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To set a Guinness World Record is no easy accomplishmentthere are currently some 47,000 record titles, with more than 1,000 incoming applications to set new records each week. (Wait times can be up to four months.) Tucked inside these tomes are some extraordinary art superlatives, from the worlds most expensive painting at auction to the largest artwork ever painted with coffee.

In honor of Guinness World Record Day on November 19, here are some of the most outrageous art records on the books.

Students with work they created in the worlds largest art lesson. Photo courtesy of Expressions Stationery Shop Inc.

Who: Expressions Stationery Shop Inc.

Where:Quezon City, Philippines

When:February 24, 2018

What:No fewer than16,692 people, mostly students, took part in a 45-minute art lesson to learn how to draw one of the colorful masks that celebrate the MassKara Festival, which has been described as the Philippines answer to Brazils Carnival.

Arbnora Fejza Idrizi with the worlds largest origami flower. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Who:Arbnora Fejza Idrizi

Where: Skenderaj, Kosovo

When:September 1, 2018

What:A 10-year veteran of making origami art,Arbnora Fejza Idrizi captured the record for the largest origami flower with this delicate 28-and-a-half-foot paper sculpture.

Ram V. Sutar, Statue of Unity. Located in India, this is the worlds largest statue. Photo courtesy of the Statue of Unity Monument.

Who:Ram V. Sutar

Where: Kevadia colony, Gujarat, India

When: October 31, 2018

What:India built the worlds largest statue, topping out at 597 feet tall, as a monument to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who served as the nations first deputy prime minister.Building it took four years, cost 29.9 billion rupees ($430 million), and required 7,416,080 cubic feet of cement, 25,000 tons of steel, and 1,700 tons of bronze. (Despite rumors, the Indian government did not, in fact,put the artwork on the marketin response to financial troubles earlier this year. But admittedly, the collector base for such a sculpture is quite narrow.)

The worlds largest bead mosaic, from Cmara de Comercio, Servicios y Turismo de Guadalajara. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records.

Who:Cmara de Comercio, Servicios y Turismo de Guadalajara

Where:Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

When:August 20, 2018

What:Measuring 877 square feet, this massive bead mosaic took 780 hours to create, with 15 artists using a total of 66 pounds of glue and approaching 1,000 pounds of beads.

Willard Wigan holds the record for the smallest sculpture with this figure of an embryo inside a hollowed-out strand of hair. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Who:Willard Wigan

Where:Warwick, UK

When:September 5, 2017

What:Master micro-sculptor Willard Wigan created a sculpture of an embryo measuring just78 microns long and 53 microns tall, and placed it inside a hollowed-out strand of hair. He made the microscopic work from a carpet fiber.

The largest display of crochet sculptures was amassed by Mother Indias Crochet Queens. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records.

Who:Mother Indias Crochet Queens

Where:Chennai, India

When:January 21, 2018

What:Subashri Natarajan spearheaded the collection of 58,917 crochet sculptures created by Indian people around the world in this record-breaking effort by Mother Indias Crochet Queens.

Dale Chihulys glass sculpture, Fiori di Como (1998) on the ceiling of the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Photo by torbakhopper, via Flickr Creative Commons.

Who:Dale Chihuly

Where:Las Vegas

When:October 15, 1998

What:An eye-poppingand much-Instagrammedsculpture of 2,000 glass flowers hangs overhead in the lobby of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, the work of master glass blower Dale Chihuly. The entire installation measures29-and-a-half feet by 65-and-a-half feet.

Salvator Mundi before it is auctioned at Christies. Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images.

Who:Leonardo da Vinci

Where:New York

When:November 15, 2017

What:Leonardo da VincisSalvador Munditook a winding road to the auction block, lostfor decades, dismissed as a copy, and then rediscovered and heavily restored before selling for an astounding $450 million at Christies sale of postwar and contemporary art in November 2017.Controversy still surrounds the work, which hasnt been seen since.

Images of Gurmej Mr. Caution Singhs The Transcendental, the worlds longest painting by an individual. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records.

Who: Gurmej Mr. Caution Singh

Where: Grand Rapids, Michigan

When: September 14, 2013

What:For his 2013 entry to the art festival ArtPrize,Gurmej Mr. Caution Singh spent 38 days creatingThe Transcendental, a more than 11,300-foot-long painting. The only problem? He had been approved to create a 30-foot mural, not a three-mile display that blocked traffic and violated public safety. Not only did Singh not win any prizes for his efforts, he wasgiven a lifetime ban from the contest. But hey, he did make it into the Guinness Book of World Records!

The National Water Museum of China and Li Hangyu set the record for largest professional oil painting by a single artist. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records.

Who:The National Water Museum of China and Li Hangyu

Where: Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

When:July 21, 2020

What:The National Water Museum of China commissioned Li Hangyu to paint this nearly 1,521-square-foot oil painting. It took five months to finish and features the Yellow River, the Yangtze River, Three Gorges Dam, and other waterways and large-scale water conservancy projects.

The Skulptura Projects GmbH built the worlds tallest sand castle at Sandskulpturen Festival in 2019. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records.

Who: Skulptura Projects GmbH

Where: Binz, Germany

When: June 5, 2019

What:It took two years, but theSandskulpturen Festival finally broke the record for the worlds tallest sandcastle, enlisting ateam of 12 sculptors and eight technicians from Russia, Poland, Hungary, Germany, Holland, and Latvia to build the nearly 58-foot-tall construction. Made of over 12,125 tons of sand, bound together only by water, the project, led by sculpting enthusiast Thomas van den Dungen, took three and a half weeks to complete.

Hung Chi-Sung madethe worlds largest painting in 2019. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records.

Who:Hung Chi-Sung

Where:Hualien, Taiwan, China

When:June 21, 2019

What:Measuring130,099 square feet, this massive painting of the Buddha is meant to symbolize peace and connection between human beings around the globe. Artist Hung Chi-Sung was inspired to create the larger than life religious painting by the Talibans destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in 2001.

Pablo Picasso with his son Claude, August 21, 1955. Image courtesy Getty Images.

Who: Pablo Picasso

Where: Spain

When:18811973

What:A seemingly endless fount of creativity, Picasso earned his place in the record books with an estimated 13,500 paintings, 100,000 prints and engravings, 34,000 book illustrations, and 300 sculptures and ceramics. Good luck topping this one.

The Dubai Miracle Garden holds the record for the worlds largest topiary statue with this Mickey Mouse figure. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records.

Who:Dubai Miracle Garden

Where: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

When:February 26, 2018

What:Move over Jeff Koons. Towering high above the artists famedPuppy, the terrier sculpture covered in flowering plants at the Guggenheim Bilbao, is this flowering Mickey Mouse figure at theDubai Miracle Garden. Over 59 feet tall, the sculpture weighs close to 35 tons, outfitted with nearly 100,000 geraniums, marigolds, petunias, and other flowers.

Workers build the snow sculpture Romantic Feelings at the 20th International Snow Sculpture Art Expo on December 17, 2007 in Harbin of Heilongjiang Province, China. Photo by China Photos/Getty Images.

Who:Harbin International Ice & Snow Sculpture Festival

Where: Harbin, China

When: 2007

What:Topping out at 115 tall and 656 feet long, the worlds largest snow sculpture, titled Romantic Feelings, featured an Olympic-themed landscape complete with a French cathedral, a Russian church, Stonehenge, the Acropolis, and the head of a giant ice maiden, frosty hair rippling in the wintry breeze. The artists600 sculptors from 40 different countriesused 120,000 cubic feet of compressed snow collected from the nearby Songhua River to create the frozen masterpiece.

Some of the nearly 500 people painted at the Woodstock Festival Poland in 2015. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records.

Who:Woodstock Festival Poland

Where: Kostrzyn nad Odra, Poland

When:July 31, 2015

What:The Polish cell phone company Play sponsored this rainbow-hued effort from the Woodstock Festival Poland to body-paint 497 people in celebration of the events 21st anniversary.

