Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

INDIANAPOLIS Despite everything that's happening in the world right now, there are still good ones happening.

Last year, people who live in the Fountain Square area held a porch party, encouraging people to get outside and meet their neighbors.

Well, the evening is the first "Social Isolation Porch Party," and they want you to order take-out from a restaurant, get out on your porch and say "hi" to your neighbors while staying on your porch a safe distance away.

On Thursday night, the "Madness at The Vogue" fundraiser for the ALS Association of Indiana was supposed to take place. Of course, it did not.

The theater was going to issue refunds. But organizers say that most people told them to keep their ticket or table fees.

In the end, more than $40,000 was still raised for the ALS Association even without the fundraiser.

Link:
Good News Friday: Fountain Square social isolation party and The Vogue raises money for ALS - WRTV Indianapolis

Have you ever heard the phrase that you can never be too careful? Well, when it comes to residential construction sites and labor, that phrase holds even higher importance. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 21 percent of worker-related injuries and incidents in 2015 were related to residential and commercial construction workers. That number is way too high for just one industry. You can hire an estimating consultant to better guide you about the local safety measures to prevent any incidents from happening on the construction site.

With the help of safety measures, precautions, and preventative steps, we can reduce the number of mishaps, tragedies, and incidents in construction sites. By law, any and every employer is obliged to ensure the protection and health of its employees, irrespective of trade or profession. Building staff is especially exposed to such environments which present hazards that need to be addressed beforehand and during the process.

Whether you are a building site planner or project manager, it is your duty to take the required precautions to secure the work site from unwanted risks or dangers. Lets take a look at some of the steps that you can take to ensure that your workers have a safe environment.

First things first: you have to asses whether or not the environment is suitable for your employees. You can hire a professional agency to do it for you, or you can outsource the job to someone, and they will offer you concrete and conclusive results about the impending hazards in the workplace.

Safe work method assessment also makes sure that you come up with a detailed game plan of how you are going to undertake and finish the job. This will involve coming up with creative ideas of cleaning out any hazardous elements and offering PPE to your employees. It is better to be prepared than to have a lawsuit at your hands.

This step may be similar to the first one, but it is quite different in nature. It is your job to examine the job site periodically to find any possible risks and establish an appropriate approach or strategy to remove those hazards and obstacles. These hazards may include the risk of:

Moreover, as a manager, it is your duty to manage the workflow and the workers. This means that you have to run a tight ship when it comes to their safety and the protection of your reputation. When staff performs their job without the correct safety gear, highlight and address the issue and let them know that they have to be vigilant and wear their Personnel Protective Equipment at all times. When the staff fails to perform those activities safely, focus the training curriculum on the particular problem.

Are signs important? Well, of course. Law requires a sign to be put out when the floor is being cleaned, so yes, signage possesses an important value when it comes to residential construction sites.

This is necessary to have consistent signs such that all protection measures on the building site are identified, including a 24-hour ambulance line and specific instructions to the site office. Visible signs allow staff to recall and appreciate the protection procedures that will still be observed. Clear signs for site services, as well as appropriate fire and first aid equipment, will be provided.

Signage lets everyone know about the risks of certain areas involved. Moreover, you can also highlight the high-risk areas, and potentially avoid any injuries or serious consequences by constantly reminding everyone to be careful around these regions. You can also outsource cost estimating services for signage, and get a clear view of how to manage everything.

You must have seen almost every laborer and construction worker wearing a cool yellow hard hat during the processes. Well, not only are those things cool, but they also serve a very important purpose of saving the had from major injuries or long term consequences.

Now, you have to understand that eyes and face must also be protected. Anything from a shard to a tiny splinter can get into your eye and damage the retina forever. This is why you must inform your workers and encourage them to wear their safety goggles at all times.

Moreover, when it comes to face, they can wear face protection gear around the sensitive areas and protect their jaws and other features from getting severely damaged in the process.

Sand, dirt, tiny bits of flying metal or wood, liquids splashing, arc welding; all may hurt the eyes in a negative way. In addition to ensuring cover for the eye and face, employers should ensure that staff with contact lenses must turn their contact into safety glasses or choose protective eyewear their works over their glasses.

To prevent flames, accidents, asphyxiation, toxic damage, and occupational contamination, materials need to be handled very carefully. To segregate materials and avoid spillage, using high-quality, compatible outdoor storage options such as explosive storage cabins are recommended by the professionals. You must use compliant chemical storage for all your sensitive and hazardous materials.

What if we told you that over fifteen workers lose their lives every year in aerial lifting related accidents? Every year, around fifteen employees die in incidents linked to aerial transport. Most of the injuries are caused by drops from heights, so it is a big risk not to utilize fall safety gear. Operating from an aerial lift allows workers to wear a body belt that is connected either to the boom or rack. Make sure that all aerial lifts are according to the laws and regulations, and use modern technology to securely harness the employees before lifting them.

Moreover, you should also ensure that the aerial lifts used for transporting heavy metals and elements should also be secure. The concrete blocks can easily fall on top of someone and cause life-threating injuries.

Training is an integral aspect of maintaining health at work in all sectors. Most project managers believe all staff is informed of a worksites building site protection procedures. Failure to offer instruction to staff, while employed just for a few days or months to come, is one of the leading factors to the increase of construction site accidents and fatalities. You should train your employees for:

The training program will focus on the most prevalent accidents, safety threats, and events you have observed in a given region. The training plan is meant to be easy and successful.

Delivering instruction is one thing, and delivering it in an easy-to-understand way entirely. Staff can become more involved if they appreciate the preparation that you give. If you are providing instruction to fix such deficiencies or protection protocols on building ground on a new development project, you can have instruction in an open and versatile manner.

A learning management framework should be used to provide quick and concise classes that can be downloaded remotely on any computer, and staff can access them anytime and at any time.

Approximately 81 percent of fall accidents diagnosed in an emergency department includes a ladder for construction workers.

When the ladder is too low to reach the 3-foot standard, a sturdy brace must be added to the top of the ladder, and the contractor may install a catch rail or equivalent gripping tool to the ladder to aid staff in installing and removing it.

Safety and precautions must always be your priority as a construction manager. You can outsource your blueprint takeoff services, but you should try to manage the safety-related training courses by yourself with the help of tips mentioned above.

This requires more than simply introducing a compliance plan or following regulations to guarantee protection for all employees at a building site. Supervisors, project managers, and staff must make a concerted effort to ensuring the protective protocols for the building site are observed regularly, hazards detected, and events reported to hopefully avoid any accidents or injury. Teamwork is essential to guaranteeing health.

