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Good afternoon, Buenas tardes!

Welcome to the 2020 City of Pharr State of the City Address!

First and foremost, thank you to Godfor another blessed year.Many thanks to my beautiful and devoted wife, Cristina, our son Joseph, for being my rock and source of strength, and for so graciously allowing me to share my life in public service to our community. Thank you also to our extended network of family and friends for your constant support.

To my colleagues on the Pharr City Commission and our city employees. Thank you for your support. Without you, none of the great things we are doing in Pharr would be possible.

Gracias, Valente, for leaving the bright lights of Hollywood to return to your South Texas home community and to our great city of Pharr where its really happening!

What a year it has been!

As I look across this room, each of you is here today because you have made such an impact, either directly or indirectly, on the success and prosperity that our great City of Pharr enjoys.

It is because of you that we are here today. You took the time from your busy schedule a break away from your daily lives in your respective industries to spend time with us today and listen to what makesPharr truly a remarkable place to be. You are the educators, business professionals, community partners, mothers, fathers, students, members of the religious community, industry representatives, and more, that have a vested interest in seeing our great city thrive.

So, thank you for being here and for your continued support of the great City of Pharr.

I am humbled to stand before you today, as Mayor of my hometown leading the city that raised me into rapid and incredible growth, prosperity, and opportunity for our Pharr citizens.

I have been entrusted by you to make a difference in the lives of our residents, families and our children, who are the future.

Five years after first taking office, we are here to celebrate our 4th annual State of the City!

And let me tell you no need to adjust your vision Pharr is a perfect 20/20 and this year we will have several milestones to celebrate, and we have much in store for 2020.

Ladies and gentlemen, citizens of Pharr, business leaders, and community partners, on behalf of the Pharr City Commission and as your Mayor, I am proud to report that the state of the City of Pharr is the best its ever been, and its only getting better!

I want to start with our economy because as we all know, our economy will shape the future of the city as it is an indicator of our prosperity and growth.

This year, for the first time in Pharrs history, I am excited to announce that our sales tax figures indicate that Pharr surpassed more than $1 billion dollarsin sales!

This profound number represents an approximate $140.6 Million increase in total sales in the City of Pharr from the previous fiscal year.

Pharr continues to expand our tax base by recruiting, attracting, and retaining businesses and companies to invest in Pharr.

It makes us proud to know that we are significantly contributing to the success of our region, our state, and our nation so to our governor, our federal, state, and local leaders on behalf of the city of Pharr and its residents.youre welcome!

We thank our business community partnerships, at the local, state, national and international levels, for continuing to expand opportunities in the various retail, food, entertainment, and other industries, that allow our Pharr residents and those from the surrounding communities to shop, eat, and stay in Pharr.

Our economy would not be nearly as robust if we didnt have an educated and skilled workforce this is key, for not just us but for the state and the country.

This past year, we welcomed many new businesses in Pharr, such as Carmax, which provided new, high-paying jobs, with a starting average salary of nearly $50,000.As part of our educational partnership commitment, we have a program where high school students in Pharr experience first-hand sales practices, body shop work, and mechanics through internships and practical education opportunities.

And, we are excited to announce that we are bringing manufacturing jobs to Pharr!

The City of Pharr and the Pharr Economic Development Corporation are proud to announce that a global manufacturing company that has been operating in South Texas for more than 20 years will be relocating their operations to the City of Pharr.

The company, Bissell, will be using the facility to support its manufacturing, remanufacturing, and replacement parts operations.

With a total investment in Pharr of $14.5 million dollars, the Bissell manufacturing facility will create jobs in advanced manufacturing.

We continue to move Pharr forward and again, its only getting better!

Our workforce is strengthened by our relationships and one of our strongest is the U.S.-Mexico-Canada partnership.

With the new U. S.- Mexico-Canada Agreement, USMCA, we are certain to reap the benefits of this trade deal which continues making our Pharr International port of entry one of the busiest land ports of entry in the state and nation.

In 2015, we devised a strategic bridge plan with our city commission, bridge board, and bridge employees and in Pharr, we dont just strategize, we execute, and we bring about real, tangible results!

Our Pharr bridge recently celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, a notable milestone indeed, and we are delighted to announce that the Pharr International Bridge now ranks as the third-largest border crossing in Texas!

In 2019, trade in Pharr exceeded $35 billion, growing six percent in imports and five percent in exports.

We have grown by over $1 billion dollars in trade every yearthat is astonishing growth that has no end in sight.

We continue to be the preferred and #1 border crossing for produce, crossing almost 70 percent of the nations produce.

Our city leaders recognize the importance of our bridge and have made it a priority to invest in port infrastructure improvements to keep up with the demand for services and to expedite trade.

This year, because of strong partnerships and collaboration with Texas Department of Transportation, General Services Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Border Patrol, we will be investing $35 Million in major construction, infrastructure, and technology improvements projects that will help to accommodate current and future growth, expedite the flow of trade, and reduce border wait times.

Another major project we are working on at the bridge is through the first-of-its-kind collaborative partnership with our esteemed University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, the U. S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) for a regional agriculture laboratory and training center.

We are truly blessed.

I would be remiss if I didnt stress the importance of education in our formula for success.

Education, not just for our children, but for our entire community is vital.

My administration has always been a big believer that we reward and promote those individuals doing better for themselves.

I have always been an advocate for innovative programs that stand out from traditional methods because in Pharr we are different, we think outside the box, we dont see a problem but rather a solution that has yet to be thought of.

We have in the audience our Partner RGV College who graduated its first cohort of nurses right here in Pharr.

We also have representation from Region One who reported from the TEA that our region out-performed the entire state of Texas.

Together with parent ambassadors, we are working on educating our community on the importance of the census, this is hard work but you know what? we are no stranger to being told that it cant be done we do it anyway.

Education is key to being counted and we are very aware of the importance of OUR role in making sure it happens.

Another proud educational endeavor is with the PSJA school district

We are on the verge of opening the highly anticipated and much needed PSJA-City of Pharr Ag campus .. located on city property for the benefit of our students.

We continue to cultivate a positive learning environment for all Pharr residents and are particularly committed to providing opportunities for higher education right here in Pharr.

