A nearly two mile stretch of SE 136th Avenue is getting a major makeover thanks to a $6.7 million investment by the City of Portland.

The SE 136th Paving and Sidewalks to Opportunity project will spend $4 million to repave the entire roadway between SE Division and Foster. Thats the largest project ever funded by the Portland Bureau of Transportations Fixing Our Streets program, a 10-cent gas tax increase voters passed in 2016. An additional $2.7 million in System Development Charges (SDCs) will fund a host of other updates including: lane striping that includes eight-foot-wide bike lanes in both directions, new sidewalks on the west side of the street (see below), a crew crosswalk at SE Foster, 48 new or upgraded ADA curb ramps, 52 new street trees, six bioswales to capture stormwater runoff (funded by Bureau of Environmental Services), a traffic signal upgrade at Division, and improved streetlights.

PBOT also says users of TriMet bus lines 2, 9, 10, and 17 will benefit from better access to stops.

If SE 136th sounds familiar, thats because it was the location of a tragic collision in 2013 that resulted in the death of a 5-year-old girl. After Morgan Cook was killed while walking across 136th at Harold, former Portland Mayor Charlie Hales and Oregon State Representative Shemia Fagan vowed to fund sidewalks on the street. At one point, Hales even wrestled precious paving funds from PBOT in order to do it. And Fagan was also successful in lobbying the legislature for funding to build a sidewalk on the east side of the street.

When this project was presented to the PBOT Bicycle Advisory Committee back in January, members encouraged PBOT to include some sort of physical protection in the bike lane buffer zone. At that time, PBOT said the large number of residential driveways would make that difficult. PBOT also said the project budget was not large enough for protection. I confirmed with PBOT today that they were able to fund protected bikeways.

The bike lane will be protected by concrete curbs, roughly 16 high, that will be permanently doweled into the ground, says PBOT Director of Communications John Brady.

Construction is expected to begin in summer 2020.

Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org Get our headlines delivered to your inbox. Support this independent community media outlet with a one-time contribution or monthly subscription.

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3.6 miles of protected bike lanes coming to SE 136th Avenue - BikePortland.org

Luann Pitts spent much of Saturday shoveling heaps and heaps of snow off her long, sloping driveway in Twin Peaks, a community near Lake Arrowhead.

She had a card-decorating party scheduled the next day. The snow on each side of the pavement stood 3 feet tall.

Weve never seen this much snow all at once, said Pitts, who has lived on the mountain for 25 years. The day before, Pitts and her husband had returned from spending the holiday with family in Claremont on roads caked with snow.

We felt like we were on a rocky ride at Disneyland, Pitts said.

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Gridlock on route 330 towards Big Bear as drivers pull over to put on chains at the CalTrans check point due to icy road conditions. (Patrick Fallon/For The Times)

2/10

Joseph Mospan digs his truck out so he can get to his snow blower at his home in Arrowbear, Calif. He got power back again late last night after first losing it Thursday night. (Patrick Fallon/For The Times)

3/10

Sebastien Moukir, of Los Angeles, right, checks out the window to make sure their tire chains are riding properly after passing though a CalTrans checkpoint on route 330 toward Big Bear. (Patrick Fallon/For The Times)

4/10

Visiting family members of residents help dig an access road out of the snow on Friday in Twin Peaks, an area two miles west of Lake Arrowhead. (Laura Newberry/Los Angeles TImes)

5/10

A snowman wearing a football jersey and palm frond wings sits on a lawn on Desert View Dr. as high desert snow melts in the Antelope Valley town of Palmdale in Palmdale, Calif., on Dec. 1, 2019. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

6/10

Dozens of people frolic around lingering high desert snow on Tierra Subida Ave. in the Antelope Valley town of Palmdale in Palmdale, Calif., on Dec. 1, 2019. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

7/10

Felix Gonzalez, 10, plays in the snow lingering on Tierra Subida Ave. in the Antelope Valley town of Palmdale in Palmdale, Calif., on Dec. 1, 2019. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

