Cultural center gets much-needed renovations

The work on the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon, like any historic structure, is never finished.

We are always in a process of fixing, explains Craig Wolf, the board president for the nonprofit HCC, which moved into its home on Main Street after the library moved out in 1976.

The building, which was the first in Beacon to be added to the National Register of Historic Places and has been described as Norwegian Gothic in style, was designed as a library in 1872 by Richard Morris Hunt at the bequest of his brother-in-law, Joseph Howland, a Civil War general and former state treasurer.

The Howland Cultural Center (Photo by Jeff Simms)

After the library decamped a century later, it took three years to organize an effort to convert the building into a cultural center. That work has continued during the 40 years since, including an overhaul years ago of the slate roof, which was hugely expensive were hoping it will last a very long time, Wolf says.

In earlier days, he says, HCC received a good deal of support from the Beacon Community Development Agency because it was on the historic register and also in a census tract defined as lower income. Community development is now overseen by the Dutchess County Department of Planning, and the center relies more heavily on state grants and private fundraising. (It held its first gala last year and raised about $21,000.)

Along with its fundraising, the HCC board has set aside funds over the years to take care of the building and pushed ahead with four major projects.

The floor

The buildings 147-year-old floor was restored. We had to work with a contractor called Strictly Hardwood, even though our floor is soft wood, Wolf says. In the old days, when forests were younger and harvesting was newer, theyd cut long pieces, because they were cheaper to install. The contractor replaced the floor in certain spots where it was worn down, then sanded and stained it to match the original, before finishing it with coats of polyurethane.

The heat

The gas-fired heating system was replaced with twin furnaces. Its much more efficient, Wolf says. Weve seen a drop in the bills for the past couple of years.

The geothermal

This building is quite remarkable in that we have two ways to heat it: gas and geothermal, Wolf says. Installed a decade ago, the geothermal system involved drilling five water wells in the side yard, he says. It provides not only heat but air conditioning. The building had been hard to use in the summer, he says. The geothermal needed upgrading; because the main pump had failed, and the technology has advanced, the board decided to redo the entire system.

The portico

The rehabilitation of the buildings front portico and central faade (the front doors and everything above them) remains on hold until warmer weather returns.

Some of the damage at the entrance to the Howland Cultural Center that its board hopes to have repaired. (Photo by A. Rooney)

Theres a considerable amount of deterioration in some of the wood, Wolf says. Weve done temporary repairs, but we want to do it well and right and restore some missing features. Were likely to use epoxy consolidation, a process of injecting a compound into the wood which hardens up, and you shape it. Its a cross between wood and plastic, so its solid and unlikely to rot.

Were using skilled and time-consuming techniques because we dont want to throw some 2-by-4s on it, he says. In some cases, were not sure how much deterioration exists until contractors start tearing it apart.

The HCC has scheduled its second gala for May 14 and is hoping for another fundraising success. So much [work] needs to be done, Wolf says. Were building our shopping list.

The list includes window rehabilitation, replacement of some brickwork, other woodwork around the building and minor projects hither and yon: some look like maintenance, some bigger money, Wolf says. When we get into projects its hard to talk about how much they would cost because we havent had a professional or specialist in preservation do the research. But obviously were looking at the upper six figures and beyond in the coming years.

The building will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2022, which will be linchpin for a campaign. But for now, Wolf says, people who have contributed can be pleased with how much got done for good value.

Original post:
The Process of Fixing - Highlands Current

As the official trailer/motorcoach dealer of Dragzine, Flying A Motorsports offers an extensive lineup of new and used motorhomes and toterhomes, racecar trailers, stacker trailers, car haulers, and cargo trailers. Those products will be highlighted here in a monthly feature known as the Rig Of The Month.

This specific InTech Trailers model is one of its top-of-the-line, wide-body models, explains Alan Cape, President of Flying A Motorsports. It also features triple 8,000-pound Dexter torsion axles, compared to the more typical 7,000- or 6,000- pound options.

The wide-body option measures at 97 1/2-inches at the rear door, compared to 90- or 91-inches on a standard model. Cape notes this trailer series provides 2- to 3-inches in greater width throughout the inner walls and fender well openings.

Looking down, the extruded aluminum floor has recessed e-track in multiple rows along the overall length of the trailer floor. Four 5,000-pound D-rings have been fabricated into the floor. This trailer also features a wide-body option, which adds 2- to 3-inches of extra width within the walls and ramp door opening.

This one is visually sharp to me with the grey metallic aluminum exterior and black anodized trim option, Cape says. Some trailer brands have painted or powder-coated trim on the front that unfortunately tends to chip. I have been impressed with InTechs anodized aluminum as far as durability.

The raw building blocks of this trailer include an all-aluminum tube frame with an aluminum extruded floor. The triple-axle trailer features a spread axle design with electric brakes on each of the three axles.

InTech trailers are well insulated, including the two insulated cabinets in the riser area for your own installed generator and air compressor. They also have ventilation provisions to help with sound and cooling. Alan Cape

On the exterior, walk-on durability is a feature of the one-piece aluminum roof. The screwless outer walls are constructed from .040-inch aluminum. The interior walls offer the screwless design as well and the trailer is fully insulated.

A door cabinet is located in the floor for your choice of winches to install. Another larger floor cabinet further back on the floor plan can store a wealth of items out of the way.

An additional trend that Cape sees in customer popularity is to have a unit supplied with all provisions for a generator, air compressor, and additional amenities, like roof air-conditioning. Many customers like the idea of getting the trailer plumbed for air lines, a fuel tank, and lines run through the trailer for a generator, Cape notes. The factory also adds all bracing prefabricated to install roof air when the owner wants to add it themselves.