This past year, we broke ground on the PSJA-UTRGV-City of Pharr Natatorium, which will serve as an anchor for health and wellness facilities.

Pharrs commitment to higher educational opportunities for our Pharr residents remains one of our highest priorities, and its only getting better!

In order to move forward we need infrastructure. Transportation is a key element for the city to be able to deliver goods and services.

As you all are aware, major moves of historic significance were made in the past year that will dramatically and forever change the landscape of the Rio Grande Valley.

With the merging of the three regional MPOs, the Rio Grande Valley can now tap into billions of dollars of state and federal transportation funding to improve and expand roads and transportation infrastructure that we could never before access a staggering $2.2 billion dollars, and we will be fighting for more!

It was an honor to be elected by the entireCameron and Hidalgo County delegation to serve as the inaugural chair of the new RGV MPO.

This wouldnt have been possible without the support and vision of Cameron and Hidalgo County trailblazers; Mayors Trey Mendez, Jim Darling, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez, and County Commissioner Eddie Cantu.

I can assure you that both Pharr and the entire Rio Grande Valley will now definitely have a seat at the table when it comes to transportation planning and funding.

We have numerous projects in the works that will improve our roads and transportation and infrastructure in Pharr.

The city continues to invest millions in city road repaving and reconstruction projects more than 18 million in city funds have been invested throughout our citywide repaving projects, through street light improvements and median installations to improve transportation and safety in our city.

An additional $44.7 million more in MPO funding has been allocated to projects in Pharr and there is much more on the horizon.

One of our highest priorities has been the expansion of the Pharr Interchange, which for years has been inadequate.

We will all soon enjoy a new interchange and rest assured, it willaccommodate future growth.

In recent years, we have experienced unprecedented rain and flooding impacting our residents, amounting to millions of dollars in damages to homes, businesses, and properties.

Pharr residents were not alone, we experienced this together and the city answered the call.

It was clear to us that our citys drainage infrastructure and water supply capacity are in critical need of improvements.

As city leaders, we are committed to making these investments now to take care of our current needs and prepare for our future.

As you all are aware, we recently passed a countywide, multi-million dollar drainage bond.We have partnered with the Hidalgo County Drainage District to build and expand this infrastructure.

To achieve this, I reached out to our very own Precinct 2 Commissioner, Eddie Cantu.Commissioner Cantu and I stood side by side to promote County drainage project because we knew it was needed and the right thing to do for our community.

So I want to thank Commissioner Cantu and I also want to thank your staff for their steadfast approach and commitment to help the residents of the city of Pharr.

Our $40 Million drainage plan will increase drainage capacity to accommodate a 500-year flood.

Our plan is to save lives, homes, and our properties once and for all.We will no longer accept this type of devastation. My administration will fix it now.

How?With great partners.

We have the greatest minds working together not only to achieve our drainage and infrastructure goals but to also provide an educational, real-life experience with our PSJA Southwest Early College High School Architecture students.

They are working with our city engineers, engineering consultants and are providing input, research, and ideas to address these issues with innovative solutions.

We are upgrading the citys aging water service delivery system, to meet our current demand for safe, sanitary water, while at the same time, accommodating for future growth and development.

We are also partnering with students from Thomas Jefferson T-Stem Early College High School on a project for a new raw water reservoir, and with students from PSJA North on the North-Central Wastewater Interceptor project.

Not only are we engaging these young minds with civic responsibility, but we are also providing opportunities for them to actively participate in creative solutions for real issues that need addressing.

We are proud to partner with PSJA ISD on these critical infrastructure projects, and Id like to ask them to please stand and be recognized.

Speaking of partnerships, Pharr continues to strengthen and nurture its relationships on a wide range of issues.

Among those, Pharr leads the efforts to plan and prepare for a successful 2020 Census.

It is imperative that everyone gets counted.

The population count held every ten years is what the federal government uses to allocate resources, representation, and funds.

We cannot stress how important this years census will be for all of us, and here in Pharr, we are taking the necessary steps to educate and inform our residents to be counted in the 2020 Census.

We have once again led the nation in creating a first of its kind the Pharr Parent Ambassador Program with our local school districts. This program engages parents to educate and promote the importance of being counted in the 2020 census.

At this time Id like to ask all parent ambassadors to stand and be recognized. Lets give them a round of applause.

Under our administration, we have sought to identify ways to ensure our government services are functioning efficiently to better serve our citizens.

As part of our efforts to maximize productivity, we had all department heads go through UTRGVs Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center Lean Six Sigma training and certification program.

The training was provided by TMAC, who statedthat Pharr is the first government entity that it has trained through this program, which is typically utilized by companies in the manufacturing industry.

Here in Pharr, we welcome leaders who are poised to help move Pharr forward.

This past year, we welcomed a new generation of leadership We joined forces with Texas Workforce Commission to further create opportunities and support employees that want to advance their education and training, that is representative of our values, culture, and goals, but also one that celebrates equity, diversity, dedication, and growth this led to the promotion of Anali Alanis and Hilda Pedraza the first female Assistant City Managers in the history of Pharr.

Congratulations, and keep up the great work ladies!

Complementing this change in leadership is the modernization of our first floor designed to be a state-of-the-art facility, to meet the needs of our citizens with efficiency and comfort.

This new, modern, open-floor concept will include offices and conference rooms with glass windows, as a true representation of the transparency we all deserve from our government.

Finally, last year, we launched Pharrs newest way to have citizens connect with their local government at the tip of their fingers.

Pharrs new 311 app is an interactive mobile application that allows citizens to easily access critical information from the City of Pharr, including news, calendar of events, online payments, and more.

One exciting feature of the app is the capability to have Pharr citizens be able to report issues of concern.

We are improving access to government services for our Pharr residents and families, and will continue improving the quality of life for all.

Ladies and Gentlemen, theres no doubt that there is power in numbers.

It is because of you, because of us, and because of the great leadership and partnerships that Pharrs future is bright, and will only get better!

At this time, as is our tradition that began at our inaugural State of the City address in 2017, we would like to present the Polo Palacios Award, awarded annually to an individual who carries the torch of service and pride for our Pharr community.

