Public Meeting Arranged for Briefing on Coromandel Great Walks Project.

A public meeting has been arranged to provide an update on the Proposed Cathedral Coast Walk, which is part of our Coromandel Great Walks Project.

Everyone is invited to the meeting at the Hahei Community Hall onSaturday 29 November, from 10am until midday.

"This is a chance for us to share with everyone where we're at with the Walks project and to discuss parking issues around Hahei," says Garry Towler, Council's spokesperson on the Proposed Cathedral Coast Walk. "We need to talk about the impact that increasing visitor numbers is having on Hahei and how we can best manage it short and long term," says Mr Towler.

The Proposed Cathedral Coast Walkway is being developed in partnership with DOC and local iwi Ngati Hei. Stage 1A and 1B of the Cathedral Coast Walk is approximately 10km in length from the iconic "Blowhole," at Te Pupuha Recreation Reserve at Hahei through to the Purangi Estuary at Cooks Beach. It takes in DOC estate, Council reserve and QE2 Trust land. A private section of land at Lees Rd is also being negotiated, which will help to provide additional car parking for anyone wanting to walk the route.

"While the public meeting is primarily as an update on the Walk project and parking around Hahei, DOC are also coming along to give an update on its Integrated Plan for Cathedral Cove and Hahei," says Mr Towler.

WRC has also been invited along with Council staff and elected members from our Mercury Bay Area office.

One of the next steps in the Proposed Cathedral Coast Walk project will be finalising the names of a working group , made up of permanent Hahei residents, non-permanent residents, the Hahei Business Association and Coastal Walkways. This group will be the major forum through which the Hahei community and stakeholders can table views and issues and report back to the Project Governance Group, which is made up of our Council, DOC and local iwi Ngati Hei.

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Briefing on Coromandel Great Walks Project

By MELISSA MURPHY AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - Jason Collins, the first openly gay player in one of the four major North American professional leagues, announced his retirement Wednesday after 13 years in the NBA.

"It's time and I'm very much looking forward to the next steps," Collins said during a press conference Wednesday before the Brooklyn Nets played the Milwaukee Bucks.

The 35-year-old Collins disclosed his plans earlier in a first-person story for Sports Illustrated. It's the same forum he used in April, 2013, to publicly reveal his sexuality. He was signed by the Nets in February and played 22 games for the team.

Collins said he decided to retire over the summer and had been trying to determine how to make the announcement. He chose Wednesday because he was going to be in New York on business and attending the game to watch his former teammate and coach, Jason Kidd, coach the Bucks.

"After last season, especially over the summer, my body was talking to me like it does to all professional athletes after a certain while," Collins said. "It's a young man's game and Father Time is undefeated. Got another one."

Collins started his career with the New Jersey Nets in 2001 and rejoined the franchise in Brooklyn last February. He revealed at the end of the 2013 season that he is gay, but was a free agent and remained unsigned until the Nets needed another big man.

They turned to the 7-foot Collins, who helped them reach the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. He signed a 10-day contract, playing his first game as an out gay man on Feb. 23 on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers to a warm ovation. He stayed the rest of the season.

Nets general manager Billy King congratulated Collins on a "distinguished NBA career" in a statement.

"He was an integral part of the back-to-back Eastern Conference Championship teams," King said. "We wish him well as he embarks on a new chapter in his career."

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Collins, NBA's 1st openly gay player, retires

The Fairfield Senior Center is looking for middle school and high school students willing to shovel snow for senior citizens and the disabled -- either as volunteers or for pay.

The center said it wants to build a network of youths in grades six through 12 who could be enlisted to shovel walkways, sidewalks, steps and driveways for older residents.

Scout troops and other youth groups interested in volunteer community-service opportunities would be ideal, according to senior center officials, but the network also could match youths with seniors willing to pay shovelers.

For paid snow removal, fees would be negotiated by the shoveler and the customer, the senior center said, but it suggested fees of $10 per hour.

