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B. June Hutchinson has been honored with the second annual Rose Standish Nichols Award by Beacon Hills Nichols House Museum for for her dedicationto landscape design, her research and writings about 55 Mt Vernon Street and the Nichols family, and her service to the Museum and community at large.

The RSN award was created to recognize individuals of outstanding achievement who embody the spirit of Rose Nichols. A noted landscape designer and author, Nichols lived in the four-story Bulfinch Federal Period brick townhouse at 55 Mount Vernon Street from 1885 until her death in 1960. As specified in her will, her home has been open to the public as a museum since 1961.

Like Nichols, Hutchinson was a writer and landscape designer before her recent retirement. Every morning when I woke up, I had a bevy of things to do to move forward a project that would better an institution or advance my writing, said Hutchinson recently. And those projects were many, all executed with thorough research into the past and a clear vision of the future.

Unlike Rose Nichols, who was only 23 years old when she became a landscape designer, Hutchinson began at midlife. She enrolled in Radcliffs program in landscape architecture and, with Ann Steinberg, founded Private Gardens in Weston, a landscape design firm that specialized in creating period gardens, most often of the early Federal and Queen Anne Victorian styles.

Hutchinson designed these gardens only after thoughtful research into the historical and cultural periods they represent. It is the same approach she executed during her many years on the Museums Board of Governors, including her stint as president from 2004-2007.

As she began her tenure, she recognized that the Museums future success depended on the use of professional management tools. Therefore, she set out to learn as much as she could about the field of museum management in part by attending workshops sponsored by the New England Museum Association and other groups.

Consequently she was able to initiate many significant projects such as laying groundwork for the successful pursuit of grants for furniture treatment, collection cataloguing and interpretation. Under her guidance, the Museum received its first major preservation grant from the Massachusetts Historical Commission.

It was Hutchinson who from the very beginning recognized the importance of the museum being accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. She took the lead with executive director Flavia Cigliano to accomplish this and officially received the accreditation in February 2017.

Early on she also saw the importance of transcribing the Nichols family letters, which she did herself by spending hours over a period of several years. Her work enabled the Museums staff to bring many aspects of the Nichols lives into their exhibitions and interpretations.

For example Hutchinson learned that Rose and her sisters Marian and Margaret Nichols were suffragettes. Each had her own unique way of furthering the movement and subsequently the three devoted their lives to three distinct causes: pacifism, anti-corruption, and the defense of civil liberties.

So Hutchinson decided to stage a dinner party with a suffragette theme. The dining table was set with linens and the meal began with champagne and oysters, just as the family would have done. But this time Vote for Women signs appeared throughout the Museum, even on the Christmas tree in the courtyard.

In the family letters Hutchinson also discovered detailed descriptions of the familys holiday traditions, prompting her to bring them back to the Nichols House. Each year she, Jim Borden and Anne Conner would spend months in preparation to assure the festive decorations and stories they told were authentic. It is a festive time still enjoyed by the Museums many patrons and friends.

Roses father, Dr. Arthur H. Nichols, was known for his dining enjoyment. In his day ladies would leave for the living room when the meal was complete while the gentlemen remained at the table enjoying their cigars and brandy. Following their lead, Hutchinson would stage similar dinner parties at the museum.

The information Hutchinson discovered through her years of research ultimately led her to author At Home on Beacon Hill: Rose Standish Nichols and her family, which was published by the Museum in 2011.

Last years award went to Elizabeth Biddy Owens at a formal celebratory event. This year due to the pandemic, the Museum has elected not to hold such an event to present Hutchinson the Rose Standish Nichols Award.

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Hutchinson Honored With Rose Standish Nichols Award - Beacon Hill Times

Politicians across the United States nowadays have consistently failed to demonstrate that they are normal people. While this is due in part to the polarity of the current political landscape, politicians have neglected to deviate from their personas on Capitol Hill.

Their political rhetoric and beliefs have taken precedence over creating a human connection to voters.

The success of Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs and Ilhan Omars livestream of themselves playing Among Us in late October, however, goes beyond two congresswomen playing a popular mobile game with well-known streamers to appeal to young voters. The congresswomen showed they were human.

Ocasio-Cortez and Omar broke the internet playing the hit mobile game on Twitch. The congresswomen played with several other popular streamers and encouraged viewers to vote early for the presidential election.

Ocasio-Cortez instantly shattered records as her stream drew in 439,000 viewers, the third-highest number of viewers for an individual stream in Twitch history. This all started the day before the stream, with an innocuous tweet in which Ocasio-Cortez asked if anyone wanted to see her play Among Us live on Twitch.

The tweet quickly gained massive support and some fans even began to prepare graphics for Ocasio-Cortez to use on her stream. Twenty-four hours later, the congresswoman from New York was playing in front of almost half a million viewers.

Ocasio-Cortezs and Omars Twitch event is part of a larger trend in which politicians have turned to the world of e-sports and video games to attract voters.

The Joseph Biden campaign opened an island named Biden HQ in the popular Nintendo game Animal Crossing: New Horizons in which players can roam and even take photos with an avatar of Joe Biden.

With the incredibly polarized landscape of politics, its no surprise Ocasio-Cortezs and Omars choice to livestream has drawn criticism from right-wing opponents.

Although their stream was associated with the upcoming election, both representatives found a way to accomplish something ordinary politicians have failed to do for decades appeal to young voters.