Read more:
Hernandez: State of the City of Pharr is the best it's ever been - Rio Grande Guardian

Jeanie Stephens, jeanie.stephens@thetelegraph.com

Crumbling Riverview Drive wall again to be discussed by Alton aldermen

ALTON Altons Committee of the Whole will vote on several resolutions, including pertaining to the crumbling retaining wall altop the bluff at Riverview Drive at its next meeting Tuesday.

After several layovers, the resolution approving repairs to Riverview Drives retaining wall remains on the agenda as city officials wait for possible funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Since damage to the retaining wall occurred during torrential rains last spring, along with record flooding, officials hope that FEMA will award disaster relief funding for repair, they said.

The Committee of the Whole will meet at 6 p.m. at Alton City Hall, prior to a city council meeting Wednesday, at 101 E. Third St.

Other resolutions up for a vote and listed on the meeting agenda include improvements to State and Belle streets, demolition proceedings, agreements with Spay Neuter Illinois Pets (SNIP) Alliance and STO (Spencer T. Olin Community Golf Course) LLC, as well as bid reports for asbestos abatement, demolitions and equipment rental.

Roadway improvements include State Street, 200 feet south of Rozier Street, to the city limits 300 feet north of Delmar Avenue, and improvements to Belle Street, from State Street to 260 feet south.

SNIP Alliance, in partnership with Riverbend Pet Food Pantry, has requested use of a structure on city of Alton Public Works Departments grounds, where SNIP would conduct spay and neuter clinics, and Riverbend Pet Food Pantry also would be at the premises.

An ordinance regarding the lease of property to STO, also will be addressed, for operation of the Spencer T. Olin Community Golf Course.

Other resolutions concern demolition of two properties, one at 1923 Gross St. and the other at 3108 Hillcrest Ave.

Asbestos abatement bids involve 2807 North St., 1332 Monroe St., 909 Rixon St., 1407 Cyrus St. and 2724 Residence St.

Bids for demolition of six properties include 619 Brookside Ave., 905 Gold St., 1812 Ervay Ave., 2709 and 2713 Viewland Ave., and 1305 Harold Ave.

Equipment rental bids are for Gordon Moore Park improvements, publicly endorsed by the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau.

Read more:
Crumbling Riverview Drive wall again to be discussed by Alton aldermen - Alton Telegraph

Lincolnvilles sixth grade science students braved the cold one recent day to conduct an investigation of high tides at the Beach. Through "Weather Blur," a program from the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, the class spent the fall developing the research question, "How high is the high tide at Lincolnville Beach over the course of a lunar cycle, and how does this compare to 20 years ago? Then they had to figure out how to answer this question, what data they would need and how/where they could find it.

At the Beach that cold day, students measured the distance from the high tide line to the retaining wall at the beginning of the parking lot to see how close the water gets at a high tide during a full moon. In the coming days, the class will use data from NOAA's Tides and Currents site to analyze trends from 20 years ago and from this current lunar cycle.

CALENDAR

MONDAY, Jan. 20

Town Office and School Closed, Martin Luther King Day

TUESDAY, Jan. 21

Book Group, 6 p.m., Library

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22

Finance Advisory Committee, 10 a.m., Town Office

Budget Committee, 6:30 p.m., Town Office

Middle School Concert, 6:30 p.m., Walsh Common

THURSDAY, Jan. 23

Soup Caf, Noon-1 p.m., Community Building

EVERY WEEK

AA meetings, Tuesdays & Fridays at 12:15 p.m., Wednesdays & Sundays at 6 p.m., United Christian Church

Lincolnville Community Library, open Tuesdays 4-7, Wednesdays, 2-7, Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-noon. For information call 706-3896.

Soup Caf, every Thursday, noon1p.m., Community Building, Sponsored by United Christian Church. Free, though donations to the Community Building are appreciated

Schoolhouse Museum open by appointment, 505-5101 or 789-5987

Bayshore Baptist Church, Sunday School for all ages, 9:30 a.m., Worship Service at 11 a.m., Atlantic Highway

United Christian Church, Worship Service 9:30 a.m., Childrens Church during service, 18 Searsmont Road

This investigation has led to some interesting discussions about storm surge during historical storms and future sea level rise predictions. If you have any information about previous storm surge or flooding events at Lincolnville Beach, either anecdotal or photos, to share with them let the school know. The students are also interested to hear if there is any local planning for sea level rise in the coming years.

This certainly isnt the science I was taught in sixth grade, studying the effects of a world-wide situation on our very own shore.

A week ago we seemed to be heading into one of those open winters, when a six-inch snowfall gets the weather people all excited, warning us to take precautions, to stock up, to bring in our dogs, to bundle up. Then the six inches turns out to be three and a half, the snow turns to rain, and by morning theres just a mess. Thats not the way winter used to be, but then I guess thats the story of the day.

In true Maine fashion where the weather changes by the hour, today were snowed in, frozen solid, truly in winters grip. Furnaces run around the clock, heat pumps do their best to keep ahead of the cold, and I throw another log on the fire. And then another.

But even though winter can still clamp down, even though Maine is still the kind of place that snowbirds flee in flocks, winter has changed. Ive spent 50 consecutive winters here and can offer first hand knowledge: Winter has changed. By late November/early December wed be snow-covered, and except for the predictable January thaw a handful of days when the temperature would rise into the 40s, and we all ran around in shirtsleeves there was no relief from below freezing temperatures. Every year we endured at least one stretch of below 0 days, -10 all the way to -25.

The snow piled up and up, until my mailbox disappeared from view, snow halfway up my front sunroom windows, hip-deep on the flat, over our heads where we threw it up by the shovelfuls along the driveway.

Our middle son treasures a story of being abandoned by his brothers in a snow cave they built. When it collapsed around him, they went inside to get warm and didnt mention their brother was buried in it.

The cross country skiing at Tanglewood was reliable; a couple of good snowfalls would cover the roots and rocks of the trails, and for weeks Id start every day with a ski around my favorite loop, up to the water tower and back out to the gate on the road that was never plowed.

Snow days were only called when it was truly horrible you know, blowing snow, howling wind, lousy visibility. There were just four or five days built into the calendar, and no superintendent wanted to go over. Those were the days when class was held on Saturday mornings to make up the lost time or added in June.

