Mountain Laurel floor plan features quintessential wrap around porch, panoramic views. Luxurious owner's suite features spa-like bath. Soaking tub, tile shower, double bowl vanity and massive walk in closet. Expansive great room connects with Kitchen. Separated, but open dining room. Media nook, loft, full bath and bedroom on the second floor. Storage galore. Superior wall basement is optional. The Porches of Allenberry offers carefree living along the banks of the Yellow Breeches. Residents will be able to access this world-class fly-fishing stream from the Yellow Breeches preservation area. Architecturally curated with privacy & versatility in mind. Golf cart community with a lit, paved pathway to Allenberry Resort and neighboring hobby farm. Park-like neighborhood lawns and extensive landscaping. Outstanding quality construction features natural stone, LP Smart Side exterior, Anderson 400 series windows and lifetime architectural shingles. Resident exclusive Kipling Meeting House - Community center with rustic fireplace, lounge, bar, kitchen and fitness area. The community provides easy access to outdoor activities, resort amenities and area highlights. Centrally located to Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York & D.C. The Porches of Allenberry offers carefree living, lock and leave services combined with exceptional amenities. The Porches is the fastest growing new home community in Central PA. The Porches bring people & nature together.

View Listing

See the original post:
Homes Recently Listed in the Carlisle Area - Kenosha News

Belleville Police Station Southeast Addition, 2019 (Photo: Filed / City of Belleville)

The date has been set.

The new Belleville police headquarters will be officially opened on July 29.

The opening will be accompanied by a ceremony and ribbon cutting to mark the memorable occasion.

The city announced the official opening date of the new Belleville police headquarters in the town hall. (Photo: Amanda Smith / Quinte News)

The announcement was made in the town hall on Friday morning and Mayor Mitch Panciuk says the new ultramodern facility is long awaited.

Panciuk also said that the details are currently being worked out, but the facility will be open for tours this fall.

The new building is more than double the footprint of the current police station at 69,000 square feet. The building has been assessed after disasters and requires more than 73,000 concrete blocks, 4,500 steel studs, 1,800 sheets of drywall, miles and miles of electrical and communication wires, 15 high-energy heating, ventilation and air conditioning units and a 200-foot high communication tower. A solar system will be installed once the construction is complete.

The building will also have a community boardroom that will be available for use by non-profit community organizations.

Police chief Ron Gignac at the announcement of the official opening date of the new Belleville police headquarters at the town hall. (Photo: Amanda Smith / Quinte News)

The budget for this project located at 459 Sidney Street is $ 26.3 million and is on schedule according to Chief Ron Gignac.

He says that this new building will be useful for the more than 160 service members.

.

Original post:
Police station will open on July 29 - Mash Viral

Thieves cut their way into unfinished bowling alley

Police searching for thieves who cut their way into a bowling alley under construction to steal TVs.

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. - Police in Peachtree City are working to track down a group of thieves who stole thousands of dollars from a local business that hadn't even opened its doors yet.

James and Marilyn Royal are opening a new bowling alley in Aberdeen Village, but just last Monday, at around 1:30 in the morning, crooks cut their way into the building through a wall.

"It was an inside job, it had to be," said building owner,James Royal.

Royal saidhe couldn't believe the lengths thethieves went to to break into his bowling alley. "There's a stud here and a stud here, and I'm assuming they had boots on, and Ithink they just kicked the drywall right through," said Royal.

The Royals saidthey're now out about $15,000after these theives stole 16 brand new TV's, power tools and supplies.

"I find out how much they cost, and Igo 'Wow'...Almost $15,000for 16 TV's," said Royal.

The couple said while this is a setback, it won't stop them from opening in the spring. The Royals saidwhen the burglary happened, their security system wasn't installed, but now, it's up and running.

"We should've put the security equipment in once it showed up, but Ireally didn't think of it," said Royal. "Ithought, 'Not in Peachtree City. Crime never happens down here.' But it's coming," said Royal.

Peachtree City Police are hoping to get surveillance from nearby businesses to get a better picture of the crooks because right now thery really don't have a soliddescription to go on. Anyone with information is urged to call officers immediately.

Here is the original post:
Thieves bust through wall to break into bowling alley under construction - FOX 5 Atlanta

Proposal made to make Old Mill a three-season facility

KAGAWONG Billings Township council has voted to go ahead with and accept a bid on the renovations and mould abatement of the Old Mill Heritage Centre municipal office, citing the need to have the work carried out to make the building safe and clean for both office staff and visitors and for any subsequent use by others in the future. This comes as council was asked to consider deferring the decision and consider a proposal to make the Old Mill a three-season building.

As was reported in the December 27, 2019 edition of the Recorder, with both tenders submitted for mould abatement and renovations to be made to the Old Mill Heritage Centre Billings Municipal Office having been higher than what had been anticipated, Billings Township council had deferred a decision on which company to choose for two weeks while its engineers discussed the costs involved with both bidders.

This council is committed to spending precious municipal funds responsibly, stated Billings Mayor Ian Anderson at a council meeting Monday attended by about 35 residents. Council and staff take our responsibility to communicate effectively very seriously. We are not perfect and communication can always be improved. We sincerely believe that we have made improvements thus far. Council and staff can and do attempt to answer questions and engage in appropriate discussion, but this can only occur if citizens also engage. The current status of the municipal office in the Old Mill is unacceptable, and in the interest of health and safety, and effective ongoing municipal administration, council believes that we need to act as planned.

