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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Bill Whitaker: Texas legislators threaten Waco water - Waco Tribune-Herald

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

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

Im absolutely sick this morning

There I was going through emails that needed addressed when I can to one from travel ball hardo Chris B. in Houston who sent me a link to a story on a baseball dad who knocked out an umpire at a kids baseball game.

Its like the guys trying poison my computer or something. Now, many of the great videos and photos you guys see within Screencaps come from Chris B. and Im appreciative of him having his head on a swivel, but this time he made a huge Screencaps foul.

Chris B. did redeem himself Tuesday when he gave me a house ball compliment and advice on what to do with all the lost and found gear Ive been collecting.

Millennial Mike brings up a topic several of you are experts on:

What are some 1-3 sentence statements to live life by? I have a 4 year old son. Screencaps is a community full of people who have been there and done that. My dad always dropped practical wisdom and advice to me, which I will bestow on my son.

For example:

-Always swim at a pool party.-When somebody makes you a meal, eat it all and tell them it was delicious.-If there is music, dance.-You can judge a persons character by how clean their toilet is.-Your clothing doesnt have to be expensive, but it has to be clean, have no wrinkles, and fit well.

I will compile these and appoint myself the keeper of records for the nuggets put forth by SC.

Jeff in Phoenix has a warning for me:

Joe, I love Screencaps and the level of sanity you have brought to the internet, but you need to tap the brakes on the travel ball bashing. You have been very passive aggressivetoward that community in yourhouse ball posts. I used to be like you and coach my youngest daughters rec (house) softball team when she was 8 and 9. I was all about staying with the house team until I saw what the level of ball looked like at the 10 and 12 year old levels.

Those teams were pretty much 100% new players and it was like starting over every year. I wanted my daughter to get better and not have to spend all of my time teaching new players how not to get hurt.

The reality is, that anyone that was halfway decent was moving onto some sort of club ball team and that was doubly true for the pitchers. I quickly came to the conclusion that if she really wanted to play softball, improve, and not have it be a waste of time it was going to have to be at the club level. Its an unfortunate reality because I feel like everyone is getting pigeonholed into one sport only.

Its not like it was when we were kids. I used to play soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, and baseball in the Spring/Summer, and finding time to play golf inbetween it all.

My oldest daughter is a freshman at a high school with about 600 kids and I would say 80% of the kids that made the Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, and Basketball teams are on a club team. I am sure it is close to 100% at the bigger schools.

I just wanted to caution you on the shade you are throwing toward the club ball families, becauseif your son likes baseball, or any other sport, you are probably going to be facing a similar reality that we did a couple years ago.

Kinsey:

Good luck to Jeff and the other travel ball dads.

Tuesday, I had multiple people from the Dayton, Ohio area send me photos of discounted Bud Light at Kroger. Im sure theres nothing to see here. They probably run this deal all the time and Im just imagining this is how the manufacturer is moving beer as were two weeks away from Memorial Day weekend and the start of summer.

This couldnt possibly have anything to do with the fallout from its Dylan Mulvaney marketing decision, right?

John from SD writes:

It happened, it happened last night: budweiser (doesnt deserve to be capitalized) aired a new budweiser (doesnt deserve to be capitalized) commercial with a Clydesdale. Theyre on the defensive trying to look like the American beer!

Drink more Miller Light and Yuengling Light!

Anonymous writes:

Today I was out running some errands and made a stop at a corner market in what most would consider rural east TN to pick up a 6 pack of Miller Lite. Google Maps image of the store attached (lets see if any SC folks can zero in on this). Great corner country store. In the past they even sell live bait but I think theyve stopped doing that.

Anyways, as I was walking out there was a white econo-box car think Kia Soul / Nissan Juke type pulling in. It was from Eagle Distributing and had Bud Light on the door panels. I looked at the guy and chuckled as I walked to my car. He pulled in next to me, backed in so we were window-to-window. I sat in my car for a fewseconds hoping he would get out so I could talk to him. But he stayed in his car and I drove back home.

