Missoula, MT (PRWEB) March 20, 2014

The Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) regularly joins with its partners to fund and support science that is designed to help guide conservation solutions on the ground. Today, we announce the first in our Science to Solutions series for the public, titled Marking High-Risk Fences Saves Sage Grouse. The next in the series will focus on the removal of conifers invading historic sagebrush-steppe.

Were closing the science loop to get published work out to show its relevance to a broad public audience, said Dave Naugle, SGI science advisor and University of Montana professor.

Throughout the 11 western states, SGI supports researchers studying sage grouse and related wildlife of the sagebrush-steppe. As new information comes in, the science is used to fine-tune practices to maximize conservation benefits. Science ranges from evaluating effectiveness of individual conservation practices to producing mapping products that identify important areas to focus efforts. At every level, SGI aims to efficiently target taxpayer dollars for highest benefits.

For example, the science behind marking fences to prevent sage grouse collisions provides a useful tool for land managers to focus their efforts on marking only the fences that are most problematic for sage grouse.

Researcher Bryan Stevens studied sage grouse collisions for a graduate degree at University of Idaho in 2012. He found that flying sage grouse struck fences at a rate as high as 1.2 strikes per mile of fence during the breeding season. Each spring in early morning darkness, males fly into leks (traditionally used open areas in the sagebrush), to display and compete for females, who also have flown in to watch and select a mate. The birds have difficulty seeing barbed wire fences in the dim light.

Stevens found that snapping on white vinyl markers on top wires at three-feet intervals could reduce grouse collisions by up to 83 percent. He also identified that not all fences pose a risk with most strikes occurred close to a lek, and where the terrain was flat or gently rolling.

With that information, SGI joined forces with partners and developed a mapping tool to help land managers identify areas where collision risk was highest. The new tool now plays a key role in identifying fences for marking or removal and is also used in the planning stages to avoid locating new fences in high-risk areas.

The Science to Solutions four-page publication makes it simple for landowners and managers to access and use the planning tool. The publication is featured on the SGI website on the science and policy page: http://www.sagegrouseinitiative.com/our-work/science-policy/.

Marking fences is one part of SGIs proactive conservation programs that work closely with ranchers and partners. Fence-marking is often tied to larger projects, such as assisting landowners with rotational grazing systems that improve nesting cover for sage grouse. To date, SGI funding has made it possible for the marking or removal of more than 500 miles of high-risk fences, likely preventing more than 2,600 collisions.

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Marking High-Risk Fences Saves Sage Grouse: Science to Solution Series #1

Verdict

Few have realistic chances here and though City Line makes his debut over fences after showing consistent form over hurdles he's still a maiden after 29 starts. Useful hurdler Ballysteen has some potential though he's yet to show it over fences but Line View was in good form over hurdles last summer on fast ground and, as a winning point-to-pointer, should take to jumping fences. Three-times winning hurdler Rock County has another go at chasing after three unsuccessful attempts back in 2011 while Tabac Brun beat a big field in a Gowran maiden hurdle in October. Along with the lightly-raced and promising Third Opinion, who beat the useful Curley Bill over hurdles and has experience of fences, he looks the main threat to LOCAL CELEBRITY. Willie Mullins' charge is no stable star but his staying-on effort over the minimum trip here in November is the best form on view and that could be enough.

Ballysteen (IRE) 14-1 (11-12) Soon disputed lead, not fluent 2nd, 2nd approaching 7th, lost place from 5 out, weakened and eased from 4 out, pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Toon River (11-12) at Gowran Park 2m 4f beg chase sft, 9 ran.

Bar Stool Bob (IRE) 25-1 (11-12) Chased leaders until fell 4th, in a race won by Domination (11-12) at Limerick 2m 1f beg chase hvy, 12 ran.