Sandy Cook, who at the meeting outlined a new proposal for the Old Mill to be turned into a three-season facility said, were not asking for more money for a project. We are asking for a different project to be considered. Yes, something needs to be done to address problems with the Old Mill, but that doesnt have to mean trying to put it back the way it was.

Mayor Anderson pointed out the municipal office is currently housed in the downstairs area of the Park Centre. Its a building that is busy; there is a lot of use of it. Everyone knows the usage this building receives. The space downstairs is not ideal for the office staff. One of the concerns people are having is with energy efficiency of the Old Mill office space, and we intend to rectify that. And in due course we will be looking at a new municipal office, but not in the short term. And, other commitments we have had to make for projects has maxed out what we have to commit in resources. He pointed out the township has no options regarding the remedial work on the municipal office, to make the space a safe/healthy environment for anyone who works or visits the space in the future.

Ms. Cook made a presentation to council noting that the presentation is meant to uphold the principles and statements included in the township asset management plan bylaw. Council has good intentions and is planning to make some progress towards remediating problems at the Old Mill Heritage Centre municipal office. However, we are presenting an alternative to the proposed renovations.

We are bringing forward a new proposal for the following three reasons: the asset management committee minutes from last August state that the office is too small for the current staff, yet the current proposal of building a cube inside the municipal office is going to further decrease the square footage, said Ms. Cook, noting the Old Mill is the least energy efficient and most propane-dependent building in municipal holdings.

The Old Mill Heritage Centre has the potential to become an asset that fulfills social, economic and environmental goals as stated in the Asset Management Policy cited above, said Ms. Cook. We propose that the Old Mill Heritage Centre be remediated and renovated into a three-season building containing an enlarged museum space on the ground floor and Edwards Studios on top. The proposed renovations would require design and engineering input to remove it from the list of critical buildings as referenced in the Township of Billings Facility Condition Assessment Summary prepared by Tulloch Engineering in February 2018.

Ms. Cook said the new proposal would provide social, economic and environmental benefit, noting the centre is a successful and vital component of Billings cultural scene. The annual events draw hundreds of people and the organization holds ambitious exhibits, but the space is an obstacle to bringing in these exhibits and badly needs updating to accommodate the rigorous requirements of hosting precious collections. The Old Mill, brings together our social fabric; young and old, residents and visitors, in a mutual appreciation of local history and heritage. A beautiful museum space, both interior and exterior, would be a point of pride for the whole communitya jewel on the waterfrontthat preserves an iconic heritage building.

Ms. Cook went on to explain there would be economic benefits as well. She explained if the Old Mill is solely an arts and museum space, the township is then eligible to receive up to 50 percent of funding from the federal Canadian Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF) for work on the building for interior or exterior work as well as planning, architecture and engineering fees. We may even quality for the rural and remote area increased funding of 75 percent. In addition, the township would be eligible for more federal funding through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) at 75 percent.

With a cost of $75,000 for the engineered floor plan, an estimate of $200,000 for containing contaminated soil and received bids for constructing the inner cube of $180-$190,000, the current plan for the Old Mill renovations will incur total expenses over $400,000, said Ms. Cook, noting it would not address the office space being too small.

In contrast, by applying for federal funding for a three-season building used as cultural space, $400,000 of taxpayer money can buy the township $800,000 to $1.2 million worth of work. This seems like a way more efficient and effective way to spend a lot of money, said Ms. Cook.

There would also be environmental benefits, said Ms. Cook. As a member in FCMs Partners in Climate Protection Program, Billings is committed to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. A significant savings in annual fuel costs and greenhouse gas production is accomplished with a three season, May to October museum and art studio building that may need propane for heating.

The firehall, gym and library are also on the critical list in Billings facility assessment report. The critical designation is for buildings requiring extensive work for long-term sustainability, where the cost of replacing may be less than fixing. Rather than short-term fixes on each of these buildings. perhaps setting aside seed money and augmenting this with other streams of funding available for a multi-use, fully accessible building that could include these services and the municipal office, would be well worth the wait.

In conclusion, the Old Mill is an iconic heritage building and the centre of present and future cultural space. The township and community members can make gains socially, economically and environmentally by pressing the pause button. Pausing the tender process and stepping back to look anew at our beloved asset that is in critical condition, can help us move forward with a more cost-effective, innovative solution that makes real headway on our environmental and infrastructure goals, said Ms. Cook.

There is no question you and others are dedicated and have spent a lot of time researching this entire subject, said Mayor Anderson.

In the next few minutes I will try to explain the current situation and why we are doing what we are, said Mayor Anderson. I also like to thank you for your presentation. Councils decisions are based on a broad range of factors, including legislation, public and staff safety, affordability and advice from both the public and staff and a strategic plan, to name a few.

Our primary focus is the Old Mill office space repairs in the interest of health and safety and to also to share some of the other projects and costs we are currently looking at, said Mayor Anderson. Tonight we will focus initially on why we have chosen to repair a portion of the Old Mill building to make it a safe and comfortable work environment which will also be much more energy efficient than the old office. At the same time, I will take this opportunity to share some of the other projects and costs your municipality is committed to in the immediate future.

The Old Mill is clearly an important part of our heritage, said Mayor Anderson, giving some of its past history. The township has occupied a portion of the building for the township office since about 1999, he said, noting the building has not been formally designated as a heritage building,under the Ontario Heritage Act.

