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BATON ROUGE- Following the March 13th proclamation by Gov. John Bel Edwards, aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 in Louisiana, the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal (SFM) recently advised the public about how best to continue their business needs with the State Fire Marshals Office.

The public was informed of limited walk-in services at agency offices as well as changes to SFM-hosted trainings and meetings and SFM-conducted inspections.

Business owners need to know the changes to SFM-conducted operations do not apply to their requirement to have licensed Life Safety and Property Protection (LSPP) businesses and individuals conduct annual, quarterly or other code-required inspections of life safety systems and equipment. The LSPP industry includes mechanical or electronic locks, special locking systems and equipment, security systems and equipment, fire sprinkler systems and equipment, fire detection and alarm systems and equipment, fire suppression systems and equipment, portable fire extinguishers, fire hoses, and conveyance devices.

Due to SFM-conducted inspections being limited during this public health emergency, it is imperative that required inspections by LSPP businesses and individuals continue.

If any LSPP companies and/or individuals experience obstacles in continuing their required system inspections, the SFM remains committed to assisting with those issues. You can reach our Licensing team by calling our main phone switchboard line, 1-800-256-5452, and choosing the Licensing option when presented in the automated message.

The SFM appreciates the publics patience and cooperation with these temporary operations to ensure the health and safety of your families and ours.

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State Fire Marshal's Office Advises Life Safety and Property Protection Industry During COVID-19 Public Health Emergency - FOX 15

Gregory Losordo

SANDWICH On Wednesday, March 18, 2020 the Sandwich Police arrested Gregory Losordo, 35, of Sandwich for Fentanyl Trafficking in more than 10 grams. The Sandwich Police had conducted an investigation into Mr. Losordo and his alleged narcotics dealing over the past several weeks. That investigation led to a search warrant being granted to search Mr. Losordo and his home in Sandwich.

At approximately 2:15 PM, Sandwich Police observed Mr. Losordo as a passenger in a vehicle near his home. Based on warrant, the vehicle was stopped by the police. Mr. Losordo was uncooperative and fought with the police. During the struggle police observed plastic bags containing what is believed to be Fentanyl fall from his pants onto the ground. Mr. Losordo continued to fight as he was placed under arrest. He was additionally charged with Resisting Arrest.

Once the search was completed police found a total of 11 separate bags containing approximately 29 grams of Fentanyl. Mr. Losordo was transported to the Sandwich Police station and booked. He was held overnight on $20,000 cash bail. While in the cell, Mr. Losordo ripped the fire suppression sprinkler system from the ceiling resulting in an area of station being flooded. A felony charge of Vandalism was added to his list of charges.

Sandwich Police also conducted a search warrant at his address. Police located paraphernalia related to narcotic distribution. Mr. Losordo is scheduled to be arraigned by Barnstable District Court Thursday.Media release and mugshot furnished by Sandwich Police

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Sandwich man under arrest as the result of a narcotics investigation - CapeCod.com News

Aspinwall, a quaint sidewalk community tucked along the Allegheny River, was tightly knit before the coronavirus hit the Pittsburgh region. Its the type of community where people gather at the coffee shop or local pub, organize block parties, hold street concerts and love a good parade. In other words, a very Pittsburgh kind of place. But with coronavirus keeping people at home, Aspinwall neighbors were missing each other.

I feel its really important to see your neighbors after such a tough week, says resident Carrie Benson. Through an Aspinwall Facebook group, she invited every resident to step outside onto their porches, stoops or balconies on Saturday to share a happy hour toast.

Its the easiest party Ive ever planned, she laughs.

Sisters Martha Lightfoot and author Sarah Tuthill toast to Aspinwall.

With wide sidewalks and ample porches, residents here are naturally social. Aspinwall is built for this type of community response to social distancing, Benson points out. All her posts, texts and word of mouth invitations worked at exactly 5 p.m., despite the chill in the air, hundreds of residents emerged from their homes, drink in hand, eager to see their neighbors.

We couldnt wait to get out here, admits resident Kristin Dowd from her apartments porch, where she and her husband, Jimmy, were greeting passers-by. People are waving, horns beeping and were all having a nice conversation. Even the fire trucks are out, Dowd says of a custom typically reserved for Aspinwalls famous Memorial Day Parade. But the best part was being able to toast to our friend across the street who, as a pharmacist, has been working tirelessly since the pandemic hit, she added.

