Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Back in October, something happened that sent shock waves across America. Regardless of age, gender or political affiliation jaws universally dropped at the sight of Ellen DeGeneres sitting with George W. Bush as the Dallas Cowboys took on the Green Bay Packers. There was footage of them laughing with their wives, eating popcorn, and enjoying an NFL game like normal people. And do you remember what happened? People went absolutely nuts. Claws came out. Ellen was vilified.

When Ellen addressed the situation she remarked, "People were upset. They thought, why is a gay Hollywood liberal sitting next to a conservative Republican president? A lot of people were mad. And they did what people do when they're mad... they tweet."

In true Ellen fashion she offered this guidance: "But just because I don't agree with someone on everything doesn't mean that I'm not going to be friends with them," she said. "When I say, 'be kind to one another,' I don't only mean the people that think the same way that you do. I mean be kind to everyone."

Thats a simple, but powerful notion: be kind to one another not just the people that think the same way you do. Its especially relevant in a quaint community at a crossroads.

In full transparency, Im no longer a resident of Walden; however, I still call it home, and am fortunate to have called the mountain that for all my life. Its a pleasure watching my young children erupt in laughter going down the slides at the Pumpkin Patch. I remember pitching in at the very first community workdays during its construction as a student at Thrasher Elementary. We surprised my father for his 65th birthday with a splendid evening at the recently transformed McCoy Farm and Gardens. He beamed as he showed me the walls he painted, where he and other dedicated citizens spent hours tearing into overgrown shrubs, and the meticulous detail that went into picking the counter tops for the gut-renovated bathrooms. On the way home, he remarked about the stately new Walden town signs and how delighted he was for Walden to have an identity that people are connected to and proud of.

My father, Bill Trohanis, has been serving the community of Walden now for nearly a decade originally as an alderman, vice mayor and currently, as mayor. As the community transitions with the rezoning of the Lines Orchids property, I felt like a perspective into my father and your mayor could be beneficial.

Hes creative, compassionate and mildly obsessive-compulsive about design (I wont confirm or deny rumors that I lost my first job mowing our yard because the stripes in our lawn werent cut at perfect 45-degree angles). Hes been known to clean the door jams of our cars with a toothbrush. He spent hours, over multiple visits, with the architect of the new Waldens Ridge fire hall, ensuring that the aesthetic reflects positively on Walden. Let me assure you my father loves details (and works tirelessly to ensure theyre perfect) and absolutely wants anything with his name stamped on it, to bring satisfaction to the citizens of Walden.

Ive wrestled with the dilemma of if or when I chime in on the ongoing debate in my hometown. As claims become more outlandish and personal attacks persist, I could no longer sit idly by.

The social contract we hold as individual contributors to the fabric of our community empowers us with the freedom to speak up. Thankfully, were all encouraged to voice our opinions, and its a crucial element of any community to be able to do so freely. However, a concerning pattern has emerged among some of the residents of Walden and Signal Mountain that is a stark contrast from merely expressing concern, a difference of opinion, or even an impassioned protest.

For those reading this that choose to continue to instigate and torment rather than constructively debate or (heaven forbid) collaborate, before you press send on the next scathing email or spread another piece of misinformation, I hope you pause and think, Is this the most productive way to make a difference or better yet, to contribute to the well-being of my community or am I just steamed and looking for a punching bag? Or further is it possible to fully appreciate the diverse, basic needs that come from a wide range of household income, or even the influx of young families moving to Walden? Its a complex, multifaceted issue with a striking resemblance to the polarizing, tribal political environment were trapped in nationally.

Further, for anyone convinced that their own interpretation of whats best for Walden is superior to those holding office, I encourage you to channel your energy into worthwhile acts of service that make this community a better place to live and enjoy, now and for generations to come.

And for my father when he reads this (who might not be pleased I inserted myself into the situation), I hope you know that Im so proud of what you and the Board of Aldermen have done and continue to do for the community of Walden. Im proud that youve patiently listened to, and considered, all sides of this critical decision. Youve acted with integrity throughout the entire process, and remained courageously steadfast in the face of threats, lame intimidation tactics and a mirage of poorly-constructed (and some borderline unethical) distractions.

