The count as it was underway at Silksworth Sports Complex in Sunderland.

After a terrible election for Labour, seven of the regions former Labour heartland seats fell to the Tories, but looking at the results it could have been much worse for the party if the Brexit vote had been unified under one party.

If the votes for both the Conservatives and the Brexit Party had gone to one party there would have been a different outcome for Sunderland Central, Houghton and Sunderland South and Washington and Sunderland West.

Had those who backed the Brexit Party pledged their support to the Conservatives or vice versa it would have also impacted on Easington and Hartlepools outcomes.

Voters in all five constituencies voted to leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum.

The Sunderland Central seat was retained by Julie Elliott, who was first elected to the post in 2010, with 18,336 votes pledged to the former GMB regional organiser, a -13.4% share of the vote.

Conservative Tom DSilva lodged 15,372 vote, a 2% gain, and the Brexit Partys Viral Parikh got 5,047 votes to his name, with their combined vote amounting to 20,419.

Bridget Phillipson, the Houghton and Sunderland South MP also first elected in 2010, won 16,210 votes, a -18.7% share of those ballots posted.

In that constituency, Conservative Christopher Howarth polled 13,095 votes, an increase of 3.2%, and Brexit Party candidate Kevin Yuill gained 6,165 votes an combined total of 19,260 votes.

The electorate in Washington and Sunderland West pledged their support for Sharon Hodgson to return to the role, with 15,941 votes, a -18.2% share.

Valarie Allen, who stood for the Conservative Party, got 12,218 of the vote, a 3.7% increase, while the Brexit Partys Howard Brown was given the backing of 5,429, a combined vote of 17,647.

Ms Phillipson tweeted after the count: It is a privilege to be re-elected to serve my community in Parliament on what looks to be a truly terrible night for Labour.

Devastated by the impact this will have on working people right across our country.

A long and difficult road ahead.

Mrs Hodgson also said Brexit and leader Jeremy Corbyn were among the issues raised as concerns on the doorstep in the lead up to election day.

Sunderland Central Brexit Party candidate, Mr Parikh said the way votes were cast in the city underlines its backing for Brexit, but that it could have been a different outcome had the votes not been split between his group and the Tories.

In 2017, Ms Elliott got 25,056 votes, yesterday that had fallen to 18,336 votes.

The former University of Sunderland student said: In the last election, the Conservatives got 15,000 and they still got that this time, so there has been a change at all in the vote, and Labour were 13% down and we gained 12%, so we have taken every Labour vote, he said.

I know people will say we only took 5,000 votes, but if you look at the Tory vote, that would have taken us over, but I know because of the history of Sunderland, some people say they will not vote Conservative.

I think people were absolutely upset at Labour and we can see that in the election result.

I dont think well see another election for five years now, Boris Johnson has got a massive majority now.

Labour's Grahame Morris also kept hold of his seat in Easington, with 15,723 votes, a -18.2% share

His Conservative rival Clare Ambrosino gained 9,142 votes, a 3.7% gain, while Julie Maughan of the Brexit Party got 6,744, which adds up to 15,886, 163 more than Labours total.

Stefan Houghton, Conservative, got 11,869 votes, a -5.3% share, and Richard Tice, chairman of the Brexit Party, got 10,603 votes, a combined total of 22,472.

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Labour hold onto North East seats in Parliament - but combined Conservative and Brexit Party vote could have transformed political landscape -...

Tarzana, CA - With unrivalled experience and more recognitions than any other company in their field, Finesse Remodeling prides itself on being the preferred remodeling company in Tarzana, CA and the neighboring areas. This proudly locally owned and operated business has been serving its community since 1989. Now the #1 choice for many homes and business owners in the area, its unparalleled services have always exceeded its clients expectations in terms of quality and availability. Finesse Remodeling is owned and operated by Avi B. Dov, a fully licensed and experienced designer who has dedicated his life to providing award-winning designs for both commercial and residential needs.

Avi Dov and his staff have strived to provide services of the highest quality by working along with their clients to understand their ideas and bring them to reality using high-quality materials, regardless if it is a large or small project. These expert technicians implement a thoroughly organized methodology guaranteeing that every project will be handled based on a meticulous case study which considers their clients' needs and budget.

