The NBA has used the shot clock since the 1950s and the colleges abide by a 30-second shot clock, for high school basketball its a wild west of possessions that can see a score end 5-4 if they wanted. In todays game of up and down offense, you dont see it too much, but you do see the stall game work its way into todays game.

The Arkansas Activities Association received permission from the NFHS to use a 35-second shot clock for Class 6A games next year as run for the next three seasons.

Many want a shot clock. Its what they are accustomed to when watching Kansas, Kansas State or Wichita State basketball play. There are a lot of hurdles to get said shot clock. Arkansas has been using a shot clock for non-postseason tournaments for two seasons now. The transition to the full season shot clock seemed to be all but inevitable.

What about Kansas? Where does the shot clock fit into our game that we dearly love?

You get situations where teams run four-corners and stall out the game, draining the clock until either the defense steps up and forces the ball out of the handlers hands or the team scores.

Nine other states currently have a shot clock implemented - Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, Rhode Island, North and South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, and California.

"I think for our game in South Dakota, its helped make it more fun," Assistant Executive Director Joe Auch said. "Weve had little to no complaints since weve implemented the shot clock."

The state of South Dakota had been using the shot clock in their largest class for two seasons before adding it to the entire state. The SDHSAA uses a 35-second shot clock at all levels.

"We had some stall tactics and some low scoring games," Auch said. "Its been a breath of fresh air having the shot clock. Games are higher scoring; coaches are finding new ways to win games and fans are enjoying it. Its a win all around."

While statistics are boring, the Butler County Times-Gazette re-watched 10 basketball games via the NFHS Network and the average possession within those games was 36.5 seconds. The only time the possession drew longer was in the final minutes of the game when the score difference was within 10. Possessions that were off a basket and not a foul or turnover, were on average 22 seconds long.

Andover, a team that had been known for pace and threes, held the ball up top for 30 seconds on multiple possessions in the fourth quarter, before initiating its offense. BV Southwest used the stalled offense to get back into the game. Andover would eventually prevail over BV Southwest.

"Sometimes the defense doesnt let you do the things you want to do," Andover head coach Martin Shetlar said after his teams first-round win over Blue Valley Southwest in the Class 5A State Tournament.

For a majority of the season, the Trojans averaged under 20 seconds per possession for the first half 32.5 seconds in the second half on games available via NFHS Network.

When the game entered the fourth quarter, possessions for the winning team increased by six seconds and the trailing team decreased by five seconds. The rush to beat the clock when trailing had an obvious effect on how the trailing team operated their offense due to them not having a potential opportunity of never seeing the ball again if the opposing team wanted to stall.

There are coaches who support the shot clock, however it may come about.

"Basketball is fun for people to watch and for kids to play because it is a fast pace game," Andover Central head coach Stana Jefferson said. "Lets keep it moving and for the kids moving on to the next level."

When the Butler County Times-Gazette re-watched four of Andover Centrals games, the Jaguars averaged 29 seconds per possession when you excluded fouls and turnovers.

There are some major hurdles when it comes to getting prepared and implementing shot clocks before you even consider the materials and installation. You have to get labor first and foremost and find those who are competent enough to run a shot clock.

There are typically 3-4 workers at a table. You have your scoreboard operator, who sometimes manages the game clock as well; the official scorebook; public address announcer; and sometimes there will be a person solely responsible for the start and stop of the game clock.

The latter is tough to find. While at bigger schools you may see it, you dont see it at smaller schools, such as Flinthills where the book runs the scoreboard, too. The PA will run the game clock. Now, youll have to find a third person to run a shot clock.

"There are always passionate people who love sports and want to be involved," Auch. "You have to properly vet they are capable enough and as educators and administrators, thats what we do every day. It would be no different in this sense."

In Maryland, they have been using a shot clock for some time and as one reporter put it, give people credit. Thats fine in Maryland to find competent people. However, what about a 1A school when they have a different clock operator every game? Even at El Dorado, a 4A school, they split scoreboard operators during tournaments this season.

"Outside of our first season with the shot clock, we have not had many complaints about errors in their use," Auch said. "We put out a crash course for officials and table workers."

When an official has to stop, reset the shot clock and put or take off time, those seconds add up to minutes and we have not begun to add it into other functions of the game.

The cost might be the most prohibiting thing to KSHSAA adopting a shot clock. While the shot clocks themselves start just over $5,000, on the personnel side, that can add up.

Andover Central pays their table workers $20-25 per game and typically will do 3-4 games on game night. When you break that down to add in a shot clock operator as Andover Central runs three at their scorers table, with nine regular season home games, that is almost $2,900 to pay your table workers.

Then, finding someone competent enough to run the shot clock. It has to be hit at the right time and not early or reset late. The delays could push a game beyond the anticipated ending time.

When it comes to adding the shot clock, your initial costs shoot sky high. There are plenty of questions that have to be answered: What type of shot clock? Is the scoreboard that is currently installed compatible with the shot clock? The venue, layout, installation, and wiring are also things you have to consider when you plan to install a shot clock.