Not only can you see much more on this specific trailer in the details list below and on the Flying A website, you can also view the daily updated inventory of other trailers and use its payment calculator included on every sale page.

This trailer is also equipped with a flip-out bench in addition to the cabinet work area. Above that shelf, the interior wall is marked where bracing for a television is installed during assembly, including all television wiring, antenna installed, and power supplies.

Attention to detail goes into InTechs aluminum cabinetry. This unit has 8-foot upper and lower cabinets, with a well lighted aluminum worktop, and a full drivers closet.

For power and lighting, this trailer has a 50-amp electrical service installed with a wealth of 110-volt receptacles, along with LED lighting on the interior, workbench area, and the outer pit area.

The Cuba, Missouri sales center for Flying A Motorsports also has an extensive service and repair center. If there is ever a customer request for an option such as generators, compressors, or air-conditioning, its shop can easily offer those needs.

Flying A Motorsports has partnered with Elite Motorsports with a cooperative effort to offer individual inventories to both groups of faithful customers. Cape finishes, Each of us has a strong clientele in different sectors of motorsports; this is a great way to provide more hauler/trailer options to each of our client bases.

Trailer Specs:

Read more here:
Rig Of The Month: Flying A Motorsports 46-foot InTech Race Trailer - Dragzine.com

Food service location inspections from January 1 to January 31.Restaurants are inspected throughout the year by state and local agents. Inspection reports are submitted to the state and can be viewed by the public at http://www.pafoodsafety.pa.gov/Web/lnspection/Publiclnspection-Search.aspx.

SQUEEZE IN & DIP IN

Date of report: 01/26/2020

Town: Sunbury

Compliant: Yes

Violations: 1(Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. (Slight dust accumulation on vent on Squeeze In))

SUNBUY STEAM FIRE ENGINE CO. #1

Date of report: 01/26/2020

Town: Sunbury

Compliant: Yes

Violations: 1(Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. (Cooler fan covers and shelving units for beer/sodas in cooler))

TASTECRAFT

Date of report: 01/16/2020

Town: Milton

Compliant: Yes

Violations: None

ASIAN EXPRESS

Date of report: 01/10/2020

Town: Sunbury

Compliant: Yes

Violations: 1(Observed multiple pieces of equipment, in kitchen area, with an accumulation of dust, dirt, food residue, debris on non-food contact surfaces. Observed cooking equipment / pans, in the kitchen area, with encrusted grease and soil accumulation. (Cold hold coolers, fridge, freezers)) 2(Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. (under/between clean in place items))

MAMAMACS

Date of report: 01/10/2020

Town: Sunbury

Compliant: Yes

Violations: None

SUNOCO - QUICK SHOP #5

Date of report: 01/10/2020

Town: Northumberland

Compliant: Yes

Violations: None

INDEPENDENCE FIRE CO

Date of report: 01/09/2020

Town: Shamokin

Compliant: Yes

Violations: 1(Refrigerated ready to eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared in the food facility and held for more than 24 hours, located in the walk-n kitchen cooler, is not being date marked.) 2(Single use plastic containwers being re-used multiple times for food storage and/or preparation.)

M C CONEY

Date of report: 01/09/2020

Town: Mount Carmel

Compliant: Yes

Violations: 1(Wall over the dish sink area, is made of wooden paneling, and is no longer durable, smooth, non-porous, non-absorbent or sealed.) 2(Flooring, in the grill area, heavily worm through tiles, and is not durable, smooth, non-porous, and non-absorbent.) 3(Facility does not meet current requirement of certified foodhandler on every shift.) 4(Food employee observed in preparation area, not wearing proper hair restraint, such as net or hat.) 5(A food employee was observed touching sandwich bun, a ready-to-eat food, with bare hands.)

MOUNT CARMEL AREA JR/SR HIGH

Date of report: 01/09/2020

Town: Mount Carmel

Compliant: Yes

Violations: None

MOUNT CARMEL ELEMENTARY

Date of report: 01/09/2020

Town: Mount Carmel

Compliant: Yes

Violations: None

NEW CHINA WOK RESTAURANT

Date of report: 01/09/2020

Town: Mount Carmel

Compliant: Yes

Violations: None

DOLLAR GENERAL #398

Date of report: 01/07/2020

Town: Shamokin

Compliant: Yes

Violations: None

LINE MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL

Date of report: 01/07/2020

Town: Herndon

Compliant: Yes

Violations: 1(Student self-service food was held at 48F, in the short order line area, rather than 41F or below as required.)

LINE MOUNTAIN TREVORTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Date of report: 01/07/2020

Town: Trevorton

Compliant: Yes

Violations: None

SUNOCO

Date of report: 01/07/2020

Town: Trevorton

Compliant: Yes

Violations: 1(Employee making breakfast sandwiches and hoagies not foodhandler certified.) 2(Prepackaged hoagies not labeled properly with the complete ingredient statement.)

THE GREEK ISLE CAFE

Date of report: 01/03/2020

Town: Mount Carmel

Compliant: Yes

Violations: 1(Food employee observed in preparation area, not wearing proper hair restraint, such as net or hat.) 2(Meat pan being stored in the ice machine, with no handle, as scoop.) 3(Dish sink has a hose attachment that is hanging below the flood rim of the sink and not an appropriate air gap.)

