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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The government did not respond to questions about the recommendations.

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

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

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

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

By Philip Onyango.

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

NSW EPA

Thirteen Local Aboriginal Land Councils have been awarded a total of $1,092,270 for community waste projects that clean up and prevent illegal dumping on their land, the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) announced today.

Cowra, Dubbo, Worimi, Illawarra, Mindaribba, Wanaruah, Ngambri, Tibooburra, Amaroo, Cobowra and Menindee Local Aboriginal Land Councils have been awarded a total of $692,270 from the Aboriginal Land Clean Up and Prevention (ALCUP) program.

Cleaning up a heritage property, developing a bush tucker garden, revegetating a historic campground, preventing damage from feral goats, building fences, removing asbestos waste and stopping illegal access to dumping hot spots are among the planned ALCUP projects and clean-up activities.

Moree, Amaroo and Walgett Local Aboriginal Land Councils have been granted a total of $400,000 under the Aboriginal Communities Waste Management Program (ACWMP).

The three ACWMP projects receiving funding will tackle bulky waste and litter in a variety of unique ways, including cleaning out a dam to restock with fish, removing damaged cars, clearing demolished house materials, removing dumped waste from riverbanks, unblocking drains, planting native grasses, growing bush tucker medicines and starting vegetable gardens and chicken-keeping.

Aboriginal community members will be employed by some land councils as rangers or to undertake the work.

EPA Executive Director Regulatory Operations Regional Carmen Dwyer said many Aboriginal communities faced barriers to disposing of waste and rubbish due to lack of services, resources and limited access to waste management facilities.

This funding will help Local Aboriginal Land Councils tackle issues in their areas, Ms Dwyer said. Illegal dumping of waste is a common problem and these grants will help make a big difference to local communities.

The projects have been awarded grants for the positive impact they will have on each individual community. All of the grant recipients look forward to restoring and protecting their land and creating a safer and cleaner environment for their community.

Already $726,181 has been awarded to 21 recipients of ALCUP, funded through Waste Less, Recycle More.

Ms Dwyer said the program encourages community education and partnerships and incorporates cultural activities to reduce and prevent the occurrence of illegal dumping.

Previously the program has funded clean-up work, surveillance cameras, deterrence signage, education and awareness programs, and bush regeneration. Since 2006 the program has seen 6,108 tonnes of waste cleaned up, 1,344 tonnes of waste safely disposed of at landfills and 1,706 tonnes of materials recycled.

The $4 million Aboriginal Communities Waste Management Program is funded for four years until 2021.

Ms Dwyer said the successful programs had already had a positive impact on protecting cultural and natural resources from illegal dumping.

The EPA recognises the difficult and diverse challenges faced in many remote Aboriginal communities and is committed to helping local land councils improve their environment and create long-term change.

/Public Release.

Excerpt from:
More than $1 million to clean up and tackle illegal dumping on Aboriginal land - Mirage News

High court to hand down George Pell verdict, water flows into the Menindee Lakes and Victoria renews logging

As Australias coronavirus outbreak continues but with the cautious optimism of a slowing rate of infection a lot of important news has slipped under the radar.

Here are the stories you may have missed over the past week.

The high court will hand down its judgment in George Pells final appeal on Tuesday in Brisbane.

The final arguments from both sides finished up in March, and we will find out at 10am on Tuesday whether his conviction on five counts of child sexual abuse will be upheld or overturned.

The Sydney to Melbourne train that derailed in February, killing two people, was travelling at more than 100km/h in a section limited to 15km/h.

That section was part of a diversion, introduced that afternoon, from the normal route with a speed limit of 130km/h, according to the preliminary report on the crash, which came out on Friday.

Read the full story here.

Chris Dawson formally pleaded not guilty on Friday to murdering his then wife on Sydneys northern beaches nearly 40 years ago.

The former teacher and Newtown Jets rugby league player has repeatedly claimed that Lynette Dawson is still alive and several people have seen her since her disappearance in January 1982. The matter is scheduled to return to court on Wednesday.

Read the full story here.

The oldest known skull of Homo erectus was discovered by Australian researchers on Friday. The fossil has been dated at two million years old 200,000 years older than the previous record.

Read the full story here.

Late on Wednesday night, the federal and Victorian governments decided to extend five regional forest agreements that exempt the logging industry from conservation laws.

Environmental groups immediately criticised the move, given the summers devastating bushfires will already have deforested large swathes and impacted wildlife.