Students in India from the Ceoa School broke the record for most people coloring in simultaneously. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records.

Continued here:
From the Tallest Statue to the Largest Drawing, Here Are 24 Astonishing Tidbits of Art Trivia From the Guinness Book of World Records - artnet News

Scope of the consultation

This consultation seeks views on:

a) Amending the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 to require social landlords to ensure at least one smoke alarm is installed on each storey of the premises on which there is a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation.

b) Amending the statutory guidance (Approved Document J) supporting Part J of the Building Regulations to require that carbon monoxide alarms are fitted alongside the installation of fixed combustion appliances of any fuel type (excluding gas cookers).

c) Amending the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 to require private and social landlords to install a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation where a fixed combustion appliance is used (excluding gas cookers).

Scope of this consultation: This consultation follows on from the governments social housing green paper that was published in August 2018, the social housing white paper that was published in November 2020 and the government review of carbon monoxide alarm requirements that concluded in January 2019.

Geographical scope: These proposals relate to England only.

Impact assessment: Annex B sets out the expected impacts (costs and benefits) of proposals in this consultation. Where the proposals taken forward require legislative changes, further assessments will need to be made, and these will need to reflect the outcome of the consultation and responses.

Duration: This consultation will last for 8 weeks from 17 November 2020 to 11 January 2021.

Enquiries: For any enquiries about the consultation please contact smokeandcarbonmonoxide@communities.gov.uk

How to respond: We encourage you to respond by completing the online survey.

Alternatively, you can email your responses to the question in this consultation to smokeandcarbonmonoxide@communities.gov.uk.

If you are responding in writing, please make it clear which questions you are responding to.

Written responses should be sent to:

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide ConsultationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government3rd Floor, Fry Building2 Marsham StreetLondonSW1P 4DF

When you reply, it would be very useful if you could confirm whether you are replying as an individual or submitting an official response on behalf of an organisation and include:

After the consultation

After the consultation, a summary of the responses will be published and placed on the government website at http://www.gov.uk/mhclg.

Data Protection

For information on how your data will be held and used in accordance with data protection legislation, please see Annex C.

The government is committed to ensuring residents are protected from the risks of fire and carbon monoxide in their homes. In 2019/20, fire and rescue services attended nearly 30,000 dwelling fires in England and sadly there were nearly 200 fire-related fatalities[footnote 1]. Around 20 people die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning every year (excluding those relating to accidental exposure to smoke, fire and flames[footnote 2], with more than 4,000 presentations to hospitals estimated to be related to carbon monoxide.

Alarms provide reassurance and can protect residents from the devastating harm caused to homes and lives by fire incidents and accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide alarms detect and warn of the presence of dangerous levels of the gas. Smoke alarms are shown to save lives: government statistics show you are around 8 times more likely to die in a fire if you do not have any working smoke alarms in your home.

Government expects residents to be safe, and feel safe, in their home, and expects landlords to provide residents with a safe place to live. Following the tragic events at Grenfell Tower in 2017, over 8000 people contributed their opinions and concerns to shape the social housing green paper. People commented that safety concerns were not always being listened to or addressed properly and this affected their faith in the legislative and regulatory framework. The Building Safety Programme was established to make sure that residents of high-rise residential buildings are safe, now and in the future.

The social housing green paper aimed to rebalance the relationship between landlords and residents. The paper recognised a disparity in protections between the private rented sector and social rented sector in respect of safety measures, including smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements, which are mandatory in private rented properties but not social rented. It asked whether such measures should apply to social rented properties. There was strong support for a renewed focus on safety and over 91% of respondents supported parity between the sectors.

This consultation is being published alongside the social housing white paper and forms part of a wider package of measures designed to ensure that people are safe, and feel safe, now and in the future. It seeks to bring greater parity between the rental sectors in respect of safety. Specifically, we are seeking comments on the following proposals:

a) We propose to amend the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 to require social landlords to ensure at least one smoke alarm is installed on each storey of the premises on which there is a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation. We also propose, through regulations, to require landlords to ensure that appropriate checks are made to ensure that each prescribed alarm is in proper working order on the first day of every new tenancy and to repair or replace alarms if they are reported as faulty during the tenancy.

b) We propose to amend the statutory guidance (Approved Document J) supporting Part J of the Building Regulations to require that carbon monoxide alarms are fitted alongside the installation of fixed combustion appliances of any fuel type (excluding gas cookers). Building regulation requirements are tenure neutral and apply upon the installation of combustion appliances in all rented and owner-occupied homes.

c) We propose to amend the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 to require private and social landlords to install a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation where a fixed combustion appliance is used (excluding gas cookers). We also propose, through regulations, to require landlords to ensure that appropriate checks are made to ensure that each prescribed alarm is in proper working order on the first day of every new tenancy and to repair or replace alarms if they are reported as faulty during the tenancy.

The proposals apply to England only.

We invite views on whether you agree with these proposals and if so, whether there are issues for us to consider as we implement the changes. We particularly welcome views from residents and resident groups, housing associations and local authorities and their representative bodies, private landlords and private sector landlord associations, fire and rescue authorities, fire and carbon monoxide safety groups or charities, heating installers and smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm technical specialists and suppliers.

The Home Offices Fire and Rescue Incident Statistics (see FIRE 0202) show that in 2019 to 2020 there were 25,484 accidental dwelling fires, resulting in 167 deaths and 1,909 injuries which required hospital treatment (see FIRE 0506). Fires also damage homes and property. The average area of damage caused by a dwelling fire is around 16 metres squared (See FIRE 0204).

Of all dwelling fires, around three-quarters (74%) were in houses, bungalows, converted flats and other properties, whilst around a quarter (26%) were in purpose-built flats. In the same year, fire and rescue services attended 775 fires in purpose-built high-rise flats (See FIRE 0205).

Smoke alarms are shown to save lives. Home Office data suggests that in 2019 to 2020 52 fatalities (26%) from dwelling fires occurred where a smoke alarm was not installed (See FIRE 0702). A smoke alarm was present and raised the alarm (i.e. functioned as desired) in 45% of dwelling fires in 2019 to 2020 but in only 33% of fire-related fatalities, highlighting the importance of having both working smoke alarms and enough of them to cover all areas in a dwelling. See detailed analysis.

In 2018 to 2019, a majority (91%) of English households had at least one working smoke alarm. Households renting from a housing association and those renting from a local authority were most likely to have at least one working smoke alarm (95%). Fewer (90%) owner-occupiers and private renters (88%) had smoke alarms.

Since the introduction of the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015, coverage of working smoke alarms in the private rented sector has increased from 83% to 88%. This follows a period between 2012 and 2014 when coverage in the sector had been decreasing.

Chart 1: Households with at least one working smoke alarm by tenure 2008-09 to 2018-19

Currently, to meet the guidance of Approved Document B (Fire Safety) under the Building Regulations 2010, smoke alarms must be installed in all newly built dwellings. The guidance requires smoke alarms to be installed when new homes are created by a change of use or conversion and when extensions or loft conversions are added to existing homes, all regardless of tenure. The building control body are responsible for enforcing the Building Regulations.

Since 2015, private sector landlords have been required to install at least one smoke alarm where there is a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation. The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 also require private landlords to ensure the alarms are in working order at the start of each tenancy. A question and answer booklet was published alongside the regulations to provide guidance on implementation. The local housing authority is responsible for enforcing the smoke alarm requirements set out in the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 and can levy a penalty charge of up to 5,000 for non-compliance.

The 2015 regulations were introduced as part of a package of policy responses designed to tackle poor standards in the private sector. The private sector had the poorest record on alarms at the time: in 2015 private rented homes had fewer smoke (83%) and carbon monoxide (21%) alarms than any other sector. See EHS headline report page 43. The focus at that time was on bringing the poorest performing sector up to acceptable levels.

In 2018, we also reviewed how effective the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 had been to date. The review found that there was good awareness of the regulations and they had had a positive impact on the number of alarms installed. The review concluded that the regulations should be retained in full and that consideration should be given to expand the regulations to cover both the private and social rented sector, subject to further consultation.