He pointed out municipal staff began to seriously question air quality in the space in 2018 and council initiated an investigation of air quality in the summer of that year. Broad spectrum air quality testing was conducted by Cassen Testing Labs in early September and Tulloch Engineering was also engaged in September to conduct further testing, provide advice and propose potential remediation options short- and long-term. Further testing revealed mold spores and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). A Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) system was proposed as a means of improving the air quality to acceptable levels, but not as a means of addressing the root cause(s) of the problem. This system was installed in the winter of 2019.

The office was reoccupied in the spring of 2019, but by early fall it was determined that the air quality issues remained. Staff relocated to the Park Centre lower hall in mid-October, and council determined that source remediation work was needed to occur before the space could be reoccupied as a municipal office.

Tulloch defined the scope of the work that was needed and with approval by council, they created a tender for the final abatement protocol. Two bids for completing the work were received by the township, and these were considered on December 20.

At this point in time the building has not been designated as a heritage building, said Mayor Anderson. The work includes demolition/removals of flooring in the east end of the office space (CAO office and back entry/storage area) floor covering, sub-floor and floor joists; the removal of carpeting in the main office; removal of non-load bearing interior walls; installation of a steel-reinforced sealed concrete floor in the east end; smoothing and sealing of existing concrete floor in the main office; installation of commercial floor tiles in entire space; re-installation of washroom; re-installation of electrical, telephone and data lines as appropriate, installation of insulation (R value:24) and drywall; and painting of all wall surfaces, trim, etc.

All the work is being carried out to address health and safety concerns and is required regardless of who uses this space, now and in the future, said Mayor Anderson. It also an opportunity to significantly improve the energy efficiency of the municipal office portion of the building.

To date the costs of the project are at $265,000 including the bids for the proposed work, the meeting was told.

In terms of municipal asset management Mayor Anderson noted the township has many infrastructure assets, roads, buildings, water, recreation, etc. There is a staggering national infrastructure deficit at all levels of government, said Mayor Anderson. The challenge of effective asset management is greater for small municipalities because of limited revenue generation options. The township does have an asset management policy and is engaged in planning. Asset management is focused on long-term and is operation-wide; sometimes, conditions demand immediate action.

Mayor Anderson outlined the townships existing committed/planned projects over the next couple of years: Kagawong Waterfront Development 2020, known estimated cost of $2,045,000 and the municipal portion being $227,000; Main Street Hill engineering and partial reconstruction over the next three years at an estimated $3,750,000 of which the township share would be $250,000; washrooms/shoreline erosion control and roadwork estimated at $1,159,320 with the municipal cost being $260,000; Old Mill road waterline repair, unknown costs at this time; municipal office and soil contamination remediation, of which $206,000 would be paid by the township; Park Centre generator, a cost of $30,000 to be borne by the township; the total firehall renovation and mould remediation costs are unknown at this point; Public Works vehicles pick-up truck and snowplow, $350,000 to be borne by the township; a used tanker for the fire department at an unknown cost; and two bridge replacements to be carried out as soon as possible, for the Old Mill Road and Mud Creek Road, at cost of $1,670,000 with the municipal costs unknown.

There is a level of uncertainty associated with all undertakings, especially with respect to funding criteria, the continuation of funding programs, changes in senior levels of government, etc., said Mayor Anderson. Staff and council work diligently to stay abreast of funding opportunities, and reduce uncertainty and risk in planning, implementation, but some level of both is inherent in the world of municipal operations.

As you go down our list there are millions of dollars that are committed, federal/provincial and staggering amount of expenditures for the municipality. Our budgeting process has to be cognitive of these commitments, said Mayor Anderson. There are limits to senior government largesse, and the history of funding received by any given municipality does impact senior government decisions at any given point in time. There are costs associated with applying for and especially administering any given project, and 100 percent externally funded programs are very rare. And the cold, hard fact is that each one percent increase in the property tax rate generates $18,000. So, for say a $180,000 project requires a 10 percent tax increase.

Council then looked at considering the two bids for the work to be done on the municipal office, from First General Services (Rob Scott) of Little Current $179,850 and Rob Seifried Construction (Kagawong) of $189,999.

I guess in comparing both tenders they are very similar, said Councillor Sharon Alkenbrack. There is not a lot of difference. This (office space) has to be fixed. I like to support local business, and support accepting the bid from Rob Seifried Construction.

Council passed a motion, unanimously, to hire Rob Seifried Construction for work to be undertaken at the Old Mill Heritage Centre township office at tender of $189,999.

Continue reading here:
Billings votes to go ahead with planned work on Old Mill township office space - Manitoulin Expositor

An annual ranking of Canadian cities for bedbugs shows Vancouver has itched its way into third place.

On the 2019 list released by Orkin Canada, Vancouver is bested only by Toronto in first place and Winnipeg in second. St. Johns follows in fourth and Ottawa in fifth.

The only other B.C. city to make it to the top 25 is Burnaby, coming in at 19.

As in previous years rankings, larger cities and travel hot spots populated the top of the list, with bedbugs reported in both clean and dirty homes, and office buildings. According to the pest control experts, bedbugs were a rarely experienced irritant just 20 years ago, but have become a common problem in urban centres.

Signs of a bedbug infestation include tiny, dark coloured spots or stains or cast skins. The critters are often spotted in and around mattress tags or in seams, under seat cushions, behind headboards, creases of furniture, buckling wallpaper and carpets.

The ranking is based on the number of commercial and residential bedbug treatments carried out by the company between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2019.

