Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Randall Waszynski

Suffolk County executive Steve Bellone signed historic legislation on Thursday, Oct. 15, to require the use of nitrogen-reducing wastewater technologies in unsewered areas of the county for all new construction. It also allows greater flexibility for the use of small sewer plants in downtown business districts.

What this legislation means today is that we are continuing to make good on our commitment and our promise that we are going to protect and preserve water quality in Suffolk County because it means everything to us, Bellone said in front of Lake Ronkonkoma during a press conference last week.

Others speaking at the press conference referenced Bellones listed No. 1 priority since he took office: a commitment to restoring water quality, drinking water quality, and coastal ecosystems. Bellone praised the advancements in technology and the work accomplished by the septic industry.

We said that nitrogen was public enemy No. 1. This industry: this was all old technology that we were utilizing, and there were pioneers who stepped forward and businesses that stepped forward, Bellone said. Without the industry in place, you cannot snap your fingers or turn on a switch and all of a sudden have the infrastructure necessary to reverse decades of damage that had occurred. There had to be an infrastructure and an ecosystem built in order to make it work, and that was that industrys system.

Dr. Chris Gobler, the chair of coastal ecology and conservation at School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences director for the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, said that this legislation is a game changer for Suffolk County.

The story of Suffolk County and water and the coastal environments is one that you could start as saying went from first to worst, said Gobler, referencing the clam and scallop fisheries in the 1980s being the largest on the East Coast. From that point forward, Suffolk County witnessed the collapse of both of those fisheries to the point where the landings dropped to less than 1 percent of what they were in the 1980s. We saw the nitrogen levels increase by up to 200 percent from that period to today due to on-site septic systems.

Gobler said that the Bellone administration and its commitment to water quality was a turning point in the county.

When it comes to advanced treatment of wastewater, which we knew caused all these collapses, Suffolk County went from worst to first, Gobler said. We are looking all across the country and around the globe at what people are doing when it comes to treating on-site wastewater. I can say with confidence that today there is no better program for installing advanced septic systems anywhere in the country than there is here in Suffolk County. They knew it was a monumental task. They took it slow. They did it right. The program has been enormously successful.

Gobler also referenced the 380,000 unsewered homes in the county. And Kevin McDonald of the Nature Conservancy said that the action of replacing the old with new, individual/advanced wastewater treatment systems will remove roughly 20,000 pounds of nitrogen every year out of the environment in a compounding way. This means that the following year would see twice the removal due to the additional installations that year.

This is a significant, monumental event in Suffolk Countys environmental history, McDonald said. This is a dramatic improvement over Roman technology.

Kevin McAllister, president of Defend H20, said that the growing effects of wastewater treatment that is used today in Suffolk County as well as the influences due to climate change severely threaten water quality on Long Island. He also referenced water quality as a priority issue in the county and the region, and congratulated Bellone and the Suffolk County Legislature for their efforts, considering a unanimous yes vote on the bill.

Today, we celebrate meaningful progress towards that goal with the adoption of progressive sanitary amendments, McAllister said. The Suffolk Legislature is commended for demonstrating its commitment, and in particular executive Steve Bellone for instituting an effective, forward-looking program that delivers.

Mitch Pally, CEO of the Long Island Builders Institute, pointed out how the legislation opens the door for development.

This is going to be a game changer for the development community in Suffolk County, he said. The ability to use the Appendix A systems in larger, mid-sized development projects, to help renovate our downtowns, to help renovate our other areas where development is appropriate is going to be a significant ability to build this type of housing.

More here:
Bellone signs legislation to reduce nitrogen levels - Long Island Advance

LUMBERTON More than three years after the City of Lumberton began the Community Development Block Grant process, dirt will be turned soon at Rosewood Mobile Home Park as construction on the housing complexs new sewer system begins.

Work on the project is anticipated to begin around Thanksgiving, Lumberton Public Works Director Rob Armstrong said. Lumberton City Council approved a construction bid for the project during its regular meeting Oct. 7.

Weve got a little bit of an administrative procedure to go through because its funded by CDBG money, Armstrong aid. Well have to get the whole bid package reviewed by CDBG folks.

The city does not anticipate any issues with that process, in part because the lowest bid was not the one selected, but instead the lowest responsible bid was accepted, Armstrong said. That base bid with alternates, from Ralph Hodge Construction Co. in Wilson, was $1,358,480.80. After CDBG approval is given, the city will hold a preconstruction conference with the contractor to review project plans.