As this issue runs its course, and hopefully soon draws to a close, I challenge each of you regardless of which side of the fence youre on to pour your effort into ensuring Walden continues to be an inclusive, thriving community for all of us residents (both former and current), visitors or merely passersby.

Remember that story about Ellen and George W. Bush? In the coverage of this story, there were hundreds of negative, blistering tweets from Ellen viewers, but one stood out as particularly poignant: "Ellen and George Bush together makes me have faith in America again."

I, too, hope that those on each side of this debate come together to give me faith in Walden once again.

William Trohanis II

* * *

The opinion piece by Mayor Trohaniss son speaks of the social contract When Mayor Trohanis and Alderperson McKenzie ran for office, made promises, and were elected, part of that social contract that they surely must have understood was that the sleepy little town of Walden is not at all well-suited for the type and scope of development that is being brought in.

These two yes voters are in violation of their implicit or express promises that they would represent their constituents faithfully and competently.

Tim Deere20 year resident of Walden

* * *

William Trohanis II- Thank you for bringing the proper perspective to this situation in your well written opinion.

Mr. Deere- Reasonable people can disagree in a fair and professional manner. Reasonable points can be made for the development and against the development. When an individual does not agree with your position does notmean that they are necessarily wrong. In this case, I believe the majority of Walden residents think the positives outweigh the negatives for this development.

To yes voters- Thank you for representing the Walden constituents faithfully and competently.

David Garvey30 year resident of Walden

Originally posted here:
A Plea For Civility In Walden - And Response (2) - The Chattanoogan

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See the article here:
Universal Roofs Inc. has become one of the best Roofer in North America - America Daily Post

Capital improvement projects for the city numerous and focused

WASHOUGAL Theres quite a bit happening in Clark Countys fourth largest city. Washougals capital improvement projects for 2020 are now moving into action and they cover everything from public bike tracks to drinking water for future residents.

Now viewable in a specific page on the citys newly redone main website, each project either launched on Jan. 1, 2020, is being carried over from 2019 or is now listed as complete.

Every capital improvement project the city undertakes is a part of the citys Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) which provides funding for large-scale, high-priority endeavors.

Projects for community infrastructure are roughly an even mix of ongoing and new this year. Most notably is the remodel of the citys Civic Center adjacent to City Hall.

Weve just been agonizing over the completion of the Civic Center siding and windows and upgrades and everything, said Washougal Mayor Molly Coston. Its been lingering so long, but you know, it hasnt been upgraded in 40 years. The perspective of the city is although wed like to have it finished, we want to do it right.

The remodel was started in 2019 and is expected to be completed sometime in February 2020. Included in the project are the installation of new windows and siding, as well as work on city halls restrooms and break areas.

The center is used year-round as a hub for community events such as Meals On Wheels and the cold weather shelter during the winter. The total cost for the remodel is $750,000.

In the realm of parks and outdoor amenities, one of the citys largest and longest undertakings will likely be completed, or at least 90 percent complete in 2020: Schmid Ball Fields.

We thought we were going to be able to do it in five years, you know, put a whole complex of ball fields out there, and of course, we ran into challenges, Coston said. Now Im hoping that well be able to start that project. Were well underway. We have a lot of planning and design in place and the softball league is very committed to helping us achieve our goals this year.

Conceptualized in the early 2000s, the fields have been contracted and expanded little by little, and are now entering their third phase. This final step will include the construction of the third field, making the site viable for tournaments.

A parking lot, additional driveway onto Evergreen Way, lighting, as well as concessions and permanent restrooms will all be parts of phase three. The project will close out at a cost of approximately $2.6 million over the course of close to 20 years.

The property is the school district property. Weve been fortunate to have a very robust, healthy relationship with them over all this time, and I know thatll continue, Coston said. We will provide the funding for the ball fields, theyll provide the facilities and then we sort of jointly share maintenance.

Perhaps the most unique of all current projects is the completion of the second phase of the Hamlik Park Bike Pump Track. The track is already partially open, with the second half powered in part by volunteers and volunteer dollars.

This has been on the books for a couple of years now, and I hope that 2020 will see finality to this where we can do this because theres some real champions in our community to make this happen, said Coston.

