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Jerry and Sigrid Oaklief were unable to watch the spectacular sunsets from their front porch over Mobile Bay for weeks after Hurricane Sally pummeled coastal Alabama. Piles of debris blocked the view.

Some of that debris remains, but piles upon piles continue to be pulled to the roadsides from Baldwin Countys coast to the northern part of the county. Residents in Mobile County have also been placing large tree trunks and shrubbery on the sides of roadways while waiting for overworked crews to remove it.

The existing debris is just part of the vegetative mess in coastal Alabama that was damaged from Hurricane Sally. Trees are visibly leaning, collapsed power lines are still laying on the side of streets and acres of farmland are still scattered with large limbs.

Im just wondering that if everyone starts cleaning up the woods and dragging it out to the highway, that this (cleanup) could go on for years, said Jerry Oaklief, while sitting outside the Fairhope bungalow that he and his wife are temporarily living in after having to evacuate their Magnolia Springs home flooded during the storm.

Few streets in Baldwin County are without some sort of piled-up debris more than four weeks after slow-moving Hurricane Sally made landfall near Gulf Shores and created widespread damage throughout the county.

Crews are working to remove both vegetative and household debris left over in the storms wake, but there is not a set timeline for completion and the ending dates vary from city to city and county to county. In Baldwin County, officials anticipate it could take well into March 2021, before the debris removal is complete. Mobile County officials are alerting residents to bring their all their debris to the side of the road by October 25.

We are seeing the level of debris youd see during a Category 3 storm from a vegetative perspective, said Reid Loper, vice-president of Mobile-based CrowderGulf, a family-owned company with 50 years of experience in hauling debris from hurricane-damaged areas. The company has the contract to oversee debris removal for most of Baldwin County Daphne, Fairhope, Spanish Fort, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Bay Minette, and the unincorporated portions of the county. The company also has a contract through the Alabama Department of Transportation to handle debris removal along the interstates and state highways.

Said Loper, This was a much more significant debris event than what it has been displayed in the national media.

225 football fields of debris

Hurricane Sally damage to Dauphin Island, Alabama. Sunken boats and heavily damaged docks at the marina. In coastal cities around Alabama, the cleanup of marina debris is expected to last for awhile. (Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com).Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

And there are some indications that, once CrowderGulf and other contractors are finished, the amount of debris left over from Sally will exceed any hurricane that has hit Alabama in at least 40 years. The amount of debris is expected to exceed Hurricane Ivan, a Category 3 storm that slammed into Baldwin County in 2004 and is often viewed as the most powerful hurricane to make landfall in the county in recent years.

According to Loper, his company hauled 2.4 million cubic yards of debris following Ivan; and 23 days after Sally struck, the company has hauled an estimated 1.8 million cubic yards.

When people think that operations are not moving as quickly as it should, they need to put it into perspective, said Loper. Its been a long time since Baldwin County has been hit with a storm. Debris is a function of not only the intensity of the storm, but also the function and population and households. Baldwin County has grown quite a bit since 2004, when Hurricane Ivan hit. Its definitely boomed. So, as far as ranking comparative to Ivan, I think the debris totals will exceed Ivan by quite a bit.

The numbers that city officials throughout coastal Alabama are releasing are staggering. Some highlights:

In Bienville Square in the heart of downtown Mobile, one of the large oak trees ringing the central fountain broke off at ground level during the passage of Hurricane Sally.Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com

-Mobile, where scenic parks and historic neighborhoods were inundated with downed oak trees, city officials estimate that close to 70% of the estimated 381,360 cubic yards of trash and debris has been removed. According to a newsletter released Tuesday by Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, the amount of debris would cover more than 1 million square feet enough to fill up the Mobile Civic Center Arena four times.

-Gulf Shores, where Sallys eyewall made landfill, crews are about 70% completed with the clearing debris from residential areas. The city has 27 trucks working to complete the process which city officials hope is wrapped up in a few weeks. So far, 250,000 cubic yards has been removed by the city, which they estimate to be the equivalent of 225 football fields.