LONG JOHN SILVERS #31504

Date of report: 01/21/2020

Town: Shamokin Dam

Compliant: Yes

Violations: None

AMATOS PIZZA

Date of report: 01/16/2020

Town: Selinsgrove

Compliant: Yes

Violations: None

BJS STEAK & RIB HOUSE

Date of report: 01/16/2020

Town: Selinsgrove

Compliant: Yes

Violations: 1(Souffle cup being used to scoop cole slaw and left stored in slaw with areas where fingers touched in contact with the food. REPEAT VIOLATION) 2(Accumulation of ice and dropped food on walk-in freezer floor in basement.) 3(Buildup of yeast-like residue inside soda gun nozzle at bar. REPEAT VIOLATION) 4(6 spray jets clogged on interior ceiling of mechanical dishwasher. Correct prior to opening today.)

SUBWAY #52838

Date of report: 01/16/2020

Town: Selinsgrove

Compliant: Yes

Link:
January 2020 restaurant inspections across the Valley - Sunbury Daily Item

Following Business Chief's visit to DHL'sinnovation center (Troisdorf),we speak toFaizan Sheikh, CEO of Avidbots to discuss the use of automaton in the cleaning industry and its partnership with DHL.

To introduce yourself, how would you describe Avidbots? What do you offer to your customers?

Avidbots is a fast-growing robotics company. Our first product is Neo, an autonomous floor-scrubbing robot used in hundreds of commercial or industrial spaces worldwide. Avidbots Neo robots are at work cleaning floors in sites such as warehouses, airports, manufacturing sites, hospitals, schools, train stations, and malls in over 15 countries. Unlike other floor-cleaning robots that are just retrofitted ride-on machines, Neo is a purpose-built robot designed to be fully autonomous. Incorporating AI, LiDar, 3D sensors, WiFi, 4G connectivity, and specialized software and hardware, Neo is able to autonomously navigate busy areas such as airports, adapting its route on the fly to avoid people or obstacles. With 24x7 remote monitoring, Neo is always operational.

What are your company strategy and goals for the next five years?

Avidbots is growing quickly. Were selling Neo robots in more than 15 countries and will add more countries in the near future. We have many global distribution partnerships and Neo is already cleaning hundreds of sites worldwide, including Paris CDG Airport, Singapores Changi Airport, and Shibuya Station in Tokyo. In the next five years, we will continue to grow installations rapidly.

What trends have you seen emerging within your industry?

In the cleaning industry, were witnessing a revolution toward automating the most repetitive and dull tasks, such as scrubbing floors. In almost every country where Avidbots operates, from Japan and Norway, to the UAE, Switzerland, Canada,USA and Australia, its difficult to find and keep cleaning staff. Turnover for cleaning jobs is between 300-400% per year, making it costly and complex for companies to maintain cleanliness at their facilities. Avidbots Neo makes scrubbing floors far less onerous. A cleaning staff member simply taps start on Neos touchscreen and the robot goes off to work, cleaning floors more effectively than a human. Facilities managers use a web-based app called Command Center to track Neos progress via real-time video feeds and see detailed cleaning reports. With janitorial staff freed from the time-consuming task of pushing or riding a floor-scrubber around at night, they can focus on higher-value tasks such as cleaning bathrooms, dusting, disinfecting, and tidying. In the robotics industry, were seeing a trend toward building robots that solve pressing problems. Robots are now past the test phase and are becoming part of our daily lives, and the ones we will see first solve everyday challenges that companies face, such as cleaning.

SEE ALSO:

In recent years, how have you seen customer use of technology evolve?

Companies have gone from seeing robots as a futuristic idea to truly seeing the value in automating repetitive, dull, or dirty tasks. They realize robots are actually just advanced machines that can help them solve everyday challenges. In general, society has moved from a vague worry that robots will take jobs to a place of understanding that automation helps people do their jobs more efficiently, just as computers do in all aspects of life. Robots are now part of the team at our customer sites. Cleaning staff love Neo because it does a time-consuming and repetitive task, freeing them up to focus on other tasks that only humans excel at, such as tidying, dusting, and cleaning hard-to-reach places.

In your opinion do you think industries are heading towards having more robotics, as opposed to a human workforce?

We havent seen job losses at our customer sites. Instead, cleaning staff integrate Neo into the team to do the time-consuming task of scrubbing floors. Of course, the long-term trend of automation will surely result in some lower-skilled jobs being eliminated, but most of these jobs are ones few people want to do. In the cleaning industry, turnover can top 400%, so clearly most people dont want to clean long-term. However, at the same time we will see low-level repetitive tasks done by robots, we will see new jobs emerge. There will always be cleaning staff, but theyll move into higher-value roles such as tidying waiting areas and cleaning bathrooms that make public environments more pleasant for everyone.

Over the last few years have you seen an increase in demand for cleaning robots? If so what is your strategy for demand increases?

Yes, demand for our Neo floor-scrubbing robot is surging. To keep up with demand, Avidbots has its own manufacturing facility in Kitchener, Ontario in Canada where we build Neo robots from the ground-up. We also work with manufacturing partners that can scale with rising demand. As we grow, Avidbots is hiring many robotics engineers, sales people, and business and marketing staff. Weve raised $37 million in venture capital funding to support global growth.

We recently featured your cleaning robots within Business Chief, can you talk through your partnership with DHL?

Avidbots is working closely with DHL Supply Chain to install Neo robots at warehouse sites in North America. Neo is uniquely suited to clean warehouses where there are many people, forklifts, pallets, boxes, and other robots constantly moving about. Being intelligent and autonomous, Neo can navigate these busy spaces with ease, avoiding obstacles and updating its path on the fly. DHL operates thousands of warehouses in 220 countries, so the skys the limit in terms of our partnership.