Even as the lowest bid was rejected, the project is still within the citys budget and the city has some contingencies in case of unforeseen problems, Armstrong said.

Once work begins at the mobile home park, located on East Elizabethtown Road, the project is anticipated to take a year or more to complete, he said.

Out of 125 home sites at the park, 86 have failing septic tanks, Armstrong said. As plots have become vacant, they cannot be rented out because of their current condition. Additionally, a notice of violation has been given on some occupied lots, with time to correct the problem before the occupants would face potential eviction. The Robeson County Health Department is not renewing individual tanks because of the systemwide issues, so a new sewer system is the only fix.

This will correct that issue and allow these plots to be occupied, Armstrong said. Theres some health hazards that have popped up over the years, such as sewer water loose on the ground.

About 40 lots that are currently vacant can be added back to the market upon completion of the project, with the CDBG provision that they be occupied by low- to moderate-income residents, Armstrong said.

City Council approved application for a $750,000 grant, through the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, on Sept. 11, 2017. The grant amount awarded was $1,997,500, and its receipt was approved by City Council May 14, 2018. Council approved a resolution on Sept. 5, 2018, to adopt a grant project ordinance and the authorization of a program manual.

From that point, the grant process played out behind the scenes until the project was bid out earlier this month.

The CDBG grants historically move very slow, Armstrong said. This project was more complex than the average sewer extension.

A major high-pressure natural gas line passes beneath the park, Armstrong said. While there are no mobile homes sitting directly over it, engineers had to design a way for the sewer system to cross the line. Obtaining and processing information that confirmed which residents were considered low to moderate income was also a part of the process, in addition to making plans to reroute the sewer downstream because of the need for additional capacity.

Some easements and right of ways also had to be obtained, City Manager Wayne Horne said.

Rosewood Mobile Home Park paid $39,214 in project funding, which City Attorney Holt Moore said during the Oct. 7 City Council meeting had been received by the city. This covered the project costs related to the units that did not qualify for the grant, as they are either unoccupied or their occupants are not considered low- to moderate-income, according to Horne and Armstrong.

This is not the only mobile home park in Lumberton where the city is looking to rebuild a sewer system, Horne said.

Weve been trying to get sewers into these mobile home parks, Horne said. Basically these soil conditions and the fact these mobile homes were on lots, and the high density, it was saturating the soil.

The Rosewood project will include installing about one mile of pipes and building a new lift station. The roadway will then need to be repaired and the old septic tanks removed.

Chris Stiles can be reached at 910-816-1977 or by email at [emailprotected]

Original post:
Sewer repairs at Rosewood Mobile Home Park expected to start around Thanksgiving - The Robesonian

Plumbers have warned people not to use washing up liquid to clean a toilet after a cleaning hack went viral.

We've put togetherwhat you need to know about the cleaning hack - and why you shouldn't do it.

What was the hack?

Originally posted to Facebook group, Mums Who Clean, one woman explained how shed been using washing up liquid to keep her toilet clean.

She wrote, [Put] Dishwashing liquid in the toilet tank compartment and every flush is fresh, clean smelling bubbles and the toilet always looks clean.

The writer explained:I do a big squeeze about three days a week and the toilet is used all the time.

She also said how she had been doing it for years with no problems.

Why you shouldnt put dish soap in your toilet

It appears, however, that not everyone is on board with this DIY toilet hack - with other users warning against the trick.

It ruins your system, so dont do it, wrote one person, and another added, Please dont do this - the rubber/seals in your toilet cistern can break down when anything else but water is used in there.

Peter Daly, CEO of Master Plumbers, said that you should be wary of using products that arent designed to go into a toilet system.

Talking to News.com.au, Daly said:Master Plumbers advises that its safest to use cleaning products specifically designed for flush toilets. People living in outside built-up areas who are using septic tanks (rather than sewers) should ensure the product used is compatible with septic systems.

Daly also added that people should think about the environment when selecting cleaning products.

See the original post:
Plumbers reveal why people shouldn't use this popular cleaning 'hack' - South Cotswolds Gazette

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) Florida senators will be asked to eliminate the states no-fault auto insurance option and increase spending to repair the states natural springs, the incoming Senate president said Thursday.