"Our core values, availability, commitment, and adaptability, are driven by our overarching desire to improve the lives of our clients through expert home improvement. Whether your home is in need of a complete bathroom remodel or a kitchen transformation, we renovate with passion, dedication, and enthusiasm. It is no surprise that Finesse has been a leading choice for Los Angeles home remodels for over 3 decades," the spokesperson for Finesse Remodeling said about the quality of their services.

As the experts in remodeling and consulting services, Finesse Remodeling - Kitchens Remodeling offers an extensive variety of services, including kitchen remodeling services, bathroom designs, and construction, additions, exterior/interior paint, hardscape and landscape, patio enclosures and covers, complete home renovation, and more. All their services are performed using the finest material, state-of-the-art equipment and covered with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. In addition, the company also specializes in design consultation services.

Finesse Remodeling prides itself on being a member of many prestigious organizations such as the National Kitchen and Bath Association, and the California Contractors State License Board. Additionally, the company prides itself on being one of the best-rated companies on Google, Yelp, Angie's List and a certified, screened and approved contractor by Houzz, Home Advisor, Service Magic, and Trust Link.

Finesse Remodeling is open to receive its clients from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday, and from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Saturday and Sunday. Visit them at 4600 Arriba Dr., Tarzana, CA, 91356, US. For professional and affordable Kitchens Remodeling, contact them via phone at 818-881-8383 or via email at avi@finesseremodeling.com. To learn more about their services or request a free quote, visit their website.

Media ContactCompany Name: Finesse RemodelingContact Person: AVI BEN DOVEmail: Send EmailPhone: 818-881-8383Address:4600 Arriba Dr City: TarzanaState: CACountry: United StatesWebsite: https://finesseremodeling.com/

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Finesse Remodeling, a Top Kitchens Remodeling in Tarzana Offers Unparalleled Remodeling Services and Consultant in Tarzana and the Neighboring Areas -...

I strongly recommend that you buy a new prehung exterior door unit, which comes complete with a new frame, exterior molding, sill and weatherstripping already installed. If its not practical to replace the entire door and frame, then consider leaving the frame in place and just replacing the door itself. Any door shop can route the hinge locations and drill the knob hole in the new door to match the exact locations of whats on the existing frame, which will make the change-out quick and easy.

Q: I have a concern with my friend, who removed her dryer vent hose to clean it. When she couldn't replace it she placed a sock around the vent opening and secured it with a zip tie. She said her mother did this and it worked just fine. This has me worried that this is a fire hazard. Is this safe?

A: While I applaud your friend for cleaning her dryer, what shes done is definitely NOT safe! All that a sock (or a piece of pantyhose, or whatever) will do is collect some of the lint so it doesnt go flying into the house. It does nothing to stop all that warm moist air from collecting in the house, where it becomes a breeding ground for mold and mildew, and eventually causes structural damage. Secondly, and even more important, as it dries all that lint creates an extreme fire danger.

Please tell your friend that she needs to have her dryer correctly vented all the way to the outside of the house! And while shes at it, she needs to take care of her moms dryer, as well.

Have a home repair or remodeling question for Paul? He can be reached by email at improvingyourhome@ykwc.net.

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Paul Bianchina: Best to rectify those missing permits before selling - Oklahoman.com

LUCAS COUNTY, Ohio As Houses go, they aren't the most beautiful on the block. They're boxy, a bit odd looking and small, and strangely...they are made of steel.

Actually it is a "porcelain enameled sheet metal" said Hannah Brevoort a museum interpreter for the Ohio History Center in Columbus.

"That why's it's a metal house and doesn't look rusty after years of use," she said.

And they have been in use a long time ago...about 70 years.

It was in 1948 that Lustron Homes, headed up by Columbus businessman Carl Strandlund birthed the idea to create prefabricated homes out of steel and to build all their component parts in a factory so they could be trucked to a home site and assembled in just a few weeks.

It was a good idea and with prices starting at around $5,000 and ranging to $10,000, the cost was not exorbitant, although a bit more than the average stick-built house at the time.

In two short years Lustron built and assembled about 3,000 homes, mostly in the Midwest. But with production and financing problems, the home of the future, became a home of history. Lustron folded.