Image source: Avidbots

For more information on business topics in the United States, please take a look at the latest edition of Business Chief USA.

Follow Business Chief on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Read more here:
Avidbots: revolutionising the cleaning industry | Technology - Business Chief

New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS): A public art installation on mental health awareness 'Moving Out to Go Within by nine Ashoka University students, under the guidance of designer Sumant Jayakrishnan will be on display at STIR Gallery here from February 2 to April 15. The installation is being promoted by the India Art Fair.

Ashoka University's Ashoka Centre for Well-Being (ACWB) in collaboration with Red Balloon's Young People for Change put together a week-long residential workshop to initiate conversations around mental health among the youth.

This workshop brought together nine young Ashoka students from diverse cultures and backgrounds to mindfully connect and explore the importance of emotional expression and self-awareness, and to build a sense of well-being. The experiential workshop was facilitated by psychotherapist and founding director of ACWB Dr. Arvinder J Singh.

The students' experience culminated into this interactive public arts installation that shared the participants' personal expression and messages of awareness on mental health, well-being and self-worth.

Read more from the original source:
Art installation on mental health awareness in Delhi - Daijiworld.com

Judging by his famous photographs of seemingly transparent midcentury modern dwellings, the late Julius Shulman might have been attracted to Sid and Teresa Scotts house in Dunthorpe.

Here, natural light is artfully guided inside through glass that wraps around a south-facing, central courtyard.

One could imagine Shulman, whose influential images of a patio-centric, post-World War II way of living ricocheted around the world, setting up a tripod at the edge of the courtyards pavers here and waiting for twilight.

Had the acclaimed architecture photographer done so, he could have perhaps captured another angle of entertaining at a house open to the outdoors.

AFTER photo by Pete Eckert

But the Scotts Northwest contemporary house didnt always have elegant movement between spaces.

Although it was built in 1960 when Modernist architectures open concept of fewer interior walls was spreading into suburbia, this floor plan was really more traditional with a series of rooms blocked by walls and doors, says Sid Scott.

"We stripped away everything, made the structure stronger" and energy efficient, "and brought it up to code. Then we started over to create a connection to the outdoors," says Sid, an architect and principle of Portland-based S|EA, a commercial and residential architecture and interior design firm.

AFTER photo by Pete Eckert

Teresas focus was on picturesque, water-wise landscaping. Together, they remade their home to follow the hillside topography. Glass walls, doors and windows frame garden vistas from every room.

Across a third of an acre, mature rhododendrons, azaleas and rosebushes thrive alongside new plantings of perennials showcasing seasonal colors. Irises and peonies bloom in spring and summer alongside a rocky stream that borders the property.

Its a beautiful site, says Sid Scott.

AFTER photo by Pete Eckert

Remaking a forlorn property

The Scotts bought the property as is in March 2017 and gutted the house, which was in rough shape. There was a tarp on the leaky roof, says Sid.

They removed unnecessary, confining walls, installed larger windows and oriented the two existing sides of the main floor plus a seamless garage addition toward a new courtyard were there once was unkept grass.

AFTER photo by Pete Eckert

Our courtyard is a wonderful activity space for dinner and events, says Sid, whose firms philosophy is People First. Design Forward.

The Scotts hosted a fundraising event at their home in 2019 to benefit the Architecture Foundation of Oregon.

Brian Libby, who writes the informative Portland Architecture blog and produces In Search of Portland podcasts, led a discussion at the event, which is part of an annual series to benefit the Architects in Schools program.

BEFORE photo provided by S|EA

Later, Libby talked about how Sid and Teresa Scott have transformed a number of forlorn Portland properties.

They really have a way of breathing new life into these spaces, says Libby. As an architect, Sid has a keen eye, but he also comes from a family in the lumber business, and I think that gives his homes a sense of warmth that can only come from the texture and color and patina of wood.

[BEFORE photo of the front of the house and carport]

AFTER photo by Pete Eckert

The exterior has vertical rough-sawn wood siding in two different widths installed in a random pattern.

An original windowless shop is now a family room with giant glass panels and a vaulted ceiling.

Scott says, The home told us what it wanted to be.

[AFTER photo of the new courtyard]

BEFORE photo provided by S|EA

AFTER photo by Pete Eckert

[AFTER photo of the family room with a large picture window that once was a workshop.]

BEFORE photo provided by S|EA

[BEFORE photo shows no windows in the front]

AFTER photo by Pete Eckert

Hidden from the street

Overgrown shrubs and blackberries once obscured the property. I went to the building department to get a permit and the guy at the counter pulled up a photo and it was funny that you could not even see the house, recalls Sid.

The split-level dwelling was easy to ignore for another reason: It looked like an unsurprising single story. Inside, however, original architect Daniel McGoodwin had designed five subtle elevation changes to accommodate the property, which gradually drops 20 feet from one corner to the other.

[AFTER photo of the family room more open to the kitchen]

BEFORE photo provided by S|EA

[BEFORE photo of one of the claustrophobic rooms]

AFTER photo by Pete Eckert

[AFTER photo of the living room and colorful landscaping]

BEFORE photo provided by S|EA

[BEFORE photo of one of the claustrophobic rooms]

AFTER photo by Pete Eckert

[AFTER photo of the light-filled dining room]

BEFORE photo provided by S|EA

[BEFORE photo of the dining room and kitchen]

AFTER photo by Pete Eckert

The elevation shifts start at the front door. Three steps lead to the main living level. Below, the vaulted master suite and bedrooms are linked by half flights of stairs.

The lowest level was an unfinished basement that the Scotts integrated into the remodeled home.

We put windows in and connected it to the north yard, he says.