1. Toronto2. Winnipeg3. Vancouver4. St. Johns5. Ottawa6. Scarborough7. Halifax8. Oshawa9. Sudbury10. Hamilton11. Windsor12. Edmonton13. Montreal14. North York15. Moncton16. Calgary17. Mississauga18. Etobicoke19. Burnaby20. Whitby21. London22. Saskatoon23. Peterborough24. Nepean25. Dartmouth

When travelling, dont put clothing or luggage on the bed, which allows the bugs, if present, to climb in.

Use metal luggage racks to keep suitcases off the carpet and away from walls or wooden furniture. (The bugs cant climb metal surfaces very well.)

Use plastic bags to pack clothing. This prevents the spread of bedbugs if they do happen to hitch a ride in your suitcase.

Its rare but bedbugs can thrive not just in hotels, but also on airplane and train seats, buses and rental cars.

sip@postmedia.com

twitter.com/stephanie_ip

CLICK HERE to report a typo.

Is there more to this story? Wed like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.com.

Go here to read the rest:
Vancouver ranked third most popular city for bedbugs in Canada in 2019 - Vancouver Sun

Global Ecdysone Market Research Report 2019-2024 published by Market Research Place interrogate the rudimentary factors of the market such as market overview, product classification, market demands, leading manufacturers and their adopted business strategies, and applications. The research report serves details on industry business trends and the enterprise data in order to understand customers and the merchandise driving profitability and furnish growth. The report aims to help market players to plan and implement their strategies in fields such as emerging geographies and new technologies.

The authors of the report have given enough details enabling users to take an informed decision to achieve their goals. The market Ecdysone report attracts the strangest insights of this business also creates a forecast. The report creates awareness among consumers about the influence and greatness of the product and development of advanced products that can motivate the market during the forecast period (2019 to 2024).

DOWNLOAD FREE SAMPLE REPORT: https://www.marketresearchplace.com/report-detail/150835/request-sample

The key players are analyzed along with their product category, basic data, sales volume and value of revenue as well as gross margin in percentage terms. In addition to the data part, the report has provided an overview of the market, including classification, application, manufacturing technology, industry chain analysis.

A comprehensive demonstration of the market in the form of extensive graphical elements such as diagrams, graphs, and realistic figures makes the report easy-to-access source. This particular representation specifies the current position of the specific Ecdysone market industry on the global and regional level.

Geographically, the market is leading by these regions: Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, South America, Middle East & Africa. The growth figures experienced by the market, logistics, and the historical performance of the market in the given region are also presented for each regional market in this report.

Ecdysone market competition by top manufacturers/players includes following key players covering sales revenue, price, gross margin, main products etc.: Cayman Chemical, Hello Bio Ltd, Enzo Life, Sapphire North America, Hangzhou Greenskybio, Toronto Research Chemicals,

The report tracks various market opportunities, market risk, and market driving force. Then it stresses probable risks associated with various opportunities in the Ecdysone market and also gives a clear and precise market overview combining statistics and estimates. The most influencing driving and limiting powers in the market and its effect on the worldwide market has also been explained in the report.

Market segmentation by type: UV 90%, HPLC 60%, HPLC 60%, HPLC 95%, HPLC 98%,

Market segmentation by applications: Cosmetics, Commercial Pest Control, Agricultural, Others,

ACCESS FULL REPORT: https://www.marketresearchplace.com/report/global-ecdysone-market-research-report-2019-2024-150835.html

Key Reasons To Buy This Market Report

Customization of the Report:This report can be customized to meet the clients requirements. Please connect with our sales team ([emailprotected]), who will ensure that you get a report that suits your needs.

Read the original here:
Ecdysone Market 2019-2024 Global Industry Analysis, Future Growth, Business Prospects and Forecast - BulletintheNews

A fringe political party is hoping for better returns in 2020 after adding a high profile independent lawyer as co-leader. Alex Braae reports.

A courtroom champion of stopping 1080 drops and promoting medicinal cannabis rights is turning her attention to parliament.

Independent lawyer Sue Grey gained national profile through cases like the Brook Valley 1080 drop, acting on behalf of the Renton family in their bid to access medicinal cannabis for their son Alex, and the Saxmere case against the Wool Board. In that time she has been no stranger to controversy.

Now Grey has been elected as the co-leader of The Outdoors Party, a group formed in 2015 with positions on issues around hunting, fishing and land use matters. She brings with her additional profile to a party which was only able to field four candidates in the 2017 election, gathering up a mere 1,620 party votes.

Alternative views on major environmental issues will be at the forefront of The Outdoors Partys push to win seats in the 2020 election. That includes opposition to the pest control poison 1080, which has been a major flashpoint for wider concerns and conspiracies around ecological health and government decision making.

Many conservationists, including those at the Department of Conservation, heavily back the use of 1080, saying that it is the safest and most effective way to protect native bird populations from being wiped out by pests. At times, the tactics of anti-1080 activists have turned nasty, including threats being made against DOC staff.

Grey characterises her partys views on 1080 as balanced, saying theyre based on science, environmental management, and animal cruelty concerns.

Weve actually been walking the walk on these issues, and we really have an in-depth understanding, from the perspective of hunters and fishers who have been in the outdoors for decades.

I wouldnt say skeptical, Id say were looking for better solutions.

A 1080 protest outside Parliament (Radio NZ, Phil Smith)

Its a more moderate position (but on the same continuum of views) to that of the previously registered Ban 1080 Party, which contested the 2014 and 2017 elections and received several thousand votes in each. Grey confirmed that since that party deregistered, many former members had moved to join The Outdoors Party instead. She also said there had been a really diverse range of people joining from other established parties.