Government welcomes the majority of social landlords who have already taken steps to keep their residents safe by installing smoke alarms, and notes that 95% of social rented homes had a working smoke alarm in 2018. However, 210,000 social rented homes do not have a working smoke alarm. This puts lives unnecessarily at risk. As part of the governments response to the Grenfell tragedy and its commitment to ensure residents are safe and feel safe in their homes, we want to ensure all renters can benefit from these protections.

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 have resulted in an increase in the number of smoke alarms in the private rented sector. While there is already better coverage in the social rented sector, we would like to see this progress replicated with an expectation that all tenants benefit from the protection and reassurance enjoyed by having a working smoke alarm. We believe that all rented homes should have smoke alarms, regardless of whether you rent in the private or social sector.

We therefore propose amending the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 to bring requirements for smoke alarms in the social rented sector in line with the private rented sector. Our proposals will require social landlords to ensure at least one smoke alarm is installed on each storey of the premises on which there is a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation. They will also be obliged to ensure that checks are made to make sure that each prescribed alarm is in proper working order on the first day of each new tenancy.

The intention of extending the regulations is to protect residents as part of our wider work to rebalance the relationship between residents and social landlords. We are proposing to extend the requirements to tenancy types where the social landlord has responsibilities for internal repairs and maintenance so excluding, for example, shared-ownership properties or other low-cost home ownership products. The types of properties covered under the definition are included in the glossary appended at Annex A under the definition, social rented sector. We will continue to encourage owner-occupiers to keep themselves, their families, friends and neighbours safe through campaigns such as the governments Fire Kills campaign. Fire and Rescue services carried out over 580,000 home fire safety visits in 2019 to 2020 (see FIRE 1201), targeting vulnerable occupants to provide tailored fire safety advice and install alarms. See further guidance on how owner-occupiers can make their home safe from fire.

During the review of the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015, we heard that the positioning and placement of smoke alarms can affect their effectiveness. Of those who had a smoke alarm installed at the time of a fire, around half (49%) of households reported that the alarm did not go off at the time of the incident. Of these, just under a quarter (23%) report that the fire was too far away from the smoke alarm (see EHS report, page 11). The question and answer booklet published alongside the regulations provides some general guidance on placement of smoke alarms alongside weblinks to fire safety information at http://www.gov.uk/firekills. Government seeks views on whether the information on placement of smoke alarms within this guidance document remains fit for purpose and whether it would need adapting or updating alongside an extension of the regulations to the social rented sector.

Some respondents to the review also told us that the regulations should prescribe the type of alarm to be installed. We are not proposing to prescribe the type of smoke alarm to be installed. This is because we think that landlords are best placed to decide on the most suitable device according to household needs and circumstances and the range of products available on the market. For example, there are alarms specifically designed for households with children or people with hearing loss. We propose to use the guidance published alongside the regulations to remind landlords to ensure their choice of alarm meets the relevant product standards. The guidance will also recommend the benefits of third-party accreditation of smoke alarms, such as that provided by the British Standard Institute (BSI) Kitemark (British Standard 5839-6), Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) or other schemes.

We are not proposing that there should be a requirement on landlords to test alarms during the tenancy. Home Office guidance is that alarms should be tested at least on a monthly basis. Due to the frequency of testing required, we think it is reasonable to expect that a resident undertake this task as part of their normal responsibility to maintain their home. However, we would like to understand better the role landlords could play in supporting their residents to test their alarms regularly and safely, particularly residents who are vulnerable or have additional needs. Responses to this question will be considered alongside the learning arising from the governments Social Sector (Building Safety) Engagement Best Practice Group. Their aim, in part, is to develop best practice in engagement and communication between landlords and residents on building safety issues. Findings could help shape guidance to accompany the regulations.

We are proposing that both private and social sector landlords be obliged to repair or replace a faulty alarm during the tenancy, where a fault is reported to them. Whilst we are not proposing proactive checking of alarms during the tenancy by the landlord, we do think it is right that landlords should replace faulty alarms, particularly in the social rented sector where tenancies run for an average of 12 years (EHS report page 19) whilst a smoke alarm has an average life-span of 10 years (Fireservice.co.uk guidance says to replace alarms after 10 years). As private rented tenancies run for an average of 4 years, We propose that the guidance published alongside the regulations says that if, on testing their alarm, tenants find that their alarm is not in working order, they should first consider testing or replacing the battery. If the alarm is mains-operated or is still not working after the battery is replaced, residents should contact the landlord to arrange for the repair or replacement of the alarm. We are interested in views on this proposal.

The body responsible for enforcing the installation of smoke alarms in social rented homes will be the local housing authority. Although local authorities cannot take statutory enforcement action against themselves in respect of their own homes, they will be expected to ensure their homes comply. In addition, all social landlords are expected to comply with the Regulator of Social Housings consumer standards, that require providers to meet all applicable statutory requirements that provide for the health and safety of the occupants in their homes. The Housing Ombudsman can also play a role in resolving complaints about alarms between tenants and non-compliant local authority landlords.

We plan to commence requirements as soon as practicable following the laying of regulations. Delaying implementation could put lives at risk. However, a phased implementation could help landlords manage the additional costs by, for example, installing an alarm when they next visit the property, during a tenancy or gas safety check, rather than having to make an extra visit. As part of this consultation, we are seeking evidence of the necessity of a phased implementation approach.

As part of the development of these proposals, an analysis of the costs and benefits was carried out to examine the impacts of mandating smoke alarms on every storey of all social homes. It found that the cost to social landlords of installing smoke alarms in homes which currently do not have them on every storey would be 21 million over a ten-year period, with assessed benefits of 68 million over a 20-year period. The cost per dwelling is 102 over 10-year appraisal period. The benefits have been calculated by estimating the monetised health benefits through reduced fatalities and injuries caused by fires in social homes.

Because we are proposing a new obligation on landlords to replace alarms when they are reported broken during the tenancy, replacement costs for social landlords have been included in the analysis. However, as private rented tenancies only last an average of 4 years, and smoke alarms last an average of 10 years, no replacement costs for private landlords were considered.

We acknowledge that our proposals could have a slightly increased impact on smaller landlords as larger landlords are able to benefit from some economies of scale, such as buying alarms in bulk. However, we do not expect the cost per home to be significantly different for smaller landlords and so they should not be disproportionately impacted. We are therefore not proposing to exempt small landlords from our proposals as this would undermine their effectiveness. The full impact assessment is available at Annex B.

a. Yesb. No

a. Yesb. No

a. Yesb. No

a. Yesb. No

a. Yesb. No

a. Yesb. No

a. Yesb. No

Carbon monoxide is produced by incomplete combustion. It can be released into a room if a combustion appliance such as a boiler or fire is faulty, is poorly installed or maintained, or if a flue or chimney is blocked or leaky. It is colourless, odourless and tasteless. Mild poisoning can cause headaches and flu-like symptoms, whilst higher concentrations can lead to collapse, coma or death.

Sometimes referred to as the silent killer, statistics estimate that around 20 people die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning every year. There are around 200 major injuries that require hospitalisation and around 4,000 minor injuries. The view of some medical experts is that some carbon monoxide poisonings are being wrongly diagnosed and therefore under-reported[footnote 3].

Carbon monoxide alarms give advance warning of carbon monoxide in a property and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommend the use of audible carbon monoxide alarms as an important precaution. However, alarms should not be regarded as a replacement for proper installation and regular maintenance and safety checks of combustion appliances by a registered engineer.

In 2018, 42% of all dwellings had a carbon monoxide alarm, up from 33% in 2016 (EHS report, page 41). Owner-occupied homes (43%) and social rented homes (43%) were more likely to have a carbon monoxide alarm than private rented sector dwellings (39%). Homes with a solid-fuel burning appliance, such as a coal fire or wood burning stove, were more likely (51%) to have a carbon monoxide alarm than homes without a solid-fuel appliance (41%).

