Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

By Katie Mauch, Staff Writer kmauch@nevadaiowajournal.com

WednesdayDec25,2019at12:01AMDec25,2019at6:32AM

The new Scooters Coffee location at the intersection of Duff Avenue and Lincoln Way in Ames will be open just in time for the new year, according to owner Randy Mumm.

A soft opening of the coffee shop is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 31. Mumm said a grand opening event will be planned later, and will take place in late January or early February.

According to Mumm, the grand opening will likely include a number of incentives and rewards available on the Scooters phone app.

The new location broke ground in August. Mumm said the late December opening is about a month past the usual 90 day building plan for the contractors, but the schedule is now down to an hour by hour timeline.

Baristas for the location have already been trained, Mumm said, and most of the equipment for the inside of the shop has already been delivered and set up.

Only a few tasks are left to complete before the opening, Mumm said. While some of the exterior details like painting may have to wait for warmer weather in the spring, he said landscaping and other outdoor finishing touches will be completed this week thanks to the mild weather.

Fortunately we have this beautiful weather helping us out as much as it can, Mumm said.

The coffee shop offers a drive-thru window for quick and easy coffee runs, which is a staple of Scooters stores. When asked what benefits a Scooters Coffee can offer to the Ames community, Mumm had a simple answer.

Amazing drinks, amazing people, amazingly fast, he said.

Continue reading here:
Scooters Coffee to open New Years Eve - Ames Tribune

The Guthrie County Historical Village and Museum is closed for the winter, but that doesnt mean there isnt work to do for its Foundation, staff, and volunteers.

Village Curator Kristine Jorgensen says they are in the midst of two major renovation projects on the 1915 Pullman Observation and Cafe Car, and the 1900 Marchant House. The Village Foundation has received a couple of grants in the last year for the train car, but besides acquiring funds, Jorgensen says a difficult part of the process is finding the right contractors to do the work. Jorgensen thanks the public for their patience and support, Weve always got projects going on down here, and along with the projects we have to maintain. And so we have 10 buildings, beautiful buildings down here and they require constant upkeep, painting, a new roof, windows, a new door so any funds that we receive, even if theyre not for a specific item they go to the foundation and we use them so that we can preserve what we have too.

Jorgensen hopes to get the Pullman car renovation completed sometime in the next couple years so that it can be used as a community center for the public to rent. To hear more from Jorgensen, listen to today and tomorrows two-part Lets Talk Guthrie County program on air and at raccoonvalleyradio.com.

See the original post here:
Multiple Projects on the Guthrie County Historical Village's Docket this Winter - raccoonvalleyradio.com

RFL Pipe & Fittings (a brand of RFL Group) in association with The Daily Star organised a roundtable titled Construction Hazard:

Creating awareness and the role of stakeholders on December 12, 2019. Here we publish a summary of the discussion.

Brig Gen Shahedul Anam Khan ndc, psc (Retd), Associate Editor, The Daily Star

We are here today to discuss a subject that remains topical on a constant basis: the hazards of construction. Unfortunately, although the volume of construction-related work in the country has increased, safety measures have not been able to keep up with the growth in construction work.

R N Paul, Managing Director, RFL Group

RFL now manufactures all goods locally instead of importing finished products. RFL is involved in direct construction business under Property Development Limited (PDL), which is one of the pioneers in real estate in the country. RFL manufactures building materials such as pipes, doors, etc.

We have found that the workers in construction or the irresponsible contractors are causing public nuisance. The major reason why this is happening is because the people in construction are mainly non-corporate people who are lacking in accountability and responsibility. They are unaware of personal protective equipment (PPE) and have minimal knowledge on ensuring public safety during construction. Corporate people from RFL or PDL at least have knowledge on public hazards. We do not create construction hazards since we use modern technology such as Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) machines. To avoid high levels of noise pollution caused by welding aluminium window frames, RFL has introduced PVC window frames which are ready to be directly fitted.

