Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The appointments reflect Panzuras continued focus on putting customers first, simplifying channel partner programs, strengthening financial growth, and driving greater employee engagement.

CAMPBELL, Calif. (PRWEB) January 19, 2021

Coming off the strongest year in the companys history, Panzura has announced six additions to its leadership team. Joining the company are Judy Kopa, James Seay, Joseph Hopkins, Thomas Arlington, Jim Choumas and Pablo Schneider, each of whom will bolster core initiatives. The appointments reflect Panzuras continued focus on putting customers first, simplifying channel partner programs, strengthening financial growth, and driving greater employee engagement.

This team was attracted to Panzura in part due to the burgeoning market opportunities for the company. Hybrid-cloud data management providers are becoming even more critical to digital transformation in the enterprise. Rooted in a perspective of customer service earned over more than two decades, I am excited about what we are doing at Panzura to enhance the experience of our customers and add real value to their business, said Panzuras new chief services officer James Seay.

According to a recent report by research firm DCIG, as software-defined storage (SDS) continues to accelerate enterprise adoption for data storage management, organizations are concurrently adopting hybrid cloud. The hybrid cloud market is expected to grow 20 percent incrementally by $67.62 billion through 2024. The SDS market, simultaneously trending at a compound growth rate of 27 percent, is forecast to reach $42.79 billion in the same period.

We couldnt be more proud of the diversity and world-class expertise represented by our team, said Jill Stelfox, CEO at Panzura. Together, these senior leaders bring tremendous advantage to our customers, and as true trailblazers in their fields, they offer finely honed strategic and technical acumen that will help us play the game at the highest level.

As Panzuras new chief financial officer, drawing on her strong record with large enterprises, Judy Kopa will drive plans to help scale the company as it continues on a trajectory of significant growth. Managing on-prem and cloud solutions is complex, and Seays remarkable expertise in enterprise-class cloud deployments will provide incalculable benefits to Panzura customers.

Panzuras legacy of bringing together great people to build great products has been a tremendous asset and differentiator in the market. The creative way in which weve supported our people through the pandemic attracted me to the company, said Joseph Hopkins, who assumes the new role of chief people officer.

An enthusiastic people-focused thought leader, Hopkins will align Panzuras people strategy to ensure business continuity and resilience. He will lead all aspects of people operations, including culture, employee engagement, talent acquisition, total rewards, organization development, diversity, equity and inclusion as Panzura is poised to double its staff this year. More than 70 people have joined the company in the last 6 months.

Panzuras senior management team has also been expanded to include two new vice presidents and a director. Exponentially large and complex hybrid cloud deployments require commensurate technical advances. Thomas Arlington, Panzuras new Director, Solutions Architects, is focused on pre-sale technology design, and provides critical direction on the creation, documentation and development of solutions to meet the needs of specific customers and industry use cases.

Following outstanding progress and expansion in channel relationships last year, Jim Choumas has been brought on board as Vice President, Commercial Sales. He has more than 20 years of experience building sales and channel organizations for both startups and Fortune 100 companies. Moreover, as Panzuras Vice President of Business & Corporate Development, Pablo Schneider is responsible for creating strategic business partnerships and driving new revenue sources in support of sales targets and marketing goals.

Judy KopaChief Financial OfficerJudy Kopa brings a wealth of financial leadership and business strategy experience to Panzura. Previously, she was CFO at Gigster where she contributed to the companys expansion from Services to a SaaS platform model for freelance and remote workforces. She also served as CFO for Ciscos AppDynamics business unit as well as advising and supporting the CDO to drive software and subscription strategy and monetization, and as Vice President, Global Financial Planning and Analysis for SAPs SuccessFactors cloud division.

James SeayChief Services OfficerJames Seay was general manager at DXC Technologies where he focused on vision and strategic planning to maintain existing customers and pursue new business opportunities for the energy industry in North America. He has served in leadership roles around sales, service delivery, channel development, and customer engagement for technology industry titans including Arrow Electronics, Diebold Nixdorf, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Siemens and Alcatel-Lucent.

Joseph HopkinsChief People OfficerJoseph Hopkins, a thought leader in human capital management, has crafted and led a variety of initiatives that create positive employee experiences across the technology, aerospace, healthcare and energy industries. He is recognized as a subject matter expert in championing, delivering and executing HR solutions that align to business demands and growth. Most recently, he led HR programs for DXC Technology, as well as serving as a key HR thought partner for BD and Boeing.

Thomas ArlingtonDirector, Solutions ArchitectsWith more than 15 years experience in the technology industry, Tom Arlington comes to Panzura with deep solution architecture experience in building robust strategies and techniques to manage petabytes of data and billions of files across any cloud configuration. He previously directed solutions architect for Igneous, driving exceptional public cloud services through design and development of igneouss first SaaS customers, as well as in key channel technical and engineering leadership positions with Qumulo and EMCs Isilon Storage Division.

Jim ChoumasVice President, Commercial SalesJim Choumas is an industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience in data services and modern data management. Prior to joining Panzura, he served as Vice President of Sales at Igneous. Choumas previously built Qumulos channel partner program and ecosystem as the Director of Channels for North America, and held progressively complex enterprise sales leadership and business development roles at NetApp, Fusion-io (now Sandisk), Nimbus Data, and SGI.

Pablo SchneiderVice President, Business & Corporate DevelopmentPablo Schneider brings a broad range of international business expertise to Panzura. His work has focused on helping companies grow through business development and innovation programs that advance market leadership and customer affinity. Schneiders long-time affiliations in business, media, leadership, and education include The Wider Net, APCH, Renaissance Dinners, MBN USA and WE USA, NACD, HITEC, Prospanica, Ascend, Thunderbird, Texas Lyceum, LEAD San Diego, San Diego State University, and Grossmont College.

About PanzuraPanzura is the fabric that transforms cloud storage into a global file system, allowing enterprises to use the cloud as a high performance, globally available data center. Companies all around the world in the sports, healthcare, financial services, media and entertainment, gaming, and architectural, engineering and construction industries, as well as government agencies use Panzuras fabric to manage hundreds of petabytes of data in the cloud. Visit panzura.com for more information.

# # #

Panzura is a trademark or registered trademark of Panzura LLC in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks, registered trademarks and/or logos are property of their respective owners.

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Panzura Expands Leadership With Six Key Hires to Intensify Growth Initiatives - PR Web

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KBS, one of the largest investors in premier commercial real estate in the nation, announced that it has completed a series of renovations to Granite Tower, a 31-story Class A office building in Downtown Denver, Colorado. Granite Tower is owned by KBS REIT II.

The improvements serve to activate the buildings street-level space to invite interaction with Downtown Denvers local community, in addition to providing a full slate of new indoor/outdoor amenities to enhance tenants experience at the property in preparation for a post-pandemic environment, according to Giovanni (Gio) Cordoves, Western regional president for KBS.

