The entirety of Gwinnett Countys new courthouse parking deck is now open.

Phase II of the deck at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center which houses courtrooms and government offices opened last week, adding 600 new spaces. Throw that in with the 850 spaces offered by an adjacent deck that opened in May, and visitors now have nearly 1,500 new places to park their Priuses and pick-ups.

The new decks are located at the rear of GJAC, on the corner of Constitution Boulevard and Nash Street. The original parking lot at the front of the building is still open to the public as well.

The new parking options are part of a long-awaited $75-million expansion at the courthouse.

The larger project is already underway and will include adding a brand new 180,000-square-foot building with a larger jury assembly room,four additional courtrooms and room for several more to be added in the future.

Eventually, the new parking decks will be connected directly to the courthouse via pedestrian bridge.

The expansion was planned nearly a decade ago and is being paid for by 2009 SPLOST collections but was delayed by the Great Recession.

Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2020.

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That new parking deck at the Gwinnett County courthouse is now open - Atlanta Journal Constitution

CONCORD, NH Capital region first responders performed a Christmas miracle, literally, as they delivered a baby at just after midnight on Christmas Day on Interstate 93. Around 12:15 a.m., Concord fire dispatch received a call about a woman having a child inside of a car on I-93 South in the area of Exit 17 in Penacook. Engine 5 and Ambulance 5 headed to the area, looking for a silver vehicle, but were unable to find it.

After about seven minutes, Concord EMTs informed dispatch they had met with New Hampshire State Police at the Exit 17 overpass and troopers told firefighters they had been both north and south on the highway and couldn't find the vehicle either.

State troopers and firefighters then split up and attempted to search both sides of the highway again for the caller while staging on the overpass. Dispatchers also tried to reach the caller again and found out they were farther north, at mile marker 46.6 at the Canterbury-Concord line.

Concord firefighters continued toward the vehicle while dispatch worked out protocols with Canterbury authorities.

When EMTs arrived at the vehicle, Boscawen Police Officer Ryan Nolan was already in the passenger seat with the mother as the baby was coming out of her womb. A Concord paramedic coached Nolan, state troopers, and the mother through the birthing process.

Concord EMTs then transported the mother and her new son, Dominic, to Concord Hospital as firefighters performed neonatal care, placenta cleanup, umbilical cord cutting, and other procedures on the way to the hospital. They arrived around 12:45 a.m.

Dominic, his parents, and all involved were pretty pleased with the outcome.

Got a news tip? Send it to me at tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/tonyschinella.

Continue reading here:
It Was All Hands On Deck For Concord Christmas Baby Delivery - Concord, NH Patch

Rhylee Gerber approves of the restaurant where were having lunch. Its a chilly December day in New York City, but the Alaska native is unphased, dressed in a short sweater dress and boots, her recently spray-tanned legs bare. The Below Deck star likes of Freemans decor which includes taxidermied animal heads mounted on the wall, quick to correct me that the one over the bar is not a moose as I incorrectly identified it. She doesnt have an attitude about it, which lets me know we wont be recreating the dining scene from her first night out with the crew this season when she flew to Thailand to fill Abbi Murphys vacant deckhand spot on the yacht.

Instead, she orders her own omelet rather than requesting someone else choose a paleo snack so that she can fill up on calories in her drink instead but insists she wasnt embarrassed after all hell broke loose when Chef Kevin Dobson challenged her. If I was sitting at a nice fancy restaurant would I want to cause that kind of scene? she asks. No. Would I want to cause that kind of scene in any restaurant? No, but I also wasnt the only one involved in that scene and it was a beach restaurant. It was, whatever. She waves it away in a way that proves shes regret-free and not hung up on it, admitting Its not my finest moment, while also unwilling to accept any blame or guilt over the incident.

It occurred less than 48 hours after she stepped on Motor Yacht Valor during the middle of a charter in Thailand, where she discovered she would be significantly more uncomfortable physically than she was during her previous season on the Bravo series, due to feeling bloated. I think it was the heat, its horribly humid over there and I dont do well in heat, she explained. I thought, I do feel bloated but Ill be working hard and sweaty and last year in Tahiti I lost a bunch of weight because of how much water [I drank] and how much we were working. I think I gained weight in Thailand and not because I ate bad. I was very uncomfortable in my skin. Which is what prompted her to request a paleo snack during the group dinner out, as shes fully aware, I will gain weight if I look at anything tasty, so rather than eat poor decisions I want to drink my poor decisions. Of course this erupted into shouting across a table which then continued onto the nearby beach all because she was trying to avoid a carb. I just tick people off very well, she said.

While gin is her drink of choice, if she was going for a high-calorie beverage she says, I would love a mudslide. Oh my god, Ill drink those and White Russians like crazy but thats heavy, heavy calories. While admitting she thought Chef Kevin was attractive at first, her stance now is as simple as I think Kevins a moron. I dont understand Kevin at all. Oh, but at least hes in good company as she has choice words for the rest of the male crew members. Tanners a fucking idiot, she offers of her fellow deckhand. I dont like Tanner, hes a moron. He thought I was embarrassing him for standing up for paleo [snacks]? Hes fucking embarrassing.

