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WESTERLY Dozens of residents opposed to a plan that would extend the town sewer line to Misquamicut, at a cost borne largely by shoreline residents and businesses, filled the Town Council chambers Monday night.

The residents raised a number of questions about the $24 million proposal while others leveled criticism. They asked whether businesses would pay an equitable share of the project cost, whether the sewage plant has enough capacity, whether the project would prompt an undesirable development boom, and whether it is being rushed. They also questioned why the Town Council, not residents at a referendum, would decide whether to move forward with the plan.

Town Manager Steven Hartford, an advocate and architect of the plan, said that the most recent projections show that Misquamicut residents would pay $1,227 annually for the project for 20 years, the duration of a revenue bond that would be issued to finance the work. Under the traditional sewer extension system in which the town pays for about half of a project and new users pay for the other half, residents would pay about $1,220 per year, Hartford said

Examples of the cost for commercial properties, under the proposal, include the Breezeway Resort, which would pay $17,795 annually and $355,899 over 20 years, and Marias, which would pay $23,062 annually and $461,241 for the term of the bond.

The proposal follows a cesspool phaseout program enacted by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. The phaseout requires owners of property within 200 feet of a coastal shoreline feature, including salt ponds, to install costly denitrification septic systems to replace cesspools. Residents said the cesspool phaseout applies to less than 50 property owners in the Misquamicut area.

Hartford and others who developed the plan said they believe it achieves a fair balance between what residents would pay and what businesses would pay. The amounts are based on projections of system use rather than the traditional lot size determination. Under the plan, Hartford said businesses would pay eight times more than they would pay under the lot size payment determination.

While theres a perception out there that the homeowners are paying more then they would under a conventional sewer extension, thats just not true, and the reason is that the businesses are picking up a substantially greater portion of what they would under a conventional assessment, Hartford said.

In response to another question, Hartford said that while the current plan gives residents who have already installed denitrification systems a 10-year forbearance period before they are required to hook up to the sewer system, all property owners in the affected area will be required to eventually hook up to the system. Officials are considering extending the 10-year forbearance to a longer period of time.

The sewer plant on Margin Street can handle the additional load presented by extending the sewer line without the need for an expansion of the plant, Hartford said. The plan does not require a townwide referendum because revenue bonds would be used to pay for the project. Revenue bonds are paid off with money generated by user fees as opposed to general obligation bonds, which are paid with taxes from all town taxpayers. General obligation bonds require referendums.

Russell Ryan of Kimball Avenue said businesses should have to pick up a greater share of the cost of extending the sewer line since they have more to gain, including not having to give up parking spaces to make room for new septic systems.

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Negative feedback on sewer proposal

(CBS/AP) NEW ORLEANS - In the era of mobile telephones, AT&T Inc. is trying to rid itself of a long-standing tradition in Louisiana: the familiar white pages of residential phone listings dropped on front porches and driveways.

The staff of the Louisiana Public Service Commission has recommended a plan under which white pages would be sent only to customers who specifically request the directory. AT&T customers also could request a CD-ROM of home listings for computer use. Many commissioners say they support the plan.

"Unwanted and unused directories are a waste of natural resources and scarce capital," Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta said. "Savings from printing directories only for consumers who actually want them can free up capital for increased development of consumer DSL and broadband services, in both traditional and cellular based modalities. Consumer choice allows for smart management of resources."

The commission could vote on the proposal May 23.

The program wouldn't affect the yellow pages, which is advertiser-supported, or the business version of the white pages, both of which would be delivered to all customers.

"The traditional residential white page telephone directory no longer provides the same utility it once did as customers are now turning less and less to the residential white pages directory and are looking to online and other resources for listing information," AT&T said in its request to the commission.

At least one Public Service Commissioner, Foster Campbell, opposes the request, calling it "a moneymaking deal" for AT&T.

"What do you think people are going to do when you take their telephone directory away? They're going to call 411 and pay $1.50. If they don't have a computer, they're going to call 411," Campbell said.

AT&T spokeswoman Kim Allen said that in 75 of company's markets across the country where white pages delivery is optional, less than 1 percent of its customers requested the directory. She said at least 19 states have removed mandatory directory delivery.

AT&T would rather use the savings to upgrade broadband services and wireless services in the state, Allen said. Allen would not say how much AT&T spends annually on its white pages and how many customers the company has in Louisiana, citing competitive reasons. She also was unable to say how many cities might be affected the PSC approves the company's request.