On the way home I pondered it. He looked around 40ish, typical east TN dude who probably likes UT football, hunting, goes to church, has a family, and his biggest worry used to be deciding the batting lineup for his kids little league game that night. But now heres a guy who has to bring home the bacon driving a car with Bud Light on it. I feel for him. I just feel for all the dudes out there who thought they had the beer guy job that are now being shunned. Im part of the problem I no longer buy Bud Light and stopped buying A-B products.

The CEOs explanation was weak. The language they used in their Q1 earnings call last week was beyond pathetic. The attempt to pass the buck to the marketing company was the most desperate move of all. The leadership at A-B and within the BL brand is as beta as Ive ever seen at a billion dollar corp.

I feel for the people impacted who went to work for an iconic brand thought to be indestructible, but due to no fault of their own, 99.9% of people associated with the BL brand and A-B are now all suffering. I understand the need to stay firm in our resolve to send a message, not just to A-B, but to corporations all over we buy your product for the product, not for the cause of the day/week/month/etc you want to push on us. As I drove home I felt for the guy in the Bud Light car. I dont know the answer, but we MUST remain vigilant in sending this message.

Take care, and congrats on the smoking start to your coaching career. Put a few of these blowout seasons together and who knowsthe Mud Hens might need a bench coach soon. Oh, and a shout-out to the Elizabeth Hurley material nice to see some women who are older than myoldest.

Mike T. writes:

Tastes like Bud Light.

David C. writes:

Dont know if your having this problem Joe.

Kinsey:

I have three Lukes so that becomes an issue at time, but I escaped the TikTok moms going nuts with the den names. That all could change down the road if I end up coaching my youngest sons teams.

Craig B. from Kirkland, WA writes:

In response to Nick C. advice request, here are some thoughts.

In general, downtown Seattle has gone to the dumps in the last 5 years thank youcovid and liberal government. Theres no need to go to the downtown core or shopping area. Its truly sad as this used to be an amazing city with a vibrant downtown.

I am assuming the trip is in the summer so I would suggest the following:

A couple of day trip suggestions:

Hoping Nicks family gets some great weather and we are hoping that they will make a concerted effort to clean up Seattle this summer with the All-Star game coming to T-Mobile Park.

Florida Chris B. writes:

We were in the PNW last fall, and I have a suggestion: Skip Seattle except for the airport. Get a car and take a ferry ride over to the Olympic Peninsula, where you can visit the Olympic National Park. Its cleaner, less overrun with homeless 22-y-o junkies, and an altogether better experience. The best spot for a base camp is Sequim.

Culturally, Seattle doesnt have anything you cant also see in Miami, except for the Paul Allen Rock and Roll Museum or whatever they call it and that played-out fish market. (Actually, from the airport you dont even need a ferry but its not a bad way to get across the Sound.)

James M. in Poulsbo, WA writes:

Im writing to offer some suggestions to Nick C. in Miami whos going on an Alaska cruise and wanted some suggestions in Seattle.

Its been awhile since Ive played tourist in Seattle, but here are my two cents.

Places to avoid:

The area around the McDonalds on 3rd & Pine. There was a bunch of drug activity.

Places to visit/see:

-Pike Place Market (youll see the flying fish place they show whenever there is a primetime Seahawks game).

-The gum wall (at Pike Place Market as well)

-Space Needle

-Tour of Lumen Field and/or T-Mobile Park

-The big ferris wheel

Places to eat:

-Ivars Acres of Clams

-Seattle teriyaki at one of the many Seattle teriyaki joints, there used to be thousands in the city (its to Seattle like cheese steaks are to Philadelphia and Chicago dogs are to Chicago). Heres a video:

Keith W. writes:

I can help answer Herbs question about construction zones and orange barrels. Im a traffic engineer by trade .yes my job can be boring!

Basically the orange barrels are temporary traffic control devices to help protect a construction work zone. They are placed in a specific manner depending on several factors and regulated by the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

From the sounds of it as Herb described, I would bet they are actually 40 feet apart along his stretch of 3 miles, which is also the typical distance between lane line stripes on a road (from middle of stripe to middle of stripe, or front to front, or end to end). What I cant answer is why they are there constantly in Herbs area without any construction activities.