Engr F R Khan, Managing Director, bti (Building Technology & Ideas Ltd.)

One issue is that data on deaths during construction projects is missing. Safety has now become a part of branding; constructors do not actually care about it. The idea of safety on construction sites must be implemented not only by creating awareness among construction workers, but also through enforcing safety regulations.

Recently, the labour department has started inspecting construction sites, and we hope their drive continues. We can learn from the example of Japan when trying to figure out how to impose construction safety measures on the workers. In Japan, construction workers must have a certified ID from the labour department or any other related department. This ID certifies that the worker must follow construction safety rules, and they must present this to work on any new project. This increases accountability of both the workers and their employers.

A F M Saiful Amin, Professor, BUET

There needs to be more awareness about construction-related deaths and injuries; there is a need for information on the number of people injured or killed due to construction hazards, since that will make people more vigilant. Construction workers and the general public must also be made aware of the consequences of being exposed to these hazards.

Licensed engineers, technicians, and builders are required to create a three-layer structured licensing authority. Contractors try to minimise cost of construction and so invest less in hazard mitigation. If on-site construction can be shifted off-site, then hazard sources can be minimised. Prefabricated construction uses heavy machinery to streamline the construction process and causes less hazards to the general public.

We only allow professional engineers who have gotten the certification of work experience, to work on site, while graduates work under the supervision of a professional engineer. But this practice is yet to be implemented among technicians.

R N Paul

There has been a paradigm shift from conventional construction practices to more structured methods. People following safe construction methods should be rewarded, while the ones causing public nuisance should be punished. This will create incentive for constructors to not cut costs in maintaining safety.

Engr Kazi Khairul Bashar, Honorary Assistant General Secretary (A&I), IEB

There is an occupational safety board in Bangladesh which needs to be activated and empowered to look after hazards related to construction.

I am against the idea of monopolisation of construction works by a few big contractors. In reality, big construction companies delegate projects to small contractors or sub-contractors. Unless and until we can create awareness among these small contractors about safe construction practices, we will not be able to bring any meaningful change.

Engineers and related professional bodies need to be given more responsibility so that they can ensure professionalism and maintain standards of those involved in the construction sector.

Md Abu Sadeque PEng, Executive Director, HBRC

Construction hazards must firstly be defined from the perspective of Bangladesh, in order to clearly outline the dimensions for mitigation recommendations.

Technological advancement is required, not only within developers or contractors, but also in the planning and designing phases. Scrapping plaster and painting on high-rise buildings will reduce hazards without cost. Reducing the weight of materials used to construct buildings will also decrease hazards.

The aspect of safety precautions should be brought up when registering real estate developers.

Engr F R Khan

Construction hazard and construction safety are completely different things and they must be considered separately. Construction safety entails safety measures taken by the workers for themselves and also the passers-by, while construction hazard is indirect harmful effects on the people around the construction site.

Currently, we are implementing hundred percent use of concrete blocks as an alternative to bricks because the material itself is advantageous. In addition, it also helps reduce environmental pollution.

Md Abu Sadeque

Buildings which are plastered and painted require maintenance every two to four years. It has environmental impacts.

R N Paul

Regulatory bodies have a big role to play in ensuring use of green construction materials. Many companies are importing modern building technologies that can significantly reduce construction related hazards. The government should support these initiatives.

Md Abu Sadeque

Government policies are now pro-people regarding bricks. The government has already stated that after June 2025 no bricks will be used in any government project. Thus, the government is looking to let go of conventional bricks for good. Concrete blocks are deemed to be double the price of bricks, but I do not agree with this thought process. One concrete block is equivalent to about five bricks. Good quality bricks are priced at thirteen taka per piece. Keeping that in mind, one concrete block is priced at forty taka per piece. This proves that concrete blocks are actually cheaper. The use of bricks also requires the utilisation of mortar and labour. The lesser weight of concrete blocks implies that less money would be spent on beams, columns and overall foundation. The use of concrete blocks decreases the overall construction cost by about thirty percent.