Senate President-designate Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, told business leaders that lawmakers meeting for the 2021 legislative session also will need to consider efforts to keep polluted Central Florida waters from flowing in Lake Okeechobee.

Three or four years ago, we did a bill that brought in more southern storage to that system. And what I believe is probably a flaw in our thinking, there was more of a political thought, Simpson said during a brief video appearance at the end of the Florida Chamber Foundations three-day virtual Future of Florida Forum. We need to go and work on northern storage more aggressively, because northern storage will actually fix the problem. When were talking about fixing the root causes of our problems, a substantial amount of the Everglades problems come from the northern Everglades.

Simpson and House Speaker-designate Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, spoke to business leaders as lawmakers prepare for the legislative session that begins in March and will likely be dominated by responding to the financial impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

In evaluating the damage caused by the pandemic, state economists have lowered the general revenue estimate by $3.42 billion for the current fiscal year and by nearly $2 billion for the 2021-2022 fiscal year, which begins July 1.

General revenue, which includes such money as sales taxes and corporate income taxes, plays a vital role in funding schools, health care and prisons.

Simpson and Sprowls separately addressed the need for lawmakers to reduce the state budget in respond to the revenue estimates.

Both leaders expressed a need to maintain Floridas triple-A bond ratings from three major credit-rating agencies: Moodys Investor Services, Standard and Poors and Fitch Ratings.

Without giving specific details, Sprowls suggested that lawmakers should consider practical solutions to coastal flooding and empower families to make educational choices that are best for their children.

As the nation grapples with COVID-19, many states will have to find a way to fill the holes in their state budgets as a result of declining revenue. What will set Florida apart is that, instead of raising taxes or making your responsible cuts to vital services we will take this unprecedented opportunity to be thoughtful in our approach to minimize the size and scope of government and to get Floridians back to even a better normal, a better life, he said.

Simpson told forum attendees hed also like lawmakers to consider the Florida Retirement Systems unfunded liability.

The biggest eyesore that we have is the unfunded liability, the pension, approximately $25 billion today, Simpson said. I hope this year will be the year that we can address that shortfall within the budget.

In addition to addressing water flowing into the Everglades from the north, Simpson said other ways to improve state water resources is to pump more money into programs to replace septic tanks with sewers and to exceed the $50 million required to be spent annually on natural springs.

I would like to increase that sum if possible, so that we can continue to clean those up, he said.

Simpson also spoke of reviving talks to replace the states no-fault auto insurance system, which requires motorists to carry $10,000 in personal-injury protection coverage to help pay medical bills after accidents, with a requirement for bodily-injury coverage.

The issue has stalled the past few years as the House and Senate fought over whether to restrict bad faith litigation as part of the proposal.

I think we could have some major reforms there and have some guardrails as it relates to bad faith, Simpson said.

The Senate leader also suggested lawmakers consider other insurance-related legislation, such as limiting water-damage claims and home repairs.

One of the other ideas that has been thrown out is that on a roof, after 10 years, to allow a depreciable value on that roof system, Simpson said. Rather than an insurer coming in with a 19-year-old or 20-year-old roof and having to pay the entire amount that roof lifespan has been completely used. So why not allow it after the first 10 years to be on a depreciable value. That should bring significant savings to homeowners and insurance policies.

Earlier in the day, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis who noted he regularly discusses the states coronavirus response with Florida Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson said one of the biggest fears among business owners trying to reopen amid the pandemic is the possibility of being sued by people whove contracted COVID-19.

Businesses are telling me that these concerns might keep them from reopening. And we need to get people back to work, said Patronis, who intends to pursue Chamber-supported coronavirus liability-protection legislation in the upcoming session. We cannot allow our state recovery to be inhibited by the constant threat of lawsuits.

View original post here:
Insurance, water issues on the table for legislative session - WMBB - mypanhandle.com

David W. Myers| Kings Feature Syndicate

There are several ways to save money when launching a new construction or remodeling job. One of the best is to shop at the "ReStores" that are operated by the nation's largest not-for-profit housing group, Habitat for Humanity.

DEAR MR. MYERS: I recently heard that one of my favorite charities, Habitat for Humanity, also operates several retail stores that offer some good bargains in things like construction materials, appliances and other home-improvement items. Is this true? If so, how can I find a store near me?