Maybe the road is not completed and ready for vehicles, so they need to keep the lane closed even with no construction going on. Work zone safety is pretty important (have you seen how many insane drivers there are out there?), but construction is also frustrating and annoying.

Mike T. in Idaho knows I like to visualize statistics:

Guy G. puts things in perspective for newbies who might think they dont belong because they have properties that differ from suburban properties:

Joe, youve set up ScreenCaps for everyone. We get to get together every day, and start it with solid information, a couple chuckles, and comradery that we cant get every day in our off-line lives. This leads me to Chris in VA, and is lawn.

Most guys in this league, have smaller properties, that they can pamper, overseed with rye to get that extra green late into the season, and edge their driveways and sidewalks. Out here in the sticks near Buffalo, NY., Im mowing 20+ acres. I cant possibly think about taking every weed out, or edging the driveway. I have a bocce court and a chipping green that I can do that with, but the cost and time would be overbearing on the size that I mow. Plus Mrs. G needs dandelions for syrup, salads and other odd things I wont eat.

I take great pride in my lawn, but it will look awful until mid June. I spent last night cutting and rolling the back yard, and there are places that look like mud pits. It is for the greater good, as it will come around, but not look anything like the suburban lots.

Take pride in your work in progress, and enjoy the weekends off with that view!

Zach G. writes:

Lets start right away: one night a week, cant do it right now. Coming from a guy born and raised say, 60 miles west of you (just outside New Castle) mowing one night a week right now, youll be bailing. Ive mowed Thursday and today and should be raking right now. Yet here I am emailing you and screaming for the over

Love what youre doing, but get me a multi day mowing league sticker.

Kinsey:

Nobody said anything about one-day-a-week. Its not uncommon for league members to mow on Thursday and Monday in the spring/early summer. The key is that youre not mowing on Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning, or Sunday afternoon so you can enjoy life.

Dave B. writes:

Found on Facebook.

Dane in Missouri writes with advice for Steve E. on overseeding:

Im certainly not an expert in overseeding or lawn care in general, but I can say its made a massive difference in my yard. Between overseeding and putting in a sprinkler system, its really brought my yard back from the dead. Couple pieces of advice that Ive learned having gone through it the last couple years:

1. Its best done in the fallmid to late September. This will allow the new grass opportunityto grow before winter, but itll be cooler than earlier in the year.

2. If youre doing aeration, just come to grips with the fact that the yard will look pretty rough for a few weeks after you do it. Have patience, itll get better.

3. Water like your life depends on it. We put in a sprinkler system after we bought our house to help bring the lawn back and it paid for itself during the month or so after we overseeded. Seriously, if youre not watering morning and evening for about 2-4 weeks after overseeding, youre running the risk of wasting your money. Its a chore and isnt cheap, but its absolutely necessary.

FIrst pic is my yard right after we bought our house, and the second is a year later after doing the overseeding in the fall of year 1 and having the sprinkler system installed. We did it again in the fall of year 2 and it filled in the last few areas that were having trouble growing in. As long as you water religiously, I think its worth every penny! Good luck.

Jim M. in Rhode Island writes:

Simple overseeding, dont overspend or over complicate

-Rent aerator for half a day

-Aerate once, seed..aerate again, seed.. Make sure youre pulling plugs with soil on them (this will eliminate the step of topdressing.

-Small lawn so rake it out as even as you can.

Roll it. I roll with the wheels of my lawn tractor, works good. Better if you have an ATV with knobby tires (pushes seed down better)

-Get a good seed mixture, best Ive found is Scotts fall mix. Do Not! get anything with annual rye! Spread starer fertilizer and water twice a day.

Notes- dont pick up anything, just roll. As long as the area is smooth that stuff will break down into organic matter. If you put down pre emergent already (crabgrass control) you cannot seed for 3 months, and cannot use that grass for compost pile or compost in the garden. U can use weed control after new grass hardens off (after you cut it 2 or 3 times.

U guys gonna get sick of my stupid lawn pics, lol!

That should be plenty to chew on this morning. The sun is out, the birds are in full migration mode, the Mothers Day weekend weather report got much better this morning. And Spring has Sprung.