Currently, carbon monoxide alarms must be installed in all residential buildings when a fixed solid-fuel burning appliance, like a log burning stove, is installed. This requirement is set out in Building Regulations Approved Document J and applies to installations regardless of tenure in private and social rented homes and in owner occupied homes. Building control bodies are responsible for interpreting the guidance and enforcing the requirements of the Building Regulations. In practice, most combustion appliance installations are carried out by engineers registered with approved competent persons schemes who self-certify that the installation is compliant with the requirements of the building regulations.

Since 2015, private sector landlords have been required to install a carbon monoxide alarm in any room which is used wholly or partly as living accommodation and contains a solid-fuel burning appliance. The regulations also require private landlords to ensure the alarms are in working order at the start of each tenancy. As with smoke alarms, the local housing authority is responsible for enforcing carbon monoxide alarm requirements.

The current requirement in building regulations and in the private rented sector for alarms for solid-fuel heating was based on the cost-benefit analysis published at the time. That showed the benefits to installing alarms for solid-fuel appliances to be greater than for gas and oil appliances.

In 2017, the All-Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group (APPCOG) published a report Carbon Monoxide Alarms: Tenants Safe and Secure in Their Homes that critically assessed both the 2010 and 2015 requirements. It found that the original cost-benefit analysis which preceded the regulations was outdated, with carbon monoxide alarms being cheaper and more efficient than they had been previously. It also found that the regulations were unnecessarily complex and could be simplified by instead requiring alarms for all combustion appliances, including gas and oil, and extending requirements to social landlords.

During 2018, the Review of Carbon Monoxide Alarm Requirements considered whether regulations currently limited to solid-fuel appliances in the private rented sector and building regulations are fit for purpose or whether requirements should be extended to the installation of oil and gas boilers and to social rented housing. The review was supported by a working group of stakeholders and experts that included representation from Public Health England (PHE), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), landlord associations, academics, the emergency services and gas installers. The review found evidence to support the case to extend carbon monoxide requirements.

The government welcomes the valuable work of the All-Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group (APPCOG) and the experts and stakeholders who are engaged on this critically important issue. We agree that the cost of alarms has fallen since 2010. We want to see a greater number of residents benefit from the protection and reassurance that carbon monoxide alarms can provide. We accept APPCOGs finding that limiting requirements to solid-fuel burning appliances has made the regulations complicated.

We propose to amend the statutory guidance (Approved Document J) so that carbon monoxide alarms must be fitted alongside the installation of fixed combustion appliances of any fuel type, excluding gas cookers. These requirements apply to installations in new and existing homes regardless of tenure, i.e. private and social landlords and to owner-occupiers.

Approved Document J provides guidance on placement of carbon monoxide alarms. It says that an alarm should be fitted on the ceiling at least 300mm from any wall or on a wall, as high up as possible (above any doors and windows) but not within 150mm of the ceiling and between 1m and 3m horizontally from the appliance. Government would like to seek views on whether the information on placement of carbon monoxide alarms remains fit for purpose and whether they would need adapting or updating alongside an extension of the regulations and guidance.

Approved Document J also sets out that to meet the requirements of the building regulations, a carbon monoxide alarm should comply to British Standard Institute standards (British Standard BS EN 50291) and be powered by a battery designed to operate for the working life of the alarm. It should also have a warning device to alert users when the working life of the alarm is due to pass or a mains-powered alarm with fixed wiring (not plug-in) and a sensor failure warning device. Government would like to seek views on whether the information on what type of carbon monoxide alarm should be installed remains fit for purpose and whether it would need adapting or updating alongside an extension of the regulations and guidance.

The impact assessment at Annex B sets out an analysis of costs and benefits of requiring a carbon monoxide alarm to be fitted upon the installation of any new or replacement fixed combustion appliance of any fuel type (excluding cookers). It found that the additional impact on private and social landlords would be negligible, while the cost to housebuilders and owner occupiers would be 208 million over 10 years, with assessed benefits of 183 million over a 20-year period. The benefits have been calculated by estimating the monetised health benefits through reduced fatalities and injuries.

We estimate the cost to owner-occupiers would be approximately 27 per additional alarm that is required, including parts and installation. We expect that this cost will only be incurred once by each affected household during our 10 year appraisal period, and that approximately two-thirds of owner-occupied households could be affected.

Although the analysis shows a total net cost to extend carbon monoxide alarm requirements in respect of Building Regulations, government believes it is vital for residents to be safe and feel safe in their homes. Additionally, we expect alarm costs to fall and average lifespans to improve. It is also the view of some medical experts that carbon monoxide poisonings are being under-reported[footnote 4].

As with smoke alarms, we are not proposing to exempt landlords from our proposals and acknowledge that that our proposals may have a small increased impact on smaller landlords. However, we do not expect the cost per home to be significantly different for smaller landlords and so they should not be disproportionately impacted.

a. Yesb. No

a. Yesb. No

a. Yesb. No

We propose amending the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 so that private and social landlords will be required to install a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation where there is a fixed combustion appliance of any fuel type, excluding gas cookers.

As with smoke alarms, the intention of extending the regulations is to protect residents in rented homes. As such, we are not proposing to extend requirements to owner occupiers. We are proposing to extend the requirements to tenancy types where the social landlord has responsibilities for internal repairs and maintenance. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends that homeowners should install carbon monoxide alarms as a useful precaution.

Government published a question and answer booklet alongside the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 which provides some general guidance for landlords on placement of carbon monoxide alarms. Government would like to seek views on whether the information on placement of carbon monoxide alarms within this guidance document remains fit for purpose and whether it would need adapting or updating alongside an extension of the regulations to the social rented sector.

Some respondents to the review of the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 also told us that these regulations should prescribe the type of alarm to be installed. As with smoke alarms, we are not proposing to prescribe the type of carbon monoxide alarm to be installed in rented properties. We do however propose to use the guidance published alongside the regulations to remind landlords to ensure their choice of alarm meets the relevant product standards and is Conformit Europenne (CE) marked. The guidance will also recommend the benefits of third-party accreditation of alarms, such as that provided by the British Standard Institute (British Standard BS EN 50291). We will also use the guidance document to remind landlords to ensure their choice of alarm should adhere to third party accreditation and give due regard to the needs of individual households.

Landlords would be required to ensure alarms are in working order on the first day of each new tenancy. We are not proposing that there should be a requirement on landlords to test alarms during the tenancy. This is because guidance from many manufacturers and the London Fire Brigade (page 8) is that carbon monoxide alarms should be tested at least on a monthly basis. As with smoke alarm proposals set out above, due to the frequency of testing required, we think it is reasonable to expect that a resident undertake this task as part of their normal responsibility to maintain their home.

We are proposing that landlords should be obliged to repair or replace a faulty alarm during the tenancy, where a fault is reported to them. As with smoke alarms, we are not requiring proactive checking during the tenancy by the landlord, however we do think it right that landlords also be obliged to replace faulty carbon monoxide alarms. As with smoke alarms, we propose the guidance published alongside the regulations sets out resident and landlord responsibilities. We are interested in exploring views on this proposal. As with smoke alarms, the body responsible for enforcing the installation of carbon monoxide alarms in the social rented sector homes will be the local housing authority.

As with smoke alarms, we are minded to commence requirements as soon as practicable following the laying of regulations. However, a phased implementation could allow landlords to install alarms when they next visit the property. We are seeking evidence of the necessity of a phased implementation approach.

The impact assessment at Annex B sets out costs and benefits of extending regulations to require CO alarms in all rooms with any type of fuel burning appliance (excluding gas cookers) in both the private rented and social rented sectors.

It found the net additional cost to social sector landlords would be 128 million over 10 years with assessed benefits of 106 million over a 20-year period. The net additional cost to private sector landlords would be 147 million over 10 years with assessed benefits of 118 million over a 20-year appraisal period.