Our goal with the renovations to Granite Tower was to deliver office space that serves the needs of todays top tenants, says Cordoves. The renovations we have completed at this iconic property enhance its appearance and functionality while increasing its value significantly in a vital and thriving central business district.

As Denvers downtown core has boomed, companies have come to expect high-end amenities in their office space in order to attract and retain top talent for the long haul, according to Tim Helgeson, asset manager for Granite Tower and senior vice president for KBS.

New class-A commercial offerings like Granite Tower are redefining amenity norms and luring long-term tenants from aging assets, says Helgeson. KBS was astute enough to find the right time to implement the recent upgrades to this highly visible and desirable property and redefine its image in the eyes of office users, Denver residents and visitors. The renovations give both tenants and pedestrians in this market even more reason to return to the building time and again once the pandemic is behind us.

To complete the renovations to Granite Tower, KBS tapped architecture, engineering, planning and interiors firm DLR Group and architectural firm Alan Colussy Architecture, LLC to align the property competitively with nearby comparable assets, according to Jessie Johnson, architect and principal with DLR Group. The upgrades included:

After these improvements, what was formerly dark and dated at Granite Towers street level is now a new, modernized experience that is light, bright, and expansively streamlined, says Johnson. The building is now open and welcoming to pedestrians, visitors and tenants as well as visually pleasing from the interior and exterior.

The perception of this property has fundamentally changed with the recent renovations, according to Alan Colussy, principal member of Alan Colussy Architecture, LLC.

We delivered an expansion in the lobby, creating a lantern effect so that during the daytime it captures light and at night time it takes on an internal illumination that allows it to glow and come alive, says Colussy. The new amenities afford the building a clean, crisp and contemporary look that supports the propertys updated functionality. The changes also truly resonate with tenants, who increasingly bike to work and can now enter the building securely and go up to the new fitness room to shower without having to use the main entrance.

Colussy adds that he enjoyed working with KBS on the project. The company is so knowledgeable about market trends. We were dealing with very educated project managers who knew what they were doing. Its refreshing to work with that skill set. KBS also recognized the opportunity for us to do these renovations while many of its tenants were working remotely due to COVID-19, which enabled us to complete the project more quickly and efficiently than it would have in a typical year.

Originally built in 1984 as part of a four-tower block and formerly known as Stellar Plaza and Plaza Tower, Granite Tower today covers two city blocks and features 593,527 square feet of office space. The LEED Gold-certified property, which contains a 774-space, three-level parking structure with 615 spaces dedicated to its office tenants, is located a couple of minutes walk from the Ritz Carlton, in the center of Downtown Denver development, at the gateway to Denvers Lower Downtown Historic District (LoDo), and with close proximity to Coors Field and the redeveloped Union Station.

Engineering services for the renovations were completed by Columbine Engineering for MEP and Martin Martin for structural and civil services.

Granite Tower is located at 1099 18th Street in Denver, Colorado.

Click here for renovated photos of Granite Tower.

About KBS

KBS is one of the largest owners of premier commercial real estate in the nation. As a private equity real estate company and an SEC-registered investment adviser, KBS and its affiliated companies have completed transactional activity of more than $42 billion on behalf of private and institutional investors globally. Founded in 1992 by Peter Bren and Chuck Schreiber, KBS acquires and operates prime commercial real estate in some of the most successful epicenters in the country. The firm is committed in its business ethics, its business relationships and its constant focus on exceeding the expectations of its investors, partners and tenants. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply any particular level of skill or training. For more information on KBS, please visit http://www.kbs.com.

This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended including statements relating to KBS ability to invest in and manage a diverse portfolio, and the performance of Granite Tower and of the Denver real estate market. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause KBS and/or Granite Towers actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

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KBS Completes an $11 Million Renovation to an Iconic 31-Story Office Tower in Downtown Denver, Colorado - Business Wire

Portsmouth Herald

RAYMOND The chronic lack of workforce housing along New Hampshires Seacoast affects the regions businesses and municipalities, as well as working families and people with low and moderate incomes.

Yet one option that could help ease the housing squeeze, homeownership in resident-owned manufactured-home communities (ROCs), remains hidden in plain sight.

A free, online discussion,Manufactured Housing: A Solution to the Affordable Housing Crisis on the Seacoast,will be held Wednesday, Jan.27 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Register for the webinar atwww.seacoastwhc.org/happenings.The event will be recorded and posted online.

The webinar will feature speakers from the N.H. Community Loan Fund and New Hampshire Housing, as well as an opportunity for questions from attendees. It will be moderated by Sarah Wrightsman, Executive Director of the Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast.

Tara Reardon, ROC-NH Director at the Community Loan Fund, will discuss the features of modern manufactured homes, explain how ROCs offer homeowners and residents safety and security, and highlight a current opportunity at Woodbury Cooperative in Portsmouth.

Ignatius MacLellan, Managing Director of the Homeownership Division at New Hampshire Housing, will discuss the states tight housing market and how manufactured homes can help meet the demand for additional affordable housing in the state and region.

Register for the event atwww.seacoastwhc.org/happenings; a Zoom link will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.

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Manufactured housing as a solution to affordable housing crisis - Seacoastonline.com

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL January 14, 2021 Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses Residential REITs, includingMid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. MAA, American Homes 4 Rent AMH and Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc. APTS and RealPage, Inc. RP.

Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/1245892/3-residential-reit-stocks-struggling-to-escape-pandemic-blues

The choppiness in rental housing demand in higher cost and urban/infill markets amid the flexible working environment, low mortgage rates, along with elevated deliveries will continue to affect cash flows ofREIT And Equity Trust - Residentialconstituents in the days to come.

Nevertheless, the healthy demand in the Sunbelt markets and sub-urban locations, as well as the new wave of demand for single-family rentals amid the health crisis have been the saving grace for a number of residential REITs, includingMid-America Apartment Communities,American Homes 4 Rent andPreferred Apartment Communities.

The Zacks REIT And Equity Trust - Residential category is engaged in owning, developing and managing a variety of residences. The types of residences include apartment buildings, student housing, manufactured homes and single-family homes. Residential REITs rent spaces in these properties to tenants and earn rental income in return.

Rental Demand Rebounds but Varies across Markets: The U.S. apartment market witnessed solid leasing activity in the fourth quarter of 2020, per areportfrom the real estate technology and analytics firm RealPage. Typically, demand remains low during the October-December quarter, but thanks to the coronavirus pandemic that pushed this demand to the latter half of the year from the usually strong second quarter. Particularly, in the last six months of 2020, absorptions amounted to more than 234,000 units, denoting a greater chunk of the total annual volume.