Pump tracks are essentially tight circuits consisting of many rolling hills and banked turns usually constructed out of wooden planks, dirt mounds or concrete. The idea is to no pedal and instead gain speed and momentum by pumping the bike up and down on the ups and downs.

The track is aimed at mid-teens with an emphasis on providing an outdoor recreation opportunity as well as a place to teach bike safety and do training. The final and maximum expenditure for the track is $32,000 with the only remaining expense being maintenance.

I know it will be very beneficial not only for kids in our area, but for kids all over the area to come out and do some competitions and challenges and bike safety things, said Coston.

The completion of the majority of the Steamboat Landing Dock occured in 2019, with the final demolition of the upper viewing platform to be completed this year. When all is said and done, the project will have cost $1.5 million.

Finally, with the $20,000 donation from the Hutchinson family, unknown graves in the Historic Cemetery will be labeled with the use of ground penetrating radar.

The largest elements in this category carry over from 2019, with the 32nd Street underpass and the 27th Street grade separation. Analysis for the work at 27th Street has begun and is expected to be complete by the end of 2020.

Once the separation is mapped out, including design and permitting of the 32nd Street underpass location, construction on the underpass is expected to commence. Analysis has been allocated $500,000 with the cost of the underpass construction yet to be determined.

When it comes to travel-by-foot, new and existing trail systems are getting a jumpstart. The brand new Jemtegaard Trail has entered construction and will extend north of Jemtegaard Elementary School to Sunset View Road, where it will turn into a sidewalk.

The trail will be fully lit and connect several neighborhoods. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2020 and will cost $750,000.

The extensive Columbia River Trail System will receive another link in the chain with the connection of the new Port of Camas-Washougal trail going to Steamboat Landing. The section to be installed is 0.6 miles long and shifts from six feet wide to 10 feet wide as it passes South A Street.

The trail system is part of the larger network that can be followed all the way to Steigerwald Wildlife Refuge east of Washougal. The project is expected to be finished in September of 2020, and will close out at $1.9 million from city funds and a state appropriation.

In addition, the area surrounding Hathaway Elementary school will be made safer with installation of sidewalks on 22nd, 23rd and F Streets. This project is expected to be completed in March of 2020 and will cost $242,550 with partial funding supplied by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).

When it comes to managing water, Washougal is making attempts to modernize and expand its infrastructure and policies. The citys Water Master Plan which was launched at the start of 2020, is expected to guide the aforementioned efforts. Its development will cost $30,000.

In the spirit of efficiency, Washougal is moving to replace their water meters with Automated Meter Reading (AMR). This over $1 million endeavour is aimed at, allowing city staff to focus on other areas within their department, which supports the Core Services pillar (focusing on cost-effective operations and maintenance, and continuous improvement in customer service, processes, and procedures).

AMR is expected to be widely installed by the end of 2020.

With growth projected on the horizon, the city is also planning for higher demand with the installation of the Woodburn Hill Transmission Line Design. The project would expand the water mains capacities for drinking water and fire flow.

We know that were going to see a lot of growth up there, Coston said. It may happen in 2020, but were looking really pretty much at a 10 year plan from 2020 to 2030. So it gives us a few years to plan for it, and I think were doing the right thing in planning for it before it hits us square in the face.

The nearly $900,000 project began with Jan. 1, 2020 and is expected to be completed by Dec. of 2020.

After completing their biosolids dredge and haul project in 2019, Washougal is moving on to constructing their own biosolids handling facility. This facility would take in solids collected from wastewater treatment and process them onsite. The facility will cost roughly $2.4 million.

In lockstep with the biosolids facility, the city is expecting to upgrade their wastewater management with an anoxic selector, which would allow for much needed increase in capacity, according to the city. The selector is budgeted at just under $1 million.

Finally, the city plans to relocate or upgrade four pump stations across Washougal. Relocation will cost $265,225, with each upgrade costing between $4,000 and $35,000.

Were going to try and work a lot harder at engaging the community before things become an issue, Coston said of the new year overall. 20 years ago, it was pretty easy. You would put something in the paper, or you would hold a town hall, but these days, those really may not be the best ways to engage community.

We'd love to hear your comments!