8/10

Pacoima residents Andrea Hernandez, right, lifts a hand to deflect a snowball about to be thrown by friend Maria Salazar, left, as desert snow lingers in the Antelope Valley town of Palmdale in Palmdale, Calif., on Dec. 1, 2019. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

9/10

Mike Brown, a Big Bear resident of 31 years, clears snow from his driveway. (Patrick T. Fallon/For The Times)

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James Doolittle, 78, a Big Bear resident since 1963, bikes to the market. (Patrick T. Fallon/For The Times)

Despite having to wrestle with weather conditions for much of the weekend, Pitts was one of the lucky ones in the mountains. Thousands of people in the Lake Arrowhead area were still without power Sunday after heavy snow and strong winds a few days earlier caused widespread outages in the San Bernardino Mountains, officials said.

And more bad weather is on the way. One to 2 inches of rain is forecast in parts of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties between daybreak on Tuesday and Wednesday night, as a new storm makes its way across the region.

Snow is expected to hit the San Gabriel Mountains on Tuesday at the resort level, or at about 7,000 feet, according to Kristen Stewart, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

Over the weekend, about 8,000 Southern California Edison customers were affected by power outages in mountain communities, including Skyland, Twin Peaks, Running Springs, Cedar Glen, Forest Falls and Crestline, where many residents have been without power since Thanksgiving Day, according to the utility.

As of Sunday night, there were still 4,200 Edison customers without power in the Arrowhead area, the utility said. It was not clear when power would be restored.

Firewood for heating was being distributed to local residents, according to Edison. Temperatures there lingered in the mid-40s on Sunday following an overnight low in the high 20s.

Joseph Mospan digs his truck out so he can get to his snow blower at his home in Arrowbear, Calif. He got power back again late last night after first losing it Thursday night.

(Patrick Fallon/For The Times)

State Route 18 from Lucerne to Big Bear reopened Saturday after a temporary closure because of heavy snow. On Sunday, State Route 138 east of Interstate 15 was open to residents only, the California Department of Transportation said.

Slick mountain roads were jammed Sunday with skiers headed for resorts, including Big Bear Mountain, which recorded 4 feet of snow as of Friday morning. Snow Valley Mountain Resort, on the other hand, had to delay opening day until Sunday because of the weather.

In the Lake Arrowhead area, State Route 18 near State Route 189 was backed up on Sunday as drivers pulled over to snap chains onto their tires.

If you are traveling to the mountains you must have chains! Caltrans tweeted. Dont be the person who closes the routes that just opened overnight because you dont have chains!!

Meanwhile in the high desert, heavy snow that arrived in the Antelope Valley on Thanksgiving Day made for an unlikely scene of frosted Joshua trees and rooftop solar panels dusted with flakes. It had been years since the area was blanketed in snow.

But with temperatures climbing into the mid-40s, snowmen were melting and lawns and rooftops had thawed by Sunday.

I nearly forgot what the stuff looked like, said Carl Gerker of Palmdale. I hadnt used my snow shovel in 10 or 15 years, so I threw it away. Ive never seen a place so dry. So this was a bit of a novelty.

Gerker, 71, who grew up in Ohio, said his neighbors had some trouble with the 4 or 5 inches of snow they got.

They seemed gun-shy, and then others would start out too fast and go sliding all over the place, he said.

A few blocks away, young people were scraping snow off a front lawn to make snowballs.

We had a big ol snowball fight out here, said Caleb Bobber, 20, who was warming up a new dirt bike. Well take more, for sure. Its a lot of fun.

Snowy roads arent the only means of transportation testing travelers patience this week. Though Sunday is the busiest travel day of the year, Monday at Los Angeles International Airport will be just as hectic, said LAX spokesman Heath Montgomery. Wait times for the shuttles and bus systems will likely be longer than usual, Montgomery said, and parking is tighter this year due to airport construction.

Whatever buffer time youre normally comfortable with between getting to the airport and your flight time, Montgomery said, add an hour.