Story continues

However, this demand rebound has not been even, rather, it has been varied across markets. Demand in the Sun Belt markets and the sub-urban ones has been strong, though considerable move-outs and sluggish demand were seen in gateway markets.

Even though occupancy levels held up well in December, rent changes varied across metros, with select big cities witnessing significant price reductions. Given the continuation of the work-from-home flexibility this year even with the immunization process underway, the low-density and less-expensive sub-urban sub-markets are poised to lead the overall market performance in the near-term, while the gateway markets are likely to lag.

In addition, record-low mortgage rates and the desire for spaces are spurring home sales and adversely impacting rental demand. Moreover, with higher education adopting remote-learning models and limiting on-campus activities for the near term, demand for student housing will continue to be dismal.

Elevated Deliveries of New Units and Rent Control: It is also feared that the struggle to lure renters is here to stay now, as supply volumes will likely remain elevated. Perreportfrom RealPage, following delays in project timelines, completions bounced back in the last half of 2020 and construction of almost 345,000 market-rate units were concluded in 2020, marking it the "biggest annual block of deliveries since the mid-1980s."

With around 583,000 market-rate apartments under construction and roughly 404,000 of those being slated for completion this year, with major deliveries in the gateway markets, leasing activity might be affected. In addition, new rent-control regulations have been introduced in some of the major markets in recent times, while a number of other markets are being considered for establishing such regulations in the days to come. This is likely to curb any significant growth in the top line.

Technology Adoption: Technological adoption has gathered steam amid the social-distancing trend, as the health crisis needed an almost-overnight shift to virtual operations for the continuation of business operations. However, instead of focusing on apps catering to a specific purpose, landlords are now emphasizing more on existing technologies and supplements aimed at driving revenues, cut costs and improve operating margins, as well as enhance customer experience.

Rent Collection Woes and Concession Usage: The coronavirus mayhem is also affecting the rent-paying capabilities of residential tenants. According to a RealPagereport, rent collections have been disappointing in the lower-tier properties. Also, rent collections are trailing in expensive metros where financial assistance is insufficient to cover most part of the rent bill.

Though the extended unemployment benefits provided support earlier, in recent months unemployed renters have mostly relied on their savings to make rent payments but diminishing savings is straining the payment frequency. Nonetheless, short-term additional assistance to households will likely be a savior in the upcoming period.

Furthermore, use of concessions has been rampant in urban portfolios, which will likely continue in the near term amid a demand slowdown. In addition, waiving of various fees for residents, including late payments, has dampened residential REITs' top-line growth. Therefore, residential REITs with a healthier balance-sheet position and ample liquidity are poised to sail through the current turbulence.

The REIT And Equity Trust - Residential industry is housed within the broader Finance sector. It carries a Zacks Industry Rank #224, which places it at the bottom11% of more than 250 Zacks industries.

The group'sZacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates bleak near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

The industry's positioning in the bottom 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of the negative funds from operations (FFO) per share outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate FFO per share estimate revisions, it appears that analysts are losing confidence in this group's growth potential. Over the past year, the industry's FFO per share estimate for 2021 moved 15.9% south.

Before we present a few stocks that you might want to consider for your portfolio, let's take a look at the industry's recent stock-market performance and valuation picture.

The REIT And Equity Trust - Residential Industry has lagged the S&P 500 composite as well as the broader Finance sector in a year's time.

The industry has depreciated 23.3% during this period as against the S&P 500's rally of 17.6%. During the same time frame, the broader Finance sector has lost 0.4%.

On the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-FFO (funds from operations) ratio, which is a commonly-used multiple for valuing Residential REITs, we see that the industry is currently trading at 18.12X compared with the S&P 500's forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) of 23.16X. The industry is trading above the Finance sector's forward 12-month P/E of 17.22X. This is shown in the chart below.

Over the last five years, the industry has traded as high as 22.35X, as low as 15.54X, with a median of 18.56X.

Mid-America Apartment Communities: The Germantown, TN-based residential REIT is engaged in owning, acquiring, operating and selective development of apartment communities, located primarily in the Southeast, Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Healthy demand for the company's well-positioned Sunbelt properties will likely aid its performance in the days to come.

Mid-America Apartment Communities currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2021 FFO per share witnessed marginal upward revision to $6.61. The stock has also gained 10.4% over the past six months.

You can seethe complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

American Homes 4 Rent: This Agoura Hills, CA-based REIT is focused on acquiring, developing, renovating, leasing and operating attractive, single-family homes as rental properties. The company owns single-family properties in select submarkets across 22 states in the United States. Markedly, the pandemic has prompted a new wave of demand for single-family rentals, which positions the company well to deliver decent performances in the upcoming period.

The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of 3. The stock's current cash-flow growth of 9.2% compares favorably with the industry's 7.2%.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the ongoing year's FFO per share moved 1.6% north in the past week to $1.26 and calls for a year-over-year increase of 9.7%. The stock has appreciated 8.3% six months' time.

Preferred Apartment Communities: The Atlanta, GA-based REIT is mainly engaged in the ownership and operation of Class A multi-family properties, with select investments in grocery-anchored shopping centers, Class A office buildings, and student housing properties. This REIT is poised to benefit from its sub-urban Sunbelt focus.

Preferred Apartment Communities currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current-year FFO per share has been revised marginally upward in two months' time. The company's shares have rallied 35.1% over the past three months.

Note:Funds from operations (FFO) is a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs rather than net income as it indicates cash flow from their operations. FFO is obtained after adding depreciation and amortization to earnings and subtracting the gains on sales.

Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.

See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumedthat any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein andis subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportMidAmerica Apartment Communities, Inc. (MAA) : Free Stock Analysis ReportRealPage, Inc. (RP) : Free Stock Analysis ReportPreferred Apartment Communities, Inc. (APTS) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAmerican Homes 4 Rent (AMH) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

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Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights: Mid-America Apartment Communities, American Homes 4 Rent and Preferred Apartment Communities and RealPage - Yahoo...

Property values rose in both Houston and Burns Lake as of July 1, 2020, the BC Assessment Authority has determined.

Using sales market data from that July 1, 2020 date as a snapshot, the authority says a property assessment value as of that date in Houston for a single family residence was $167,250, or 10 per cent more than the $152,000 assessed value as of July 1, 2019.

The assessment authority has 787 single family residences in its system for the District of Houston.

Single family residential assessments rose even higher in Burns Lake, up 21 per cent from $148,000 as of July 1, 2019 to $180,000 on July 1, 2020.

Granisle experienced a more modest valuation increase of four per cent $61,000 as of July 1, 2019 to $64,000 on July 1, 2020.

The above values are for stick built single family residences and do not include values for manufactured homes.

In Houston, for example, valuations of manufactured homes dropped from 2020 to now.