Even though she clashed with the deck crew last season as well, Rhylee says she had no hesitation about coming back to Below Deck for another season, and that they shouldve called me sooner. I ask how this group of guys compares to last years which included Ashton Pienaar in a deckhand role, and Ross Inia taking over bosun duties after Chandler Brooks departed mid-way through the season. I think its same same but different. Same crew, different season.

She even has a half-compliment for her new boss this season, saying, I think Ashton has all the qualities a bosun should have, without ever having been in the position myself. He can be a great leader if he remembers to keep his personal feelings aside. Because now youre in charge and its your responsibility to set that tone, and he very much shares his opinion with the crew so thats lacking leadership. However, when it comes to trying to plan things out and incorporate everybody, he did a much better job with that than Chander did.

Shell still quickly admit she finds deckhand Brian de Saint Pern hot, after a recent episode documented her discovering his impressive abs in real-time. But in this case, it appears beauty is only skin deep. I dont like that on the After Shows you always find out these people are assholes in real life, she says, referring to recent clips of Brian and Tanner well, not quite singing her praises either. I do think Brians a nice guy but hes saying awful things about me. When you team up with somebody whos also not a fan its very easy for them to get lost in that thought instead of, is that how you really feel about me? Because Brian and I chat sometimes on DMs and hes nothing but nice.

Though that wasnt quite her feeling when he recently told her to calm down on the show. I ask if its the worst thing someone can say to her and she replied, No, its not the worst thing, but its certainly offensive when Im not fucking doing anything. Im being calm. If you want to see me not calm then Ill show you not calm. And dedicated viewers of the series, currently in its seventh season and on track to racking up its highest ratings yet, have seen Rhylee when shes not calm. Of that moment, she says, It wasnt fitting. Theyre condescending to me all the time. I think it was more so that youre accusing me of something Im not doing. Im not being irrational, Im not doing anything other than standing here watching you run around. You calm down. Dont say it to me, it just pisses me off.

In fact, the biggest misconception the fiery redhead wants to clarify about herself is That Im combative all the time, Im not. Im combative when someone is treating me poorly, and maybe thats not the right choice to be but its my choice. So do I need to refine how I approach situations, of course. Everybody can react better but its not me out the gate just being an asshole or trying to make things difficult or being disrespectful for no reason.

I know that Im reactionary, Ive always said that, she continued. I tried to be more approachable about the issues I had with Ashton. There will be a scene coming up where I tried to handle it better and it still had the same outcome. Im just gonna do me and if you dont like it, you dont like it, But Im not not proud of myself. My moms not not proud of me. Right now, its not getting me into an issue where Ive ever been fired, Im denied work, or my life is ruined in some field because of it. So until that directly affects something so personal in my life, its not something I feel like needs to be worked on that much where Im gonna alter myself to fit the needs of likability for everybody else. I like who I am.

When I ask if she tried to do anything differently this time around on the show, she revealed, I actually tried to tone it down a little bit with how I reacted, which I shouldnt have done. After clearly expressing my surprise at this information, she added, Maybe it doesnt come across that way, but I was trying to be way calmer and I dont think that was the right move because it made me very quiet. I cry this season and I let things get to me. I just should practice better patience but other than that, you know, Ill still be just as vocal as I always am. And anyone would be a fool to think otherwise!

I wondered if she was at all better received this time around, but she answered that with a succinct, Fuck no, same shit. I just had Kate in my corner this time. It was nice to have a friend. Rhylee said she loved rooming with chief stew Kate Chastain, noting that her only real downside was that Shes a little scattered shes so well put together with everything that she does [for her job] that when she gets to the room its just tossing clothes here and there. And I dont mind.

It was her fellow crew members that did mind when the pair were the last ones to get ready for a recent crew night out and their subsequent day off. Oh, for fucks sakes, Rhylee rolled her eyes. I think we were like 10 minutes late? I get it, its inconsiderate to be late to an event, especially if its work or whatever, but this is getting ready to go out on a day off. Im not gonna be in a rush, Kates not one to be rushed, and its not any more offensive or inconsiderate as how the boys act. Theyre not picking and choosing their battles correctly here. Is there a battle they shouldve chosen, I ask. Yeah, not with me! she laughed.

As far as the other females on the boat go, Rhylee said she liked Simone and that the two likely developed a friendship because she was there to listen to the stew when she didnt really have anyone else to talk to. With Courtney, she admits the two didnt really get to know each other until after they were off the yacht, initially labeling herquiet and rather boring thats derogatory, but since the show Ive seen her on social media, weve talked a lot, we hang out. Shes funny.

Rhylee has also offered advice about how she handles the trolls online to her fellow yachtie, who she says is doing it very well. That advice? Go with your gut. Plus, shes got a system for the two types of messages she gets online. I send every fan whos reached out to me very nicely a message and I think that they understand the real me. When it comes to trolls, they do one of three things: they apologize, they block themselves or they stop and thats the three best options that could happen. If you appear stupid, Im gonna call you out on it and people love it. Ultimately, she says shes felt a lot of support this year, even more than last year, and that while she will never block a hater, she does like to put them on blast because it causes them to self reflect.