The Ohio History Center in Columbus has one of the Lustron homes in its museum which it says it one of its most popular attractions.

"They were very much marketed as the Home of the Future" and in the post war age, it was believed that people would want a new type of home".

The History Center's model was one that came from Arlington, Virginia in 2013 when it was earmarked for demolition by a contractor.

"It was going to be torn down and the board of Arlington County decided to give it to us instead, we had been trying for years to get a real Lustron home because of the local connection."

The model is featured as an example of what the Lustron Home offered to the modern families of the 1950's.

It is set up now as a "living" exhibit and fully interactive with a full array of artifacts and objects from that post-war era. It is exhibited as if the family was still living there and just stepped out for a walk.

The vintage black and white TV set even has Ozzie and Harriet playing in the living room and in the dining room, classic dinnerware is set on retro table of the era.

The metal interior wall bookcase that looks like wood is not. A couple of knocks and on the wall, and the familiar metallic ring of steel answers back.

In the kitchen and utility room, the original Lustron homes came with a host of modern appliances for the day, which included a unique and rare combination dishwasher and clothes washer.

Of the 3,000 homes that Lustron manufactured during its two-year existence, about 2,000 remain standing and in use. Most have withstood the test of time.

About 30 were built in the Toledo area, and about 20 of them remain intact.

They appear to be rust-free, and in good condition for a 70-year-old home.

Most have not needed any remodeling and still have their original steel roofs.

While the homes are usually about a 1,000 square-feet in size, much smaller than most average size homes today, they still offer a maintenance free lifestyle for those who own and occupy them.

No painting is needed on the exterior and on the interior, the porcelain walls just need to be wiped down from time to time.

Continued here:
Lustron, Homes with a past and a future - WTOL

Question:My landlord told me in a letter that they were planning to remodel my kitchen and bath and that I would have to vacate for two weeks while the work is done.My family cant afford a hotel, and we dont have family in the area that can put us up for two weeks.Can my landlord force us to move out while the remodeling work is done?

Answer: The landlords right to enter once the unit has been turned over to you is very limited, under California Civil Code section 1954.

The landlordcan enter to (1) do repairs that are necessary or requested by you, (2) in emergencies, (3) if they believe thatthe unit is abandoned, (4) to show the property to prospective buyers and (5) with a court order. In every other circumstance, you control access to the unit. It follows that the landlord may not tell you to vacate simply to accommodate his or herremodeling plans.

The landlordcan ask, however, and you may agree if you can negotiateterms and conditions that make the inconvenience worthwhile. At the very least the landlordshould offer to refund the rent for the days you have to vacate the apartment.

If the landlordcannot persuade you to cooperate, the landlordwould have to wait until the end of your tenancy under a lease before doing this work.

But if you are a month-to-month tenant and live in a unit not covered by a rent-control law,the landlordmay simply terminate your tenancy with a 30- or 60-day termination notice to proceed with the work.So if you like the apartmentand want to stay, it is probably in your interest to try to work something out with the landlord.

In Los Angeles, rent-control ordinances apply to most multi-unit living quartersbuilt byOct. 1, 1978, including apartments, condos, residential hotels, mobile homes and lots containing more than one single-family home.

For tenants of those rental units, landlords must pay temporary relocation costs if a major repair or remodel is planned. The tenants must continue paying rent and canbe evicted for refusing to allow access for repairs or improvements.

Under all of these circumstances, the best path forward would be to ask to sit down with the landlord to understand his or herwishes, to discuss the impact on you and your family, and to agree on a plan that honors everyones needs. If the notice you received was in written form, make a written response indicating that the landlords request is problematic for you, but that you are willing to sit down with the landlord and discuss the situation.

If your conversation with your landlord doesnt go well,you may check to see if there are community mediation services in your area and ask for their help with this conversation. Many programs are free or very low cost and provide an excellent alternative to escalating in court.

Current is fair housing director for Project Sentinel, a Bay Area nonprofit. For more information, Project Sentinel at , visit or your attorney or local housing agency.

