature of the jet suggests it may be coming from one star orbiting another star, according to an ESO statement (opens in new tab).

Related: Amazing space views by ESO's Very Large Telescope (photos)

"Very young stars are often surrounded by disks of material falling towards the star. Some of this material can be expelled into powerful jets perpendicularly to the disk," ESO officials wrote in the statement. "The S-shaped jet of 244-440 suggests that what lurks at the center of this object isnt one but two stars orbiting each other. This orbital motion periodically changes the orientation of the jet, similar to a water sprinkler."

Another possible explanation is that the radiation from other stars in the Orion cloud an extremely active star-forming region could alter the shape of the jet, creating the S-shaped stream of matter observed, according to the statement.

The MUSE instrument was used to map the distribution of iron, nitrogen and oxygen around the young star, which is the red, green and blue colored gas captured in the photo. MUSE captures data at different wavelengths, or colors, simultaneously, allowing astronomers to map the composition of the gas and how it moves.

MUSE is installed at the VLTs Unit Telescope 4, which is equipped with advanced adaptive optics technology that corrects for the blurring effect of Earth's atmosphere that would otherwise distort images of astronomical objects.

This technology enables MUSE to deliver images even sharper than those captured by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. In fact, the new photo of 244-440, which ESO shared on April 17, is the sharpest image ever taken of this stellar object, offering valuable insight on how stars are born in massive clouds like Orion, ESO officials said in the statement.

The recent observations have been accepted for publication (opens in new tab) in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Follow Samantha Mathewson@Sam_Ashley13 (opens in new tab).Follow us@Spacedotcom (opens in new tab), or onFacebook (opens in new tab)andInstagram (opens in new tab).

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Young star shoots out jet like a garden sprinkler in Orion Nebula ... - Space.com

According to the complaint, Mount Vernon Mills sends more than 3 million gallons of industrial wastewater to the Trion water facility daily, accounting for 94% of all wastewater the plant receives.

The plaintiffs claim Trions water treatment facility has the capacity to remove and treat domestic waste, but not forever chemicals. As a result, the water treatment plant has been continuously discharging PFAS-laden wastewater directly into the Chattooga River for years, in violation of its state-issued permit and the federal Clean Water Act. Concerns about those discharges have impaired the use and enjoyment of the waters downstream, the lawsuit said.

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Trions wastewater treatment plant should have required the textile mill to modernize its treatment technology to remove PFAS prior to discharging them to Trions public treatment works, said Chris Bowers, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), which represented the CBRI in the case.

The settlement the parties agreed to calls for Mount Vernon Mills to halt the use of PFAS at its facility by the end of this year. In the meantime, the defendants agreed to truck the plants contaminated wastewater offsite to be incinerated and to conduct regular PFAS sampling of Mount Vernon Mills wastewater before its sent to the citys treatment plant.

Mount Vernon Mills and the city of Trion also agreed to pay $5,000 in civil penalties to the U.S. Treasury. Neither of the defendants responded immediately to a request for comment.

Jesse Demonbreun-Chapman, the executive director of the CBRI, said in a statement that he was pleased with the resolution.

Ending use of PFAS in textile production at this facility is an important step to finally dealing with ongoing contamination in our region and should serve as an example to others that there are alternatives to using these chemicals in manufacturing in the first place, he said.

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Several other major cases involving PFAS pollution in Georgia remain unresolved. Many of those also concern pollution in the Northwest corner of the state, where Georgias vast carpet and flooring industry is located and where PFAS have been used for decades.

In two separate lawsuits, the city of Rome and a resident claim that the wastewater treatment methods used by Dalton Utilities the city of Daltons provider of electricity, gas, water and wastewater services do not remove PFAS chemicals. They allege that a vast sprinkler system the utility uses to spray treated wastewater on the land has fouled rivers that supply drinking water to Rome and other cities downstream.

To remove PFAS from its drinking water, the city of Rome is building a new, $100 million water treatment plant and has raised residents water bills to cover the cost. Rome is seeking to hold Dalton Utilities, plus several chemical and flooring manufacturers, responsible for paying for the plant, plus other damages.

The citys case is set to go to trial in less than a month, on June 5. The other case, filed by Rome resident Jarrod Johnson, is seeking class-action certification with other Rome water customers. The U.S. District Court overseeing the case, which is also in Georgias Northern District, has not ruled on that request.