"The up-front cost was not nearly a concern as you would think," Auch said. "Daktronics worked with us on the pricing as the entire state was installing them at the time."

According to a sales representative with Daktronics, the estimated starting cost for two shot clocks for the main gym is around $6,000. Then, if your gym is not compliant with the shot clocks and you have to re-wire or add a new scoreboard, your local school could end up adding an additional $6,000. This does not include the schools secondary gymnasium. Pricing would double in that case. All but one school in Butler County utilizes multiple gyms when hosting a varsity night.

When it comes to implementation of the shot clock, there is more than just cost and concern within the schools, the state association has to look out for themselves. When you implement the shot clock, you lose your seat on rule committees. As for South Dakota, they can make recommendations, but they cannot serve on those rule committees.

"Every year there are proposals on the shot clock," Auch said. "Its something we sacrificed for our game."

While you are not on those committees, associations can still recommend certain rule changes.

If you ask some athletic directors, there are bigger things to worry about than the shot clock for the state of Kansas.

"Id rather see the block/charge circle under the basket before a shot clock," Augusta Athletic Director Travis Olive said.

Kansas isnt getting the shot clock next season and probably not any time soon if the votes keep coming up negative. However, state adoption is the way to go. With the NFHS voting each year to give each state their adoption of rules, that would be the entry for Kansas to allow classes to use the shot clock.

"The rabbit hole of allowing states to adopt their own rules opens up a pandoras box of issues," Auch said.

That could give states their ability to adopt any sort of rules, really changing the game of basketball and not only the shot clock.

While Kansas continues to make their decision, the rest of the nation presses on. While what they do may be best for their state, the question continues to loom: is this what is right for Kansas?

Original post:
To shot clock or not: Is it time for Kansas to head that route? - The Hutchinson News

Article By : Cabe Atwell

For those whom that is impossible, be it cost-prohibitive, unavailable to their location, affected by an outage, or any other issue, how do they gain access to information? Take a look at the top six methods of broadband delivery...

The flow of information in the world is what keeps it running. For the average household, Internet access is possible through a wired broadband connection, which also offers the fastest and most reliable service of current delivery methods. But for those whom that is impossible, be it cost-prohibitive, unavailable to their location, affected by an outage, or any other issue, how do they gain access to information? While they may not be the commercial standard, there are several other methods of broadband delivery. Take a look at the top six below, plus a method for real-time news delivery with no Internet connection.

Wireless Connectivity (LTE)

Mobile Broadband Offers Wireless Access from Our Phones.

Plenty of us have another source of connection in our pockets. With average U.S. LTE speeds at almost 14 megabits per second, mobile broadband can be a perfectly serviceable alternative to traditional broadband. There are plenty of devices on the market to convert your cell signal into a Wi-Fi hotspot, and using a data-only plan, this can be a relatively low-cost, high-speed option. You may be subject to data caps and limited battery life with this method. Still, for the purposes of web browsing, social media, and email access, your cell will undoubtedly do the trick, as long as your location offers reliable LTE service.

Satellite Broadband

Satellite delivery can be an excellent option for areas where connections such as cable or phone lines simply arent readily available. The signal is transmitted using three satellite dishes one in space, one at the service providers hub, and one on your property. Traditionally, this method has been a last-resort service for rural areas. Satellite Internet has always had issues: high latency, limited broadband capacity, and signal disruptions due to weather or minor obstructions to your dish. However, in an effort to better reach these unserved or underserved areas, many companies are working to install low-altitude satellites, called Low Earth Orbits or LEOs, which could come to provide service to the entire planet.

FTTx

Fiber-Optic Technology Offers Reliable High-Speed Service.

Fiber-optic technology has been gaining traction in the U.S. for some time now, touted as the fastest and most reliable connection available. The service functions using wires made of transparent glass fibers as small as the diameter of a human hair, which transport data in the form of light signals. Unlike the copper wiring used for cable connections, these wires are not easily disrupted by environmental conditions. While the speeds enable rapid download and the service is incredibly reliable, fiber to the home is not yet widely accessible as it requires new infrastructure for delivery. Its also not clear fiber to the home is absolutely necessary to get blazing-fast broadband; if a broadband provider can get fiber close to a customers home, coaxial cable continues to be a great way to close the gap and support gigabit transmission rates.

Fixed Wireless (5G)

Fixed Wireless Connects Remote Areas Via Radio Waves.

Another wireless method delivers broadband to you via radio waves. Fixed wireless Internet uses an antenna on your property to communicate with nearby towers to send data onto a wired network. This comes with several difficulties. Often fixed wireless is more expensive than a purely wired connection, requires additional equipment and installation, and may encounter issues without line-of-sight on the tower. The pros, however, are that fixed wireless has no data cap and doesnt suffer from the high latency issues of satellite. Deployment areas are limited, as it is most useful when building a wired network to individual homes isnt cost-effective in rural and remote areas.