But a snow day was a big deal in a household with three little boys AND a teacher. Its hard to say who was the most excited at the phone ringing at 5 a.m. I had to stay inside to hear the phone while he, the teacher, went down into the barn to milk the cow. When it came, Id run right down with the news. But if it hadnt, it would be a pretty grumpy husband carrying in the pail of warm milk.

If it had, hed be right upstairs, dancing around, singing his Snow Day song, while the boys were glued to the TV news, watching the school closings for Union 69. Thats us. And when it finally came through, wed all celebrate with a big breakfast of bacon and eggs. The boys couldnt wait to get outside with their sleds. Snow forts, snowball fights, snow caves. Theyd stay out until their mittens were sodden, cheeks bright red, snowsuits soaked.

The first sight of bare ground, sometime in March, was a cause to party. People celebrated in all kinds of ways: one group of friends put on an annual play at the Grange, billed as a Cabin Fever Reliever. At our house I probably made an extra batch of home brew to get us through.

All these years later (my grandchildren are the ages their fathers were when the snow piled up) were learning to live with what we call our new normal. Not only are the Arctic and Antarctica ice sheets melting, the permafrost thawing, and the seas rising, but our own ecosystem is changing.

The ground barely freezes anymore. The snow is fleeting, turning to rain or sleety snow before morning, those brilliant days of sunshine and sparkly snow, a rarity. Australia and California have their horrific bush fires; we have ticks wintering over, ice storms and warming ocean waters.

We cant invent our way out of it, this climate change which science has been telling us for decades is man-made. There is no easy fix, not even a complicated technological tour de force that will prove we humans are still in charge. No, this time we have to learn to work with the natural forces not by extracting oil, gas, and coal from the ground or even wood from the forests to heat our houses, to drive our cars or power our electricity but by harnessing the renewables the sun, the wind the tides.

With our world facing unprecedented warming and the consequences wild fires, flooding, crazy storms it seems to come down to the tiniest of efforts. The kids wonder what local planning is in place. The one place we do have power, we 2,164 citizens of this municipality on the coast of Maine, is right here. The power to plan, to budget, to make decisions that will tally up on the good side of this climate debacle weve allowed.

Lincolnville has a self-appointed energy team, not a town committee, not even an ad hoc one, but rather, an informal group of people who are committed to figuring out our tiny piece. Who are they? Cindy and Jim Dunham, Richard Glock, Greta and Gary Gulezian, Bob Olson, Janet Redfield, Cathy and John Williams.

They are largely the ones who are responsible for the solar panels atop the Library roof, powering virtually all that buildings electrical needs, including heat, as well as providing credits that pay the LIA buildings electric bill.

Once that project was completed, they looked at the municipal bill. They worked with the Fire Department and the town to use the large field adjacent to the Fire Department for a solar array big enough to cover the Town Office electric bill, including the Beach street lights. With that up and running, they researched more efficient street lights, ones that wouldnt light up the night sky, but would focus on the sidewalks. They lobbied for those new lights, and they were recently installed.

Their latest goal is the biggest one of all: Lincolnville Central Schools electricity, the largest user in town. An extensive town-wide search for a piece of open land, big enough and with three-phase power already present, was unsuccessful. Then along came a project that seemed tailor-made for our needs. An investor-owned solar project in Livermore Falls that was marketing their energy credits to schools, on the theory that schools are a stable entity for a long-term contract.

John Williams, the spreadsheet guy on the team who researches and analyzes all the data, says the town will see between $150,000 and $200,000 in savings on the schools electric bill over the 20 years of the contract. The way it works is this: the investors sell their solar-generated power to CMP for 9 1/2 cents per kilowatt, and each kilowatt is worth 13 cents for us when we go to pay our bill to CMP. That 3 1/2 cents is our savings. With the current yearly electric bill at $39,000, taxpayers will save $9,000 this year alone.

Lawyers for the schools have looked at the contract, and all agree it is a solid agreement with the proper default provisions.

By the way, if you want to contact the energy team, make a comment, ask a question you can reach them here.

Since CHRHS, the Fivetown CSD we belong to, already has solar roof panels and the wind tower, they signed up to fulfill all the rest of their electricity needs with the Livermore project. So did SAD 28, Camden Rockport middle and elementary schools. Hope voted for their school to go solar as well.

So far our LCS School Committee has refused to consider the project, citing the need to hear from townspeople before signing a 20-year contract. The Livermore investors expect to have all their capacity spoken for by the end of February, so if we want to see our school go solar we need to act soon. Our children know how important this is for the future of the planet. Theyre learning this in school, they hear about it on social media, they know who Greta Thunberg is.

Heres a chance for us to weigh in. Let our School Committee members know how you feel about the school going solar:

Jared Harbaugh

Briar Lyons

Mike Johnson

Matthew Powers

Becky Stephens

Town

David Kinney sent out this post on the Bulletin Board last week:

The Board of Selectmen has created a committee to explore the opportunities available to the Town regarding high speed Internet service (broadband). The Town now needs people willing to serve on the committee. If individuals dont step forward to help the effort is likely to wither and fail. And if the effort fails the only option that residents have will be whatever the marketplace wishes to offer. It is up to you! Be part of the solution. Dont rely on others to do it for you. If you want to be part of the solution stop by or contact the Town Office. Committee work is not difficult and no special knowledge is required. Applicants simply need an interest, want to make their community better and be willing to put in some time and effort.

That says it all!

School

If you have a child who will be five years old on or before Oct. 15, 2020 its time to pre-register him/her for kindergarten! Call the office, 763-3366 and let them know.

HAL (Hope-Appleton-Lincolnville) students are invited to join the CRMS (Camden Rockport Middle School) wrestling team. The first practice is Tuesday, Jan. 21, 4-5:30 p.m. at the CRMS cafeteria. Contact Aaron Henderson, call 522-5252 or email him.

Library

Elizabeth Eudy reports: Our Book Discussion is Tuesday the 21st at 6 p.m., and we will be talking about Samantha Powers memoir The Education of an Idealist. Wed love for you to join us. Well be reading "The Giver of Stars" by JoJo Moyes for February and The Orchard by Adele Crockett Robertson for our March meeting. Start reading!