ANSWER: Habitat for Humanity, which has built more than 300,000 homes for low- and moderate-income persons in the U.S. and rehabilitated countless more, is one of my favorite non-profit groups too. And yes, it's true: Most of the group's so-called "Habitat ReStores" sell a variety of construction and home-improvement items, from lumber and paint to furniture and appliances.

Items sold at the ReStores are typically donated by local retailers, builders, contractors and individuals - which allows Habitat to sell the items at a deep discount to what you would normally pay. Money from the sales is used to build or rehab even more homes, usually in the same general area where the stores are located.

Some of the items at the stores are brand-new, while others are used but in good condition. Donations come in often but on an unscheduled basis, which means the items you want might not be available today but that you could find a large selection of them a week or two from now.

The best way to find the nearest ReStore is to visit Habitat for Humanity's internet web site (www.habitat.org/restores) and then enter your ZIP code in the box marked "Search for Affiliates/ReStores." Or, you can contact the nearest office of Habitat and ask for the phone number of the store that is closest to you.

* * *

DEAR MR. MYERS: My wife and I have been interviewing several real estate agents to sell our home. Two of the agents want a 90-day sale agreement, another wants a four-month deal, and two others say that they won't market our property unless we sign a contract for six months! How long should a typical sales agreement last?

ANSWER: I usually tell sellers to insist on a 90-day listing contract. That's typically enough time for a good agent to market the property effectively, but also allows the seller to release the salesperson without paying a commission if the agent hasn't found a buyer when the three-month time frame is up.

Of course, sales in many parts of the country remain slow. Although I would still never sign a six-month agreement with an agent, might consider a four-month term if sales in my particular area were softening and I was unusually impressed with the agent's skills and proposed marketing plan.

With sales cooling as the market heads into its usual autumn and winter doldrums, even some of the best agents need a few extra weeks to properly market a home and then shepherd the deal through to closing day

* * *

DEAR MR. MYERS: I want to buy my first house, so I am following your recent advice to have the property inspected by a professional. What does a professional inspector look for?

ANSWER: According to the American Society of Home Inspectors - a trade association that represents more than 3,000 certified inspectors across the nation - a typical inspector's report should cover the condition of the home's heating system, its central air-conditioning system, and its insulation.

The inspector should also review the roof, the home's attic, all of its walls, the windows and doors, and its foundation and basement too.

You can find more information at the association's web site, http://www.homeinspector.org.

Our booklet, "Straight Talk about Living Trusts," explains how even low- and middle-income homeowners can now reap the same benefits that creating an inexpensive trust once provided only to the wealthiest families. For a copy, send $4 and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to D. Myers/Trust, P.O. Box 4405, Culver City, CA 90231-4405. Net proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross. Send questions to that same address, and we'll try to respond in a future column.

Read more:
ABOUT REAL ESTATE: How to get home-improvement items on the 'cheap' - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Just four months after finishing one search, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board is starting a second one, hunting yet again for someone to lead the states second largest traditional school system.

This unexpected second search kicked into gear because the person hired after the last search, Leslie Brown, resigned after just two months on the job. The 62-year-old Brown, a veteran educator from south Florida, went on emergency medical leave on Sept. 21 for an undisclosed illness. Sixteen days later, she turned in her resignation.

After nearly five hours of debate, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Thursday voted unanimously to promote top administrator Adam Sm

While the new search is underway, Associate Superintendent Adam Smith will take over the school district for up to six months as interim superintendent. Smith was one of five leading candidates for the job that Brown won and he is almost certain to apply again.

Smith takes the reins as the states second largest school district wrestles with an ongoing coronavirus outbreak and faces likely budget cuts thanks to the economic consequences of that pandemic.

Smith credited educators and school leaders for their hard work over the past seven months, with many forgoing vacations amid nonstop demands.

Any successes we have had in this district were because of the team and any failures were because of myself, Smith said.

A 24-year veteran of the school system, Smith has risen through the ranks and is well-liked. He spent six years in the classroom before moving to administration. He served as principal of Park Forest Middle School from 2005 to 2008 before moving to Central Office where he's worked ever since.

Smith has been called up repeatedly to stabilize schools in turmoil, including serving temporarily as principal of Glen Oaks and Scotlandville high schools. He has spent most of his career in middle schools, but former Superintendent Warren Drake, who retired in July, put him over elementary schools a couple of years ago.