The shoveler network has been proposed in response to what the senior center said were "numerous" calls to the first selectman's office over the past two winters from seniors looking for help clearing snow from their walks and driveways.

No goal has been set for the number of enlisted shovelers, and the center said it had no estimate of how many seniors and disabled might use the service if it is offered.

Fairfield has nearly 9,000 residents age 64 and older, according to the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, about 15 percent of its population.

The senior center envisions a system under which youths would register as shovelers, and their names and contact information would be given to seniors or disabled people who call the center seeking shovelers.

Seniors would be responsible for providing shovels, ice scrapers and other equipment needed to do the job, the center said. Shovelers would have to provide their own transportation to each job.

To register, a student would have to submit a permission form signed by a parent allowing the center to share the youth's name and contact information with seniors. Parents would have to provide health insurance to cover any injury or illness sustained while shoveling, and they would have to sign a waiver of liability, the senior center said.

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Student snow-shovelers sought to match with seniors, disabled

By JOSEF FEDERMAN Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) - Streets are subdued, marketplaces are quiet and people are on edge in Jewish areas of Jerusalem, where Arabs have been using meat cleavers, guns, screwdrivers and even their cars in deadly, small-scale attacks.

The holy city - which Israel says must forever stay united - has rarely seemed more divided.

In their 47th year of occupation, Palestinians are seething with anger over neglect and discrimination, continued Jewish settlement in their areas, and a belief, despite official denials, that Israel is scheming to take over their most revered site.

This anger, coupled with Jewish fears of further violence, has left the city's 800,000 residents apprehensive, seemingly united in the belief that things will get worse before they get better.

"I'm really not safe, and before leaving the house I think twice," said Sara Levi, a 22-year-old stay at home mother. "We are not calm, and we hope there is going to be an end to this, and that it is not just a beginning."

Levi spoke as she waited at a stop for Jerusalem's light rail train - a frequent target of Palestinian violence. The trains, meant to serve as a symbol of a united city, are frequently pelted with stones when passing through Palestinian areas. There have been two deadly attacks in recent weeks by ramming cars into crowded stations.

In a separate attack, a Palestinian gunman on a motorcycle shot and seriously wounded a prominent Jewish activist who has pushed for greater Jewish access to the city's most sensitive holy site - the hilltop compound known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary.

The violence reached a new turning point Tuesday when two Palestinian attackers burst into a crowded synagogue during morning prayers, killing four worshippers and a policeman with the meat cleavers and gunfire. It was the deadliest attack in the city since 2008, and gruesome pictures of blood-covered holy books and prayer shawls shocked a country long accustomed to political violence.

Those deaths brought to 11 the number of people killed by Palestinian attacks - most of them in Jerusalem - but also in Tel Aviv and the West Bank in recent weeks. At least five Palestinians involved in the attacks were killed.

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Divided Jerusalem: Attacks put holy city on edge

By JIM KUHNHENN and ERICA WERNER Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - In a broad test of his executive powers, President Barack Obama declared Wednesday he will sidestep Congress and order his own federal action on immigration - in measures that could spare from deportation as many as 5 million people illegally in the U.S. and set up one of the most pitched partisan confrontations of his presidency.

Obama declared that Washington has allowed America's immigration problem "to fester for too long."

The president will use an 8 p.m. EST address Thursday to announce his measures and will sign the executive actions during a rally in Las Vegas on Friday. In doing so, Obama will be taking an aggressive stand that he had once insisted was beyond his presidential power.

As many as 5 million people in the country illegally are likely to be protected from deportation and made eligible for work permits under the plan. They would not have a path to citizenship, however, and the actions could be reversed by a new president in two years. Officials said the eligible immigrants would not be entitled to federal benefits - including health care tax credits - under Obama's plan.