Go have an amazing day at work and let it start to sink in that youre closing in on two weeks until you take the camper to the lake. Buckle down!

Email: joekinsey@gmail.com

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Alica Schmidt - The World's Hottest Track Athlete - Is Ready To Start ... - OutKick

Plans for the 930,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Maidencreek Township. (READING EAGLE-KEITH DMOCHOWSKI)

Residents are appealing an attempt by developers to fast-track the approval of a land use application for plans to build a 930,000-square-foot warehouse at Route 222 and Schaeffer Road in Maidencreek Township.

Developer Maiden Creek Associates advertised a notice of deemed approval early in April, which claims that a conditional use application for the plans is deemed approved according to state law, due to the supervisors failure to comply with the rules for conditional-use hearings.

A township hearing on the application has been ongoing since late November.

Attorneys for the developers have repeatedly criticized township officials for allowing what they said was irrelevant and excessive cross-examination from about 20 residents opposing the plans who are parties to the proceedings.

Residents claim they have a right to ask detailed questions about a project they worry will significantly worsen traffic and road safety, and lower their quality of life.

The developers stepped up their criticism of the townships handling of the hearing in February, filing a lawsuit against Maidencreek for allowing the hearing to proceed with questioning they contend is inappropriate, irrelevant, beyond scope, or used to present the opposition partys case.

The notice of deemed approval is the developers latest attempt at remedying conduct theyve claimed amounts to a violation of their right to due process.

Township solicitor Eric Frey noted at a meeting in April that the township believes the deemed approval is not warranted.

There was nothing done improper by the township, Frey said of Maidencreeks handling of the hearings.

Frey noted at the meeting that the township is not legally allowed to start an appeal of the deemed approval, and that a member of the public would have to step forward and file a challenge.

A residents group opposing the warehouse said an appeal against the approval was filed April 28.

Township officials said they asked Berks County Court to discard the deemed approval.

Officials said a ruling by the court is pending.

Conditional use approval would not guarantee approval of the final plans, which still need to be reviewed by the township, as well as county and state agencies.

The conditional-use hearing continued April 26 with developers calling two expert witnesses to give testimony.

The first was Fred Ebert of Ebert Engineering Inc. in Montgomery County, who testified about the proposed warehouses plans for a fire suppression system.

Supervisor Heidi Fiedler objected to Ebert as an expert in fire suppression, claiming his resume lacked expertise relevant to the design of fire suppression systems.

Ebert said his report covered the ability of the system to provide necessary water storage, pressure and flow to a sprinkler system, and that the sprinklers themselves are designed by manufacturers, not civil engineers.

The supervisors voted 2-1 in favor of accepting Ebert as an expert witness, with Fiedler voting no.

Ebert said the design of the fast response fire suppression system exceeds the requirements laid out by the National Fire Protection Association.

The code requires a minimum of 60 minutes of fire protection, Ebert said. Weve doubled that. Were providing 120 minutes.

He said the system includes an independent storage tank that can be refilled by the public water system, which would extend that time.

This is a very robust system that does not rely on a single source of water, Ebert said.

Fiedler questioned whether the Maidencreek water system would be able to supply enough water in the event of a sustained fire.

You as a township adopted a code and established a minimum guideline (for water capacity), Ebert said. I have doubled that capacity. If theres a greater concern, the onus is on the township to change the code.

Several residents also asked questions about the qualities and capabilities of the fire system.

Next to testify was Mike Baltrusaitis, an expert in environmental, public health and occupational safety compliance with Pennoni, a Scranton-based engineering firm.

Baltrusaitis said he reviewed the warehouse projects impact on environmental performance standards laid out in the townships zoning rules, including standards on vibration levels, air quality impact, electromagnetic interference, storage of hazardous materials, glare, heat and waste generation.

He said he found no compliance issues with the project, and that it adhered to required standards.

The next hearing is scheduled for May 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the Willow Creek Elementary School auditorium.