Since 1980, citizens 65 years and older and 45 to 64-years old have had much greater voter turnouts than citizens in the 18 to 29-year-old age range. Voters 65 years and older specifically have almost consistently had a turnout 20% greater than that of the 18 to 29-year old demographic, according to Census data.

While Sen. Bernie Sanders garnered substantial support from young citizens in both of his attempts for the Democratic National Partys nomination, there was a lower turnout for him at the polls during primaries.

It is evident there is a disconnect between politicians and the young voters they are trying to gain the support of.

This is incredibly problematic because several of the most pressing issues America faces climate change, racial injustice, the growing wealth gap are ones that will have the greatest impact on the future of young voters.

The hundreds of thousands of viewers that watched Ocasio-Cortez and Omars stream were undoubtedly composed of a considerable number of voters in the 18 to 29-year-old demographic. Over 73% of Twitch users fall in the 16 to 34-year-old age range, according to GlobalWebIndex stats from the second quarter of 2019.

Ocasio-Cortezs and Omars wholesome livestream was a breath of fresh air in a considerably vitriolic election season.

Political advertisements have resorted to unprecedented levels of mudslinging, with many constantly tagging each other and their views as radical. Watching two congresswomen peacefully coexist and have fun for a few hours is exactly what the public needed.

Going forward, politicians should engage in similar activities that appeal to young voters and prioritize the human aspect of politics.

Ocasio-Cortez and Omar are a few of the politicians that have done this effectively through social media, and it is part of the reason they are heavily favored in their respective congressional races.

If more politicians follow in their footsteps, the U.S. system of democracy will become much more inclusive for voters of all ages and have more dignity than it currently retains.

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AOC playing Among Us is not sus The Ticker - The Ticker

Global Sickbed Market Research report 2020 provides detailed analysis of industry status and outlook of major regions based on of key players, countries, product types, and end industries. This research report offers the overall analysis of the segments such as market opportunities, import/export details, market dynamics, key manufacturers, growth rate, and key regions. Global Sickbed market research report consist information according to the manufacturers, regions, type, and application.

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Global Sickbed Market 2020 Impact of COVID-19, Future Growth Analysis and Challenges | Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Invacare Corporation, Drive Medical,...

Strategy and communications consultancies Gonring, Lin, Spahn (GLS) and Walnut Hill Advisors have entered a strategic partnership.

The partnership will allow the firms to pursue new business opportunities and provide existing and potential clients with additional relationships, reach, and expertise, stated a release from the companies.

GLS has offices in Los Angeles and Washington, DC and provides consulting services in government relations, issue advocacy, public relations and crisis management, strategic philanthropy, and creative development. The company works with corporations, non-profits, and high-net-worth individuals to lobby the three levels of government, shape and raise visibility for non-profit and other campaigns, tell client stories via every channel, manage charitable giving efforts, and shape creative communications.

GLS was founded by Andy Spahn, who has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, political, and non-profit arenas. He was previously the head of corporate affairs and communications at Dreamworks, overseeing all work related to government and community relations, media, new business development, internal affairs, real estate, and all charitable and political matters. Before that, he was an EVP at the David Geffen Company and president of the David Geffen Foundation.

Walnut Hill Advisors is based in New York, and provides a similar range of services as GLS. The firm delivers consulting on political and civic engagement, executive and personal branding, talent assessment and executive search, crisis communications and management, public affairs, fundraising, and strategic grant making, among other areas.

Founder Jeffrey Stewart has more than 25 years of experience working at the intersection of business, politics, media, and civic engagement working with CEOs, entrepreneurs, and non-profits. Stewart spent the bulk of his career at Loews Hotels & Co, holding numerous senior roles, including director of development, SVP for communications and public affairs, and chief of staff to the chairman & CEO. He started his career as an attorney, serving as an assistant attorney general in the State of New York and as a finance director for Chuck Schumers 1998 senatorial campaign.

The two allied firms now have a presence across the power centers of Washington, New York, and Los Angeles, and a wider base of experience and relationships.

The pandemic has affected society in so many ways and has made clear the importance of leadership. Weve seen the critical role that individuals and the private sector can and must play in confronting the complex challenges before us, said Stewart. We are excited to partner with best-in-class GLS as we assist and guide high net-worth individuals and organizations through the ever-shifting business, political, and philanthropic landscape.

Spahn added, We welcome the opportunity to lock arms with Walnut Hill during these challenging, but exciting, times.

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Strategic comms firms Gonring, Lin, Spahn and Walnut Hill Advisors team up - Consulting.us

Id like to tell you about Taras Ochota, an Australian winemaker who died in October. But first I need to tell you about Nicolas Joly. And before that, I need to tell you about my two-day honeymoon.

It was a quick trip to Charleston, S.C., after my husband and I were married in coastal North Carolina, a few months before our sons second birthday. Because Felix was so young and our babysitting options limited, we made the most of one night, eating and drinking wine at more than a few restaurants. The evening ended at the Peninsula Grill with a bottle of wine that was well out of our price range: a Nicolas Joly Savennires.

It was one of those watershed moments in the life of any wine drinker, transforming ones understanding of what wine can be and do and conjure. These moments are rare and wonderful, and years later it happened to me again with Mr. Ochota.

At the Peninsula Grill, I offered tastes of the Joly wine to those around us, exclaiming, You have to try this! Thus began a longstanding, sentimental obsession with Savennires a small town in the Loire Valley surrounded by chenin blanc vineyards and particularly the winemaker Nicolas Joly, a pioneer of biodynamic viniculture in France. Mr. Jolys wines vary by year, but always retain the elements that hooked me in the first place: a touch of honey, the intense minerality of the slatey soil, an edge of nuttiness (in both senses of the word).