We estimate the cost to landlords will be approximately 27 per additional alarm that is required, including parts and installation. The number of alarms required per property will vary with the number and location of appliances in scope, but we estimate that the average cost per rented property would be approximately 33 over 10 years. Costs and benefits have been calculated in the same way as for proposals to amend Building Regulations Approved Document J.

a. Yesb. No

a. Yesb. No

a. Yesb. No

a. Yesb. No

a. Yesb. No

All-Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group (APPCOG)

Forum for Parliamentarians to discover, discuss and promote ways of tackling carbon monoxide poisoning in the UK.

Approved Document J

Approved Document J gives guidance for compliance with the Building Regulations requirements for Combustion appliances and Fuel Storage systems when building work is carried out in England.

Approved Document B

Originally posted here:
Domestic smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: proposals to extend regulations - GOV.UK

LETHBRIDGE, ALTA. -- Since the initial re-opening following the COVID-19 lockdown in the spring, businesses and organizations have had to get innovative to safely provide service for their guests.

Central Church of Christ on Lethbridges northside has gone over and above to meet the needs of the moment since opening back up in October, after taking time to decide what would be the safest way to return in-person service.

They focused on implementing safety members to keep members safe. They have a sanitization station upon entry, non-cohorts are socially distanced, pews have been spaced out and five-foot by 30-inch sheets of plexiglass have been hung from the ceiling between each pew.

We have a high percentage of seniors in our group, board chairman Jesse Kurtz said.

Which are the vulnerable people identified, people over 60 are dying more than any other age group from the virus, so because of our high percentage of people over 60 we felt we needed to do everything we could to keep them safe.

Thats where the idea for the plexiglass came from. The church began looking into the costs and logistics of the installation, and after consultations with Alberta Health Services decided to move forward. The panels provide the necessary separation between each pew to allow the church to seat at near-normal capacity.

An anonymous donor stepped up to help cover the $5,000 cost for the plexiglass, and the church also bought a disinfecting gun that uses a fogging system which takes about 10 to 15 minutes to clean the church.

Before the installation, with physical distancing they could sit about 35 people safely, but now they have the capacity to get many more in the doors without jeopardizing anyone's safety.

The faith community is one of those where its really built around relationships," pastor Harold Cooper said. "Its not a spectator sport - its about engagement.

Being able to bring our people back in the building to gather in a safe way is so important, but even in saying that there are all kinds of health reasons that have left some people unable to come. So we still have to figure that out, but at least for now weve been able to have our people meet.

This week the church will install a few more additional panels of plexiglass, giving them more than 40 panels in total, which will cover each pew and the front area of the church.

With COVID cases on the rise in Alberta, and with new measures recently imposed by the provincial government, they might be waiting a while longer to see more people come through the doors.

However, by taking proactive measures ahead of time, theyre hoping that it will allow them to keep their doors open for the long term.

We needed to be set up here for the long haul and by putting up plexiglass were now ready to keep going. We can keep having services, we dont see closing the doors again unless the government mandates it with everybody and theyll be no exceptions, even though I believe that weve gone above and beyond, Kurtz said.

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Lethbridge, Alta. church gets creative to keep members safe at mass during the pandemic - CTV Toronto

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Work on the Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) $9.5-million-dollar Renaissance Project, underwritten by legendary award-winning musician/philanthropist, Herb Alpert and the Herb Alpert Foundation, was completed on time and on budget, it was announced by HSA Board Chair Charles Hamilton, Jr. Over the past decade, HSA has received over $17 million dollars in financial support from the Herb Alpert Foundation, and that includes this latest gift.

The project, which broke ground a year ago, has transformed the Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) into a dazzling cultural center. The building, which was originally designed by architect Ulrich Franzen, has received a major facelift. A main section of the austere brick faade has been replaced with a cutting- edge, angled glass curtain wall, offering the community and the public at large, a transparent view inside the facility where so many young lives have been enriched, and given a sense of purpose and focus. The remainder of the brick exterior has been repaired, treated and stained; windows replaced, exterior lighting and new signage added.

"We have been this walled in oasis for a very long time. Now, we can share the beauty that our young people create within the safety of this space, and under the guidance of our extraordinary staff and teaching artists," said HSA President, Eric Pryor.

A group of designers, architects and other specialists with decades of experience and a clear approach to the work of enhancing and reconfiguring key portions of the 37,000-square foot building, came together on this project.

Once shielded from view, the spectacular public space/performance gallery dubbed, Dorothy Maynor Hall, has been fully re-imagined with the help of legendary architect/acoustician, John Storyk, who first rose to prominence for his work on Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Studios. The gallery has been retrofitted with a sophisticated audio and high definition video system; including retractable absorbent acoustic curtains, acoustic ceiling baffles, production lighting, new wood flooring, the use of perforated natural wood paneling that helps modulate sound, and a control center built on the second-floor balcony. The high fidelity, duo audio/speaker system was donated by Harman Kardon, a division of Stamford-based Harman International Industries, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics.

The thorough modernization of the gallery space renders it one of the best performance/music venues in the city, and allows optimized use of the space for a wide range of events, while providing students a professional performance environment that will drive their creativity and motivate them to excel.

"As musicians, whether performing or recording, my wife Lani and I know the value of having a space that allows the audience a full appreciation of what we artists are delivering," said Herb Alpert, who has taken a personal, hands-on interest in the renovation project. Through their Foundation, the multi-Grammy Award-winning couple has been supporting numerous arts education programs and institutions. The annual Herb Alpert Award in the Arts has provided substantial financial support to mid-career artists this year announcing a doubling of awardees from five to ten. "When Lani and I became involved with this organization, it was because the kids who bring their passion for the arts to this building deserve a space as beautiful as the art they create. And that's what this renovation is all about the kids. They are the future of art, and they are our future artists."

Immediately on entering HSA, visitors will check in at the newly positioned security desk before gaining access into the main gallery and other parts of the building. A series of decorative murals, installed on the walls in the main lobby, visualize the mission and promise of HSA, and charts the history of the organization and its founder Dorothy Maynor. The HSA Store shares space with the Cafe, a vibrant, sun drenched waiting area for parents, students and visitors. The back-garden courtyard has been revamped. Improvements include the installation of a new uplighting system that provides dramatic night time effects, as the light reflects against the natural rock wall, and the building's signature built-in waterfall becomes visible from the street.

Once shielded from view, the spectacular public space/performance gallery dubbed, Dorothy Maynor Hall, has been fully re-imagined with the help of legendary architect/acoustician, John Storyk, who first rose to prominence for his work on Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Studios. The gallery has been retrofitted with a sophisticated audio and high definition video system; including retractable absorbent acoustic curtains, acoustic ceiling baffles, production lighting, new wood flooring, the use of perforated natural wood paneling that helps modulate sound, and a control center built on the second-floor balcony. The high fidelity, duo audio/speaker system was donated by Harman Kardon, a division of Stamford-based Harman International Industries, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics.

The thorough modernization of the gallery space renders it one of the best performance/music venues in the city, and allows optimized use of the space for a wide range of events, while providing students a professional performance environment that will drive their creativity and motivate them to excel.

"As musicians, whether performing or recording, my wife Lani and I know the value of having a space that allows the audience a full appreciation of what we artists are delivering," said Herb Alpert, who has taken a personal, hands-on interest in the renovation project. Through their Foundation, the multi-Grammy Award-winning couple has been supporting numerous arts education programs and institutions. The annual Herb Alpert Award in the Arts has provided substantial financial support to mid-career artists this year announcing a doubling of awardees from five to ten. "When Lani and I became involved with this organization, it was because the kids who bring their passion for the arts to this building deserve a space as beautiful as the art they create. And that's what this renovation is all about the kids. They are the future of art, and they are our future artists."

Immediately on entering HSA, visitors will check in at the newly positioned security desk before gaining access into the main gallery and other parts of the building. A series of decorative murals, installed on the walls in the main lobby, visualize the mission and promise of HSA, and charts the history of the organization and its founder Dorothy Maynor. The HSA Store shares space with the Cafe, a vibrant, sun drenched waiting area for parents, students and visitors. The back-garden courtyard has been revamped. Improvements include the installation of a new uplighting system that provides dramatic night time effects, as the light reflects against the natural rock wall, and the building's signature built-in waterfall becomes visible from the street.