For anybody traveling up the state, the Bay Area will also see increased rain midweek, with the brunt of the storm hitting the Monterey coastal range. The heavy rain there is expected to taper off by early Wednesday, said Duane Dykema, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Francisco.

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Snow blankets Southern California mountain and high desert communities and more weather is coming Tuesday - Los Angeles Times

The riverfront custom colonial house at 30 West Branch Road has scenic panoramic views of and access to the Saugatuck Rivers west branch.

The riverfront custom colonial house at 30 West Branch Road has scenic panoramic views of and access to the Saugatuck Rivers west branch.

The riverfront custom colonial house at 30 West Branch Road has scenic panoramic views of and access to the Saugatuck Rivers west branch.

The riverfront custom colonial house at 30 West Branch Road has scenic panoramic views of and access to the Saugatuck Rivers west branch.

On the Market: Sophisticated weekend retreat in Weston

WESTON West Branch Road is appropriately named a portion of it sits on the west branch of the Saugatuck River.

A dark brown, custom cedar shingle and stone colonial is set alongside a private stretch of the rivers West Branch, affording its residents an opportunity to swim, fish and boat.

This nine-room riverfront home at 30 West Branch Road was built in 1966 in the Lower Weston community on the Westport border. Its two-acre level property also holds a 1,600-square-foot sports barn, which houses a half basketball court, its wooden flooring lined for regulation play.

These features make this place ideal as a weekend retreat or as a year-round residence. The location gives it a seemingly miles from nowhere feel all the while being conveniently close to the Merritt Parkway only 2 miles away and the centers of Weston and Westport. The house is not much more than a mile from Weston center including public schools, the public library, Peters Market and other conveniences.

The rustic and recreational nature of the exterior gives way to sophistication, as well as practicality in this Energy Star-rated house which contains 6,202 square feet of living space on four finished levels.

This highly functional floor plan demonstrates an intuitive understanding of the way people like to live and entertain, the listing agent said, adding that this house is a departure from the ordinary. It is perfect for both formal entertaining and family living, the agent said.

Enter the property via either side of the semi-circular driveway. A wide slate path leads to the covered front porch and the decoratively carved front door, which opens into the two-story foyer. The huge great room features a vaulted and coffered ceiling, Palladium window, a fireplace, and French doors to the three-season porch.

The formal dining room features a bowed wall of windows with French doors to a raised deck, and a built-in china cabinet with a glass door and interior lighting. The elegant powder room has a raised patterned wallpaper, marble floor with decorative tile inserts and a hammered nickel sink.

In the sizable breakfast room, there is a window seat flanked by built-in display shelves and French doors to the deck. The French-style country gourmet kitchen features a large center island with a prep sink and breakfast bar, granite counters, farm sink and high-end appliances including a Viking Professional range, combining to create what the owners call their cucina paradiso or Kitchen Paradise.

The living room, off the kitchen, has a floor-to-ceiling, gas-log stone fireplace and built-ins. The small office or home command center, off the breakfast room, has a wall of built-in bookshelves.

This house features five bedrooms, all en suite, one of which is on the main level. The others, including the master suite, are on the second floor. The sizable master suite features a sitting area, walk-in closet, and a luxurious bath with a double vanity topped in onyx, a large shower and a soaking tub. This room, and several others, have scenic panoramic vistas of the Saugatuck River.

STYLE: Custom Colonial

ADDRESS: 30 West Branch Road, Weston

PRICE: $1,449,000

ROOMS: 9

FEATURES: Two-acre level and gently sloping property, direct waterfront property, views of the Saugatuck River, not in a flood zone, 1,600-square-foot sports barn with a half basketball court, Energy Star-rated house, programmable thermostat, storm doors and windows, patio, deck, exterior lighting, fenced garden area, underground sprinkler, enclosed porch, professionally landscaped, circular driveway, audio system, pre-wired for cable, central vacuum, just about 12 minutes to the Saugatuck Metro North train station, close to the centers of Weston and Westport, only two miles to the Westport-Weston Family YMCA and Merritt Parkway, only four miles to Compo Beach, two fireplaces, full partially finished walk-out basement, walk-up attic, attic fan, ceiling fans, attached three-car garage, zoned central air conditioning and natural gas heat, 50-gallon water heater tank, fiberglass shingle roof, public water connection, five bedrooms (all en suite), five full and one half baths