Nine years after our wedding, our family took a trip to France, one that wed been saving for since well before our son was born. Most of it was spent in Paris, but we carved out two days to visit Savennires.

Before our trip, I got an email from a friend of a friend in the wine business. He wondered if we might be interested in spending the day with Mr. Joly and his family.

As we drove up to the Coule de Serrant vineyard, originally planted in 1130 by Cistercian monks, we were giddily nervous. We knew we were in over our heads, being wine lovers but not experts. What would we talk about with Mr. Joly all day? Would our ignorance show?

We need not have worried. In the soaring library of his chateau, the 70-year-old Mr. Joly questioned us about our lives and told us about his. We talked about politics and religion and winemaking and love. On the grounds, he pointed to cows in a field and declared that he always thought cows were closer to God, because their horns pointed to the heavens.

Lunch with Mr. Jolys wife and adult son and daughter was slightly more strained. I could tell that the rest of his family had the same question I did: What were we doing there?

In his office, where he chose from a collection of antique pipes, we resumed our flowing conversation as Mr. Joly smoked.

France is dead, he declared, gesturing to the ancient building around us. Look at this. Beautiful, but crumbling. And America is dying. (He often spoke like an oracle.)

You should go to Australia, he said. There is new life there.

Three years later, we did.

Our meeting with Mr. Joly taught me something thrilling about wine: Sometimes you can taste the soul of the maker in the bottle. This is not always the case. So much wine is made purely as a product, or as a result of longstanding tradition, or as an act of hubris. But there was a reason wed connected with that particular wine on the night of our honeymoon, a reason it stirred something deeper than pure enjoyment. It was as mystical and weird and complex as the man who made it.

Which brings me to Taras Ochota.

I moved back to Australia in 2017 not knowing nearly enough about my home countrys wines. There is a deficit of great Australian bottles that make it to the United States, and a glut of terrible ones. Traditional Australian winemaking has long favored hot sun, big reds and fruity, oaky whites all things I struggle to love.

But a new breed of winemaker is emerging here. Many of them have been seduced by the natural wine movement. This produces some truly exciting and delicious things, but also many wines that taste like sweaty must.

It wasnt until I came across Mr. Ochota that I felt the same kind of connection that had drawn me to Mr. Joly, his philosophy and the personality of his wines.

I met Mr. Ochota on a trip to the Adelaide Hills, the mountainous region to the north of Adelaide, while working on an article about South Australia. We met at an old church that he and his friends had converted into a restaurant, Lost in a Forest, with a huge stone pizza oven on what had been the altar. The name is a reference to an early song by the Cure.

We ate very good pizza and drank extremely strong mezcal Bloody Marys, and Mr. Ochota told me about his background as a surfer, musician and winemaker.

He grew up in South Australia drinking the wines made by his Ukranian-born grandfather, and he studied oenology at the University of Adelaide. He played in punk bands, and worked as a winemaker in California, Italy and Sweden, but he always returned to South Australia. Eventually, he and his wife, Amber, started their own label, Ochota Barrels.

He poured me a glass of his Slint chardonnay. Slint, as in the band? I asked, not knowing that Mr. Ochota named all his wines after bands or songs. The chardonnay was startling: textured but steely, full of tightly wound energy. It was unlike the Australian chardonnay Ive come to avoid, but it also wasnt trying to imitate France or Spain or anywhere else.

We drove up into the hills of the Basket Range to his house, which he shared with his wife, two young children and a gaggle of animals. The lush landscape reminded me of the hollers of West Virginia, the hills intimate and folded in on themselves. The winery is barely more than a shed. On the steep hill above his home, hed planted riesling vines, and inside he showed me where Mick Jagger played piano when hed visited late one night.

Mr. Ochota picked grapes much earlier than is traditional in this region. I felt as though the grapes had something to say, and the overripeness was taking that away from them, he said. He used grapes from his own vineyards, but also farmed odd stretches of organic and biodynamic vines around the hills and McLaren Vale. In his wines I tasted something thrilling and unique to this part of the world.

Mr. Ochota was a wild man and a gentle soul, and that combination attracted people to him. Eric Asimov, The Timess wine critic, wrote to me about him:

He was such a lovely, vital guy, full of life force. Its tempting to think of Taras as kind of a mad man, given his rock star background and general devil-may-care affect. But what really struck me about him is that, as a winemaker, he was professionally trained and pragmatic. He was most interested in expressing the purity of the vineyards, and would not countenance flaws that might dilute that expression. He also seemed to have his priorities in order. Were just making a drink, not solving world peace, he said.

Its spring here in Australia, and Ochota Barrels latest wines were released just a few weeks back. I drank the latest vintage of their ros, Surfer Rosa, on one of Melbournes first sunny, warm days. Ive worn out my love of ros, growing tired of its easy fruit and often predictable acid. But, like so much of what Mr. Ochota produced, this was different: complex, grassy, herbal. I could taste the thoughtfulness and wit and odd brilliance of the man who made it.

Two days later I woke to the news that Mr. Ochota had died at 49, of complications related to a long-term autoimmune condition.

Wine is just a drink. But for those of us who obsess over it and love it and attach part of our identities to it, it can be more. It can be a way to express the soul of a piece of land, a marriage, a person. Im not sure there was anyone in Australia who achieved that better than Taras Ochota.