Broadband Over Powerline

Power Lines Provide Internet Access with Existing Infrastructure.

Broadband over power line (BPL) provides Internet access via ordinary power lines so, in theory, any location not served by conventional delivery methods but connected to a power grid can be given access. BPL uses radio-spectrum frequencies transmitted over the same lines as electrical signals to transmit data at speeds equivalent to cable or DSL. Power line communication (PLC) is not entirely new; BPL can be traced back to technologies developed by AT&T as early as 1914, and electricity companies have been bundling radio frequency and electrical current on the same line for years to monitor their own power grids. These radio signals are received by a modem-like BPL device that plugs into an outlet and sends the signal to your device. Deployment attempts have so far been plagued with issues, however, with trials stymied by limited reach and low bandwidth.

Balloons

Broadband Via Balloon Delivers Internet Connectivity to Remote Areas Worldwide.

Devices relaying signals while attached to balloons serve to extend connectivity to areas of the world without Internet access. The initiative began as a research project by Google X called Loon, which partners with global mobile network operators to expand their LTE service reaching places that lack coverage, supplementing existing networks, and providing coverage following natural disasters. In 2018, Loon became a separate company that continues to provide an aerial wireless network to areas without conventional access. Their balloons, maneuvered by adjusting their altitude to a wind layer with the desired speed and direction, use patch antennas to transmit signals to ground stations or LTE users. In 2019, they announced their fleet had reached one million hours of flight, all while delivering Internet access to unserved and underserved areas.

The Fallback Project

The Fallback Project Serves as an Information Access Alternative.

When there is no possibility of an Internet connection, one project seeks to offer continued real-time access to information. Developed to aid those with restricted communications due to Internet shutdowns by authoritarian regimes, The Fallback Project provides an alternative web platform that transmits encrypted data from sources preselected by a user to their Portal device via satellite. The Portal offers a hotspot to transmit data to any Wi-Fi enabled device on which news can then be browsed with a text-based UI. Since no data is stored locally, the setup maintains anonymity for the user. The project seeks to maintain the normalcy of information access during the most extreme circumstances, using forecasting algorithms to predict Internet shutdowns and providing backup right when its needed.

Related

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6 Alternatives to Get Broadband - EE Times India

It wasn't that long ago that Australia was mired in what many assumed would be the country's worst crisis of 2020.

Thousands of people were forced to seek temporary accommodation in rental properties and hotels. Many are still there, listening to daily reminders to "stay at home" to stop the spread of the coronavirus. If only they could.

Rebuilding after a bushfire can take months, if not years. Insurance assessments need to be carried out, land cleared, boundaries redrawn and essential services like electricity and water reconnected. Plans need to be drafted, costed and approved.

But most importantly, homeowners need to decide if they're willing to stay and risk losing everything all over again.

"A lot of people are coming to grips with what's happened, and the level of trauma is still very high," said architect Tim Lee, who was conducting how-to-rebuild seminars in fire-hit towns in New South Wales before coronavirus isolation measures forced everyone indoors.

Many Australians choose to live near the bush to feel closer to nature. They often live in wooden dwellings, sometimes down quiet, unsealed roads surrounded by trees.

Designed by Ian Weir and Kylie Feher, Karri House in Denmark, Western Australia, prioritizes design over land clearing. Bushfire shutters are used on a daily basis to block out light and insects. "My aim with my work is to build houses that will give extreme, very high levels of confidence so that people can leave early and the house will sustain itself without their help," architect Ian Weir said. Credit: Andrew Halsall / Ian Weir

That's because the vast majority of their houses were built decades ago, before the current building standards were introduced, and when little thought was given to fire.

But with the climate crisis producing hotter, drier conditions, architects say it's more important than ever to design for bushfires before they become more intense and even harder to control. And they say it's possible to create a fire-resistant home that doesn't resemble a bunker -- one that works with the landscape rather than adding fuel to a raging fire.

Losing a home

Merran and Peter Guest lost their home in the small Victorian town of Marysville on February 7, a day now known as Black Saturday. They left their home that morning to drive two hours to a party in Melbourne, unaware that a fire was approaching. Back then, there were no text messages or alerts warning of an imminent fire threat, as there are today. By the time they were allowed to return to their home, nothing was left.

"Everything that survived, when you picked it up it just turned to dust," Merran Guest said.

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However, with millions of Australian homes in moderate to extreme fire-risk areas, retrofitting them to meet current standards is all but impossible, said architect Nigel Bell of ECOdesign Architects + Consultants.

"You cannot, no matter how much money you've spent, upgrade it without demolition," said Bell. "If you've only got $5,000 or $20,000 to spend, probably one of the best things you can do is to add a water spray sprinkler system."