A F M Saiful Amin

The extent of hazard will determine the boundaries of our safety limits. If hazard increases, then safety measures will have to be increased proportionally.

Engineer S M Khorshed Alam, President, Bangladesh Association of Construction Industry (BACI)

With the advancement of the construction industry, people now also require answers and explanations as to where the industry is headed. The National Disaster Management Policy, 2015 includes ten different types of hazards. Tsunami, cyclone, earthquake are all a part of it. However, construction hazard itself is not mentioned in it. This led me to believe that hazard may be the outcome of construction.

The mitigation process regarding construction hazards usually involves the structural and non- structural approach. The structural approach includes construction as a mitigating factor. The non-structural approach consists of awareness-building, training and so on.

Occupational health and safety issues and environmental issues are the two main components of overall hazards. Road construction generally creates dust. The dust emission leads to breathing problems, skin abnormalities, and related issues. Should these kinds of problems also be included when we talk about construction related hazards?

A road accident might be caused by faults in the geometrical design. A collision of trains might occur due to faulty rail tracks. Everything, in this way, directly or indirectly, can be linked to construction. This is why we need to define the limits of construction hazard.

We must emphasise on coming out of the monopolising nature of the construction industry. We should train small contractors and make them aware of safe construction practices.

A construction process actually begins with the planning and designing of the project. If a faulty construction project is the result of a mistake in the geometrical design, and it was built by the contractor following the design, who would be held as the guilty party? The planners, designers, architects, builders, users and drivers all form a sort of chain. All parties must be brought together to identify where exactly things go wrong.

The Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) 2006 includes all the topics related to construction induced hazards. The Bangladesh Labour Act (2006) also defines safety issues of the construction workers. The Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act (1995) covers environmental issues. These kinds of policies are there, available in our legal system. However, awareness of such regulations is lacking. Therefore, we need to provide training to construction related professionals.

The government has taken an initiative to provide skills training to about five lakh people. Under this project, we are working closely with the government to train a large number of construction related professionals in the country.

Abu Salem Md Nuruzzaman, Additional Chief Engineer, Roads and Highways Department, KMG Project

Our tender documents are flawed in some ways. Conditions are mentioned in them, but no other information is provided. However, the implementation processes should be mentioned, where the required equipment should also be included. The ways to mitigate pollution should also be mentioned. A contractor must be compelled to follow instructions, and their payment should be halted in case they do not. This could be a way of ensuring efficient construction practice.

Hazard is two-fold. One is during construction and the other is post-construction. When I was working in design processes, a foot over-bridge, made of steel, was one of the projects I was involved in. It was suggested, at that time, that a reinforced cement concrete (RCC) be put into place. I was against this idea because I believed that it would cause traffic jams at the Dhaka Airport Road. I then designed a steel structure, and a small foot over-bridge was thus established there. Therefore, in order to decrease hazards in construction, we must emphasise on improving our designs. We, in Bangladesh, import stones and clinkers. We grind cement, but we do not manufacture it from scratch. Why dont we use steel structures? It would decrease costs right from the foundation, decrease overall hazard and it would be easier to set up.

We, in Bangladesh, are selling topsoil to India in the form of brick export and importing stones from them. This does not bode well for the future as we will be eventually left with no clay. Hollow bricks should be used wherever possible. These types of bricks are also highly insulated. During winter, this keeps the building warm and during warm weather it would generally require less use of air conditioners.

Tender documents need to be made in a way which covers all safety measures and which binds contractors to follow the correct procedures.

Dr Rawshan Ara Khanam, Consultant, Respiratory Medicine, United Hospital Ltd

Unsafe construction poses huge health risks. According to WHO, nine out of ten people in Bangladesh inhale polluted air. Dhaka is also one of the most polluted cities in the world. Presently, nobody seems to be safe from the consequences of construction hazards. Even the participants of this roundtable are victims of air pollution.