SCHOOLS: Hurlbutt Elementary, Weston Middle, Weston High

ASSESSMENT: $951,340

MILL RATE: 32.37 mills

TAXES: $30,795

In the partially finished walk-out basement, there is a game room with sliding doors to the paving stone patio, and plenty of storage space.

There will be a public open house on Dec. 8, from 1 to 3 p.m.

For more information or to make an appointment to see the house contact Mark Wisniewski of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage at 203-856-5654 or mark.wisniewski@cbmoves.com.

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On the Market: Sophisticated weekend retreat in Weston - Westport News

This weeks two-day storm brought us the requisite silly images of TV reporters standing alongside Route 128 at the first flake, scraping snow from the ground to judge its snowball suitability as cars, trucks and semis speed past on dark pavement. We had shots of people lining up to buy snowblowers and rock salt at the local hardware store, and folks clearing their driveways were asked if they were ready for it to all be over, as if someone would possibly be happy to be shoveling.

Theres a reason for all the hoopla. Weather is big business, and not just for television stations overplaying six inches of snow in an effort to bring more eyeballs to the screen. Private weather forecasting encompassing everything from the Weather Channel to companies that help airlines figure out when to de-ice planes to firms that try to predict the rainfall and drought conditions for farmers is a $7 billion a year industry. And it is only going to grow.

Traditionally, those private firms have developed their products using data gathered and freely shared by the scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But that development has been so profitable that many private firms have made enough money to launch their own data-collection and analysis efforts. The results these companies are getting are, in many cases, outpacing what NOAA and the National Weather Service can offer. And increasingly, those private companies have been slow to share with NOAA what they developed using the publicly provided data.

The risk is that the innovation gap will lead to a United States where those who can afford access to the best in weather-prediction technology will have it, and those who rely on the government will be left behind.

I dont want to get into a world, frankly, where if you have more resources, you can get a better forecast,Scott Rayder, a former chief of staff to the NOAA director under President George W. Bush, told the Washington Post.Theres got to be a minimum level of warning and forecasts to protect life and property.

Clearly, Congress and President Donald Trump must increase investment in NOAA and the National Weather Service, to put them on an equal footing with private companies. And they must also make sure the agencies have appropriate access to the private innovations fostered by free access to public data.

The stakes are high. Accurate predictions are becoming increasingly important in an era of accelerated climate change and more frequent cataclysmic weather. The California wildfires of the last two years have cost more than $40 billion in damage. Closer to home, worsening coastal storms continue to threaten homeowners and fishermen alike, and tick-borne diseases have become a 10-month threat, subdued only by freezing winters.

To be sure, public-private partnerships can spur innovation.

Last month, for example, IBM and the nonprofit National Center for Atmospheric Research unveiled a forecast model that may accurately predict small-scale events such as severe thunderstorms. While the forecast covers only 12 hours it could be a boon for places like Africa and South Asia that have poor infrastructure and little to no professional forecasting. A head start of 12 hours is a lifeline when tropical cyclones approach.

In recent years, however, government has trailed private industry in innovation.

When you look at a flash-flood warning, it looks about the same as it did 25 years ago, Mary Glackin, president-elect of the American Meteorological Society, told the Washington Post. You kind of know a whole lot more about where your Lyft or Uber driver is and when hes going to get to you than you know about any flash flood in relation to your geography.

There may come a time when we can pay extra for a subscription service that gives us personalized weather forecasts, much like we sign on for Netflix and Hulu today. But that service should be just that extra.

Governments are still going to be focused on protecting lives and property, saidRei Goffer, co-founder and chief strategy officer of ClimaCell, which works on forecasting with airports, including Logan Airport in Boston.A future where it costs you money to get a hurricane alert is a bad future, and we shouldnt be aiming for that.