Kate Cotter, CEO of the Bushfire Building Council of Australia, says improving existing homes, even with simple measures such as sealing gaps and replacing flammable material, is a matter of national urgency. "Ignoring legacy property ignores the majority of the risk," she said.

A fire-resistant house built after the 2013 Blue Mountain fires that destroyed around 200 homes. The homeowners originally wanted to insert roof-windows, but were prevented from doing so due to tough regulations on "roof penetrations," according to architect Nigel Bell. They had to fit extra windows instead. Credit: nigel bell

Design as a barrier

New homes in high fire risk areas not only have to meet strict Australian building standards, but extra measures imposed by some states.

"People might not even smell smoke, and suddenly their immediate landscape around the building is on fire," he said. "In the majority of sites across the whole country, fire authorities are encouraging the management of sites, as opposed to the design of resilient homes."

Clever design can help reduce the risk of fire, without razing surrounding land, he said. For example, traditional wooden decks can be replaced with terraces, if the land is flat enough, and internal courtyards can be used to bring nature inside without compromising safety.

"We can get those kind of verandah-style spaces actually within the interior of the house," Weir said.

The panels on this prototype by architect Ian Weir are able to fold down to protect the house from flames. Galvanized steel panels cover bushfire-proof fabric. The idea is that owners should seal their house as a fire approaches -- then leave. Credit: ian weir

The prototype resembles a small oven, but the logic behind this house is that its occupants can lock it up and leave.

"Almost 50% of the wall surface area opens up to the landscape but (it) closes down to create a fully enclosed shield from embers, radiant heat and flames," Weir explained. "It is not intended to protect occupants -- instead the occupants can close it down and leave early."

The position of the house is important, too, said Bell of ECOdesign Architects + Consultants.

It should be low-set, especially the part of the house exposed to a potential firefront, and built on lower ground. "The worst thing you could do is build high on top of a hill or a mountain with bushfire-prone vegetation below," Bell said.

Fire resistant materials

New materials are also making homes more fire-resistant.

Architect Jiri Lev describes hempcrete as a "miracle material" that's both non-flammable and eco-friendly. Made from industrial hemp, a lime-based binder and water, it is squashed into a wooden frame and, once dry, creates an effective barrier against flames.

Lev says there needs to be a complete rethink of architecture in Australia, which he said has created "commodified, uniform dwellings" that are disconnected from the land and local conditions.

"It's always about building the biggest for the cheapest. Of course with that attitude and approach, you can never end up with a beautiful home or a beautiful suburb," Lev said.

His vision for bush architecture is a blanket of small townships, each flanked by agricultural land and bush that's close enough to be managed by the community to regulate the threat. Lev said it would require a change in thinking, from seeking solitude in the bush to building homes closer together to make communities safer and more efficient.

"Everyone tends to want to live like the nobleman, have their own little duchy or their own little barony, even if it's just a quarter acre or less," he said. "People naturally try to create their own little isolated universe, but it's not sustainable. And it makes no sense. In the end of there's no sustainability in isolation."

His point seems more pertinent now than ever. Designing a new home may seem exciting, but for many people who are rebuilding after a fire, it's a painful and daunting experience.

"You've got people who've been in their houses for 20 to 30 years, then all of a sudden it's gone," said Tim Lee. "There's a grieving process to go through. Many people just want their old house back."

Peter Guest inspects what's left their home after catastrophic bushfires on February 7, 2009, a day now known as Black Saturday. More than 170 people were killed and the entire town of Marysville was destroyed. The couple rebuilt on the same block soon after. Credit: Merran Guest

Merran and Peter Guest did, too. The house they lost was less than 10 years old. They still had the plans and asked the builder to construct another one -- but to make it bigger and more fire resistant.

The old marine plywood was replaced with rendered brick, all the windows were double-glazed and now the only wood in the house is the front door, made of merbau, a fire-resistant hardwood.

"Because we built the house, we knew what it cost. But many people had bought a house for not a lot, so they'd only insured it for a little bit -- and they didn't have money to build to the new specifications," Merran said, adding that if she had her time again, she wouldn't rebuild. The process was time-consuming, costly and confusing.

"If we had known what we'd go through rebuilding, we wouldn't have done it. But now we have, I'm glad we did it."

The rest is here:
The Australian architects designing homes to withstand bushfires - CNN

Upcoming Deadlines/DatesJune 30: 2020 ARCPLC ElectionJuly 15: Crop CertificationSeptember 30: PLC Yield Update

USDA Service CentersThough USDA Service Center doors are locked, they are open for business by phone and email. Field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While our program delivery staff will continue to come into the office on a rotational basis, they will be working with our producers by phone, and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center first. The Allamakee County USDA Service Center is (563) 568-2148. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

April 2020 CCC and FSFL Interest RatesNew rates were issued for the month of April and are as follows: 0.750% for 3 years 0.750% for 5 years 1.000% for 7 years 1.000% for 10 years 1.125% for 12 years 1.250% for 15 years

Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Enrollment for 2020USDAs Farm Service Agency (FSA) encourages agricultural producers to enroll now in the Agriculture Risk Loss (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs. The deadline to enroll for the 2020 crop year is June 30, 2020. By enrolling soon, producers can beat the rush as the deadline nears.