PM 10 and PM 2.5 come mainly from construction. These affect the lungs and the total body. WHO, in 2013, detected the particle matter of PM as the main cause of lung cancer. Polluted air has increased the overall number of strokes, cardiac diseases and premature deliveries. Dhaka, being a congested area, does not have many planned areas or playgrounds for children. Childhood obesity is also an issue, as children are not able to run and play freely. It could even be a source for further diseases as the child grows up. This is somewhere we need to focus on. Construction workers may develop fibrosis from inhaling polluted air at construction sites. They develop such diseases at an early age, usually. We must be careful about these health hazards caused by unsafe construction.

Dr Md Tarek Uddin, Professor, Islamic University of Technology (IUT)

Globally, about 40 billion tonnes of CO2 are emitted annually. The cement industry itself emits around four billion tonnes of CO2 annually, which constitute ten percent of total global emissions. Even if Bangladesh does not produce cement from scratch, we still use the raw material and thus CO2 is emitted because of it. Alternative methods are being thought of at this moment. Alternative cement and durable concrete are examples of substitutes which are being used currently.

A hundred years from now, there might be a need to demolish many old buildings and structures in our country. This would also be a huge hazard which we are leaving behind for our future generations. We should seriously consider recycling of construction materials to preserve natural resources for the future.

Our curriculum needs to be modified in line with our future development goals. We work in the field of accreditation and there are three main features: (1) students must be made aware of the environmental issues; (2) students must be made aware of the sustainability factor; and (3) students must be made aware of the needs of the society. When a student graduates, it does not mean that that individual has come to the end of his or her education life. When a graduate joins a corporate job in Bangladesh, does that organisation provide that graduate with the needed line of action? Is the graduate then receiving competent training? Companies in Bangladesh also need to work in this area to help graduates understand the value of environmental and social issues.

In some parts of Bangladesh, the air quality index (AQI) is close to 300. If it crosses 300, our country will be considered as a severely polluted area. Bangladeshis do not seem to be concerned with such data, but it is high time that we took the needed action to counter overall pollution. Foreign contractors, and our authorities, are well aware of environmental impact assessments (EIAs) of all the construction projects. Then, why is nothing being done? Why are we still facing such dire circumstances in regards to air pollution?

Millions of Bangladeshis are being affected because of pollution due to construction projects. We have accepted our situation in the country, and the government needs to play its part in addressing the issues at hand as 2030 is fast approaching (SDGs). The government can set targets for major Bangladeshi corporations to achieve. The goals of Vision-2041 will also become tough to achieve if action is not taken. I believe that the three main stakeholders who can help us make the needed transitions are the education sector, the government and the major industries.

A F M Saiful Amin

The Industrial Revolution was mainly driven by coal. Our economic development, in civil infrastructure, is highly vital to our overall future development. The past three revolutions have resulted in the constant use of coal, with it being a common factor to all three phases. Today, some governments, which were the driving forces of these revolutions, are providing compensation to those who have been affected by pollution due to the consequences they faced because of these advancements. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and fibrosis are diseases for which these administrations are providing compensation by doing a cost-benefit analysis. This sort of a calculation is far from being established in Bangladesh, even though costs are being borne by the people.

Rapid construction implies a reduction in the duration of exposure. The precast concrete method was utilised to construct the Berlin Wall, which was completed in a relatively short amount of time. The Great Wall of China was an onsite construction. It took many years to be completed and caused various types of hazards. We, in Bangladesh, have still not been able to introduce the precast method of construction, proving that we are still at the Great Wall stage in terms of technology.

Md Abu Sadeque

Our construction industry is still not recognised as an independent industry. All industries should be monitored so pollution caused by them can be controlled. The construction industry is not exempted from it.

All construction projects should be accompanied with data which depicts the amount of pollution and hazards. This is the only way that we can bring the construction industry under the ambit of a controlled environment. The Metro Rail project, for example, needs to be examined thoroughly. Are conditions being given to project managers, or project heads, to limit the amount of pollution being emitted?