Tabac Brun (FR) 8-1 (11-4) Chased leaders, 5th halfway, ridden in 7th 3 out, no impression 2 out, kept on one pace, 5th of 12, 11l behind Sherika (10-5) at Thurles 2m 4f hcp hdl 8Evens23 sft in Jan.

Line View (IRE) 7-1 (11-9) Soon led, headed after 3 out, no extra from next, 15th of 19, well behind Paudi The Punter (10-9) at Galway 2m 2f hcp hdl 80-109 gf in Sep.

Analyse That (IRE) 12-1 (11-6) Last until poor 13th frm 6out, sl closer in fair 8th aftr 3out, nev a dngr, 9th of 14, 40l behind Anseanachai Cliste (12-2) at Lismore 3m ire ptp.

Five Hawk Wings (IRE) 25-1 (11-3) Always towards rear, ridden and no impression after 4 out, weakened and tailed off, 14th of 17, well behind Concordin (10-8) at Navan 2m 4f hcp hdl 80-116.

Knockanarrigan (IRE) 25-1 (11-5) Close up and disputed lead, a bit slow 6th, 2nd after 8th, no extra from before normal 4 out and dropped to moderate 5th approaching straight, 5th of 10, well behind Balnaslow (11-12) at Thurles 2m 6f beg chs gd in Oct.

Red Or White 50-1 (11-7) Mid-division, bad mistake 4 out, soon no impression, 10th of 14, 33l behind Kandinski (11-12) at Clonmel 2m 4f beg chase.

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Templemore Beginners Chase 2m 2f

MELILLA, Spain (Reuters) - Spain has more than doubled the strength of security forces at its North African enclave of Melilla, after about 500 people stormed its fences in the biggest border rush for years.

Madrid sent 100 more police on Tuesday and Wednesday, raising the total to 150, a source at the Interior Ministry said, and will reinforce the rapid response unit with 20 more personnel, bringing the total to 80.

Immigrants from all over Africa regularly dare the razor-wire fences of Spanish enclaves Ceuta and Melilla, which are surrounded by Moroccan territory and sea. The numbers have multiplied as increased naval patrols discourage attempts to get to Europe by boat.

Some 1,074 people breached the 12-kilometre-long fences around Melilla in the whole of 2013, according to the source, and more than 1,600 have done so since the beginning of 2014.

Once in Melilla or Ceuta, the immigrants are fed and given clothes and beds in special centres.

Many end up in continental Spain and either stay there or travel elsewhere in Europe.

Young men gathered at the centre in Melilla said on Wednesday they were happy to have come down from the mountains surrounding the enclave, where many had spent months living rough waiting for a chance to rush the border.

"We've made it! We've passed into Europe," said one of a group of men from countries including Guinea, Mali, the Ivory Coast and Togo.

The internment centre where immigrants await processing has been overwhelmed, prompting the army to put up tents around it.

There are now around 1,800 people housed in a facility with an official capacity of 480.

Originally posted here:
CORRECTED-Spain beefs up African enclave security after hundreds storm border

Verdict

Archie Mead has yet to impress over fences, though he's generally been aimed at much better contests than this. Coole Avenue has been placed once in eight starts over the bigger obstacles and has rarely shown his best form after a fall at Limerick a year ago, though he had Kashline well behind when runner-up there in December. Dushrembrandt was a progressive hurdler back in 2012 and his latest start over fences behind Cadspeed over 3m here offers some encouragement and Shamiran should be ready to do better after a couple of runs over trips too short. Manor Court made a promising return to action behind Bright New Dawn at Punchestown in December before a poor effort at Fairyhouse but in a tricky race it's STONEY who is given the nod as he looked likely to do much better when staying on nicely on his chasing debut at Clonmel a couple of weeks ago.

Archie Meade (IRE) 20-1 (9-13) Rear of mid-division, ridden and no extra 6 out, weakened and pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by On His Own (11-6) at Gowran Park 3m 1f hcp chs in Jan, 18 ran.