At the end of the day, your workers matter more than anything else. Their safety equally boosts the overall effectiveness and productivity of your construction processes. So, ensuring that the workers are not only operating at their full potential but are also safe in the construction environment should be your priority. The points mentioned above will get you started, but you can adapt and overcome according to the initial analysis of the worksite. Safety is the key to a powerful and successful construction process.

Excerpt from:
Safety Measures to Be Taken on Any Residential Construction Site - RecentlyHeard.com

In my memoriesof thehouse,the retaining wall is always around three feet high. But after three decadesand a little Googling, I now realize theres no way it was taller than 21 inches. Still, when I was seven and a half years old, it was a big deal.

I had a black and gold Huffy Thunder 50 dirt bikethat, in retrospect, I realizewas a vehicle for many life lessons, not the least of which was learning how to get up a hill, courtesy of my mom, who would not let me stop pedaling and walk my bike up it on the way back to our house after Little League practice; instead,wed just ride circles around a flat spot until my legs stopped screaming, and then wed finish pedaling up the last two blocks to the house. That was a noble lesson in persistence, which continued to pay dividendsin many areas of my life in thedecades afterward.

The other lesson learned onmy Thunder 50was about physics. Mostly gravity. Thatretaining wall along the driveway of our housethree railroad ties stacked on top of each otherkept the neighbors front yard from rolling into our driveway, which was just wide enough for two cars. If you were playing basketball, the wallwas almost enough for a high school regulation three-point line: 19 feet9 inches from the hoop, or just past the edge of the driveway and in the dirt of the front yard, under the branches of the big sugar maple tree. You could get off a shot without hitting the branchesif you stood right in front of where the three-point line would be.

I had seen my brother Chad, who is a year and a half older than me and naturally more relaxed and athletic in everysportwe tried as kids,ride his BMX bike off the retaining wall with no hesitation or real effort, landing on both wheels in the driveway and then steering out to the right onto Cherry Street. Im sure I assumed I would try it someday myselfit was just a matter of working up the nerve. I have since wondered why I chose the night before my first day of third grade, and I haveno explanationother than kids who are seven are kind of dumb shits. (We continue to be dumb shits in many ways throughout lifebut hopefully recognize this fact early on and spend significant effort trying to become less of a dumb shit every year we are alive.Of course there are pivotal moments, and this wasone of mine.)

I pedaled around the driveway, then up the neighbors driveway, checking out the launch point but chickening out several times. I probably spent a few thousand hours in the driveway of that house, mostly playing basketball by myself, andin my memory, the scene of this particular August dayis always lit with the golden light just before dusk, when I finally got together the nerve for my attempt. Nobody else was around, no friends peer-pressuring me into it, no one wanting me to hurry up so they could take a turn. It was just me, trying stuff by myself.

Biking through the grass and up to the top of the retaining wall, Iexpected I would just float off as I had seen my brother do, landing on the pavement and rolling away, a small triumph. Instead: I didnt pull up on the handlebars hard enough (or at all?), I might have been going too slowly, and I rolled off the retaining wall, plummetingdown ontomy front wheel, toppling over the handlebars, and catching most of the brunt of the fall with my face. It had less the grace of a bicycle stunt a third-grader imagines andmore the grace of a load of dirt sliding from the back of a dump truck as the driver tilts the bed up and back and the tailgate swings open.

My family moved from that house in southwest Iowa across the state a few years later, so I havent been back to the scene of the crash since I was 13, but thanks to Google Street View, I can revisit it online and see where it happened. The house has been painted a different color, andthe basketball hoop has changed, but everything else looks the same.

(Photo: Brendan Leonard)

And like a lot of things from my earlier years, including not getting sent to detention in high school (just keep your mouth shut about 75 percent more often) and dating (also keep your mouth shut about 75 percent more often), doing it better seems so simple in retrospect: pedal hard, pull up. As the saying goes: Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from poor judgment.

(Photo: Brendan Leonard)

Of course, at the time, I didnt pedal harder or pull up, so after I peeled myself and my bicycle off the pavement, I went into the house with blood starting to trickle downmy face and my upper lip starting to swell. The first day of school started in about 13 hours, and I dont remember exactly what I worethat next day, but when I was growing up, you wore nice clothes the first day of school, so I probably did, maybe even a new shirt. But also: two giant scabs on my face.

Eight years later, I went to high school on the opposite side of the stateand befriended a classmate named Dan, who had a smile that took up half his face. He loved to laugh, and so did I, but his laugh was so loud and bright that whenever I made him laugh in class, or in the hallway, or anywhere, I felt like I was doing everyone else a favor. And at some point, I told Dan the story of riding my bike off the edge of the retaining wall, landing on my face like a pile of dirt falling out of the back of a dump truck, and heloved the story. Specifically when I remembered that there were two women walking down the street at the time, who had probably seen the whole thing from about 150 feet away, which struck Dan as probably the funniest part, and once he started laughing at it, I agreed with him. Dan probably made me retell him that story seven or eight times in high school, in the lunchroom, in the football locker room, in the back of someones car when we were drinking Busch Light driving down a gravel road somewhere in Chickasaw County.

When youre really young, you get ideas from some rather ridiculous places about what you want to be when you grow up. You want to play in the NBA, be a rapper, or have a job that literally only exists in movies, like a hero cop who doesnt play by the rules but always saves the day, or a writer who can afford to live in Manhattan. Lots of us, at one point or another, want to be good at flying off things on skateboards, skis, and/or bikes, and some people do become good at it and maybe make a living at it. I didnt give up riding my bike off things that day in the drivewayI learned to ride wheelies, went off a few small trailside ski jumps, andlatermountain biked proficiently enough to enjoy both of my tires leaving the ground for up to three-quarters of a second at a time. But Im sure somewhere in my seven-and-a-half-year-old brain, I started to think maybe big air wasnt going to be a thing for me.

By the time I turned 25, I really wanted to be an adventure writer, following in the footsteps of climbing writers like Mark Jenkins, Jon Krakauer, and Daniel Duane. For a long time,I felt like I should write stories about strong, courageous deeds, survival in near impossible situations, the sort of heroism we find in classic adventure tales. Thankfully, theres room for other types of tales, not just the capital-A Adventure stuff I was first inspired by, and Ivebeen able to make somewhat of a living from telling stories about the outdoors. Every once in a while, someone will ask me how I got started doing what I do, writing about the human-powered things we do for fun, and funin the mountains and on trails. Usually I tell them about the first mountain-climbing story I ever had published, for $40 back in 2004. But now that I think about it, thats not true at all. It was probably dumping my bike off a knee-high jump in a driveway in a small town in southwest Iowa, landing on my face, and practicing telling and retelling that story to my giggling friend Dan, hoping to get it just right so everyone would hear him laughing three rows of lockers away.