Read more:
Washougal enters the new year with improvement projects new and old - clarkcountytoday.com

Sound Transit is deep in the process of extending a light-rail line over a floating bridge for the first time. Photo Sound Transit

By Vesna Brajkovic, Associate Editor

Each year, rail bridges demand attention to a range of maintenance issues from routine tie replacement to complete structural replacement to keep the aging structures safe and efficient.

Whether for routine maintenance, unplanned repairs or new construction plans, freight and passenger railroads alike invest tens of millions of dollars annually into the bridges that are critical to their systems, as detailed in Progressive Railroadings 2019 MOW Spending Reports.

The following are a few recent bridge projects that have been in the works, have advanced to construction or were completed in 2019 by a transit agency, two Class Is and a commuter railroad.

Sound Transit is deep in the process of extending its Link light-rail line over the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge in Seattle, marking the first time light-rail track will be constructed on a floating bridge. A floating, or pontoon, bridge is one that is constructed using floats instead of anchored piers to support the bridge deck over a body of water.

The bridge project is part of the 14-mile East Link light-rail extension that will connect Seattles International District to Judkins Park across Interstate 90 over Lake Washington by 2023.

To extend light rail onto a floating bridge, Sound Transit was tasked with solving multiple challenges, including addressing weight restrictions, accounting for stray electrical current that could rust utilities and adapting track to the bridges movement, says Rachelle Cunningham, Sound Transits public information officer.

Sound Transit used a high-strength epoxy adhesive to affix almost 9,000 specially engineered lightweight concrete blocks to the bridge deck to support light rail on a floating bridge.

Sound Transit

Typically, light-rail track is supported on a bridge by rebar within the structure. However, in this case, crews needed to avoid drilling holes into the bridge. Creating holes in the structure could compromise the bridges lifespan and the rebar would add weight.

Instead, crews used a high-strength epoxy adhesive called DexG to affix almost 9,000 specially engineered lightweight concrete blocks to the bridges deck.

The blocks were then attached to the bridge on top of corkelast, a shock-absorbing, spongy material designed to isolate stray electrical current coming from light-rail trains. Next, track was set on the blocks with steel tie bars placed between them to maintain gauge, similar to a standard railroad tie system, as Sound Transit officials described in a press release.

Crews also installed overhead catenary system portals and completed post-tensioning of the bridge pontoons to reinforce the concrete with high-strength tensioned strains so the structure can support the weight of light-rail trains and passenger vehicles.

The project also required the construction of specially engineered segments, called track bridges, that compensate for vertical and lateral lake motion over the bridges joints. Track bridges are especially important to install at the locations where light-rail trains travel from fixed track to the floating bridge. To date, crews have installed all eight track bridges.

One of the most difficult tasks was to adapt the rails to the movement of the bridge, Cunningham says.

Since its a first-of-its-kind project, Sound Transit conducted extensive testing of computerized models and physical prototypes of the bridge and its components at the Transportation Technology Center Inc. in Pueblo, Colorado. The agencys design passed all critical test criteria to be able to provide rail operations at planned speeds up to 55 mph, which is the highest speed that Link operates.

The floating bridge originally was built in 1989 with the intention of accommodating high-capacity transit needs in the future, Sound Transit officials say. Now, 30 years later, that plan is being realized as the once high-occupancy vehicle lane on I-90 transforms into a light-rail right of way.

In October 2019, Norfolk Southern Railway completed restoration of the Grand River Bridge in Brunswick, Missouri, nearly a month after 270 feet of the 1,152-foot structure was washed away by heavy rains, flooding and an unusual amount of drift material built up against the structure.

The bridge lost four deck-plate girder spans and three piers. As a result, NS had to redesign the bridge from scratch to fill the gap and restore rail service between Moberly and Kansas City.

Heavy flooding washed out a portion of NS Grand River Bridge last year. Crews restored the bridge in 27 days.

Norfolk Southern Railway

When the bridge washout occurred Oct. 1, the Class I called on Marine Solutions Inc. to scan the river to determine what portions of the structure remained; Hanson Professional Services Inc. to assist in the design of the new bridge; and Massman Construction Co. to lead the reconstruction work.

The construction team mobilized barges and cranes out of St. Louis and arrived on site Oct. 7, moving all the equipment up the Missouri and Grand rivers during flood conditions, Ed Boyle, NSs vice president of engineering, said in an email.