R N Paul

Thank you all for attending this programme. The discussions have been positive and fruitful. I believe that the major stakeholders of the construction industry will be made aware of the existing issues with the publication of todays discussion.

If all the involved parties play their parts, lawfully and efficiently, it would help us in achieving all the goals we have set for ourselves.

Brig Gen Shahedul Anam Khan ndc, psc (Retd)

We should be really careful about the hazards caused by the construction sector. Once we have determined the hazards, we need to find ways to mitigate them. The laws and regulations are present in our legal system, but the implementation stage is where we are lacking.

Link:
Construction Hazard: Creating awareness and the role of stakeholders - The Daily Star

At the beginning of last year, Mike Pompeo ruled out a 2020 Senate run, saying he would serve as Donald Trumps secretary of state for as long as the president allows. But with impeachment entangling his boss, and Mitch McConnell working overtime to recruit him, the Pompeo rumor mill has continued to churn. In that uncertainty, which Pompeo himself has fed, several candidates have quietly begun to line up behind him, positioning themselves to replace him at State.

Three people whove spoken to the president directly about the matter told Washington Post that Trump has been tossing around names for Pompeos successor with lawmakers and officials. Two figures have emerged as leading contenders for Pompeos would-be replacement: national security adviser Robert OBrien and Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin. OBrien, who replaced John Bolton as national security adviser, reportedly charmed Trump as the State departments lead hostage negotiator, and has been rewarded with a growing portfolio. Hes also endeared himself to Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser, and to Pompeo himself, perhaps making him a natural successor.

Mnuchin would be a less intuitive pick. Unlike Trump and Pompeo, the Treasury secretary has taken a less hawkish approach to China, putting him out of step with the rest of the administration on a key foreign policy front. Still, Mnuchin remains close to the president, as evidenced by his rare longevity in the Trump administration. In a White House characterized by infighting and high turnover, surviving in Trumps cabinet for three years makes him a competitive candidate by default.

Of course, their abilities to appease Trump notwithstanding, each comes with liabilities. Mnuchin was barely confirmed for his current job thanks to his lack of experience. His qualifications to serve as Americas top diplomat are even thinner, raising questions both about his ability to be confirmed and to fulfill his duties. OBrien is reportedly seen as one of the more competent officials in Trumps orbit, rooted in a traditional conservative foreign policy approach, but remains somewhat green behind the ears. I think the greatest challenge he will have is his relative lack of experience inside the U.S. government, and with the interagency process, Richard Fontaine, the chief executive of the nonpartisan Center for a New American Security, told the New York Times of OBrien in September, as he took over for Bolton.

Such concerns could open the door to other figures who have indicated interest in Pompeos job, including Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, Senators Marco Rubio and Tom Cotton, and deputy secretary of state Stephen Biegun, who would become acting secretary of state should Pompeo decide to launch a 2020 Senate campaign. He hasnt yet signaled that hell do so. But the barely concealed jockeying suggests McConnells overtures to Pompeo may actually be workingparticularly Republican leadership believes their Kansas senate seat is in danger. He loves Kansas, he loves the people of Kansas, Trump said last month, suggesting hed be open to Pompeo mounting a bid. If he thought there was a chance of losing that seat, I think he would do that and he would win in a landslide because they love him in Kansas.

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Report: Trump Is Already Floating Replacement Secretary of State - Vanity Fair

Building the replacement facility for the relocation of a U.S. military base in Okinawa Prefecture is now expected to cost 930 billion, far exceeding its initial 350 billion estimate, and be delayed several years, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry has now estimated the landfill work will take nine years and three months, nearly twice as long as originally expected.

It will now take 12 years to complete the project of relocating the operations of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from a crowded residential area of Ginowan to the less populated coastal zone of Henoko.

That means the return of the land in the city of Ginowan is likely to be delayed until some point in the 2030s or later, compared with fiscal 2022 or later as set out under an agreement between Japan and the United States in 2013.