Grey did not disclose exact membership numbers, as is standard for most political parties. However, she said The Outdoors Party has comfortably the required 500 members needed to stand for the party vote, adding that our membership has doubled over the last six months or so, and its all been growing since the start of the party.

The Outdoors Party is currently working on its strategy for the 2020 election, but Grey confirmed that it will involve targeted campaigns at electorate seats. She will be standing in Nelson, where she is based, and says shes confident of giving incumbent National MP Nick Smith a run for his money.

Hes done a good job for Nelson over the last 20 years, or however long hes been there, but the time has definitely come for a change. If we can win one electorate, were on the same footing as ACT, and weve got other very good contenders around New Zealand.

Grey has previously tussled with Smith in court, in the defence of Rose Renton, who was found guilty of offensive behaviour after rubbing rat poison on Nick Smith at a protest.

There are plenty of fertile issues for The Outdoors Party to campaign on in 2020, including tapping into anger among gun owners at the buyback programme. They will be competing for space there with many other parties, including ACT, New Conservative, and National.

Party co-leader Alan Simmons went as far as to accuse the government of tyranny in how the new laws were being implemented. He also alleged that a parliamentary Select Committee had suppressed his testimony to them on the matter.

The party has also pushed a range of other issues, ranging from a call for fisheries management to be rebalanced so that it is less focused on commercial operations, to concerns around cellphone towers and the 5G network, another position which sits uneasily with a claim to scientific credibility.

Grey says people power is the underlying idea that connects the issues relevant to The Outdoors Party, arguing that too many decisions are taken in Wellington without regard for local views.

Weve had a whole cycle of nationalisation of decision making, which has disempowered our communities. I see the brunt of that with my legal work, and people are extremely frustrated.

Whether Grey gets the chance to take that message to Wellington as an MP will depend on extremely difficult hurdles being overcome. The Outdoors Party are yet to register in nationwide polling, and it is incredibly rare for minor parties to win electorate seats.

The Spinoff politics section is made possible by Flick, the electricity retailer giving New Zealanders power over their power. With both spot price and fixed price plans available, you can be sure youre getting true cost and real choice when you join Flick. Support us by making the switch today.

The Bulletin is The Spinoffs acclaimed daily digest of New Zealands most important stories, delivered directly to your inbox each morning.

The rest is here:
Outdoors Party reckons it can ride an anti-1080 wave to parliament in 2020 - The Spinoff

The morning after Iran lobbed missiles at bases housing U.S. military forces in Iraq, President Donald Trump signaled on Wednesday that he would not be ordering any immediate U.S. military response to Tehran, though the President said he would place new economic sanctions on Iran in a further bid to halt their nuclear ambitions. 'Iran appears to be standing down,' the President said at the White House, as he made clear the U.S would not respond right now with military might. 'The United States is ready to embrace peace, with all who seek it,' Mr. Trump added, even as he tried to turn up the economic pressure on Iranian leaders. 'These powerful sanctions will remain until Iran changes its behavior,' the President added. 'If you value your life, you will not threaten the lives of our people,' Mr. Trump said. In his nine minute speech, the President did not address questions about the underlying intelligence behind the U.S. strike which killed Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian paramilitary leader - but Mr. Trump made clear he had no second thoughts. 'Soleimanis hands were drenched in both American and Iranian blood,' the President said. 'He should have been terminated long ago.' In Congress, anti-war Democrats breathed a sigh of relief at the lack of a military response. 'I'm heartened that our President stuck with the script, did not humiliate Iran & recognized that Iran is standing down,' said Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA). But the choice of more sanctions was not embraced by all. 'Direct, firm, and peaceful engagement with Iran is more likely to bring about positive change than are further sanctions and warfare,' said Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI). Here is the full text of the President's remarks, as provided by the White House: REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP ON IRAN 11:28 A.M. EST THE PRESIDENT: As long as I am President of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. Good morning. I'm pleased to inform you: The American people should be extremely grateful and happy no Americans were harmed in last nights attack by the Iranian regime. We suffered no casualties, all of our soldiers are safe, and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases. Our great American forces are prepared for anything. Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world. No American or Iraqi lives were lost because of the precautions taken, the dispersal of forces, and an early warning system that worked very well. I salute the incredible skill and courage of Americas men and women in uniform. For far too long -- all the way back to 1979, to be exact -- nations have tolerated Irans destructive and destabilizing behavior in the Middle East and beyond. Those days are over. Iran has been the leading sponsor of terrorism, and their pursuit of nuclear weapons threatens the civilized world. We will never let that happen. Last week, we took decisive action to stop a ruthless terrorist from threatening American lives. At my direction, the United States military eliminated the worlds top terrorist, Qasem Soleimani. As the head of the Quds Force, Soleimani was personally responsible for some of the absolutely worst atrocities. He trained terrorist armies, including Hezbollah, launching terrorist strikes against civilian targets. He fueled bloody civil wars all across the region. He viciously wounded and murdered thousands of U.S. troops, including the planting of roadside bombs that maim and dismember their victims. Soleimani directed the recent attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq that badly wounded four service members and killed one American, and he orchestrated the violent assault on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. In recent days, he was planning new attacks on American targets, but we stopped him. Soleimanis hands were drenched in both American and Iranian blood. He should have been terminated long ago. By removing Soleimani, we have sent a powerful message to terrorists: If you value your own life, you will not threaten the lives of our people. As we continue to evaluate options in response to Iranian aggression, the United States will immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions on the Iranian regime. These powerful sanctions will remain until Iran changes its behavior. In recent months alone, Iran has seized ships in international waters, fired an unprovoked strike on Saudi Arabia, and shot down two U.S. drones. Irans hostilities substantially increased after the foolish Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2013, and they were given $150 billion, not to mention $1.8 billion in cash. Instead of saying 'thank you' to the United States, they chanted 'death to America.' In fact, they chanted 'death to America' the day the agreement was signed. Then, Iran went on a terror spree, funded by the money from the deal, and created hell in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The missiles fired last night at us and our allies were paid for with the funds made available by the last administration. The regime also greatly tightened the reins on their own country, even recently killing 1,500 people at the many protests that are taking place all throughout Iran. The very defective JCPOA expires shortly anyway, and gives Iran a clear and quick path to nuclear breakout. Iran must abandon its nuclear ambitions and end its support for terrorism. The time has come for the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia, and China to recognize this reality. They must now break away from the remnants of the Iran deal - or JCPOA - and we must all work together toward making a deal with Iran that makes the world a safer and more peaceful place. We must also make a deal that allows Iran to thrive and prosper, and take advantage of its enormous untapped potential. Iran can be a great country. Peace and stability cannot prevail in the Middle East as long as Iran continues to foment violence, unrest, hatred, and war. The civilized world must send a clear and unified message to the Iranian regime: Your campaign of terror, murder, mayhem will not be tolerated any longer. It will not be allowed to go forward. Today, I am going to ask NATO to become much more involved in the Middle East process. Over the last three years, under my leadership, our economy is stronger than ever before and America has achieved energy independence. These historic accomplishments changed our strategic priorities. These are accomplishments that nobody thought were possible. And options in the Middle East became available. We are now the number-one producer of oil and natural gas anywhere in the world. We are independent, and we do not need Middle East oil. The American military has been completely rebuilt under my administration, at a cost of $2.5 trillion. U.S. Armed Forces are stronger than ever before. Our missiles are big, powerful, accurate, lethal, and fast. Under construction are many hypersonic missiles. The fact that we have this great military and equipment, however, does not mean we have to use it. We do not want to use it. American strength, both military and economic, is the best deterrent. Three months ago, after destroying 100 percent of ISIS and its territorial caliphate, we killed the savage leader of ISIS, al-Baghdadi, who was responsible for so much death, including the mass beheadings of Christians, Muslims, and all who stood in his way. He was a monster. Al-Baghdadi was trying again to rebuild the ISIS caliphate, and failed. Tens of thousands of ISIS fighters have been killed or captured during my administration. ISIS is a natural enemy of Iran. The destruction of ISIS is good for Iran, and we should work together on this and other shared priorities. Finally, to the people and leaders of Iran: We want you to have a future and a great future -- one that you deserve, one of prosperity at home, and harmony with the nations of the world. The United States is ready to embrace peace with all who seek it. I want to thank you, and God bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.

