By Cathy Proctor

From his perch in the control center at Denver Water, Phil Malone watches the city shift and stir, shaking off the nights slumber.

Hes spent 24 of his 26 years at Denver Water working in a part of the utilitys water distribution group known as load control, which monitors the complex system of pipes, pump stations and storage tanks that deliver water to 1.5 million customers throughout much of the metro area when they need it.

As such, Malone, a manager in the water distribution group, is deeply familiar with the water use patterns of the metro areas day, patterns reflected in the numbers on the wall of video screens Malone and his colleagues watch over.

We see it all, he said.

He knows that around 6 a.m., the numbers on the screens will start to flicker higher, as people turn on showers, fill coffee makers and tend to morning habits. As more people wake, more water is used, rising and fluctuating through the day until about 9 p.m., after dinner is done, evening baths are finished, and another day draws to a close.

Even in recent weeks, with stay-at-home orders in place at the local and state level, the pattern has continued, as reassuring as a citys heartbeat.

Even with the orders, some people are still going to work the essential workers that hasnt changed, Malone said.

And people are still getting up. Theyre making breakfast, taking showers. People like a sense of normalcy, doing the things they can control, he said.

There are differences, of course.

As water use generally follows people, use in the commercial sectors which includes office buildings and schools closed for weeks to slow the spread of the coronavirus is down about 33% since stay-at-home orders were issued.

Residential use, including single-family homes and multifamily apartments, is up about 11%.

Overall water use is about 9% below normal, although at least half of that drop is due to wet, cooler-than-normal April weather.

Malones group also is working differently.

Denver Waters large, complex water system includes more than 3,000 miles of pipes and 23 pump stations. Load control operators in Malones group ensure water is flowing and available when customers turn on the tap.

Their job includes working around scheduled outages, as pumps, facilities and even entire pipelines are occasionally taken offline for service, maintenance or repair. They also respond to alarms that signal a potential real-time problem, everything from an equipment and instrumentation issue to water quality and pressure levels.

Usually, there are two operators working a shift, sitting in the same location and talking to each other as they manage the system.

But Denver Water has dispersed employees as much as possible, with many teleworking and others working at a distance from colleagues. These days, one person sits in the main control room and the second is in a backup center, communicating by radio and telephone as adjustments are made.

And what used to be in-person meetings at shift change, to discuss what happened overnight and what the day might hold, are now done virtually, via phones, computers and apps, Malone said.

We always practice for emergencies, but this isnt your typical emergency. But were here. And to be able to run this 24-hour operation with our people working together its pretty awesome, Malone said.

The technicians, the treatment staff, the source of supply people in the mountains and our crews in the streets, these people all have families and theyre here, theyre working, and theyre willing to do whatever needs to be done.

Read more from the original source:
Water use patterns in Denver provide a sense of normalcy | YourHub - The Know

Following months of anticipation and a well-publicizedpush from the Chicago arm of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her administration have introduced an ordinance that would reverse the ban on, and streamline the permitting of, coach houses and other types of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) that already exist or could be built on vacant residential lots or as additions to existing buildings.

Prevalent across older Chicago residential properties, coach houses are small and often garage-less rear outbuildings also known as laneway houses, rear houses, granny flats, or carriage houses. Currently, coach houses (also a Chicagoan catchall term for any additional freestanding structure on a property, modern or not, that could be used for habitation) cannot be used as primary standalone residential units without cumbersome and expensive zoning changes. The ordinance, which has been formally introduced to the City Council and will be reviewed by the zoning and housing committees, would strike the ban on ADUs as a means of boosting density and generating affordable housing in the city.

As the Chicago Sun-Times explained earlier this month, ADUs have effectively been outlawed in the city since a 1957 overhaul of the citys zoning codes. Coach houses, however, continued to pop up across the following the ban while existing structuresand there are many, roughly 2,400 per data shared by the Chicago Cityscape blogwere grandfathered in.

A typical Chicago coach house. (Daniel X. ONeil/Flickr)

The need for safe and affordable housing is likely to increase as more households in the Chicago region face unemployment and rising economic uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, wrote the ULI in a report, Unlocking Accessory Dwelling Units in Chicago, published earlier this month. Accessory Dwelling Units provide an innovative way for Chicago to address the growing housing challenge by adding to its inventory of affordable housing, providing financial stability for homeowners and by energizing neighborhoods.

Per Steven Vance of Chicago Cityscape, who broke the news of the ordinances arrival, the law, if adopted, would take effect on August 1, 2020, a date that coincides with the mandatory implementation of the 2019 Chicago Building Code for all renovation and new construction projects. Chicago Cityscape notes that the ordinance categories ADUs into two categories: Coach houses and conversion units, the latter of which entail renovations and/or additions to existing buildings over 20 years old. Only units built according to this code would be considered conversion units; units that exist on or before July 31, 2020, that seem like conversion units are not considered conversion units, elaborated Vance.

Furthermore, the ordinance states that coach houses cannot be built on a lot with a conversion unit, although property owners in the appropriate residential zoning districts can potentially build or add more than one coach house or conversion unit on a single lot, just not both. There are, however, some stipulations depending on the size and age of the existing front residential building on the lot. There are also rules that dictate the affordable nature of coach houses and conversions when multiple units are involved. Chicago Cityscape gets into the nitty-gritty of special rules that applyor dont applyto specific residential zoning districts.

Whats more, existing coach houses can be modified and potentially expanded, while newly built coach houses will be limited to a maximum of 700 square feet or 60 percent of the required rear setback. There are no direct limits on the size of conversion units.

The ordinance also stipulates that ADUs and conversion units cannot be used as Airbnb properties and do not require additional parking.

Much like the ULI, the Lightfoot administration sees the rehabilitation of existing coach houses as well as the construction of new ADUs and conversion units as a necessary way to boost much-needed affordable housing in the city. These new living spaces, as the administration points out, are pandemic-friendly, to boot.

The administrations proposed ADU ordinance is not only a way to increase available housing throughout Chicago, it is also a safety and stimulus effort, designed to allow for very gentle density within existing neighborhood character, the Department of Housing explained to the Sun-Times in a statement. In fact, if ever the need arises again, ADUs will create a type of density that could allow for multi-generational households to remain close, but also create options for social distancing in a basement unit or coach house on the same property.

This all being said, although the ordinance, which has been in the works for well over a year, has now been introduced to City Council, its not entirely clear when it will be taken up considering the unprecedented circumstances.

The rest is here:
Chicago introduces highly anticipated ADU ordinance - The Architect's Newspaper

After Universals City Walk partially reopened its gates last Thursday, attention was focused back on Disney and what details they would share on their reopening of Disney Springs. which will take place Wednesday May 20. Well, those details are now in and here they are.

Face masks: All visitors, employees and cast members over the age of 3 will be required to wear a face covering of some sort at all times except when dining.