Brendan Leonards new book, Bears Dont Care About Your Problems: More Funny Shit in the Woods fromSemi-Rad.com, isout now.

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Go here to see the original:
Smashing My Face into the Pavement Changed My Life - Outside

District 47 - West TN - NorthernBENTON COUNTY, I-40:Wednesday, March 25, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.: There will be temporary lane closures on I-40 westbound in Benton County between MM 133.0-MM 134.7 (LM 8.46) for routine bridge inspection.

CARROLL COUNTY, SR-22A: Bridge repair in Huntingdon over Brier Creek at LM 0.34 and over CSX Railroad atLM 3.10.

Restrictions: Monday, March 9, 2020: SR 22A will be reduced to one lane traffic with a traffic signal system.

DYER COUNTY, SR-20 (US-412): The resurfacing on SR 20 from US 51 (SR 3) to the Crockett County Line will cause temporary lane closures throughout the project.

HENRY COUNTY, SR-54: The grading, drainage, construction of bridges, retaining wall and paving on SR 54 from near Rison Street to near Smith Road. Motorists should watch for trucks entering and exiting the roadway. *Speed limit has been reduced to 35MPH.

Restrictions: Beginning on Monday, November 25, 2019: Bridge work on SR 54 at LM 12.02 (Bridge nearest Guthrie) will cause a 10 lane restriction. *Traffic has been shifted to Phase 3 of traffic control.

OBION COUNTY, Future I-69 (Phase 2): Grading, drainage, construction of eight bridges on future I-69 from south of US 51 (SR 3) to south of US 45W (SR 5) will cause possible lane closures throughout the project. *Speed limit is reduced to 45 MPH through the US 51 (SR 3) portion of the project. The southbound traffic has been switched to the northbound side on SR 3 throughout the work zone, for phase 2 construction.

Restrictions: Wednesday, November 6, 2019: SR 3 will have traffic in the outside lanes in both directions. Inside lanes will be closed for construction. Traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction with an 11 6 lane restriction.

OBION COUNTY, Future I-69 (Phase 3): Grading, drainage, construction of bridges and paving on future I-69 from west of SR 21 to US 51 (SR 3) will cause possible lane closures throughout the project.

Beginning on Monday, July 29, 2019: SR 21 North will from Clifford Rives Road to Lindenwood Road. The closure is expected for approximately 1 year to allow the construction of the overhead Bridge on the new portion of SR 21 along with the Road & Drainage of the I-69 mainline. Northbound traffic will detour from SR 21 East onto Clifford Rives Road, then North on Bethlehem Road, West onto Lindenwood Road before proceeding North on SR 21. Southbound traffic will be in reverse order. Detour routes are posted.

OBION COUNTY, SR-43 (US 45E): Repair of the bridges (right & left) on SR 43 over overflow will cause possible lane closures throughout the project.

Restrictions: Beginning on Friday, January 24, 2020: SR 43 traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction at the bridges over overflow with a 12 lane restriction and a 5 6 shoulder restriction.

WEAKLEY COUNTY, SR-43 and SR-372 (45E Business) interchange (Region 4 Concrete Repair):

Wednesday, March 18 through Wednesday, March 25: There are no scheduled closures.

District 48 - West TN Middle/Southern

HAYWOOD COUNTY, SR-19 (Brownsville Bypass): The construction of an I-Beam bridge along with grading, drainage, and paving may cause temporary lane closures on SR 19 (Brownsville Bypass) from east of SR 87 LM 11.12 to west of Windrow Rd. LM 14.73. One lane will remain. Motorists should watch for trucks entering and exiting the roadway. Speed limit is reduced to 45 MPH within the project limits. Beginning February 17 Shaw Chapel Rd will be closed, and a detour put in place.

MADISON COUNTY, I-40: Saturday, March 21, 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.: There will be a temporary lane closures on I-40 east and westbound in Madison County at MM 67.0-95.0 for pothole repair.

MADISON COUNTY, SR-186 (US 45 Bypass) and I-40: Interchange improvements on SR 186 (US 45) north and southbound from the I-40 ramps to Old Hickory Blvd for paving and construction of retaining walls. Widening of I-40 from just east of Exit 79 to just east of Exit 82.

Wednesday, March 18, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: Left lane closure on I-40 east bound MM 81.5-83.0 for removal of temporary barrier rail. Backup date Thursday, March 20, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.

Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge construction activities.

Friday, March 20, 8:00 p.m. through Monday, March 23, 6:00 a.m.: Intermittent left and right lane closures on I-40 east and west bound MM 81.5-83.0 for milling, paving, and barrier rail movement.

Saturday, March 21, 6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge construction activities.

Monday, March 23 through Wednesday, March 25, 8:00 p.m.6:00 a.m.: Intermittent left and right lane closures on I-40 east and west bound MM 81.5-83.0 for removal of barrier rail and installation along the shoulder.

Monday, March 23 through Wednesday, March 25, 9:00 a.m.3:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge construction activities.

LOOK AHEAD:

Thursday, March 26 and Friday, March 27, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge construction activities.

Friday, March 27, 8:00 p.m. through Monday, March 23, 6:00 a.m.: Close and detour I-40 east bound onto ramps at exit 82 (Hwy 45/Highland Ave.) Close and detour Highland Ave. (Hwy 45) north and south bound from Ridgecrest Rd. to Vann Dr. for demolition activities at Bridge 4.

Friday, March 27, 8:00 p.m. through Monday, March 30, 6:00 a.m.: Intermittent left and right lane closures on I-40 east and west bound MM 81.5-83.0 for milling, paving, and barrier rail movement.

Saturday, March 28, 6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge construction activities.

Monday, March 30 through Wednesday, April 1, 9:00 a.m.3:00 p.m.: SR 5 (Highland Avenue) will have intermittent left and right lane closures both north and southbound from Vann Drive to the Carriage House/Ridgecrest intersection for bridge construction activities.

MADISON COUNTY, SR-198: The construction of a concrete box bridge on SR 198 over Bear Creek (LM 8.65) along with grading, drainage, and paving will cause temporary lane closures.