As the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board works to narrow its field of five candidates for superintendent, they will have to decide whether

His supporters have been pressing the board to not stop at interim, but install Smith in the job permanently.

Yet, it was not clear until late Thursday and after nearly five hours of debate that Smith would land the interim spot.

While the final vote was unanimous, the board considered but rejected several alternatives that would have kept Smith out of the top job. One proposal would have continued a dual leadership arrangement established during Browns illness, with both Smith and fellow Associate Superintendent Ben Necaise in charge, but the motion was withdrawn for lack of support. Another motion, voted down by a 2-7 margin, would have rehired Drake to serve as interim superintendent.

On Friday, Smith told The Advocate hes not planning any immediate changes to the senior cabinet or to hire anyone to fill the job hes had. Over the next few months, Smith hopes to work with the board to advance some languishing priorities, including starting work on a new strategic plan, buying property in southeast Baton Rouge for a new elementary school and creating a new middle school in the Scotlandville area.

Smith said he has yet to talk to board leadership about how he will be compensated for his added duties as interim superintendent.

At this point, we hadnt had any conversations, he said.

The search for a permanent superintendent is starting right away a job advertisement is being placed in The Advocate to run early next week and will conclude as soon as practical. That likely means through at least the end of December and perhaps well into the new year.

School Board President Mike Gaudet said Friday that the job description and ad are essentially the same as the ones the board agreed to in January and that applications will be due 30 days after the ads start running, which works out to mid-to-late November.

Two local and three out-of-town educators have made the cut in the hunt for the next school superintendent for East Baton Rouge Parish and wil

Austin, Texas-based search firm JG Consulting is returning to lead the new search. The firm is honoring a clause in itsoriginal contract saying it will conduct a second, free search if the person hired left for any reason within two years of being hired.

In its first search, the consulting firm gave the School Board the names and rsums of 24 applicants one immediately withdrew. On March 5, the board narrowed the field to just five people: Brown, Smith, but also Quentina Timoll, Nakia Towns and Marshall Tuck.

It was not until late May, after a short pause due to the pandemic, that the board settled on two finalists: Brown and Towns, a chief of staff of a school district in Chattanooga, Tenn. On June 18, Brown topped Towns in a 5-4 vote.

Ending a yearlong search and after a meeting that stretched past midnight, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board selectedan administrator

Towns supporters did not give up. On Thursday, they proposed limited the new search, with Towns as the lone finalist. That motion failed by a 4-5 margin in a vote that broke along racial lines.

The rejection of Towns on Thursday might have eliminated her for good.

Board member Dadrius Lanus, a Towns supporter, said he spoke with Towns recently and said she was still interested in coming to Baton Rouge, but did not want to participate in another full-blown search.

In his first major appointment, state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley on Friday named a top official of the East Baton Rouge Parish s

Timoll may be off the table as well. At the time, she was an assistant superintendent, best known for her oversight of the Innovation Network, a federally funded turnaround effort aimed at the school systems lowest-performing schools. In early June, two weeks after she was passed over for superintendent, Timoll was recruited by newly appointed state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley to serve as his chief of staff.

The rejection of Towns and the resistance to elevating Smith both are Black prompted a lot of people to criticise White board members on racial grounds.

Former School Board member Jackie Mims told the board that race is laced through the efforts to deny Smith and you cant convince me otherwise.

Board President Gaudet defended himself. He said he had confidence in Smith after the meeting, he said that Smith was best candidate for interim he expressed concern that promoting Smith will undermine the renewed search, prompting good candidates to not apply because they see Smith as a shoo-in for the permanent job.

Gaudet also said that the calls of racism and the jeering were off base and they inhibit having a civil debate.

Im just disappointed that we cant talk about issues and about what were facing without resorting to calling people names, Gaudet said.

Read the original post:
East Baton Rouge Schools have another interim superintendent. How will they pick the next leader? - The Advocate

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--By late Friday (Oct. 23), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) expects to restore power to essentially all the 31,000 PG&E customers in seven counties who are affected by the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) that began on Wednesday (Oct. 21).

PG&E turned off the power to these customers, the majority living in Shasta, Butte and Tehama counties, to protect their safety and the safety of their communities because of strong, windy weather that elevated the risk of wildfires in Northern and Central California. Due to changing weather conditions Wednesday evening, PG&E was able to decrease customer impact by another 16% than previously estimated, removing about 6,000 customers and eight counties from the scope.