The 5 million estimate includes extending deportation protections to parents and spouses of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have been in the country for five years. The president also is likely to expand his 2-year-old program that protects young immigrants from deportation. The administration had considered extending the executive action to parents of young immigrants covered under the 2012 Obama directive, but immigration advocates said they did not expect the parents to be included in the final plan.

"What I'm going to be laying out is the things that I can do with my lawful authority as president to make the system better, even as I continue to work with Congress and encourage them to get a bipartisan, comprehensive bill that can solve the entire problem," Obama said in a video on Facebook.

Laying the groundwork for his actions, Obama invited 18 Democratic members of the House and Senate - but no Republicans - to dinner at the White House on Wednesday. Among the networks airing his Thursday speech will be Univision, which will interrupt the Latin Grammys to carry his remarks, assuring him a huge Spanish-speaking audience. The major broadcast networks - ABC, CBS and NBC - were not planning to air the speech, but cable news networks were.

Obama is to speak at Las Vegas' Del Sol High School on Friday, a school with a large population of non-English speaking students where Obama unveiled his blueprint for comprehensive immigration legislation in 2013.

Republicans vehemently oppose the president's likely actions but are deeply divided and have spent much of the week intensely debating how to respond. Some conservative members have threatened to pursue a government shutdown and one - two-term Republican Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama - raised the specter of impeachment on Wednesday.

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Obama to announce immigration steps Thursday

CHICAGOCold temperatures, heavy snow, and treacherous ice storms are all risks of the impending winter season.

Severe winter weather can be dangerous and even life-threatening for people who dont take the proper precautions, said FEMA Region V acting administrator Janet Odeshoo. Preparedness begins with knowing your risks, making a communications plan with your family and having an emergency supply kit with essentials such as water, food, flashlights and medications.

Once youve taken these steps, consider going beyond the basics of disaster preparedness with the following tips to stay safe this cold season.

Before winter approaches, add the following items to your supply kit: Winterize your winter supply kit Rock salt or other environmentally safe products to melt ice on walkways Sand to improve traction Snow shovels and other snow removal equipment Sufficient heating fuel and/or a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove Adequate clothing and blankets to keep you warm.

Stay fire safe Keep flammable items at least 3 feet from heat sources like radiators, space heaters, fireplaces and wood stoves. Plug only one heat-producing appliance (such as a space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time.

Ensure you have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home. Check it on a monthly basis. Keep warm, even when its cold outside: If you have a furnace, have it inspected now to ensure its in good working condition.

If your home heating requires propane gas, stock up on your propane supply and ensure you have enough to last an entire winter. Many homeowners faced shortages due to the record freezing winter weather last year, and this season theres the possibility of lower than normal temperatures again. Dont be caught unprepared.

Avoid the dangers of carbon monoxide by installing battery-powered or battery back-up carbon monoxide detectors.

Winterize your home to extend the life of your fuel supply by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic.

Prevent frozen pipes If your pipes are vulnerable to freezing, i.e., they run through an unheated or unprotected space, consider keeping your faucet at a slow drip when extremely cold temperatures are predicted.

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Tips to prepare now for severe winter weather ahead

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Sure Step Docks And Walkways - JIMDI, INC.

I dont mean to scare you, but Christmas is only a month and a half away. Thanksgiving is even closer.

Remember how frazzled you were last year?

Holidays bring guests, and guests no matter how welcome bring stress. But with a little preparation, you can reduce that holiday strain before the doorbell even rings.

No, Im not talking about knocking back a couple of shots of Jack Daniels. Im talking about getting your house in shape.

Nows the time to ready the guest rooms, tackle those little maintenance lapses and make sure the house is ready to accommodate a crowd.

Beth Dodson knows how important that is. The co-founder of the home management site HomeZada (www.homezada.com) remembers one holiday when her guests kept spraying themselves accidentally with a kitchen sink sprayer that had an unfortunate tendency to stick. I had a lot of wet people at Thanksgiving that year, she said with a laugh.