Related: Small town, big comeback: Gulf Shores celebrates homecoming and football after Hurricane Sally

-Orange Beach, where homes were heavily damaged by storm surge from Sally, 65% of debris has been removed from city streets and sidewalks, but only 20% has been removed from waterways. As of Monday, 327,000 cubic yards of debris had been removed including 18,000 cubic yards from the waterways. The typical storm-generated marine debris includes destroyed piers, decks and boat houses, and personal property inside them that includes vessels, coolers, tackles, nets, and downed trees. According to Phillip West, the city of Orange Beachs Coastal Resource Director, the city estimates that over 90% of all marine structures (such as docks, piers, and boat houses) suffered substantial damage from Hurricane Sally i.e., more than 50% of their value.

-Fairhope, where massive oak trees were toppled throughout the Fruit and Nut District, work is ongoing to have the debris removed by November 19, which is the traditional Lighting of the Trees event in downtown Fairhope. As of Monday, the city was reporting that 113,000 cubic yards of debris had been removed.

-Foley has contracted with Auburn-based D&J Enterprises Inc., for its post-storm cleanup. As of Monday, the city of Foley had removed 322,000 cubic yards of debris while removing 501 leaning trees and 4,139 limbs, according to City Administrator Mike Thompson.

-Robertsdale contracted with TFR Enterprises of Austin, Texas, for its cleanup. Mayor Charles Murphy, on Thursday, said he anticipated the company finishing up its work within the next seven days, after which city work crews will be charged with further debris removal.

Public safety concern

Officials in Baldwin and Mobile counties remain concerned about public safety as the mounds of debris continue to pile up. Mobile County officials are asking the public to be mindful when placing debris near the roads. They are also concerned over piles of debris building up in the ditches, which could block the flow of water during rain evens and lead to washouts of roads and driveways. County officials are also encouraging people report a dangerous situation through email at HurricaneSallyDebrisRemoval@mobilecountyal.gov or to call 251-574-4930.

Baldwin County Sheriff Huey Hoss Mack said while there hasnt been any public safety incident from the debris, he is concerned about it.

Most of this debris is put on the right of way and individuals need to make sure that they are keeping the debris away from the fog line of the roadway, said Mack. Theres also an increased concern as the debris continues to age of possible fires. Individuals need to make sure they are not throwing anything from their vehicles such as cigarette butts or any other trash into these piles.

A burn ban remains in effect until October 31.

Mack said that peanut harvest season in Baldwin County is also likely to create additional traffic hazards.

A lot of agricultural equipment is being moved on the roadways, said Mack. Due to the debris on the side of the road, this may cause an additional traffic hazard. Individuals are asked to pay particular attention to any agricultural equipment and when able to pull off the roadway and allow the agricultural equipment to get by.

Related: Pecan farming: Future of growing Alabamas state nut murky in Baldwin County after Hurricane Sally

FEMA-driven cleanup

The debris cleanup is being financed largely by the federal government after President Donald Trump declared a federal disaster for 13 counties in Alabama. The declaration allows for individual and public financial assistances from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. For debris cleanup, 75% of it is reimbursed through FEMA assistance while the state and local governments pitch in an additional 12.5%.

Counties and cities are providing loose estimates on how much the cleanup will cost, acknowledging that they wont know the extent of the expenses until the project is completed. Gulf Shores, for instance, estimates their debris removal costing around $8 million. Mobile County is estimating a cleanup cost of around $6 million.

In Daphne, original estimates were around $2.5 million but Mayor Dane Haygood anticipates it could be higher. He said the costs to the city are expected to run around $350,000 to $400,000, which he describes as unexpected but very manageable.

We implemented a reserve policy and set aside $8 million, said Haygood. Between COVID and the hurricane, this is why we have a reserve to make sure we can make it through the rainy days.

The FEMA involvement in the cleanup is one of the reasons why the process of removing the debris can seem meticulous.

Loper, with CrowderGulf, said the company has set up 19 debris management sites (DMS) throughout Baldwin County where the debris is hauled, measured, and ground down into wood chips where its hauled to a landfill. At each DMS is a third-party monitoring firm hired through separate contracts by each governmental entity that measures the volume of the debris that is collected within each truck.

Thats how we are paid on volume of debris hauled, said Loper. We are not paid by the hour, but we are paid on the actual volume of debris that is hauled.

He said that CrowderGulf subcontracts with crews that the company has worked with us for 20-plus years and who are familiar with the rules and regulations set by FEMA.