Read the full story here.

You may remember Alek Sigley, the Australian student (and lover of Korean literature) who was arrested in North Korea over nine harrowing days in 2019. After days of diplomatic wrangling, he was released, but wouldnt share the details of what happened.

Now, writing for Guardian Australia, he has.

I saw the black Mercedes-Benz, which had a black plastic bag covering its licence plate. Fuck, youre in deep shit now, I thought to myself.

Read the whole article here.

One in five of Australias biggest polluting sites actually increased their greenhouse gas emissions last year, above the government limit.

Under the safeguard mechanism, companies that breach their limit have to buy carbon credits or pay a penalty. But the Australian Conservation Foundation found that 729,000 tonnes of emissions went unpunished.

Read the full story here.

A year-long inquiry has concluded that Queensland should legalise voluntary assisted dying. On Tuesday, the states health committee found a majority of Queenslanders are in favour of voluntary euthanasia for terminally-ill adults.

Read the full story here.

In good news, water has flowed into the drought-stricken Menindee Lakes, the site of infamous mass fish kills last year.

For the first time in years, significant flows and water releases are under way, meaning the lower Darling River will finally reconnect with the Murray.

Read the full story here.

The New South Wales government has approved the extension of coalmining under the Woronora reservoir.

Its the first approval in two decades for coalmining directly beneath one of greater Sydneys reservoirs, and environment groups say it could affect the quality of drinking water.

Read the full story here.

An Aboriginal man, aged 30, died in Victoria last week after he was arrested and taken to a regional police station.

Police said the man was arrested on Thursday last week in Horsham. When he was taken to the police station, his condition deteriorated, and he died in hospital on Sunday.

Read the full story here.

The annual Australias Environment report came out on Monday, finally confirming something we may have already seen coming.

Unprecedented bushfires, record heat, record low river inflows, dry soil, low vegetation growth and the 40 new species that were added to the threatened species list meant that 2019 was the worst year since 2000.

Read the full story here.

In other environmental news, land-clearing approvals in NSW increased 13-fold since the Coalition government changed laws in 2016, according to a secret report provided to the state cabinet.

In an exclusive obtained by reporter Luke Henriques-Gomes, we revealed the government will refund hundreds of millions of dollars under the botched robodebt scheme.

Confidential government advice obtained by Guardian Australia revealed that the government has already privately admitted that 400,000 welfare debts worth $550m were wrongly issued.

Read the full story here.

Last Thursday, the perpetrator of the Christchurch massacre suddenly changed his plea from not guilty to guilty, after being charged with the murder of 51 people.

The shock announcement meant that Australian Brenton Tarrant was immediately convicted of all charges. He had originally been set for trial on 2 June, but that has now been called off. He will be sentenced later this year.

Read the full story here.

Visit link:
Australian news: stories you may have missed during the coronavirus crisis - Brinkwire

For about a month, Seattle residents have been isolating in their homes to combat the coronavirus. It can be hard during this time to feel connected or maintain a sense of normalcy.

One local immigrant family has been living a similar version of this reality for a year.

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heres a few ways Jaime Rubio Sulficio deals with being alone.

First, he reads a lot of books.

His last read was The Book of Joy, by Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama. It discusses how to achieve happiness even in times of deep grief.

Sulficio also has two purring companions. Toto, the cat with white socks and her sister Keira, who keep him company.

And lastly, he cooks really cooks, as an art and as a mindful practice.

"I used to be so busy that I never really have a time to pause and really focus on one thing at a time," Sulficio says over FaceTime.

Recently, he made a vegan tortilla soup from scratch. His wife Keiko Maruyama said her favorite is his baked chicken, complete with fresh rosemary and a special sauce.

When we talk, Sulficio is a little nervous and fidgets with his hands.

He shares that he has been in sanctuary at Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle for a little over a year.

Sulficio is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. He was ordered to leave the U.S. last spring. But that would mean leaving his wife and 7-year-old son behind. While his immigration case is pending, he took refuge at the church, living there with his family.

"I still have friends communicate and they asked me, 'So how do you do it?'" he says with a laugh. "Because I've been in quarantine for almost a year so I'm kind of a pro already!"

ICE officials avoid "sensitive locations" like churches or hospitals for the most part, so this is a way for the family to buy themselves time.

Sulficio admits it was difficult choice. He had to walk away from his construction business. His family left behind their home in Shoreline and they had to figure out child care and finances.