Continued here:
Georgia textile maker to stop using 'forever chemicals' - The Atlanta Journal Constitution

May 9, 2023 11:14 am EDT | Updated May 9, 2023 4:00 pm EDT

Hello and happy Wednesday! I'm back in your inbox this morning to walk you through the most important things happening these days in Marietta.

But first, your local weather:

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If you're a real estate agent in Marietta, of course you're looking for a way to stand out from the crowd and attract new clients. We can help you do that with an exclusive sponsorship in the Marietta Patch newsletter. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories in Marietta today:

Today and tomorrow in Marietta:

Wednesday, May 10

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As a heads up, this will be my last day sending out the Marietta Patch newsletter. It's been a pleasure!

Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-OLeary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Masters Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.

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Local Business Impacted By Writers Strike + CobbLinc Mobile Pay - Patch

'A bit of an anomaly:' Million-dollar downtown Asheville condos without power since April

MAY 10, 2023 - Residents of million-dollar, high-rise The Arras condos on floors 10-18 of the old BB&T bank building in downtown Asheville have been without power since April 15, as there was a failure in the electrical grid system that powers that portion of the building. It could be months before electricity is restored to that portion of the building. (Photo credit: WLOS staff)

Residents of The Arras condos paid more than $1 million for 54 separate residential units that boast mountain views aplenty in the heart of downtown Asheville, but for nearly a month, those who live in the luxury downtown high-rise above the Kimpton Hotel Arras have been without power -- and could be stuck that way for months.

'A bit of an anomaly:' Million-dollar downtown Asheville condos without power since April

News 13 has confirmed the outage in what used to be the BB&T Bank building occurred on April 15th.

It is a bit of an anomaly and a freak accident, J.B. McKibbon, president of McKibbon Equities, the company that developed the building, told News 13 Wednesday, May 10.

McKibbon explained the building, like most high-rises, has an electric grid system that uses electrical grid bus bars for high-voltage equipment to run electricity through the building.

ASHEVILLE KIMPTON HOTEL ARRAS HOSTS RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY

Basically, where one of those bus ducts was bolted together, we had a failure, and the bus bar insulation was melted off, said McKibbon.

McKibbon said there is no indication there was poor installation of the system that was approved and permitted by city of Asheville inspectors throughout the construction process when the company overhauled the building for mixed-use.

The Hotel Arras on floors 1-9 has power and is on a separate bus bar grid system, but the condo units without power are on floors 10 through 18 (theres no 13th floor due to superstitions around the number). The big problem now, McKibbon said, is the huge delay in custom fabrications of needed parts.

The whole supply chain industry as a whole, specifically electrical and switch gear, has had issues," McKibbon said. "We wish we could get power on sooner.

McKibbon is a respected name in Asheville building and hotel development. McKibbons father, John, who in the past two years handed the reigns to his son, has been a well-known hotel developer who took part in the citys renaissance developing and investing in hotel properties. His son is now managing the issues at the building, though he said condo owners own the physical units outright and are responsible for taking out loss-of-use insurance when a situation like an electrical outage occurs.

SPRINKLER SYSTEM FAILURE DAMAGES HOTEL ARRAS IN DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE

If they chose not to carry that coverage, unfortunately, theyre uninsured for that particular hazard," McKibbon said. "For those folks who live in the building full-time, obviously, its a major impact on their quality of life. Either they needed to relocate out of the building or live without power. They still have water.

McKibbon said the company has the best contractors and staff working on trying to expedite the repair and get the parts from overseas.

Obviously, we dont feel great about it. It is a major impact and hassle," he said.

News 13 reached out to the condo owners association president, Rich Wasch, but was unable to reach him for comment.

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'A bit of an anomaly:' Million-dollar downtown Asheville condos without power since April - WLOS

Sustainable gardening is a topic that has really impacted the way I think about gardening.

For me, its about how I can be more a part of the solution and less a part of the problem. Sustainable gardening is always forward-looking. It values the environment over aesthetics. The goal of sustainable gardening is to make as little negative impact on the earth as possible. It works with nature instead of against it.

There are some simple steps we can each take to start gardening more sustainably. One of the easiest is to limit lawn size.

First, let me say that I dont have anything against lawns, I have a small patch of lawn myself, but they are thirsty, time-consuming, and generate waste.