Restrictions: Beginning April 29, 2019 there will be an 11 width restriction and a temporary signal will be put in place. Motorists should watch for crews and equipment in the roadways.

WEATHER PERMITTING

TDOT District 48 MAINTENANCE:

Wednesday, March 18 through Wednesday, March 25, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: There will be possible lane closures at various locations in Region IV in order to repair pavement on an as needed

District 49 - West TN Southwest

FAYETTE COUNTY, I-40: Resurfacing on I-40 from M.M. 35.0 to the Haywood County Line

Friday, March 20, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.: There will be outside lane closures with one lane to remain open on I-40 east and westbound (MM 34.2) to allow for coring on the shoulder 1000 feet before Wilder Creek Bridge (LM 7.49.) If weather does not permit, closure will be moved to Monday, March 23 or Tuesday, March 24.

FAYETTE COUNTY, SR-194: The repair of culverts will cause temporary lane closures throughout the project near Tall Forest Ln (MM 13.0) and Feathers Chapel Rd (MM 18.0.)

FAYETTE COUNTY, SR-196: The repair of culverts will cause temporary lane closures throughout the project near Douglas Dr (MM 4.0) and near Douglas Dr (MM 10.0.)

SHELBY COUNTY, I-40: Resurfacing on I-40 from the Hernando Desoto Bridge to near the Wolf River Bridge (Chelsea Avenue)

Wednesday, March 18 through Tuesday, March 24, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: There will be INTERMITTENT MOBILE closures with one lane to remain open on I-40 east and westbound

(MM 1.10 to MM 4.95) to allow for punch list items and clean up. Weather Permitting.

SHELBY COUNTY, I-40: Mississippi River Lighting Repair (Hernando Desoto Bridge)

Tuesday, March 24 and Wednesday, March 25, 7:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: INTERMITTENT lane closures on I-40 east and westbound at MM 0.00 on the Hernando Desoto Bridge to allow for bridge lighting repairs. Weather Permitting

SHELBY COUNTY, SR-14: The grading, drainage, construction of concrete Bulb-Tee and I-beam bridges, signals and paving on SR 14 from east of Old Covington Pike to SR 385 will cause possible lane closures throughout the project. *Speed limit has been reduced to 45 MPH.

Wednesday, March 25 through Friday, March 27, 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.: There will be intermittent lane closure on SR 14 in order to set beams across the Loosahatchie River.

SHELBY COUNTY, SR-14: Construction on SR 14 for a widening project from SR 385 to east of Kerrville Rosemark Rd. There will be possible temporary lane closures throughout the project. *Speed limit has been reduced to 45 MPH.

SHELBY COUNTY, SR-205: Bridge repair at Big Creek drainage ditch (MM 1.0)

Beginning Monday, March 2, 6:00 a.m. through Wednesday, April 22, 2020: There will be a full closure of SR 205 at Big Creek drainage ditch (MM 1.0) to replace the bridge. Detours will be provided.

TIPTON COUNTY, SR-3 (US-51): Resurfacing on SR-3 (US-51) from Winn Avenue to Hope Street

Wednesday, March 18 through Tuesday, March 24, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: There will be intermittent lane closures on north and southbound SR 3 (US-51) from Winn Avenue to Hope Street (MM 15.0 MM 19.0) for curb ramp installation. Weather Permitting.

TDOT District 49 MAINTENANCE: Thursday, March 19 through Wednesday, March 25, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: There will be possible lane closures on all interstates and state routes in District 49 for routine maintenance activities on an as needed basis.

TDOT District 49 On-Call Guardrail/Concrete Barrier Rail Repair:

Wednesday, March 18 through Tuesday, March 24, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: There will be night time lane closures at various locations on SR 3 (Shelby, Tipton, and Lauderdale Counties), SR 385 (Shelby County), SR 15 (Shelby County), SR 175, SR 14 (Shelby and Tipton County), I-40 (Fayette and Shelby Counties), I-269 (Shelby and Fayette Counties), I-55 and I-240. One lane will be CLOSED to repair damaged guardrail.

Wednesday, March 18 through Tuesday, March 24, 8:00 p.m.6:00 a.m.: The following ramps will be closed to repair damaged guardrail.

I-40

Westbound EXIT 18 on ramp from SR 15 (US 64)

I-55

Northbound EXIT 7 to Third Street

Northbound EXIT 12 on ramp from Metal Museum Dr

I-240

Westbound EXIT 15A to Poplar Ave eastbound

Westbound EXIT 21 to Lamar Ave southbound

Westbound EXIT 25A to I-55 southbound

Eastbound EXIT 12B to Sam Cooper Blvd

SR-14

Northbound EXIT to Raleigh-Millington Rd

THP will assist with traffic control. Weather Permitting. If weather does not permit, the closure will be on the next available night.

Thursday, March 19 through Wednesday, March 25, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.: There will be day time lane closures at various locations in Tipton County on SR 14, SR 59, SR 206, and SR 178; Fayette County on SR 86; and Shelby County on SR 204 and SR 388 to repair damaged guardrail. One lane will be CLOSED in each direction to repair damaged guardrail. If weather prohibits, the repairs will be performed on the next available day. Flagmen will be used where necessary. Weather Permitting.

LOOK AHEAD

Wednesday, March 25 through Tuesday, March 31, 8:00 p.m.6:00 a.m.: The following ramps will be closed to repair damaged guardrail.

I-40

Westbound EXIT 18 on ramp from SR 15 (US 64)

I-55

Northbound EXIT 7 to Third Street

Northbound EXIT 12 on ramp from Metal Museum Dr

I-240

Westbound EXIT 15A to Poplar Ave eastbound

Westbound EXIT 21 to Lamar Ave southbound

Westbound EXIT 25A to I-55 southbound

Eastbound EXIT 12B to Sam Cooper Blvd

SR-14

Northbound EXIT to Raleigh-Millington Rd

THP will assist with traffic control. Weather Permitting. If weather does not permit, the closure will be on the next available night.

TDOT District 49 On-Call Drain Cleaning:

Thursday, March 19 and Sunday, March 22 through Thursday, March 26, 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.: There will be INTERMITTENT MOBILE closures with one lane to be closed on I-40 east and westbound (MM 0.0 to MM 27.0), I-55 north and southbound (MM 0.0 to12.0), and I-240 between Walnut Grove and Madison Ave (MM 0.0 to 18.0), SR 385 (MM 0.00 to 13.0) to allow for drain cleaning operations. Weather Permitting.