Condolences

Bob Porter, who lived at the Stevens Corner end of Youngtown Road passed away a couple of days ago. Bob retired many years ago to a house right next to the one he grew up in, along with his five siblings. The family moved there from Camden during the Depression. I didnt know him very well, but we always had pleasant conversations; he was 90 years old.

Doll Fest

The First Annual Doll Fest, that is, will be held Saturday, March 14 at the Community Building. A group of knitters who meet weekly at one anothers houses realized a few months ago that most of them were making dolls knitted, sewn, clay, papier mache, all sorts of dolls. Lets have a doll show, we decided. Yes, Im one of them. Our Doll Fest will feature handmade dolls of all kinds, doll-making workshops, collections of dolls, and a tea party. If you collect dolls or if your child has dolls we invite you to show them. If you make dolls and would like to show others your techniques let us know. Either way, contact me, Diane or Julie Turkevich or Cyrene Slegona. And mark your calendars!

See the original post here:
This Week in Lincolnville: The biggest issue we face - PenBayPilot.com

A new proposal, to be sponsored by the Select Board and likely coming to another special Town Meeting in the next few months, calls for eight housing units, one of which will be affordable.

WESTON After failing to receive a two-thirds majority at special Town Meeting last month, a proposal for a so-called Transit Oriented Senior Development (TOSD) at 255 Merriam St. and 11 Hallett Hill Road will return for another vote.

Currently, the 2.9-acre site near the Silver Hill MBTA station is approved to become a 10-unit Chapter 40B housing project, in which two units will be deemed affordable.

Under the TOSD proposal, which was supported by 216 Town Meeting voters with 149 opposed, only eight units of housing for adults 55 and older were to be built, but none affordable.

Due to the two-thirds rule, the proposal would have required 244 "yes" votes to pass.

A new proposal, to be sponsored by the Select Board and likely coming to another special Town Meeting in the next few months, calls for eight housing units, one of which will be affordable, and additional square footage achieved above garages or by altering roof slope lines.

Select Board Chairman Chris Houston said at last weeks board meeting that the impact on the neighborhood of the TOSD proposal is much less than the 40B possibility, including not having to clear-cut trees (and) not having to build a 12-foot retaining wall going into the ground to accommodate the utility engineering, which would jeopardize even more trees on other properties potentially."

The engineering of utilities and stormwater drainage would be substantially less likely to push the limits under the TOSD, Houston said. You do ten in there, youre packing it super tight.

Also under the TOSD, an historic barn on the property would be preserved.

During last months special Town Meeting, the Planning Board voted 3-0, with two recusals, against the TOSD bylaw proposal.

A zoning provision applicable to only one specific area for the sole benefit of that one area - financial or otherwise - is the very definition of spot zoning, Planning Board member Alicia Primer said at the time.

Houston addressed that concern during last weeks Select Board meeting.

There is a chance that a court could find it to be spot zoning, though the trend in recent court decisions would be that because theres a public purpose - in this case promoting senior housing and affordable housing - it seems like a lower risk that a court would actually find it to be spot zoning, Houston said. Best practices are awesome, but sometimes the real world gives you reason to deviate from best practices. I think the benefits of this compromise outweigh the sort of violation of a best practice, that frankly I still dont understand why its necessarily best.

Houston noted precedent in 2005, when the town created Active Adult Residential Development District (AARD) zoning in order to allow for the senior housing development Highland Meadows between Rte. 20 and Highland Street.

It is true that the AARD is specified in generic terms, so theoretically it is not limited to Highland Meadows, Houston said.

The only reason the AARD exists is because they wanted to address the Highland Meadows situation," he continued. "No one just woke up and said we really need some Adult Active Retirement District here, lets just create them in the abstract. It was entirely oriented toward Highland Meadows.

Town Planner Imaikalani Aiu told selectmen last week that he didn't believe it was good planning practice to put in zoning in reaction to a single development on one lot.

"As a professional planner, I think if theres an expressed need for affordable housing or senior housing, you look at it holistically and you go ahead and you find the best spots for it and you create that zoning," he said. "By that definition, I couldnt endorse a practice like this.

At special Town Meeting, Planning Board member Susan Zacharias said the developer, Geoff Engler, certainly seems to have all of these people in the neighborhood held hostage, and this is not the way to do zoning bylaws.

Select Board member Laurie Bent noted this was one article at special Town Meeting where she changed her mind during the presentations.

I went in thinking, No, Im not going to vote for this, and it was not an easy vote, because of the loss of the affordable (units) and the feeling that we were being held hostage to the developer, Bent said. But the historic impact and the tree impact and how hard the neighborhood worked to try to have some control over what was happening changed her mind.

So I think that this is a win-win, she said of the new proposal.

Michael Wyner can be reached at 508-626-4441 or mwyner@wickedlocal.com.

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Weston senior housing idea back on the table - Milford Daily News

Photo: Kathryn Ziesig, AP

Mountain lion feeding on carcass thrills wildlife viewers

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) Photo safari trip leader Brent Paulls game plan one day this month happily went out the window.

A traveling wildlife guide from Tulare, California, Paull had just wrapped up leading three West Coast photographers on a three-day Yellowstone National Park tour. The group rolled into Jackson in the late afternoon to round out their week in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, pulling in around 4:15 p.m to the parking lot of the Super 8 Hotel.

Greeting the bunch was a line of 150 photographers immediately across Highway 89. Naturally, they moseyed over with their cameras to see what was up.

We havent actually checked in yet, Paull said. We just got out of the car and walked across the street.

Even as sunlight faded, there was no mistaking the critter centered in the viewfinder of Paulls long-lensed camera, mounted on a tripod on the sidewalk next to the Maverik convenience store. In the frame was a mountain lion, tucked into the base of a juniper tree on High School Butte.

Social media had already tipped Paull and his clients off to a cougar visible somewhere in the Jackson area, but they had no idea the big feline was sticking tight to the slopes just across the street from their hotel.

The close encounter thrilled Springfield, Oregon resident Jim Woodward one of Paulls clients.

This is my first cougar, Woodward said. Its amazing. We just drive in here to the motel, and theres a cougar on the hillside. Well, thats convenient.