CrowderGulfs trucks and its subcontractors, according to Loper, will handle approximately three passes through streets in the cities where they are working. Haygood, in Daphne, said he anticipated the first pass through his city to be completed by the weekend.

The time frames toward completion will vary, Loper said, based on a city governments desire and how robust a public works department is to handle the continued operations.

Some cities collect for a long time, other places want three straight passes and no matter what is left, they will say, go home.

Haygood said in Daphne that they want CrowderGulf to make additional passes, and to continue doing the work for at least 60 more days.

I want to make sure we are giving citizens time to get their debris, he said. For some, its a financial burden or a physical toll to get the trees cut up and taken out to the road. Our aim is to have a second and a third pass.

Loper, who has been with CrowderGulf for the past 10 years, calls Hurricane Sallys cleanup a citizen-driven event. He said that estimates on the amount of debris collected and hauled will change quite a bit as more of it is hauled to the roadways and removed during subsequent passes through the county.

All told, more than 300 trucks are rumbling through Baldwin County daily. Loper said the company is doing about 4,000 dump truck loads of debris each day.

Typically, for a total debris collection operation, people are looking along the lines of three to four months with the county taking a bit longer because there is a much (larger) area of debris in the unincorporated area, said Loper.

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Power outages compound Hurricane Sally agony in coastal Alabama

Long lines for fuel, boats damaged: Coastal Alabama cleans up from Sally

Its mighty bad, Ivey says after coastal flyover

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Tree trunks, limbs everywhere: Hurricane Sallys debris will exceed Ivan by quite a bit - AL.com

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sustainable Green Team, Ltd.(OTC: SGTM) (SGTM or the Company), a leading provider of environmentally beneficial solutions for tree and storm waste disposal, today announces that its wholly owned subsidiary, Mulch Manufacturing, Inc. was awarded a 1 year natural mulch supply contract with 2 additional 1 year extensions with the city of Vero Beach, FL. The contract was received shortly after the Company received a mulch contract from Circle K conventient store divisions.

SGTMs CEO and Director Tony Raynor states, We are pleased to be awarded this new government contract opportunity and it's all thanks to our recently completed construction in the Waste Management facility in central Florida.

About Sustainable Green Team, Ltd. (SGTM)

Sustainable Green Team, Ltd. (SGTM), through its subsidiaries, provides tree services, debris hauling and removal, biomass recycling, mulch manufacturing, packaging and sales. The Company was established with the objective of providing a solution for the treatment and handling of tree debris that has historically been disposed of in landfills, creating an environmental burden and pressure on disposal sites around the nation. The Companys solutions are founded in sustainability, based on vertically integrated operations that begin with collecting tree debris through its tree services division and collection sites and then, through its processing division, recycling and using that tree debris as a feedstock that is manufactured into a variety of organic, attractive, next-generation mulch products that are packaged and sold to landscapers, installers and garden centers. The Company plans to expand its operations through a combination of organic growth and strategic acquisitions that are both accretive to earnings and are positioned for rapid growth from the resulting synergistic opportunities identified. The Companys customers include governmental, residential and commercial clients.

SGTM currently has two wholly owned subsidiaries to efficiently asses areas, recover, manufacture, and distribute:

National Storm Recovery, LLC

National Storm Recovery, LLC (NSR), is composed of a team that has expertise in dangerous tree removal, debris hauling and debris management. The Companys management team assesses storms by deploying its mobile command center to designated sites and then strategizing with its national partners, which include government agencies, prime contractors and subcontractors.

Central Florida Arborcare(CFA), a DBA of NSR has spent more than 40 years perfecting their technique for proper tree care, removal, and services. From tree removal, stump grinding, tree care, grapple hauling, and storm recovery, CFA ensures properties remain safe and businesses can continue as usual.

To learn more please visit: https://www.centralfloridaarborcare.com

Mulch Manufacturing, Inc.

Mulch Manufacturing, Inc. (MMI), being vertically integrated receiving large volume of wood fiber recovered from Central Florida Arborcare to feed raw material needs, MMI has the product line and distribution system to address a substantial customer base which can be expanded.

To learn more please visit: https://mulchmfg.com

For additional information regarding SGTMs operations, expansion plans and production facilities, view the Companys presentation.