FSA offices have multiple programs competing for the time and attention of our staff. Because of the importance and complexities of the ARC and PLC programs; and to ensure FSA meets your program delivery expectations, please do not wait to start the enrollment process. Contact your FSA county office and make an appointment soon to ensure your elections are made and contracts signed well ahead of the deadline.

ARC and PLC provide financial protections to farmers from substantial drops in crop prices or revenues and are vital economic safety nets for most American farms.

Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) - February RateThe DMC rate for February 2020 was $10.06/cwt. As a result, there will not be a DMC payment for February 2020.

Breaking New GroundAgricultural producers are reminded to consult with FSA and NRCS before breaking out new ground for production purposes as doing so without prior authorization may put a producers federal farm program benefits in jeopardy. This is especially true for land that must meet Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions.

Producers with HEL determined soils are required to apply tillage, crop residue and rotational requirements as specified in their conservation plan.

Producers should notify FSA as a first point of contact prior to conducting land clearing or drainage type projects to ensure the proposed actions meet compliance criteria such as clearing any trees to create new cropland, then these areas will need to be reviewed to ensure such work will not risk your eligibility for benefits.

Landowners and operators complete the form AD-1026 - Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification to identify the proposed action and allow FSA to determine whether a referral to Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for further review is necessary.

Marketing Loans - ReminderGrain that is under loan, or sealed as many producers call it, must be repaid or released for sale prior to moving the bushels out of storage for sale or feed use. Unauthorized disposition results in possible penalties and administrative actions. Remember to call before you haul and we can discuss your options and forms that you may need to sign. Phone the FSA office at (563) 568-2148.

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What's Up at the USDA Office? - Waukon Standard

With neighborhoods full of home-bound residents thanks to the state-wide Stay at Home order, any smoke created by recreational fires or yard-waste burning may impact a large number of people. Worse, since Covid-19 creates severe respiratory issues, anything that impacts breathing during these tense times can add to peoples stress and worry.

For these reasons, the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) encourages residents and businesses to continue working together to protect public health by reducing the amount of smoke they produce. Folks are asked to refrain from outdoor burning activities, including recreational fires, yard waste burning, and land-clearing slash burning. These voluntary restrictions should be upheld until the need for social distancing relaxes.

Residents may make use of alternatives to burning, including curbside pickup services offered by their trash pick-up providers. Compost piles can turn yard waste into valuable soil additives for yard and garden. And chipping can create good ground-cover materials.

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Residents Asked to Refrain from Burning - masonwebtv.com

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The Santa Rosa County homebuilding industry, which has enjoyed a boom in recent years,is preparing for an uncertain future as economic consequences loom from thecoronavirus pandemic.

Dozens of housing developments, both small and large-scale, are already underway throughout the county. Some are in the infancy stages of land clearing, and some are already built and ready to be shown to potential home buyers. But with unemployment soaring due to coronavirus-related closures and a recession all but certain, homebuilders and those employed by the local construction industry are bracing for the unknown.

"I am in complete agreement that in late March, the U.S. started a downhill trend toward recession, and that in the second quarter of calendar year 2020 April, May and Junewe will be in a severe recession," said Rick Harper, economic adviser for Triumph Gulf Coast. "There's no doubt about that, and it's because of the slowdown in consumer spending."

To provide our community with important public safety information, our newsroom is making stories related to the coronavirus free to read. To support important local journalism like this, please consider becoming a digital subscriber.

But Harper cautioned that due to the sudden nature of the economic downturn and the various unknowns associated with when the economy will open up again and how long it will take for things to get back to "normal," not every industry will be hit the same.

Construction, for instance, could fare better thanthe tourism and hospitality sectors in Florida, which were shut down just at the peak of spring break season.

"Being designated as 'essential' by the DHS (Department of Human Services) puts the construction industry in a very different position than the tourism industry, for example," Harper said. "But I think, relative to the other industry sectors, construction may be hit a little bit less hard. Construction workers want to stay on the job, and the DHS says they can stay on the job."

Still, the local construction industry is already experiencing impacts related to the coronavirus. Blaine Flynn, owner of Flynn Built and the 2020 president of the Home Builders Association of West Florida, said construction of new housing developments in the county has already begun to slow down in recent weeks.Flynn estimates he's seen a decrease in sales contracts of 40% to 50% for the month of March, which is typically one of his busiest months for new home sales.

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He attributes the decrease in sales to sudden job losses, people's hesitancy to take out mortgages due to the uncertain future of the economyand a slowdown in the actual construction process due to social distancing guidelines. His crews must work six feet apart from each other, and only one subcontractor is allowed to be in the house at once, whereas previously he could have multiple subcontractors HVAC, plumbing, electrical and more all in the house at the same time to speed up the process.