NON-TDOT/City of Memphis work

SHELBY COUNTY, I-40: Memphis Cook Convention Center

Beginning Monday, October 7, 6:00 a.m. through Monday, March 30, 2020: The exit ramp from I-40 eastbound (EXIT 1 Front Street) will be CLOSED for upgrades to the Memphis Cook Convention Center. This closure will be a permanent closure for approx. 6 months. The ramp split to Riverside Dr. will remain open. Traffic will be controlled by signage and traffic barrels. Drivers should exercise caution when approaching and traveling through work zones.

From your desktop or mobile device, get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras at http://www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic. Travelers can also dial 511 from any land-line or cellular phone for travel information, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel or for West Tennessee follow https://twitter.com/NicLawrenceTDOT.

As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and Know Before You Go! by checking travel conditions before leaving for your destination. Drivers should never tweet, text or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel.

In 2016, the Tennessee Department of Transportation lost three workers in the line of duty. All three were struck by passing motorists. Those tragedies bring the total number of TDOT lives lost to 112. We dont want to lose another member of our TDOT family. Were asking you to WORK WITH US. Click on the WORK WITH US logo to learn more.

Read the original here:
West Tennessee Weekly Construction March 18-25, 2020 - tn.gov

Jefferson Parish government and Cornerstone Chemical Co. could be close to settling a nearly year-old lawsuit over the Parish Council's decision to rescind a permit it initially granted for the company's planned hydrogen cyanide storage facility in Waggaman.

The council unanimously approved the plan in January 2018 without any public discussion. The plan flew under the radar at that time because, even though Cornerstone had been making cyanide at the plant since the 1950s, residents knew nothing about it.

But when residents got wind of what was in the works almost a year later, an uproar broke out, and the council reversed its decision. Cornerstone then sued.

Under the terms of the settlement, which still must be approved by the council, Cornerstone will abandon plans to build two new 26,000-gallon hydrogen cyanide storage tanks. Instead, the company will revise its site plan to include two new 4,500-gallon "process vessels."

The reduced size of those vessels keeps the plant under the 10,000-gallon storage threshold that requires approval by the council, according to a summary of the proposed settlement created by parish attorneys and distributed by Councilman Deano Bonano, whose district includes many residents who opposed the plan.

The company has also agreed to other safety measures, including the construction of a concrete retaining wall and systems to prevent overflow and vapor releases, the document says. The company will also keep a public alert system in place.

Cornerstone officials have said the plan approved in 2018 would not have added new cyanide production capacity to the plant, only replaced production that has been lost because of improvements to other processes. They also said Cornerstone sells all its hydrogen cyanide to an on-site tenant, which means it never leaves the facility.

But residents worried that the potential to store more than 50,000 gallons of hydrogen cyanide at the plant was dangerous. Hydrogen cyanide has a number of industrial uses, but it is highly toxic and can be quickly fatal to humans, according to information from the federal Centers for Disease Control.Those concerns were the focus of the public outcry over the company's plans in 2019.

After the council voted 6-1 to rescind the permit, Cornerstone sued. In the summary given to Bonano, attorneys warned the parish could be liable for millions of dollars.

"The potential damages would likely be substantial," the summary says, noting that the company earns about $40 million annually from hydrogen cyanide sales and that the plant is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Bonano was not on the council when the permission was granted nor when it was revoked, and he said he hasn't decided yet whether he will vote to approve the settlement.

At least one council member, Dominick Impastato, said he thought the settlement was a positive. Impastato was the lone member to vote against revoking the permit in 2019, warning the decision could open the parish up to significant lawsuit losses.

The settlement plan, he said, satisfies his two objectives: It makes the plant safer and it removes the specter of a significant judgment against the parish.

However, Lisa Karlin, who lives in River Ridge and has been at the forefront of much of the environmental activism that has swept Harahan and River Ridge in recent months, said she still had questions. She sent a list of them to Bonano after reading the document he distributed to interested residents.

"We want to be assured that public safety will be the parish's priority in considering the settlement terms proposed by Cornerstone," Karlin said. Among her questions were what guarantees the parish would get that the terms of the settlement would be enforced and whether the issue will be given a full public vetting.

The item is currently scheduled to come up before the councilApril 1, but that could change as the coronavirus situation continues to force changes to government plans.

Editor's note: this story was changed on March 22 to correct a statement that Cornerstone is in District 2. It is in District 3.

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Originally posted here:
Settlement proposed over Jefferson council's rescinding of cyanide plant permit in Waggaman - NOLA.com

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Arnsberg is a small German city located northeast of the Cologne metropolitan region. The city is centered on the Ruhr and is surrounded by protected forested land, and largely survived the damage inflicted on other German cities during World War 2. Arising from this historical context is the Sauerland Museum expansion, one of the citys most significant projects in years, constructed of self-supporting travertine cladding and designed by Bez + Kock Architekten.

The project is an extension of the preexisting Sauerland Museum, which is housed in the Landsberger Hof, a former palace constructed in 1605. Typical for the era and regional vernacular, the palace is composed of lime-washed masonry arranged according to classical symmetry and topped with a steeply pitched gable.

The extension is located at the base of a slope and connects to the original museum via a bridge. (Bez + Kock Arkitekten)

Bez + Kocks extension is located at the bottom of a steeply pitched slope leading up to the palacea challenging location in terms of urban planning and construction. The original concept of the extension called for constructing over the contours of the site, but was ultimately adapted at the request of the client into its finalized form of stepped massing which rises approximately 50 feet into a slender bridge linking the two structures. The facade is sheer and, due to the narrow mortar joints and select window openings, appears monolithic. Window openings, bar that on axis with the connect bridge, are canted from the rectilinear form to diffuse sunlight from the interior curatorial spaces.

For the original concept of the museum, the design team intended to use locally sourced Grauwacke sandstone, which is known for its dark heterogeneous coloringa color palette that would have seamlessly blended with the adjacent retaining wall. However, this dark cast was found unsuitable for the standalone stature of the reoriented extension. In response, Bez + Kock opted for Gauinger travertine produced in the Swabian Alps.

While the projects massing is distinctly contemporary and its facade is stripped of ornament, the masonry components are in part traditional in that they are self-supporting. The pattern was developed in accordance with the technical requirements of all windows, doors and technical elements in the facade, and the lengths of the individual stones are random, which was a cost-saving decision, said the design team. To enhance the horizontality of the surfaces and tie together the individual elements, we specified that the vertical joints would be flush, while the horizontal joints are mortared.