There are 178 manufactured homes having an average value of $29,995 situated within a manufactured home park in Houston. Thats a drop of 3 per cent from the 2020 average value of $30,949. But half of those dwellings are valued at $17,924 or more this year which represents a drop of 17 per cent from the $21,600 value of 2020.

There were 46 manufactured homes not in a park and 49 manufactured homes on properties of more than two acres in size within the Districts boundaries. In each of those categories, values also dropped so that the average drop for all manufactured home classifications was 6.93 per cent.

That decline reduced the overall residential valuation increase within the District to 5.17 per cent.

In the rural area surrounding Houston and reaching toward Granisle, called Area G within the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, the overall residential class value increased from $96.268 million to $113.694 million, a jump of 18.1 per cent.

The assessment authority has 294 single family residential properties in its system for this rural area and 86 manufactured homes.

The average value of a single family dwelling in 2020 in Area G was $192,200, rising to $208,600 this year. The average value of a manufactured home in Area G in 2020 was $107,100, rising to $119,600 for 2021.

Property owners began receiving their individual assessments last week, information from which local governments will now take and use to set property tax rates for the coming year.

Each year the assessment authority uses July 1 as its snapshot date to determine market value for all properties and Oct. 31 as the date to determine physical condition of a property.

Significant changes in an individual propertys assessed value do not necessarily mean taxes will also increase.

The important factor is where the assessment for an individual property rests within the average change of that propertys class within the local government or taxing authority.

If the new assessment is lower than the average, taxes might decrease. If the assessment is higher, taxes might then increase.

Still, both Houston and Burns Lake local governments are planning for an overall property tax increase based on their own financial planning and needs.

In Houston, the net increase is set at 2.7 per cent, amounting to an additional $114,980 to the Districts base budget. Fees are set to increase by two per cent for water and garbage fees and two per cent for arena, parks and cemetery fees. Sewer fees and frontage tax rate are to rise by five per cent.

By percentage increases, Burns Lakes 21 per cent assessment jump ranked first out of 34 municipal governments with the BC Assessment Authoritys northern B.C. area with Houston coming in at seventh at 10 per cent, a figure it shared with Port Clements on Haida Gwaii.

Smithers ranked second at a 15 per cent assessment hike as did Wells in the Cariboo with Telkwa coming in at at third place with a 13 per cent increase.

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Residential property assessments increase overall in Houston - Houston Today

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING In accordance with Volume 3A, Title 15.2, Counties, Cities and Towns, of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, public necessity, convenience, general welfare and good zoning practices so requiring, and pursuant to 15.2-107, 15.2-2204, 15.2-2285, 15.2-2310, and 15.2-4307, the Nelson County Planning Commission hereby gives notice that a Public Hearing will start at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 27th at the General District Courtroom on the third floor of the Nelson County Courthouse located at 84 Courthouse Square, Lovingston, for the following: NOTICE: In alignment with current COVID-19 guidelines, and to guard the health and safety of all meeting attendees, social distancing and the wearing of face masks will be required in the courtroom. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided for you. Should current guidance change prior to the date of the meeting, the guidelines in place at the time will be adhered to. If you are not able to attend the meeting due to COVID-19 precautions or restrictions, comments may be submitted (1) electronically, or (2) in writing, and will be accepted until 12:00 pm on January 27th, 2021. (1) Electronically: ehjulstrom@nelsoncounty.org or dbishop@nelsoncounty .org (2) In Writing: Dept. of Planning & Zoning, P.O. Box 558, Lovingston, VA 22949 Public Hearings 1. Communication Tower #149 Class C Consideration of a Verizon Communication Tower application requesting County approval to allow a new 154' monopole on property zoned A-1. The subject properties are located at Tax Map Parcel #55-A-14 and 55-A-14A at 499 Jonesboro Rd. The subject properties are owned by Robert Brent, Myra Brent-McGarry, and Susanne Jamerson. 2. Amendment #2020-03 to Nelson County Zoning Ordinance, Article 11. Nonconforming Uses Consideration of proposed amendment to Zoning Ordinance Article 11. Nonconforming Uses, to rename as Article 11. Nonconforming Uses, Structures, & Lots, including a rewrite and restructuring. A summary of the amended ordinance follows: 11-1-1 contains a statement of intent that nonconformities are inconsistent with the character of the districts in which they occur. 11-1-2 Nonconforming Lots. Changes added addressing individual water supply or sewage disposal, or both, requiring approval by the Health Department. 11-1-3 Nonconforming Structures. Permits nonconforming structures' use only (i) so long as the then existing or a permitted more restricted use continues and such use is not discontinued for more than two years and (ii) so long as the buildings or structures are maintained in their then structural condition. If use is discontinued for more than two years, then the building or structure may be used only (i) so long as a permitted more restricted use continues and (ii) so long as the buildings or structures are maintained in their then structural condition. Enlargement which increases or extends its nonconformity prohibited. Nonconforming structures which are moved must conform to the regulations of the zoning district to which it is moved. Provision made for structures constructed in accordance with a building permit for which a certificate of occupancy or a use permit therefor issued, for when the owner of structure has paid taxes to the County for such building or structure for a period of more than the previous 15 years, and where certain County authorizations are obtained. Provision is also made for repair of nonconforming structures due to an act of God and for replacement of existing on-site sewage system and for replacement of certain manufactured homes in a mobile home park. A property owner shall have the right to seek a variance in order to bring a nonconforming structure or building into compliance. 11-1-4 Nonconforming Uses. Lawful use of land existing at the time of enactment of the Zoning Ordinance or any amendment permitted under the ordinance may continue, as long as it remains otherwise lawful, subject to the following provisions: Cannot be expanded or enlarged in any way that increases its nonconformity. If use ceases for a period of more than two years, any subsequent use shall conform in all respects to the zoning district in which the land is located. No additional structures not conforming to this ordinance shall be constructed in connection with such nonconforming use. Provision made for certain instances where a business license is issued by the County permitting the holder to apply for a rezoning or a special use permit without charge by the County. Provision made for an extension when a use is discontinued. Residential occupancy of a single-family dwelling is the most restrictive use when determining level of intensity. Provision made for changes in district boundaries. 3. New Ordinance #2020-04 to Nelson County Zoning Ordinance, Article 22A. Solar Energy Consideration of new ordinance addition to Zoning Ordinance Article 22A. Solar Energy, to establish procedures, regulations, and requirements for Small and Large Solar Energy Systems applying to locate within Nelson County. A summary of the proposed ordinance follows: Defines a small solar energy system as one occupying less than one acre of total land area and a large solar energy system as one occupying one acre or more of total land area. General provisions address safety and design, construction and installation, compliance with noise control ordinances and an ocular impact study when required by the FAA impact. Bonding required for costs to completely remove the entire solar energy system plus twenty-five percent (25%) of said estimated costs as a reasonable allowance for administrative costs, inflation, and potential damage to existing roads or utilities. A bond, irrevocable Letter of Credit, or other appropriate surety required secure the cost of removing the system and restoring the site to its original condition to the extent reasonably possible which must include a mechanism for a Cost of Living Adjustment after ten (10) and fifteen (15) years. A decommissioning plan is required. Provision made for notice to the County of the proposed date of abandonment or discontinuation of operations, time-frame for removal, standards for removal and restoration of the property and for abandonment. A zoning permit issued pursuant to this article shall expire if the solar energy system is not installed and functioning within 24 months from the date this permit is issued. Small solar energy system shall be permitted by-right in A-1, B-1, B-2, M-1, and M-2, and by Special Use Permit in C-1 subject to certain requirements. Provision made for setbacks, height restrictions, and compliance with applicable law. No signs or advertising of any type may be placed on the small solar energy system unless required by law. Building Code compliance certification required. Glare mitigation requirements established. Requirements and procedure for a zoning permit application. Large solar energy systems shall be permitted by a Special Use Permit in A-1, C-1, M-1, B-1, and B-2, and by-right in M-2, provided that the primary use of the system is electrical generation to be sold to the wholesale electricity markets and not used primarily for the onsite consumption of energy by a dwelling or commercial building. A Major Site Plan is required which must also include a project description and supporting information. Provision made for visual impacts, height restrictions, signage, setbacks, and vegetative buffering. Review by the Planning Commission to forward the applications to the Board of Supervisors with a recommendation for approval; a recommendation for approval with recommended conditions; or a recommendation for denial for action by the Board. The full text of the proposed amendments is available for public inspection at the Planning & Zoning office, 80 Front Street, Lovingston, Virginia, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Telephone inquiries may also be directed to the Dept. of Planning & Zoning, (434) 263-7090, or toll free at 888-662-9400, selections 4 and 1. Nelson County does not discriminate on the basis of handicapped status in admission or access to its programs and activities. Accommodation will be made for handicapped persons upon advance request.