A few blocks away, 6-year-old Niko Barii provided the highlight, treating neighbors to a live concert from his front stoop. Billed (using sidewalk chalk, of course) as Lil Elvis, his show included an original tune about the coronavirus (check out his performance in the video below).

The Kearney family joins in the porch toast.

I suggested he sing, says his mom, Megan. But I didnt expect him to prepare with a microphone and a program. A few neighbors put their chairs on their lawns and Nico said, my audience is coming.

Just keep swimming.

Just a week into the national emergency, Aspinwall residents have come up with other ways to encourage human connection that can be enjoyed from a distance.

On Saint Patricks Day, people were asked to hang pictures of shamrocks in their windows so neighborhood kids could hunt for them during their daily walk. Kids of any age were also inspired to chalk the walk, filling stoops and driveways with colorful pictures and poignant words of encouragement.

Benson and her husband Jonathan Weingarden are grateful for the community in which they plan to raise their first baby, due next month. My ultimate hope is that we keep looking for opportunities to help each other. We are all anxious for our loved ones, our families, the elderly people in our lives, she says. I take some solace in looking over at my neighbors, knowing that we are all in this together. Cheers to that.

Know of an inspiring and creative idea for get-togethers or things to do while were under quarantine? Email NEXTpittsburgh. We would love to hear from you.

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On Saturday night, hundreds of folks in Aspinwall held a porch toast - NEXTpittsburgh

Although more than a century and a quarter has passed since publication of Arthur Conan Doyles first story, Sherlock Holmes continues to inspire novels, movies, TV, and the stage. I will review some of the actors who played Holmes in this concluding essay in my Holmes duology; and assess how true each was to Conan Doyles artistic vision.

Where possible, Ill contrast each actors portrayal with the Holmes described by Dr. Watson, which I have paraphrased as, His very person was such as to strike the attention of the most casual observer. He was rather over six feet, and so lean that he seemed considerably taller. His eyes were sharp and piercing, and his thin, hawk-like nose and prominent chin gave his whole expression an air of alertness, decision, and determination.

Note that I occasionally will refer to the canon in this essay, which consists of the 56 short stories and four novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and published in the Strand Magazine.

This is no easy task. In 2012, one of the worlds most reliable sources, i.e., The Guiness Book of World Records, awarded the title for most portrayed literary human character in film & television to Sherlock Holmes, who had already been presented on screen, at that time, more than 250 times. He has been played. in some manner, by nearly 100 actors, including Michael Caine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Christopher Lee, Robert Downey Jr., Ian McKellen, Jonny Miller, Peter OToole, Christopher Plummer, and Basil Rathbone.

However, I will focus only on the MSM, that is, the Main-Sherlock-Media, and exclude the Sherlocks in parodies like Without a Clue, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Smarter Brother, and The Great Mouse Detective.

Sherlockian Literature After Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Award-winning American playwright, Ken Ludwig, set The Games Afoot at a cast party in 1936 Gillette Castle. Published in 2012, the play was presented at the Ivoryton Playhouse in 2017. Jim Bennet, of Mystic, has written three historical mysteries regarding William Gillette under the pen name James Walker; in these, Gillette uses his stage persona as Sherlock Holmes to investigate murders and other crimes.

In addition, a growing group of authors is writing short stories and novels in the style of Arthur Conan Doyle. Many of these pastiches are quite accurate in their portrayals and have begun to form a subcategory of popular literature.

Sherlock in the Cinema and on TV

Rather than attempt an exhaustive review of every actor who has portrayed Sherlock in any television or movie production, I will begin this review in the late 1930s with Basil Rathbones interpretation, and continue chronologically to the present.

I feel that any review of Sherlock must also consider the associated Dr. Watson. However, I will not review the concomitant LeStrade or Moriarty characters in this essay.

I dont pretend to have the expertise of Old Lyme resident David Handlers character Mitch Berger of Dorset in judging these actors, but I can certainly distinguish good acting from bad; and sloppy dialog from a well-constructed plot. Moreover, in the spirit of some current American politicians, theres absolutely no science in these assessments, although Ill start with the null hypothesis that Basil Rathbone is Sherlock, and attempt to disprove that premise.

Basil Rathbone

Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes. From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository.