Kashline (IRE) 14-1 (11-7) Mid-division, 7th 4 out, ridden from next, no impression, 8th of 15, 19l behind Hold Em Cowboy (10-4) at Fairyhouse 2m 5f hcp chs 0-116 sft in Jan.

Manor Court (IRE) 9-1 (11-12) Led and disputed lead, slow 6th and headed, 4th halfway, pushed along in 7th approaching 4 out and no extra before straight, eased, completely tailed off,, 6th of 9, well behind Civena (10-12) at Fairyhouse 2m 5f beg chase in Jan.

Moss Grove (IRE) 50-1 (11-12) Chased leaders early, soon mid-division, towards rear halfway, ridden 5 out, no impression next, bad mistake 2 out, 10th of 15, well behind Leavethelighton (11-9) at Gowran Park 2m 2f beg chase hvy in Feb.

Waterloo Chateau (IRE) 66-1 (11-7) Mid-division, weakened from 4 out, never a factor, 12th of 17, well behind Foxrock (11-11) at Fairyhouse 2m 5f beg chs in Nov.

Coole Avenue (IRE) 33-1 (9-4) Soon mid-division, ridden 3 out, no extra before next, 11th of 16, 26l behind Jetson (10-5) at Punchestown 3m hcp hdl hvy in Feb.

Stoney (IRE) 25-1 (11-12) Soon mid-division, closer in 6th approaching straight, no impression from before 2 out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 14, 18l behind Kandinski (11-12) at Clonmel 2m 4f beg chase.

Shamiran (IRE) 5-1 (11-9) Held up, 7th halfway, progress into 5th 5 out, ridden before 3 out, no impression in moderate 4th last, kept on one pace, 5th of 9, 24l behind Touch The Eden (11-12) at Navan 2m 4f beg chase.

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Cashel Beginners Chase 2m 6f

Emma Shaw was hit with 240 volts as she tried to stop her flat being flooded in December, 2007

A young mum died of a catastrophic electric shock after negligence by two construction workers turned her flat into a death trap, a court heard.

Emma Shaw was hit with 240 volts as she tried to stop her flat being flooded in December, 2007.

Richard Matthews QC, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court the negligence of electrician Christopher Tomkins and supervisor Neil Hoult resulted in her death.

Through their negligence an extremely dangerous situation was allowed to persist for at least 21 months until the events of 2007 unfolded, Mr Matthews said.

The court heard Miss Shaw, 22, was advised by her mother to turn off the stopcock, inside a cupboard, when she found flooding in her West Bromwich flat.

But she did not know the stopcock had become live after a screw penetrated an electric cable during construction work at her home in Grafton Road, West Bromwich.

Miss Shaw, who left her year-old son Brayden in the lounge as she tried to stop the flooding, was pronounced dead at Sandwell General Hospital.

Tomkins, 52, of Rowley Village, and Hoult, 53, of Dane Terrace, both Rowley Regis have each denied breaching Health and Safety at Work regulations by failing to discharge their duty correctly.

Mr Matthews said the pair were employed by Anchor Electrical and Building Services and had been engaged to carry out electrical work at the flats.

Originally posted here:
Mum died of electric shock after 'negligence' by two workers, court told

From Kansas Works -- Here's Hot Job #1, as discussed on 13 News at 4:00 Position/ Location: Maintenance Technician Company: IRET Properties/ Villa West Apartments, Topeka

Responsible for minor and major repairs of mechanical or aesthetic issues; general building preventative maintenance; maintaining the environmental conditions of spaces; maintaining accurate levels of inventory related to the buildings mechanical systems; know and perform individual emergency procedures and duties as dictated by the site emergency procedure manual. Expectations Requires very little daily supervision.