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When the landlord wants to remodel but the tenant doesn't want to leave, who wins? - Spring Hill Insider

(WSIL) -- Lutheran Social Services of Illinois needs your help. The number of foster children in care far outweighs the number of foster families available.

"We have a list of foster homes that we go through calling for placements, and then once we run out of homes on our list, we move to other agencies," explains child welfare specialist Brandi Campbell.

Amanda Isaac is a licensed foster parent with the agency. She says her phone will sometimes ring two to three times a week.

"I am a specialized home, there's not a lot of specialized homes, they're called "spec homes." Itake children that have special needs, and we take care of those needs, whatever those needs look like," says Isaac.

Isaac says that being a foster parent is no easy task, but she does it for the kids.

"Sometimes it is hard to deal with the emotional side of things.It is hard as a foster parent to watch what these kids go through, because a lot of times it's the kids that's hurt, that you see them hurt."

Campbell says a foster parent needs to provide a stable, secure home for the child as well aswork with caseworkers, counselors, or any therapists involved in the case. While the process might seem overwhelming, the agency is ready to walk foster parents through every step.

"Fostering is for some people, and fostering is not for some people.I wouldn't change it for the world," adds Isaac.

If you're interested in learning more about being a foster parent, call Lutheran Social Services at 888-322-5774 or email CCS@LSSI.org to talk to a resource officer. The agency also offers orientation meetings for prospective parents.

To qualify to be a foster parent, Lutheran Social Services says you:

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Foster families needed in southern Illinois - WSIL-TV 3 Southern Illinois - WSIL TV

12 Dec 2019, 16:35

In 2000s Britain, the regeneration projects in the North West were some of the biggest weve attempted, with single-phase masterplanning of former industrial sites being done on an enormous scale; in Salford Quays for example, or the development of the shopping centre, Liverpool One, writes Jon Wright of Purcell.

The North West is powerfully visible as a place where some of these things happened first or are happening better than anywhere else in the country, with a tremendous sense of both a dynamic future and a very dynamic past, both ahead of them and behind them.

The Irwell Riverside project is a series of factory-built houses located in Salford, on the banks of the River Irwell. The buildings are effectively a brand-new concept for mass housing that could continue to be wheeled out. Irwell Riverside was designed by ShedKM for Urban Splash with a starkly modern aesthetic white, black, flashes of primary colour on a riverside cleverly exploiting a modular redesign for repeating townhouses.

Although the buildings were factory made and delivered to site fully-finished, they have a modernity and permanence about them. We probably negatively associate pre-fabrication with the provision of low-cost houses following the war, but its characteristic of good architecture: to challenge conventions and recycle fundamentally good ideas.

It reminded me of some of the Homes fit for Heroes prefab architecture, and how smart that scheme was, particularly in the North West where terraced housing i.e. workers housing, was a particularly prevalent vernacular. The Irwell Riverside project reimagines this vernacular and aligns three things: factory finishing, high design spec and quality.

The development reflects the North Wests dynamic past and future. The terraced house is a British phenomenon that began with the townhouses of London built after the Great Fire. This typology has been reimagined by ShedKM to include notions of individuality and compositional repetition, linking the North Wests industrial past with evolution towards a new future.

The North West is an interesting lens to look through. British architecture has moved from a fairly paternalistic view of placemaking, to the argument which arose in the 1980s and 90s about the relationship between public and private space within the public realm. Developments previously were either purely commercial or purely residential, as seen in schemes like Canary Wharf in London, and didnt respond to the historic environment. This is not Las Vegas in the 1950s; wherever you build there is a history, a heritage, it doesnt matter if you can see it or not.

The North West defined the yardstick by which large-scale regeneration of former industrial landscapes, fringes and urban environments were redeveloped; where heritage, placemaking, masterplanning and new architecture came together. The Irwell Riverside project is an interesting reflection on the value of terrace housing and how attractive modular repetition can be if you get it right, and is particularly interesting considering 10 years ago the Government was proposing the Pathfinder Scheme, to basically knock it all down.

The value of terrace housing is in its economy and in its importance as a framework for community.

Link:

Best of the North West | Irwell Riverside, Salford - Place North West

I rerun this article most Decembers. The early snow we got two feet at my house means I should run it again!