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Notice of Public Hearing | Legal Announcements | newsadvance.com - Lynchburg News and Advance

The City Commission will consider amendments to the Plantation Oaks development including a proposal to void the 55-and-older age restriction and allow single-family homes in the first phase of the community at its meeting at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 19.

The three amendments, including two administrative zoning changes, were originally scheduled to be heard back in the summer, but the city postponed the hearings due to COVID-19, as the city manager wanted to be able to hold a meeting where interested people could voice their opinions on the matter while adhering to social distancing requirements.

On June 11, 2020, the Planning Board unanimously recommended approval of the amendments despite significant citizen opposition. Several individuals voiced concerns at that meeting over impact to the Loop. In response, a Change.org petition has been signed over 62,000 times to help save the Ormond Beach Loop.

Parker Mynchenberg, the developer of Plantation Oaks, was also involved in creation of neighboring Halifax Plantation. Plantation Oaks was first approved by the county in 2002, and included single family homes. In 2012, that requirement was scrapped to allow manufactured housing. Plantation Oaks was annexed into the city in 2019.

A local man was killed during a confrontation with a friend near Ormond Beach in unincorporated Volusia County on Friday, Jan. 8.

Volusia County Sheriffs Office reported that 34-year-old William Bay pointed a pitchfork at his friend in a threatening manner at their shared residence in the 1100 block of Avenue I. The friend, who was armed with a handgun, fired when Bay advanced toward him, citing fear for his and his wifes lives.

No charges have been filed. The investigation is ongoing.

The Planning Board will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, to discuss a preliminary plat request for an 18-acre property located at 1670 and 1662 N. U.S. 1.

The request comes on behalf of Destination Interchange LLC, which seeks to develop the property into a commercial subdivision.

The Florida Department of Transportation is holding a virtual public hearing regarding the current five-year work program, which includes the A1A pedestrian safety project.

The hearing is virtual and open 24 hours a day until Jan. 15. Visit d5wpph.com to submit comments.

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Plantation Oaks amendments to be heard next week - Ormond Beach Observer

The Guardian

Decision would mean US could assign blame for death on to Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, left, with journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a scene from the recent documentary The Dissident. Photograph: AP The Biden administration will declassify an intelligence report into the murder by the Saudi government of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to Avril Haines, who has been nominated to serve as director of national intelligence. The decision means that the US is likely to officially assign blame for Khashoggis brutal murder to the kingdoms de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist and US resident who wrote critical columns about the Saudi crown prince, was murdered by Saudi agents inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey in October 2018. While media reports have said that the US intelligence community determined with a medium to high degree of confidence that Prince Mohammed ordered the killing, that assessment has never officially been stated. The crown prince has denied he ordered the murder. Since then, Khashoggis fiancee Hatice Cengiz and other human rights activists have called on Biden to release the classified report into the murder, saying that doing so was the first step towards seeking accountability. During Hainess confirmation hearing on Tuesday, the Oregon senator Ron Wyden said that, if confirmed as the new DNI, she would have the opportunity to immediately turn the page on the excessive secrecy and lawlessness of the Trump administration, and submit an unclassified report on who was responsible for Khashoggis murder, as required under a February 2020 law that the Trump administration in effect blocked. Asked whether she would release the report, Haines replied: Yes, senator, absolutely. We will follow the law. In a statement, Wyden praised the move, saying it was refreshing to hear a straightforward commitment to follow the law from Haines. Biden's Director of National Intelligence nominee Avril Haines says, if confirmed, she will provide Congress with an unclassified report on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. pic.twitter.com/ocPUsJUeti NBC News (@NBCNews) January 19, 2021 Bruce Riedel, a former CIA analyst and director at the Brookings Institution, said: It is a useful way to put the question of accountability for Khashoggis murder in the public domain early in the new administration. One of the most outspoken advocates for justice for the murder, Agns Callamard, also praised the move, saying the information would provide the one essential missing piece of the puzzle of the execution of Jamal Khashoggi. Callamard, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, said she hoped other information would also come to light, such as any new details about the whereabouts of Khashoggis remains, and whether a risk assessment had ever been done by the US about whether Khashoggi was in danger before his trip to Turkey. Callamard, who will be named the new head of Amnesty International later this year, also pointed to other threats that have reportedly been lodged against human rights defenders and former Saudi officials in Canada and Norway by Prince Mohammeds agents, who have been called a death squad in media reports. At some point, if the US intelligence has information about those operatives, then I think they should really make that information publicly available, Callamard said. The release of the Khashoggi report will also raise a host of new questions for both the US and Saudi Arabia. If the document fingers MBS as responsible for the murder it will raise the question what is Biden going to do to hold him accountable? said Riedel. During the 2020 election campaign, Biden issued scathing attacks against the crown prince, saying Saudi Arabia needed to be treated as a pariah. It is expected that the Biden administration would seek to curb weapon sales to Saudi Arabia, but it could also take more targeted actions against Prince Mohammed, including financial sanctions.