Temperature screenings: All visitors temperatures will be taken upon arrival. Any person that has a temperature of 100.4 or higher will be retested in an additional facility if their temp is at or higher than 100.4 twice, they will not be allowed in and neither will their group.

Physical distancing and capacity control: Disney will limit the number of people allowed in and in certain areas- there will be markings for lines and other additions to ensure social distancing is upheld.

Cleanliness: Disney is making an effort to add more disinfection as they take care of their facilities. They also have hand washing and sanitation stations which they encourage visitors to use.

Cashless transactions: Disney is discouraging the use of cash.

Parking garages and entrances: In the first phase of reopening visitors will be directed to park in two garages: the orange garage and the lime garage- all surface lots will be closed and entrances will be limited.

When Walt Disney World moves into its first phase of its reopening on Wednesday with the partial reopening of Disney Springs, its likely to be a bit of a test to see how team members and the public react.

While our theme parks and resort hotels remain temporarily closed, the phased reopening of Disney Springs is a welcome milestone as we navigate through this unprecedented time together as responsibly as we can, Matt Simon, vice president of Disney Spring wrote in a post on the Disney Parks Blog Saturday.

Rest assured, there is plenty of magic awaiting you at Disney Springs it just may feel a bit different than before, Simon wrote.

So, should the tempered reopening of Disney Springs be taken as a sign that Disney will soon be reopening its theme parks and resorts the short answer is no.

As the park reopens, it will institute the new policies in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health authorities and government agencies.

Visit link:
Disney Springs to require face masks, temperature checks as it partially reopens on Wednesday - positivelyosceola.com

True sports cars, in the sense that we all have come to know them nowadays, are few and far between. There are many out there trying to claim sports car status even some with four doors want to be sports cars. To us, a true sports car has only two doors, rear wheel drive, bucket seats and yes, maybe even a manual transmission!

So it was that we welcomed a week with the new Hakone Edition of the Toyota 86 sports car (formerly a Scion FR-S) that came with all of the above features, and we were more than eager to show its stuff out on the road, especially if there were a lot of curvy mountain grades involved.

The sports car is available in both a manual and automatic transmission, as are most of todays sports cars, but after a week in the manual we would definitely have to recommend it. Its much more fun to drive, especially around the Utah mountains, and as a big bonus, its about $1700 less expensive.

We had to ask the questions as to why the Hakone Edition? It is a tribute to a famous stretch of road in Japan about two hours southwest of Tokyo named the Hakone Turnpike. The famous road is on many a car enthusiasts bucket list, so Toyota chose to pay tribute to it this year with a sports car with the same name.

The 86s interior sported some unique additions including tan and black Alcantara seats, a tan Toyota 86 logo embroidered on the passenger side dashboard, with this tan stitching being carried forth throughout the cabin. The Hakone also comes with a beautiful green paint, matched with 17 spoked bronze wheels and an all-black spoiler on the tail.

Its not often that we need to refill the gas tank in one of our test drive vehicles, especially by Saturday morning, considering we didnt receive the FR-S until late in the day on Wednesday, it was a quick two day tank of gas. This goes right to the fun to drive portion of the 86s DNA. We each had and entire day with the car and had each used our fair share of fuel motoring around during our turn as it was.

Considering we averaged right at 32 mpg for the week, we had racked up almost 300 miles on the odometer by Saturday morning, and had to add to our dwindling fuel supply; after all, letting the little sportster just sit in the drive was not going to be an option.

As we are both progressing somewhat in age, we found that once in the coupe it was much easier to spend as much time as possible getting to our destination, as it proved to be somewhat harder to extract ourselves from 86. It was easier to just stay in the car and enjoy the ride, so maybe it wouldnt be the best mid-life crisis car, though it was still oh so much fun to drive!

Throughout the entire week we spent with the Toyota it seemed we could always find a little somewhere else to go or a longer way to get there yes driving in the 86 was really that enjoyable. It is basically a sports car that is affordable to a much larger segment of the market.

The 86 comes complete with everything we would want from a sports coupe including a fine 4-cylinder, 2-liter, 205-horsepower Subaru Boxer engine. About the only complaint that we had during the entire week was that the low end torque was not that great. What this translated to mostly was off the line it was not a dragster, but through the turns at higher speeds it couldnt be beat Eliminating the traction control did enable Craig to get some spin from the tires in first and second gear.

There was a back seat included in the Scion, but with any normal two adults occupying the front seats you would be hard pressed to get anyone into the rear seats, especially if they were over the age of 5. It did prove, however, to be a good place to throw stuff if needed as we got into the small sportster.

The exterior styling of the 86 is really what we felt set it apart from any of the competition, with the Toyota website listing a few, such as the Mazda Miata, Honda Civic coupe and Genesis coupe. The designers at Toyota have done an excellent job giving it the looks of a real contender. It made us really stand out in the crowd, and it also makes it more visible to the local authorities.

The climate controls are very simple and easy to use there are heat and air conditioning and it is limited to the front seats, not that anyone in the back is going to complain. New this year is a dual zone system that kept us happier, together, in early March!

There is also a 7-inch touch screen display that controls the radio and Bluetooth functions in the 86. Ours did not include SirrusXM radio but did have HD radio capabilities. The Bluetooth worked seamlessly, hooking up our phones and also streaming audio from them. We didnt even miss the satellite radio.

The Toyota 86 is one of the best and most affordable coupes we have had the opportunity to drive. We do need to point out that it is a rear wheel drive vehicle, so getting around in the snow would be an experience here in Utah. Most likely, you would have to put it in the garage on those nasty days.

Read this article:
Sunday Drive: Toyota 86 gets a special edition for 2020 - Daily Herald

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Six casinos in or near the Coachella Valley are opening their doors Friday to guests who are ready to gambleonslot machines andcard games, despite a request from Gov. Gavin Newsom to stay closed.

Newsomsent a letter to California tribeson May 15 urging them not to reopen their gaming facilities. But tribes are sovereign nations and don't have to follow local or state stay-at-home orders. Several popular casinos in the San Diego areaopened earlierthis week.

Casinos are considered higher-risk workplaces because of the volume of people they bring in and fall under Stage 3 of the governor's reopening plan. Other businesses in Stage 3 have not been allowed to reopen yet.

Memorial Day: What you can and can't do this weekend in the Coachella Valley

Coronavirus FAQ: Everything you need to know

When the doors to Spotlight 29 Casino near Coachellaopened at 10 a.m., after aclosure that's lasted more thantwomonths, someone from the crowd yelled out Freedom!

By that time, more than 150 people were already in line to get in.

Over 200 people had entered the casino by 10:15 a.m. Employees at the entrance said people began lining up just after 8:30 a.m., with some saying they had driven from as far as the Los Angeles area and Orange County.

Guests had to get their temperatures checked by security as they pulled up in their vehiclesto help curb the spread of COVID-19. Security staff declined to tell The Desert Sun whether they had turned anyone away.

