The pitch

The Earthquakes don't expect to suffer the embarrassment of Levi's Stadium and its shoddy sod. They had a big advantage after successfully building grass fields at Buck Shaw Stadium and their practice facility adjacent to Avaya Stadium.

The team has used West Coast Turf's Bandera Bermuda grass that also is installed at AT&T Park, O.co Coliseum and Stanford Stadium.

The team conducted sun studies to figure out which areas of the field would be most affected by shadows during growing season. Builders changed the stadium's roof design based on the studies to allow for more sun during winter months.

"Bermuda fields only germinate at a certain temperature," team president Dave Kaval said. "If it is too cold, they lie dormant."

Layout

Designers shifted the stadium's configuration to take into account effects of the sun during games. Avaya Stadium faces northeast by southwest to ensure goalkeepers aren't blinded by glare like they were at Buck Shaw Stadium during sunset. The canopy and stadium walls also protect fans from sun exposure.

Seats and sightlines

The Quakes tested almost a dozen varieties of seats before settling on the Quantum from Camatic Seating. The seats are coordinated with team colors to enhance the home aura inside the stadium. The steep bowl-shaped seating structure and canopy have given Avaya intimacy. The top row is much closer to the field than almost any other stadium of its size. "If you sit in the 'nosebleed,' you're only 50 feet above the ground," Kaval said.

Parking and transportation

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Avaya Stadium: Breaking down Earthquakes' new digs

Frank Crofts receiving a medal from Sir Herman Black of the University of Sydney in 1968. Photo: Supplied

FRANK CROFTS 19252014

Frank Crofts was a distinguished agricultural scientist and an inspiring university teacher. His career resulted in huge savings in fuel and water for Australian crops, while improving soil fertility and increasing productivity.

He was born on February 27, 1925, the son of farming parents, Arthur and Lila Crofts. He grew up in the town of Blayney, an area well-known for severe extended winters and tough farming conditions. He went to Blayney Primary School then Kinross Wolaroi School in Orange. He joined the RAAF in 1942 and served in Townsville and New Guinea. As a returned serviceman, he got a Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Scholarship.

He started at the University of Sydney in 1947. There he met Lucinda Wyndham, a demonstrator in agricultural botany and genetics. In 1950 and 1951, Crofts took the Pawlett Scholarship. His honours year was seminal: he was invited to attend the First Australian Agristology Conference, where he listened to the leaders in pasture research from all states of Australia formulate plans.

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Crofts graduated with a bachelor of science in agriculture with first class honours in 1951 and, the following year, he and Lucinda were married. From 1951 to 1954, Crofts worked on pasture decline on the far north coast of NSW as a research agronomist with the Department of Agriculture, on secondment to the University of Sydney.

During this time he became interested in conservation agriculture and no-tillage, and in this was at least 20 years ahead of his time. Together with pasture agronomist Ernest Breakwell and Harold Jenkins, he was largely responsible for developing the practice of sowing legumes into uncultivated pastures to increase pasture productivity a practice known as sod-seeding. This led to the university's patent of the sod-seeder, a machine widely used as the basis of conservation.

In the 1950s, Crofts developed a pasture management system to enable a consistent supply of forage for dairy cows throughout the year, reducing feed costs by up to 75 per cent. In 1954, Crofts was appointed lecturer in agronomy at the University of Sydney.

In 1960, Crofts was a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow at Oregon State University. There, he was awarded a Master of Science with honours for his work on the effects of nitrogen on the growth patterns of a range of grass species.

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Frank Crofts, agricultural scientist who pioneered farm conservation practices, dies

Genmarie Stiber, owner of Roots Plant Rooters, in Cleveland, sat behind rows of hanging plants in her booth Saturday during the Medina County Home and Garden show Saturday at the Medina County Community Center, 735 W. Lafayette Road, Medina. (KATIE ANDERSON / GAZETTE)

Hundreds flocked to the Medina County Community Center on Saturday and Sunday for a taste of spring.