SAFE HARBOR ACT: Forward-Looking Statements are included within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, listing on the CSE, including words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will" and other similar expressions, are forward-looking statements and involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance or achievements. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No information in this press release should be construed in any matter whatsoever as an indication of the future performance of the Companys revenues, financial condition or stock price.

Company Contact:Anthony RaynorCEO & Director407.886.8733 Office

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Sustainable Green Team, Ltd. (SGTM) Receives an Annual Mulch Supply Contract with the City of Vero Beach, FL - GlobeNewswire

Fire Size (All Zones):1,030,182Containment:78%Personnel (All Zones):3,130

Weather:A Red Flag Weather Warningfor the August Complex continues today with gusty NE winds to 25 mph, relative humidity in the low teens and very low overnight humidity recovery this morning.Fire behavior will increase with predicted weather, causing interior unburned islands and aligned terrain to experience higher fire activity. Strong and gusty winds may cause dead standing trees to fall at higher rates, increasing hazards to firefighters.The strongest winds will be through the morning and will start to taper down through the afternoon. They will be persistently out of thenortheast. By late Friday into Saturday, we can expect better relative humidity recoveriesand diminished windsheading into the weekend.Overnighthumiditylevelsacross the fire werevery low. As a result, fuel moistures are now at critically low levels, especially in the lighter fuels; grasses and brush.

Northwest ZoneYesterday, Red Flag weather conditions increased fire activity in the northwest zone,testingcontainment features. Humidity levels in the teens, temperatures 10 to 15 above average, and winds with gusts as high as 30-mph combined toincreasefire behavior.The fire spotted over the line above Kettenpom and near the West Fork of the Van Duzen River. Firefighters were pre-positioned, and aircraft were standing by his facilitated a rapid response and allowed firefighters to contain the spot fires before they could become established.The majority of fire activity occurred inside the fire area, as interior pockets of unburned fuels were consumed.

Today, Increased fire activity is expected, with the potential for torching and long-range spotting where ladder fuels and unburned canopy fuels exist. High flame spread rates are expectedwithin the fire perimeterwhere light fuels and timber litter align with winds.Teams continue to evaluate suppression repair needs in the Ruth Lake corridor area. The intent of suppression repair is to return the area to as close as possible to its natural state and prevent future erosion and damage.PG&E is actively repairing power infrastructure to ready the Ruth Lake area for repopulation. Approximately 130 power poles must be replaced before the system can be reactivated.

Northeast ZoneYesterday, hotshot crew cut out brush in very steep terrain west of Bear Wallow Mountain to connect and further secure fire lines.East of Irish Mountain, firefighters took advantage of favorable NE winds and completed a small firing operation to fortify fire line to prevent the fire from spreading further north. Helicopters supported this mission with water drops to cool hot spots near the fire edge.Night shift resources held the fire in place, and further secured fire line adjacent to this area.In Beegum Creek, strong winds caused firefighters to disengage their mop up operation due to numerous dead standing trees falling near the fire perimeter helicopters were used in this area to add cooling water to flare-ups and keep interior heat from moving towards the fire edge. Hotshot crews continued mopping up hot spots on the southeast side of the 2017 Buck Fire perimeter.

For today in this northeast zone, NE winds will continue to push the fire back into the main fire footprint. Firefighters will secure and fortify fire lines near Progeny, Bear Wallow Mountain, South Fork Trinity River, Rattlesnake Creek and Beegum Creek. Guard rail repair and hazard tree removal on Hwy 36 continues near Forest Glen by Cal Trans crews.

Evacuations and Closures Evacuation information can be found on countywebsites referenced below or atinciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6983/.Hwy 36 remains closed from Southfork Summit Mountain east to the Hwy 3 intersection.Hunting and recreation are prohibited within the August Complex Fire Closure areas.

TrinityCountyevacuation Information,contact: 530-276-8034 orhttps://www.facebook.com/TrinityCoOES/.

Trinity County Private Property Damage Assessment Info.,contact:530-623-8223 orhttps://www.trinitycounty.org/recovery

Humboldt County evacuation Information,contact: 707-268-2500 or visit:HumboldtCoSheriff.

Road Closures:For updated Road Closure information, visit Caltrans athttps://roads.dot.ca.gov/.