AFTER photo by Pete Eckert

Teresa had boulders natural to the property moved to gardens bordering the sunny courtyard. Dogwoods, Mexican orange blossoms and Spiraea shrubs as well as grass-like, flowering Liriope and carex were selected for year-round color, fragrance and texture.

As a bonus, they require minimal maintenance and watering, she says.

With views now extending to the hills, this 60-year-old house, once closed up and concealed, just keeps going, says Sid.

--Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman

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View post:
Architect's remodeled 60-year-old Portland home is picture perfect (before, after photos) - OregonLive

PARADISE, Calif. -The Building Resiliency Center has officially opened to the public with more space and Butte County staff is in to assist those rebuilding in the unincorporated areas of the County.

On Tuesday, Feb. 4, the town will hold a community meeting for those looking into manufactured homes.

Community Information Meeting: Tues. Feb. 4th, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.Paradise Alliance Church - 6491 Clark Rd

Paradise Town Council Meeting: Tues. Feb. 11th 6 p.m.Paradise Town Hall - 5555 Skyway

PID Regular Meeting: Wed. Feb. 19th, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.PID Boardroom - 6332 Clark Rd

Fridays for Lunch Free Lunch: Fridays, Noon to 1:30 pmParadise Lutheran Church - 780 Luther Dr. Paradise, Ca

Paradise Community Dinner: Thursdays 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.Paradise Alliance Church: 6491 Clark Rd

Another Business Back On The Ridge: Mid Valley Title & Escrow Co. is back in Paradise with a reopening on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 5:30 p.m. They are located at 6848 Skyway, Suite D, in the Holiday Plaza.

Feb. 4 Community Information Meeting: At the Paradise Alliance Church, the meeting will be diving into manufactured housing and what that permit-approval process will entail. Staff from the Building Resilience Center will break down the process of getting rebuilding plans through the approval process and give an update on private-road tree removal.

Private Road Hazardous Tree Removal: The Town of Paradise and Butte County have been notified that many private roads in the Camp Fire area are eligible for public assistance funding to remove Hazard Trees through the State Hazard Tree Removal Program. Most of the roads in the Town of Paradise are eligible and about half of the roads in the County area are eligible. The Town of Paradise is working with Cal OES and FEMA to understand which parcels are eligible, and this information on the parcel-level will be available on the Property Tree Removal Map found here by the end of January.

Staff in the Hazard Tree Removal Center will gladly accept Right-of-Entry forms for the Government Program or Inspection Access Forms for the Private Program; however, staff will not be able to provide information regarding what private roads are eligible. We encourage property owners to continue checking the Private Property Tree Removal Map on ButteCountyRecovers.org which will be updated when we have further information about private roads.

Rebuilding Advocates at BRC: Advocates are available to residents of the Town of Paradise and Butte County to help navigate the process of rebuilding and be on hand to help guide people through the rebuilding process. They can also help guide residents through the financial resources available to make rebuilding more affordable such as help people apply for loans and connect with contractors. Call 530-872-6291 ext. 130 to schedule an appointment.

Hazardous Tree Removal Ordinance: A Town and County ordinance has passed requiring the removal of hazard trees damaged by the Camp Fire from private property that may fall into public roadways. Property owners may enter the Government Tree Program to have the trees removed by the State at no out-of-pocket cost. Enrollment in the Government Tree Program requires a Right-of Entry form. Property owners may also identify and remove hazard trees themselves but must submit an inspection form so an inspector may verify the removal of the hazard trees from the property. Property owners may also call the Tree ROE Center directly at (530) 552-3030 or submit Tree ROEs by email at TreeROE@buttecounty.net. The Tree ROE is available for download online at http://www.ButteCountyRecovers.org/treeremoval. ROE forms may also be picked up at the Tree ROE Centers when they open. Three Tree ROE Centers open at the Butte County Library, Paradise Branch Community Room: 5922 Clark Road, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.

More here:
Paradise Rebuilding and Recovery: Manufactured homes community meeting - Action News Now

Q3 2020 Skyline Champion Corp Earnings Call

ELKHART Feb 4, 2020 (Thomson StreetEvents) -- Edited Transcript of Skyline Champion Corp earnings conference call or presentation Wednesday, January 29, 2020 at 1:00:00pm GMT

TEXT version of Transcript

================================================================================

Corporate Participants

================================================================================

* Laurie M. Hough

Skyline Champion Corporation - Executive VP, CFO & Treasurer

* Mark J. Yost

Skyline Champion Corporation - President, CEO & Director

* Sarah Janowicz

================================================================================

Conference Call Participants

================================================================================

* Daniel Joseph Moore

CJS Securities, Inc. - Director of Research

* Gregory William Palm

Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC, Research Division - Senior Research Analyst

* Matthew Adrien Bouley

Barclays Bank PLC, Research Division - VP

* Michael Glaser Dahl

RBC Capital Markets, Research Division - MD of U.S. Homebuilders & Building Products

* Philip H. Ng

Jefferies LLC, Research Division - Senior Research Analyst & Equity Analyst

* Rohit Seth

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., Research Division - Associate

================================================================================

Presentation

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Operator [1]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Good morning. Welcome to Skyline Champion Corporation's Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2020 Earnings Call. The company issued an earnings press release yesterday after close. I would now like to introduce your host for today's call, Sarah Janowicz, the Company's Director of Investor Relations and External Reporting. Sarah, you may begin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Story continues

Sarah Janowicz, [2]

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Good morning, and thank you for participating in our earnings call to discuss our third quarter results. Joining me on today's call is Mark Yost, President and CEO; and Laurie Hough, EVP and CFO.