PG&E meteorologists forecast that the strongest winds will subside Friday morning, enabling crews to begin patrolling power lines (by air, vehicle and on foot) to ensure that no damage or hazards exist before those lines can be re-energized and those customers restored. PG&E expects all customers who can receive service will be back in power by 10 p.m. Friday.

Meanwhile, PG&E meteorologists are monitoring an additional potential wind event due to arrive Sunday. Although its still three days away and weather conditions can rapidly change, it has the potential to be a larger scale event than the PSPS event that began Wednesday, Oct. 21. Tomorrow, the company plans to begin notifications two days in advance of the event for potentially impacted customers indicating the possibility of another power shutoff for safety Sunday morning.

Our crews have been patrolling lines in helicopters, in vehicles, and on foot today and will continue into Friday in order to safely restore customers power as soon as possible. We know that being without power represents a hardship, especially for customers who might have to lose power a second time within a week. We are making every effort to restore power by Friday at latest so that our customers can run their appliances, recharge their devices and do whats needed before the power potentially goes off again on Sunday morning, said Mark Quinlan, a PG&E senior director and incident commander for the PSPS events.

Here are some updates related to the two PSPS events:

Current Oct. 21-23 Public Safety Power Shutoff

The PSPS that began Wednesday evening remains in place for some customers and PG&E is continuing to monitor conditions across the de-energized areas.

The top three recorded wind gust speeds by noon today were 56, 52 and 45 miles per hour. in Shasta, Butte and Yolo counties respectively, with humidity and fuel moisture levels remaining low.

Crews have already restored power to about 74 percent of customers affected by the Oct. 21 PSPS, with about 8,000 customers remaining as of 7:30 p.m.

Community Resource Centers

To support our customers, beginning Wednesday, PG&E planned to open 20 Community Resource Centers (CRCs) that operate from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. through the current PSPS event. However, seven of these locations were cancelled last night after the weather risk lessened and those areas were removed from the event scope as they did not have to be de-energized. An additional CRC closed once all customers in Glenn County were restored this evening. Thirteen temporary CRCs are now open to customers when power is out at their homes and provide ADA-accessible restrooms, hand-washing stations, medical-equipment charging, Wi-Fi; bottled water, grab-and-go bags and non-perishable snacks.

PG&E will also open CRCs for affected customers should the potential Oct. 24-26 PSPS come to fruition.

For updates on the CRCs, check here.

Potential Future Oct. 24-26 Public Safety Power Shutoff

PG&E meteorology is tracking and forecasting a potential PSPS event encompassing areas and adjacent terrain of the northern and western Sacramento Valley, Northern and Central Sierra, higher terrain of the Bay Area, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Central Coast Region and portions of southern Kern.

Support for Customers with Medical Needs

In order to support customers during both PSPS events, PG&E is also partnering with 30 community-based organizations (CBOs) to assist customers with medical, financial, language and aging needs before, during and after PSPS events. These activities include:

Details about these resources are at our website at pge.com/disabilityandaging.

So far in 2020, more than 1,000 portable batteries have been provided to vulnerable customers via the CFILCs Disability Disaster Access and Resources Program and through PG&Es Portable Battery Program.

Heres Where to Go to Learn More

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.

Original post:
Current PSPS Update: Restoration to Continue Friday Morning with a Goal of Restoring Power to Essentially All 31000 Customers by the End of the Day -...

BY BALFORD HENRYSenior staff reporterbalfordh@jamaicaobserver.com

Friday, October 23, 2020

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LEADER of the House of Representatives Edmund Bartlett is confident that the renovations to Gordon House to accommodate a resumption of sittings of the House of Representatives, will be completed by mid-November.

Bartlett told the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday that there would be no need for an extended delay of the works to be completed, and that he was satisfied that team that has been contracted will complete it within this timeline.

It could be completed earlier than that, based on the responses from the team which is carrying out the renovation. But, it would be safe to say that we will resume meeting at Gordon House by mid-November, he said.

Preliminary work started at the building Monday, and Gordon House sources said that it should be in full swing by weekend. The challenge is to create a chamber in which all 63 Members of Parliament, particularly the overwhelming 49 Government MPs, can be seated on either side of the aisle under COVID-19 social distancing rules.

In the meantime, Bartlett acknowledged that Parliament will need to fork out just over $200,000 per sitting for the use of the Jamaica Conference Centre, which was originally built to host the International Seabed Authority (ISA).