"Being in sanctuary was pretty challenging mentally because I had to adjust that I can no longer be part of the exterior world. The first three months that was really like a battle," he says.

Sulficio used to step outside. But not anymore.

Maruyama is on the video call with us and mostly keeps her eyes on her husband as we talk.

This time has been tough on her, too. She became the main breadwinner, and luckily still has a job with a local jewelry store, despite the coronavirus outbreak. But she knows that could change.

While Maruyama and Sulficio are in a more unique situation than many who are quarantining across the U.S., they also have a special insight into adapting to major, heartbreaking sacrifice.

Talking to Sulficio, hes the first to point out the positives.

"I learned to be a better partner you know, a better parent better Dad," he says.

He talks about learning to connect with friends online, staying busy with reading, and cooking. He also does his best to volunteer inside the church with construction projects. But he acknowledges that despite his bright attitude, its not always easy to be hopeful.

"I think this is part of human feeling," Sulficio says. "You have to experience that sadness, the desperation. I have it too, you know. I get depressed, and I feel that I cannot handle it anymore. So its okay to not be okay. Its gonna pass. This will not last forever."

O

n a Palm Sunday, its partially sunny. Inside, Saint Mark's, the choir fills the cathedral with song.

Somewhere in the church, Sulficio, Maruyama, their son, and their two cats are hearing this music too.

For this family, the pandemic is not what first changed their lives. But it is something that's forced them to think about how to live a fulfilling life when its limited in other ways.

For his part, Sulficio explains, "Freedom doesn't come from ... just being able to go places. It's about a state of mind. For me, I'd be able to see my wife and I'd be able to see my kid. From time to time, I connect with friends. That's what gives me freedom."

Weeks or months from now, when most of us are finally able to leave our homes after this outbreak, Sulficio will likely remain indoors. He'll be waiting hopefully for a day when his immigration case wraps up, his sanctuary ends, and he is able to join the world outside.

And until then, we wait together.

Go here to read the rest:
Lessons on surviving a pandemic from an immigrant in sanctuary - KUOW News and Information

People still have to eat. The soup kitchen at the Church of the Holy Apostles, the largest in the city, still feeds lunch to many of the hungriest among us, as it has done every weekday, including holidays, for thirty-eight years. A major fire in the church in 1990 didnt stop it, nor did September 11th or Superstorm Sandy. It has never missed a day. Lately, the serving station has been moved outdoors, to the churchs front gate, on Ninth Avenue, near West Twenty-eighth Street. The menu still offers a hot meal but packaged in a to-go sack with recyclable dishes, which are the biggest expense at the moment.

In non-pandemic times, the servers and other helpers include fifty or sixty volunteers. Many of these are retirees, and to keep them safe the soup kitchen has told most not to come in. Now all the preparation, serving, cleanup, and security is done by a core group of about fourteen soup-kitchen staff and select volunteers, who wear gloves, wash their hands a lot, and practice physical distancing. The Reverend Dr. Anna Pearson, the churchs rector and head of the soup kitchen, told a visitor, We dont call it social distancing, because what we offer here is not only food, its a human connection, even when we must stay physically farther apart.

Early on a recent morning, the sun came down the citys canyons, hitting the white blooms of the pear trees behind the church. Construction workers walked west from the subway stops and kept going, to the under-construction buildings bordering the Hudson River, and soon the cranes started swinging against the blue sky and the elevators on tracks outside the buildings steel frameworks were going up and down. By eight oclock, most of the staff had shown up, and some were preparing that days entrebaked ham with sweet potato. Seagulls shrieked as they swirled overhead toward the river. First in line, by the church gate, a man in two hooded coats sat with his back against the fence, knees up, reading the News. White vans and box trucks pulled to the curb on Ninth Avenue and unloaded crates of broccoli and olive oil. Christopher Molinari, the head chef and culinary manager, said, When all the restaurants started closing, some sent us their leftover supplies, and were still improvising menus from what we got. The food-service situation in the city changed so fast, some of the potatoes they sent us were already peeled.