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AT&T seeks to end paper White Pages in Louisiana

wwltv.com

Posted on May 8, 2012 at 11:37 AM

Alan Sayre / Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS In the era of mobile telephones, AT&T Inc. is trying to rid itself of a long-standing tradition in Louisiana: the familiar white pages of residential phone listings dropped on front porches and driveways.

The staff of the Louisiana Public Service Commission has recommended a plan under which white pages would be sent only to customers who specifically request the directory. AT&T customers also could request a CD-ROM of home listings for computer use.

The commission could vote on the proposal May 23.

The program wouldn't affect the yellow pages, which is advertiser-supported, or the business version of the white pages, both of which would be delivered to all customers.

"The traditional residential white page telephone directory no longer provides the same utility it once did as customers are now turning less and less to the residential white pages directory and are looking to online and other resources for listing information," AT&T said in its request to the commission.

Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell opposes the request, calling it "a moneymaking deal" for AT&T.

"What do you think people are going to do when you take their telephone directory away? They're going to call 411 and pay $1.50. If they don't have a computer, they're going to call 411," Campbell said.

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AT&T wants to end mandatory white pages in La.

EUFAULA, Oklahoma -

Construction is well under way on a different style of lake living.

It's like what you would see in Seaside, Florida, and unlike what you'd normally see with most new neighborhoods under construction.

On a beautiful spot along Lake Eufaula, something unique is taking shape.

"Similar to what you've seen out of the best neighborhoods between 1890 and 1940," said Grant Humphreys, Carlton Landing.

Carlton Landing is under development on Eufaula, introducing what's called new urbanism to life on the lake.

"We haven't seen it done in this region, so we're bringing in world-class design talent, into Oklahoma to redefine the lake experience and provide people with a great quality resort option," Humphreys said.

All of the cottages, with their large front porches, are built close to the street or with access to boardwalks, with the intent of creating a pedestrian friendly and more neighborly environment.

"New urbanism is just a way of designing communities around people instead of just the automobile," Humphreys said.

"I love the fact that you park your car and you really don't have to get back in your car again until you have to go into town here," Jen Humpreys said.

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Development On Lake Eufaula Puts Emphasis On The Past

Agencies/Abuja

Crowds of protesters took to the streets of the Nigerian city of Potiskum yesterday over a deadly market attack last week, with a church and classrooms burnt and police firing tear gas. More than a thousand protesters, including traders and clerics, took part in the demonstration in the northeastern city hit by a bomb-and-gun attack last Wednesday at a busy cattle market that killed at least 34 people. Bonfires were set amid the protests and a crowd of youths also vandalised military checkpoints while heckling soldiers manning them in anger over troops failure to foil the attack. At least one church and a number of classrooms were burnt by what police described as miscreants who took advantage of the protest. Police fired tear gas and shot into the air as demonstrators sought to march to the palace of the towns traditional ruler and moved closer to regional police headquarters, witnesses said. No one was reported wounded. Some miscreants took advantage of the peaceful demonstration to go on a rampage, said Moses Onireti, police commissioner for Yobe state, where Potiskum is located. They burnt a church and three blocks of classrooms in a primary school nearby. We have arrested three suspects in the attacks. The police have succeeded in restoring normalcy. Protesters expressed frustration with authorities inability to stop violence in the city. The government must as a matter of urgency fish out the perpetrators of this crime and ensure that they are appropriately punished. This is our demand, said one protester. Demonstrators also held prayers at the scene of the killings. We call on God to expose the criminals that attacked this market and killed people in cold blood and destroyed means of livelihood, said Muslim cleric Goni Yahuza, who led the prayers. Frustration has been growing over violence in Nigeria, hit by scores of deadly attacks blamed on Islamist group Boko Haram. Potiskum has been among the areas hard hit by attacks attributed to the group, and it was included in a state of emergency declaration by President Goodluck Jonathan on December 31. The attack on Wednesday night, said to be the work of armed robbers, was in reprisal for an incident earlier in the day, when a gang sought to rob the market but were fought off by traders who caught one of the attackers. The man who was caught was doused in petrol and a tyre was placed around his neck before he was burnt to death, according to police and residents. Gunmen armed with explosives returned later in the day, burning the market to the ground and killing at least 34 people, whose bodies were taken to a local hospital. Authorities have said the death toll is likely more than 50 because the families of some victims buried them without taking their bodies to the hospital, but firm numbers have not been established. Separately, gunmen yesterday attacked a vehicle carrying staff from a local construction company in northern Nigeria, killing a Nigerian and a Lebanese worker and kidnapping a second Lebanese man, police said. The attack occurred in a village called Kakeyi, in Kaduna state, where they were working on a water project. We suspect this incident was more about armed robbery than kidnapping, said Kaduna state police spokesman Aminu Lawal. Police have commenced investigation into the incident. Kidnapping is big business in Nigeria, mostly in the southeast oil-producing regions, and hostage-taking for ideological reasons is also a growing threat in the largely Muslim north. A British and an Italian hostage were killed by their captors in March during a rescue at tempt by British and Nigerian forces in northwest Nigeria. Islamist militants claiming to be Al Qaedas north African wing released a video in March claiming they were holding a German taken from the norths main city of Kano in January. Boko Haram has repeatedly denied being involved in those kidnappings.