Everyone who entered the casino was required to wear a face mask, with one provided if needed. Blue latex gloves were also offered, but not requiredto enter.

I saved a lot of money the last couple months, quarantined inside," joked Larry Potter, who drove by himself from Banning."Hopefully I dont lose it today."

Adam Levy, assistant director of marketing for Spotlight 29, said theTwenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indianswasmeticulous in organizing theopening, following guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventionand Riverside County.The casino opened only one entrance, so staff could turn people away in their cars, if needed.

I saved a lot of money the last couple months, quarantined inside. Hopefully I dont lose it today.

Levy said capacity is 2,200, but the casino is only allowing 500 people in at a time to start. That will hopefully change in time, he said.The casino is not hosting a buffetfor safety reasons, Levy added, and that was the only complaint hedheard on Friday.

Inside the casino,staff were enforcing social distancing and facial coverings. Staff wipeddown machines, too. Naturally, not everyone was 6 feet apart at all times, but staff were doing their best to enforce it.

At least two women, Cori Francis and Cheryl Pegram, both of Cathedral City, said they planned to go to the other Coachella Valleycasinos reopening Friday.

This has been the craziest time of my life," Francis said."Hopefully this is the start of things returning to normal.

Pegram said she had "dreamt of this moment" when she could get out again.

The Spotlight 29 Casinoand the Tortoise Rock Casino near Twentynine Palms werethe first to open in the valley Friday,followed by the Agua Caliente casinos in Rancho Mirage and Palm Springs.

While the Agua Caliente casinos werescheduled to open at noon, the Rancho Mirage facility opened its doors at 11 a.m.All entrances wereopen, with security checking people's temperatures inside. Masks were available for thosewho didnt bring their own.

Guests enter the Agua Caliente Resort Casino and Spa in Rancho Mirage after the casino reopened, May 22, 2020.(Photo: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun)

About 400 patrons were inside the Rancho Mirage casino by Friday afternoon, and shops and eateries likeWaters Cafe, Java Caliente, Swarovski and Sports Bar 360were bustling. Like at Spotlight 29, Purell hand sanitizer stations could be found all over the casino.Sanitation crews meticulously wiped down machines, and staff tried to enforce social distancing.

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Tribal ChairmanJeff L. Grubbe paid a visit to his tribe's casinos Friday.

I walked the floors as we re-opened our casinos today, Grubbe told The Desert Sun in an email. All safety protocols are in place, and our team members and guests were appreciative that we are open again.It feels good to have nearly 1,500 team members back to work and to know that the Tribe is playing a big part in jump starting the Coachella Valley economy again.

In announcing its reopening, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians citedthe Riverside County Board of Supervisors' votesupporting tribal governments' reopening of their casinos with social distancing measures in place and personal protective equipment provided for staff.

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"The County of Riverside has no jurisdiction over tribal lands," Riverside County spokeswoman Brooke Federico said on Friday. "We ask that all businesses consider the ways they can implement safer practices for their employees and customers when considering reopening."

The Morongo Casino & Resort near Banningand the nearby original Casino Morongowere scheduled to open at 2 p.m., but actually opened their doors around11:30a.m. There was no line at first, but once the scheduled opening time came around the parking garage was packed.The casino marquee readMask required and Good times are back!

It was the most bustling of the casinos and had more than 150 people in line outside at 2:45 p.m., more thanthreehours after it opened. Signs were placed outside the entrance to the casino Friday afternoon to inform guests there may be a one- to two-hour wait.Several hopeful gamblers decided to give up after standing in the long line for 20 minutes, heading back to their cars.

Simon Farmer, executive director of marketing for Morongo Casino & Resort, said that the determination was made around 3 p.m. not to let additional guests in until more visitors exited. Farmer wouldn't share an estimate of how many customers were inside at the time, but he said fewer than the casino's total 4,000 slot machines were in use.

He said that the number of occupants allowed will be determined by casino management "in real time," depending on what staff members are observing on the floor.

As for opening the casino earlier in the day than the 2 p.m. scheduled time, Farmer saidmanagement felt there was no reason to wait any longer. First, VIPs were welcomed in at 9 a.m. for a first look of the expanded and renovated casino.

"As the day went on, we had such a force of team members here ready to serve our guests, ready to implement our new safety protocols and procedures, that we knew we were ready to let the guests that were waiting outside come inside," he said.

Security checks the temperature of occupants of vehicles coming into the Spotlight 29 Casino during its reopening in Coachella, May 22, 2020.(Photo: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun)

David Hakimfar and Sam Alishahi traveled tothe casino's reopeningfrom Los Angeles. They left with less money than when they entered, but it didn't dampen their spirits.

Together, we lost 400 bucks, with pleasure. Im happy that I gave money to the Indian reservation and I thank them, Alishahi said.

It feels like the foot of Gavin Newsom and (Los Angeles Mayor)Eric Garcetti has been taken off our throats and were getting a taste of freedom, Hakimfar added.

Once inside, each guest's temperature was taken, and masks were required. Video screens inside said Welcome back! and encouraged anyone with a fever to exit, see a doctor and come back soon.

Purell stations were set up throughoutand the entire staff at Morongo, from security guards to blackjack dealers, wore black or gray masks with the casinos name and logo.

The buffet was closed but most of the other eateries inside were open. The casino will be open 24-7 moving forward.

At the Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs and Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage, visitors can expect the following new precautions because of COVID-19:

People walk into the Agua Caliente Resort Casino and Spa in Rancho Mirage after the reopening, May 22, 2020.(Photo: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun)

Guests at the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians'Spotlight 29 and Tortoise Rock casinos can anticipate these changes:

At theMorongo Casino &Resort, owned by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, visitors will get their first glimpse at the newly completed 65,000-square-foot expansion and renovation project.Among other additions are new restaurants and a 30% expansion ofthe gaming floor.Most of the project wasdone before the casino had to close, but the project officially wrapped during the closure.

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Here are changes guests returning to the new casino and original Casino Morongocan anticipate:

Of casinos in the Coachella Valley, both the Fantasy Springs Casino and Augustine Casino have yet to make reopening dates public.

Jef Bauer, general manager of Augustine Casino near Coachella, said this week that the casino will not reopen before June 1.

"The Tribe is adamant that we not rush into reopening and that we put the health and safety of our team members and guests first," Bauer said in a written statement Friday. "We are taking a cautious and slow approach to this."

In early April, Bauer said in an interview with The Desert Sun that closures stretching into June would be devastating for tribes, with costs for reopening similar to start-up costs for a big gaming facility.

"Youre basically going to have to fire up all the enginesmarketing, hiring, Bauer said at the time. There could be all kinds of costs that you wouldnt even normally have during that time, and your revenues are coming in low. So, the expenses will just be crippling for some businesses, if were not able to get this under control soon and get open.

Fantasy Springs has been announcing new and rescheduled concert dates. The soonest upcoming event on the calendar that hasn't been canceled or postponed is a Chicago concert, set for Sept. 12. For a full list of upcoming shows, go tofantasyspringsresort.com.