The slowdown in the construction process means interest rates on construction loans are building up, causing the process to cost more, which could be passed on to the home buyers.

Flynn remembers the 2008 recession well, but he said the current economic climate is one he's never experienced before, and he's not sure what it will look like on the other end.

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Electricians Jason Clemons and Eric Ownby prepare to run electrical wiring throughout a new home build in Santa Rosa County on Monday, all while practicing proper social distancing.(Photo: Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com)

"I think the difference between the 2008recession and this (the coronavirus) is that when (2008) happened, it was economically driven from the fact of bad mortgages and it all kind of came to a head,"Flynn said. "But this is different than anyone's ever seen before. This isn't happening because the economy was bad, this is a virus that no one has any answers to. ... So to compare it to 2008, I don't know how you do that, because we were in the strongest economic growth that we've seen and this virus just hit it immediately."

Shawn Ward, the planning and zoning director for Santa Rosa County, said his office has seen a slight decrease in building inspections in March. The county typically does between 300 to 350 inspections per day, but lately they have been doing about 250 to 300.

But at the same time, Ward said hehas actually seen an uptick in building permit applications in recent weeks attributed to the economic uncertainty.

"A couple of builders have referenced that they're going to submit more because they don't know if that supply chain is going to waiver off," Ward said. "And there's also some worry about the upcoming educational impact fee."

Impact fee: Santa Rosa County could consider delaying school impact fee collection due to coronavirus

The educational impact fee is slated to go into effect May 4 to help build new schools in Santa Rosa County, though County Commissioners could decide to delay that. Homebuilders, who have been opposed to the fee since the beginning, say implementing the fee now will make it even more difficult for people tobuy homes in an already uncertain market.

Keith Furrow, a broker with Keith Furrow and Associates and a builder and partner in Gulf Coast Dream Homes, said he takes more stock with building inspections than with permits at the current moment.

"A bunch of the big builders have enough money that they can order hundreds of permits at a time, so that would give you an artificial sense that it's going to be amazing, when in reality they just might not build those right away," Furrow said. "I think the permit number applications, in this case, don't mean a lot. I think inspections mean a lot."

Santa Rosa Countys housing boom is already slowing down due to the economic impact of the coronavirus, as workers have to practice social distancing on job sites and prepare for disruptions in the international supply chain. But experts arent sure about the long-term implications of the economic downturn on the local homebuilding industry just yet.(Photo: Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com)

Furrow said the sudden collapse of the economy in the past three weeks has been "shockingly devastating" for the homebuilding industry. He said he's seen business partners lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash flow instantly as buyers lose their jobs and have their 401(k)s wiped out.

Still, Furrow said he's remaining "cautiously optimistic" about the months ahead and refers to the current climate as a "pause" in the market as opposed to a "dip."

"In the second quarter (April, May and June), there's going to be no doubt about it that it's not going to be as good, and the third quarter (July, August, and September) may not be good either," Furrow said. "But the fourth quarter, you never know. It's going to take a year or longer to get things even close to being back where we were. Because it takes time for people to rebuild their lives."

For Santa Rosa County residents who own homes, or are looking to buy or sell homes, the future just isn't clear, experts say.

On the one hand, the economy prior to coronavirus was strong, housing demand in Santa Rosa County was high and new inventory was constantly being built.

But on the other hand, no one knows when or if the economy will get back to normal, and how long it will take for people to get back on their feet.

"With the advent of coronavirus and the growing realization that it's a serious problem for the economy, we've seen a slowdown in mortgage finance requests applications," said Harper, the economist with Triumph Gulf Coast. "So the demand will slow for new construction because people are uncertain about the future.But the federal reserve is keeping interest rates extraordinarily low, and mortgage rates are very attractive for people considering building a new home or moving to Santa Rosa County."

Furrow speculated that some property owners could see a decrease of between 2%to 4% in their property values, but that could easily change due to the constantly changing nature of the economy. He said the fluctuations will vary depending on the value of the home.

Low mortgage rates: A 'traffic jam' hits home refinancing as owners rush to take advantage of record-low rates

He said there are so many factors that have ripple effects on the home buying and building sectors, from sales people who can't show model homes due to social distancing guidelines, to people from up north who were planning to come to Florida but can't due to travel restrictions.

"Each month there's going to be a slight adjustment, but there's no doubt that there's going to be pressure on home prices," he said.

Electrician Jason Clemons works on new home in Santa Rosa County on Monday.(Photo: Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com)

Gary Michaels, operations manager with the Mark Lee Team at Levin Rinke Realty, said his team's first quarter was a record in terms of sales, and they've had multiple closings last week and this week.

He said the economy has been strong prior to the sudden crash, and he's optimistic it will rebound soon but only if people follow the rules and stay inside.