For almost a week the buzz around Jackson has been about a mountain lion drawn down to the base of the butte towering above town and staying put to dine on a mule deer carcass stashed by a rock retaining wall above South Park Loop Road. Word spread quickly after the secretive cat was first sighted, and by early Wednesday afternoon dozens of onlookers had assembled to lay eyes on a cougar, a rare sighting anywhere in the world let alone in view from your gas pump.

Peak cat activity, at least in the light, came that first day.

Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes! Bridger-Teton National Forest wildlife biologist Jason Wilmot exclaimed from the drivers seat of his pickup truck. Its moving.

The apex feline predator took a few big bounds and bombed the hillside, sending magpies fleeing from the remains of the deer carcass, which partially protruded from the snow. On Wednesday the awe-inspiring behavior repeated itself a handful of times: The mountain lion would linger upslope obscured by the branches of the nearest juniper tree, and then, seemingly annoyed, scamper downhill to send scavenging corvids skyward.

He came down the hill pretty hot, Jackson resident Jenn Hunt remarked that first afternoon.

Resident Nina Lenz, seeing her first lion, was jubilant.

Its my birthday! Lenz blurted while clapping. And I saw it!

Such was the mood midday in the parking lot of a west Jackson gas station.

But the chance at seeing the native big cat on the move proved fleeting.

In the overnight hours last Wednesday, the cougar took the initiative to fully cache its carcass, covering it entirely in snow. With ravens and magpies out of the picture, the cougar appeared content napping in the trees and sagebrush during nearly 10 daylight hours in subsequent days, padding down only to chew off pieces of frozen venison once the sun had set.

Photographers and inquisitive spectators dwindled as the days passed, though even through to Sunday night a dozen or so folks remained with their cameras fixed on the obscured, lethargic cougar lingering in the trees and waiting for darkness.

This has been the name of the game, bundled-up Victor, Idaho, resident and avid wildlife photographer Jack Bayles said from the seat of a lawn chair. Were all disappointed how good shes been at caching (the deer). There were a hundred crows through here today, but none of them actually touched down.

The lion, Bayles explained, hardly budged during daylight hours for three straight days, though there were a couple of exceptions, including one feeding foray around dawn. Out on a walkabout much higher up High School Butte on Sunday morning, the cougar was also observed spooking a herd of mule deer, he said.

Speculation has run rampant over what to make of the cat.

Some theorized that it was the same animal seen in February 2018, photographed feeding on a deer next to the Welcome to Jackson, Wyoming sign just south of Smiths. Late Sunday a former employee of the defunct Teton Cougar Project who lingered on the scene wondered and hoped that it was a dispersed offspring of one of her old research cats, F61.

Wildlife officials, who didnt intervene by moving the carcass, said they were not too concerned with the cat and its proximity to a crowd. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department dispatched employees on occasion to check in, but the agency didnt maintain a presence at the scene.

Obviously, the priority for us is public safety, and we dont view it as a public safety issue really, Game and Fish spokesman Mark Gocke said. The cats been keeping to itself for the most part, and it seems like everybodys staying at a safe distance.

Gocke said that because the cat isnt marked wearing an identifiable tracking collar or ear tags its difficult to say anything about its life history with certainty. While not exactly routine, the animals presence right at the edge of town on a slope that holds mule deer in the winter isnt shocking, he said.

We have good lion habitat all around us, Gocke said. Im sure theyre around more than we know. Theyre just so secretive.

When lions do come within eyeshot of roads and developed areas, a carcass, which can sustain a cat for a week, is often the reason. Such was the case in March 2018, when a cougar fed on a downed bull elk carcass about 500 yards off of the National Elk Refuge Road across from Miller Butte. Dozens of viewers turned into hundreds, fueled by the cats snowballing presence on social media, which attracted wildlife watchers from afar.

The Elk Refuge also was host to Jackson Holes most famous visible mountain lion, a cat nicknamed Spirit. In 1999, the lioness denned with her three kittens on the southeast corner of Miller Butte near the road. The weekslong show inspired the formation of a Jackson-based advocacy group the Cougar Fund and a book, Spirit of the Rockies: The Mountain Lions of Jackson Hole, along with ample press from national media.

This go-around at High School Butte, Jackson Hole wildlife filmmaker Jeff Hogan was a mainstay at the scene. A cinematographer who has left remote cameras at many mountain lion kill sites, he was glad the public has had a chance to see what he has observed many times.

I think everything that cat is doing is completely normal behavior, Hogan said nine hours into filming on Thursday. The only thing thats kind of unusual is that we spotted her. If that kill was behind one of those junipers up there, wed never even know that cat was there.

Some folks surmised the cat looked unusually thin and bony, but to Hogans eye the animal looked to be in good shape.

She looks frickin great, he said. Shes a gorgeous, sexy-looking cat.

Determining sex of a mountain lion from afar isnt easy, but the crowd drifted toward dubbing the cat a female.

Its definitely a female, wildlife photographer Savannah Burgess said. The facial features, the ears make it a female.

Burgess said she sent images to former employees of Pantheras Teton Cougar Project, who confirmed the hunch.

The most faithful photographers staked out to see the Maverik lion adapted to its behavior, becoming nocturnal themselves. Burgess was among those who got in the habit of waiting around well into the evening to see the cat feed. Luckily, its presence coincided with a full moon, helping with visibility.

Its cool to see all the behaviors, Burgess said on-site Sunday while the cat was still in hiding. Shell unbury the carcass and lick the meat and shake the hair off of it. You can see how strong of an animal she is when shes pulling at that frozen carcass. Her back legs come off the ground!

As the skies darkened Thursday, Paull and his clients were also readying to linger along the Maverik sidewalk into the winter night. Their bags were still packed and loaded in their vehicle, parked in the Super 8 lot across the highway and its stream of vehicles. Mountain lion in view, they had no intention of leaving.

Well stick it out, Paull said. These cameras all shoot at 200 or 300 thousand ISO. You can shoot in complete darkness. It doesnt mean the picture is good, but a picture is a picture is a picture.

Gary Kunkel, one of his clients, chimed in: And itll be of a lion.

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Mountain lion feeding on carcass thrills wildlife viewers - Torrington Register Citizen

The Newnan Times-Herald

The Grantville City Council will vote on a contract to repair the cemetery retaining wall at their next meeting on Jan. 23.