Continued here:
Green Country Home and Garden Show - KRMG

Shares of Yum China Holdings, Inc. YUMC have witnessed a sharp gain of 39% in the past year, outperforming the industrys growth of 20.4%. The increase can be primarily attributed to robust unit growth, solid performance of KFC, menu innovation and digitalization. However, high costs associated with restaurant operations and lesser focus on the franchise model are concerns. Can the company continue its bull run in 2020? Lets delve deeper.

Growth Drivers

Yum China is focused on relentless unit growth of its restaurants to drive sales. In 2018, the company opened 819 restaurants and re-modeled 931 stores. This exceeds the companys target of opening 600-650 stores in 2018. In the third quarter of 2019, Yum China opened 231 new restaurants and remodeled 126 stores, reflecting a significant rise from the first half of 2019. Notably, the company is aggressively remodeling in the fourth quarter to achieve the target of 500 store remodeling for the full year. More than 80% of the company's current portfolio has been remodeled or built over the past five years.

Yum China relies heavily on the potential of KFC and Pizza Hut. With chicken being the most preferred form of protein among Chinese people, KFC has become the largest restaurant brand in the country. The brand, which has been witnessing considerable average check growth owing to its affordability, currently operates in 6,324 units in China. Pizza Hut, on the contrary, operates in more than 2,255 units and is keeping pace with the rising consumer demand for casual dining and delivery services. Notably, the company reported its 12th consecutive quarter of system sales growth, with same-store sales improvement at both KFC and Pizza Hut during the third quarter.

Coming to loyalty memberships, Yum Brands created a robust loyalty program that has more than 265 million members, combining both brands. Backed by deliveries and digital sales, the companys loyalty membership rose at a high-double-digit rate year over year for both brands in 2018. As of Sep 30, 2019, the KFC loyalty program constituted more than 200 million members and the Pizza Hut loyalty program had more than 65 million members, up from 55 million and 15 million, respectively, in the comparable year-ago period.

Concerns

Yum China is facing structural high costs of labor and rentals. Apart from wage inflation, the company is bearing the costs stemming from promotion, menu innovation and technological novelty. In order to curb labor costs, it is increasingly focusing on delivery channels. This is again expected to curb margins in the near term. Also, costs related to transactions and franchises are expected to increase in the near future.

Notably, in 2018, total costs and expenses grew 6.9% year over year to $7,474 million. This upside can be attributed to a 10.5% increase in restaurant expenses, an 11.1% rise in Payroll and employee benefit expenses, and a 14.4% hike in food and paper expenses. In third-quarter 2019, total costs and expenses increased 3.9% year over year to $2,019 million. This upside resulted from a 4.2% increase in restaurant expenses, a 5.8% rise in Payroll and employee benefit costs and a 6.7% hike in food and paper expenses.

Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Yum China has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks worth considering in the same space include Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. CMG, Domino's Pizza, Inc. DPZ and Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. DNKN. All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Chipotle Mexican Grill reported trailing four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 16.1%, on average.

Domino's Pizza and Dunkin' Brands Group have an impressive long-term earnings growth rate of 13.7% and 10.9%, respectively.

5 Stocks Set to Double

Each was hand-picked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2020. Each comes from a different sector and has unique qualities and catalysts that could fuel exceptional growth.Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.

Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG): Free Stock Analysis Report

Yum China Holdings Inc. (YUMC): Free Stock Analysis Report

Domino's Pizza Inc (DPZ): Free Stock Analysis Report

Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. (DNKN): Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Zacks Investment Research

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Link:
Yum China Stock Up 39% in a Year: Will the Bull Run Continue? - Nasdaq

This column is in memory of my mom, Loretta Edith McClure.

Born Dec. 19, 1915 Fort Collin, Colorado

Died Feb 3, 1999 Fort Collins, Colorado

As you can see by the above title, our mother spent all of her life in the same area.

This is what my mother wrote in her tiny handwriting in what I call my Heritage Book.

Loretta Edith Cogswell grew up near Wellington, Colorado with her parents on a farm. She attended school near Wellington and studied piano for several years by a teacher at the school When the instructor was no longer available she studied by correspondence with the American College of Music in Kansas City, Missouri. Following two years of high school in Wellington she moved with her parents to a fruit orchard near Fort Collins. She assisted her father with the care and harvest of the fruit and worked various jobs around and in Fort Collins. On August 28, 1936 Loretta and John Melvin McClure were married in Greeley, Colorado. John, formerly of Westfall, Kansas, came to Colorado from Kansas in 1934 working for various area farmers. After spending a month in Kansas following their marriage, John and Loretta return to Colorado, where John was employed by a farmer and sheepherder.

The following year February 1937 they rented an irrigation farm east of Fort Collins and one mile from the orchard where Lorettas parents resided. The owner of the farm Sam Kamp was well known as a producer of Japanese popcorn. He wished to retire. The corn was marketed as KempKorn which he canned and sold to Safeway Stores.

(Dad continued to grow corn for Safeway for a few years.)

That is all I know about my mother growing up. I never heard her play the piano. She did see to it that Elaine, Ginger and I received piano lessons for many years from Kathryn Sutherland. I inherited my dads tin ear and monotone voice. Playing the piano and keeping rhythm and timing were very difficult for me. Once in a while my mom would poke her head through the door while I was practicing and say, Ann start over or can you play something different? I played Christmas carols all year long, just so I could get them perfect at Christmas. I am sure my mother tolerated more than I know!

There are five kids in the family: John Jr, Virginia, Elaine and Jim, and I am the oldest. We all were born in Fort Collins and lived in the farm house north of Fort Collins.

My first recollection of celebrating my mothers birthday probably was when I was 6 or 7. Mom always baked her own birthday cake, chocolate angel food cake, and dad would give her a small present. One year he gave it to me to wrap, which I did with utmost care and great honor. I found real pretty wrapping paper and took a long time wrapping it. Those were the days of no Scotch tape, so it had to be tied with ribbon. I was so proud to hand it to her. Dad even said, thats real pretty, Ann. As I gave her the present, she looked at me a little sideways, her chin down and her eyebrow up, and said, This is Christmas wrapping paper; I guess I have to wait till Christmas.

Dad and I both convinced her it was a birthday present and that she could open it now. So on every birthday, I would remember this and always look for the prettiest birthday paper I could find in the middle of December. In later years she was emphatic about If you wrap my birthday present in Christmas paper I WILL NOT open it until Dec. 25!

In earlier years she fried chicken, mashed potatoes, made gravy and made her own biscuits for her own birthday dinner. I do not remember Dad ever taking her out to eat, which she probably would have declined anyway. And in later years he bought her flowers they did not have to be wrapped.

We had many birthday parties for her through the years and she was always a little embarrassed at all the fuss. And we never knew exactly how old she was. And she never told either!

If my mom was known for anything it was baking cookies. She baked cookies all year round. She baked tons of cookies for Christmas. Susan recalls when we moved to Alaska, she would send us baggies full of cookies, wrapped tightly with twist ties. Packing was crumpled newspaper, which we smoothed out and read. Then the shipping box was wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine. Still no Scotch tape. How did we ever do without scotch tape? She would ship us cookies throughout the year.

Mom loved flowers and spent many, many hours irrigating her yard full of lilies of the valley, cosmos, iris, marigolds, pansies, and tending to the big lilac bush. As I have mentioned before, she always carried a hoe everywhere to clean out the little irrigation ditches but most of all just case she saw a snake. Then she would do her snake dance, chop that little water snake into little bitty pieces, dig a little bitty ditch and scrape the remains of the little snake into the ditch. She would scrape some soil over the top of it tamp it down with the bottom of the hoe and then finish by stomping it with her feet. I still smile with this image.

Mom loved Christmas and she worked hard for us to have a beautiful Christmas tree, thoughtful presents, wonderful dinners and, most of all, her cookies. She would start the first of November making cookies and continue to bake them after Thanksgiving and a week before Christmas. She stored them gently and carefully in her big freezer. She doled them out carefully, and when the tray was down to crumbs, magically she would fill it again.

Her Christmas dinners were spectacular after the remodeling of the farm house. She worked even harder at her dinners and her baking. I can honestly say her most satisfying moments must have been when everyone seated at the dinner table complimented her on her dinners and her baking. She planned her life around baking and cooking.