In 1939, Basil Rathbone played Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles with Nigel Bruce as Watson. They continued through 1946 and completed 14 Sherlock Holmes movies. Almost concurrent with movie production, they also starred in a serialized radio drama, The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, that aired in the United States from late 1939 through mid-1947.

With the exception of Hound, these films were only loosely based on Arthur Conan Doyles canon, but were updated to reflect the issues of the day. Im not claiming that all 14 were great cinema; but they certainly were respectable wartime productions.

So, by mid-century, the Rathbone/Bruce team was recognized and accepted in both America and Great Britain as Holmes and Watson. Ill reference only two movies to support my claim.

In Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon, Holmes, disguised as an elderly book seller, smuggles a Swiss scientist and his advanced bomb sight into England just as the Gestapo prepared to arrest him and seize control of his laboratory. Many of the Holmes wartime movies ended with a soliloquy by Basil Rathbone. This one always brings a few tears to my eyes.

At the end of Secret Weapon, Holmes and Watson, with a contingent of the British war cabinet, are observing a squadron of Lancaster bombers equipped with the bombsight as they leave for Nazi Germany.Watson: Things are looking up, Holmes. This little Islands still on the map.Holmes: Yes. This fortress built by nature for herself; This blessed plot, this Earth, this Rome, this England.This latter line is, of course, from Act II of Richard II by William Shakespeare.

In Sherlock Holmes in Washington, Holmes breaks up a Nazi spy ring operating from a high-end D.C. antiques shop, and recovers the secret microfilmed documents that they had stolen from a murdered British intelligence agent.

As Holmes and Watson prepare to leave the District, driving towards Capitol Hill, the conversation goes like this:Holmes: Look up there ahead the Capitol, the very heart of this democracy.Watson: Democracy; the only hope for the future?Holmes: Its not given to us to peer into the mysteries of the future, but in the days to come the British and American people will, for their own safety and for the good of all, walk together in majesty, in justice, and in peace.In citing Churchills then recent address to Congress, Sherlock reminds us of how great that legislative body once was.

While Basil Rathbone was Sherlock, both physically and intellectually, Nigel Bruce regularly presented Watson as a befuddled English gentleman and a somewhat slower associate of Holmes. His interpretation of Watson is inconsistent with the more intelligent Watson of Arthur Conan Doyles canon.

Ronald HowardIn 1954, British actor Ronald Howard began a two-season run of 39 episodes on the American television series Sherlock Holmes. He played a relatively light-hearted and campy Sherlock along-side H. Marion Crawfords Dr. Watson; who played a sharp, and sometimes aggressive Watson, unlike Nigel Bruce above. Of the 39 episodes, only The Red-Headed League was based on Arthur Conan Doyles original body of work. The series included such titles as: The Case of the Texas Cowgirl, and The Case of The Shoeless Engineer. However, there were occasional allusions to the Doyle canon.

Douglas WilmerIn 1965, the BBC began its presentation of Sherlock Holmes with British classical actor Douglas Wilmer as the lead, and Nigel Stock as Watson. This sometimes noirish series continued until 1968, with 13 episodes wholly- based on the original stories. Wilmer plays a shrewd, but arrogant Holmes; and sports all the expected trappings: deerstalker cap, pipe, prominent nose, and obsessive nature. Nigel Stock is another affable, but intellectually inferior Watson.

Jeremy BrettIn the Granada Television series that aired in the UK from 1984 to 1994, Jeremy Brett played a more emotional and physically graceful Sherlock than the predecessor Sherlocks described above. His manner was more swaggering with occasional outbursts of passion used to re-focus Watson or LeStrade

His sometimes overly-precise and dramatic presentation quality demonstrate his background in musical theater. He played Freddy Eynsford-Hill in My Fair Lady. Heres a clue for you: I have often walked down this street before; but the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before. All at once am I several stories high, knowing Im on the street where you live

There were two Watsons over this decade-long series, namely David Burke and Edward Hardwicke. Both played the character as a highly intelligent and intuitive associate of Holmes, and true to Doyles canon. Many consider Jeremy Bretts characterization of Holmes as the defining Sherlock performance. To get a feel for his style, watch this video clip to see Holmes leap the couch at 221B in The Red Headed League.

Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch during filming of Sherlock in Chinatown, London. From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository.