Police estimate that 5% of those killings are acts of vigilante justice.

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Church burnt in Nigeria protest

The oldest church in Lehigh, one that several other churches started their ministries in before building their own churches, is in financial trouble and a spokeswoman for the church said the board of elders and the congregation have decided they have to put the church and the property up for sale.

"We can't continue like this with the finances the way they are," said Ada Thompson, the moderator of the First Community Congregational Church at 200 Leeland Heights Blvd. She speaks for the board and the members of the church. Pastor Deb Frysinger is the pastor.

Thompson said the church has a clear mortgage with no liens against it but that normal expenses and other unexpected expenses like problems with air conditioning and an unexpected problem with the septic system plus other bills have put them in a position of spending more money than the church is taking in.

If it continues, Thompson sees more serious financial problems ahead.

"We have to pay our bills," Thompson said.

Other churches in the area are facing some of the same problems. In fact, Thompson said a church closed a few weeks ago in the Buckingham area because of financial problems.

Thompson also noted that the congregation and those who attend are not able to give offerings to the church like they were before the 2007-08 dip in the economy.

"But most are giving what they can," said Pastor Frysinger.

The First Community Congregational Church was named "First" because, according to Thompson, it was the very first church constructed in Lehigh back in the late 1950s. Those who founded the church are deceased today.

"Those 30 or more people worked hard to build this church. After it had been constructed, there were other church groups in Lehigh who wanted to erect their own churches.

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Money problems plague Lehigh’s first church

Staff Writer

A nearly century-old church and school on Laney-Walker Boulevard could fall victim to the wrecking ball this week, despite efforts by historic-preservation groups to save them.

Demolition of the former church and school buildings could begin as soon as today, despite preservation groups' efforts to save them.

MEG MIRSHAK/STAFF

The auditorium of the former Immaculate Conception School on 11th Street is set to be demolished, along with two classroom buildings and the former sanctuary. After its establishment in 1913, hundreds of children in the Laney-Walker neighborhood attended the school.

Preston Tutt, the vice president of Tutt Contracting Inc., said the demolition of the Immaculate Conception buildings is pending clearance that all asbestos has been removed.

A single-story classroom building facing 11th Street would be the first to go, possibly as soon as today, followed by a two-story classroom building, the former sanctuary and the auditorium.

After the concrete parking lots are removed, grass seed and mulch will be spread to cover the lot, Tutt said. Crews worked Monday to prepare for the demolition.

The church and school were established in 1913 by the African Missionary Fathers of the Catholic Church. Over the years, Laney-Walker neighborhood children of all faiths were educated by Franciscan sisters and lay people.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah moved the schools operations to Telfair Street in 2009. Since then, the diocese has been unable to sell the property, which was listed for close to $550,000, and the buildings continued to deteriorate.

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Historic church, school set for demolition

EAST KNOXVILLE, Tenn (WVLT) -- Members at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Knoxville worship like those at many other churches in East Tennessee, but they do it in their fellowship hall instead of the church's sanctuary.

"It was a hard time, that December the 6th. You know, I've been a member since 1964. It was just something that we had to get over, but with the church family and everything we fought through this," said Warren Scott, a member of the church.

On Sunday, the church held a groundbreaking for its new sanctuary, which will be built where the old one stood. Seven Christian education classrooms will also be built.

"Modern, up-to-date, we'll be able to do radio, television. Anything that they're doing today,we'll be able to do," said Reverend Leroy Franklin.