The new estimate was presented at a meeting of experts on Wednesday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters Thursday that steadily carrying out the relocation work would lead to the earliest full return of Futenma and removal of danger.

The delay is expected to be met with strong local opposition.

This kind of public works project should be suspended immediately, Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki, a vocal opponent of the relocation plan, told reporters Thursday at the Okinawa Prefectural Governments headquarters in Naha. We have reiterated previously that the works at Henoko would take at least 13 years and cost 2 trillion or more.

According to the current plan, the construction for the replacement facility was supposed to take five years to finish and cost 350 billion. But additional work is necessary to reinforce the weak seafloor in an area where the landfill work is due to be carried out off the coast of Henoko in the city of Nago. After the construction is completed, more preparations such as moving and procuring equipment will be necessary before the relocated base can begin operations, according to the ministry.

The ministry began soil placement work off Henoko in December last year. However, it later found some of the ground in the area to be too soft.

The ministry now wants to install 71,000 support piles to bolster the weak ground. It plans to file an application to change its construction plan with the Okinawa Prefectural Government in the new year.

We will aim to move ahead with the (additional) work smoothly, Defense Minister Taro Kono told reporters Wednesday.

But Tamaki is unlikely to approve the change. Deputy Gov. Kiichiro Jahana told reporters Wednesday that this is a good opportunity for the central government to re-examine the base relocation plan.

The plan was delayed in 2015 when Takeshi Onaga, the governor of Okinawa at the time, revoked his predecessors permission for the landfill work. The decision led to court disputes between the central and Okinawa governments.

The project to move the Futenma base originated in an agreement reached between Tokyo and Washington in 1996. But local residents have long hoped for the base to be moved outside of the island prefecture, which is home to about 70 percent of the total area of land exclusively used by U.S. military forces in Japan.

Still, the central government has maintained that the current relocation plan is the only solution for removing the dangers posed by the Futenma base without undermining the deterrence provided by the Japan-U.S. security alliance.

Japan and the United States plan to reclaim about 160 hectares, including the sea area with soft ground, for the replacement facility and build two runways in a V configuration.

A prefectural referendum on the transfer plan was held in February, with more than 70 percent voting against it.

Tamaki said in an interview with Kyodo News in March that it was impossible to conduct such seafloor reinforcement work and he has no plan to approve the additional work.

Excerpt from:
Work on US base at Henoko in Okinawa to cost nearly triple initial estimate - The Japan Times

The director of fundraising for the federal Conservatives has taken over as acting executive director of the party as it continues to grapple with the fallout from the resignation of leader Andrew Scheer.

Jaime Girard is replacing Dustin Van Vugt, who left his job as executive director earlier this month over questions about party funds used for Scheers personal expenses.

Girard jumps into the new role at a crucial time for the party figuring out how to run the race to select Scheers replacement.

Scheer announced on Dec. 12 that he will step down as leader as soon as a new one is chosen, a move that came after weeks of intense criticism of the way the party fared in the fall election, despite the fact it increased its overall seat count and share of the popular vote.

Campaigns to oust Scheer reached a fever pitch in the days leading up to his announcement, including word circulating that his childrens private school tuition was paid for with party money details that surprised some members of the partys main fundraising arm, the Conservative Fund.

Girard has spent more than a decade serving as director of fundraising for the Conservative party, a position that would have placed her into close contact with the Funds board.

The board includes former prime minister Stephen Harper, Conservative Sen. Linda Frum, and, as the current director, retired Conservative senator Irving Gerstein. Gerstein is expected to step back from his role running the board next year.

While the Fund sets the partys budget, some members were not fully aware of the details of Scheers spending. The deal to cover tuition costs for Scheers children was struck between him and Van Vugt, who had called it standard practice.

All proper procedures were followed and signed off on by the appropriate people, he said in a statement the same day Scheer stepped down.