Sherlock is a contemporized version of Arthur Conan Doyles consulting detective now operating in 21st century London. Cumberbatch is Holmes, and Martin Freeman is Watson. Thirteen 90-minute episodes were produced in this BBC/PBS series between 2010 and 2017. The Cumberbatch Holmes is more arrogant and self-centered than the predecessors described above, and less-willing to contend with Inspector LeStrades plodding manner.

The deerstalker cap is absent, although other traditional detective attire (long coat and scarf) frequently appear. I believe that, although updated with contemporary technology, and despite the unruly hair, Cumberbatchs portrayal of the character is first rate. His Holmes still has exceptional intellect, is excitable, and delights in solving puzzles no one else could solve.

Dr. Watson is a younger veteran of the Royal Army Medical Corps in the Afghan War than those reviewed above and is certainly played as a more independent self-starter. He blogs about their adventures rather than writing by hand for publication in the print media.

However, Watsons blog provides the pair some unwanted celebrity and the press begins reporting on the cases and Sherlocks sometimes eccentric personal life. Their cases, like those in the canon, come from both ordinary people and the British government.

Jonny Miller

Elementary first aired in 2012, and ran for seven seasons and over 150 episodes. There is little connection to Arthur Conan Doyles body of work beyond some character names and occasional allusions to the original stories.

Elementary is really a police procedural with Jonny Miller as Sherlock Holmes, and Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson. Sherlock is a recovering drug addict and former consultant to Scotland Yard, who has re-located to a Brooklyn brownstone in present-day New York City for addiction treatment.

Watson is a former surgeon who has left practice, and is hired by Sherlocks father to assist in his rehabilitation as his sober companion. Watsons relationship with Holmes evolves from sober companion, to investigative apprentice, and into a professional crime-solving partnership with Sherlock and the NYPD.

This Holmes is, of course, indifferent to proper procedure as he works with the NYPD. one critic describes the series as, pretty good television; the stories are unpredictable, and often draw on contemporary issues like hacking, cyber-espionage, and corruption in international finance. I dont recall whether the latter was Deutsche Bank. There is a definite psychological component underlying the series and the plots often include the characters struggles to deal with their many demons.

Robert Downey Jr.

Downey is not, by any stretch of the imagination, Sherlock Holmes. Others disagree, as a third movie is apparently in progress, beyond Sherlock Holmes (2009), and A Game of Shadows (2011). His interpretation is more vulgar and more cynical than those reviewed above. There is significant violence in the plots, perhaps because the movies are targeting a less-sophisticated and/or a teenaged audience. The first two movies are totally lacking in subtlety and I think of them as the violent video games that you want your children to avoid.

Some Final Thoughts

I always pass my penultimate draft by my wife, Christina. Her comments were that, the essay is well-punctuated, but maybe a little obsessive. I agree that I punctuate well.

I have watched each of theafore-mentioned movies or TV shows at least once; either on DVD, or for the more recent ones, on television or in the theater. To explain, nine years ago next Halloween, I had just finished a two-year period during which I had almost unlimited time for reading and the media. I wasnt incarcerated or unemployed; and, although I am a Navy veteran, I was not a member of a ballistic missile submarine team rotated ashore.

I have also concluded that Senator Blumenthal does bear some resemblance to the Holmes described by Dr. Watson in the first paragraph of this essay; and certainly, his activities as Connecticut Attorney General also required some of the fundamental skills of a consulting detective. Our junior senator could, conceivably, be Watson. This is not a political column, so I wont name any of the more obvious candidates for Moriarty.

The next essay changes focus from human icons to Connecticuts iconic Long Island Sound and the rising water levels that I have observed from my porch over the past several years.

Tom Gotowka

About the author:Tom Gotowkas entire adult career has been in healthcare. He will sit on the Navy side at the Army/Navy football game. He always sit on the crimson side at any Harvard/Yale contest. He enjoys reading historic speeches and considers himself a scholar of the period from FDR through JFK.

A child of AM Radio, he probably knows the lyrics of every rock and roll or folk song published since 1960. He hopes these experiences give readers a sense of what he believes qualify him to write this column.

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A View from My Porch: Almost 100 Actors Have Played Sherlock Holmes, Who Were They (Well, Some of Them) and How Did They Do? - lymeline.com

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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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.

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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