We have 20-40 million acres of lawn in the United States. We use 8.5 billion gallons of water per day for irrigation and as much as half of that is wasted from inefficient watering methods and systems. We use 70 million pounds of pesticides yearly just on lawns. The EPA estimates that 1 gas mower emits 88 pounds of CO2 and 34 pounds of other pollutants into the air every year. One gas mower running for an hour, emits the same amount of pollutants as 8 new cars driving 55 mph for the same amount of time. Three-fourths of yard waste is grass clippings and most of that still ends up in landfills. Lawns have less than 10 percent of the water absorption capacity of natural woodland.

Set your mower height to the highest setting, or at 3.5 inches. Michigan State University research has shown that grub damage can be eliminated simply by adopting this practice. Lawns need about an inch of water per week to stay green and it doesnt matter if it falls from the sky or comes from a hose. Use a rain gauge to determine how often you need to water. Half an inch of water twice a week is better than all at once and no lawn needs multiple waterings a day. The deeper, less frequent watering along with higher mowing heights will result in deeper roots, less weed and insect problems, and a more drought tolerant lawn.

If you have a sprinkler system, set the heads to water your lawn, not the driveway or sidewalks; last I checked, they dont grow. You can also invest in rain sensors that will turn the irrigation off if it is raining. Leave your grass clippings on the lawn as they are 85 percent water, break down quickly and can supply about 25 percent of your lawns total fertilizer needs. If you choose to fertilize, use an organic fertilizer with low or, better yet, no phosphorus. Foregoing the use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides on your lawn will make it a safer place for your family and pets.

As I said earlier, I dont have anything against lawns. My lawn never gets watered or fertilized. Some of the green in my lawn is from clover and violets and thats fine with me. I live on Elk River, so I have made a conscious choice that the rivers health is more important than a perfect lawn. The start of a new gardening season always has both excitement and challenges. Lets take a deep breath before we get too far ahead of ourselves and take a minute to think about what well plant and how we will garden this season.

There are many ways we can garden more sustainably, limiting lawn size is just one.

I hope you find ways that work for you and the planet this year.

Jeanine Rubert is co-owner of Pine Hill Nursery and Pine Hill Village Gardens, recipient of the 2015 TC Chamber of Commerce, Hagerty Insurance Small Business of the Year Award. She has lived and gardened in northern Michigan for 38 years. Reach her at jrubert@pinehill-nursery.com.

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Jeanine Rubert: Nothing against lawns, but ... | GO | record-eagle.com - Traverse City Record Eagle

Ontario has conducted newExpression of Interestdraws through two streams of theOntario Immigrant Nominee Program(OINP), issuing 984 invitations.

The May 9 draws featured invitations through the Employer Job Offer streams for Foreign Workers and International Students.

In the Foreign Worker draw targeting skilled trades occupations, 400 invites were issued to candidates scoring 43 and above.

The following occupations were targeted:

In the International Student draw targeting tech and health occupations, 584 invites were issued to candidates scoring 62 and above.

The following occupations were targeted:

OntarioEmployer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream Expression of Interest Draw

Ontario Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream Expression of Interest Draw

Read More Canada Immigration News

Ontario Invites 1,863 Canada Express Entry Candidates Targeting Tech OccupationsOntario Immigration Act: Province Names 20 Employers And Representatives Fined For ContraventionsOntario Targets Agriculture And Construction Occupations In New Canada Immigration Draw

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Points are awarded based on the following attributes:

To qualify under this stream, applicants must have:

To qualify under this stream, applicants must have:

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Ontario Targets Tech, Health And Skilled Trades Occupations With ... - Immigration News Canada

May 12, 2023 3:19 pm EDT | Updated May 12, 2023 7:49 pm EDT

VIRGINIA You never know what kind of home waits around the corner in Virginia. This week, Patch has a few homes that stand out from the crowd thanks to their history, location, or unique features.

One home on the market in Spotsylvania County is called "The Castle" by its current owners. It has turrets, stone walls, and a moat, according to the real estate listing.

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Another home for sale in Old Town Alexandria has history dating back more than 200 years. The historic rowhouse has been recently renovated for a luxurious and modern feel.

Patch has put together a collection of beautiful homes on the market in Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg. You can find photo galleries of properties in the listings linked in each article.