By the time Massman Construction crews positioned their equipment, NS had surveyed the river bottom and determined the layout for the new substructure.

The design called for installation of one 12-pile bent and two drilled shaft piers. The spans were anchored 15 feet or more into the rivers rock bottom, marking the biggest difference in the design from the original bridge in which the spans were supported by concrete piers resting on rock.

Four steel spans that NS stores for emergencies were shipped in for the new superstructure.

There were challenges almost daily when working around the clock to reconstruct this portion of the bridge. These challenges went from getting material to actual construction issues, Boyle said. The key was we worked as a partnership amongst all those involved to persevere and handle these challenges.

To restore service on the heavily traveled route as quickly as possible, crews had to adjust the reconstruction plan, he said. For example, in a typical construction project, one template for aligning the drilled shafts for the pier would be built. Then, after one pier is completed, crews would remove the template and move it on to the next pier.

Under that manner of construction, it would take two weeks to build the piers. To save time, crews instead built two templates to construct the piers simultaneously.

We had a problem setting up the casing for the first drilled shaft when we hit some old timber piling in the way of the casing, Boyle recalled. Where this would have slowed a typical project down while the timber pile was removed, we simply jumped over to the other template for the other pier and did not miss a beat in setting the casings.

Hayes Drilling Inc. drilled four shafts, installed reinforcing steel and poured concrete in each shaft over a total of four days an unprecedented amount of time, Boyle said. Coreslab Structures supplied the precast concrete caps.

The [NS] engineering team always seems to excel when these natural disasters occur, but their work at the Grand River exceeded my wildest expectations, Boyle said of the project.

For the past several years, BNSF Railway Co. has proposed building two bridges across Lake Pend Oreille and Sand Creek at Sandpoint in Bonner County, Idaho, to reduce congestion on the Class Is single-track mainline in the area.

The bridges would be part of a second line in northern Idaho where BNSFs mainline has become an operational constraint. Currently, the single track requires trains to wait for clearance to cross the existing bridge, which creates congestion on the mainline, yard and siding tracks, according to a Federal Register notice regarding the bridge proposals environmental assessment.

Another problem: Trains waiting to cross the existing bridge often block vehicular traffic at public and private grade crossings.

Currently, the lines daily capacity through Sandpoint and across Lake Pend Oreille is about 79 trains, and average daily traffic on the line segment is about 60 trains. The additional bridges would not increase or decrease rail traffic, but would increase the efficiency of rail traffic already moving through the area by allowing trains to cross the bridge more quickly, BNSF officials believe according to the notice.

In September 2019, the U.S. Coast Guard reviewed the final environmental assessment for the project and found it met federal requirements, wouldnt have a significant impact on the environment and wouldnt obstruct navigation. Since the BNSF bridges would cross U.S. navigable waters, the Coast Guard was required to approve the plans.

However, the project has faced opposition from local environmental groups seeking a higher level of environmental review, and from Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstaf, who raised concerns about the potential for increased rail traffic and possible derailments.

In response, BNSF added Federal Railroad Administration accident statistics and additional details to its plan to better characterize derailment risks and provide more information on the railroads spill response planning for different types of spills under various weather conditions. The railroad also included in its proposal the Lake Pend Oreille Geographic Response Plan, which will be implemented in the event of a rail accident. Finally, BNSF maintained that traffic wouldnt increase on its line due to the construction of the bridges.

The market conditions influencing train traffic growth in the study area exist with or without construction of a second mainline track and associated bridges, according to the notice.

Previously proposed alternatives to the project included adding a second mainline east of the existing mainline, creating alternate routes or shifting traffic to other railroads. But each was dismissed based on infeasibility or impracticability, BNSF officials said in the notice.

In October 2019, MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) completed the replacement of a 108-year-old rail bridge over Nassau Boulevard in Garden City, New York.

Between 2010 and 2019, the bridge was struck by motor vehicles 43 times, with 16 of those collisions occurring between 2018 and 2019. Due to its low clearance, the bridge was the third most-often hit structure in the railroads system, LIRR officials said in a press release.

MTA Long Island Rail Road replaced a 108-year-old rail bridge in Garden City, New York.