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Grandmother Speaks After Being Carjacked At Knifepoint In Chicago Lawn - Yahoo News

Donald Trump did not think he was going to win the election against Hillary Clinton back in 2016.

Many around him acknowledged his candidacy was a brand-building marketing ploy, further moving up the stock value of his celebrity status, helping him to build another level on to his debt-laced real estate house of cards.

Trump had gone bankrupt a number of times but had always worked out deals that largely kept him whole, giving him lavish spending allowances, as long as he continued to be the flamboyant, attention-drawing, playboy mogul that is Donald Trump.

He had become the human punctuation point of too big to fail. To his financiers, the real estate became peripheral they were backstopping a brand, and that brand his family name is what Trump thought he was elevating even if he lost to what he characterised as the corrupt and cheating Clinton political machine.

But then he won.

Maybe it was Russian interference that moved at least 73,000 votes in the right places to tilt the electoral college Trumps way. Or perhaps it was Cambridge Analytica interfering with Facebook.

Maybe it was Clinton not realising how damaging her image as a maven of the super-rich Southampton set was compared with her early days as a struggling social justice advocate in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Maybe it was then-FBI Director James Comeys comments days before an election that Clinton was back under investigation for her email bungling and then, just as quickly, not. But the damage by Comey was done and could not be undone.

Some argue Bill Clinton on the campaign trail had harmed her with certain groups, that there was a grating air of entitlement, of the arrogant presumption that the presidency and the White House was their family domain. Folks I talked to in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and Dubuque, Iowa and Van Horn, Texas saw her as a queen wanting to return to her castle.

And then there was the unfortunate timing of the much-despised Queen Cersei murdering her way to the top in Game of Thrones that may have planted unflattering images in the minds of many HBO-binging voters. And maybe too many men were intimidated by a hugely accomplished, experienced and smart woman. Misogyny runs deep in the United States.

Then presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump face off at the third and final debate of the 2016 election in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016 [David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images]In 2016, then-Vice President and (from tomorrow) President Joe Biden, who, having decided not to run, gave me an interview in his office in the White House West Wing.

It is an interesting fact that vice presidents through most of US history had no office inside the White House itself. Walter Mondale, vice president during President Jimmy Carters term, was the first to insist on and receive an office in the White House.

Sitting in that office, Bidens face grew tight, his brow furrowed, and he told me: Steve, the Democratic Party has become a party of snobs. He said people were in pain and did not feel heard. My guess is that is the primary reason Hillary Clinton lost and Donald Trump won.

Victims of the 2008-2009 economic crisis, people whose savings disappeared, whose home values collapsed, who lost jobs; these people felt the New York Wall Street financial markets crowd had destroyed their economic foundation, and these folks were the friends of Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Billionaire Trump, a reality TV star who scored huge ratings nationwide in his show, The Apprentice, seemed like he was regularly wrestling against the finance crowd who were always trying to shut him down, forcing him into a series of bankruptcies. But, each time, The Donald, as Trump is called in New York, had emerged victorious, bigger and better than others, bigger than anyone in his situation in history.

Americans voted in greater numbers for Hillary Clinton. She received about three million more votes than The Donald, but not in the places that would have locked in her win. Trump seduced the angry American, the demeaned American, the white working-class American who was tired of being sold out in trade deals to other nations.

Then Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump delivers his nomination acceptance speech on the final day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio in July 2016 [David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images]These Americans wanted a wrecking ball to move to Washington and start tearing up things. The substance of what Trump did, did not matter as much as the cries of pain and anguish from Americas political class.

Americans were angry that Wall Street seemed to be doing better than real Americans. They were upset that their jobs were being off-shored to India and the Philippines and that immigrants into the US seemed to be getting the high-paying, high-tech jobs while Americans, particularly white working-class Americans, were being laid off.

Many of these Americans, like my own large extended family, were military families where brothers and sisters and dads had served over many generations in the USs wars. They believed they had fought the Cold War against the Soviets and against global communism, and that China had somehow won. A forever war in Afghanistan that rhymed with the humiliations of the USs involvement in Vietnam rubbed hot jalapeo peppers into pulsating raw nerves and anxieties of the USs white underclass.

Trump, a TV star who watched TV endlessly where his rivals read thousand-page biographies of the USs previous presidents, knew how to connect with these Americans. Their grievances were readable and he had always actually been the rich kid with a chip on his shoulder, aggrieved at never being taken seriously by New Yorks power set. For him, pugnacious nationalism was just another shade of himself and his views that he could effortlessly champion. And he did.

But here is the challenge in understanding why Trump became the biggest headline of our times. To many who felt betrayed by an America that seemed to be more concerned with illegal immigrants healthcare and rights than the living standards of its own citizens, Trumps celebrity status and his colourful muscularity and, yes, his vulgarity, his misogyny, his bullying and name-calling, his constant fabrication of stories that were untrue, his dismissive treatment of allies like Germanys Angela Merkel and Canadas Justin Trudeau and his bro-to-bro pal-ships with Vladimir Putin, Mohammed bin Salman, Kim Jong Un, Viktor Orban, Jair Bolsonaro and other democracy-dishing bad boy leaders all of this made Trump seem like the one who would deliver a better life and nation and, if not that, then at least would be the terminator of what Washington had become.

But the other side of the Trump coin is the narcissistic, self-serving side, the part of him obsessed with power and riches his riches. Former Trump Deputy Campaign Manager Rick Gates wrote a Trump-friendly treatment of his time working with the candidate and then-president.

One of the consistent themes is the way Trump viewed party fundraising for the Republicans, or fundraising hundreds of millions for his inauguration, or raising other money to fund transition staff, planning that was headed by former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who was later ignominiously shoved off the team by Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Trump saw all this money, dollars donated for big causes and the public interest, as his own bank account. He rarely saw the demarcation between where his personal financial interests were and what the government did.

Presidents are, in a way, contracted temporary monarchs with a lot of power. There are checks on their power, as we are seeing now in the second impeachment of this president, but the monarch part the king part was captivating and intoxicating for President Trump.

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he walks to Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland on January 12, 2021 [Alex Brandon/AP Photo]Where most presidents, like Obama and the two Bushes, Clinton, Carter and more, at least pretend to be humble amid such enormous power, Trump was audacious and wielded his power like a mad king. And his base supporters loved it; his enemies fled, cowered and made an industry out of using the words disbelief and unprecedented.