'The Castle' Estate In Spotsylvania With Turrets, Moat Lists For $2.9M

An enormous home for sale in Spotsylvania known as "The Castle" has turrets, stone walls, a moat, and a domed ceiling. In total, the home has more than 19,000 square feet, six bedrooms, and 11 bathrooms. The property is truly one-of-a-kind. "There is nothing cookie-cutter about this show-stopper," the real estate listing says.

1820 Updated Rowhouse Lists For $2.2M In Old Town Alexandria

You wouldn't believe this home in Old Town Alexandria dates back to 1820 with its modern appearance inside. Priced at a steep $2.2 million, this rowhouse provides an incredible luxurious modern feel inside. The open concept main level with the kitchen and lower level with a bar provide multiple ideal spaces to entertain. But when it's warmer, you'll want to enjoy the rooftop terrace for outdoor dining or just relaxing. The home boasts five bedrooms plus an office. The master suite is a luxurious space with a spa-like bath.

Luxury McLean Home With Large Slate Patio, Elevator Lists For $4.7M

Introducing a spectacular 8 bedroom, 10 full and 2 half bathroom, all-brick custom-quality home situated on a lush, professionally landscaped private 0.5-acre lot in sought-after Langley Forest. This extensively upgraded and meticulously maintained property offers luxury living in a private and serene setting and includes over 9,300 finished sq ft on 4 levels. The thoughtfully designed floor plan provides ample space for comfortable living and entertaining.

Immaculate Kingstowne Home With Landscaped Yard On Market For $999K

Here's a rare opportunity to own an absolutely immaculate and meticulously maintained five bedroom, three level home in a quiet cul-de-sac in a highly sought after Kingstowne subdivision. The home offers more than 4,400 square feet of finished living space. The owners took pride in their home of 20 years, and it shows, not only on the interior but the exterior as well. Relax on the patio or enjoy your morning coffee on the deck overlooking the beautifully landscaped yard (10 zone underground sprinkler system, stone border flower beds).

Cape Cod In Arlington Features 4-Level Addition, Lighted Sport Court

You won't believe it until you see it. This Arlington home will wow you from the moment you walk in the front door. The stone Cape Cod features a four-level addition on a deep lot. The open main level boasts a gourmet kitchen with quartz counters, stainless steel appliances, and Kraftmaid cabinets and a beautiful family room with built-in cabinets and entertainment center along with French doors looking out to the backyard.

High-Tech Condo In Downtown Leesburg Lists For $900K

$1.4M Woodbridge Home Offers Custom Amenities, Open Floor Plan

More featured homes:

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Castle With Turrets, Moat + 200-Year-Old Rowhouse: VA Dream Homes - Patch

Jackie Sledge| Big Country Master Gardeners

Weve all heard the old saying that April showers bring May flowers.

We havent had many April showers this year, but that doesnt mean that we cant have beautiful landscapes in May - if we take care of the necessary tasks to make that happen.

Im checking my list of plans for the landscape and using the monthly tasks from "Lone Star Gardening" by Neil Sperry and "Texas Garden Almanac" by Doug Welsh to get the lawn and flower beds in good shape for the year.

BCMGA will offer several free education programs in May.

There will be a program on Rainwater Harvesting at 10 a.m. Friday at the Abilene Public Library Main Location. We also will have the BCMGA Saturday Seminar from 9 a.m.-noon May 27 in the Taylor County Extension Office Conference Room, and the topic is Pests in the Garden.

If you have any questions, call the Taylor County Extension Office at 325-672-6048 or email us at mgardeners@yahoo.com. We hope you will like us on Facebook and visit bcmgtx.org for all Big Country Master Gardener information and events.

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Here's what to do in your yard in May - Abilene Reporter-News

BILL WHITAKERBoard of Contributors

A few weeks ago I attended a sun-lit memorial service honoring 15 people, 12 of them first responders, killed in the ammonium nitrate explosion that destroyed or damaged infrastructure in much of the city of West in 2013. Two points were made by speakers: The town of 2,500 had concluded its marathon rebuilding effort over the decade and all were grateful for the sacrifice, courage and public service shown by the first responders who perished in the blast.

Yet in surveying the dark slabs laid in tribute to the dead of April 17, 2013 in West Memorial City Park, I was cognizant of what was left unsaid: When time came to make sure such a tragedy never befell the families of other first responders, state leaders couldnt quite muster similar courage. They passed on an unusually strong recommendation by the state fire marshal to mandate sprinkler systems in businesses like the West Fertilizer Company to prevent similar loss of life.