Forest Closures are still in effect and can be found here:

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August Complex: Red Flag Weather Continues Today as Spot Fires Went Past Containment Lines at Kettenpom and Near the West Fork of the Van Duzen River...

A Christian group in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh is mulling a protest after the state government prevented construction of a church because it says it was illegal.

Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) has asked the state government run by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to quickly resolve the issue in Buddhist-majority Tawang town.

The present government says thatthe church is illegal as it is on public land, referring to the Supreme Court order that bars construction of religious structures in public places, but that is not the case here, Father Felix Anthony, spokesman for the Catholic Church in northeastern India, told UCA News.

People here who are for or against the construction of the church are not for disturbing the peace of the community that has been prevailing for years. People want the issues sorted out amicably. There is no question of disobeying the law written in the constitution.

Police in Tawang on the India-China border on Oct. 6 arrested Joseph Singhi, a pastor of Tawang Christian Revival Church, on charges of constructing a church without any land allotment.

He was arrested after a complaint by the district Land Revenue and Survey officer but was released the same day. Police also detained and interrogated eight others associated with the church.

ACF claimed that the church was established in 1999 and had given several applications seeking land allotment. The papers were submitted to the government through the local administration since 2003, but the authorities never responded.

It was a makeshift church and the problem arose in 2015 when work started on the construction of a permanent structure.

However, Tai Ete, president of Arunachal Pradesh Christian Revival Church Council, said nobody objected when the church was set up in 1999.

The problem started in 2015 when we started construction of the church. The government authorities said it was government land and we didnt have the land allotment order, Ete told media.

Ete said that in 2003 Gegong Apang, then chief minister, and the department concerned had no objection to the church. He claimed that the disputed site is unused and rejected.

Is India not a secular country? The right to freedom of religion is enshrined in the constitution to enable its citizens to freely profess and practice their religious beliefs, Ete said.

We want the case to be resolved amicably. They are harassing us intentionally. All have the right to propagate their own religion.

Arunachal Pradesh Christian Revival Church Council had earlier said Christians have no intention to disturb the way of life in Tawang, known for a 339-year-old Buddhist monastery.

ACF handed over a memorandum to Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Oct. 9 informing him about the blocking of the construction of a permanent structure where a temporary church has existed since 1999.

Christianity is the largest religion in Arunachal Pradesh followed by Hinduism. According to the census of 2011, Christians constituted 30.26 percent of the state's population. The Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination in the state with around 180,000 adherents.

Originally posted here:
Christians angry over blocking of church construction in India - UCAN

100 years ago

Oct. 17, 1920: The new Church of the Nazarene building is being dedicated this weekend at Washington and Mason. The congregation has been in town for five years, but this will be their permanent home. The first service was last night, with more scheduled for today.

75 years ago

Oct. 17, 1945: About 200 machinists at the Meadows plant on Bell Street walked off their jobs, shortly after the posting of a progress report on wage negotiations. The issue is a federally directed 14-cent increase that dates back to 1944: who should get it and how much.

50 years ago

Oct. 17, 1970: Four teenagers were injured when a 20-foot section of bleachers collapsed at Heyworth High School. All four of them were from Fairbury and Cropsey. They were treated at a hospital and released. Meanwhile, Fairbury-Cropsey High School won the football game.

25 years ago

Oct. 17, 1995: Normal City Council approved the new Walmart site at Fort Jesse Road and Greenbriar Drive. There was one dissenting vote because of complaints about the tax rebate involved. Construction of the new Walmart is expected to begin this fall.

Compiled by Jack Keefe; jkeefe@coldwellhomes.com.

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100 years ago: Church of the Nazarene dedicates new building - Bloomington Pantagraph

RCMP have arrested five people for chaining themselves and destroying property at TMX construction sites near Kamloops.

RCMP said about 12:40 p.m. on Thursday they were called after demonstrators had gathered at a Trans Mountain (TMX) drill site on Mission Flats Road in Kamloops, and were blocking work trucks from driving through the facility gate.

Officials talked to the demonstrators but three refused to move away from the gate; a 69-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman and a 57-year-old woman who had tied her arm to the fence with a zap strap.

Officers read a B.C .Supreme Court injunction to the three individuals who remained at the gate and they were arrested for allegedly being in civil contempt of the court order issued on June 1, 2018.