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EDITORIAL: Weather forecasting comes at a price | Editorials - The Daily News of Newburyport

A bogus workman who ripped up the driveways of Fife pensioners without their permission has been jailed for nine months.

Jason Alcock, of Harlesshill Road, Larkhall, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court recently and was sent to prison for the offences while his accomplice Steven McPhee was fined 900.

Alcock (44) admitted that between May 26 and 28 at an address in Glenrothes he pretended to Albert and Mary Lister, who were both 83 at the time, that his workforce were qualified and competent tradesmen working for a limited company and that he would carry out paving works to a competent standard.

He admitted telling the couple the total price would be 2950 and that he would give them time to decide whether or they they wanted him to start the work.

But the truth was the limited company did not exist and he didnt give them time to decide, instead he started the work without their permission.

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The work was not to a competent standard and the final price was in excess of 2950 and he induced them to pay 3390 by fraud.

The Procurator Fiscal Depute told the court the Listers were cold-called by Alcock and they had told him they would consider his quote of 2950 for new paving slabs.

They went out and when they later returned, they discovered their driveway had been torn up.

The Procurator Fiscal Depute said that given the state their driveway was now in, the couple felt they had no alternative but to have Alcock do the work.

However he demanded money before the job was finished and added more money on to the price, apparently for VAT.

But after a receipt was not provided, the Listers contacted the police.

Alcock further admitted between May 29 and May 30 at an address in Methil that he pretended to Isabelle Garrie that his workforce were qualified and were competent tradesmen working for a limited company and attempted to induce her to pay 4950 by fraud.

The court heard that in this case the work carried out on her driveway was done to an atrocious standard.

The Procurator Fiscal depute told the court Ms Garrie had gone to the Bank of Scotland in Leven to withdraw 4950 to pay Alcock, but when the bank manager became suspicious and spoke to her about why she was withdrawing such a big amount, the bank manager alerted the police.

The court heard it was standard practice for staff to be made aware when elderly customers withdraw large amounts of money at the bank.

While McPhee (39), of Thistle Park Thornton, admitted to engaging in aggressive commercial practice, removing paving slabs without the knowledge and permission of the householders and failing to give notice to the householders of their right to cancel contracts.

Sentencing Alcock on Thursday, Sheriff Grant McCulloch told him: You seem to be the organiser of these events when you went cold calling and targeted a couple in their 80s, convincing them that they needed to get their driveway done. Then you added a figure to what had previously been agreed.

He said the work was not done to the expected standard.

Sheriff McCulloch said in the case of his second victim, Ms Garrie, the work was done to an incompetent standard.

He added: It seems to me you are someone who is a danger to society ...only a custodial sentence is appropriate.

Sheriff McCulloch also ordered Alcock to pay compensation of 3390 to the Listers.

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Bogus workman jailed after conning elderly victims and tearing up their driveways - Fife Today

Has a company treated you unfairly? Our consumer champion, Katie Morley, is here to help. For how to contact her clickhere.

Dear Katie,

Last year I bought a house with a drive that I cannot park on. There are several objects on the pavement blocking my car from getting in. They include a bin and a bench, and I have recently obtained planning permission from the council to have them removed at my own expense.

Also in the way is a Virgin Media cabinet. Around a year ago I contacted Virgin Media to see if it could be moved. This, once the bin and bench are gone, would finally allow me to park my car on my drive.

I paid Virgin Media 720 to estimate the cost of carrying out the work and...

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I paid Virgin Media 16k to move broadband cabinet off my drive but it hasnt lifted a finger - Telegraph.co.uk

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Global Rotation Laser Market 2019 by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2025 - Daily Industry News Journal

Elderly victims of crooked workmen have told of their shock at finding their driveway torn up without their permission.

Albert and Mary Lister from Glenrothes were cold-called by Jason Alcock and told him they would think about his quote of 2,950 for new paving.