Gordon House and the conference centre are situated less than a mile away at different ends of Duke Street in downtown Kingston, but while the huge centre is a much more accommodative venue, it does not have the parliamentary trappings of Gordon House.

Efforts by a committee led by Bartlett to get the work going as quickly as possible after the current session of Parliament started on September 13, following the September 3 General Election, were also delayed by the positive COVID-19 test result returned by House Marshall Captain Wayne Blake. This led to a brief closure of the building for full sanitisation, before staff was allowed back in.

We owe payment for the two meetings so far, and we expect to meet there on October 27 and November 4. After which the renovation of Gordon House should be completed. I am sure the work will not go beyond mid-November, the latest, Bartlett told the Observer.

He also suggested that with the Government's Urban Development Corporation (UDC) operating the venue, Parliament could end up paying less. No payments have been made so far.

Now you can read the Jamaica Observer ePaper anytime, anywhere. The Jamaica Observer ePaper is available to you at home or at work, and is the same edition as the printed copy available at http://bit.ly/epaper-login

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Gordon House renovation to be completed by mid-November - Jamaica Observer

Photo by Matthew Bowler

Above: Border Angels Executive Director Dulce Garcia speaks in support of asylum-seekers at the San Ysidro Port-of-Entry on Oct. 21, 2020.

Marchers converged on the U.S.-Mexico border Wednesday morning to protest the treatment of asylum-seekers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Tijuana, asylum-seekers marched to the El Chaparral port of entry, demanding that the U.S. restore asylum proceedings for the thousands of migrants fleeing their home countries and arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. Across the border in San Ysidro, advocates read the stories of asylum-seekers.

Aired 10/22/20 on KPBS News

Listen to this story by Max Rivlin-Nadler.

We cannot return to Honduras because our lives are in danger," read one of the testimonials. We do not feel safe in Tijuana, and the closure of the border has left us without work."

Before the pandemic, many asylum-seekers were waiting months in Mexico for their chance to appear in a U.S. court for an asylum hearing. As COVID-19 limited travel across the border, however, the US asylum system has nearly ground to a halt, and the U.S. has expelled anyone who crosses the border without authorization in a matter of minutes.

It has also postponed all scheduled asylum hearings for those in the "Remain-in-Mexico" program.

"Theres a lot of uncertainty, and fear for our asylum-seeking siblings in Tijuana. Their dates are having to be postponed. Theres a lack of information, a lack of resources, they dont have any certainty in their asylum process, said Dulce Garcia, the executive director of Border Angels.

The two groups converging at the border issued a list of demands including the end of Remain-in-Mexico, the reopening of the border for asylum-seekers, more support for immigrants from the Mexican government and the end of waiting lists for people who want to declare asylum.

RELATED: Trump Administrations Unprecedented Asylum Restrictions Could Outlast Pandemic

Garcia said next years presidential election will prove pivotal in the lives of these asylum-seekers. But she believes a lot of damage has already been done. Earlier this week, ACLU lawyers said that it has been unable to find the parents of 545 young asylum-seekers who had been separated at the border in 2017.

Essentially, this administration has undone all protections for refugees and asylum-seekers. So, if there is a new administration, a change in administration, wed expect there would be a respect of asylum laws, both domestic and international laws. The U.S. was a driving force for protections for asylum-seekers, we were setting an example for the rest of this world, until this administration.

On Monday, the Supreme Court announced it would soon be hearing a challenge to the Remain-in-Mexico program. The administrations migrant expulsion policy is also being challenged in court.

Protesters gathered at US Ports of Entry to demand the US restore asylum proceedings for migrants who have been waiting in Mexico for months. Also, well review Measure E on the ballot. Plus, a look at how the San Diego craft brew industry has been handling the changes ushered in by the pandemic.

Aired: October 22, 2020 | Transcript

Max Rivlin-Nadler Speak City Heights Reporter

I cover City Heights, a neighborhood at the intersection of immigration, gentrification, and neighborhood-led health care initiatives. I'm interested in how this unique neighborhood deals with economic inequality during an unprecedented global health crisis.

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Binational Protestors Converge On The Border To Demand Restoration Of Asylum - KPBS

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10/22/2020 | New Library Branch Will Not Find Home On Donated Land | News Ocean City MD - The Dispatch