"I'm optimistic that we're going to come through this, and we're going to go right back to a robust economy," he said. "I say that cautiously, because ultimately no one knows, and we need to get through this as quickly as possible. We need everybody to do their part."

Annie Blanks can be reached at ablanks@pnj.com or 850-435-8632.

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Santa Rosa County's homebuilding industry was booming before the pandemic. Now what? - Pensacola News Journal

With millions of jobs now furloughed indefinitely and billions in lost revenue, the tourism industry is currently grappling with the most significant challenge it has ever faced. Through the uncertainty and fear a chorus of voices is emerging, trying to give hope and encourage investment during these extraordinary times.

With more than 50 years in the attractions industry,Frank Stanekknows it better than most. The "Themed Entertainment Association Lifetime Achievement Award" winner now serves as an executive adviser for themed entertainment and attractions design firm the Producers Group. Via TPG Stanek published a white paper that has since become a rallying cry across the industry. Pointing to the numerous previous tumultuous economic shifts that have occurred over his lifetime, Stanek says now is not the time to allow fear to freeze investments in the future, adding, In fact, this is an ideal time to continue the development of well-thought-out projects" with appealing concepts, sound business plans and good execution strategy.

He goes on to say that in past cases, those who have used downturns to reinvest are at a better advantage when the economy does rebound. The social and economic activities of life run in cycles. Since the development cycle for a new project in itself is a longer term, two to 10 years, stopping development in uncertain times creates an unforced delay in the project realization.

Its not just the return of guests that is at play so is finding quality labor. In periods of uncertainty, strategic advantages can accrue to those who keep moving the project forward. Competitors less confident will slow down or stop their projects, giving you a chance to overtake and lead. Competition for resources may slow down, allowing you to achieve better pricing on project needs for construction and equipment. Turmoil may cause disruption in the labor market, which would allow you to recruit more experienced or high demand talent, executives and services.

So far, the tourism industry has flashed mixed signals. At Universal, leaders have said projects around the world are continuing to move forward. At Disney World, there seems to be a dichotomy on how to respond with construction projects within the parks paused indefinitely while Reedy Creek projects outside the parks remain active.

Drew Fisher of the tourism-focused "In the Loop" podcast and YouTube channel, who is currently furloughed from his tourism-related job, spoke to Orlando Weekly on what he expects over the next two years. Regional chains like Six Flags and Cedar Fair may choose to not invest in new attractions for the 2021 season, he said, but larger park chains like SeaWorld and Disney are likely already too far along to cancel similar projects.

As the shock of our post-coronavirus reality sets in, and as weeks of social distancing-related closures turn into months, how each company will respond will be become clearer. With tens of thousands of tourism workers already furloughed, one thing is clear: Few seem to be learning from Milton Hershey, who proudly proclaimed, As far as I know, no man was dropped by reason of the Depression. And no salaries were cut. To see who will come out ahead after this slowdown, industry leaders may be wise to look to Hershey and Stanek. So far, the only company that seems to be doing so is Universal.

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History shows now is the time to invest in tourism projects are Disney, Universal and SeaWorld listening? - Orlando Weekly

Drought, fires and land clearing have pushed Australias iconic koala to the brink of extinction, animal welfare groups warned on Sunday,with last year's bush fires killing thousands of the animals.

The groups are urging Australia's national government to classify the marsupial as endangered in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory after research from two major conservation groups revealed a dramatic collapse in the koala population in the past 20 years.

WWF-Australia found that since 2001, the number of koalas in Queensland has been cut in half, while in New South Wales numbers may have declined by up to 62 percent, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Drought anddeforestation-along with the related problem of bush fires - were the main factors driving the collapse, according to WWF-Australia scientist Dr Stuart Blanch, who added that the situation was worse than we thought.

We have gone from [koalas] not being a threatened species to [potentially] being listed as an endangered species on the east coast within a decade - I would never have thought that was possible. I never thought we would be losing them so quickly, he told SBS News.

Raising the threat level to endangered would increase the protection for forests and woodlands where koalas live, mobilise fundsand, hopefully, increase public support for the species. Koalas are the canaries of our forests. If we lose koalas, it means our forests are disappearing as well, warned Dr Blanch.

He said raising the level to endangered was inevitable but must happen as soon as possible.

The devastating bush fires of 2019-20 contributed heavily to the problem, according to the research. The report by the International Fund for Animal Welfare found that at least 6,382 koalas were killed in New South Wales between the start of the bush fire season and February 13, representing 15 percent of the region's koalas.

That added to the enormous stress on the population due to land clearing, urban development and drought, with numbers declining by up to 62 percent since 2001.

IFAW wildlife campaigner Josey Sharrad said the death toll is a conservative estimate which doesn't include the number of koalas that will die because their habitats have been destroyed by fires. The surviving koalas have nowhere to go, she said.

Sue Ashton, of the Koala Hospital in Macquarie, New South Wales, told The Telegraph that drought severely depleted the food supply forkoalas, a problem exacerbated by bush fires.