My moms favorite cookbook was The Boston Cooking School Cook Book written by Fannie Farmer. I have this cookbook plus I have collected three more, one just recently.

During World War II, Mom helped Dad in the fields and then cooked meals. She sewed for us, washed clothes in her ringer washing machine in the basement, and carried the wet clothes in the basket up the stairs, out to the clothesline. They were hung on the clothesline in her orderly fashion so the occasional neighbors would not see our underclothes.

We would wait for the gentle Colorado breezes to dry them. She taught me how to carefully fold and place them in the basket. After we carried them in the house, we put the towels, sheets and pillowcases away, also the underclothes. Then the clothes that were to be ironed were laid out on the table. We would sprinkle them with warm water and fold them so they could be ironed the next day. That was done every Monday and Tuesday. Mom taught me how to iron so as not to have one wrinkle because what would the neighbors think if we had one wrinkle in our nicely starched clothes.

I find myself doing more and more things like my mother did, however, I do not iron clothes because my neighbors do not care if I have wrinkles in my clothes and neither do I. We have a simpler life compared to how it was in the olden days. I am not so sure its the best.

Happy Birthday Mom! I bet she is in Gods kitchen baking cookies!

BANANA BREAD: NEW, DIFFERENT, GOOD

Two eggs well beaten

3 large bananas mashed

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

cup vegetable oil

1 cup chopped nuts

2 teaspoons vanilla

To the well beaten eggs, slowly add sugar. Add bananas to egg mixture. Add the oil. Mix and add flour, salt and soda. Blend well. Add vanilla and nuts. Pour into small greased loaf pans. It will take three small or a large loaf pan. Cook it 350 degrees F until tested with a toothpick about 45 minutes for small loaf pans and 60 minutes for large pan. (I mixed this all by hand not with a mixer.) Great texture and great flavor!

STIR-FRIED CASHEW CHICKEN

This tasty dish has the flavor of orange and ginger.

Prepare 4 cups of boiling water with 2 cups of white rice according to package.

1 pound of boneless skinless chicken thighs, or boneless skinless chicken breast, partially frozen so you can cut in thin strips.

2 large carrots, cut diagonally

2 ribs celery, cut diagonally

1 medium onion, cut in small chunks

red pepper and yellow or green pepper, cut in chunks

bag stir-fried frozen vegetables

1 small can sliced mushrooms or 1 cup of fresh sliced mushrooms.

Cut and slice chicken set aside. Slice vegetables set aside.

Combine the sauce:

34 cups orange juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 tablespoons soy sauce, or according to your taste

14 cup corn syrup I used honey for better flavor.

12 to 1 teaspoon grated ginger or more depends on your taste (Keep ginger in freezer and grate it frozen.)

Combine and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large skillet or wok. Add carrots and celery. Stir and then add onions and peppers. Stir-fry 1 minute and add the half bag of frozen stir-fried vegetables. Stir-fry to desired crispy tenderness. Take out a skillet or wok keep warm. Add 1 more tablespoon oil. Stir-fry in small batches, until sliced chicken is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Push aside in pan and add the orange juice, ginger, and soy sauce mixture stir quickly until sauce is cooked clear. Add the vegetables. Stir in. Place in warm bowl with 1/2 cup crushed cashew pieces sprinkled on top. Serve in individual bowls over hot rice. Four large servings. NOTE: To expand this: add 1 cup pineapple chunks, drained. If you do not have orange juice, use the drained pineapple juice in the sauce.

MEXICAN FIESTA BAKE

I found this on the back of a can. I have often thought I should name a cookbook I Found This on the Back of a Can or Box.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1 pound ground beef, moose, venison or elk (I used to combine ground turkey half-and-half with the wild game.)

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chunky style salsa

1 dry package taco seasoning mix

12 cup water

1 cup corn

12 cup sliced ripe olives, drained

Cook your choice of meat with the onion in a skillet until no longer pink. Drain off grease. Stir in salsa, taco seasoning, and water.

Bring to boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes until thickened. Stir in corn and always. Spoon into an ungreased 8 x 8 inch baking dish.

Topping:

1 box of Jiffy Corn Meal Muffin Mix

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 4-ounce can diced green chilies about 12 cup

Prepare the batter for the corn muffins according to the directions on the package. Stir in cheese and chilies. Spread over top of meat mixture. Bake uncovered in preheated oven at 350 F for 30 to 40 minutes, until crust is golden. Top with more cheese and bake 5 more minutes. Cut in squares and serve with salsa, sour cream, chopped onions and shredded lettuce. I have another recipe similar title Enchilada Pie. Great company-coming dish!

SOUR CREAM LEMON PIE

I love lemon pie and this is especially good.

You will need one 8-inch baked pie shell

Mix:

1 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon of flour

1 tablespoon lemon peel

13 cup lemon juice

1 cup light cream (I always use canned milk)

14 cup butter

Slowly bring to a boil on LOW heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick and clear. You have to watch this because it burns easily. Cool to room temperature. Add 12 cup sour cream. Fold into lemon mixture until well blended.

For topping:

1 cup Cool Whip

12 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar, fold in until well mixed

12 teaspoon almond extract

14 teaspoon lemon extract

Fold in. Spread over pie and garnish with thin lemon slices. Chill 1 hour.

By ANN GRANNIE ANNIE BERG, For the Peninsula Clarion

Visit link:
Pioneer Potluck: Memories of my mom on her birthday - Kenai Peninsula Online