"Within the scope of work that has just been completed were a number of necessary repairs that will make the building far more energy-efficient, and will improve the safety of our students and the public," said Mr. Pryor.

Board Chair, Charles Hamilton, Jr., reiterated the importance of the renovation to the 56-year-old institution. "This has always been a special place with the highest standards of professional training. With the completion of the Renaissance Project, HSA has truly transformed into a cultural destination. I believe it is what our founder imagined from the very beginning, and this is all thanks to the generosity of Herb Alpert, his wife Lani Hall, and Rona Sebastian, President of the Herb Alpert Foundation and a member of the HSA Board."

Students will not immediately have an opportunity to see the changes made to the building due to COVID-19 and the suspension of in-person classes. "But when they do, what a moment that will be," said Rona Sebastian. "Herb, Lani, and I are hoping to be there, to share in the excitement when the doors of HSA open once again, welcoming back the hundreds of students who annually fill the corridors of this historic institution." The ribbon cutting celebration, which had been originally scheduled to take place this Fall, has now been moved to Spring of 2021.

The completion of the transformative project marks another milestone in the evolution of the corridor along 141st-145th and St. Nicholas Avenue. HSA sits as an anchor on the extended block which is fast becoming an educational campus comprised of the Neighborhood Charter School, which opened for classes in Fall of 2019; the Harlem Academy, which broke ground on their 29,000-square foot, five-story facility this past August, and the newly renovated Harlem School of the Arts.

The Harlem School of the Arts, recognized as a multidisciplinary cultural institution, providing accessible quality arts education, world-class training, and an interdisciplinary curriculum, is perfectly poised to become an inclusive arts partner to the members of this campus, as it has been to other schools and organizations in the community. HSA reaches over 10,000 individuals annually through a variety of public programs and community performances; more than 1200 students enroll in classes annually; the organization holds more than 4,000 group classes, provides over 5,000 private lessons, and has a growing roster of alumni who have gone on to top ranked colleges, universities and conservatory programs, as well as celebrated careers in the arts, politics and other industries.

Dorothy Maynor, a retired artist, gifted with one of the most beautiful operatic voices, founded the school and was responsible for the construction of the historic building. At the time when Ms. Maynor's School of the Arts was nestled in the basement of St. James Presbyterian (corner of 141st & St. Nicholas Ave.), a young man with a golden horn was beginning his musical journey and about to make musical history on the opposite coast. Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass would go on to break record sales. More than forty-years later, though never having the opportunity to meet one another, they would be brought together by their mutual love of the arts, by their passionate commitment to children and to ensuring their access to arts education. These two artists also have a deep recognition of the transformative power of the arts to stimulate creativity, build self-confidence, and add a dimension of beauty to a child's life that's important in the development of creative thinkers, and tomorrow's innovative leaders.

At present, the Harlem School of the Arts remains open online, 24/7, with a schedule of Fall virtual classes and public programs readily available by visiting http://www.hsanyc.org.

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Harlem School Of The Arts Unveils Dazzling Transformation - Patch.com

information from the City of Seattle

The City of Seattle has awarded $756,626 to support 23 community-initiated projects through Seattle Department of NeighborhoodsNeighborhood Matching Fund (NMF). Twenty-three community groups received awards ranging from $9,418 to $50,000 and have pledged $721,956 to match their award through local cash donations, volunteer hours, donated materials, and in-kind professional services.

For decades, our Neighborhood Matching Fund has showcased Seattles deep commitment to our communities, while showcasing exactly what makes our city the best city to live in, said Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. The 23 organizations receiving funding today are bringing forward their visions of a healthier, safer, more vibrant Seattle that benefits not just their neighborhoods but the entire City. From parks and playgrounds to culturally appropriate exhibits to providing job skills, Neighborhood Matching Fund projects are on the leading edge of inclusivity, connecting our City in meaningful ways.

The funds we received from the Neighborhood Matching Fund will help us continue our mission to support our amazing youth, families, and community, said Larry Wilmore of Fathers and Sons Together. Strong communities are everything. We can't change the world, but we can help strengthen our community to be a more vibrant, safe, and enjoyable place where fathers, sons, mothers, and daughters live, create memories, and thrive.

The Neighborhood Matching Fund offers grants to organizations committed to fostering and building our community. It has two funds: the Community Partnership Fund, which is generally offered three times a year with awards up to $50,000; and Small Sparks Fund, which is offered on a rolling basis throughout most of the year with awards of up to $5,000.

We are so grateful to the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods for our recent award from the Neighborhood Matching Fund, said Isaac Araya, Board President of the Eritrean Association in Greater Seattle. With these funds, we plan to improve our Community Center by replacing the existing HVAC system. This award will help ensure that our Community Center can continue to be a vital hub for cultural and community events, civic engagement activities, and our vital Senior Virtual Village program."

Over its nearly 32-year history, more than5,000 projectshave been funded in partnership with the NMF Program, and its investment in neighborhoods can be seen across the city. For information about NMF, visitseattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/.

The following community organizations will receive Neighborhood Matching Fund awards during the Fall 2020 funding cycle:

Citywide

$30,000 for Northwest Arts Streaming Hub forNASH at Nite,a youth-curated, all-ages variety show that prioritizes local BIPOC artists. The goal of the project is to provide career-connected learning opportunities to youth who are interested in content creation, live streaming, and digital producing, along with free quality virtual entertainment during this pandemic crisis. (Community match: $33,550)

$24,754 to RV Steering Committee forMasks Up: Masks Down, a series of 12 virtual workshops on subsequent Saturdays for youth ages 11-17. The project will encourage participants to share stories about their life experiences since COVID-19 using art, literature photography and spoken word. (Community match: $14,800)

$33,360 to Emergency Communication Hubs-Seattle forEmergency Hubs: Increasing Our Outreach. The project will develop five additional emergency hubs, translate current Hub brochure and videos into multiple languages, and provide interpretation at 2021 outreach events. (Community match: $20,976)

District 1

$49,500 to Highland Park Elementary PTA for Phase 2 of theHighland Park School Playground Project. This will support updating their 2016 Playground Master Plan to reflect current community needs and develop construction documents. (Community match: $31,000)

$25,840 to Highland Park Improvement Club forCommunity Gathering & Performance Space Renovationto provide HVAC work, ceiling repair, and new lighting and proscenium in the interior gathering/performance space, a popular venue for community meetings, arts and cultural events. (Community match: $28,380)

$40,650 to Seattle Nantes Sister City Association forNantes Park Beautificationto transform the pocket park into something more kid-friendly, more accessible, and more reflective of our sister city relationship with Nantes, France. The project will take designs through a community review and produce final construction-ready plans. (Community match: $21,300)

District 2

$50,000 to Eritrean Association of Greater Seattle forEritrean Association HVAC Replacementat the Associations Community Center, a vital hub for cultural activities and other community gatherings for Seattles Eritrean community. Replacing the existing HVAC system will improve the large hall for future gatherings. (Community match: $80,019)

$49,778 to Friends of Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands forRainier Beach Urban Farm Greenhouses Renovationto increase capacity for food production at the farm. The work will include installation of thermostatically controlled sidewalls and solar array panels, soil remediation, construction of new raised beds, and permitting. (Community match: $70,120)

$50,000 to Friends of Detective Cookie Chess Park for Phase 4 ofDetective Cookie Chess Parkto focus on initial construction of the park, including demolition, grading and drainage, and utility installation. The project envisions an inter-generational, multicultural community space where neighbors can gather and play chess while honoring Detective Denise Cookie Bouldin. (Community match: $35,560)

$49,745 to Mini Mart City Park for Phase 3 ofMini Mart City Park Constructionto fund exterior finishes, including carpentry, siding, railings, paint, and stain. The goal of the park is to provide a place for arts, education, environmental action, and community collaboration in the Duwamish Valley. (Community match: $70,100)