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Residents appeal Maidencreek warehouse developers move to fast-track land use approval - Reading Eagle

RICHMOND, Va., Dec.10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Conserva Irrigation, the only national outdoor irrigation company founded on the concept of water conservation, announced today it has eclipsed 100 territories and signed franchise agreements to grow in Northwest Portland, Oregon; Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas; Northwest Houston, Texas; and Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania. Now operating in 107 territories across the country, the largest franchisor in the irrigation industry is prepared for explosive growth in 2021.

"This is an exciting achievement for Conserva Irrigation and despite a turbulent year filled with plenty of obstacles, we've been able to grow our footprint to more than 100 territories across the country," said Russ Jundt, founder of Conserva Irrigation. "Our company offers the best product and service in the industry and it's our passion for finding a solution to water waste that has allowed us to stand out as a leader. We're eager to continue this momentum in 2021."

Labeled as an essential business amid the pandemic, Conserva Irrigation's rapid growth can be credited to innovation, teamwork and culture, as well as Jundt's creation of a proprietary process to audit irrigation systems. The "System Efficiency Score" rates the water efficiency of a system based on a numerical scale allowing for homeowners to understand how much water their sprinkler systems are wasting, as well as what improvements need to be made to reduce water consumption and lower water bills.

In addition to helping customers save water, Conserva Irrigation operates underneath the Outdoor Living Brands umbrella and remains the only environmentally responsible irrigation company with a franchise business model focused primarily on providing repair and maintenance services for commercial and residential sprinkler systems.

"It's been a privilege to be part of Conserva Irrigation's journey and we feel fortunate that the unprecedented events in 2020 haven't impeded our franchisees' success," said Chris Grandpre, chairman & CEO of Outdoor Living Brands. "Conserva Irrigation operates in an industry that has grown to more than $7B in revenue and its always been our vision to build this brand into an industry leader and the household name around the country. Reaching 100 territories in just over three years is just another step in achieving that goal. Our goals for 2021 include opening another 50 territories adding to Conserva Irrigation's footprint across the United States."

In addition to reaching its newest milestone, Conserva Irrigation recently jumped more than 1,400 spots in this year's Inc.5000 ranking, which lists companies based on their percentage of revenue growth from 2016 to 2019. In addition, Conserva Irrigation experienced its highest sales months in June and July 2020 since the company's inception in 2010. With a successful track record and growing number of franchisees, Conserva Irrigation has remained nimble to sustain company growth and even launched a virtual franchisee training this year that includes in-depth videos showing franchisees how to use the irrigation equipment while maintaining social distancing requirements.

Conserva Irrigation is looking to expand further throughout the United States and is seeking single- and multi-unit operators with a range of corporate experience, as well as those looking for add-on or conversion business opportunities. Incentives are also available for veterans, multi-territory agreements and those with existing businesses.

For more information about franchise opportunities with Conserva Irrigation, visit ConservaIrrigation.com, IrrigationFranchise.comorOutdoorLivingBrands.com

About Conserva IrrigationFounded as a franchise in 2017, Conserva Irrigation is the only national outdoor irrigation company founded on the principle of water conservation. The brand is part of Outdoor Living Brands, a market-leading franchisor of premium residential and commercial outdoor living services. With 107 territories operating across the country and growing, Conserva Irrigation is helping home and business owners reduce water consumption through its use of a proprietary irrigation auditing system and water-efficient irrigation products. Conserva Irrigation recently debuted on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2020 Franchise 500 list at #296, followed by recognition in Entrepreneur's 2020 Top New Franchises list at #7. Additionally, the brand was recognized among Financial Times' 2020 America's Fastest Growing Companies list and the Inc. 5000 2020 ranking. For more information about Conserva Irrigation, visit https://www.conservairrigation.com/or OutdoorLivingBrands.com.

Contact:Matt RitterFish Consulting954-893-9150mritter@fish-consulting.com

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Conserva Irrigation Eclipses 100 Territories with Expansion in Oregon, Texas and Pennsylvania - Inside NoVA

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State tax-credit program will help Westmoreland County Food Bank add sprinklers - TribLIVE

Lisa Redmond| The Millbury-Sutton Chronicle

Owner says complaintsmiscommunication

MILLBURY Two months after the town issued a cease-and-desist order against The Care Factory, closing the cannabis-focused art studio and event venue at 175 West Main St., one selectman said she has received numerous complaints that the venue is planning a ladies' pole dancing contest.