More here:
The Sauerland Museum expansion staggers upward with travertine - The Architect's Newspaper

The upset and dread these days concerning COVID-19 cannot be denied. Joe and I wish all readers and their families good health in the coming days and weeks.

With the topsy-turvy changes to everyday life happening around us now in 2020 caused by illness, I got to thinking about how people in the past coped with such things. It wasnt easy for them, that I knew. I have walked through the North Hibbing cemetery and observed the many, many gravestones with 1918 engraved as the date of death. Sometimes, the birth AND death dates are both 1918. The flu epidemic that year was vicious. One can only imagine the grief that ran through so many Hibbing homes in those days.

Sometimes it helps to know that people before us were brave and resilient, even in very difficult times people who lived right here in Hibbing.

The following is taken from an essay written by Harriet Bunker for the Hibbing Historical Society. She worked at the Tribune for many years. Her essay was published in the Hibbing Daily Tribune a couple of times, including on August 6, 1976, as part of the American Bicentennial Special Edition.

I was married September 9, 1909. And came to Hibbing three days later. I thought I would only be here two or three years and have now been here 64. I retired from the Tribune in June 72.

When I first came to Hibbing there were 64 saloons and the town was a mile long and five blocks wide, so I have seen Hibbing change and grow. All of the mines had locations, among them Mahoning, which was the show place and visitors were usually taken out there.

There was an epidemic here in 1910. A traveling man at the Hibbing Hotel was the first one taken sick and I was the second. Doctors didnt know what it was, but finally after 12 babies died in one square block, McKinley and Garfield, they decided it was the water. They were moving houses on North Street, the last street in Hibbing, beyond Finn Location as ore was under it. Workmen were tearing down outside toilets and slushing around in it with high rubber boots and this was all draining into our drinking water.

I dont drink coffee or tea, just water, so I was very ill. The doctor didnt think I would live, so they sent for my mother. I couldnt even lift my little finger. All I could keep down was champagne. After two bottles of that I asked if I couldnt have something else, so my husband John bought imported ginger ale by the case.

This was in May of 1910. I ate only malted milk and cottage cheese for three months. It took me all that winter to get back to normal.

Speaking of illness, the terrible flu hit us very hard in 1918 and 1919. The Washington School was turned into a hospital and as nurses were scarce and overworked, teachers were drafted as nurses. Several of them caught the flu and died.

Many pregnant women were victims also. Dr. Weirick was quite concerned when he found out I was six months pregnant, but between the doctor and Mrs. Crandell, they got me well again. Poor Mrs. Crandell, a practical nurse, was about dead on her feet. Dr. Weirick had promised not to call her for a few days, but he did. He told her that she had to go at once to the Bunkers house as we were all sick in bed. Joan was not quite a year old. He also told her to put one of Johns nightshirts on me, as all I had left were seven veils. Thanks to the doctor and Mrs. Crandell, they pulled us all through.

(Doctor Dana C. Rood was Hibbings first doctor, coming to town in1893. Doctor H.R. Weirick joined Dr. Rood in 1898. The two were highly respected. Hibbings first hospital, built by the Oliver Mining Company, was located in North Hibbing at the corner of Center Street and First Avenue. It was named the Rood Hospital.)

When Carol was born in April at home, Mrs. Mosley was to take care of me, but Dr. Weirick said I didnt need such a good nurse and he needed her for other patients more than I needed her. The flu was still very bad.

(Hattie Mosley was an excellent nurse. She was African-American. Many accounts of life in Hibbing in these years refer to her outstanding dedication to her patients.)

Over that summer and into September, John built a house in what was then Alice. We lived in it for 56 years. Later, Alice was called South Hibbing and then just Hibbing. People said that we were crazy to build way out there the town would never grow that way.

Our house was built on Hibbing Avenue, now 2nd Avenue West, and John had workmen with horses digging out the dirt to put in a fireplace as he knew I wanted one. But, with everyone telling him that the town of Alice would never amount to anything, he called off the diggers and I never did get my fireplace.

There was a spring called See-L-See Spring with very good water five miles from Hibbing. A man took it over and bottled the water, selling it for 25 cents a gallon. Otherwise, Hibbing water had to be boiled until the new water system was installed.

Many people who lived in Hibbing in those years were from Europe. When one of these foreigners died, the family would often hire the city band and most of those attending the funeral marched to the cemetery behind the band playing the funeral march. But on the way back they would play other songs, including every time,Therell Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight.

In those early days we could sit on our front porch and watch the little dinkys fall down the dumps. The dinkys were very small railroad engines which pulled the overburden to the dumps. The dinkys would often go over the edge. Many times the engineer would be killed.

We liked to go by where the new high school was being built and see the progress there.

Where Greenhaven is now we used to pick wild raspberries, chokecherries, and pin cherries. Then, the Oliver used it for a pasture.

The mayor of Alice was Andy Nelson who built a large house on 1st Avenue and 29th Street. (This large house is still there today. It has a concrete retaining wall around the yard.) Andy had a 40 acre farm and when people came to visit us in a horse and buggy they would tie it up to Andys fence. The 40 acres was eventually divided into lots.

The Alice School was very soon much too small, so four more rooms were added. Many buildings were being built on Howard Street after 1919 and one of those was the Merchants and Miners Bank. Since it wasnt finished, partitions were put up of the way inside and several grades were held there until the Alice School addition was finished.

Howard Street itself had to be filled in once all the pipes were laid deep in the ground. In the meantime, there was just a plank across to the school. The teacher wrote me a note asking me to put Chandler, who was in the 4th grade, in overalls as the older boys were in the habit of pushing the younger boys off the plank into the mud.

Do kids really change from one era to another? Would the same thing happen today? Of course it would! Also, the phrase to build way out there is still used today to describe places like where Joe & I live in the River Creek subdivision!

- - -

The following items are taken from the Hibbing Daily Tribune or the Mesabi Ore, which are on microfilm at the Hibbing Public Library and/or Iron Range Resource Center at the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm.

1919

June 6, 1919

Weather permitting, there will be an outdoor Victory Sing at Missabe Park tomorrow evening at 7:30. The big chorus of high school students will lead the singing and will be accompanied by Di Marcos orchestra. The young people have been especially trained and it is a privilege and an inspiration to hear them sing. Patriotic and old-time songs will be sung. A feature will be the national songs of the Allies. Copies of all the songs to be sung will be distributed to the audience so that everyone will be able to take part.