Children participated in the groundbreaking too - dropping stones from the old church into a golden can.

"The can will be placed in the display and there will be some information about it. And when people ask what does it mean, then we'll be able to tell the story of how they helped to clear the ground and building for the future," said Franklin.

Reverend Franklin says the new sanctuary will be wider, offer more seating and have a taller cross. Members are excited for it, but say even so, it's not where they worship that counts.

"It doesn't matter to me where we have church at - as long as we get together and be together and praise the Lord," said Qiana Bennett, a church member.

Worship will continue in the fellowship hall until July 2013, when the new sanctuary is expected to open.

Reverend Franklin says construction will cost the church about $3.4 million, with insurance covering most of it.

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Church holds groundbreaking ceremony for new sanctuary

Members of Bethel Baptist Church watch the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a sanctuary on Sunday. Construction is expected to be completed by 2013.

TUSCALOOSA | It's been 10 years since the leadership of Bethel Baptist Church first started dreaming of a new, larger sanctuary next to its existing church on 30th Avenue in West End.

On Sunday, that dream took a big step toward fruition.

The Rev. Schmitt Moore, pastor of Bethel Baptist Church, broke ground on the new sanctuary with other church leaders as church members celebrated the ministry's expansion. The new building, which will be built adjacent to the existing church, will be about 16,000 square feet and hold about 564 people in the new sanctuary. Construction will take about a year to complete. The church received a loan for construction through Capstone Bank.

This is a great milestone for us, and we are wonderfully blessed, Moore said.

The expanded church will help Bethel Baptist serve the community in a better way, he added, with more space for more members.

The expansion has been a long time coming, said Leon Brown, a deacon at the church.

This is what the building is about, the church's ministry to the community, Brown said. We are here thanking God for this opportunity.

The current church building was built in the 1960s and before that was located near DCH Regional Medical Center. Church member Lucille Owens has been going to Bethel Baptist her entire life and was part of the group that helped the church get built in its current location more than 40 years ago.

I'm very excited about the new building. It's going to be beautiful, Owens said. It's been a long time coming but it's a great day here.

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Bethel Baptist Church breaks ground on its new sanctuary

The Lofts at Farmers Market is fully constructed and occupied, but legal woes continue for the five-story, 58-unit luxury apartment building developed using city money.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals has found "the appearance of both folly and favoritism" in the city's decision to allow a building contractor to withdraw its $7.33 million construction bid and then alter it upward it after the contract was already awarded.

The appeals court sided with Rochon Corp., a construction contractor that made a bid for the project, and against the city of St. Paul in a lawsuit. Rochon maintains the city violated its own bidding procedure when it awarded a construction contract to Shaw-Lundquist, the company that completed the $8 million building in February. Three appeals court judges have agreed.

The decision, filed Monday, May 7, effectively orders the city to sever its contract with Shaw-Lundquist, but it gives little to no indication of how to do that. The building is already complete.

"What effect this ruling has on the project is unclear," Jeffrey Wieland, an attorney with Fabyanske, Westra, Hart and Thomson P.A., the Minneapolis law firm representing Rochon, wrote in an email Monday. "Tenants have started moving into the building, but there may be progress payments and retainage still outstanding for Shaw- Lundquist and its subcontractors. That money cannot be paid on a void contract. More litigation on this project is possible."

Joe Campbell, a spokesman

In a later email, Campbell added: "Projects like the Lofts at Farmers Market are a key component to enhancing vibrancy in the city."

The ruling is the latest curveball for a project that has had its share of struggles. The city acted as developer of the Lofts project, which overlooks the Lowertown farmers market, after a previous developer and construction team parted ways and dropped the project.

The city put out a request for bids in November 2010. Shaw-Lundquist won the contract with a bid of $7.33 million. The contractor quickly realized it had underestimated costs by $619,000 and told the city it had to withdraw from the contract. Instead, the city invited Shaw-Lundquist to rejoin the project and allowed it to add $89,000 on top of the $619,000, for a total contract of $8.04 million.

The city attorney's office pointed out that after the revisions, Shaw-Lundquist's bid was still lower than those of its competitors. Doran Construction bid $8.29 million, the Sand Companies bid $8.39 million and the Rochon Corp. bid $8.72 million. Other bidders, Stahl Construction Co. and Morcon Construction Co., bid even higher sums.

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St. Paul: Appeals court rules against city in downtown lofts bid