Selectman Mary Krumsiek received numerous complaints about the business including an email, which she forwarded to the police chief, that advertises for staff for aladies' pole dancingcontest.

At the Dec. 8 meeting, selectman chairman Mary Krumsiek reported she has received numerous complaints about the business including an email, which she forwarded to the police chief, that advertises for staff for the contest.

But Joe Dion, owner and operator of The Care Factory, told the Millbury-Sutton Chronicle, this is a case of miscommunication.

The pole dancing is nothing risqu, he said. Rather, its a ladies-only event for women who want to have fun and get exercise, Dion said. Pole dancing or pole fitness is an intensive body workout.

Dion opened The Care Factory about a year ago after sinking about $100,000 into his portion of the former mill building. He plans on buying the property. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, his venue is currently closed to the public, he said.

But he is making plans, such as lining up events and hiring staff, so that when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, he can open his 5,000-square-foot space to artists and events of all kinds.

Dion, a cannabis consultant to dispensaries, said he wants to work with the town to turn his venue into something no one has seen before, a flexible studio for art and music, an art gallery and event space.

We strive to complement the creative renaissance in local and global cannabis, hip hop, fashion and tech communities, according to the business' website http://www.carefactoryma.com.

The Care Factory is about creative expression, he said.

Its not a nightclub, he said.

Dion admits there was an incident in October when a guest, who had too much of the free alcohol, hit another guest with a bottle.

The Millbury police log notes that Oct. 16 around 9p.m. the police were called to The Care Factory for a disturbance. Hours later about 2:30a.m. Oct. 17police, again, responded to the location for a disturbance for a report of an assault and battery.

It was bad publicity, sure, but it was one small thing, Dion said.

At the boards Oct. 27 meeting, Acting Town Manager Sean Kelley told the selectmen the event at The Care Factory was terminated by the police and the building inspector, who issued a cease-and-desist order due to issues related to the sprinkler system in the converted former mill building.

Kelley took a hard line stating, We were not going to allow a Station nightclub incident in Millbury, referring to the 2003 fire started by pyrotechnics set off inside the Station nightclub in Rhode Island that left 100 people dead and 230 people injured. Fire officials concluded that a sprinkler system in the club would have saved many lives.

But, Kelley acknowledged that after meeting with all the parties and town officials it appeared there was a miscommunication between the landlord, the tenant and the event organizer.

Dion said his attorney is working with town officials to resolve any issues pertaining to the certificate of occupancy and the sprinkler system. He wants to work with the town and be a good neighbor.

What people dont see are his quiet acts of altruism such as spending $3,000 to provide Thanksgiving to the homeless in the area or raising $13,000 last Christmas to make sure 10 families could celebrate the holiday.

At the Dec. 8 board meeting, new Town Manager Sean Hendricks said he was told that when there are confirmed violations (at The Care Factory), weve gone and rattled their cage a little bit and it goes quiet for a couple of weeks and then they sort of rear their heads, again.

Hendricks said he will look into this latest issue and if there are violations, I think we are down to the third strike. We are at the point where (the town) has given them as many opportunities as we can to be compliant.

The town manager said he will be taking more decisive action in the near future, using law enforcement, inspections and from an administrative standpoint.

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Town manager says The Care Factory facing its third strike' - Millbury-Sutton Chronicle

In marine applications, DESMIs FineFog Fixed Water-Based Firefighting systems offer a safe, low-pressure alternative. After years of success in Asian-built ships, DESMI is now bringing its efficient firefighting products to the European market.

In Asia, DESMI is known not only for its pumps but also for its firefighting systems. More than 180 such systems are supplied to ship owners around the globe though most of these are for ships built in China. There have not been so many installations in European shipyards, so DESMIs Marine and Offshore Sales Manager, Christian Mellergaard wants to reach out to European ship owners and shipyards to change this.

They mainly know us for our pumps and might not know we offer these highly efficient firefighting systems which of course include our pumps and offer some great advantages, he says.