Dodson offered a few suggestions for readying your home for the onslaught. Start now, and youll have plenty of time to relax with that cocktail before the guests arrive.

Look for the little problems. Every house has them loose doorknobs, toilet handles that have to be held down, that sink sprayer. We get used to them, so we know how to make them work and hardly even notice them. But guests dont know our work-arounds.

Do them a favor and fix those problems before the holidays, Dodson suggested. It will save your guests the embarrassment of having to ask how to work something or, worse yet, thinking they broke it.

Address plumbing issues. With just a few people in the house, sluggish drains are an annoyance. With a crowd, theyre a flood in the making.

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Get your house ready for holiday guests

I dont mean to scare you, but Christmas is only a month and a half away. Thanksgiving is even closer.

Remember how frazzled you were last year?

Holidays bring guests, and guests no matter how welcome bring stress. But with a little preparation, you can reduce some of that holiday strain before the doorbell even rings.

No, Im not talking about knocking back a couple of shots of Jack Daniels. Im talking about getting your house in shape.

Nows the time to ready the guests rooms, tackle those little maintenance lapses and make sure the house is ready to accommodate a crowd.

Beth Dodson knows how important that is. The co-founder of the home management site HomeZada remembers one holiday when her guests kept spraying themselves accidentally with a cheap kitchen sink sprayer that had an unfortunate tendency to stick. I had a lot of wet people at Thanksgiving that year, she said with a laugh.

Dodson offered a few suggestions for readying your home for the onslaught. Start now, and youll have plenty of time to relax with that cocktail before the guests arrive.

But just one.

Look for the little problems. Every house has them loose doorknobs, toilet handles that have to be held down when youre flushing, that sticking sink sprayer. We get used to them, so we know how to make them work and hardly even notice them. But our guests dont know our work-arounds.

Do them a favor and fix those niggling problems before the holidays, Dodson suggested. It will save your guests the embarrassment of having to ask how to work something or, worse yet, thinking they broke it.

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Prepare home for holiday guests

As baby boomers continue to age, healthcare workers say there is a growing trend of seniors who want to stay in their own homes during their golden years.

I think people really desire to stay where theyre living, to stay in their own place rather than pay for a nursing home or assisted living, if its possible, said Melissa Carlson, an occupational therapist at Fremont Health. Sometimes that is a more cost effective and a more comfortable environment to be able to stay in their own home.

My primary responsibility at the hospital is I see people under home healthcare, those are people who are receiving therapy services in their home, she said. I see it all the time that people want to know how they can be safe in their home, how they can lessen the risk of falling, how things can be easier.

Lynn Lamprecht, president of Fremont-based Promedcare, recently earned certification as an Aging-in-Place Specialist, trained to help people evaluate their homes, and then work with medical professionals and general contractors to recommend modifications to make the home safer and more comfortable.

The Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist program was developed by the National Association of Home Builders.

For me, Lamprecht said, Aging-in-Place is doing the best you can to live in an environment where you want to stay. Most likely, people want to stay at home, and were trying to help them modify their home and just do simple things to help them stay at home safely for as long as they can.

Modifications can range from making the bathroom more accessible with raised toilets, grab bars, no-slip floors and easy-entrance showers and baths, to installation of elevators and lifts.

Sometimes it can be little things that dont really cost any money, Carlson said. It can be picking up throw rugs that are all over, which I see a lot of. ... Just trying to organize the environment better, and as youre thinking about the future you can think about things like adding a ramp or a rail or something. Obviously those do cost money, but you can make little changes that help make people safer in their homes too, its a start and youve got to start somewhere.

Once in a while Ill see somebody who, as theyve aged theyve lost some height, so perhaps they can no longer reach where they hung their clothes on their closet rod, so Ill make a recommendation to think about lowering that rod so you can reach it, she said.

As an occupational therapist, Carlson gets involved under a physicians order, typically after someone has suffered a medical event or health condition has developed.

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Local experts help aging baby boomers stay in their homes