Risa Johnson covers Native American affairs in the Coachella Valley and beyond. She can be reached at risa.johnson@desertsun.com or (760) 778-4737. Follow her on Twitter @risamjohnson.

Read or Share this story: https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/health/2020/05/22/morongo-casino-others-reopen-despite-newsoms-request-stay-closed/5242127002/

Read more from the original source:
'Dreamt of this moment': Reopening day is here for six casinos around the Coachella Valley - Desert Sun

The 2020 F1 calendar originally consisted of a record-breaking 22 different races.

Question marks hang over other races. The possibility of racing at Silverstone was thrown into doubt yesterday. The Singapore Grand Prix promoters have said their race can only go ahead on its originally scheduled weekend of September 20th and cannot be held behind closed doors criteria which are going to be challenging to fulfil.

Many postponed events are hopeful of returning to the championship later in the season. But Formula 1 chairman and CEO Chase Carey admitted the sport could end up racing at some tracks which werent originally on the 2020 schedule.

So where could it race? There are 21 venues which hold the FIA grade one certification necessary to hold F1 races which werent originally on the 2020 roster:

Hockenheims last F1 race was a thrillerHockenheimring, GermanyPrevious F1 races: 37

The most recent home of the German Grand Prix was dropped from the calendar at the end of 2019. However Germanys relative success in tackling the spread of the pandemic, plus the fact the Hockenheimring held a race last year, makes it an obvious candidate as a short-notice addition to the calendar. The truncated layout may be hard to love, but it can produce great races, especially when the weather lends a hand like it did last year.

Nurburgring, GermanyPrevious F1 races: 40

Some of the same reasoning for Hockenheim obviously applies here, though F1 hasnt raced on the modern Nurburgring since 2013. Hockenheim therefore represents an easier in for the championship.

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Jerez, SpainPrevious F1 races: 7

Formula 1s motorbike counterpart Moto GP intends to start its postponed season at the twisty Andalusian circuit in July. F1 hasnt raced there since the dramatic, title-deciding 1997 European Grand Prix, and stopped testing at the circuit a few years ago.

Valencia (Ricardo Tormo)Previous F1 races: 0

Not the little-loved street circuit, which fell into disrepair after holding five wholly forgettable races and one cracker between 2008 and 2012, but one of F1s preferred former testing venues. Like Jerez, its more of a bike circuit, rather too tight for F1.

Magny-Cours: Club circuit turned grand prix venueMagny-Cours, FrancePrevious F1 races: 18

The remoteness which played against Magny-Cours when it hosted the French Grand Prix between 1991 and 2008 may work in its favour in the age of the Coronavirus. The track is a bit of an oddball, extremely smooth and with a very short pit lane which excites the kind of people who really like strategic races. Modern F1 cars would looks spectacular in the quick right-hander leading onto the back straight.

Fiorano, ItalyPrevious F1 races: 0

Yes, Ferraris test track has grade one status. At 2.9 kilometres its even shorter than Monaco, and so wouldnt meet the FIAs minimum F1 circuit length. Infrastructure would be a challenge too, and nine of the teams might object to one of their rivals having a bit of a home advantage

Imola, ItalyPrevious F1 races: 27

The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari made noises about standing in for the Chinese Grand Prix before the pandemic took an awful toll on Italy. Its been modernised since it last held the San Marino Grand Prix in 2006, losing one of its many chicanes.

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Mugello, ItalyPrevious F1 races: 0

While Mugello (pictured top) has never held a round of the world championship, F1 last tested there as recently as 2012. Its not unlikely Zandvoort in that it has a quick, flowing layout which and offer little room for error. The Coronavirus cloud really would have a silver lining if this gem of a track got an F1 race.

F1 tested twice at Algarve in PortugalAutodromo do Algarve, PortugalPrevious F1 races: 0

One of the more interesting modern facilities, the Algarve track had the misfortune to be built just as F1 imposed strict limits on track testing. Aside from two visits in the 2008-09 off-season, F1 has stayed away. It is understood to have expressed an interest in welcoming the world championship.

Estoril, PortugalPrevious F1 races: 14

The best corners at F1s Portuguese home of the eighties and nineties have been neutered. The viciously tight Saca Rolhas (corkscrew, but not in the epic Laguna Seca sense) slows the approach to Parabolica, and the first two corners were tightened after F1 left in 1996.

Istanbul Park, TurkeyPrevious F1 races: 9

Widely considered one of the best creations by Formula 1s favourite circuit designer Hermann Tilke and thats not just damning with faint praised. Blessed with an expansive tract of land (albeit a long way from its titular host city), Tilke produced a layout which blends gradient, challenging corners such as the dramatic turn eight, and natural overtaking opportunities.

Moscow Raceway, RussiaPrevious F1 races: 0

A few too many corners crammed into a relatively confined space means gives Moscow Raceway the feel of a scaled-up go-kart circuit. Its best remembered for the DTMs inaugural visit, when a qualifying session had to be abandoned because president Vladimir Putins jet flew over, meaning the medical helicopter was not allowed to fly

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Dubai Autodrome, United Arab EmiratesGrand Prix circuit and International circuitPrevious F1 races: 0

Romain Grosjean would surely like the idea of racing here he won GP2 Asias first three visits to the track in 2008. Featuring a fairly quick opening sector, it has some potential as an F1 venue.

Vettel took three wins and his fourth title at BuddhBuddh International Circuit, IndiaPrevious F1 races: 3

And Sebastian Vettel would be first to call for a return to the former home of the Indian Grand Prix: He won all three F1 races at the Buddh International Circuit from pole position between 2011 and 2013. The track has developed some outrageous bumps since F1 left and was turned into a quarantine centre when the pandemic hit the region in March.

Fuji Speedway, JapanFull and shortPrevious F1 races: 4

Having been the scene of that epic 1976 championship-decider, then dropped from the calendar 12 months later, Fuji was welcomed back to F1 in the late noughties. However what had previously been a very quick track was heavily modified, especially at the end of the lap, where the dauntingly quick right-hander leading onto the main straight was replaced by several slow corners. The track therefore lost much of the spectacle a venue sat in the shadow of Mount Fuji deserved.

Korea International Circuit, South KoreaPrevious F1 races: 4

There arent many people clamouring for a return to South Koreas remote track outside Mokpo. The layout was derivative of many other additions to the calendar around the same time, there was little evident local enthusiasm for the race, and after four visits F1 never went back.

Kuwait Motor Town, KuwaitPrevious F1 races: 0

The newest track on this list is another Hermann Tilke creation which opened last year. It packs 20 corners into its near-six kilometre length with an up-tempo middle sector. Istanbuls quadruple-apex turn eight, mimicked at Circuit of the Americas, has another replica here too.