DESMI has the following types of firefighting systems available:

The benefits of FineFog

For machinery spaces, DESMI offers its low-pressure, water-based FineFog system. FineFog dispenses a mist like a fog. You can kill the fire much easier with mist than by just pouring water on it. These millions of small droplets absorb much more heat, and oxygen is displaced locally at fire source. As a result, an inerting effect is generated, effectively killing the fire, Christian says.

Ships will benefit from the automatic system around high-risk objects like combustion machinery, oil-fired boilers or burners, incinerators or purifiers for heated oil fuel. If there is an oil spill that catches fire, then the FineFog nozzles above that application are activated based on a signal from flame detector or smoke detector and the alarm sounds. The crew can still enter the room and continue with conventional firefighting with hoses. Or, if necessary, they can release the total flooding mechanism in engine rooms up to 5036 m3.

And that's where our system has a big advantage over gas-based firefighting systems like CO2, Christian says. While CO2 systems are effective, they come with a risk to human life. With CO2, if you have a fire on your engine room, you first need to evacuate everybody because otherwise the gas will suffocate them. And you have to make sure ventilation is shut off, and the room is completely sealed off. You must also ensure that all machinery in the engine room is stopped. This can take several minutes. In this time, a minor fire can grow quite large, he says. You only have one shot with CO2 you can only release the system once. And also, CO2 has no cooling effect. So that actually means, the fire could reignite very easily. And afterward, you cant go into the engine room or confined space for several hours. You need to be totally sure that the fire is put out first before restarting ventilation of the engine room.

DESMIs FineFog total flooding by water mist offers a great alternative. You can just start it right away. You can activate the main system, and people can be present, if needed it doesn't kill them. It's just water. And its non-toxic. And theres plenty of it. At the same time, you have the cooling effects. That's one of the big advantages. Its effective, it only uses minimal flow rates, and it's easy.Pump from a freshwater tank or sea chest. The maintenance is easy compared to the regular inspections you need to do with CO2 installations. And you dont need extra room for all these CO2 bottles.

Image: The FineFog kills the fire with millions of tiny droplets of water, absorbing heat and oxygen.

Protecting accommodation areas

For living areas, hallways, and other accommodation areas like cafeterias, DESMI offers its automatic water sprinkler system. The most common is a conventional wet-pipe system, meaning the piping is filled with pressurized water from a dependable source. It runs with low pressure.

It starts locally Only sprinklers above or adjacent to the fire are activated to avoid water damage. Its very effective. In most cases, it will kill the fire in a very short time and maybe only with two or three sprinklers active.

A similar, dry pipe system is available for areas where the water in the piping would be subject to freezing. In such a system, air or nitrogen fills the pipes until a fire activates the sprinklers. In that case, air escapes from the pipes and activates the dry pipe valve, causing water to flow from the activated sprinklers.

Image: The water sprinkler system for accommodation can in most cases kill the fire in a very short time with only a few sprinklers active.

Low expansion foam

DESMIs low expansion foam firefighting system protects oil and chemical tanker deck areas, helidecks, or other open deck areas (like loading areas) and closed, horizontal spaces like streamer reel and purifier room. Water will not kill an oil fire. Instead you can apply foam, and this will form a floating blanket. There is no vapor from the oil and the foam also cools the area.

The pressurized foam is delivered by a foam pump or from a tank to a mixing device. Then it is aerated and sprayed directly onto the areas of the fire.

Images: DESMI low-expansion foam firefighting system

Water spray system

DESMI also offers a water spray/deluge/drencher system with open nozzles. It is activated by a fire detection system, opening a deluge valve and letting water flow simultaneously from all the open sprinklers in a specific section. Deluge systems are used for protection against rapidly spreading, high-hazard fires on for example RO-RO and RO-PAX vessels.

Image: Deluge system working on a ferry car deck

Water spray is used to cool fires, and for crew protection on for example gas carriers or chemical tankers, where you cool down the whole deck area and surfaces with water spray. Water spray is also required on vessels transporting class 1 material like containers and open hatch general cargo vessels.