I would like to remind everyone that yesterday's press release and statements made during this call include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations and projections. Such risks and uncertainties include the factors set forth in our earnings release and in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Additionally, during today's call, we will discuss non-GAAP measures, which we believe can be useful in evaluating our performance. A reconciliation of these measures can be found in the earnings release. I would now like to turn the call over to Mark.

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Mark J. Yost, Skyline Champion Corporation - President, CEO & Director [3]

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Sarah, thank you. Good morning, everyone. I'm pleased to report strong gross margin and operating income improvements this quarter compared to the same period a year ago. As we look at industry demand trends, we have seen HUD industry shipments rebound favorably over the last few months and anticipate that trend will continue throughout the calendar year.

With revenue down 3.5% to $342 million this quarter, we were able to deliver strong operating leverage with a year-over-year increase of nearly 50% in operating income. Adjusted EBITDA grew by 13% year-over-year reaching $29.7 million for the quarter. Adjusted EBITDA margin in the quarter was 8.7%, a 130 basis point improvement compared to a year ago. We saw strong gross profit improvement across all of our reporting segments, driven by merger synergies, standardization and operational improvements as we saw material inflation start to rise during the quarter. I'm particularly proud of the fact that we were able to deliver these results without the benefit of top line growth in the quarter.

During the quarter, we saw our Canadian and Star Fleet revenues down due to economic and housing conditions in Western Canada, along with softer RV market in the U.S. We anticipate that those markets will remain soft in the short term. In the U.S., we experienced marginal unit volume increases with a shift to single section product, resulting in lower average selling prices during the quarter.

Focusing on the market, there are ample opportunities for continued growth, driven by favorable demographic and economic factors. HUD industry volume for the 3 months ended November increased by approximately 6.7% year-over-year with strong growth in the South Central region of the country, offset by declines in California and parts of the Midwest. We are seeing strong demand for affordable housing and expect HUD industry's year-over-year volumes to continue at this mid- single-digit growth rate for the remainder of the calendar year with California rebounding towards the end of our fourth fiscal quarter and the Midwest expected to return late spring after the customer consolidation is finalized. The broader housing market is also showing signs of strong growth, especially at the affordable missing middle price point. This will translate into higher levels of demand for the industry later in the year due to the lag between single-family starts and HUD shipments. Additionally, we believe that manufactured and modular homes will play an increasingly significant role in filling the gap for new single-family homes at more affordable price points compared to other housing options. We are seeing evidence of this increasing role from recent events on the financing, regulatory and builder fronts. On the financing front, while we are still waiting for the GSEs to roll out their secondary market for Chattel loans outlined in their duty to serve, we are encouraged by the private placements that occurred late in 2019. Financing terms are starting to become more competitive as a result, which should translate into demand later this year. Zoning changes are additionally starting to happen throughout the country to help solve the housing shortage. We are seeing increased demand for alternative dwelling units, or ADUs, in states like California, which have lifted zoning restrictions to address the need for affordable living spaces in urban areas. The feedback from customers for our ADUs from the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas last week was very positive. The product provides a simple solution for affordable housing in those markets. Additionally, in Las Vegas at the International Builders' Show, we showcased our Genesis home series, an affordable housing solution for builder developers. The feedback from builders on the quality and features of those homes at that price point exceeded our expectations. They were surprised at the speed to market and labor solutions that these products provide. One supplementary benefit was that these products have lower financing costs due to the support from the GSEs. In addition to the interest we received at the IBS show, we have started to experience traction in this past quarter with a handful of models ordered for delivery to subdivisions. We are very excited about the long-term potential of this new class of homes.

I will now turn the call over to Laurie to discuss our quarterly financials in more detail.

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Laurie M. Hough, Skyline Champion Corporation - Executive VP, CFO & Treasurer [4]

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Thanks, Mark. Net sales decreased to $342 million in the current quarter from $355 million in the year ago quarter. We saw revenue declines of $4.7 million in the U.S. factory-built housing segment, as well as declines in our Canadian factory-built housing segment and transportation business revenue of $7.7 million. The number of homes sold in the U.S. increased slightly versus the same quarter last year while the decline in the U.S. factory-built revenue was driven by a reduction in average selling price per U.S. home sold of 2% to $60,600.

The decline in average selling price was due to a shift in product mix as we sold a larger percentage of single section homes this third quarter versus the December quarter last year.

Canadian revenue decreased by 16% to $23 million, with corresponding decreases in the number of homes sold in the quarter. The number of Canadian units sold decreased to 276 homes compared to 329 homes in the prior year period.

Average home selling prices were stable at $82,600. We expect similar Canadian year-over-year volume shortfalls for the remainder of the fiscal 2020 compared to the same period in fiscal 2019, consistent with the broader housing market in Western Canada. Consolidated gross profit increased to $69 million, up 6% versus the prior year quarter. Our U.S. housing segment gross margins were 20.1% of segment net sales, up from 18.5% last year. Sequentially, from the September 2019 quarter, U.S. factory-built housing segment gross margins were down 80 basis points from 20.9%, driven by the impact of normal seasonal shutdowns as many of our facilities reduced or ceased production during the holiday season.

SG&A in the third quarter decreased to $45 million versus $49 million in the same period last year. The decrease was primarily due to a reduction in noncash equity-based compensation expense and integration costs.

Net income for the third quarter was $17 million or $0.30 per share compared to net income of $10.5 million or earnings per share of $0.19 during the same period in the prior year, driven by an increase in profitability from higher operating income, a reduction in equity compensation and other expenses and lower net interest expense.