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When Wine Is More Than Just a Drink - The New York Times

A concept that previously garnered attention with activists and select government agencies, environmental justice (EJ) is now regularly discussed in corporate boardrooms and among C-suite executives.[1]This is for good reasonEJ has risen to prominence in recent years and months, buoyed by current social justice efforts, the recognition of health disparities underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a presidential campaign in which EJ has taken center stage.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines EJ as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. In the United States, EJ is arguably seeing the most significant progress since its outgrowth from the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. In addition to increased EJ advocacy in 2020, newly proposed federal legislation seeks to reframe the way in which the law addresses and incorporates EJ into existing systems for environmental protection. At the state level, new legislation and guidance set the tone for significant reform, with states like New Jersey and Connecticut passing historic measures to build EJ requirements into permitting and remediation procedurespotentially serving as models for other jurisdictions to follow.

These converging trends signal what will likely be a notable shift in the status quo, with potential for exponential amplification by the presidential and congressional election outcomes. The Democratic Party presidential nominee, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., has released dedicated climate and EJ policy proposals, promising sweeping changes to federal EJ policy and prioritization should he and his running mate, Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), win the White House. In addition, congressional election results could shift party dynamics such that the recent increase in EJ-related bills could have a strong chance of becoming law. Regardless of election outcomes, the Biden campaigns forceful prioritization of EJ has spurred those on both sides of the aisle to take a stand. As such, the federal discussion on advancing EJ is likely to continuealbeit in different wayseven under a second Trump term.

Although the most significant EJ activity has occurred at the state level, federal-level changes may be on the horizon, with much at stake in the 2020 presidential and congressional elections. Indeed, during the last presidential debate of this election cycle, the moderator asked a question about EJ and Biden responded by acknowledging the importance of protecting fenceline communities. Should he take office, all indicators suggest that EJ will be a government-wide priority. Not only has Biden released the most comprehensive EJ platform of any presidential candidate, but his selection of Senator Harris, a longstanding EJ advocate, as his running mate signals his commitment to follow-through on his campaign promises. In his July 2020Plan to Secure Environmental Justice and Equitable Economic Opportunity, Biden advocates for such far-reaching initiatives as: establishing an Environmental and Climate Justice Division of the U.S. Department of Justice; instructing the Attorney General to implement Senator Cory BookersEnvironmental Justice Act of 2019through executive action; and overhauling EPAs program responsible for enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (Title VI).

A second term of the Trump Administration may also usher in a new wave of EJ prioritization. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler in arecent public addressdeclared that community-driven environmentalism will be a focus of a second Trump term and is the best opportunity in at least a generation to solve the environmental justice issues we face today. He retorted that community-driven environmentalism will do more for environmental justice than all the rhetoric in political campaigns.

Beyond the White House, shifts in Congresss composition may have similarly significant impacts on EJ policy given a recent spike in EJ-specific legislative proposals. After co-sponsoring the Green New Deal, Senator Harris introduced two EJ bills in August 2020: theEJ for All Act(S.4401; H.R.5986) and theClimate Equity Act(S.4513; H.R.8019). The former is a sweeping overhaul of federal EJ policy, calling for expanding National Environmental Policy Act requirements for community engagement; amending the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act to require consideration of cumulative impacts in permitting decisions; and expanding the private cause of action under Title VI by explicitly prohibiting discrimination based on disparate impacts. The latter requires Congress to consider the impacts of legislation, regulation, or investments on EJ communities in its decision-making, in addition to creating a Climate and Environmental Equity Office within the Congressional Budget Office. After introducing the Environmental Justice Act in 2019, Senator Booker released theEnvironmental Justice Legacy Pollution Cleanup Act(S.4617; H.R.8271) in September 2020, which increases funding for cleanup of legacy pollution and amends the Clean Air Act to prohibit issuance of new major source air pollution permits in overburdened communities. Additional recent EJ-related bills include theClean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act(H.R.4447), which the House passed in September and features a section on EJ that incorporates the Environmental Justice for All Acts key provisions, and thePublic Health Air Quality Act of 2020(S.4369; H.R.7822), which would require facility-specific fenceline monitoring of air pollution in certain communities. These bills foreshadow EJ legislation that may be passed by the next Congress.

In recent years, several states have enacted or proposed legislation that strengthens existing civil rights laws and establishes new EJ-specific laws. As a result, the vast majority of states now address EJ in some fashionvia legislation, agency policy and guidance, or advisory groupswith fewer than five failing to mention the concept at all. While there has been recent EJ activity in states from coast to coast, the extent to which a particular state addresses EJ varies widely. Some states, like California, have robust EJ schemes, while others make only passing reference to the concept. Overall, since 2017, the Trump Administrations deregulatory environmental agenda has inspired greater state activity, including concerted efforts to promote EJ on behalf of their most vulnerable residents.