But when they returned home after visiting family they found their driveway destroyed.

At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court fraudster Alcock, 44, who also targeted an elderly woman in Methil, was jailed for nine months.

Accomplice Steven McPhee, 39, who had recently been released on licence from prison for serious assault, was fined 900.

Mr and Mrs Lister, both 83 at the time, said they had fobbed Alcock off when he knocked on their door on a Saturday morning and tried to persuade them to have their driveway monoblocked.

Mrs Lister said: I said to him we were going to see my sister and we would think about it.

We had no intention of doing it really.

When we came back at about 5pm there wasnt a slab left in the driveway.

I was really shocked and my sister wanted to phone the police.

Worried about the state of their property, however, the Listers agreed to allow Alcock to do the job for not a penny more than quoted.

He returned with glossy brochures for a supposed limited company which turned out not to exist, and Mrs Lister said: He couldnt have been nicer, he was so full of the patter.

However, she became suspicious of Alcock and McPhee and their squad of workmen who arrived on the Monday.

Then Alcock demanded money before the job was complete and added another 400 on to the price, supposedly for VAT.

After a promised receipt failed to materialise the Listers contacted police.

Although their driveway is complete it is of poor quality, while that of fellow victim Isabelle Garrie, in Methil, was said in court to be atrocious.

Ms Garrie had gone to the Bank of Scotland in Leven to withdraw 4,950 to pay Alcock when a bank employee became suspicious and alerted police.

The offences were committed between May 26 and 30 last year.

Alcock, of Larkhall, admitted fraud and attempted fraud, carrying out work without permission and not up to a competent standard, and McPhee, of Thornton, pled guilty to engaging in aggressive commercial practice and failing to notify the householders of their right to cancel contracts.

Mrs Lister said: I was worried they were going to get off with it.

Jailing Alcock on Thursday, Sheriff Grant McCulloch said: It seems to me you are someone who is a danger to society.

During a trial in which his father Robert McPhee, brother James McPhee and brother-in-law John Miller were convicted of slavery charges, McPhee admitted assaulting a worker and was jailed for three years.

Originally posted here:
Fife OAPs shocked as bogus workmen rip up their driveways without permission - The Courier

Driveway Paving is a Dublin based paving contractor that serves Dublin, Kildare and surrounding areas. We offer a wide range of paving and landscaping services at affordable prices. We offer a complete service; consultation, design, supply, and installation. Whether you are looking for a complete garden overhaul or a simple tidy up we are sure to have the perfect solution to suit both your taste and budget. We have a huge range of patio and paving options for you to choose from including; Indian sandstone, granite, limestone, cobblelock, gravel and concrete slabs just to name a few. We specialise in the installation of natural stone paving, for both driveways and patios. Our quality and prices wont be beaten. Why not browse through our gallery to see our vast array of paving options and we are sure youll find something to suit your taste. We source our quality materials from only the best and well renowned suppliers to ensure that the paving we deliver to you will stand the test of time. Quality materials coupled with our experience in installation means that you can rest assured you will have a beautiful driveway or patio for years to come.

I would like to express my thanks and gratitude to Driveway Paving for the fantastic job they did on my back garden. The first photograph shows the state that my garden was in before the work began. I moved into my house in 2005 and spent the 10 years up to 2015 paying my mortgage and working on improving the inside of my house so as a result the outside, front and back garden were left, almost neglected..Read more

Jonathan Bayley Clondalkin

I want to say a sincere thanks to Driveway Paving for their advice and guidance in transforming our garden into a beautiful showpiece. Their recommendation to use granite for the patio and paths has so much enhanced the entire project. The roll out grass has left us with an instant lawn; which has grown so much in 3 weeks. Our garden has been admired by neighbours and friends and we are really enjoying it with this lovely weather. Thanks again, it was a pleasure to have you working on our garden and I will have no hesitation in recommending you for any similar work.

Pat Castleknock

> All reviews here

Member No. 20928

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Driveway Paving Dublin, Patio Contractor, Granite Patio ...

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