But does all this social media activity get to her after a while? To say that it doesnt affect me one way or another would be inaccurate. Shes mostly tired of defending herself and reminding viewers that its possible they didnt see all the circumstances around a particular incident, and would only take it upon herself to self reflect if her mom had an issue with the way she was behaving. I dont think Im perfect but I am who I am. The only personality change she admits to envying is that I wish I was more witty and snarky like Kate, versus loud and yelling.

And when shes not loud and yelling? Well, she semi-accidentally has been building a successful jewelry line in the last month. Its no surprise to anyone whos glanced at her Instagram account that Rhylee enjoys hunting, calling it a way of life in Alaska, though shes also enjoyed the sport all over the country including Texas, Kansas, Florida, and Georgia, encountering creatures from deer to alligators. When I hunt I not only hunt to eat the animal, but a part of it is trophy. If Im allowed one bull moose a season am I going to go after a bull moose with a small rack? No, Im gonna hold out for that moose that has an 80-inch rack so that I have bragging rights. But Im also gonna eat that moose and then Im gonna utilize as much of its body as I can. And even though she was speaking about something entirely foreign to my city-dwelling self, I still had to laugh at the way she said it, never breaking from her true personality, the one we see on every episode of Below Deck.

However, no matter how much I dislike hearing about (let alone seeing) dead animals, it was fascinating to get her perspective on the practice and what its led to, as she began to use leftover parts to make accessories. In no way do I consider myself a jewelry designer or maker but thats kind of whats happened in the last month. I take some of these animal parts like porcupine quills and fish ear bones and the antlers and teeth and I turn it into earrings that have been so wildly accepted. Even a hater! Oh my gosh, a hater came after me for shark fishing the other week and then sent me a message about my earrings and she bought three of them. I was like, how do you berate me for shark fishing where I actually had in the caption tag and release, but now Im giving you dead animal parts to put in your ears?

Once she started posting pictures of her creations, the orders started flowing, so she created a website for future activities and businesses that I do, and promised there will be more exciting news to come from her soon. Those interested in earrings and necklaces can visit thelifeofrhylee.com as she explains to read a little bit about each piece of jewelry that I make, and tells me that she uses her website to get a little more educational versus sarcastic, which I am on social media. She takes the opportunity to explain that her coyote teeth earrings, made with silver and turquoise, came to be because the animals are legal to hunt in Alaska due to conservation because theyre a predator of Dall sheep. She mentions bison, and that porcupines werent harmed to create the funky pieces she uses their quills to design. Its taken off, unexpectedly so. It was just something I did for a friend and now its become a business on the side.

Its an interesting aspect of her life, and one that shes clearly proud of. And while shell continue to hear from both the haters and the supporters as the rest of the Below Deck season airs on Bravo, I ask if theres anything else she wants people to know about her. I have a lot of amazing friends, I do a lot of fun, exciting things that I enjoy and I think people that take time to get to know me understand that. Dont be Ashton and well get along fine.

Below Deck airs Monday at 9pm ET/PT on Bravo.

Where to stream Below Deck

Link:
Rhylee Gerbers Biggest Below Deck Regret This Season? That She Tried To Tone It Down - Decider

Many crew members were silent on social media after Monday nights shocking Below Deck episode. The final scenes of the show featured an extremely drunk crew not only getting into an altercation, but the fight could have become physical.

The crew divided into two vans after a night of drinking. Deckhands Rhylee Gerber and Brian de Saint Pern joined stews Simone Mashile and Courtney Skippon in one van. The other van carried chief stew Kate Chastain, bosun Ashton Pienaar, chef Kevin Dobson, and deckhand Tanner Sterback. The van with de Saint Pern and Gerber was chill and fun. The van with Chastain and Pienaar was a horror show. Pienaar became outrageously angry with Chastain when she inquired about his mother. He lunged at her in the backseat and his behavior was so violent, Dobson asked the van driver to pull over.

Thankfully, no one was hurt, but Chastain gathered her belongings and told producers she was going to quit after she and Pienaar got into another fight in the crew mess. Dobson, Pienaar, and Sterback did not tweet during the episode and Pienaar was dragged hard on social media. Of the men on the boat, de Saint Pern tweeted during the episode, apologizing along the way and taking it on the chin on Twitter.

Preview clips teased the now-infamous van ride and de Saint Pern shared that he received a lot of questions regarding the voyage. Prior to the episode, he tweeted that he wouldnt be able to live-tweet since he was in South Africa. Sorry I cant live tweet tonight as it is 4am here in South Africa. Since alot of people are asking me about the Ashton/Kate incident, I will say this, what @AshtonPienaar does is NOT ON at all and @Kate_Chastain did not deserved to be treated like that. No women does.

While most fans applauded de Saint Pern for sharing, others still wouldnt let go that he called Chastain a bitch during the previous episode. Yet you can call Kate a bitch? one person responded. But de Saint Pern didnt put his altercation with Chastain in the same category as what occurred with Pienaar. Dude come on Not the same thing. And for the hundredth time @Kate_Chastain I am sorry for calling you the B word, he responded.