By ten-fifteen, the line stretched to Twenty-eighth Street, around the corner, and down the long block between Ninth Avenue and Eighth. A soup-kitchen employee in a jacket of high-visibility green was walking along the line and urging those waiting to maintain spaces of six feet between one another. They complied, reluctantly, but somehow the line kept re-compressing itself. A strange, almost taxicab-less version of traffic went by on Ninthdelivery trucks, police tow trucks, police cars, home-health-care-worker vans, almost empty buses. Now and then a dog-walker, masked or swathed in a scarf, passed. The dogs, unconcerned, were enjoying the sunny day. At ten-thirty, lunch service started. The guests (as the soup kitchen refers to them) were admitted to the serving station one at a time, like travellers in airport security. Opening their lunch sacks, they began to eat standing on the sidewalk or leaning against the Citi Bike stands, or they crossed to the courtyard of a public building across the street and sat on benches by a statue of a soldier in the First World War.

Michael Ottley, the soup kitchens C.O.O., stood watching. Were doing about eight hundred meals a day right now, he said. We may have to increase that as more people lose their jobs. At any time, were ready to go to a thousand a day, or higher. Christopher Molinari stepped outside to join him, along with Ginger Pierce, a volunteer, who was the executive chef at Jams, a farm-to-table restaurant on Fifty-eighth Street, until it recently shut down. Reverend Pearson is concerned that in a bad economy donors might get nervous and the soup kitchens funding might go dry. But we, the staff, are in it to stay, Molinari said. This is a great place. As other soup kitchens have closed, Holy Apostles is the last light still on. Without us, a lot of our guests would probably fall by the wayside. Were not going to let that happen. On the avenue, masked and gloved delivery people from upscale grocery stores went pedalling by, towing trailers piled with green-and-yellow plastic bins.

Read the original:
The Soup Kitchen That the Coronavirus Couldnt Stop - The New Yorker

St. George Orthodox Christian Churchs iconography is in good hands.

Those hands belong to George Kordis, who has been an iconographer for 45 years.

Most of my life is dedicated to this,Kordis said.

The Fishers Greek Orthodox church received a visit from Kordis and his team of iconographers from Greece March 11 to finish the final phase of painting icons, paintings of Jesus and other holy figures, at the church. Unfortunately, before the final phase could be completed, the team was forced to return to Greece March 25 to avoid becoming stranded in the U.S. due to the coronavirus pandemic. They will return when the travel situation returns to normal.

A Greek team of iconographers visited St. George Orthodox Christian Church to complete the fourth phase of the churchs iconography.

The iconography is a very important part of our worship; its not just decoration, St. George Pastor Nabil Hanna said. Iconography has been an essential part of the Christian faith from the very, very beginning, so I always point to the evidence we have in the catacombs in Rome when Christians were worshipping underground when it was illegal to be Christian back in the first century. Those catacombs, they painted with iconography all the walls and ceilings.

Its the sense we have when we come into worship, we are joining in what is happening in heaven and as a witness of that fact, its surrounding us. Its a theology in color.

Hanna, known as Father Nabil by his congregation, said some of the first icons were painted by St. Luke, who was an artist and author of the Gospel and Acts of the Apostles.

From the very beginning, the iconography has been a staple throughout the Orthodox world.

Whenever its feasible to the greatest extent possible, we have icons, because its a witness we are in the midst of the angels, the saints with Christ in the heavenly worship, Hanna said. We Christians understand thats where we belong.

Hanna said icons are referred to as windows into heaven.

When I look out this window, I dont think about the glass Im looking beyond the surface, Hanna said. Im not looking at the wall and the paint. My focus is on the subject behind it.

Construction of St. George, previously located in Indianapolis, started at 10748 E. 116th St. in 2012 and moved in late 2013.

Most churches in America use local iconographers, Hanna said. This group we became acquainted with and we became the first handful of churches that they did in America.

Kordis painted the icons at Holy Trinity in Carmel before St. George.

The reason we picked them is we saw their work. As we were deciding on which iconographers, we took field trips to see the work of the finalists, Hanna said. When we saw their work in Valley Forge,we were convinced. What makes them different from the vast number of iconographers, not only in America but around the world, is they paint directly on the wall the old-fashioned way. I would say 99 percent want to paint in their studio on canvas and then come affix to the wall and just do background. Its easier for them and they dont have to stretch their arm or stand on scaffolding. It might even be easier to do more detailed work, but it ends up looking more disjoined as separate scenes rather the flow of being surrounded by heaven.

This was St. Georges fourth phase of iconography. The first phase was completed while the church was under construction, starting in the altar area and continuing to the top of the dome.

Kordis has a master of divinity degree from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and earned his Ph.D. in theology and Byzantine Aesthetics from the University of Athens.