1923

October 23, 1923

Hibbing police are warning residents that automobile thieves are coming back to life again, stealing articles from cars. Parked in front of residences and store buildings, the cars are entered by thieves on the lookout for anything of value. Thieves stole a mackinaw belonging to Ralph Nelson from his car on Saturday.

1953

June 1, 1953

Scandinavian Fraternity meets Tuesday, 8:00 p.m., at the Odd Fellows Hall.

1969

July 21, 1969

Goldfines of Chisholm is proud to sell a 3-room furniture set consisting of a 2-piece living room set in nylon cover and choice of colors, 4-piece bedroom set, and a 5-piece bronzetone dinette set all for $328. Free lay-by until wanted.

Link:
Epidemics in Hibbing's Past | Years Of Yore - Hibbing Daily Tribune

ROUTE 29 / GAINESVILLE

No significant traffic impacts scheduled.

ROUTE 234 BUSINESS (SUDLEY ROAD) / MANASSAS

I-66 West near Bull Run

Monday, March 23, through Thursday, March 26: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Temporary 15-minute stoppages of traffic for blasting operations.

I-66 East between Bull Run Rest Area and Cub Run

Monday, March 23, through Thursday, March 26: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, March 27: 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Three right lanes will be closed for crews to install bridge beams over Cub Run.

ROUTE 28 (SULLY ROAD) / CENTREVILLE

I-66 East and West between Route 29 (Lee Highway) Centreville and Stringfellow Road

Route 28 North and South between Route 29 (Lee Highway) and Braddock Road

Braddock Road at Route 28

Monday, March 23, through Friday, March 27: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Temporary 15-minute stoppages of traffic on I-66 East and West, Route 28 North and South, and on Braddock Road near Route 28 for blasting operations.

I-66 East from Compton Road to Route 28

Ramp from I-66 East to Route 28 North

Sunday, March 22, and Thursday, March 26: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, March 27: 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Three lanes of eastbound I-66 lanes will be closed for overhead bridge work. The ramp from I-66 East to Route 28 North will also be closed between 12:00 midnight and 4:00 a.m. (5:00 a.m. Saturday morning). Traffic will be detoured farther east to Route 286 (Fairfax County Parkway) North, stay to the right for I-66 West, then follow signs to Route 28 North.

I-66 East between Bull Run Rest Area and Cub Run

Monday, March 23, through Thursday, March 26: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, March 27: 9:00 p.m.to 9:00 a.m.

Three right lanes will be closed for crews to install bridge beams over Cub Run.

I-66 East at Route 29 (Lee Highway) Centreville

Monday, March 23, through Friday, March 27: 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The right lane will be closed for bridge work.

Route 28 South between Westfields Boulevard and E.C. Lawrence Park athletic fields

Tuesday, March 24: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Two left lanes will be closed for overhead bridge work.

ROUTE 286 (FAIRFAX COUNTY PARKWAY) / FAIR LAKES

Stringfellow Road between Fair Lakes Boulevard and Village Square Drive

Monday, March 23, through Friday, March 27: 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Friday, March 27, from 9:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Monday, March 30

The right lane of southbound Stringfellow Road will be closed for underground utility relocation. The lane will be reopened weekdays between 3:00 and 9:00 p.m. to accommodate the evening rush.

Route 286 North and South from Route 29 (Lee Highway) to Fair Lakes Parkway

Monday, March 23, through Thursday, March 26: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, March 27: 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Two lanes will be closed for overhead demolition of I-66 bridges over Route 286. Drivers should expect occasional 20-minute stoppages.

ROUTE 50 / FAIRFAX

I-66 West from Blake Lane to Jermantown Road

Monday, March 23, through Thursday, March 26: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28: 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Three left lanes will be closed for center bridge pier work. Drivers should expect slowdowns and periodic 20-minute stoppages between 12:00 midnight and 4:00 a.m.

I-66 East from Route 50 to Jermantown Road

Monday, March 23, through Thursday, March 26: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28: 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Two left lanes will be closed for center bridge pier work at Jermantown Road.

I-66 East from Route 608 (West Ox Road) to Route 50

Monday, March 23: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Two left lanes will be closed for crane mobilization.

I-66 West from Route 50 to Monument Drive

Wednesday, March 25, and Thursday, March 26: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

The right lane will be closed for barrier wall demolition.

ROUTE 123 (CHAIN BRIDGE ROAD) / OAKTON CITY OF FAIRFAX

I-66 West from Blake Lane to Jermantown Road

Monday, March 23, through Thursday, March 26: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28: 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Three left lanes will be closed for center bridge pier work at Jermantown Road. Drivers should expect slowdowns and periodic 20-minute stoppages between 12:00 midnight and 4:00 a.m.

I-66 East and West at Jermantown Road

Monday, March 23, through Sunday, March 29: 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The HOV lane will be closed for pile driving for new center bridge pier.

ROUTE 243 (NUTLEY STREET) / VIENNA

Ramp from Route 243 (Nutley Street) South to I-66 East

Sunday, March 22, through Thursday, March 26: 10:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.

The ramp from southbound Nutley Street to eastbound I-66 will be closed. Drivers will be detoured farther south, make a U-turn at Route 29, then stay to the right and follow signs to I-66 East.

Ramp from I-66 East to Route 243 (Nutley Street) North

Sunday, March 22, through Thursday, March 26: 10:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.

The ramp from eastbound I-66 to northbound Nutley Street will be closed. Traffic will be directed to southbound Nutley Street, then make a U-turn at Route 29.

I-66 East from Blake Lane to Nutley Street

Sunday, March 22, through Thursday, March 26: 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Two right lanes will be closed for barrier wall demolition. The eastbound collector-distributor lane will also be narrowed.

Cedar Lane from Hilltop Drive to Cottage Street

Monday, March 23, through Friday, March 27: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Flagging operation alternating two-way traffic in a single lane for underground water line relocation.

I-66 East and West at Nutley Street

Monday, March 23, through Friday, March 27: 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The right lane will be closed on eastbound and westbound I-66 near Nutley Street for barrier wall demolition and paving. The collector-distributor lanes in both directions will also be narrowed.

I-495 (CAPITAL BELTWAY) / DUNN LORING

Ramp from I-66 East to 495 Express Lanes South

Wednesday, March 25, and Thursday, March 26: 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

The ramp from eastbound I-66 to the southbound 495 Express Lanes will be closed. Traffic will be directed to the I-495 South general-purpose lanes.