The Medina County Home and Garden Show opened Saturday with about 135 vendors from kitchen designers to landscapers, crafters and farmers filling the Medina County Community Center.

Upon walking into the center, people heard live piano playing by Duane Carlson of Fairlawn, and saw an array of spring flowers, plants and trees as part of a large landscaping display designed by Mike Biskup, of Medina.

Biskup runs Greenkeepers Lawn Service and Landscaping out of Medina and has been designing the landscape display for the show for the past 14 years, he said.

All you see is snow all winter, he said. Even if they see snow outside today, they can still think spring when they come in here.

Biskup said some people come to the show with a purpose or a home project in mind, while others come in to get out of their house and into the spring spirit.

Thats why Linda Pelka, of Medina, went Saturday with her 3-year-old granddaughter, Avery James.

We wanted to get some landscaping ideas, she said. Then you look outside and its snowing.

Lisa Bertok, of Brunswick, said she goes to the show every year, and since it was snowing Saturday, she just had to get out of the house.

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Spring blooms early at Medina County Home and Garden Show

(KSLA) -

Severe Weather Awareness Week continues in the ArkLaTex. Today's topic concerns something found in every thunderstorm, even non-severe ones....lightning.

Lightning is often referred to as the underrated weather killer. After flooding and tornadoes, more people die from being struck by lightning than any other violent weather phenomena. In the last 30 years an average of 51 people per year were struck and killed by lightning in the United States. People who survive being struck by lightning often have health issues, including muscular and neurological problems. Below is a state-by-state look at lightning deaths from 1959-2011.

When you hear thunder, that's the time to seek shelter. If you're close enough to the storm to hear the thunder, you're close enough to be struck by lightning.

Remember the 30-30 rule

The first 30 represents 30 seconds. If the time between when you see the flash and hear the thunder is 30 seconds or less, the lightning is close enough to hit you. If you haven't already, seek shelter immediately.

The second 30 stands for 30 minutes. After the last flash of lightning, wait 30 minutes before leaving your shelter. More than one half of lightning deaths occur after a thunderstorm has passed.

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Severe Weather Awareness Week: Lightning

Dato #39; Joey Yap Feng Shui Astrology Q A @SQCC Penang
a short interview with Dato #39; Joey Yap after his Feng Shui Astrology Seminar conducted at Strait Quay Convention Center Penang on 1st March 2015. Over 1000+...

By: Penang Channel

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Dato' Joey Yap Feng Shui & Astrology Q&A @SQCC Penang - Video

Broken and damaged fences along with ones that exceed 6 feet have caught the attention of Conroe City Council members who are considering a new ordinance to regulate fences inside city limits.

City staff members presented the information to the council during its workshop meeting Wednesday.

Without a maintenance ordinance, all these things just exist, said Nancy Mikeska, assistant director of Community Development, as she showed multiple photos to the council. This is a problem throughout the city. I am recommending we take the time to look at a fence ordinance.

While the council agreed fences in the city need to be addressed, Mayor Webb Melder and Mayor Pro Tem Guy Martin are concerned about too much governmental overreach and dictating what property owners do on their own land.

I have kind of a yin-yang situation, Martin said. Someone owns their property and I dont know how far I want to go to tell them exactly what fence they can do where they can put it.

Melder agrees and added the city doesnt want to tread on private property rights.

I think there is a balance there of government overreaching and homeowners being able to secure their property, he said.

Councilwoman Marsha Porter said fences in front yards need to be addressed. Mikeska said the city could consider a 4-foot limit on front-yard fences and require them to be either chain link, wrought iron or other approved material.

I would have a concern on the front-yard fence, she said. I lean closer to not having a front-yard fence.

The city is expected to revisit a potential fence ordinance at a future meeting.

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Conroe considering ordinance to regulate fences

Group with nine caravans wreck vacant plot in Solihull, West Midlands Blocked vital industrial unit access road and HGVs were unable to pass Have since been removed by police and bailiffs but were still there this morning, despite promising officers they'd leave the site yesterday

By Tim Macfarlan For Mailonline

Published: 13:55 EST, 24 February 2015 | Updated: 15:35 EST, 24 February 2015

These are the shocking pictures of the mess left by travellers who occupied a patch of waste ground over just a single weekend.