A second group of demonstrators had gathered and were blocking an active work site on the south mountain slope, said RCMP.

A 43-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly breaching the court-ordered injunction after she refused to leave and attached herself to a bulldozer.

All four arrested were transported to Kamloops RCMP Detachment for processing and released on condition. They are scheduled to appear in court on January 20, 2021.

A fifth individual, a 32-year-old woman, was observed destroying survey stakes across the road from the drill site, and was subsequently arrested by Kamloops RCMP for Mischief. She was released without charges.

Trans Mountain said in June, a workforce of 30-50 people will be working in Kamloops and this will increase to approximately 600 people at peak construction in the late summer or early fall.

The company said construction spending in the Kamloops area is expected to be more than $450 million over the next two years with additional workforce spending of more than $40 million for goods and services at local businesses.

After expansion, Trans Mountains annual contribution to the city of Kamloops in taxes will increase by $1.2 million to $2.8 million.

The feds bought the Trans Mountain pipeline for $4.5 billion in May, 2018, after Kinder Morgan, pulled out because of political and environmental opposition.

In February, the Federal Court of Appeal dismissed the latest attempt by four B.C. indigenous groups to quash the Government of Canadas approval of the TMX clearing the way for the 1,150-km, 890,000 bbl/d line between Edmonton and Burnaby.

The cost to complete the project, from Alberta to the lower mainland, now stands at $12.6 billion.

Construction along the entire route should be complete in 2022.

The original Trans Mountain Pipeline was built in 1953and the expansion is essentially a twinning of this existing 1,150-kilometre route.

The system will go from approximately 300,000 barrels per day to 890,000 barrels per day.

A reminder that demonstrators have the right to peaceful, lawful and safe protest and companies have a lawful right to complete their mandated work. The RCMP is working hard to protect both of these rights and ensure all parties and public are kept safe, said Cpl. Madonna Saunderson.

Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standarddnaylor@westernstandardonline.comTWITTER:Twitter.com/nobby7694

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Pass the collection plate: Church fined $14000 for causing COVID outbreak - Western Standard

By Phill Colomboofni.1602993279swen-1602993279rats@1602993279obmol1602993279oclli1602993279hp1602993279

Grace Memorial Episcopal Church Rector Martin Elferts vision for a parking lot west of church buildings at 1535 N.E. 17th Ave. in Sullivans Gulch had to answer the question: How can we be the best possible stewards of our resources to mutually benefit our church and our community?

On the job for five years now, Elfert said his vision was at first modest and simple but has since blossomed into the idea not without some risk of developing a space that will serve the poor, the developmentally disabled and the arts with equal dignity.

Engaging a coalition of long-time collaborators like Grace Art Camps and PHAME PDX, Elfert enlisted the talents of Northwest Housing Alternatives to develop a concept that will soon move into its fundraising stage.

Grace Art Camps provides creative arts experiences for over 1250 children annually and PHAME PDX creates performance opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The teams proposal will include the construction of nearly 100 units of affordable housing on the upper floors of a six-story building, with about 24,000 square feet of office, church and classroom space on the ground floor. The L-shaped structure will be completely accessible. The church building, built in 1927, will remain as is.

Jenny Stadler, executive director of PHAME PDX for the past three years, is an eager participant and avid cheerleader for the project.

PHAME is booming by leaps and bounds, and we need more space, she said. Im especially enthused about a new, accessible performance theater that will serve the entire arts community.

Stadler said there is a huge lack of accessible performance and rehearsal space in the city.

Weve found in the church, landlords who are friends and who understand the equity and inclusiveness of our community, she said. As we grow and thrive, our organization will reach out to others in the community to help with the fundraising.

Rector Elfert characterized the project as the right people descending from heaven on a cloud to move the concept out of fantasy mode.

After conversations with Walsh Construction, Carleton Hart Architecture and capital campaign consultants, the church selected Northwest Housing Alternatives as its developer for the project.

Destin Ferdun, Northwests director of real estate development, said the regional agency is super-thrilled to come aboard.

The development team is eyeing the fall of 2023 as a possible completion date for the project and has proposed to the city that a short portion of Northeast 16th Avenue between Weidler and Halsey streets be vacated. Tentative schedules call for Grace Arts Camps to be moved off-site for 16 months during construction.