I-495 South from Route 7 to I-66

Monday, March 23, and Tuesday, March 24: 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

Two left lanes will be closed for bridge work.

Read more from the original source:
I-66 Lane Closures and Traffic Changes, Week of March 22 - Prince William Living

HOT SPRINGS -- A top-heavy eight-horse field in the $90,000 Gazebo Stakes for 3-year-old horses today at Oaklawn is an extreme long shot to take many minds off the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Gazebo purse itself is an example of ongoing changes at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, led last week by the closure of racing-ground doors to fans and the facility's casino. As a byproduct of casino profit lost, limited on-track betting, and non-existent restaurant and concession sales, the track has reduced race purses as of today.

The Gazebo purse has been reduced from $125,000. Purses for maiden special-weight races have been cut from $87,000 to $60,000. Whereas an allowance-optional $62,500 claiming race paid a purse of $94,000 Friday, today the same will pay $64,000.

"We have to do that," Oaklawn President Louis Cella said. "It's not sustainable at the high-purse level when everything is shut down. It's not sustainable, so we have to have cuts. Quite honestly, I hate the phrase, it's an awful phrase, 'feel your pain', but we're all feeling the pain together. We're working with the horsemen, and they've been great. They understand it. We're working with them together. We're family, and we're going to get through this together."

"If anyone is going to complain that we're running, and the purses are cut, they need to have their head examined," trainer Robertino Diodoro said.

Gazebo morning-line second-choice Long Weekend trainer Tom Amoss is self-quarantined in southern Louisiana because of contact he had last Saturday with New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton, who was diagnosed with coronavirus Thursday. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart hosted Payton and is self-quarantined in Hot Springs.

Nevertheless, the races go on, at least for now, and Amoss has high hopes for Long Weekend, by Majestic Perfection, who won an optional-claiming 6-furlong race in 1:09.58 at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston on Feb. 19 in his last start.

"That race at Sam Houston was basically our prep for the Gazebo," Amoss said.

Amoss took on Long Weekend before his first race, a 5-furlong maiden special-weight, won in 58.48 at Churchill Downs on June 23. He said he immediately knew he had a sprinter in his barn.

"He's a very good sprinter," Amoss said.

In Lost Weekend's second of three career starts, six months before his win at Sam Houston, he finished sixth of seven in the Grade II 61/2-furlong Saratoga Special at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Aug. 10.

"We probably got in a little hurry with him to try such a big race as the one we did at Saratoga," Amoss said. "It set us back. In an effort to do right by the horse, we gave him some time off, and he's rewarded us."

Oaklawn's Gazebo is next up for Lost Weekend.

"I think he has every chance to be a top sprinter, and not just regionally, but on a national scale," Amoss said. "I'm hoping we can take our next step forward ... in the Gazebo."

Muddy Waters Stables' and Ingrid Mason's Lykan enters off a 6-furlong optional-claiming win, at 20-1, in 1:10.07 at Oaklawn on Feb. 23.

Lykan, trained by Mason, has a career record of 2-0-4. Both wins were ridden by Tyler Baze

Baze said he felt as if the Congrat's colt has just started to figure out what it takes to run fast.

"He's just been like a big baby, but he's working lights out and I think he's ready to go," Baze said. "Since he's been here at Oaklawn, after that last race, he's really feeling his oats. I know we'll probably be 10-1 or something, but I think the light bulb has kind of went on for him."

Baze said he knows the Gazebo is weighted with talent, perhaps led by 5-2 morning-line favorite Little Menace, a son of Into Mischief, owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III, and conditioned by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

He also mentioned Hugh Robertson's Beau Oxy and Jack Dickerson's and Zack Ames' Marvin, both trained by Mac Robertson.

Baze said Lykan seems ready for the challenge.

"There are several good ones in there, but I like our chances," he said.

Rick Lee's Gazebo Stakes picks

9 The Gazebo. Purse $90,000, 6 furlongs, 3-year-olds

LONG WEEKEND*** defeated allowance rivals at Houston by nearly 7-widening lengths, and he has a series of strong works at Fair Grounds. The one to catch. BEAU OXY proved best of two winning an allowance race at Fair Grounds, while eased up late, and he drew a favorable post. LITTLE MENACE followed a decisive maiden win at Churchill with a determined allowance win over this track, and the steadily improving colt has enough speed to be in a good spot turning into the stretch.

PP HORSE JOCKEY TRAINER ODDS

4 Long Weekend Talamo Amoss 3-1

8 Beau Oxy Vazquez Robertson 7-2

5 Little Menace Cohen Asmussen 5-2

3 Lykan Baze Mason 8-1

6 Marvin Canchari Robertson 4-1

7 Fly to the Bank WDe La Cruz Helzer 10-1

1 No Shirt No Shoes Birzer Anderson 15-1

2 Nucky FDe La Cruz Miller 15-1

Sports on 03/21/2020

View original post here:
Long Weekend looking to step it up in Gazebo - NWAOnline

Chrissy Teigen'snever-endingfeud with the Trump family is still persisting, even in the middle of a pandemic, which is forcing many into self-isolation.

Although the president has started to change his tone and offer a more robust response to the outbreak, Teigen has taken a shot at Melania Trump, whose silence on the pandemic has been very noticeable.

Even though the first lady has tweeted several times about the coronavirus and the precautions people should be taking, at the start of the month, she was sharing her plans for the construction of a tennis gazebo at the White House while new cases spread quickly across the world (including the US). And anyway, her husband claims he "always knew" it was a pandemic, so surely he told her?

Melania also mentioned in that tweet 'Be Best' an initiative set up by Melaniawhich concentrates onwell-being, online safety, and opioid abuse.

Given that basically everyone is in need, help or some reassurance right now, and we've already seen plenty of acts of goodwill, Melania hasn't really said much about spreading positive vibes.

This is what Teigen has taken exception too, when she branded Melania 'wife-bot' and slammed her 'tennis gazebo.'

She then went on to criticise Trump, calling him a "f**king loser wimp" and Melania for seemingly always wearing a cape.

Teigen'stweets, which often attract a lot of attention, even at the best of times, divided many, some of whom thought it was an justified criticism of Melania while some thought that this wasn't the right time to be criticising anyone.

Trump has begun to encourage US citizens to practice social distancing and avoid public gatherings after cases in America move above 6000, with a reported 108 people dying from the disease.

More:
Chrissy Teigen asks 'wife-bot' Melania Trump what she is doing during the pandemic other than building a 'tennis gazebo' - indy100