Self-directed and self-motivated once trained on routine duties. Requires personal initiative and mechanical ability. Able to follow instructions, prioritize duties, and comply with deadlines. To Apply: online at http://www.iret.com/careers

Hot Job #2: Position/ Location: Night Warehouse Order Selector Company: U.S. Foodservice in Topeka

Processes work orders in the warehouse by manually selecting the correct products from the racks, palletizing them and delivering the merchandise to the dock secured and shrink wrapped for delivery in a safe and efficient manner. Education/Training: High School Diploma or GED required. Related Experience: Previous comparable warehouse experience preferred; experience with pallet jack or high lift preferred. Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: Ability to read and write legibly; basic mathematical skills (add, subtract, multiply, divide); good verbal communication skills; Must be team oriented and able to get along with others. To Apply: online at http://www.usfoods.com

Hot Job #3: Position/ Location: Heavy Equipment Mechanic Company: Midwest Concrete Materials, Manhattan

Local construction materials company needs responsible person to do shop work maintenance on diesel truck and earth moving equipment. Heavy Equipment Mechanic experience required. Will consider recent graduate from Technical School. Need CDL Class A Driver's License. Hours and days arranged by employer. Good benefit package available. Wage determined by employer depending on experience. To Apply: Contact Mike Sanson at 785-776-8811 or email mikes@4mcm.com OR apply in person at 701 South 4th St., Manhattan.4

Hot Job #4: Position/ Location: Senior Electrician Manhattan Must apply today! Company: Kansas State University (Deadline is March 20)

Skills experience/education with Transformers, distribution centers, new construction remodel, equipment trouble calls, national electric code & medium voltage 4160 VAC and 12.5 VAC. Performs journey level work in all areas of electrical maintenance, new construction & repair at the Kansas State University campus. Prefer experience working independently in planning & installation of electrical circuits using blueprints & plans.

Knowledge & ability to inspect & troubleshoot varied items of electrical equipment to provide necessary repairs needed. Position acts as lead worker in project coordination. Completion of Class I Asbestos worker training,8 hour Lead Safe Practices training & certification for respirator use during the probationary period required. To Apply: http://www.da.ks.gov/ps/pub/reqinfo.asp?id=176925

Link:
Debra Rodenbaugh's Hot Jobs Listings

Earlier this week a slew of individuals and organizations, including the Animal Legal Defense Fund and the ACLU-Idaho, filed a lawsuit against Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter and Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden over the ag-gag law, which the governor signed into Idaho code earlier this month. Today, the AFL-CIO and Idaho Building Trades Council joined the fray, announcing their intention to file an amicus brief with the court against the controversial law.

Where the litigants in the case largely oppose the law because of the constraints it places on First Amendment freedoms and animal welfare, the unions worry that it creates a hostile work environment for construction and agricultural workers.

"With much of the conversation rightly focused on animal welfare, we want Idahoans and the court to also understand that this law has the potential to imperil workers, and infringes on workers' rights to a safe workplace," said AFL-CIO of Idaho President Rian Van Leuven in a press release.

According to the law, any unauthorized documentation of farm, dairy or ranch practices is a criminal offense, punished with a misdemeanor charge of obstructing agricultural production, a fine of up to $5,000 and/or a year in prison. Those who plead guilty to the charge must pay twice damages in restitution. That doesn't sit well with Idaho unions seeking to ensure that tens of thousands of agricultural, construction and engineering workers have the right to inspect real and potential workplace hazards.

According to Marty Durand of the Idaho Building Trades Council, the protection afforded to the agricultural industry by the new law also creates an imbalance in workplace safety between agriculture and other Idaho industries.

"If you're an electrician and you're looking at a box full of wires, you'd take a picture of it and send it to an engineer and say, 'What's going on?' That's a crime," she said.

Durand said that her beef with the bill is its breadth.

"Construction workers aren't there to photograph cows, but this law is so broad that it captures way more than I think even those who drafted it intended to capture. It's prohibiting helpful conduct," she said.