Sepang joined the F1 calendar in 1999Sepang, MalaysiaPrevious F1 races: 19

While F1 prompted the building of Malaysias first F1 track in 1999, Moto GP has out-lasted it at the venue. Quick corners, punishing humidity and volatile local weather often created memorable races here.

Losail International Circuit, QatarPrevious F1 races: 0

Losails tight, slow corners lend it more to motorbikes than F1 cars. Floodlighting allows competitors and fans to avoid the punishing midday heat.

Buriram International Circuit, ThailandPrevious F1 races: 0

How about a home race for Alexander Albon? Buriram is another Asian track which has taken Moto GP to heart.

F1 went the wrong way around IndianapolisIndianapolis (Grand Prix circuit)Previous F1 races: 19

Indianapolis hosted the world championship when the Indy 500 was a points-scoring race from 1950 to 1960, despite not being run to Formula 1 rules. The championship proper raced there from 2000, on a little-loved road circuit inside the oval, but succeeded largely in disgracing itself with a contrived finish in 2002 and a six-car farce three years later. IndyCar races more successfully on a revised version of the track, but nothing is ever going to compare to that mighty oval.

What, no Kymiring?

The newly-built Kymiring is expected to become Finlands first F1-standard track, but doesnt have its FIA grade one certification yet.

Which of these tracks would make good venues for F1 pandemic or otherwise? Have your say in the comments.

See the rest here:
The 21 other tracks F1 could race at in 2020 - RaceFans

Ahead of its launch on the Test Server tomorrow, here's everything revealed about the new season of Rainbow Six -- Operation Steel Wave.

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Firstly, we have Hvard "Ace" Haugland, a Norwegian member of the Nighthaven mercenary group run by Kali.This two speed, two armour operator acts as R6's fourth hard breacher as his SELMA gadget is a "sequentially exploding hard breach" charge which he can throw onto reinforced walls. However, if thrown on a surface that is non-explosive, the gadget will not detonate and will be retrievable.

Each SELMA charge thrown on a reinforced then explodes in three stages, with each stage located below the previous and each hole being approximately the same size as one set of Hibana X-KAIROS pellets, to create a full-body sized hole in totality. An unreinforced hatch can also be opened with one SELMA charge, but two charges are necessary for reinforced ones.

This gadget, of which he has three of, also can be used to as soft destruction on unreinforced walls, or to destroy gadgets such as Goyo shields and Maestro Evil Eyes that are in the vicinity of the extensible explosive arms of each SELMA charge. However, outside of destroying defender gadgets, the explosives do no damage to operators themselves.

The gadgets themselves can be stopped from deploying by destroying the canisters with all of the usual hard breach denial used to counter Thermite and Hibana -- Bandit Batteries, Kaid Electroclaws, Mute Jammers, hacked Twitch drones, or by simply shooting the canisters off of a wall (including Evil Eye tasers) -- and can be interrupted by both Wamai and Jager while being thrown. Electrifying or shooting the extensible arms will not destroy the gadget, however.

However, due to the lack of a cooldown on his throwable, a Bandit trick attempt cannot successfully deny the opening of at least one single X-KAIROS set sized hole if Ace throws a charge each on two walls alongside each other. A properly timed Kaid electroclaw would thus be the only viable option in most scenarios.

What's more, unlike Hibana, Thermite, or Maverick, Ace can deploy his charges through drone holes or throw them in between the metal bars in destructible floors from above, thus allowing him to breach far more safely than any operator so far.

Concerning the loadout, he comes with a choice of the AK-12Assault Rifle (used by Fuze) or theM1014 Shotgun (used byThermite, Castle, and Pulse) for his primary, the P9 Handgun (used by the GIGN) for his secondary weapon, and a choice of either Smoke Grenades or Breaching Charges as his secondary gadget, giving him an opportunity to bring a second form of soft breach.

Next up is the new defender of Tentevwe "Melusi" Ilovu who represents the South African National Defence Force (SADF) and is R6's first three-speed Defender to be introduced since Alibi during Operation Para Bellum two years ago. Her three "Banshee Sonic Defense" gadgets are localised disruptors, which create a loud "buzzing" as a sound cue when attackers get within 6 meters of it and also have a line of sight to the gadget.

As well as this, it also slows down the affected attacker as if they were in Barbed Wire, making it a strong counter to entry fraggers, though the effect is less pronounced when a Finka boost is active. Of note is that the aim is unaffected, unlike an Ela Grzmot mine.

Both effects also are triggered byNkk, but not by the Iana hologram, and also work through a destroyed floor or a hatch.

The gadget can be disabled with Thatcher's EMP Grenade or a Shock Drone, and destroyed by both meleeing it -- which will be hard, with it slowing you down in the process -- orby targeting it with any explosive, such as an Ash or Zofia charge, grenades, or Kali'sExplosive Lance. Alternatively, if the gadget has been placed on a soft wall or floor, it can be destroyed from its mounting point through the wall or floor.

The gadget itself is rather large, must be mounted similar to an Evil Eye and only affects operators within a line of sight, meaning it cannot be hidden in a site and should be easily spotted with some drone work. The effects are singular, meaning that the slowing and auditory effects of multiple Banshees is not added together, but they are negated if placed behind a deployable shield despite a line of sight through the bulletproof slits.

Furthermore, the duration of the effects is non-finite, requiring destruction of the gadget for its effects to cease, and the effects affect all attackers in range of the Banshee instead of targeting just one attacker.

As well as this gadget, Melusi also brings with her either theT-5 SMGSubmachine Gun (used by Lesion) or the Super 90 Shotgun (used byFrost) for her primary, theRG15 Pistol (used by Ela and Zofia) as her secondary, and the secondary gadget options of Impact Grenades or a Deployable Shield.

Designed to be a "casual rework" without esports or likely even Ranked play in mind, the new-look House removes a lot of the clutter and adds a new stairway, four new rooms, and increased destruction throughout the map.

These new rooms all come on the south side of the house with two upstairs and two on the ground floor. On the first floor is the Music Room and TV Room below where the old Kids and Master Bedrooms used to be which makes up a new defensive objective in the Bomb game mode. Upstairs meanwhile, is the new Reading Room and Kid's Playroom areas with the bomb sites themselves not moving.

As well as these new additions, a new corridor has been added between the Girls' Bedroom site (where Construction used to be) and Bathroom, a doorway has replaced one of the Garage entrances, a new stairway connects Reading and TV Room, and a lot of the ceiling of the basement has been made destructible, allowing you to hold Garage from above.

As revealed during the Six Invitational panel three months ago, a new "Proximity Alarm" secondary gadget has been introduced for some operators, including Caveira, Mira, and Rook. The gadget, which is thrown similar to that of Wamai'sMag-NETs, starts beeping when an attacker comes within its radius alerting nearby defenders of their presence. It, therefore, acts as a possible Barbed Wire replacement gadget.

Unlike the Melusi'sBanshee Sonic Defense Primary gadget, these Proximity Alarms create a much higher pitched sound, can be destroyed by simply shooting them and have no slowing effect on the attacker.