Notably, New Jerseyslandmark EJ law, signed into law in September, promises to have wide-reaching effects. Under the legislation, applicants seeking new or renewed permits for specific categories of facilities sited in overburdened communities must submit an Environmental Justice Impact Statement that evaluates the potential cumulative environmental and public health stressors associated with the permitted activity. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), in accordance with the law, has published a list of overburdened communities, defined as any census block group with significant low-income, minority or non-English speaking populations (approx. 310 municipalities). The legislation empowers NJDEP to impose conditions on or deny a permit in its entirety, based on the agencys review of the applicants Environmental Justice Impact Statement. The law also introduces significant public engagement and public notification mandates on applicants. These requirements apply to permits for a wide range of facilities, including but not limited to: anything defined as a major source of air pollution under the Clean Air Act; resource recovery facilities or incinerators; sludge processing facilities, combustors, or incinerators; sewage treatment plants with a capacity exceeding 50 million gallons per day; and certain kinds of landfills. The new legislation goes further than any other state EJ law and may serve as a model for other similarly inclined jurisdictions in the future.

Beyond the Garden State, other states have developed a host of strategies in recent years to further their EJ objectives, including establishing EJ oversight and advisory committees, identifying EJ communities statewide, and expanding public engagement requirements. Recent examples include:

Since 2013, the California Environmental Protection Agency has had anEnvironmental Justice Compliance and Enforcement Working Groupnow known as theEnvironmental Justice Task Forceto ensure that EJ is incorporated into state compliance and enforcement programs.

Maryland passedlegislationin 2018 that created a commission tasked with studying and making recommendations to the state legislature on EJ issues in Marylands second most-populous county.

In 2019, New York created apermanent EJ advisory groupresponsible for overseeing state agencies implementation of EJ principles.

In 2020, Virginia established theVirginia Council on Environmental Justicedesigned to advise the governor on how to best to protect vulnerable communities from disproportionate impacts of pollution.

In October 2020, Connecticutpassed a bill (HB7008)amending the states 2008 EJ legislation to increase opportunities for community stakeholders to get involved and improve transparency and accountability. Under the new law, towns with more than five affecting facilities[2]are required to make an agreement with the owner or developer of additional sites where the owner agrees to fund ways to lessen environmental impact of the development. In addition, site owners are required to meet expanded community engagement requirements to advertise permit hearings. The bill goes into effect on November 1, 2020.

In 2017, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) began updating and revising its2004 Environmental Justice Public Participation Policy. In October 2020, the PADEPissued a noticestating that it would withdraw the draft revised policy and continue working on it to develop a Policy that will focus on integrating EJ into other [PADEP] practices and policies to provide tangible benefits to communities. It did not provide a timeline for the revision process.

With few laws directly addressing EJ, activists have found little success attempting to vindicate EJ communities rights in the courts.[3]After the Fourth Circuits recent opinion in theFriends of Buckinghamcase, however, that tide may be changing.[4]In that case, the Virginia State Air Pollution Control Board (Air Board) granted a permit to construct a compressor station that would have been part of the now-abandoned Atlantic Coast Pipeline in Union Hill, a predominantly African American community established during the Civil War.

Plaintiffs challenged the Air Boards decision arguing that it failed to perform its duties under Va. Code (Ann. 10.11307(E)) to consider the potential for disproportionate health impacts from the compressor station and made an incomplete and misinformed site suitability determination. The Fourth Circuit agreed, concluding that the Air Board (1) failed to make findings regarding Union Hills demographics, (2) failed to consider the potential air pollution impacts regardless of compliance with applicable air emissions standards, and (3) relied on an incomplete factual record in assessing site suitability. As such, it vacated the issuance of the permit and remanded the matter back to the Air Board.

TheFriends of Buckinghamcase is particularly significant because, although the proposed compressor station would have met applicable air quality standards, the Fourth Circuit determined that compliance with environmental thresholds alone was insufficient to account for EJ concerns. In fully embracing the importance of EJ, the Fourth Circuit explained that [t]he Boards reliance on air quality standards led it to dismiss EJ concerns. . . . But environmental justice is not merely a box to be checked, and the Boards failure to consider the disproportionate impact on those closest to the Compressor Station resulted in a flawed analysis.[5]

WhileFriends of Buckinghamis persuasive precedent, EJ litigants generally do not prevail in traditional litigation and often turn to administrative remedies, primarily Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, as well as creatively using other civil rights laws. For example, in Illinois, a coalition of environmental groups filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in August alleging that the City of Chicago violated the Fair Housing Act and the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. The alleged violations stemmed, in part, from the citys decision to approve the relocation of a recycling facility with high toxic air pollution from a wealthy neighborhood to an EJ community.[6]Undoubtedly, EJ activists will continue to find creative ways to assert EJ claims.

The breathless pace with which EJ developments continue to emerge leaves many stakeholdersincluding the regulated communityanxiously wondering how they should mitigate risk, reform their practices, and proactively incorporate EJ best practices. This is particularly true given that despite its renewed momentum, EJ remains difficult to define. Notably distinct from other environment, health, and safety compliance areas, EJ lacks a dedicated, overarching federal statute mandating specific actions and remedies. That may not be the case for long. As these changes continue to emerge, industry actors, in particular, will do well to follow the current state of play in the EJ spacepaying particular attention to state activity and creative litigation by EJ advocatesto understand how such developments can affect continuity of operations and compliance in the coming months. Cases likeFriends of Buckinghamare reminders that it is integral for industry stakeholders to assess the EJ implications in areas in which they operate, understand the impacts of their operations on vulnerable communities, andultimatelyshow themselves to be good neighbors.

[1]For example, Duke Energy Corp.s CEOrecently discussedthe companys development of EJ principles to be sensitive to how a project might affect residents closest to a facility and be more proactive on stakeholder engagement.

[2]Affecting facilities include certain electric generating facilities, certain sewage plants, waste incinerators, certain processing or recycling facilities, medical waste, landfills, and any major source of air pollution.