Images: Water spray systems (white piping) for gas carrier and chemical tanker PO deck area.

For self-unloading vessels, water spray is used to kill or suppress fires in material and offloading equipment. Systems can also be installed for dust suppression on these self-unloading vessels.

Images: Water spray in use at a C-Loop system for self-offloading vessel dust suppression, outside and inside views.

The low-pressure advantage

Christian Mellergaard says that of all the advantages of the DESMI firefighting system, the biggest is a low-pressure (max 16-bar) system. Its easy to install and you can use galvanized piping, which is cheaper. Its high precision, the maintenance is easier. This is where DESMI has an advantage over many of the other systems.

In addition, up-to-date development ensures rule compliance and system reliability.

These include regulations from the International Maritime Organizations Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), the international convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and other regulations from Classification and Flag Authorities.

Plus, he adds, the system is designed with DESMIs own pumps and controls in mind. So, we calculate the pump sizes and design the system and make the drawings for the shipyards. And as you know, there are a lot of pumps on a vessel. DESMI can supply these, too. So, we can make an attractive package offer for both pumps and fire system.

Read more here:
The benefits of DESMI onboard firefighting systems - The Motorship

As the cooler weather sets in, grass and plants require less water than during our spring and summer months. Water loss due to transpiration and evaporation decreases as does the growth of the typical Florida landscape.

Some of the common grasses in a Florida landscape are: Bahia (the only drought tolerant grass designated by University of Florida), St. Augustine, Zoysia, and Bermuda. These grasses go dormant as temperatures decrease. Temperatures averaging 82 degrees or less keep these grasses in their dormant stage. Your grass may still remain green during this time.

So what does this mean for you as you continue to want to keep a beautiful lush Florida lawn? Simple. Practice wise water use. You dont want to water inefficiently as this will matter come spring time. Overwatering stresses your lawn. First you should adjust your irrigation system to water one day a week. This will continue to keep the roots healthy receiving the needed nutrients for a nice return in the spring. A typical Florida grass needs approximately 1-inch of water per week to keep it healthy.

This is also a great time to go through your system to make sure there are no broken heads, emitters spraying sidewalks, driveways, your neighbors yard or possibly finding out that there is a hidden program on your controller that is costing you extra money and wasting water.

When spring returns you should always go back through your system and adjust the sprinklers, check for leaks, and make sure your programming is set for the change of weather. It will definitely be warmer and chances are you will need to go back to the 2 day a week schedule.

Checklist to go by for proper irrigation check:

1. Check controller for correct time, date, and day.

2. Manually turn on each zone: Check for proper pressure (low pressure could indicate a line break or a possible missing sprinkler head). Check for proper rotation for rotor sprinkler heads and adjust these to perform efficiently. You dont want to be watering impervious surfaces like the road or sidewalk. Adjust fixed sprays in the same manner.

3. Replace heads that are overgrown with grass and cannot pop up to irrigate properly. St. Augustine should have 6 inch heads and sprays. Some of you probably had your system installed with 4 inch heads or sprays, if this is the case it would be better to replace these with 6 inch ones. This will definitely help with the overall appearance of your lawn.

4. Check and clean filters for all rotors and sprays. If you have Netafim (micro-irrigation), then clean this filter also.

5. Reprogram your controller for the necessary allowance of water per zone. Typically, rotors are set on average for 30 minutes and sprays are set for 15 minutes. Many of you also have the new Netafim, which usually waters on average of 45 minutes. This can be cut back as plants become established. Some Netafim zones can be completely cut off as they are irrigating Florida Friendly Plants.

6. Keep in mind plants have grown or in some cases have died off due to weather or disease. So areas might need different irrigation times depending on the situation. Adjust these areas as necessary.

7. Replace the battery backup on your controller. The battery backup does not operate the controller but keeps run times and start times in the controller in the event of a power outage. This will stop the system reverting back to a default setting.

Need help?

Your Water Conservation Team at Toho Water Authority can assist and advise on your irrigation needs. We conduct Irrigation Evaluations in our service area. Please call us at 407-944-5121.

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Water less in the winter - Skip a week - Osceola News-Gazette