The contract to repair the wall would be with Russell Masonry and cost $5,200.

At the councils December meeting, Mayor Doug Jewell broke a tie-vote and opposed the contract to give the city time to determine how to pay for the repairs.

During the councils work session on Monday night, the council and mayor discussed whether they could use SPLOST funds or money in the cemetery trust fund to pay for the repairs.

Its not that I dont want the wall fixed, Ive been wanting that done for a long time, but when it comes to financing, I want to make sure we can use those funds first, Jewell said of the cemetery trust money.

Al Grieshaber, city manager, said it is unlikely that cemetery trust fund money will be used for the project.

Councilmember Ruby Hines, Jewell and Ann Tucker recently resigned from their positions as trustees, which leaves Marion Cieslik as the sole cemetery trust fund trustee.

According to City Attorney Mark Mitchell, a single trustee cannot make decisions regarding the cemetery trust fund.

As of Dec. 16, Cieslik has three months to appoint new trustees to the cemetery trust.

The remaining trustee, Marion Cieslik, was not in favor of using cemetery trust fund money to build the cemetery retaining walls so I suspect he will be opposed to the use of cemetery trust fund monies, Grieshaber said. Consequently, because he has up to three months to appoint remaining trustees, he may frustrate any attempt to repair the cemetery retaining wall.

Mitchell said as the city council is proceeding currently, repairs to the wall could be funded with SPLOST money.

Councilmember Jim Sells said he was in favor of the contract with Russell Masonry.

Im comfortable with the contract and I think we need to get out of the spot were in right now, he said. Were going to be deciding on him or nothing at the next meeting.

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Cemetery trust fund can't be used for wall repair in Grantville - Newnan Times-Herald

So in the spring, a small team of workers in Tyvek suits, gloves and goggles began stripping six inches of soil from the Lorraine Street fields, the most highly contaminated of the sites, situated directly across from the Red Hook housing projects. Using front loaders, excavators and bulldozers, workers placed soil in piles on the edges of the site, covered with large tarps. All but a few pockets of soil have been dug up on the first site. Thirty-nine trees have been removed and 62 will be replanted.

Then in the summer, a small convoy of dump trucks each weighing between 18 and 20 tons began moving the soil out of the neighborhood, their tires and undercarriages hosed down with a pressure washer to remove any contamination before heading out.

The trucks then take a route away from the Red Hook Houses for a 90-minute-long highway drive to the Fairless Landfill in Falls Township, Pa., a town of around 33,000 people across the Delaware River from Trenton, N.J. Any recyclable concrete from the site is being shipped to Allocco Recycling in Brooklyn, a scrap yard near Newtown Creek.

Some local residents asked why dont we move it out by barge, said Martin Maher, the head of Brooklyn Parks. Mr. Maher and his team researched the possibility, but found it would actually involve more trucks, more loading and unloading of the contaminated material and cost twice as much.

The area is regularly sprayed with water to keep dust to a minimum, and the air is continually monitored for contamination, with results posted at the local Red Hook Library.

If all goes according to plan and winter is not too harsh, the ball fields in Phase 1 should be open by late spring, and the entire project completed by 2023.

Karen Blondel, an environmental justice organizer from the neighborhood, was worried that Red Hooks vulnerability to flooding might affect any work on the ball fields and pushed for additional measures.

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How to Get Rid of 9,000 Tons of Toxic Topsoil - The New York Times

What are the best Legends of Runeterra decks? Legends of Runeterra is one of the newest card game kids on the block and players will be getting acquainted with its many cards and strategies for some time. So why not get ahead and learn which decks contain the most powerful options?

From destructive combo decks to merciless aggro variants, Ive handpicked the most successful Legends of Runeterra decks from across the internet so far to give you the edge. And as the meta evolves, I'll be updating this guide with the latest balance adjustments. For now, lets deconstruct some decks.

Import one of the codes below to save time building a deck. Copy the deck code, Launch the game, select Collection and then Decks. Click Import Deck, paste the code, and save. Hey presto: your deck is now ready to use.

Deck code: CEBAMAICCMQCKKZQG4DQCAAJDIOSAJJNGUAACAIBAADQ

(Image credit: Riot Games)

Barrier Fiora from Hewitt Benson suits players who appreciate flexible strategies. At 3 and 4 mana, Fiora and Shen are strong early threats. Always try to replace your hand (hard-mulligan) if you dont receive. Spend Shens barrier on Fiora to keep her on the board and level her up. As a Challenger, Fiora can also choose which enemy unit blocks so that you can remove intimidating enemy units a little easier.

Greenglade Caretaker has strong synergies with Shen courtesy of its +2/+0 effect whenever an ally receives a Barrier. This is complemented by spells such as Riposte, granting an ally +3/+0 and a Barrier this round, and Brightsteel Protector which also pops a Barrier on an ally. Use these cards to create a board full of buffed units, which you can then use to deal disgusting damage to your opponent.

Deck code: CEBAGAIDCQRSOCQBAQAQYDISDQTCOKBNGQAACAIBAMFQ

(Image credit: Riot Games)

Want to smash your opponent in the face? Throw away the cards you dont need while drawing a constant stream of damage until you acquire lethal (damage that kills) with this deck, also courtesy of Hewitt Benson.

Dravens Spinning Axe is the main feature in this deck as you can create more of them as the rounds roll on. Spinning Axe requires you to discard 1 in exchange for giving an ally +1/0 this round. Use the axe to thin out your weaker units and shift your play towards stronger units and spells. As you create more Spinning Axes, you can deal a substantial damage before your enemy can respond.

Dravens Biggest Fan ensures you can access and use your champion when needed as it moves him to the top of your deck. Your second champion, Jinx, strikes first when attacking and will continue to give you Super Mega Death Rockets that deal 4 to the enemy nexus and 1 to all other enemies for continuous added value.

Deck code: CEBAGAIDEQXDMBIBAIEA6GBLHABAGAICBELDCAYBAMFBMMQCAIAQECYSAIAQGKRR

(Image credit: Riot Games)

Debates rage around Katarinas inclusion in this deck from v1ci0us, but shes too powerful to ignore. At just 3 mana, her Recall skill ensures notable early damage and secures a strong starting position. This champion also eliminates the risks of putting all your eggs in one basket with Yasuos OTK. Her versatile playstyle just might save you.