Read the rest here:
Unions File Amicus Brief in Ag-Gag Lawsuit

Tudhoe Cricket Club looks for volunteers to help with new season spring clean

3:55pm Thursday 20th March 2014 in News

A CRICKET club is looking for volunteers to help it rejuvenate its sporting facilities for the coming season.

Tudhoe Cricket Club, near Spennymoor, is taking part in the Natwest CricketForce project for the fourth year.

The England and Wales Cricket Board volunteering initiative aims to help club members and helpers to tidy up teams facilities.

This year Tudhoe will take part on Friday, April 4, Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6, between 10am and 6pm each day.

Lynne Newton, club volunteer, said: Its a general tidy up outside and a chance for a spring clean inside the clubhouse.

Anyone can come along and take part and were hoping to attract enough people to get the tea room decorated this year.

We have paint but if anyone wants to donate some they can call the club and well arrange to pick it up or they can leave it at the clubhouse.

Tudhoe Cricket Club, on St Charles Road, can trace its history back to 1866 and its first team plays in the Durham Cricket League Division One. The new season starts on Saturday, April 26.

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Tudhoe Cricket Club looks for volunteers to help with new season spring clean

The state has yanked a New Britain contractor's license for overcharging five customers, including an elderly woman, more than $30,000 for shoddy, incomplete or unwanted driveway paving and for lying on his license application, authorities say.

The state Department of Consumer Protection said Thursday it revoked the home-improvement registration for Brian S. Curylo, doing business as Hot Top Paving.

The agency also said it ordered Curylo to repay the five customers the $30,990 he defrauded from them, plus $5,750 more in civil penalties.

According to state investigators, the action stemmed from numerous complaints the agency received beginning last March about paving jobs that were unfinished, overpriced or of inferior quality. In one case, Hot Top workers even began excavating an existing driveway despite being told immediately beforehand that no driveway work was wanted at that time, investigators said.

The agency said it investigated and last October leveled an administrative complaint against Curylo, charging him violating the state's home-improvement and unfair trade practices statutes.

In a separate case, Curylo charged a 68-year-old woman $6,450 for an inferior paving job on her driveway, then returned uninvited over three more days in less than two weeks to do more work on the same driveway, the state said. He then handed her three more bills, which she immediately paid.

In all, he billed the woman $21,050 for work that a different contractor later had to be called in to do the job right for less than $4,000, the state said.

Investigators found other complaints against Curylo for not completing work for which he was contracted and paid for, nor did he respond to his customers' requests for a refund.

The state also said it discovered Curylo lied on his home-improvement contractor's license about a 2004 felony conviction for third-degree larceny. That alone was grounds to revoke his license, the state said.

Curylo couldn't be located Thursday for comment. A message on Hot Top's phone line wasn't immediately returned.

Read more:
CT steamrolls N. Britain paving contractor

Ivor Souter, 66, came home to find markings outside his bungalow The passenger pick-up point now sits squarely at front of his home And buses arrive at the stop every three minutes Mr Souter, from Sheffield, South Yorks, said: 'It's absolutely barmy'

By Leon Watson

PUBLISHED: 11:02 EST, 20 March 2014 | UPDATED: 11:10 EST, 20 March 2014

A pensioner says he is a prisoner in his own home after a busy bus stop was placed at the end of his drive.

Retired caretaker Ivor Souter, 66, came home one day to find the yellow bus stop markings outside his bungalow.

Mr Souter, of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, says local services now regularly pull up in front of his driveway - every three minutes.

Retired caretaker Ivor Souter came home from a hospital visit to find the entrance to his home had been turned into a bus stop

The markings take in the entire entrance to Mr Souter's bungalow, making him a prisoner in his own home

It also means the passenger pick-up point now sits squarely at front of Mr Souter's home.

He said he was stunned to discover his local council had extended an existing bus stop to outside his drive.

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Pensioner is 'a prisoner in his own home' after council install bus stop right in front of his driveway