I have a fairly long driveway next to an open field, and at least once every winter, snow drifts across it to the point where things get dicey without all-wheel drive.

For two decades, I have talked about setting up a snow fence to keep out the drifts, but Ive never gotten around to it. Which, I recently learned, is a good thing, because I would have done it exactly wrong.

One consolation: Many people do it exactly wrong.

I see it a lot. People dont understand how a snow fence works, said Robert Haehnel, a research mechanical engineer at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, an Army Corps of Engineers facility that studies anything that freezes. (Known as CRREL, it gets my vote for Most Interesting Place in N.H. That You Didnt Know About.)

For years, one of my neighbors had . . . that orange snow fence and posts, they put it right next to their driveway, perpendicular to the wind. And every year when the wind started blowing, the entire hillside would be deposited on their driveway, he said. They finally gave up.

So what did they do wrong? At my request, Haehnel walked me through years of research on snow fences, much of it done by a man named Ronald Tabler who wrote the fields bible:Controlling Blowing and Drifting Snow with Snow Fences and Road Design.

The manual is used by most states, including New Hampshire, to guide placement of snow fences. If you want more details you can easily find it online, all 307 pages of it.

So heres the most surprising thing: Snow fences dont stop drifts by blocking the snow thats blowing right along the ground, as I had envisioned. They stop drifts by disrupting the aerodynamics of the wind passing overhead, slowing it down so it can no longer carry all the flakes it had picked up.

What this means is that snow doesnt pile up behind a fence, it drops out of the sky in front of the fence that is, on the downwind side. So if you place the fence next to your driveway, as I planned, youre guiding more snow to fall right down onto the driveway.

Its like a snowdrift multiplier!

Tabler even developed a rule of thumb for placing fences. Take the height of the fence and multiply it by 35, and that is the distance you need between the fence and the thing you want to protect, to ensure all the snow will fall out of the air before the wind gets to the target.

For a standard 4-foot snow fence, that equals a distance of 140 feet away. Holy Toledo thats a long way.

If youve ever seen a snow fence sitting forlornly in the middle of a field, now you know why.

But wait, theres more. Tabler found that snow fences need a certain porosity holes to keep snow from piling up and knocking it over and should have a gap at the bottom equal to 10 percent of the height (about 5 inches for that standard 4-foot fence).

Why the gap? It directs some of the wind under the fence and scours away snow that might build up in front of the fence. This matters because the height of the fence above snow determines how well it disrupts wind passing overhead so if snow builds up in front, your fence becomes effectively shorter and works less well.

Make sure the bottom doesnt get buried over time. If it starts out a 4-foot fence and you get a foot of snow, now its a 3-feet fence. . . . Every time it gets buried, its less effective, Haehnel said.

Some places, notably Japan, build large snow fences with gaps designed to scour snow off roads when there isnt room to place the fences at the right distance. This works well, Haehnel said, but has the side effect of increasing the speed of the wind to the point that it can be dangerous for vehicles.

Snow fences can also be used to collect rather than deflect snow, Haehnel said. An example is setting snow fences upwind of a cattle pond, so you deposit all the snow there. When it melts, youve got a water supply for your cattle.

So there you have it: A boring, overlooked aspect of life in wintertime is actually complicated, counterintuitive and interesting.

Ill take solace in that the next time my car gets stuck in the driveway.

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That snow fence - you probably did it wrong. - Concord Monitor

GLASSBORO Rowan University will continue its campus conversation about mental health services at Monday night's Student Government Association meeting after 10 deaths among students, faculty and staff this semester.

A meeting began on Thursday night following a student's fall from one of the Glassboro school's parking garages. The student survived, and authorities have not said whether the student jumped or fell accidentally.

Students and others in the Rowan communityhave been making and continue to make several claims on social media: That the school hasn't been honest about how many suicides have taken place, that it hasn't communicated with students when deaths occur, and that it hasn't done enough to provide mental health services.

Some students spoke of months-long waiting lists for care through Rowan's wellness center though the school says this semester, it stepped up staffing levels to minimize any delays, acknowledging waits plagued it in past years.