On an adjusted basis, we generated $0.32 of net income per diluted share compared to $0.27 in the year ago quarter. The company's effective tax rate for the 3 months ended December 28, 2019, was 27% versus an effective tax rate of 29.7% for the fiscal 2019 third quarter. The change in the effective rate was primarily due to higher nondeductible share-based compensation expense incurred in the prior year.

Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $29.7 million, an increase of 13% over the same period a year ago. The adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 130 basis points to 8.7%, largely due to continued margin capture from synergies related to last year's combination reaching their run rate levels earlier this fiscal year and execution and identified operational improvements.

At the end of December, our consolidated backlog was $133 million compared to backlog last December of $181 million. Although backlog varies significantly by plant, our average U.S. plant backlog stood at 5 weeks of production at the end of the quarter. Backlog remains within our optimal range of 4 to 6 weeks, which allows us to effectively schedule production and manage the supply chain with our vendors. We believe backlogs have returned to more normal levels compared to the elevated levels experienced over the last year. We are focused on continuing to execute on our operational improvements and product rationalization initiatives, while bringing more value to our customers by continuing to elevate opportunities to refine and strengthen our costing and pricing strategies on our products, as well as prioritizing efforts on operational improvements and efficiencies, leveraging our knowledgeable and capable team members. We feel that these self-help initiatives will allow us to achieve a 10% adjusted EBITDA margin target at our current volume levels. We are on track to achieve this target in the next 18 to 24 months.

As of December 28, 2019, we had $171 million of cash and cash equivalents. Cash generated from operations during the third quarter of fiscal 2020 decreased slightly to $21 million compared to $23 million in the same period last year as cash flow generated by increased profitability was offset by cash utilization for working capital purposes. During the quarter, we used excess cash to pay down $5 million of our revolving credit facility. As a result, the company had $44 million of unused borrowing capacity under our $100 million revolving credit facility as of December 28, 2019.

We have a strong cash position with added liquidity from our credit facility that provides ample flexibility to invest in our core business and our strategic initiatives. We continue to be focused on identifying areas to utilize our strong free cash flow and opportunistic growth, which could include potential acquisitions or further organic capacity expansions. I'll now turn it back to Mark for some closing remarks.

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Mark J. Yost, Skyline Champion Corporation - President, CEO & Director [5]

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Laurie, thank you. As you can see from our results, we continue to achieve solid financial and operational performance. We are pleased with our continued track record of progress as we continue to achieve incremental improvements along our path to reaching our medium and long-term goals. We are encouraged by the feedback from our retail and community partners on the product and services we're providing them as well as the future opportunities to expand our off-site construction model offerings with an evolving customer channel like builder developers. As we look forward, we expect our markets to remain healthy, driven by the increased demand across the country for affordable housing. Our optimism is supported by the improvements that we've seen in the financing environment and the attention by regulators to suggest changes that are -- ultimately benefit our end customer. With favorable long-term demand fundamentals, we continue to invest and evaluate opportunities to position Skyline Champion as a sustainable solution for the future of our customers and their families. And with that, operator, you may now open the lines for Q&A.

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Questions and Answers

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Operator [1]

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(Operator Instructions) Our first question is from Daniel Moore with CJS Securities.

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Daniel Joseph Moore, CJS Securities, Inc. - Director of Research [2]

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Starting with, I guess, backlog's obviously now back down to, as you described, a more normalized level of 5 weeks. You certainly laid out a scenario where shipments likely start to increase. So just maybe talk about underlying demand trends, traffic at the dealer level, expectations for backlog as we look into fiscal Q4. Do you expect that to stay flat for the next quarter or 2? Start to build again? How should we kind of think about all that over the next, say, 90 to 180 days?

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Mark J. Yost, Skyline Champion Corporation - President, CEO & Director [3]

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Very good. Thanks, Dan. I think we see good traffic at the dealership level. Overall, the industry and activity across the board, it's very good, very healthy. So I think everything is very positive. We've seen strong growth as we mentioned in South Central Atlantic region recently. The past few months is -- 77% of the increase in the industry has been in that kind of Alabama through the Carolinas, Mississippi type region. So we've seen that rebound first, which was hardest hit last year by the weather. So we're seeing other markets start to kind of come back right now across the board, which is very good. Backlog should build into the first -- or into the fourth quarter -- end of the fourth quarter here, and then continue into, obviously, the June time period. So very confident in that. We have a normal seasonal backlog dip normally, especially with our Northeastern footprint. So this is very normal. Our backlogs actually were very good for this point in time of the year.

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Daniel Joseph Moore, CJS Securities, Inc. - Director of Research [4]

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Very helpful. And then just in terms of mix and modest decline in ASPs, do you expect that to continue as far as the U.S. product is concerned in Q4? And any -- obviously, you can't necessarily predict the impact of raw materials going out further, but what are your thoughts for trends as we get into fiscal '21?

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Mark J. Yost, Skyline Champion Corporation - President, CEO & Director [5]

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No, I would expect multi wides to pick up as we go through the season kind of into the June time period. Most of the dealers, as we talked about on the last earnings -- probably last 2 earnings calls, dealers have low inventory levels and I think this quarter particularly what they focused on is they had their sites ready for Single Wides. So they were able to take that product quickly because it's easier to set up a Single Wide product in the field for some of the community customers and some of the retails because of the -- there's less site work involved in setting those up. So during the winter period, keeping inventories lean, they probably tend towards those products first. But I think as the fall happens and things warm up, you'll see a more -- a larger trend to multi wides as the season picks up throughout the year. So you'll see a general uptick, a gradual uptick, as the year goes on in ASPs into the June, July, August time period.