Another fan wondered if de Saint Pern would have called out Pienaar for his behavior. I wonder if Brian would have told Tanner or Aston to calm down while at work. This is clearly about Gender, this is about the boys club, this is about the clear disrespect that they all have towards women. Mind you, this is in front of the camera, can you imagine behind doors?? But de Saint Pern said he has told Pienaar to relax. If you watch the season from the begining you will see that I have told Ashton to calm down.

Apparently de Saint Pern was in an apologetic mood Monday night as he ended up apologizing to Skippon for not realizing how miserable she was at the club. Sorry that you had to go to that club @courtneyskippon would of taking you home if I could. Remember sitting outside the bathroom waiting for you while you were upset and thinking how to cheer you up, he tweeted.

Later he apologized to Chastain, even though he was not in the van at the time. Sorry @Kate_Chastain didnt realise how intense this situation was. Now I can see why you left. Once the vans arrived at the boat, de Saint Pern immediately went to his bunk. He was not in the crew mess during the final fight.

Although he kept apologizing, fans werent in the forgiving mood. Several point out he continues to support Pienaar, even after this incident. While he doesnt condone Pienaars behavior in the van, he still backs the bosun. What he did in that Van was not acceptable at all and Ive expressed my opinion on that. I support Ashton as my Bosun because he was a really good Bosun, he wrote.

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'Below Deck': Brian de Saint Pern Goes on Apology Tour While the Rest of the Men Remain Silent - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

BOSTON There is a movement afoot among the veterans on this Toronto Raptors club and from the coaching staff to push a handful of newer players, or players newer to big minutes, to start looking for their own a little more.

Earlier this week, Fred VanVleet said it was a case of some players being a little too passive and how that had to change.

Before Saturdays game in Boston, Nick Nurse referred to it as getting some of his group a little more involved in the offence.

Without Pascal Siakam to lean on, the offence can bog down at times and that means everyone from the guy who never hesitates to take a shot to the guy who rarely takes one has to become a little more shot-happy when an opening presents itself.

We have to get some of these other guys OG (Anunoby), Pat McCaw, Rondae (Hollis-Jefferson), Terence (Davis) to play a little bit more involved in the offence, Nurse said when asked what he had learned about his group in the four games since Siakam, Marc Gasol and Norm Powell went down.

Through the four games since that costly win in Detroit, the Raptors are 2-2. They are scoring at about the same pace they were before the most recent losses, but are giving up about seven points per 100 possessions more than they had previously.

Nurse isnt sure that trend will continue.

Not really what I expected, he said, but I dont read a whole lot into that. You have to consider the competition and the frequency of the games and some of that stuff. But we have had a few more moments of our man-to-man defence not being where we would like it to be, which is probably why we spend a lot more time in zone and some of the other things in some of these games.

The focus, though, is squarely on getting each and every Raptor a little more willing to expand their offensive threshold.

McCaw has heard the plea and hes going to do his best to comply, but he admits its not something he does naturally. His first instinct is to create for others.

Thats always been my game, McCaw said ahead of Saturdays morning shootaround. I think just because I dominated the ball in college, me giving up the ball and distributing to teammates kind of freed me up for open shots. So when I had open shots or driving lanes I would take them. Here, its whenever I can get an open shot I almost have to take that shot because it might destroy the rhythm of the offence. Its something I have to get adjusted to.

True to his word, McCaw was trying to be more decisive and in doing so had perhaps the game of his young career Saturday night in Boston.

He finished the evening with 18 points, one shy of his career high, a career-best eight assists and seven rebounds along with a steal and a block in 43 minutes.

Read more:
Raptors need all hands on deck looking for their shot - Toronto Sun

Families in need get free furniture from Big Sandy

Christmas came early this year for the Ewing family of Pickerington. It wasnt a sleigh, but a truck full of new furniture and appliances that pulled up to their home a few days before the holiday.

The family Masaaki and Alex Ewing, both 41, and their children Ajani, 14; Swazy, 9; Blaize, 6; and Aaliyah, 5 didnt have much in the way of old furniture that needed to be moved to make way for the new. The family had little more than a couple of chairs and a broken couch and had been sleeping on mattresses on their floor.

We would never be able to buy any of these things, said Masaaki Ewing, watching the movers bring in the goodies. We cant do much outside of keeping the lights on and the kids fed.

Santa Claus, in this case, was furniture retailer Big Sandy Superstore, which gave away a house full of furniture and appliances to 20 families in need in Kentucky, West Virginia and central and southern Ohio.

The two younger Ewing children have been diagnosed with autism, and Masaaki Ewing has stayed home to care for them since Blaize, who doesnt speak, was born, he said.

Alex Ewing works in a customer call center for a state agency, although she has recently been on health-related disability leave.

Weve been struggling just to pay bills, Masaaki Ewing said.

The children have been hard on what furniture the family had, Alex Ewing said.

We wondered what we were going to do, she said. The old couch that someone had given us had just broke.

The Ewings were nominated for the giveaway by Rhonda Howard, who had met the family as an independent care provider for the younger children through the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities.

I saw a TV commercial for Big Sandys House of Hope, Howard recalled. You get this spark of an idea: They could be the perfect family to be helped.

I was so thankful just for the thought and for being nominated, Alex Ewing said.

When she learned the family was chosen for the giveaway, I was in disbelief, in shock, she said.