They get about 65 percent of their hydration from leaves [but] because of the drought the leaves are too dry, she said. Koalas desperate for food may venture across roads and into peoples backyards, putting them at risk of being killed by traffic or dogs.

Link:
Koalas pushed to the brink of extinction by drought and bush fires, animal welfare groups say - Telegraph.co.uk

The government notably rejected one recommendation: the commission's call for "an overarching steering committee" led by an independent chair to oversee agency coordination and implement review triggers and other action.

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Instead, the government offered support for an oversight group led by senior bureaucrats.

Rachel Walmsley, an Environmental Defenders Office NSW policy director, described the response as "totally inadequate".

"It was all a very secret process, with no action to [fix the problems] or commitment to transparency," she said.

She added the government had also "noted" the commission's call for it to finalise and release regulatory maps and to nominate areas of outstanding biodiversity value - despite the laws being active since August 2017.

The commission completed its report last July and the government released it last month following a threat of legal action from independent NSW MP Justin Field. Mr Field said the state's response to the audit - prompted by a previously secret deal between the Liberals and Nationals if land-clearing approvals topped an annual rate of 20,000 hectares - was to "kick the can down the road again and let the escalated land clearing continue".

A front-end loader removes trees on a property near Junee in the Riverina.Credit:Ashley Hermes

"The National Party keep getting away with environmental vandalism in this state and the Liberals appear unable or unwilling to hold their feet to the fire and back in the expert advice," Mr Field said.

Separately, the Herald has learned the Planning Department has ordered compliance officers to finalise all investigations related to alleged breaches under the former laws by August 25, 2020.

In some instances, such a deadline will mean the 24-month statute of limitations for bringing action against offenders from the first official warning will be cut by half a year or more.

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Social isolation limits prompted by the COVID-19 lockdown is also hindering work across the agriculture and environment departments, including compliance.

However, the government spokesman denied there was an interruption to work: "All compliance activity is currently continuing while adhering to NSW government guidelines and rules on social distancing, self-isolation where required and strict hygiene protocols to protect staff and our stakeholders.

"At this stage we do not anticipate any statute of limitations impacts because of COVID-19," he said.

The government did not respond to questions about the recommendations.

Peter Hannam writes on environment issues for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Link:
'Environmental vandalism': State's response to secret land audit blasted - Sydney Morning Herald

Land brokers who have allocated themselves huge tracts at the Yala swamp will have to share part of their portions with vulnerable members of the public, Siaya Deputy County Commissioner, Joseph Sawe has said.

Sawe at the same time ordered an immediate stop to cultivation in the swamp at night and told the management of the Lake Agro Limited not to allow unknown people into the wetland.Speaking to the media after a fact-finding mission in the wetland, the deputy county commissioner said that the 2,000 acres that the investor had allowed the locals to temporarily till should benefit the local villagers to enable them produce food for their families.He said it was a pity that a few individuals had allocated themselves huge tracts of the public land which they were leasing out to outsiders at colossal amounts at the expense of the landless locals.The public land is under lease to Lake Agro Limited, a subsidiary of the West Kenya Sugar company and it has allowed the locals to use a portion of it temporarily.Those who think that they want everything will lose. Let them share so that everyone gets something, said Sawe who was accompanied on the fact-finding tour by Siaya sub county police commander, senior superintendent Justus Kucha and the central Alego ward member of the county assembly, Leonard Oriaro.The DCC called on the residents around the Yala swamp to use the resources in harmony and avoid wrangles, warning that the government will be forced to chuck them out of the wetland on security grounds should they fail to keep order.Addressing the media, Central Alego MCA, Leonard Oriaro hailed the national government for its timely intervention in the matter and expressed hope that the ordinary citizens, who have been at the mercy of the tycoons, will finally get a share of the wetland.Oriaro said that the controversy in the swamp was occasioned by moneyed brokers who invaded the swamp with tractors and took over the small parcels that belonged to the villagers, merging them with portions that they were clearing.These people are sourcing for people from outside Siaya who pay them as much as Sh 20,000 per acre of land, said Oriaro adding that in the quest to mint more, the grabbers have been displacing the elderly, widows and other vulnerable members of the society.Oriaro said that some of the grabbers have as much as 200 acres where they have planted sugarcane and other crops.He said that villagers who dared to question the forceful acquisition of the small parcels that they had cleared have been threatened by hired goons sent to intimidate them.The MCA blamed the rising tension in the swamp on the outsiders whom, he added, should be locked out for sponsoring animosity.He welcomed the suggestion that individuals should not be allowed to own more than five acres of land in the swamp, adding that a few people must not be allowed to get richer at the expense of others.The fact-finding mission was occasioned by a protest match to the county headquarters by a group of elderly men and women who sought government intervention, accusing land grabbers of forcing them out of the land they have cultivated for decades.

By Philip Onyango.

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No tilling in the swamp at night, government orders. - Kenya News Agency