MTA LIRR

The original bridge which dated back to 1911 was 11 feet, 6-inches above the roadway, well below modern design standards. The bridge now stands two-and-a-half-feet higher.

In addition, the new structure includes room for a future third track, which will be added in 2022. The track will expand capacity, allow reverse commuting and increase flexibility so the railroad can work around and more quickly recover from service disruptions, LIRR officials said.

The bridge replacement was part of the LIRR Expansion Project, which aims to upgrade major bridges and grade crossings along the railroads mainline.

Email questions and comments to vesna.brajkovic@tradepress.com.

More here:
Rail Insider-Railroads rely on traditional and inventive ways to (re)build bridges. - Progressive Rail Roading

Highlights for this week include Public Market Financing Update, Truman Olson Update, Urban Design (Exact Sciences, LaFollette H.S, & Childrens Museum, ALRC (Visions, Garver, Canopy) and the future of golf.

8:00 am Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Yahara WINs Executive Committee Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Operations Building 1610 Moorland Rd Madison, WI 53713

4:30 pm Finance Committee Madison Municipal Building 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Room 215 Madison, WI 53703

5:00 pm Notice of Possible Quorum of the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center Board Monona Terrace 1 John Nolen Dr, Room Community Terrace Madison, WI 53703

5:00 pm Landmarks Commission Madison Municipal Bldg 215 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Room 153 Madison, WI 53703

5:00 pm Water Quality Technical Advisory Committee Madison Water Utility 119 E Olin Ave, Room Conference Room B Madison, WI 53713

5:30 pm Plan Commission City-County Building 210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Room 201 Madison, WI 53703

5:30 pm Police and Fire Commission City-County Building 210 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Room 507A Madison, WI 53703

5:30 pm Ad Hoc Landmarks Ordinance Review Committee Madison Municipal Building 215 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Room 153 Madison, WI 53703

5:30 pm Madison Arts Commission Madison Municipal Building 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Room 013 Madison, WI 53703

5:30 pm Madison Arts Commission Arts Grant Program Madison Municipal Building 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Room 013 Madison, WI 53703

10:00 am Dane County Narcotics Task Force Steering Committee Monona City Hall 5211 Schluter Rd Monona, WI 53716

10:00 am Street Use Staff Commission City-County Bldg 210 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Room 108 Madison, WI 53703

3:00 pm Integrated Pest Management Policy Review Task Force Madison Municipal Building 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Room 202 Madison, WI 53703

4:30 pm Urban Design Commission Madison Municipal Building 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Room 153 Madison, WI 53703

5:00 pm Economic Development Committee CANCELLED Madison Municipal Building 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Room 260 Madison, WI 53703

5:15 pm Presidents Work Group To Review Administrative Procedure Memoranda (APM) Applicable to Alders City County Building 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Room 417 Madison, WI 53703

5:30 pm Alcohol License Review Committee City-County Building 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Room 201 Madison, WI 53703

6:00 pm Madison Area Transportation Planning Board (MATPB) Citizen Advisory Committee MATPB Office 100 State Street, Room Suite 400 Madison, WI 53703

6:00 pm Task Force on Municipal Golf in Madison Parks Goodman Maintenance Facility 1402 Wingra Creek Parkway Madison, WI 53715

8:00 am Commission of the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Maintenance Facility- Training Room 1610 Moreland Road Madison, WI 53713

?? Landlord and Tenant Issues Committee 215 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Room 010 (Madison Municipal Building)

4:00 pm Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center Board Monona Terrace 1 John Nolen Dr, Room Hall of Fame room Madison, WI 53703

5:00 pm Zoning Board of Appeals Madison Municipal Building 215 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Room 013 Madison, WI 53703

Robert and Tammy Downing, owners of property at 3905 Priscilla Lane, request side and rear yard setback variances to construct an attached garage addition and a dwelling addition onto the existing single-story single-family dwelling. Alder District #5

Christi Weber, representative of the owner of property at 501 Walton Place, requests a reverse-corner side yard setback variance to construct a second story addition atop the existing single-story single-family dwelling. Alder District #6

5:00 pm Equal Opportunities Commission 215 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Room 153 (Madison Municipal Building)

5:00 pm Notice of Possible Quorum of City of Madison Committee(s) Monona Terrace 1 John Nolen Dr, Room Community Terrace Madison, WI 53703

A possible quorum of the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center Board, Monona Terrace Booking Event Assistance Advisory Committee and Room Tax Commission may be present at Monona Terrace for a non-board related, social event being held on Thursday, January 16, 2020 at 5 p.m., an observation area will be available. Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, 1 John Nolen Drive.