In order to give her more of a surprise factor, whenAmaru swings into a barricaded window using her gadget, the wooden barricades now break just as she hits them, giving the defenders much less time to react. The defenders can still hear the Hook pulling her in, but it is now much quieter, meaning any other loud noises, such as gunfire, could obscure the sound. Her gun also now comes up more quickly than before after using the Garra Hook.

As well as this, when attempting to use her gadget to traverse up a hatch, the Garra Hook itself breaks the hatch rather than her needing to break it with her shotgun secondary, once again giving her the element of surprise. This is aimed at improving her pick rate and make her a more viable operator, as she currently has a pick rate similar to Clash at around 4% in high-level Ranked games.

Three changes have been made to the Ranked playlist.

Firstly, you must be level 50 to play Ranked, up from level 30, to dissuade cheaters from making new accounts and to encourage new players to learn more of the ins-and-outs of each map and operator before queuing into the playlist.

Secondly, a player can only reach Champion rank once they have played 100 Ranked games to hopefully make the achievement even harder to get and to give the game's anti-cheat more time to catch an offender before they earn the title.

Finally, each player will have a single rank across all regions, rather than each region counting your MMR separately. This means if you Rank into Gold I while playing in Europe, you'll still be Gold I in North American or Australian servers as well, and that there are now just 100 Champion ranked players across the world rather than in each region, further increasing the prestige of the title.

Both the new ping and replay systems showed off at the Six Invitational have been delayed from this Season due to the Coronavirus lockdown. They will still be coming in Year 5 at a later date.

The new "weapon attachment skins" are equipable cosmetic item similar to gun skins which change the colour of all attachments on the gun. On launch, there will be three free skins to chose from -- Grey, Black, and Tan -- with more coming in the future.

Finally, a new Elite Skin will be released with the new season in the form of the Echo Tenkamusou Ninja Elite.

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Check back here at SiegeGG for full coverage of Operation Steel Wave when it launches in a few weeks time.

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Operation Steel Wave Reveal: Two New Ops, Proximity Mines, Ranked and Balance Changes - SiegeGG

Building a garage addition can be an expensive home addition. A garage addition might be cheaper than other home additions but the question is whether the value justifies the cost for space that will only be used to store cars and/or stuff.

If you're thinking about building a garage addition, here are some of the things you want to take into consideration when planning your project:

The American Housing Survey in 2009 showed that 66% of homes have a garage or carport. This number might be skewed by new construction because most new homes include a garage, where costs for excavation, foundation, framing and roofing are shared across the entire house.

When building a garage addition, the new structure must bear all of these structural costs. That's why many homeowners decide to turn their garage addition into a 2-story addition with living space above the garage.

If you're going to keep your cars or trucks in the garage, you need it wide enough to open the doors and walk around the front of the cars. The challenge when building a garage additions is our cars and trucks are much bigger.

Everyone has different ideas about the type of car/truck you should use to size your garage. Not being an expert on cars and trucks, I found thishelpful table at ConsumerReports.org. You will need to identify three measurements maximum car/truck length, width and height.Ceiling height is key for larger trucks which are much taller than the average car, affecting building height as well as the size of your garage doors (width and height).

Then you probably want to add space for aworkbench and storage shelves, which are typically 2 feet deep plus you need another 2 feet to access them comfortably. You can add these on one or multiple walls, depending on how many different activities you want to use your garage for.

But wait, when you're building a new garage you have lots of options about the floor plan. When you've got the space, you can get really creative like this carriage house plan (below) from TheHousePlanShop illustrates:

We listed the decisions you have to make earlier. Here are some of the tradeoffs you can make that affect costs.

This article has been updated to include new information in the 2015 Cost vs Value survey, which is the last time a garage addition was included.

From 2015 Hanley Wood Cost vs Value Survey

This report can help you set a reasonable budget for your project that will maximize how much you should recoup when you sell your home. If you do move forward building a garage addition, you can alsolook for ways to cut costs to increase your ability to recover more of your investment.

The very, very first thing you need to think about if youre considering building a garage is how long you plan to stay in your current home. A typical double detached garage project could cost you around $50,000 andmight only add $30,000to the valueof your home. If you plan on staying for 5 years, that garage would cost you $4,000/year. Is it worth it? Only you can decide that. Now lets assume you still want to add a garage to your home. Here are some books that can help you identify and prioritize your requirements.

Sheds & Garages: Building Ideas & PlansGarage: Reinventing the Place We ParkGarages & Carports: Step-by-Step ConstructionBuilding a Garage: A Complete Guide

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With stay-at-home orders in place to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, Angelenos have gotten creative when eating at their favorite restaurants. While some higher-end places are happy to assemble complete meals for $50 or $60 a person, average restaurants continue to serve special takeout or standard favorites in to-go containers. Over the last two months, Eater editors have continued to eat food from local restaurants, but in a somewhat unfamiliar dining space: the car.

Every Angeleno has consumed something in their car: a double-double, Big Macs, fried chicken sandwiches. But with many restaurants transitioning their menus to takeout, Eater editors have been busy looking for different kinds of meals to eat in the drivers seat. Here now, where to eat everything from fried chicken and blue crab hand rolls to burritos and spicy ramen bowls.

Perhaps the single greatest part of living in Southern California is the access to a variety of landscapes, from winding hillside vistas backed by mega-mansions to leafy streets, sizzling beaches, endless desert, and rocky mountain cliffs. As a person with a lifelong wilderness streak, the terrain of Los Angeles is an important part of my life here, and that hasnt changed even with the county- and statewide Safer at Home mandates in place. It just means that we have to be a little bit more creative when figuring out where to eat that delicious pickup order.

Im fortunate to have a car, and even more fortunate that my car is a Subaru Forester, which means a full-sized hatch in the back and lots of room for tailgate dining. Im always a fan of the classic LA street food move of dining on the hood of the car, but for these lingering pandemic meals, its nice to take the back seat once in a while. Heres my setup: a cheap blanket thrown onto the floor of the car something thats easily replaceable, and that you dont mind getting a little dirty. Other accoutrements can be nice (a pillow, maybe, or some sort of back support if youre lingering for longer), but they arent really required all thats needed is a hot meal and a parking spot you can back into.

And theres the key. It can be the rooftop of the Row parking garage in Downtown (secretly one of the best city skyline spots around), or a dusty dead end street above Pasadena with peekaboo views of the hills. A recent afternoon with Honeybird fried chicken up in La Caada meant a turnout in the Verdugo foothills overlooking Glendale, surrounded by roomy mansions and shade trees. In and around Los Angeles, there are few bad views, so find one that suits the neighborhood youre picking up from, and away you go.