The main task now is getting the capital campaign back on schedule, said Elfert.

For more information, visit http://www.grace-memorial.org, http://www.grace-institute.org, http://www.phamepdx.org and http://www.nwhousing.org.

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Church vision drives affordable housing project in Sullivan's Gulch - Hollywood Star News

The countries in Central and Eastern Europe have faced a century of hardship. They have been oppressed by radical communism, horrendous crimes against humanity, and revolutionary, civil, and world wars.

Under communism, religion and religious practices were openly persecuted, and atheism was actively propagated and enforced.

Control of every aspect of life was taken over by totalitarian governments and the communist party, and civil society and the economy were deconstructed.

The Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, part of the diocesan International Combined Collection, funds projects in 28 countries to build the pastoral capacity of the Church and to rebuild and restore the Faith in these countries.

The funds raised in the Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe are used to support the renewal of vital aspects of the Church life: seminaries, youth ministry, social service programs, pastoral centers, church construction and renovation, and Catholic communications projects.

Years after the fall of communism, though some countries are now a part of the European Union and serve as examples of positive changes, a majority of the countries are lagging behind and still struggling to overcome the legacy and destruction left by the communist system.

The Catholics of these regions continue to need our help.

As a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop's, USCCB, subcommittee on Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, Bishop Donald Hying visited two of these countries, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, in 2019.

Bishop Hying said he made this visit "to be supportive of the Church and see what projects we could support." The progress these countries are making, after the fall of communism over 25 years ago, is encouraging. Churches were confiscated or destroyed, yet their faith is strong as they rebuild.

"They are very strong in faith and dedicated to the Church and each other. For many years, they practiced their faith underground, living without priests and the sacraments," Bishop Hying commented. He was inspired by their commitment to their faith, commenting "their faith is the essence of their lives."

The International Combined Collection is held every October in parishes across the Diocese of Madison.

Questions on the collection can be directed to the office of Stewardship and Development at the Diocese of Madison at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 608-821-4577.

Jill McNally is the director of the Office of Stewardship and Development in the Diocese of Madison.

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Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe - Catholic Herald

A stalled affordable housing project near the Ballston Metro station is poised to get a three-year extension.

The Ballston Station project, set to be built on the site of the Ballston Central United Methodist Church at 4201 Fairfax Drive, was previously approved by the County Board in 2017 and again in 2019. The latter approval upsized the project from 119 units, including 48 designated as affordable, to 144 units of 100% committed affordable housing.

The Board previously also allocated $3.1 million in affordable housing loan funds to the project.

The church and its development partner, the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing, are now going back before the Board this weekend, seeking to extend the now-closed window for beginning construction through October 2023.

The developers are also seeking a minor change to the affordability mix, switching six units from being affordable to those making up to 30% of the Area Median Income to 60% AMI, to make the project more fiscally sustainable.

The planned eight-story building will still include a daycare facility for up to 100 kids and a church space with up to 200 seats, as well as eight visitor parking space and 0.25 parking spaces per apartment.

County staff is recommending approval of the proposed site plan amendment, but there is some opposition from neighbors in the adjacentSummerwalk condo complex at 1020 N. Stafford Street.

The condo association is concerned about parking, noting that their own building has insufficient parking and condo residents who are barred from participating in the countys under-review Residential Permit Parking Program find parking on the street difficult as it is. The association is also concerned about their future neighbors making the area less desirable.

More from the county staff report:

In addition to the previously submitted concerns from the Summerwalk Condo Association, a new comment has been submitted regarding the project having changed in 2019 to a commitment of 100% affordable units on site. The Association notes that the previous proposal of a mixed income housing development would better serve the needs of the entire community and instill a greater sense of equality within the neighborhood. The Association also notes concerns that the project being 100% affordable will make the surrounding area less desirable.

In response, county staff assert that the parking ratio is in line with existing parking policies, while the project meets multiple affordable housing goals, including units in close proximity to transit. It alsoprovides an opportunity for a mixed-income neighborhood as most nearby developments are predominately market-rate, staff wrote.

Read more from the original source:
Ballston Church Seeking Three-Year Extension for Affordable Housing Project - ARLnow

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Best Project & Project of the Year: Capitol Crossing Highway, Deck, Bridge, and Garage - Engineering News-Record