Yasuo requires you to Stun and Recall enemies and deals two damage to them. Continuously doing this enables you to prep a huge finishing move that can end the game. Take your already-buffed Legion General, give it Elusive using the Ghost spell and then summon two copies of it with Dawn and Dusk.

If youre really against featuring Katarina in this deck, replace her with Ezreal. As an Elusive unit, this champion can only be blocked by other Elusive units. Once levelled up, youll also deal 2 damage to the enemy Nexus every time you cast a spell.

Deck code: CEBAIAIFAEHRIHAHAECAQCQZFY2DKOQCAEAQIBACAECSGLQBAEAQKEQ

(Image credit: Riot Games)

Thanks to TBGThiago, this Teemo deck is all about planting Poison Puffcaps in your enemys deck. When drawn, these deal 1 damage to their Nexus. Use Puffcap Peddler to plant 3 Poison Puffcaps on random cards in the enemy deck. When summoned, Chump Whump creates two Mushroom Clouds which each plant five more Poison Puffcaps. Cycle these cards and continue to generate as many mushrooms as possible. Counterfeit Copies will enable you to pick a card in your hand and shuffle 4 exact copies of it into your deck so its unlikely youll run out of ammunition. Once youve planted 15 or more to level up your champion, Teemos Nexus Strike doubles the Poison Puffcaps in your opponents deck, which will eat away at their health.

Now all you need to worry about is staying alive. Utilise your spells to remove scary units and marvel at your toxic garden of Poison Puffcaps.

Deck code: CEBAIAIFAEHSQNQIAEAQGDAUDAQSOKJUAIAQCBI5AEAQCFYA

(Image credit: Riot Games)

Currently hailed as one of the strongest control decks in Legends of Runeterra, this Hewitt Benson combo is for patient players. You simply need to survive long enough to make it into the late game: then things start to turn in your favour.

Wyrding Stones ramps up your mana from early on and propels you towards a strong late game. Make use of The Ruination to kill all units and Avalanche to deal two damage to all units as you dish out sufficient board clears. You can rely on your plentiful spells to protect you from taking too much damage, which robs your opponent of any real board control. This is where Anivia shines too, dealing 1 damage to all enemies. These steady threats deter the opponent from spreading too wide, which lets you plant a chunky unit such as Avarosan Hearthguard to retain some board presence in the meantime. Summoning the Hearthguard also grants allies in your deck +1/+1, strengthening the cards youll play later on.

While a hefty sum at 12 mana, Warmothers Call is an essential inclusion. Summoning the top unit from your deck the moment you play it and at the beginning of each round, it allows you to copy large targets such as your Tryndameres and thrive over all that damage.

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Reign supreme with the best Legends of Runeterra decks - PC Gamer

MUSKEGON, MI -- Visitors this summer to Muskegons Pere Marquette Park will be able to enjoy a drink while they stroll the beach sands.

Thats because The Deck, the lakefront BBQ joint and bar located at 1601 Beach Street, is expanding to include about 12,000 feet of beach property.

The fenced-in beach area will house volleyball and bocce ball courts, as well as cornhole and other games. It will also boast an outdoor bar and a stage, both housed in shipping containers.

People want a fun place on the beach to just hang out, and thats what were going to give them, said co-owner Fred Scharmer.

The Deck, which opened in summer 2014, is a popular spot at Pere Marquette for tourists and residents.

Its current seating capacity totals 325, and thats just not cutting it anymore, Scharmer said.

On any 80-degree Saturday, we have 150 people waiting, if not more, he said.

With the expansion, The Deck will have about 85 more restaurant seats and standing capacity in the beach area at around 900 people.

Rather than waiting around for a table to open up, patrons will be able to occupy their time with a drink, a stroll on the sand and a game or two, Scharmer said. The ability to have an area for people who only want drinks will also alleviate some restaurant seating congestion.

The beach area stage will host a variety of music acts each Thursday through Sunday. Scharmer said his team put a lot of thought and effort into pulling talent from the surrounding areas, including Chicago, Ohio and Detroit.

The acts will range in genre and include reggae, country, cover bands and more.

The City of Muskegon leases the property to The Deck. City officials were not able to immediately provide the current lease rate paid by The Deck. An amended lease with the included beach area expansion is being worked out, city officials said.

Scharmer said he hopes to have the expanded beach area ready for patrons by Memorial Day.

The expanded restaurant isnt the only change possibly coming to Pere Marquette Park. City leaders are considering charging motorists $5 to $7 to park at the beach.

Under the proposal, residents would be exempt from paying. It wasnt immediately clear if The Deck patrons would also have to pay for parking under the proposal.

The Deck is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. In 2017, it was ranked among the best beach bars in America by Thrillist, a digital publication focused on food, drink and travel.

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Beach bar, games coming to The Deck at Muskegons Pere Marquette Park - MLive.com

European Tour pro Thomas Pieters has never had an issue with length off the tee. Hes currently ranked in the European Tours top eight long bombers, with an average driving distance of over 315 yards.

So one can imagine that its not often that Pieters would need to call upon a driver off the deck when playing a par 5, but an opportunity presented itself that he just couldnt resist during the second round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Pieters was in prime position off the tee on the 597-yard par-5 8th hole at Abu Dhabi GC, but instead of laying up, Pieters decided to go for the green with a driver a difficult shot to execute, as any player whos tried it knows. But lest we forget, Pieters is a professional who knows what hes doing, and, unsurprisingly, he absolutely stripedit.

The 27-year-old not only utilized a soft fade for a perfect line, but the ball even landed well, taking just two small hops before rolling right up to the hole. Pieters was left with about a 12-footer for eagle, which he missed, but hey, wouldnt be all like to have such a pleasant two-putt for birdie?

Pieters is currently tied for 14th at eight under par overall at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship six shots behind Lee Westwoods lead with one round left to play. You can watch a video of Pieters epic driver swing below.

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WATCH: This Euro pros driver off the deck is a thing of beauty - Golf.com