There are many more notable view-and-a-bite examples around LA, of course, like the drive-thru option at Broad Street Oyster Co. out in Malibu, but its important to heed the advice of county health professionals in not doing too much during this moment of physical distancing and stay-close-to-home mandates. Crowding PCH when 2,000 other people are there at the same time is bad for everyone, so just be smart with the shoreline. Luckily, there are endless views available all over, from quiet neighborhood landscapes to sky-high vistas. Pop the trunk, toss down a blanket, and dig in.

During the first few weeks of lockdown, I went for short drives around the city. I figured there was a temporary window to get across town in 20 minutes, so why not take advantage? I was also stir-crazed, restless, and just needed to get out of the house. But I also wanted a first-hand look at restaurant activity in these unusual times.

As hunger hit, I learned that some items were necessary to make my car an ideal spot to dine: an abundant supply of paper napkins, an absorbent microfiber towel for spills, and a playlist that fits the mood of the moment.

In recent weeks, I stepped up my game with some additions: a cloth napkin, a good supply of hand sanitizer, a cooler, and a tray to mimic a table. Im grateful for the ability to explore our city and support businesses while they try their best to make mandated closed dining rooms work.

My initial plan was to MacGyver my Mazda hatchback into a cozy eating spot. But its been fairly warm in recent weeks, so air conditioning was the only way to go while venturing to Sweet Red Peach for the 7-Up pound cake. Be prepared, because Karolyn Plummers Inglewood bakery maintains a lengthy line from the time she opens at 11 a.m. through dinnertime, when only the slimmest of pickings remain. Take a two-minute drive toward the Forum parking lot, unwrap the sweet, moist cake, and watch the construction workers complete SoFi Stadium while the sugar rush kicks in from your drivers seat. Get the peach cobbler for later, since it requires reheating.

According to my Instagram feed, my friends are taking beach treks to Venice, Malibu, or Santa Monica. I found some weekday peace at Long Beachs Bluff Park with Bebot Filipino Soul Foods chicken lumpia and some kalamansi mint iced tea. Chef-owner AC Borals crispy lumpia was an ideally sized snack for my drive back to Los Angeles, passing by folks with blankets out to picnic in the grassy area overlooking the beach. All locals maintained a respectable distance from one another, except on the walking path. I braved the setting from my car, opened the windows, and let the ocean air right in.

Back up toward LA, the iconic and car-accessible Mulholland Drive scenic stops are completely closed. But there are still pull-off parking areas where one can view the expansive San Fernando Valley. Place an order at Sushi Katsu-Ya in Studio City, which could take up to an hour or more. Then drive a half mile over to McConnells curbside pickup before heading up to Laurel Canyon Boulevard. Take it slow, find a spot, and right there is where a romantic two-course meal takes place. Sushi Katsu-Yas hand rolls work best in the car, and dont forget to ask for spoons.

The best lesson I ever learned from eating in my car during the pandemic is that burritos are an amazing thing to eat while cooped up in a vehicle. Ive had burritos from El Barrio in Redondo Beach and Sonoratown in Downtown, and both times, I was so blissfully happy that I almost let the grease roll down my arms and onto the center console of my Honda Civic. Its not an easy task to shift gears with greasy fingers. Thankfully, Ive outfitted my car with plenty of napkins and hand sanitizer. El Barrios shrimp-stuffed, cheese-encrusted Gobernador burrito is one for the ages, with platonic ratios of beans and rice with grilled vegetables. Sonoratowns carne asada burrito on its dreamy lard-flour tortillas is a winner too, especially with a special addition of roasted chile poblano.

My adventures eating in or on my car started right when the dining room closures came down from Mayor Eric Garcetti. I placed a monster order from Mei Lins short-lived takeout operation at Nightshade, getting the whole short rib (with ssam-style accoutrement), the restaurants famous congee, snap peas, and even a big slice of tiramisu. My wife, Rochelle, our photographer Frank, and I feasted, careful not to drip anything onto the hood. Eating such a delicious meal in the deserted Arts District on a Monday night felt so strange and beautiful. It mightve been the best meal Ive eaten since LAs restaurants closed due to the pandemic.

In between, I made sure to pick up the incredible dosirak from Spoon by H, comprising nearly two dozen bite-sized ingredients and enough food for almost two people. Except since Im a big enough eater, I had most of it by myself. The highlights in this Korean tray-sized feast was the galbi jjim, of course, but also the array of pickle and cabbage kimchi. I met fellow food writers Euno Lee and Lucas Peterson, and we all ate within considerable distance in the parking lot. Rochelle opted to sit perched on a ledge with Lee and Peterson while I stayed in the backseat of my car, which gave me a little more space to wolf down the dosirak.

As with many dishes at Spoon by H, Yoonjin Hwang went above and beyond the call for this traditional Korean lunch tray. Usually a dosirak from a supermarket or store in Koreatown might have eight to 10 items. I personally loved the combination of salty, fermented, and even sweet here, from macaroni and potato salad to fusilli to fried dumplings. Its a weird mix, but somehow it all works.

Id be remiss if I didnt note that Ive had a few fails, or at least close calls, while eating in my car. I ordered a spicy ramen bowl from Shin Sen Gumis Torrance drive-thru restaurant (seriously, who else in LA does a ramen drive-thru?) and while it was ideal to eat right away, I kind of wish Id waited until I drove the extra five minutes home. The bowl and soup were scorching hot, the slurped noodles splashed oily broth everywhere, and it was just plain awkward to eat in the parking lot. I probably looked a little looney in front seat trying to wolf down a bowl of hot ramen.

Similar story with Taishi, a Hainan chicken specialist that generously serves nearly two full pounds of sliced chicken with a softball-sized mound of schmaltzy rice and some broth. The meal begs for a flat surface to make dipping the chicken into the gingery soy sauce possible. I learned from this before going to Petite Peso in Downtown LA. Rochelle and I brought some handy Daiso trays with non-slip rubber so we could split the $25 two-person meal with chicken sisig salad, lumpia, and stellar karekare. The lunch was mostly successful, except that it occurred to me that sitting inside your car to eat anything other than a one-handed meal (like a burrito, burger, or sandwich) just felt really strange.

Eating on the hood of your car isnt particularly fun either, unless youre still driving a mid-90s Jeep Cherokee with its flat, table-like hood (trust me: My first car was a deep green Cherokee). We dont have an SUV like Farley, so eating inside the spacious back wasnt an option either. All of this in-car dining just made me wish for a proper table, even a rickety one, and a decent chair.

El Barrio shrimp El Gobernador burrito

Dining in restaurants will likely never be the same, or wont resemble what we knew pre-March 15 in Los Angeles. Restaurants will have to use half or even a quarter of their dining room capacities. Al fresco dining will abound across the city, and the restaurants that invested in patios will benefit greatly. But maybe in-car dining will also trend upward in LA. Someone could design seatback trays for back seats so we can feel like were eating on an airplane. Maybe restaurants will serve meals on one tray (like a dosirak). Maybe burritos will contain more than just grilled meats, beans, and cheese (or maybe the sushi burrito will make a comeback). However restaurants design to adapt to this new reality, Ill be ready to feast. Ill be the first car lined up at the carhop Korean barbecue where they grill the meat and bring it out hot and fresh to eat on the front seat.