5:00 Downtown Coordinating Committee 215 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Room 206 (Madison Municipal Building)

View post:
City of Madison Week Ahead 1/13/20 - forwardlookout.com

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Read more here:
SPONSORED: Transform your home with Enviroclad - the cheaper, faster alternative to traditional tiles - Kilkenny Now

A new year means new opportunities and, while resolutions made in January rarely survive until February, there are some actions we need to put on our calendars so help make 2020 the best it can be for us on the farm and in our lawns and gardens.

So lets begin with January.

January is meeting month; a time when people gather and learn new techniques or reinforce old methods. There will be several opportunities in January and February to attend meetings and conferences that will help us be more efficient. These range from the annual Shepherds Symposium next Saturday to the Virginia Tech Beef Health Conference at the end of the month. In between, Wytheville will once again host the Southwest Virginia Grassland and Forage Conference on Jan. 21.

In February, we need to be out in our fields and pastures looking for opportunities to improve the health of our soils. February is a great month (most times not in 2019) to collect soil samples and determine our fertilizer needs for the coming spring and summer. It is also a great time to renovate pastures and hayfields by frost seeding clover. Using this method, you simply scatter clover seed into existing grassland. The sod needs to be well clipped or slightly overgrazed to facilitate the seed getting to the soil, but it is great way to improve grazing animal performance without too much input costs.

February can also be a great time to get the sprayer back out. Warm days (above 50 degrees) can offer the opportunity to blister several weeds such as thistles, buttercups, henbit and bedstraw. If your fields were yellow, white or purple last spring, use this opportunity. One added benefit to treating fields this time of year is your chances of killing the neighbors garden is all but none existent; however, this only works if you use the correct chemical in the correct amount on the correct target. Know your enemy.

March is a good time to sow some more hardy crops such as spring oats, but is probably too early (cool) for grass seeding. Apply your fertilizers now (although you can give cover crops a shot of nitrogen in February again in warmer weather). One strategy that can work well is to split your fertilizer applications especially in hay crops. Put on half your fertilizer needs now and put on the remainder after the first cutting. March is also a good time to move cattle and livestock to cleaner pastures. Animals that have been shorted on nutritional needs during the winter (and our hay this year is short on both supply and nutrients generally) can find themselves in distress in the cold days of March. Add in mud from cold March rains and cows getting ready to have calves and you have the recipe for a disaster.

April is really two months. The first part of April is a good time to reseed grasses in both our fields and lawns. It is also when we need to make sure our mowers and planters are ready to go. Early April is also when many people begin the process of wasting money. The return of warm weather gets everyone stirred up to make garden. There are some vegetables that can be growing during this time, but, for the most part, both the plants and your pocketbook will be rewarded by planting later in the season. A complete list of garden crops and their planting dates is available at the extension office.

Late April is a time of readiness. If the weather is good, corn can be put in the ground and hay crops need to be coming down. Keeping a careful eye on both the weather and your grasses will help you determine the time to go. Being too early can be bad, but you never really catch up from getting behind.

In our area, with the exception of a pure stand of timothy (which is rare), every hay field needs to be put down in May. Weather and work schedules may interfere, but the loss of nutrients by letting crops get too mature amounts to millions of dollars of losses every year. Mowing in May also means you can get that second shot of fertilizer out and working before the dry weather of summer sets in. Nitrogen is water soluble but it is also volatile in warm weather. We want our soil nutrients moving to the roots, not boiling skyward.

The final month we will look at in this column is June.

June is a good time to get the sprayer back out, but be careful. Gardens and bees are out so be very deliberate in your efforts. That said, early June is a great time to treat our hay feeding areas for spiny amaranth or spiny pigweed while it is small. You can also go after some of the bedstraw areas (the white clouds of weeds you see in hayfields). For homeowners, June is also the month you need to treat your hemlocks and conifers for pests such as bagworms.