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In doing so, political leadership and society in general bet that reforms short of what the fire marshal proposed would be good enough and all to save agribusinesses the cost and hassle of installing sprinklers. And if the reforms implemented are not good enough well, thats a calculated risk many of us have decided to assume: Memorialize our dead, comfort the families, rebuild infrastructure with millions of state and federal taxpayer dollars and get on with life in Texas.

That thought came to mind when the Texas House of Representatives this month recklessly passed a bill to unravel safeguards set by wiser lawmakers in 2001 to protect Wacos drinking water from pollution stemming from upstream dairy operations in the North Bosque watershed that feeds Lake Waco. For more than two decades, that legislation has reduced though not eliminated the problem Wacoans and others face from phosphorus-rich dairy cattle manure fouling our water supply.

Even though Republican state Rep. Charles Doc Anderson has dutifully supported agricultural and rural priorities galore throughout his long career representing the Waco area in the Texas House, his protests against Republican state Rep. DeWayne Burns bill to stifle community voices in the crucial permitting process for watershed dairy operations went unheeded by many. Anderson reminded colleagues that dismantling the regulatory framework puts at risk the drinking water of 220,000 Wacoans downstream.

The Texas House response to anxieties about contaminating our water supply: Let them drink milk.

For his part, Burns insists changes in the state law through House Bill 2827 everything from loosening permitting-process rigors to scrapping certain soil tests instrumental in gauging phosphorus levels left behind by nutrient-profuse cattle waste (which spurs putrid algal growth in water) can be reversed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality if the agency recognizes total maximum daily loads (TMDL) of contaminants are worsening water quality in the long-troubled watershed.

The point is this is a success story, Burns said in floor debate about the regulatory system protecting Wacos drinking water. This TMDL program has been in place 20 years and weve met the goals of the TMDL program all along the lines, all along the watershed. We simply want to change the permitting process but leave these regulations in place and the remedies in place to TCEQ should something ever happen.

Waco alliance on alert

City of Waco officials are more than skeptical. In a statement, Waco Mayor Dillon Meek, an attorney, said Burns reassuring words veer widely from his legislations actual wording: There are significant consequences which may be unintended by the bills author but nevertheless remove regulatory authority from the TCEQ in this watershed and will necessitate alterations to the existing general permit [process] and to the implementation plan for the North Bosque River TMDL.

Concerns? Well, three of the five monitoring stations in the watershed have never met the goal set two long decades ago, city officials say. At the 2021 meeting of North Bosque stakeholders, all agreed the implementation plan had not been met and with no dispute from the Texas Association of Dairymen and the Texas Farm Bureau. TCEQ compliance data show that multiple dairies within the watershed have been cited for operating out of compliance with their permits since at least 2012.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality reports indicate that even now, with state regulations in force, striving for water quality in the North Bosque watershed with some 40 dairies upstream remains a constant struggle. Any relaxing of regulations regarding permit requirements may negatively affect water quality in Lake Waco and cause increased drinking water treatment costs for the City of Waco, a TCEQ analysis in March concluded. These potential costs would be very difficult to estimate.

City taxpayers have already spent tens of millions to construct groundbreaking treatment facilities at Lake Waco to help remove algal microorganisms from the water. And while the nearby 200-acre Lake Waco Wetlands is celebrated for its wildlife diversity, city officials also count on it to filter out at least some contaminants from the North Bosque before the water reaches Lake Waco. Yet all of this means little without tight regulations lessening overall pollution from dairy cattle waste washing into the river.

The bill was likely filed in good faith to try to bring solutions to bear for the dairy industry, Mayor Dillon Meek said in an interview this week. The unintended consequence of that would be, I think, losing the opportunity for the public to comment, and thus increase the risk of greater pollution in the North Bosque River, the waterway that feeds Lake Waco and supplies the city's drinking water.

Local officials led by Meek with mayoral predecessors such as Malcolm Duncan Jr. as well as business leaders in the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce and Waco Restaurant Association fear undoing the state regulations will make the daily challenge of fighting North Bosque pollution all the more difficult. When I dared to suggest many Wacoans may be oblivious to what looms if the state of Texas relaxes current TCEQ regulations, Meek suggested otherwise.