Our older kids are so excited, too. Their friends would come over and be like, Wheres your furniture?

For Rhonda and Big Sandy to think about our family like this, this is a true holiday gift.

Howard, who is also a realtor, said she has also been soliciting other real-estate agents and contractors to help the family with basic home repairs and painting.

I think weve got a lot of people in the community willing to help them out, Howard said. I hope it doesnt end here with the furniture delivery.

This is the first year for the holiday giveaway, said Jacob Sizemore, a spokesman for Big Sandy.

Were an employee-owned company, and this is something that our employees and our company are grateful to be in a position to do, Sizemore said.

Big Sandy accepted nominations from the public for families to be helped through the program. More than 1,700 nominations were received in the tri-state area, Sizemore said.

Big Sandy officials narrowed the nominations, then independent committees made up of representatives from businesses and charitable organizations in each community made the final decision, he said.

Were helping people who are single parents trying to raise children, people whove lost everything in house fires, and people who are just plain down on their luck, Sizemore said.

Were grateful we can give them some help and maybe provide a little hope.

Most families received living room and dining room furniture, a washer and dryer, a bedroom set for the adults and a bed and mattress for every child. In a few cases such as the Ewings, the gift included kitchen appliances.

Even after the family learned theyd be getting new furniture, until the truck pulled up to their house, they didnt realize that the package also included a stove and a refrigerator to replace their old, failing kitchen appliances, Alex Ewing said.

She said: Thats the biggest bonus stocking-stuffer ever!

sstephens@dispatch.com

@stevestephens

Read more:
Season of giving | Pickerington family among recipients of Big Sandy program to help the needy - The Columbus Dispatch

By Katie Mauch, Staff Writer kmauch@nevadaiowajournal.com

WednesdayDec25,2019at12:01AMDec25,2019at6:32AM

The new Scooters Coffee location at the intersection of Duff Avenue and Lincoln Way in Ames will be open just in time for the new year, according to owner Randy Mumm.

A soft opening of the coffee shop is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 31. Mumm said a grand opening event will be planned later, and will take place in late January or early February.

According to Mumm, the grand opening will likely include a number of incentives and rewards available on the Scooters phone app.

The new location broke ground in August. Mumm said the late December opening is about a month past the usual 90 day building plan for the contractors, but the schedule is now down to an hour by hour timeline.

Baristas for the location have already been trained, Mumm said, and most of the equipment for the inside of the shop has already been delivered and set up.

Only a few tasks are left to complete before the opening, Mumm said. While some of the exterior details like painting may have to wait for warmer weather in the spring, he said landscaping and other outdoor finishing touches will be completed this week thanks to the mild weather.

Fortunately we have this beautiful weather helping us out as much as it can, Mumm said.

The coffee shop offers a drive-thru window for quick and easy coffee runs, which is a staple of Scooters stores. When asked what benefits a Scooters Coffee can offer to the Ames community, Mumm had a simple answer.

Amazing drinks, amazing people, amazingly fast, he said.

Continue reading here:
Scooters Coffee to open New Years Eve - Ames Tribune

The Guthrie County Historical Village and Museum is closed for the winter, but that doesnt mean there isnt work to do for its Foundation, staff, and volunteers.

Village Curator Kristine Jorgensen says they are in the midst of two major renovation projects on the 1915 Pullman Observation and Cafe Car, and the 1900 Marchant House. The Village Foundation has received a couple of grants in the last year for the train car, but besides acquiring funds, Jorgensen says a difficult part of the process is finding the right contractors to do the work. Jorgensen thanks the public for their patience and support, Weve always got projects going on down here, and along with the projects we have to maintain. And so we have 10 buildings, beautiful buildings down here and they require constant upkeep, painting, a new roof, windows, a new door so any funds that we receive, even if theyre not for a specific item they go to the foundation and we use them so that we can preserve what we have too.

Jorgensen hopes to get the Pullman car renovation completed sometime in the next couple years so that it can be used as a community center for the public to rent. To hear more from Jorgensen, listen to today and tomorrows two-part Lets Talk Guthrie County program on air and at raccoonvalleyradio.com.

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Multiple Projects on the Guthrie County Historical Village's Docket this Winter - raccoonvalleyradio.com

RFL Pipe & Fittings (a brand of RFL Group) in association with The Daily Star organised a roundtable titled Construction Hazard:

Creating awareness and the role of stakeholders on December 12, 2019. Here we publish a summary of the discussion.

Brig Gen Shahedul Anam Khan ndc, psc (Retd), Associate Editor, The Daily Star

We are here today to discuss a subject that remains topical on a constant basis: the hazards of construction. Unfortunately, although the volume of construction-related work in the country has increased, safety measures have not been able to keep up with the growth in construction work.

R N Paul, Managing Director, RFL Group

RFL now manufactures all goods locally instead of importing finished products. RFL is involved in direct construction business under Property Development Limited (PDL), which is one of the pioneers in real estate in the country. RFL manufactures building materials such as pipes, doors, etc.