As The Atlantics David Frum wrote in early 2017 in a prescient piece titled How to Build an Autocracy: The United States may be a nation of laws, but the proper functioning of the law depends upon the competence and integrity of those charged with executing it. A president determined to thwart the law in order to protect himself and those in his circle has many means to do so. Frums observation of the early part of the Trump term became the primary scaffolding of a rules-be-damned four years of Trumpism in the White House.

Frum offers another delicious insight into Trumps core character and interest in being president that seemed not to irritate his base at all. They loved his crassness, his posturing comedically as a boss with a network of thugs and allies who could take on anyone who resisted him.

Frum writes: Donald Trump will not set out to build an authoritarian state. His immediate priority seems likely to be to use the presidency to enrich himself. But as he does so, he will need to protect himself from legal risk. Being Trump, he will also inevitably wish to inflict payback on his critics. Construction of an apparatus of impunity and revenge will begin haphazardly and opportunistically. But it will accelerate. It will have to.

Again, Frum nails early on what we saw when countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia tried to curry favour by renting out expensive rooms at Washingtons Trump Hotel, or when Trump tried to host a G7 meeting at his Trump National Doral Resort and Golf Course, or when he worked hard to get Ukraines president to do a personal favour for him and dig up dirt on Joe Biden and his son Hunter in exchange for releasing national security aid to Ukraine that had already been put into legal appropriations.

President Donald Trump golfs at Trump National Golf Club on November 27, 2020 in Sterling, Virginia [Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images]Trump golfed more than any other president, costing tax-payers tens of millions of dollars in security, logistics and lodging expenses for his entourage. Trumps base saw Washingtons political and policy crowd, its media titans, steaming over Trumps constant vacationing, his disregard for an inelastic truth, and they swooned over how angry official DC was becoming.

Trumps spell did not last with all conservatives, of course. His national security adviser, John Bolton, a genuine architect of and believer in America First policies, told me in an Al Jazeera English interview on my show The Bottom Line, that Trump was essentially a Trump-First president, and that disqualified him.

Former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis described Trump as a true threat to the security of the nation. Since the Trump-inspired attack on the US Capitol amid his post-election denial of losing to Biden in November 2020, the secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, and secretary of transportation, Elaine Chao, resigned their jobs. So, too, Melania Trumps chief of staff, Stephanie Grisham, and we know that other leading officials came close to resigning including Trumps latest national security adviser, Robert OBrien.

Trump, unfiltered and raw is what the nation is seeing as he departs his office, but certainly not the political scene. The powerful in both parties are yet again dismayed and alarmed by Trump having instigated the first assault on the US Capitol in two centuries and his overt attempt to overturn an election that he, in an Orwellian twist, had convinced his followers was being stolen from him.

Trump is a master at the Big Lie, yelling fire when he himself started it; calling out fraud in the 2020 election when he was the one trying to get many leading Republicans in Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania and even his own vice president, Mike Pence, to commit election fraud on his behalf. He accused the Democrats of propagating a swamp of swindlers and cheats in Washington, whereas the criminal indictments, prosecutions and convictions of his campaign team and his White House staff are unmatched by any US president in 150 years.

President Donald Trump speaks at the Stop the Steal rally on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC; a mob of supporters would later storm the US Capitol building [Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images]But it is too easy, and also incorrect, to suggest his followers were blind to these elements of Trumps character. It is too much of a short cut to write an epitaph for his presidency that Trump lied, distorted, self-dealt, kowtowed to Russia, alienated allies, created a huge jump in national debt, made the rich richer and, perhaps most defining, completely bungled a credible response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite all of these behaviours, which would normally sink the credibility of a leader, Trump drew 74.2 million votes to Bidens 81.2 million. Yes, there is a seven million vote difference between victor and loser, but 74 million Trump believers despite Lysol Day when Trump said that perhaps people could inject disinfectant into their veins to rid them of COVID-19; despite his near love affair and failed nuclear diplomacy with North Koreas Kim Jong Un; despite a stream of verifiable mistruths that he regularly spewed and passed on through Twitter 74 million people still supported the Trump political franchise.

Historians and psychoanalysts will be deconstructing and studying these four years of populist convulsions for decades and, perhaps, centuries. Trump and this moment in time are an inflexion point, a moment of discontinuity in the past that perhaps the US needed.

Trump supporters storm the US Capitol building during a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 US presidential election results by Congress on January 6, 2021 [Shannon Stapleton/Reuters]The US was playing the role of global security guarantor in many parts of the world that were not cored to its interests. Even President Barack Obama lamented how nations like Israel, but also others, were able to develop domestic constituencies to essentially hijack parts of the USs sprawling empire of military bases to serve their own ends, even if remote from its priority list of key threats in the world.

Trump strongly rejected the US intervening endlessly in foreign problems. He withdrew troops from Syria. He pounded on NATO allies to do more and carry a bigger part of the burden. He drew down US forces and was working to negotiate a full withdrawal in Afghanistan but did not achieve that before his term ended.

I think it is fair to say Americas tendency to easily and quickly militarily intervene in foreign security problems was disrupted by Trump, and this is something I think is healthy.

In addition, he focused a bright spotlight on China and its mercantilist trade and intellectual property practices. Perhaps he should have been more worried about Artificial Intelligence and quantum computing than steel and soybeans, but still, Trump and his team raised the DEFCON (defence and readiness condition) level and branded Huawei Communications a global national security threat. Perhaps Trump was unfair to Huawei time will tell. But what is key is that no US president has had the fortitude to challenge China so relentlessly because it had so many allies in the domestic political scene in Washington.

Trumps base of supporters identified with these steps on trade and China, and with his efforts to diminish American vulnerability to overseas military escapades. While he may have been interested in his own self-interests, Trumps policies were also clearly a shift away from the international order and its obligations and constraints and more to a place where the US could do whatever it damned well wanted to do.

Some political analysts see the anger of the Trump voter, and the roar of Trump himself, culminating in the attack on Congress as well as the rise of white nationalist, neo-Nazi, and other strident, right-wing groups and conspiracy cabals like that of the QAnon crowd, as the last gasp of a white, male-dominated political order that is being forced by demographic realities to cede to a more inclusive, multi-ethnic political order. That may be the case, but the drivers of the USs divides are not just racial.

Technology is disrupting the workforce, creating zero-sum games between the highly educated and power-networked versus those without those links and degrees. Public policy and tax frameworks are helping the rich amass more wealth while the rest of society competes for a smaller part of the economic pie.

The American dream of education and training yielding at minimum a track into the middle class is more true in China than in the US today. Manic, neoliberal trade and economic policies helped Wall Street go fast, stunted Main Street and gut-punched many hard-working Americans who lost jobs and had little help transitioning to something else.

Financial industry corruption showed that governance in Washington was also self-serving and corrupt and needed to be changed; Joe the Plumber did not get bailed out like Goldman Sachs and AIG did after the 2008-2009 financial crisis.