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The Eater LA Guide to Dining in Your Car - Eater LA

Bee-Line #40 bus driver Leroy Clarke, who has been delivering dozens of workers to Westchester Medical Center throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, in Mount Vernon May 13, 2020. Rockland/Westchester Journal News

The 40 bus ferries healthcare workers to Westchester hospitals so they can help saves lives, says the bus driver who delivers them.

Leroy Clarkes 84-year-old mother died in early April from the coronavirus. He was on his way to her apartment in Brooklyn from his home in Cortlandt Manor when he found out shed taken her last breath.

The sad part is that Saturday when she passed away my sister asked me to come help, Clarke said. I was 20 minutes away from the house when she passed away. I was so mad I didnt get to talk to her.

His mothers death confirmed for Clarke the risks posed by the deadly virus that has claimed the lives of thousands of other New Yorkers like Louise Clark, a mother of seven.

People board the 5:40 a.m. Bee-Line bus Route 40 on East Prospect Avenue in Mount Vernon, April 8, 2020. (Photo: Mark Vergari/The Journal News)

And it reminded him how critical it is that he continue going to work every day, driving a bus to hospitals and nursing care facilities in Westchester County so others can save lives.

It doesnt bother me because I tell you something, its my job and I love it, Clarke said. It makes me proud that I can take these people to work, you know.

Clarke, 61, has been driving for Westchester Countys Bee-Line for 23 years. On a typical day, before the pandemic hit, he would be driving the 60 bus, from the Bronx up into White Plains.

Thatchanged in March.

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Ridership on the Bee-Line has plummeted from around 83,000 riders on a typical weekday to 22,000 last week, a decrease of 73%. Saturday service is down nearly 60%, from 38,000 to 16,000 and Sunday ridership dipped 63%from 23,000 to 8,500.

Fares have been waived and theres a partition separating drivers from passengers. Routes have been rejiggered so essential workers can get to and from work on buses that provide enough room for social distancing.

So, as dawn breaks, Clarke finds himself at Petrillo Plaza in Mount Vernon, driving the 40 bus that ferries health care workers north to Westchester Medical Center, White Plains Hospital and nursing homes along the way.

Passengers are pictured on the 5:40 a.m. Bee-Line bus Route 40 on East Prospect Avenue in Mount Vernon, April 8, 2020. (Photo: Mark Vergari/The Journal News)

They enter through the rear door of an articulated bus that can hold 100 but most mornings about 20 get on. They are mostly nurses aides, kitchen workers and housekeeping employees sporting the logos of the places where they work.

With fewer stops to make, Clarke stays ahead of schedule most mornings. At the White Plains Metro-North station he waits a little longer so passengers heading north by train from the Bronx can get on for the last leg of their trip north.

The county, working with its bus operator, Liberty Lines, decided to switch to an enhanced Saturday schedule on April 1. That means hourly service, which is traditionally focused on a busy midday.

Hospital workers and others had raised concerns about overcrowded buses.

So buses were added as needed to a dozen lines that course through the Bronx, White Plains, Yonkers, Harrison and New Rochelle, county officials said. Many of those additions came in the morning peak hours. At the request of Westchester County Medical Center, extra buses were added to routes serving the hospital.

We knew we would get into a situation where we would have some overcrowding because in general the weekday service focuses on morning and afternoon peaks, said Michael Swee, the principal planner for the countys Department of Public Works and Transportation. Saturday service is focused on a midday peak. So we knew we were going to have some issues. We tried to figure out which routes would need more trips before we switched to an enhanced Saturday service.

Workers went out and counted passengers and drivers offered their input.

People wait for the 5:40 a.m. Bee-Line bus Route 40 on East Prospect Avenue in Mount Vernon, April 8, 2020. (Photo: Mark Vergari/The Journal News)

Were getting calls from passengers saying for instance the 6 a.m. Route 7 from Mount Vernon to New Rochelle is overcrowded, Swee said. We get that input and we work with our operator to add trips or adjust schedulesIts a dance were doing on a daily basis, as most everyone is.

Across the country, transportation officials are facing similar challenges.

In Boston, transit officials have been using automatic passenger counters to identify routes that serve large numbers of health care workers.

In San Francisco, transit officials are using the counts to identify ridership trends, which tells them where and when to add service.

Theyve noticed, for instance, that demand peaks earlier in the day but is less pronounced than it had been before the pandemic, according to research by the TransitCenter, a New York City-based research and advocacy group. And ridership tails off after 5 p.m.

Critical to the effort is listening to drivers, said David Bragdon, the TransitCenters executive director.

The drivers know whats going on, Bragdon said. The drivers know where people are. And its really important because you want to reduce the crowdingFor a while even New York was running buses in some wealthier parts of town where nobody is working. So the buses there are empty and theyre running buses elsewhere that are really crowded.

Bragdon says the Bee-Line should adopt a similar approach once the pandemic passes and redesign routes to fit demand, especially in low-income areas where buses play a critical role in getting people to work.

Clarkes union head, Carlos Bernabel of Transport Workers Union Local 100, said his drivers have been communicating what they see to managers to alleviate crowded conditions that existed weeks ago.

At the beginning we were crowded, Bernabel said. But the people who are taking the bus now, most of them are workers, they understandIts been a challenge.

Clarke, meanwhile, is adjusting to life on his new route.

Bee-Line #40 bus driver Leroy Clarke, who has been delivering dozens of workers to Westchester Medical Center throughout the pandemic, arrives at his first stop in Mount Vernon May 13, 2020. Clarke, 61, has been driving for Bee-Line for 23 years. His mother recently died from COVID-19 but he continues to drive because he feels he owes it to his riders to get them to work every day. (Photo: Tania Savayan/The Journal News)

Im not scared of anything because I try to keep myself healthy, he said. I wear the protective gear.I feel confident. I dont have a problem with it.

He still checks in with passengers from his old route, including the White Plains woman who regularly brought him home-cooked Indian meals.

Bee-Line #40 bus driver Leroy Clarke, who has been delivering dozens of workers to Westchester Medical Center throughout the pandemic, at his first stop in Mount Vernon on May 13, 2020.(Photo: Tania Savayan/The Journal News)

My regular passengers, I miss them, he said.They call to see how I am doing. They always bring me good things to eat. My wife is not quite happy with it, but you know.

At home, he tries to keep a safe distance from his wife and two daughters to prevent infecting them.

I sleep in a different room because Im on the buses every day, he said.

A few weeks back, Bernabel said a local nonprofit came by the garage where Bee-Line drivers start their day and delivered pizza and drinks as a way to say thank you to Clarke, fellow bus drivers and mechanics.

There would be no fight against COVID-19 if our bus operators werent getting nurses and other hospital workers to the front lines, said Tony Utano, the president of Local 100. They really are heroes.

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