We keep the tradition and preserve as much as possible, Kordis said. Everything depends on the architecture of the church. There are standard themes but each church is different.

George Kordis stands on scaffolding to reach parts of the wall. (Photos by Anna Skinner)

Deacon Joseph Olas, a St. George pastoral assistant, has a special connection to St. George.

Its the parish he grew up in as his father, Rev. Joseph Olas, was the pastor.

His father was pastor for 13 years before retiring due to ill health in 1995. He died two years later. Hanna has been pastor since 1995.

I can tell you right now my dad would be very happy with what is being done here, Olas said.

Read more:
Key to worship: St. George nears final phase of iconography - Current in Carmel

More than a year has passed since Parisians watched in horror and sadness as Notre Dame Cathedral, a symbol of national pride since its construction in the 12th Century, was partially destroyed by fire.

First, melted scaffolding needs to be removed from the charred and broken Notre Dame before any architectural restoration begins in earnest. The scaffolding was in place for a $6.8 million restoration that was nearly completed when the fire struck. A team leading the post-fire reconstruction effort intends to remove the scaffolding in March before beginning the painstakingly careful repair work out of fear the buildings vaults could collapse. The French government, which leads the team, wants to ensure every restored artifact aligns with tradition and the expectations of future generations.

Notre Dame Cathedral isnt the first and wont be the last historic building to be restored after falling into disrepair or being destroyed by natural disaster or war. French restorationists will undoubtedly make decisions that are informed by the spirit of the structure, but they also can seek guidance from the rebuilding of other acclaimed historic buildings and new technologies.

Contemporary U.S. presidents dont actually stay in the same White House that George Washington lived in when he was in office. For one, it was then called the Presidents House, and until John Adams presidency it was in Philadelphia. But more exactly, the building that became the White House was lost to a fire set by British troops that stormed Washington, D.C., in 1814, two years into the War of 1812. Although it took 10 years to construct the first White House, its architect, James Hoban, returned to the wreckage to reconstruct a new one in less than three years.

Hoban was able to reuse stone walls, significantly hastening the rebuild, but he also saved time by altering the structural scheme of the building by using timber instead of brick, according to the White House Historical Association. Although resourceful and successfully working off memory, Hobans expediency led to a weaker structure that ultimately led to a demolition and rebuilding of the White House 130 years later.

White House reconstruction efforts pale in comparison with the many rebuilds of St. Pauls Cathedral in London. The cathedral dates to 604 A.D., but it has had several incarnations after burning in several fires over the centuries. Viking raiders also destroyed it.

The Great Fire of London in 1666 claimed St. Pauls yet again, leading a scientist, Christopher Wren, to lead an architectural restoration effort that illustrates the many demands on a project of public significance. After having designs rejected as too modest or too radical, Wren struck the perfect note with a plan to have the larger rebuilt church surrounded by dozens of smaller new churches. The beloved cathedral stood strong during the London Blitz, a German bombardment of the city in World War II, sustaining only minor damage and acting as a symbol of Britains resilience.

Modern technology now helps architects rebuild and preserve historic structures and determine how to create a restored artifact with the care and precision that restorationists and the public often expect.

Infrared thermography measures the radiation emitted by different materials to create a multi-layered look inside the walls of a building. This view can show preservationists where things are buried, whether a support beam has cracked and if anything lies beneath the surface. Ground-penetrating radar also helps detect structural defects in masonry and stone, and if any archeological remains are buried in the surrounding grounds.

Laser scanning could someday help bring Notre Dame Cathedral back to life. This process has emerged as a nearly fail-safe way to record the dimensions of structures should those many details be needed later. The digital photos can be used as point clouds, essentially detailed 3D models that can serve as blueprints for reconstructing buildings hurt by time, fire and natural disaster.

Because of the widespread affection for Notre Dame Cathedral, many recorded its internal workings before the 2019 fire. Vassar College professor Andrew Tallon led a 3D laser scan of the entire cathedral before his death in 2018. His continuous mapping of the church created a 3D image that Tallon said was accurate to within five millimeters and is considered a near-realistic image of the space that can guide the eventual reconstruction.

Of course, the materials used to build and repair Notre Dame over the centuries including the timber that made the roof and the stone that shaped the vaults isnt readily available today. Still, Tallons scanned images will give the eventual saviors of Notre Dame a meticulous view of how the cathedral used to stand and how it can again stretch into the Paris sky.

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