A man wrapped in US flags paces back and forth past Ohio State Patrol officers standing guard during an armed protest at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, on January 17, 2021 [Jason Whitman/NurPhoto via Getty Images]Trump for all his warts, his lies, his courtship with dangerous fringe groups, his adoration of foreign autocrats and disdain for democratic leaders abroad, his self-dealing all of it still made the case for and connected to a part of the American working-class that has seen its condition erode for decades.

The spark of Trump coming onto the political scene when he did, mixed with the anger of these Americans, has meant that trade deals in the future will be negotiated differently, that Main Street will receive support in COVID-19 relief bills, not just Wall Street, and a Biden-led Democratic Party will get a makeover and suspend what Biden called the partys snobbery.

There is no magic wand that will heal the deep divisions in the US today over class and race, and racial anxiety is a very large part of the problem. But for too long, Democrats and Republicans alike ignored the pressures that working-class families were experiencing. This cauldron was created and now it must be undone if the violence is to subside.

Trump did not create this cauldron, but he did exploit it and he certainly fed it. Biden actually could do the thing Trump could not and could be the one to dismantle the drivers of fear and hate inside the US and restore civic empathy and trust.

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Analysis: The causes and chaos of Donald Trump - Al Jazeera English

NEW-WES-VALLEY, NL, Jan. 15, 2021 /CNW/ - The health and well-being of Canadians are the top priorities of the governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador . But the COVID-19 pandemic has affected more than our personal health; it is having a profound effect on the economy.

That is why governments have been taking decisive action to support families, businesses and communities, and continue to look ahead to see what more can be done.

Strategic investments in safe and modern water and wastewater infrastructure will play a key role in ensuring Eastern Newfoundland residents have access to reliable services to support a healthy community.

Today, Churence Rogers , Member of Parliament for BonavistaBurinTrinity, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; and the Honourable Derrick Bragg, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, announced more than $15.2 million in joint funding for 26 projects to safeguard public health and the environment in communities in Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador.

In New-Wes-Valley, the installation of 1800 meters of a waterman extension from Little Northwest Pond to Newtown and Templeman streets will increase resident's access to potable water, and reduce maintenance costs at the town's current sole water source, Carter's Pond.

The Government of Canada is investing more than $6 million , with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador providing over $7.4 million for these projects through the Green Infrastructure Stream (GIS) of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The municipalities are contributing more than $3.3 million in total towards their respective projects.

Quotes

"Investing in high-quality water infrastructure is an essential part of building greener and healthier communities. We are proud to invest in better water and wastewater services for these 26 communities in Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador , supporting future community growth and protecting the environment. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities."

Churence Rogers , Member of Parliament for BonavistaBurinTrinity, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"Managing municipal infrastructure is a priority for all communities because lift stations, sewer mains and the ability to manage stormwater is something all residents rely on. Like all infrastructure, they require maintenance. These investments help these communities make sure they can continue to provide these services without any disruptions and provide employment in each of the communities."

The Honourable Derrick Bragg, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure for Newfoundland and Labrador

Quick facts

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Backgrounder

Residents in Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador communities to benefit from improved water and wastewater infrastructure

Joint federal, provincial, and municipal funding through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan will support 26 infrastructure projects in communities in Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador .

The Government of Canada is investing more than $6 million and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is providing over $7.4 million to these projects through the Green Infrastructure Stream (GIS) of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The municipalities are contributing more than $3.3 million total toward their respective projects.

Project Information:

Location

Project Name

Project Details

Federal Funding

Provincial Funding

Municipal Funding

Arnold's Cove, Municipality of

Water and Sewer Upgrading - Merasheen Crescent - Phase 2

Work includes replacing 250m of watermain, installing new fire hydrants, replacing 250m of sewer main, and 250m of storm sewer, and improvements to roads, sidewalks and drains. Residents will benefit from increased access to potable water, while the Town's improves its capacity to manage wastewater and stormwater.

$306,510

$383,138

$155,352

Bonavista

Lift Station Upgrades - Bonavista

Upgrades to the lift station. This will increase the Town's capacity to treat and manage wastewater and stormwater.

$272,050

$272,050

$205,899

Centreville- Wareham- Trinity

Lift Station Upgrades - Silver Island Point

Rehabilitation of one lift station located in Wareham (Silver Point). This project will increase the town's capacity to manage wastewater, better serving the surrounding community.

$66,142

$82,677

$33,523

Clarenville

Random Crescent Road and Water/Sewer Upgrades

Rehabilitation to the water main, sewer main and road on Random Crescent Road, increasing access to potable water and the community's capacity to manage wastewater and stormwater, while also improving road infrastructure.

$371,185

$371,185

$280,928

Eastport

Main Street Water and Sewer Phase II

Upgrades to the water distribution and sanitary sewage systems. This will increase the reliability of the water system and fire protection measures.

$236,756

$295,946

$119,998

Fortune

Dixon Femme Water and Sewer Upgrades

Project work includes replacing 104m of sanitary sewer line, 212m of water main line, the replacement of eight sewer services and 11 water services, as well as repaving roads. This project will increase the town's capacity to manage wastewater, and provide residents with reliable potable water.

$205,195

$256,494

$104,002

Gambo

Gambo WWTP Upgrades and Outfall Extensions

Upgrades and extensions to the Middle Brook Wastewater Treatment Plant. This will extend the service life of the plant and increase the town's capacity to treat and manage wastewater.

$240,370

$300,462

$121,830

Garnish

Pardy's Point Water and Sewer Upgrades

Upgrading the current sanitary sewer and water services for Pardy's Point. This will eliminate water loss and provide better sewer and water services. Access to potable water will also be improved.

$278,186

$347,732

$140,996

George's Brook-Milton

Water Infrastructure Upgrades

Installation of a new pump control system in the George's Brook Pumphouse will make the system more energy efficient and reliable.

$419,061

$523,826

$212,397

Greenspond

Chlorination System Replacement

Replacement of the existing chlorination system. This will improve the quality of drinking water in the town and will increase access to potable water.

$79,424

$99,280

$40,256

Happy Adventure

Watermain Replacement and Septic Tank Installation

Replacing the main waterline and installing a septic holding tank. This will provide residents with safe, clean drinking water and increase the town's capacity to treat and manage wastewater.

$207,124

$258,905

$104,979

Hare Bay

Replace Water Services

Replacement of outdated service pipes with new infrastructure, benefiting the community by increasing access to potable water.

$301,249

$376,562

$152,686

Heart's Content, Municipality of

Sewage Pumping Station Upgrading

Upgrading the lift station, including mechanical and electrical equipment. The project will provide better waste water services to town residents.

$67,251

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Residents in Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador communities to benefit from improved water and wastewater infrastructure - Stockhouse