The trail of destruction includes ruined portable buildings filled with smashed furniture, broken fences, piles of rubbish and a gate thought to have been forced so the group could get access.

The travellers set up camp over the weekend on a privately owned vacant plot of land in Solihull, West Midlands, and have since been removed by police and bailiffs.

Trashed: The inside of a temporary building littered with broken furniture left behind by the travellers

What a mess: Portable buildings at the site in Solihuill, West Midlands, were left in a complete state

Smashed: Rubbish was strewn across the patch of waste ground, which was occupied by nine caravans

The group had promised police to leave the site yesterday but they were still there this morning, before they were moved on this afternoon.

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Travellers leave behind smashed portable buildings and destroyed fences after they are evicted from private land in ...

Reduce the amount of maintenance you have to do on the pool area by choosing plants that don't drop flowers, berries, or leaves. Photo: Supplied

I get asked a lot about gardening around pools. How often do you see a pool, four fences and some empty garden beds where everything that's put there dies? Hedges,trees and shrubs can provide shade and privacy and of course they look great and can transform a concrete rectangle into a tropical oasis. But not all plants like the environment around pools. It is important to choose carefully.

The first thing you need to know is how your pool is maintained: is it saltwater or chlorine?

If you have a chlorinated pool, remember that chlorine is a chemical that is used to keep your water clean. It kills bugs and germs that would thrive without the chemical being in the water. Plants such as mondo grass, cordylines, golden cane palms and star jasmine can withstand splashing from chlorinated water to a point. If your pool doubles as a rock and roll wrestling ring where everyone bombs and splashes everywhere, you may need raised garden beds or large planters.

Saltwater pools can poison plants that don't like high salt levels, but there are lots of salt-tolerant plants that can survive these conditions easily. Australian native plants that have grown along our coast in poor soil under extreme conditions with strong winds and salt spray are perfect around your pool. Westringia (coastal rosemary), coastal banksia, dianella and pig face are all good native plants for salty conditions. Other plants that go well near saltwater pools usually have silver, furry or waxy leaves. Bromeliads work well when the centre that holds water is facing away from the pool; agaves which are smooth and silvery will shed the salt off their foliage without damage.

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One of my favourite trees is the frangipani. It reminds me of tropical resorts. The problem is it's deciduous, it drops leaves and flowers. If you want that look, be prepared for maintenance issues. Don't plant plants that can interfere with the pool's integrity like running bamboo or plants with robust root systems that can damage pipes and create problems in the future.

For both chlorine and salt, try to pick plants that aren't prone to pests and desease; it isn't great to be spraying chemicals around the pool surface where it will come in contact with eyes or skin. It's great to have gardens in your pool area but reduce the amount of maintenance you have to do on the garden and the pool by choosing plants that don't drop flowers, berries, or shed leaves.

If you're replanting around your pool take safety into account. Make sure you can see the water from outside the pool area.

I believe most gardens that have failed inside pool areas have done so more from heat and drought than from pool water. Garden beds in pool areas are usually near fences, the fences heat up and the reflection from the pool magnifies the sun onto the plants.fFeed and water a little more in the pool area to replenish the soil. But, most importantly, under no circumstances plant a row of cocos palms and repeat the sins of the 80s.

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Plant with care and forethought around your swimming pool

Demolition of Durham Road School - Spennymoor
The final stage of demolition at #39;The Alderman Wraith School or Durham Road School #39; Spennymoor commenced in late february 2015. Though, not without a massive community effort for it to remain...

By: Durham Telly

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Demolition of Durham Road School - Spennymoor - Video

Camp Roberts pool demolition
Camp Roberts is demolishing its World War II-era swimming pool that served soldiers and local families. The work crew is currently digging out old plumbing. ...

By: SLO Tribune

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Camp Roberts pool demolition - Video