[3]See e.g.,Town of Weymouth v. Mass. Dep't of Envtl. Prot.(1st Cir. 2020) (rejected plaintiffs claim that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection failed to comply with the Massachusetts Environmental Justice Policy in review of air permit for compressor station).

[4]Friends of Buckingham v. State Air Pollution Control Bd., 947 F.3d 68 (4th Cir. 2020).

[5]Id. at 91-92.

[6]https://aboutblaw.com/SzR

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The Evolving Landscape of Environmental Justice in 2020 and Beyond - The National Law Review

MONROE, CT Should Monroe entice the YMCA to use the former Chalk Hill School, build bicycle paths along its roadways or find more ways to take advantage of its land bordering Lake Zoar?These were some of the ideas discussed at the public workshop on Monroes Plan of Conservation and Development last week.

The workshop came on the heels of a town-wide survey to gather more information on what residents believe the vision, priorities and goals for Monroes future should be.

Francisco Gomes,ofFitzgerald & Halliday, Inc., the consultant hired by the town to assist the Planning and Zoning Commission with the POCD update, said the survey received over 2,000 responses and can still be taken. The participation rate was high, he said, accounting for around nine percent of the towns population.

This is very representative of the community, Gomes said, adding it produced constructive feedback. That being said, this is just one piece of information.

He said the survey and stakeholder meetings helped put planners in the right direction.

We heard from a range of age groups, but very few under 30, Gomes said of the survey. We feel good about the age range we heard from, though it would be nice to hear from more younger adults.

Last Thursdays public workshop brought Gomes, the Planning and Zoning Commission and the POCD Committee to the end of thediscovery process. Now they will reconvene to identifythe priorities, goals and vision of the plan.

Then we really need to roll up our sleeves and get the plan written, Gomes said.

The state of Connecticut requires all 169 municipalities to prepare and or update their Plan of Conservation and Development every 10 years, according to state statutes. Town Planner Rick Schultz said it is required by the Office of Policy and Management and is needed when a local municipality applies for grants.

Monroes demographics

Monroes population grew tremendously in the 70s, 80s and 90s and right around 2000 it flattened out, Gomes said. Monroe currently has around 20,000 residents, but only grew by about 500 residents since 2000.

The growth has been very flat since that time, Gomes said. A little bit of growth every year, but really, really flat.Youre not growing anywhere near what you used to be, but your demographics are changing. Youre an older community and youre getting older.

The median age in town is about four years older than Fairfield County and the state of Connecticut 44.5 years in Monroe, 40.2 in Fairfield County and 40.8 in Connecticut.

Monroe has had a population loss ofyoung residents (below age nine) and residents age 35 to 49 between 2010 and 2017.

One trend demographers are seeing over the past decade is a high number of 20-somethings still living with their parents,whether its the economy, student loan debt, a lack of housing choice or they want to stay in their community but dont have housing they can afford on their own.

Less than 50-percent of those surveyed see themselves living in Monroe in the next 10 years. Gomes said this surprised him. I thought closer to two-thirds of the people would plan to be in Monroe for the next 10 years, he said.

Gomes said Monroe is not replacing a lot of the people in their 50s, because there are not enough people in their 30s and 40s. On the other end of the spectrum, he said the number of children under age five in Monroe is down 30 percent.

State demographers project a steady contraction in school enrollment in Monroe over the next four years.However, more families have been moving to town amid the coronavirus pandemic. Gomes said education officials will provide insight for the new POCD.

We see growth in 2010 to 17 in school age kids, college age kids, young adults and the baby boomer age cohort, Gomes said.

Housing

The town has had an average of nine housing permits per year in the last 10 years.

Theres fewer people to a household, now the average is 2.5 people instead of 3.5 people, Gomes said, adding Monroe has not been building a lot of new housing to accommodate new people moving in.

Gomes said some of the new housing, rather than adding to the towns housing inventory, was built after existing houses were demolished.

Homeownership is 90.2 percent in Monroe, 67.7 in Fairfield County and 66.6 percent in Connecticut, according to 2017 numbers.

The state of Connecticut is pushing for more affordable housing to be built, with a goal that a minimum of 10 percent of every municipalities housing stock meet the state definition of affordable.

If the town does not make significant progress in adding affordable housing, Gomes said a developer can go to court and bypass local zoning.

Currently, Connecticuts 8-30g statute puts the burden of proof on towns who deny affordable housing applications, rather than on the developer.

Schultz said all towns are now required to establish an affordable housing plan.Gomes said the town can work withdevelopers so there is some local control over the appearance and locations of different types of development.

Monroes housing is predominantly single family detached homes. Non-single-family detached homes in Monroe account for 14.4 percent of its housing, compared to 42 percent in Fairfield County and 40.8 percent in the state.

There is rising demand for apartments in Connecticut and two thirds of those surveyed favor allowing residential uses in commercial business zones.The most common answer is apartments should be allowed above retail and commercial businesses, according to Gomes.

He said nearly a third of the community said no to the idea, but for different reasons. Some want to maximize land for commercial development and some do not want apartments at all.

What Monroe wants

Schools, safety, rural character and its natural landscape are the top reasons residents gave for choosing to live in Monroe, according to the survey.

When we asked people what they value most, parks, open space and schools jumped right up, Gomes said.

Asked what the town should place more focus on, most saideconomic development to grow the grand list, and building trails, greenways and passive open space.