Later this spring, we will make our plans for the summer and fall of 2020, but, in the meantime, prepare yourself for a great 2020. It is going to be the best year we will get for the next 12 months.

Jan. 11--Shepherds Symposium, Virginia Tech. Call 540-231-9159; you must preregister.

Jan. 15--VQA Steer and Heifer Sale, Tri State Livestock Market.

Jan. 15-17--VA Farm Show, Fishersville.

Jan. 17--Our Great Gator Giveaway Drawing, noon, at the Virginia Farm Show, Fishersville.

Jan. 20--VQA Steer Take Up, Tri State Market.

Jan. 20--Farm Management Meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Farm Bureau Building, Marion. Topic is BQA Recertification.

Jan. 21--VFGC Winter Conference, The Meeting Place, Wytheville.

Jan. 22--VQA Heifer Take Up, Tri State Market.

Jan. 27-30--VCE Annual Meeting, Hotel Roanoke.

Dr. Andy Overbay is Smyth Countys agriculture and natural resources extension agent.

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Extension Answers: 2020 resolutions for the farm and garden - Southwest Virginia Today

By Andy Villamarzo

Hernando Sun sports reporter

TAMPA- Its a debate that has been ongoing since the day Jameis Winston was drafted back in April of 2015 among Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans all over social media and football chat rooms. The time is now for making a crucial decision on whether Tampa Bay retains their No. 1 pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. Should Tampa Bay retain quarterback Jameis Winston?

The argument can always slide both ways like Winstons inconsistencies to play well throughout the measure of a regular season. Whether you want to look at Winstons 4-touchdown days against the New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams And Detroit Lions or ponder how he could throw five picks versus the Carolina Panthers and four against both the New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans. Nonetheless, Winston has yet to produce the kind of consistency that fans and even his own coaches would like to see on a game to game basis. Theres a lot to intake here when diagnosing the career of Winston to this point.

Whether its been Winston under the guidance of Lovie Smith, Dirk Koetter and now Bruce Arians, all have or are well regarded amongst those in NFL coaching circles. To be fair with the former, Smith, the now Illinois Illini head coach only got two seasons in Tampa Bay, in which he improved the Buccaneers from 2-14 to 6-10. A couple weeks after the season, however, saw the Glazers family dismiss Smith after just two seasons which could be tied to his desire to add more coaches to his staff, a demand met for Arians (largest staff in the NFL).

Enter Koetter, who was Smiths offensive coordinator and had previous coordinating experience in Atlanta and Jacksonville. Albeit it was Koetters first head coaching gig in the NFL, the 2016 season was a hit. Despite Winston throwing 18 interceptions, Tampa Bays defense ranked in the top 15 en route to a 9-7 campaign. The success of 2016 brought upon major expectations for 2017, including the signing of wide receiver DeSean Jackson.

Those expectations werent met, as Tampa Bay floundered to a 5-11 record behind significant issues on the defensive side of the ball. The same issues parlayed into the 2018 campaign and a 3-game suspension of Winston after an embarrassing Uber incident in the off-season led to a surprisingly good start behind journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick. After a 2-2 record, Winston was reinserted as the incumbent starter, but was benched after an awful showing versus the Cincinnati Bengals (four interceptions). The 2018 season ended with Winston getting another shot under Koetter and after a brief resurgence, Tampa Bay sputtered to another 5-11 record and the firing of Koetter.

Enter Arians, the self-proclaimed quarterback whisperer, who stated prior to the 2019 season that Tampa Bay already had a quarterback it could win with. After a 5,000-yard, 33-touchdown, 30-interception season, Arians sounded conflicted in comments after the season about Winston. The former Arizona Cardinals head coach mentioned things like we will not beat ourselves next year and we can win with this quarterback, we can definitely win with another one werent exactly badges of honor when it came to giving Winston any praise.

See more here:
Should the Tampa Bay Buccaneers bring back quarterback Jameis Winston? - Hernando Sun

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29 of the Most Expensive Homes for Sale in the St. Louis Area - STLtoday.com

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10 of the Most Expensive Homes for Sale in the Park Hills Area - Daily Journal Online