$35,000 to Brothers United in Leadership Development forBuild 2021, a series of community-building events to create leadership opportunities for Black men to positively impact, heal, unite, inspire, celebrate, engage, and build their community. (Community match: $48,040)

$25,000 to Somali Community Services of Seattle forVirtual Variety Video Extravaganzato create two virtual variety shows planned and developed by the community with the goal of fostering development of relationships across cultural communities. (Community match: $26,100)

$50,000 to Georgetown Open Space Steering Committee for8th Avenue Street Endto build portions of the developed street and park design which was developed with input from the community. Work will involve design, engineering, and close coordination between lead agencies and partners. (Community match: $40,286)

$30,000 to FAST Fathers and Sons Together forNext Generation Level Up Job Readiness Projectto provide twenty-five South Seattle residents of color between the ages of 15-24 with job-ready skills like resume writing, interviewing skills, and on-the-job performance expectations. The program will partner with leaders and industry professionals of color to facilitate and train participants. (Community match: $21,400)

$18,315 to Chinatown-International District Exhibit Committee forAsian Pacific Islander Americans: COVID-19 Exhibit, a free digital exhibit of art, personal stories, and artifacts. The exhibit will partner with Wing Luke Museum to educate the public about the effects of COVID-19 on Asian Pacific Islander Americans in the Chinatown-International District and Seattle. (Community match: $9,200)

District 3

$33,000 to Somali Youth Soccer Association forEast African Homework Help and Soccer Programto develop a free after-school program. The program will virtually assist youth with homework and improve physical fitness through soccer drills on the weekends. (Community match: $33,570)

District 4

$13,552 to Friends of Picardo Farms P-Patch forAccessibility Improvements at the Picardo P-Patchto rebuild and enlarge existing accessible garden beds, add specialized garden tools and storage, and enhance critical pathways to increase accessibility. (Community match: 11,542)

$43,000 to Elis Park Project for Phase 3 ofBurke-Gilman Park Renovationto design and fabricate custom bike stations, sculptural elements, and educational panels. The park renovation will create an accessible, inclusive, nature-based park for people of all ages and abilities. (Community match: $27,500)

$20,819 to Magnuson Childrens Garden Steering Committee forMagnuson Childrens Garden All Are Welcome Muralto work with youth residents of Magnuson Park housing and surrounding neighbors to design and create murals that create a strong All are Welcome in the Garden message. (Community match: $19,800)

$30,095 to The U District Partnership forU District Mural Programto install three new works of public art in different areas of the neighborhood. (Community match: $15,510)

District 5

$12,831 to Greenwood-Phinney Greenways forNE GreenwoodHomezoneto calm traffic on five neighborhood streets. The project includes planning, designing, and installing custom-made barrel planters. (Community match: $16,590)

$9,418 to Victory Heights Community Council forVictory Heights Neighborhood Signal Box Artworkto feature the work of eight local artists work on utility boxes in the area. The project is focused on growing the beauty and identity of the Victory Heights neighborhood. (Community match: $8,773)

District 7

$31,969 to UpGarden P-Patch forUpGarden Renovation Project of Mercer St. Garageto beautify and enhance the community garden space. Renovations will include restoring garden beds, redesigning the entrance, refreshing signage and adding new features such as benches, gazebo, and bike rack. (Community match: $37,840)

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City of Seattle's Neighborhood Matching Fund invests $750000 in 23 community-initiated projects - Westside Seattle

Progressive House Democrats on Tuesday called on Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoTrump senior advisers dissuaded president from military strike on Iran: report Trump national security adviser vows 'professional transition' of power With Biden, a Saudi reboot MORE to condemn Israels demolition of a rural Beduin community, a move that displaced dozens of people, including children, in the Jordan Valley of the West Bank.

In a letter to the secretary, 40 House Democrats called on Pompeo to push the Israeli government to halt any further demolitions and accused Israel of creeping annexation, violating international law and a grave humanitarian issue.

Creeping annexation cannot be a policy that the U.S. government supports if we wish to see peace in the region, the letter, which was led by Rep. Mark PocanMark William PocanHouse launches new COVID-19 testing program Top contender for Biden Defense chief would be historic pick Overnight Defense: 5 US service members killed in international peacekeeping helicopter crash in Egypt | Progressives warn Biden against Defense nominee with contractor ties | Trump executive order to ban investment in Chinese military-linked companies MORE (D-Wisc.), co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), read.

It is imperative that in your waning two months in office human rights violations, and violations of international law, continue to be forcefully rejected by the American government. It is the only way that a peaceful, comprehensive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be achieved.

Signatories includedCPC co-chair Rep. Pramila JayapalPramila JayapalProgressive House Democrats to host health care strategy session Progressives unveil Biden Cabinet wish list Intercept bureau chief: Pelosi should focus on Georgia special elections amid 'absurd' fighting among Democrats MORE (D-Wash.); Rep. Rashida TlaibRashida Harbi TlaibThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by UAE - US records 1 million COVID-19 cases in a week; governors crack down Pelosi faces caucus divisions in Biden era Ocasio-Cortez tweets displeasure of Manchin after he attacks 'crazy socialist agenda' MORE (D-Mich.), the first Palestinian-American woman of Congress;and Rep. Joaquin CastroJoaquin CastroDozens of progressive groups endorse Joaquin Castro for Foreign Affairs chair Castro pledges to term limit himself if elected Foreign Affairs chair Former DNC finance chairman Henry Muoz: Latinos 'need to lead ourselves' MORE (D-Texas), who is running for chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The letter is in response to Israels Nov. 3 demolition of nearly all of the structures that made up the Beduin community of Khierbet Humsah, including more than 100 tents and sheds that served as living space, cooking space,storage quarters, livestock pens, water containers and solar panels, according to human rights groups.

The demolition displaced 74 people including 41 children, the rights groups said.

The action drew further outrage from the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which said it was the largest single demolition by Israel of the last decade.

Israel has this year demolished nearly 700 hundred structures belonging to Palestinians and Beduins, nomadic Arabs that identify as Palestinian, thatofficialssay are illegally built in Area C of the West Bank, which under the Oslo Accords falls under Israeli civil and military administration. But Palestinians and human rights groups say it is nearly impossible to attain building permits that would legalize such structures and allow them to update, build or expand their homes.

The Israeli government defended its demolition of Khierbet Humsah, describing it as an enforcement activity carried out against seven tents and eight animal pens that were illegally constructed in a firing range in the Jordan Valley used by the Israel Defense Forces, the Times of Israel reported.

The letter comes ahead of Pompeos trip to Israel this week, where he is expected to visit the Israeli settlement of Psagot in the West Bank, marking the first such visit by a secretary of State to territory considered by the international community as illegally occupied by Israel.

The Trump administration in November 2019 reversed State Department policy that viewed Israeli settlements as illegal.

Pocan, in a statement, called Pompeos planned visit to Psagot unprecedented and disgraceful.

He further accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhau of using the U.S. election to cover up gross human rights atrocities and of threatening a two-state solution to the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. The congressional Democratalleged the demolition amounted to a defacto annexation of Palestinian land.

Netanyhau had agreed to suspend plans for annexation in exchange for opening diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates and brokered by the U.S. as the Abraham Accords.

Destroying homes and displacing 41 Palestinian children demonstrates a clear act of aggression by the state of Israel and is intentionally oppositional to securing peace or a two-state solution in the region, Pocan said in a statement. There is no excuse for the de facto annexation of Palestinian land, and America cannot remain silent in the face of these human rights abuses any longer.

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Progressive Democrats call on Pompeo to condemn Israeli demolition of Beduin village | TheHill - The Hill

ELKINS, W.Va. The process of tearing down and removing the old bleachers at Elkins Wimer Stadium has begun.

The process is expected to take around five weeks to complete, depending on the weather.

Most, if not all, of the interior of the press box that sits above the home bleachers has been removed, and crews will spend the next five weeks or so taking down the rest of the seats that are currently positioned on each side of the field.