Rowan spokesman Joe Cardona on Monday reiterated to New Jersey 101.5 that there were three student suicides this semester, but 10 deaths of students or faculty members overall. Hesaid the school aims to honor the wishes of family members when determining how much detail to release about an individual's death, and follows privacy laws and regulations guiding the release of information.

The installation of a temporary fence on the top levels of the parking garages by its owner was accelerated by the Thursday fall, Rowan spokesman Joe Cardona told New Jersey 101.5 on Monday.Cordona said that the fence installation was a response to a student suicide in 2018. One of the students to commit suicide this semester just a few weeks ago also did so by falling from the garage, he said.

He additionally said 24-hour patrols would monitor the garage until more permanent barriers could be put in place.

"Then these two incidents happened in the last two weeks so they put up temporary stuff now and later on will put up more permanent fencing later," Cordona said.

The student in who fell Thursday continues to recover, but Cordona said the family asked additional information not be released.

About 100 students gathered on Friday night for a candlelight vigil to remember the students who took their own lives.

Monday night's meeting begins at 7 p.m. in Chamberlain Student Center Eynon Ballroom.

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After suicides, Rowan puts fences at garage where students fell and died - wobm.com

December 13, 2019 - By Ingrid Angelini, (UC Master Gardener of Mariposa County) - Is your New Years Resolution to do something to improve your health? You may want to consider the health benefits of gardening.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that gardening raises self-esteem, improves cardiovascular health, reduces stress and anxiety, promotes better sleep, increases hand strength, can foster relationships and sets the stage for future health.

Cardiovascular benefits are derived from moving around as the garden is maintained. Calories are thus burned, and an active lifestyle reduces the incidence of obesity, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and stroke.

Michigan State University, in cooperation with its university extension program, points out the benefits of reduced risk of colon cancer and premature death and notes that exercising both the arms and legs helps to prevent afflictions such as coronary disease. Strength in the hands and fingers is promoted by the digging, planting and pulling involved in gardening.

Intense physical activity is well known to foster deep sleep, but even light physical activity while gardening can lead to a better nights rest.

It was found that gardening can reduce the level of Cortisol, the stress hormone. By being outdoors we inhale Mycobacterium vaccae, a healthy bacterium which resides in soil and can increase serotonin levels, thereby reducing anxiety. Furthermore, self-esteem stems (no pun intended) from actually planting, tending and harvesting the plants, thereby offering a feeling of accomplishment.

While gardening alone can increase the aforementioned qualities of life and health, gardening with friends and family fosters bonds, and spreads well-being among participants. When children play in the dirt at an early age, there is a link to a reduction in future health problems, including allergies and autoimmune disorders.

The National Institutes of Health found one study revealing that daily gardening can reduce the risk of dementia by 36%. Evidence exists that growing plants actually enhances brain function. In addition, Cornell University researchers found that even growing an indoor plant can boost attention and improve ones mood.

Growing food leads to better eating and nutrition. Consuming your home-grown fruits and vegetables supports your physical and mental health by providing the antioxidants, vitamins and other nutrients needed for a healthy body and brain.

Exposure to sunshine, the major source of vitamin D, strengthens the bones and immune system. Of course, avoid the peak hours between 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M., particularly in summer, and be sure to use sunscreen and sunglasses.

Gardening sharpens the mind, strengthens the body and soothes the soul.

UC Master Gardeners of Mariposa County are located at 5009 Fairgrounds Rd., Mariposa.

The U.C. Master Gardener Helpline is staffed;Thursdays from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Serving Mariposa County, including Greeley Hill, Coulterville and Lake Don PedroPlease contact the helpline, or leave a message by phone at: (209) 966-7078By email (send photos and questions for researched answers) to:mgmariposa@ucdavis.edu

For further gardening information and event announcements, please visit:UCMG website:cemariposa.ucanr.edu/Master_GardenerFollow us on Facebook at:Facebook.com/mariposamastergardeners

Master Gardener Office Location:UC Cooperative Extension Office,5009 Fairgrounds RoadMariposa, CA 95338

Phone: (209) 966-2417Email:mgmariposa@ucdavis.eduWebsite:cemariposa.ucanr.edu/Master_Gardener

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Over the Garden Fence - The Health Benefits of Gardening - Sierra Sun Times