Of the towns biggest challenges, most responding to the survey said it is property taxes, a lack of commercial growth and funding for schools with some arguing there is not enough and others contending it accounts for too large of a proportion of the town budget.

Gomes said 86 percent of Monroes grand list of taxable income comes from residential properties. Another factor increasing the tax burden on residential property owners is that the town maintains approximately 90 percent of its roads.

Monroe has 36 linear feet of local roadway per resident, Gomes said. This is nearly twice the share of local roadway per resident when compared to Fairfield County as a whole and 40 percent higher than the state average.

Monroe is a suburban community, but it does not have a dense population, Gomes explained.

Staying on top of this infrastructure, when its spread out over a smaller number of people, and households and property tax bills, is a challenge for the community, he said.

Sidewalks, bicycle riding

The Pequonnock River Trail, also known as the Housatonic Rail Trail, is a prominent resource for recreation and travel in town, but Gomes said Monroe does not have theinfrastructure that allows people to get to the trail on their bikes without driving there.

He said sidewalks, paths andbicycle facilities are limited in Monroe, which has approximately two miles of sidewalks, mostly along routes 110 and 111.

Gomes said99-percent of residents get around town by driving, so there are few alternative modes of travel. He said studies do not include people from Bridgeport and Trumbull who take the bus to get to jobs on Route 111.

Despite this, less than30 percent of those surveyed identifiedtraffic congestion as their primary concern.

I absolutely believe interconnecting walkways or sidewalks in the commercial corridors on Route 25 and 111 would help businesses out, said Robert Westlund, a Planning and Zoning Commission member.

Gomes agreed that it is convenient for residents to park once and be able to walk to more than one store or to a restaurant while shopping. That way, he said people do not have to go back onto the road every time, adding cars to traffic.

He said the town can pursue grants and work with the Connecticut Department of Transportation to get more money for infrastructure.

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Monroe's POCD: 'We really need to roll up our sleeves and get the plan written' - The Monroe Sun

This week: Talk a virtual walk through fairy gardens by Takako Tajima; read poetry onACE Hotel's marquee; see housing solutions by the next generation of designers at AIA/LA's 2 x 8 DOMUM; meet the ghosts of Bunker Hill at a book launch forauthor Nathan Marsak, with Frances Anderton; see Mary Weatherford's 'The Japan Drawings' at David Kordansky gallery.

1)Modern haiku on displayat the Ace Hotel

Live venues are amongst the businesses hardest hit by pandemic safety closures, DTLAs Ace Hotel latest programming puts thespotlight squarely on the exterior sign. They've invited twelve poets, songwriters, essayists and visual artiststo each takeover the 1929 United Artists Theatre buildings marquee with a haiku,a 17-syllable poem originating in Japan. Theartists were asked to create a poemthat expresses their thoughts and ideas on our tumultuous times.

Theproject -up through December 9 -has already exhibited poetry byDavid Horvitz, Jibade-Khalil Huffman, Sophia Le Fraga, Lawrence Weiner. Coming up:Harry Gamboa Jr., Kim Gordon, Charles Gaines, Carlos Lara and Joyelle McSweeney.

You can catch a socially distanced drink while you look, at Best Girl, the hotel's downstairs restaurant that now has outdoor seating underneath the historic marquee.

When:Thru Dec 9

Where:Ace Hotel, 929 S Broadway, Los Angeles 90015

Tickets:Free

2) Garden design at a fairy scale

Under lockdown, with children to entertain, Takako Tajima createda series of fairy gardens at her home in Huntington Beach. Now youcan visit them at a virtual exhibitionhosted by USC Architectureschool. Tajima is an architect of both buildings and landscapes.Fairy gardens, Tajima explains,are generally "comprised of live plant material and fairy garden accessories -- figurines, tiny houses, gates, fences, furniture.Like fairies, the fairy scale is strange and magical. The garden is created at a 1:1 fairy scale. However, they are also to be enjoyed as a scaled model for imagining new landscapes and architecture for human beings." Dwelling size has long intrigued Tajima. She was a guest on this DnA, taking about micro-apartments.

When:Through November 8

Where: OnlineatUSC Architecture Virtual Exhibition.

Tickets:Free

3) Frances Andertontalks toNathan Marsak, author of Bunker Hill Los Angeles

Bunker Hill, now capped with office towers and cultural institutions like The Broadand the Walt Disney Concert Hall, was oncehome to wealthy Angelenos living in LAs first suburb,. Then it fell on poorer times and fell victim to the urban renewal zeal of the postwar years.In his just-released bookBunker Hill Los Angeles: Essence of Sunshine and Noir(Angel City Press, 2020), historian Nathan Marsak tells the story of the Hill, from the districts inception in the mid-19th century to its present day, taking in its panoply of architectural styles and equally characterful residents.

With more than 250 photographs,Bunker Hill Los Angelesanalyzes the buildings that once crowned the Hill: from the Victorian shingle and spindlework, to Mission to Modern, to Isozaki, Gehry, and Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

See and hear Marsak in conversation with Frances Anderton, whoalso explored development on Grand Avenue withGrand Illusion: A Story of Ambition, and its Limits, on LAs Bunker Hill(USC, 2011), based on a studio she taught with Frank Gehry and partners at USC School of Architecture.

When:Saturday, Nov 7, 3 - 4 pm

Where: Hennessy + Ingalls, 300 S Santa Fe Ave M, Los Angeles 90013.You can register for the event here.