The bleachers at Wimer Stadium were deemed unfit for games in August, just before the start of the regular season.

Due to that ruling, made by an inspector, the Tigers football team was forced to play every game away from their home stadium, and all but one game outside of Randolph County.

The announcement that the bleachers at Wimer Stadium would be torn down was made in late October.

It remains unclear at this time what direction the school and the city will go in, when it comes to the home of the Elkins football team, once the bleachers have been torn down.

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Demolition process begins for bleachers at Elkins Wimer Stadium - WBOY.com

The Historic Landmark Commission voted at itsOct. 26 meeting to again postpone discussion on the proposal to demolish a pair of homes located in AustinsAir-Conditioned Village until its November meeting.

The two houses, at 2505 and 2507 Park View Drive, are significant due to their location. TheAir-Conditioned Village was built in the early 1950s as one of several nationwide experiments in building middle-class housing with central air conditioning, something that had previously been considered an upper-class luxury.

I strongly support the demolition permits for both these homes, primarily on the basis that denying the permits is going to impose an undue burden on the homeowners and that the homes are long past their usual life and are functionally deficient, said Azim Hajjar, who lives across the street from 2507. When the original residents moved out, they left (the home) in a completely dilapidated condition.

2505 Park View Drive

Dominique Levesque, owner of 2507 and developer of 2505, submitted petitions to demolish both houses in order to build new single-family homes in their place, saying in a letter to the Historic Landmark Commission that the houses are outdated and inefficiently built.

In her letter, Levesque specifically noted issues with the houses failing foundations and costly plumbing replacements.

Tim Patrick, owner of 2505, spoke at the meeting in favor of demolishing the building, saying it is in poor condition and has been remodeled too many times to be considered a midcentury house.

So much of the house has been altered, theres not really much we can do with it, Patrick said. We do, however, want to build a new midcentury house that is brick and looks like it belongs in the neighborhood.

Preservation Austin submitted letters arguing against the demolitions.

The Air-Conditioned Village has seen too many demolitions, at a rapidly increased rate, over the past several years, Preservation Austin President Clayton Bullock wrote. Today only 15 of the original 23 homes retain integrity. Every loss brings us closer to losing any chance for a historic district to honor and protect these buildings.

After hearing from community members, the Historic Landmark Commission voted 8-1 to postpone its decision pending further discussion.

Upon reconsideration, staff believes the best alternative here would be for a postponement and seeing if we could develop plans that would incorporate these houses, undo the modifications that have been done to them, and really do justice and homage to the Air-Conditioned Village, Commissioner Terri Myers said.

This story was written by a journalism student at the University of Texas at Austin. TheAustin Monitoris working in partnership with the UT School of Journalism to teach and publish stories produced by students in the City and County Government Reporting course.

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Two more homes from the Air-Conditioned Village slated for demolition - Austin Monitor

Click on the screen image to see what Zora, a new bar-restaurant under construction at 2120 Ingersoll Ave., will look like in the evening. Below is a rendering of the two-story structure.Watch videoArchitectural rendering by Simonson & Associates

Ed Allen began planning for a new bar and restaurant along Des Moines Ingersoll Avenue last March just as the coronavirus began rapidly spreading across the country.

The pandemic, though, didnt derail Allens plans.

It actually motivated me, if anything, said Allen, a lifelong Des Moines resident and Roosevelt High School graduate. Zora, an establishment that will be located at 2120 Ingersoll Ave., is expected to open in March 2021 at the very beginning stages of people going back out.

"We want to be part of the resurgence.

Work has begun at the site including installation of footings and construction of a new retaining wall. Metal framing is expected to arrive early next week when workers will begin putting up the buildings shell. When completed, the two-story, 6,000-square-foot structure will include a rooftop patio that will be lit in the evening.

Allen said he did numerous studies to determine whether the property, which previously was home to Flanigans bar, was a good location for a bar and restaurant.

We measured rooftops, we did traffic counts, he said. It appeared to be a property that had all the elements for that type of industry to succeed.

Earlier this year, the city of Des Moines began a three-year project to beautify and repair a one-mile stretch of Ingersoll Avenue, between Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and 31st Street. The $17 million project includes the reconstruction of the roadway, new storm sewers, the burying of overhead utilities, widened sidewalks, upgraded bus stops, new pedestrian crossings, elevated bike lanes and landscaping.

Allen said the citys investment in the area prompted him to make an investment as well. If the city hadnt made the streetscape improvements, I probably would not be doing this project, he said.

Zora will have a full-service kitchen with an emphasis on serving American-style foods such hamburgers.

Its not fine dining, Allen said. Were a bar-restaurant, not a restaurant-bar.

During the noon hour during the workweek, Zora is expected to cater to area workers, including those downtown. In the evenings, it will likely draw 20- to 30-year-olds, Allen said.

We expect the after 10 p.m. crowd will mostly be a lot of 20-somethings, he said.

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Construction begins on Zora, new bar-restaurant slated to open next spring on Ingersoll Avenue - Business Record

MUSKEGON, MI -- A ground breaking was recently held for the six-story mixed-use building, The Leonard, after construction was delayed earlier this year.

The Leonard is being constructed at the corner of Western Avenue and Second Street. Construction on the 51,565-square-foot building initially was expected to begin in fall 2018, and was postponed once to May 2019 and again to March 2020.

This is a $9.2 million project, according Cory Leonard, owner of Sweetwater Development, which broke ground Nov. 9.

The project includes retail space, residential apartments and office space.

Dave Alexander, business development manager for Muskegons Downtown Development Authority, was not surprised at the projects timeline.

Ive been watching the evolution of the project over time and buildings this big in towns like Muskegon take this kind of time to come into fruition so that is not surprising, said Alexander.

According to Leonard, who the building is named after, projects like this always takes longer than what people think." Now that construction has begun, he said the building has a November 2021 opening date.

The most recent cause of construction delays are due to funding challenges related to COVID-19. Leonard said Chemical Bank elected to postpone all funding for similar developments. However, Leonard didnt want to wait.

There was never any issue with funding other than COVID hitting and the original bank said that they wanted to postpone closing for six months, he said.

In order to get the project off the ground without further delay, Leonard chose to move forward with funding from Honor Credit Union of Berrien Springs in March.

In December 2019, the Michigan Strategic Fund approved a $1.5 million incentive to assist Sweetwater Development Partners, LLC in constructing the building. The development will be in a vacant area of the former Muskegon Mall.

According to Alexander, the site one of the final pieces of vacant property left to be developed since the malls 2003 demolition.

The building is set to include one floor of commercial spaces, two floors of offices and three floors dedicated to 18 apartments. The first floor will include a combination of 600-square-foot shops retail shops and restaurants, with the possibility of a credit union, Leonard told MLive.

BigSigns.com, Leonards events graphics company out of Grand Haven, will occupy space on the third floor. Developers are actively searching for a take-out restaurant as well. Leonard said the developers are also taking some of the parking on the east side of the building on Second Street where they will add an outdoor patio.

(It) will really give a nice visual appeal to that corner kind of give it real curb appeal and activity, said Leonard. I think it will add a lot to the downtown area, to the vibe.

According to the developer, the demand is very high for apartments, with over 150 people having expressed interest, however they have not begun the application process. Leonard is hopeful the apartments will be ready for move in before November 2021.

Leonard, who is from Muskegon, has said he plans to also add a second building in the area, with condos instead of apartments. He has the option to develop the rest of the block, between First and Second streets.

A graduate of Reeths-Puffer High School, Leonard operates an events graphics company, BigSigns.com, out of Grand Haven. He previously developed 605 W. Western Ave., the site of Muskegon Radiology.

More on MLive:

Michigan lists 260 new coronavirus outbreaks and 723 ongoing clusters in Nov. 16 report

U.S. 31 ramp, lane closures planned near Muskegon this week

Michigans hunting license system back online after issues emerged before opening day

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Construction finally underway on mixed-use building in downtown Muskegon - MLive.com