Wacoans are aware, concerned and will do anything they can, the mayor told me. From [prominent Texas Medical Association official and McLennan County Republican Party Chairman] Brad Holland, to [Waco-area rock star and Second Amendment activist] Ted Nugent, to [McLennan County Judge] Scott Felton, to [Democratic] Ambassador Lyndon Olson, to [local restaurateur] Sammy Citrano, to nearly every member of the business community, all leaders in philanthropy, to Baylor Universitys president and regents, some of whom made personal calls to their respective elected leaders, our community knows what is at stake. I cant go to an event, meeting or kids birthday party without folks of all ages volunteering support. We presented a letter with dozens of community leaders signatures to our representatives including state Rep. Angelia Orr (who represents part of the Waco area as well as pollution-impacted constituents in Clifton and Meridian) and the entire House urging opposition.

Given that Holland, Nugent, Olson, Felton and Citrano speak for and to very different audiences, their collective political weight should speak volumes to state leadership that till now has been tone-deaf. Another rallying to the local cause: McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara, sometimes dubbed Americas sheriff.

Festering memories

If you want to properly determine a longtime resident in Waco, ask about local water before state legislators in 2001 took steps to tightly regulate upstream dairies: If one winces, youre likely talking to someone who remembers the taste and smell. I recall years ago the proprietor of a Schlotzskys Deli on Valley Mills Drive who filtered city water, then noted on his marquee that his customers wouldnt have to endure the Waco water taste.

Some people unfamiliar with our city didnt really care what the cause was, he told me later of Wacos water problem. They just knew they didnt want to take a shower in it at a local hotel because of the stink and they didnt want to drink it at a local restaurant. As far as they were concerned, theyd stop in Temple next time.

Anderson stressed this point on the House floor, noting that a representative of the Waco Restaurant Association reminded him of how they had such a hard time back then with the cooking, with having drinks, iced tea, coffee, things like that, (that) had such a negative odor and taste. Its possibly relevant that Waco officials say the local food and beverage industry now accounts for more than 9,000 jobs and has a $1.28 billion impact on the Greater Waco economy.

Which raises the festering dilemma over regulations: Many Texas Republican lawmakers preach against the evils of regulation, especially if it threatens economic prosperity. Yet theyre quick to tightly regulate areas as they see fit, imposing tight rules on everything from reproductive rights to voting, presumably because (at least in the examples cited) they believe in the sanctity of unborn life and the importance of election integrity.

So what of a state regulatory framework that has clearly bolstered Wacos transformation into a mecca for tourism and a pivotal hub of business activity and homebuilding? During his plea to colleagues on the House floor, Anderson reminded Burns and others that loosening regulations involving upstream dairies and raising the prospect of a return to fouled drinking water threatened our areas hard-won economic prosperity: Even the hint of water problems is a burden to economic development.

Indeed, more water regulation, not less, may be necessary as Texas grapples with surging population growth and what more of us concede is climate change, to the extent state legislators are preparing to spend billions of taxpayer dollars to replace deteriorating water infrastructure that, to hear the Texas Water Development Board, results in the loss of more than 132 billion gallons of water every year. Surely relaxing regulations that ensure water quality runs counter to such expensive state strategies.

Nor does this city-dairy dustup fit neatly within the rural-versus-urban dynamic impacting so much state legislation: Waco officials note that private property owners in largely rural Erath and Hamilton counties have sued dairy operators under the Clean Water Act for damage to their livestock, properties and livelihoods. And among those in the alliance opposed to House Bill 2827 is the rural upstream town of Clifton, population 3,500, where North Bosque River pollution also remains a problem.

To this date the river is still endangered and not going to receive clean water awards, but it is significantly cleaner and the process of permitting a new CAFO (concentrated animal-feeding operation) is much more demanding, former Waco Mayor Duncan argued in a terse April 29 letter to the Tribune-Herald. That is what the backers of this bill hope to undo. If this bill becomes law, it will require the city and all downstream landowners to reactivate the war machine of attorneys and engineers.

Governments role

During debate over HB 2827 with Republican state Rep. Charlie Geren of Tarrant County, Burns insisted the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality would still be permitted to demand testing and other safeguards if necessary to bring upstream dairies and the watershed into compliance spurring Geren to ask why the state would now leave such discretion to agency officials rather than state law. Gerens point was sound: Republicans are supposed to be against placing such discretion with agency executives.