We have found that the workers in construction or the irresponsible contractors are causing public nuisance. The major reason why this is happening is because the people in construction are mainly non-corporate people who are lacking in accountability and responsibility. They are unaware of personal protective equipment (PPE) and have minimal knowledge on ensuring public safety during construction. Corporate people from RFL or PDL at least have knowledge on public hazards. We do not create construction hazards since we use modern technology such as Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) machines. To avoid high levels of noise pollution caused by welding aluminium window frames, RFL has introduced PVC window frames which are ready to be directly fitted.

Engr F R Khan, Managing Director, bti (Building Technology & Ideas Ltd.)

One issue is that data on deaths during construction projects is missing. Safety has now become a part of branding; constructors do not actually care about it. The idea of safety on construction sites must be implemented not only by creating awareness among construction workers, but also through enforcing safety regulations.

Recently, the labour department has started inspecting construction sites, and we hope their drive continues. We can learn from the example of Japan when trying to figure out how to impose construction safety measures on the workers. In Japan, construction workers must have a certified ID from the labour department or any other related department. This ID certifies that the worker must follow construction safety rules, and they must present this to work on any new project. This increases accountability of both the workers and their employers.

A F M Saiful Amin, Professor, BUET

There needs to be more awareness about construction-related deaths and injuries; there is a need for information on the number of people injured or killed due to construction hazards, since that will make people more vigilant. Construction workers and the general public must also be made aware of the consequences of being exposed to these hazards.

Licensed engineers, technicians, and builders are required to create a three-layer structured licensing authority. Contractors try to minimise cost of construction and so invest less in hazard mitigation. If on-site construction can be shifted off-site, then hazard sources can be minimised. Prefabricated construction uses heavy machinery to streamline the construction process and causes less hazards to the general public.

We only allow professional engineers who have gotten the certification of work experience, to work on site, while graduates work under the supervision of a professional engineer. But this practice is yet to be implemented among technicians.

R N Paul

There has been a paradigm shift from conventional construction practices to more structured methods. People following safe construction methods should be rewarded, while the ones causing public nuisance should be punished. This will create incentive for constructors to not cut costs in maintaining safety.

Engr Kazi Khairul Bashar, Honorary Assistant General Secretary (A&I), IEB

There is an occupational safety board in Bangladesh which needs to be activated and empowered to look after hazards related to construction.

I am against the idea of monopolisation of construction works by a few big contractors. In reality, big construction companies delegate projects to small contractors or sub-contractors. Unless and until we can create awareness among these small contractors about safe construction practices, we will not be able to bring any meaningful change.

Engineers and related professional bodies need to be given more responsibility so that they can ensure professionalism and maintain standards of those involved in the construction sector.

Md Abu Sadeque PEng, Executive Director, HBRC

Construction hazards must firstly be defined from the perspective of Bangladesh, in order to clearly outline the dimensions for mitigation recommendations.

Technological advancement is required, not only within developers or contractors, but also in the planning and designing phases. Scrapping plaster and painting on high-rise buildings will reduce hazards without cost. Reducing the weight of materials used to construct buildings will also decrease hazards.

The aspect of safety precautions should be brought up when registering real estate developers.

Engr F R Khan

Construction hazard and construction safety are completely different things and they must be considered separately. Construction safety entails safety measures taken by the workers for themselves and also the passers-by, while construction hazard is indirect harmful effects on the people around the construction site.

Currently, we are implementing hundred percent use of concrete blocks as an alternative to bricks because the material itself is advantageous. In addition, it also helps reduce environmental pollution.

Md Abu Sadeque

Buildings which are plastered and painted require maintenance every two to four years. It has environmental impacts.

R N Paul

Regulatory bodies have a big role to play in ensuring use of green construction materials. Many companies are importing modern building technologies that can significantly reduce construction related hazards. The government should support these initiatives.

Md Abu Sadeque

Government policies are now pro-people regarding bricks. The government has already stated that after June 2025 no bricks will be used in any government project. Thus, the government is looking to let go of conventional bricks for good. Concrete blocks are deemed to be double the price of bricks, but I do not agree with this thought process. One concrete block is equivalent to about five bricks. Good quality bricks are priced at thirteen taka per piece. Keeping that in mind, one concrete block is priced at forty taka per piece. This proves that concrete blocks are actually cheaper. The use of bricks also requires the utilisation of mortar and labour. The lesser weight of concrete blocks implies that less money would be spent on beams, columns and overall foundation. The use of concrete blocks decreases the overall construction cost by about thirty percent.

A F M Saiful Amin

The extent of hazard will determine the boundaries of our safety limits. If hazard increases, then safety measures will have to be increased proportionally.

Engineer S M Khorshed Alam, President, Bangladesh Association of Construction Industry (BACI)

With the advancement of the construction industry, people now also require answers and explanations as to where the industry is headed. The National Disaster Management Policy, 2015 includes ten different types of hazards. Tsunami, cyclone, earthquake are all a part of it. However, construction hazard itself is not mentioned in it. This led me to believe that hazard may be the outcome of construction.

The mitigation process regarding construction hazards usually involves the structural and non- structural approach. The structural approach includes construction as a mitigating factor. The non-structural approach consists of awareness-building, training and so on.