Tickets:Free

4)Mary Weatherford: The Japan Drawings

David Kordansky Gallery welcomes Los Angeles based artist Mary Weatherford to their new exhibtion space,designed by themultidisciplinary architecture and design practicewHY.The exhibition, 'The Japan Drawings' brings together four groups of works - all shellac ink paintings on Gampi Torinoko paper - that Weatherford produced during a 2019 residency at Troedsson Villa in Nikko, Japan.The residency, founded by artist Anne Eastman in 2015,offers immersion in a setting of ancient and modern architecture (including shrines and temples) within a forest landscape. Weatherfords new drawings reflect this environment in a range of compositional approaches, color palettes, and textures. Read more about the artist and the exhibition here.

When:Opens Nov 7; exhibition runs through Dec 17. By appointment only.

Where:David Kordansky Gallery,5130 W Edgewood Pl, Los Angeles 90019

Tickets:Free, but reservations required. You can make an appointment by calling 323.935.3030.

5)Next Gen Designers: '2x8 DOMUM' Student Exhibition Opening Reception

Housing is the theme of this year's 2x8 Student exhibition, competition and scholarship program hosted by AIA/LA. See the results by wandering through a digital matrix of galleries at 2x8: Domum.

The 28 annual exhibition showcases exemplary student work from 16 architecture and design schools throughout California. This years theme reflects on the dialogue surrounding housing in Los Angeles and other urban centers across the country. Students were encouraged to submit presentation materials and 3d models that respond to the theme with innovative solutions.

Joinrelated panel discussions on the Right to Housingon November 12 and Systemic Racismon November 19.

When:Thursday, Nov 5, 6 - 7 pm

Where: Online.

Tickets: Free. You can register here.

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5 design things to do week of Nov 2 - 8 - KCRW

PHILADELPHIA and SPOKANE, Wash., Nov. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hill International(NYSE:HIL) (Hill), the global leader in managing construction risk, announced today that the Spokane Riverfront Park U.S. Pavilion project has won the Design-Build Institute of Americas (DBIA) 2020 Project of the Year and Best in Design Architecture Awards. DBIA presented the awards at their virtual awards ceremony on Thursday, October 29. Hill provided owners representative services for the Pavilion, which was delivered using the Progressive Design-Build method.

The Pavilion was originally constructed for the 1974 Worlds Fair. The project reimagined the iconic public performance and park space centered around a 150-feet-tall angled mast as the capstone for the wider Riverfront Park program. The completed Pavilion includes several wow factors to draw people to the park and offer them unique experiences. These factors include color-changing LED light blades attached to the Pavilions mast cables, the Elevated Experience (which provides visitors a high vantage point where they can survey the entire Riverfront Park), and dramatic fabric shade sails.

It was an exceptional experience managing the design-build process for this once-in-a-lifetime project, says Hill Vice President Matthew Walker, AIA, CCM, DBIA, who served as the Hill teams Project Manager. We achieved the clients goals for this iconic structure thanks to the collaborative nature of the progressive design-build delivery method. Early contractor and specialty subcontractor involvement and a nimble design-build team combined to accommodate numerous program changes during construction, which was key to the projects success.

Hill Construction Manager Lorraine Mead, PE, LEED AP, DBIA, concurred with Walker. Progressive design-build was key to making this project happen as the client envisioned. There were many stakeholders and many moving parts, but the commitment of the entire team to the project and the delivery method kept everything together, said Mead.

Prior to receiving the awards, the U.S. Pavilion also earned a DBIA National Award of Merit, Civic Assembly, as well as a 2020 National Achievement Award and 2020 Project of the Year Award from the Construction Management Association of America and the Landscape/Urban Development Best Project from Engineering News-Record (ENR) Northwest.

I cant say enough about the Pavilion project and about Matt and his teams work for the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department, says Raouf Ghali, Hill Internationals Chief Executive Officer. Hill has a long history in Spokane working with the City to deliver high-profile public projects, but this project is especially exciting for us. Thank you to the DBIA for this honor and thank you to Matt and the entire Hill team. Well done!

About Hill International

Hill International, with approximately 2,700 professionals in 69 offices worldwide, provides program management, project management, construction management, and other consulting services to clients in a variety of market sectors. Engineering News-Record magazine recently ranked Hill as the eighth-largest construction management firm in the United States. For more information on Hill, please visit our website at http://www.hillintl.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements contained herein may be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and it is our intent that any such statements be protected by the safe harbor created thereby. Except for historical information, the matters set forth herein including, but not limited to, any statements of belief or intent, any statements concerning our plans, strategies, and objectives for future operations are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Although we believe that the expectations, estimates, and assumptions reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in any of our forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in our forward-looking statements are set forth in the Risk Factors section and elsewhere in the reports we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including that unfavorable global economic conditions may adversely impact our business, our backlog may not be fully realized as revenue, and our expenses may be higher than anticipated. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statement.

Hill International, Inc. Elizabeth J. Zipf, LEED AP BD+CSenior Vice President (215) 309-7707elizabethzipf@hillintl.com

The Equity Group, Inc. Devin SullivanSenior Vice President (212) 836-9608dsullivan@equityny.com

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Hill International Wins the Design-Build Institute of America's 2020 Project of the Year and Best in Design - Architecture Awards for the Spokane...

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Yogurt Market: Delivers a Comprehensive Outline of the Global Distribution and Demand - re:Jerusalem