And when 73-year-old Geren finally turned 50-year-old Burns loose after their exchange on the House floor, a seasoned observer might be forgiven for concluding Geren and other graying Texans such as Doc Anderson, 77, still cherished that age-old principle of safeguarding water above all else in a state long plagued by droughts and shortages. What was true a century ago remains so today for many grizzled Texans, no matter how significantly other principles left and right shift with the political winds.

I appreciate where youre coming from and I appreciate your representing the dairy farmers, Geren told the Cleburne lawmaker bluntly in concluding their exchange, but I want to help Doc Anderson with the people and their drinking water in Waco.

For all the dairy industrys reassurances through Burns, Waco business and civic leaders have reason to doubt: Even after the state law protecting Waco water was implemented, residents experienced not only recurring episodes of rancid-tasting water but legal battles between the city and the dairy industry. And for those who voice naive sentiments about mom-and-pop dairy farmers, city officials stress that the dairy operations in question represent significant-sized entities.

Regarding not all regulations being bad, a friend of mine who is a young attorney pulled me aside this week and told me he is very conservative and doesnt like big government but strongly believes governments role is to ensure there is safe, clean, drinkable water, Wacos mayor told me last week. It doesnt get more basic than that, which is why we have so many Republicans and Democrats alike standing with us on this.

A bill that would change permitting rules in the Bosque River watershed got a hearing April 13 in front of the Environmental Regulation Committee of the Texas House. The city of Waco and most local entities oppose the bill due to water quality concerns. Speaking in favor of the bill are its sponsor, DeWayne Burns, R-Cleburne, and Darren Turley of the Texas Association of Dairymen. // Source: Texas Legislature

While amazingly no concerns were raised by the House Committee on Environmental Regulation when the Burns bill unwinding regulations protecting Wacos drinking water was introduced in an April 13 hearing, city of Waco water utilities director Lisa Tyer smartly carried the ball in written comments, submitted as a longtime resident, lambasting HB 2827 as stripping community input in dairy permitting protocols with potential detrimental impacts to our water resources as well as our pocketbook.

This bill needs to consider the potential economic impact to McLennan County citizens and industries, she wrote of HB 2827. Millions were spent to arrive at our current permitting process. More millions were spent to remove the algal blooms from our water and to put in a state-of-the-art disinfection system to combat issues related to CAFO (concentrated animal-feeding operation) runoff creating excessive phosphorus, nutrient loading and e. coli loading in Lake Waco.

The safeguarding of water up and down the North Bosque watershed isnt lost yet. The dairy bill must clear the Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development and then the full Senate under Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (who earlier this year was in Waco touting our fair city) before gaining the signature of Gov. Greg Abbott.

Judging by the relatively close 77-61 vote in favor of HB 2827 including a vote by new Republican state Rep. Angelia Orr siding with upstream dairies over her Waco, Clifton and Meridian constituents locals should understand that if our drinking water again reeks of sewage to the point some restaurateurs must once more put up signs informing customers that they have filtered the water served within, then certain elected state leaders must stand as complicit with those among us who voted for them.

Bill Whitaker spent more than 45 years as a reporter, editor and columnist in daily Texas journalism, including a dozen years as Waco Tribune-Herald opinion editor. He is a member of the Tribune-Herald Board of Contributors.

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GLENVIEW, IL Located at 115 Washington Street, Glenview, IL, the current asking price of this home is $1,195,000. Built in 2008, the 3,500-square-foot property features 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms.

Listing Description: This home was custom designed & built, recently renovated, detailed and ready for new owners. Impressive refinished Hickory 6" hardwood floors flow throughout the open floor plan from the main level, up the grand stairwell and through all 4 unique bedrooms on the second level. Downstairs, the finished basement is the perfect set up for extended living space or in-law suite complete with the 5th bedroom, full bath, kitchen, fireplace and exterior access. Custom touches throughout the home include multiple laundry options on 1st or 2nd floors, high end appliances, dual zone HVAC, built in central vac system, built in speakers, intercom, and heated floors in primary bathroom and basement bedroom. It doesn't stop there; this home was designed for entertaining! The backyard features a huge brick paver patio, outdoor dining area off the kitchen, built in grill with gas line, fire pit, and sprinkler system. This home is a one of a kind gem, and we welcome you to come explore everything else it has to offer in person!

Listed by: Kevin Mueller, Pearson Realty Group

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For more information click here. See more photos of the listing below, courtesy of Pearson Realty Group:

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$1.1M Wow House: One-Of-A-Kind Gem In Glenview - Patch