Occupational health and safety issues and environmental issues are the two main components of overall hazards. Road construction generally creates dust. The dust emission leads to breathing problems, skin abnormalities, and related issues. Should these kinds of problems also be included when we talk about construction related hazards?

A road accident might be caused by faults in the geometrical design. A collision of trains might occur due to faulty rail tracks. Everything, in this way, directly or indirectly, can be linked to construction. This is why we need to define the limits of construction hazard.

We must emphasise on coming out of the monopolising nature of the construction industry. We should train small contractors and make them aware of safe construction practices.

A construction process actually begins with the planning and designing of the project. If a faulty construction project is the result of a mistake in the geometrical design, and it was built by the contractor following the design, who would be held as the guilty party? The planners, designers, architects, builders, users and drivers all form a sort of chain. All parties must be brought together to identify where exactly things go wrong.

The Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) 2006 includes all the topics related to construction induced hazards. The Bangladesh Labour Act (2006) also defines safety issues of the construction workers. The Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act (1995) covers environmental issues. These kinds of policies are there, available in our legal system. However, awareness of such regulations is lacking. Therefore, we need to provide training to construction related professionals.

The government has taken an initiative to provide skills training to about five lakh people. Under this project, we are working closely with the government to train a large number of construction related professionals in the country.

Abu Salem Md Nuruzzaman, Additional Chief Engineer, Roads and Highways Department, KMG Project

Our tender documents are flawed in some ways. Conditions are mentioned in them, but no other information is provided. However, the implementation processes should be mentioned, where the required equipment should also be included. The ways to mitigate pollution should also be mentioned. A contractor must be compelled to follow instructions, and their payment should be halted in case they do not. This could be a way of ensuring efficient construction practice.

Hazard is two-fold. One is during construction and the other is post-construction. When I was working in design processes, a foot over-bridge, made of steel, was one of the projects I was involved in. It was suggested, at that time, that a reinforced cement concrete (RCC) be put into place. I was against this idea because I believed that it would cause traffic jams at the Dhaka Airport Road. I then designed a steel structure, and a small foot over-bridge was thus established there. Therefore, in order to decrease hazards in construction, we must emphasise on improving our designs. We, in Bangladesh, import stones and clinkers. We grind cement, but we do not manufacture it from scratch. Why dont we use steel structures? It would decrease costs right from the foundation, decrease overall hazard and it would be easier to set up.

We, in Bangladesh, are selling topsoil to India in the form of brick export and importing stones from them. This does not bode well for the future as we will be eventually left with no clay. Hollow bricks should be used wherever possible. These types of bricks are also highly insulated. During winter, this keeps the building warm and during warm weather it would generally require less use of air conditioners.

Tender documents need to be made in a way which covers all safety measures and which binds contractors to follow the correct procedures.

Dr Rawshan Ara Khanam, Consultant, Respiratory Medicine, United Hospital Ltd

Unsafe construction poses huge health risks. According to WHO, nine out of ten people in Bangladesh inhale polluted air. Dhaka is also one of the most polluted cities in the world. Presently, nobody seems to be safe from the consequences of construction hazards. Even the participants of this roundtable are victims of air pollution.

PM 10 and PM 2.5 come mainly from construction. These affect the lungs and the total body. WHO, in 2013, detected the particle matter of PM as the main cause of lung cancer. Polluted air has increased the overall number of strokes, cardiac diseases and premature deliveries. Dhaka, being a congested area, does not have many planned areas or playgrounds for children. Childhood obesity is also an issue, as children are not able to run and play freely. It could even be a source for further diseases as the child grows up. This is somewhere we need to focus on. Construction workers may develop fibrosis from inhaling polluted air at construction sites. They develop such diseases at an early age, usually. We must be careful about these health hazards caused by unsafe construction.

Dr Md Tarek Uddin, Professor, Islamic University of Technology (IUT)

Globally, about 40 billion tonnes of CO2 are emitted annually. The cement industry itself emits around four billion tonnes of CO2 annually, which constitute ten percent of total global emissions. Even if Bangladesh does not produce cement from scratch, we still use the raw material and thus CO2 is emitted because of it. Alternative methods are being thought of at this moment. Alternative cement and durable concrete are examples of substitutes which are being used currently.

A hundred years from now, there might be a need to demolish many old buildings and structures in our country. This would also be a huge hazard which we are leaving behind for our future generations. We should seriously consider recycling of construction materials to preserve natural resources for the future.

Our curriculum needs to be modified in line with our future development goals. We work in the field of accreditation and there are three main features: (1) students must be made aware of the environmental issues; (2) students must be made aware of the sustainability factor; and (3) students must be made aware of the needs of the society. When a student graduates, it does not mean that that individual has come to the end of his or her education life. When a graduate joins a corporate job in Bangladesh, does that organisation provide that graduate with the needed line of action? Is the graduate then receiving competent training? Companies in Bangladesh also need to work in this area to help graduates understand the value of environmental and social issues.

In some parts of Bangladesh, the air quality index (AQI) is close to 300. If it crosses 300, our country will be considered as a severely polluted area. Bangladeshis do not seem to be concerned with such data, but it is high time that we took the needed action to counter overall pollution. Foreign contractors, and our authorities, are well aware of environmental impact assessments (EIAs) of all the construction projects. Then, why is nothing being done? Why are we still facing such dire circumstances in regards to air pollution?