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Daniel Joseph Moore, CJS Securities, Inc. - Director of Research [6]

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Perfect. Lastly for me. A subject I know you don't mind talking about, maybe just elaborate on Genesis and the builder developer channel. You mentioned a couple of specific orders that you've seen. Any more specific tangible evidence of progress and detail that you can provide for us would be helpful.

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Mark J. Yost, Skyline Champion Corporation - President, CEO & Director [7]

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Yes. Thanks, Dan. I think Genesis was well received at the International Builders' Show this past week. We've seen a tremendous amount of inquiry and activity from that. As we've mentioned earlier, we have seen a handful of orders start to be produced for subdivision to get in the ground with subdivisions. So they're actually in production now, being produced. So that's very encouraging that those are -- those levels of activity have happened. We've already produced MH Advantage in the field, but this is kind of a main forage in going into subdivision builder developer channel and it's actually starting. So we're encouraged by that.

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Operator [8]

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Our next question is from Rohit Seth with SunTrust.

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Here is the original post:
Edited Transcript of SKY earnings conference call or presentation 29-Jan-20 1:00pm GMT - Yahoo Finance

The key to fixing the homeless crisis in places like New York Cityisfewer regulations andless money unceremoniouslyflung at the issue, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson said Tuesday.

Appearing on Fox & Friends with host Ainsley Earhardt and New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Chairwoman Lynne Patton,Carson said in order to solve the issue of homelessness, policymakers must first askwhy homelessness is a problem in the United States in the first place.

HOMEOWNERS GIVEN $20G BILL TO CLEAN UP FORMER CALIFORNIA HOMELESS CAMP

You know, you look at Japan, you look at Tokyo they havevirtually no homelessness there, and what is the difference? he asked. They dont have stacks and stacks of regulations that keep you from being able to use technology.

We have some very innovative people in our country who have come up with modular homes, tremendous advances in manufactured housing, tiny homes there are a whole host of things that could be used, he added.

Patton reported that her officials had recorded more than78,000 homeless New Yorkers including 20,000 homeless children during the annual Point In Time count,ahomeless assessment report done yearly across the United States.

New York is trying our best to put them into shelters to give them the services they deserve and this administration is investing record funding to do that, she told Earhardt.

Homelessness is not a Republican or Democrat problem, Pattonwrote on her Instagram account yesterday. Its a human problem.

Carson admitted that millennials and recentcollegegraduatesearning starting salaries of $50,000 a year cannot afford to live in large cities like New York. He said that a strong back and a willingness to work are not necessarily going to be enough to pull people out of poverty anymore andargued that we need to retool people now while the economy is doing well.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP

The other thing we have to remember is, its not just a matter of throwing money at this and more and more vouchers and more and more services. Its also a matter of getting people out of the system, giving them the tools, helping to retool them so they can function in a more sophisticated society that we have now, the secretary explained.

They say, Repair the roof while the sun is shining and not when its raining.'

Excerpt from:
HUD Secretary Ben Carson on NYC's homeless crisis: More regulations are not the answer - Home - WSFX

WESTERLY State officials are reviewing an early version of a report outlining options for improving the quality of water that is discharged into the Pawcatuck River after it is treated at the municipal sewer treatment plant.

While town officials await feedback on the report from the state Department of Environmental Management, efforts are underway to secure grant funds to build a berm around the plant. The report was developed by Jacobs Engineering, the company the town contracts with to operate the plant.

Additionally, town officials learned recently that two grant awards totaling $304,000 had been approved from the Resilient Rhody Resilience Program for construction of a retaining wall for the old Canal Street pump station and for establishment of an infiltration swale on State Street and a wet swale around Timothy Drive. The swales and retaining wall are all flood protection efforts.

The Jacobs report presents three options, each with a different level of nitrogen removal. William Beauregard, the town's utilities superintendent, told the Town Council on Monday that DEM will make a determination based on input from federal environmental authorities and based on a study the department conducted of Little Narragansett Bay last summer.

"We'll have to come to a middle ground somewhere ... but the amount of funding that is going to be required no matter what level we have to go to, in my opinion, will require a bond because it will be a substantial sum," Beauregard said.

Town officials are also seeking a $4.2 million Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to build a protective berm around the treatment plant. Town Manager J. Mark Rooney said the berm is needed to protect the plant and future investments in it from potential flooding. The grant would require a $1 million match from the town. An answer on the town's grant application is expected in late March or April, said Lisa Pellegrini, director of the municipal Development Services Department.

Town Council President Christopher Duhamel said the review by Beauregard and Pellegrini points to one of the council's financial priorities in addition to the School Committee's work on a school building project.

"It's not just the school bond ... we have to protect our infrastructure. We can't let this slide," Duhamel said.

Protecting the town's sewage treatment plant and its drinking water supply emerged as two of the top priorities during a community resilience building workshop in August. Conducted as part of the Resilient Rhody Resilience Program, a climate resilience action strategy undertaken by Gov. Gina Raimondo and her administration, the workshop positioned the town to qualify for about $1 million in grant funding, according to Pellegrini.

Altogether Pellegrini's department has submitted applications for up to $7.2 million in grants, including required matches, to state and federal agencies for measures to protect the treatment plant and for a stormwater drainage project. Pellegrini thanked Gina Fuller, a resident and Southern Rhode Island Conservation District manager, who played a primary role in organizing the Resilient Rhody Resilience workshop.

A more detailed presentation before the Town Council on needed improvements to the treatment plant is scheduled for Feb. 24.

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Westerly weighing its waste treatment options | Westerly - The Westerly Sun