Millions of Bangladeshis are being affected because of pollution due to construction projects. We have accepted our situation in the country, and the government needs to play its part in addressing the issues at hand as 2030 is fast approaching (SDGs). The government can set targets for major Bangladeshi corporations to achieve. The goals of Vision-2041 will also become tough to achieve if action is not taken. I believe that the three main stakeholders who can help us make the needed transitions are the education sector, the government and the major industries.

A F M Saiful Amin

The Industrial Revolution was mainly driven by coal. Our economic development, in civil infrastructure, is highly vital to our overall future development. The past three revolutions have resulted in the constant use of coal, with it being a common factor to all three phases. Today, some governments, which were the driving forces of these revolutions, are providing compensation to those who have been affected by pollution due to the consequences they faced because of these advancements. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and fibrosis are diseases for which these administrations are providing compensation by doing a cost-benefit analysis. This sort of a calculation is far from being established in Bangladesh, even though costs are being borne by the people.

Rapid construction implies a reduction in the duration of exposure. The precast concrete method was utilised to construct the Berlin Wall, which was completed in a relatively short amount of time. The Great Wall of China was an onsite construction. It took many years to be completed and caused various types of hazards. We, in Bangladesh, have still not been able to introduce the precast method of construction, proving that we are still at the Great Wall stage in terms of technology.

Md Abu Sadeque

Our construction industry is still not recognised as an independent industry. All industries should be monitored so pollution caused by them can be controlled. The construction industry is not exempted from it.

All construction projects should be accompanied with data which depicts the amount of pollution and hazards. This is the only way that we can bring the construction industry under the ambit of a controlled environment. The Metro Rail project, for example, needs to be examined thoroughly. Are conditions being given to project managers, or project heads, to limit the amount of pollution being emitted?

R N Paul

Thank you all for attending this programme. The discussions have been positive and fruitful. I believe that the major stakeholders of the construction industry will be made aware of the existing issues with the publication of todays discussion.

If all the involved parties play their parts, lawfully and efficiently, it would help us in achieving all the goals we have set for ourselves.

Brig Gen Shahedul Anam Khan ndc, psc (Retd)

We should be really careful about the hazards caused by the construction sector. Once we have determined the hazards, we need to find ways to mitigate them. The laws and regulations are present in our legal system, but the implementation stage is where we are lacking.

Link:
Construction Hazard: Creating awareness and the role of stakeholders - The Daily Star

At the beginning of last year, Mike Pompeo ruled out a 2020 Senate run, saying he would serve as Donald Trumps secretary of state for as long as the president allows. But with impeachment entangling his boss, and Mitch McConnell working overtime to recruit him, the Pompeo rumor mill has continued to churn. In that uncertainty, which Pompeo himself has fed, several candidates have quietly begun to line up behind him, positioning themselves to replace him at State.

Three people whove spoken to the president directly about the matter told Washington Post that Trump has been tossing around names for Pompeos successor with lawmakers and officials. Two figures have emerged as leading contenders for Pompeos would-be replacement: national security adviser Robert OBrien and Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin. OBrien, who replaced John Bolton as national security adviser, reportedly charmed Trump as the State departments lead hostage negotiator, and has been rewarded with a growing portfolio. Hes also endeared himself to Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser, and to Pompeo himself, perhaps making him a natural successor.

Mnuchin would be a less intuitive pick. Unlike Trump and Pompeo, the Treasury secretary has taken a less hawkish approach to China, putting him out of step with the rest of the administration on a key foreign policy front. Still, Mnuchin remains close to the president, as evidenced by his rare longevity in the Trump administration. In a White House characterized by infighting and high turnover, surviving in Trumps cabinet for three years makes him a competitive candidate by default.

Of course, their abilities to appease Trump notwithstanding, each comes with liabilities. Mnuchin was barely confirmed for his current job thanks to his lack of experience. His qualifications to serve as Americas top diplomat are even thinner, raising questions both about his ability to be confirmed and to fulfill his duties. OBrien is reportedly seen as one of the more competent officials in Trumps orbit, rooted in a traditional conservative foreign policy approach, but remains somewhat green behind the ears. I think the greatest challenge he will have is his relative lack of experience inside the U.S. government, and with the interagency process, Richard Fontaine, the chief executive of the nonpartisan Center for a New American Security, told the New York Times of OBrien in September, as he took over for Bolton.

Such concerns could open the door to other figures who have indicated interest in Pompeos job, including Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, Senators Marco Rubio and Tom Cotton, and deputy secretary of state Stephen Biegun, who would become acting secretary of state should Pompeo decide to launch a 2020 Senate campaign. He hasnt yet signaled that hell do so. But the barely concealed jockeying suggests McConnells overtures to Pompeo may actually be workingparticularly Republican leadership believes their Kansas senate seat is in danger. He loves Kansas, he loves the people of Kansas, Trump said last month, suggesting hed be open to Pompeo mounting a bid. If he thought there was a chance of losing that seat, I think he would do that and he would win in a landslide because they love him in Kansas.

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Report: Trump Is Already Floating Replacement Secretary of State - Vanity Fair