But some members of the Fund disagreed. Van Vugt subsequently left the job.

Replacing him with Girard was one of a series of decisions adopted by the partys national council on Friday as they seek to sort out the mess created by Scheer and Van Vugts departure.

Another: punting Aprils planned policy convention to November in order to free up more room to organize the leadership race.

The committee who will be in charge of that is expected to be named in the coming days. Theyll in turn have to sort out when and where the vote will take place, and the rules for it, including the entry fee and number of signatures required to run.

Though several people including former Quebec premier Jean Charest and former interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose have signalled an interest in running for the leadership, all are waiting for clarity on the rules and deadlines before they commit. Other potential contenders include current Conservative MPs and former cabinet ministers Pierre Poilievre, Erin OToole and Michael Chong, as well as former MPs and cabinet ministers Peter MacKay and James Moore.

Meanwhile, there is ongoing debate about the scope of Scheers expense accounts.

Scheers office has repeatedly said they have nothing to add when asked for clarification about how Scheer used the money, the decision to fire Van Vugt, or whether hell support a line-by-line review of his expenses.

Stephanie Levitz, The Canadian Press

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Conservative partys fundraising boss takes over temporary helm of party - Coast Mountain News

A forum visitor is silhoutetted in front of a projected logo before a Conservative party leadership candidate forum at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary, Alta. on Wednesday March 1, 2017.Jim Wells / Jim Wells/Postmedia

OTTAWA The director of fundraising for the federal Conservatives has taken over as acting executive director of the party as it continues to grapple with the fallout from the resignation of leader Andrew Scheer.

Jaime Girard is replacing Dustin Van Vugt, who left his job as executive director earlier this month over questions about party funds used for Scheers personal expenses.

Girard jumps into the new role at a crucial time for the party figuring out how to run the race to select Scheers replacement.

Scheer announced on Dec. 12 that he will step down as leader as soon as a new one is chosen, a move that came after weeks of intense criticism of the way the party fared in the fall election, despite the fact it increased its overall seat count and share of the popular vote.

Campaigns to oust Scheer reached a fever pitch in the days leading up to his announcement, including word circulating that his childrens private school tuition was paid for with party money details that surprised some members of the partys main fundraising arm, the Conservative Fund.

Girard has spent more than a decade serving as director of fundraising for the Conservative Party, a position that would have placed her into close contact with the Funds board.

The board includes former prime minister Stephen Harper, Conservative Sen. Linda Frum, and, as the current director, retired Conservative senator Irving Gerstein. Gerstein is expected to step back from his role running the board next year.

While the Fund sets the partys budget, some members were not fully aware of the details of Scheers spending. The deal to cover tuition costs for Scheers children was struck between him and Van Vugt, who had called it standard practice.

All proper procedures were followed and signed off on by the appropriate people, he said in a statement the same day Scheer stepped down.

But some members of the Fund disagreed. Van Vugt subsequently left the job.

Replacing him with Girard was one of a series of decisions adopted by the partys national council on Friday as they seek to sort out the mess created by Scheer and Van Vugts departure.

Another: punting Aprils planned policy convention to November in order to free up more room to organize the leadership race.

The committee who will be in charge of that is expected to be named in the coming days. Theyll in turn have to sort out when and where the vote will take place, and the rules for it, including the entry fee and number of signatures required to run.

Though several people including former Quebec premier Jean Charest and former interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose have signalled an interest in running for the leadership, all are waiting for clarity on the rules and deadlines before they commit. Other potential contenders include current Conservative MPs and former cabinet ministers Pierre Poilievre, Erin OToole and Michael Chong, as well as former MPs and cabinet ministers Peter MacKay and James Moore.

Meanwhile, there is ongoing debate about the scope of Scheers expense accounts.

Scheers office has repeatedly said they have nothing to add when asked for clarification about how Scheer used the money, the decision to fire Van Vugt, or whether hell support a line-by-line review of his expenses.

See more here:
Fundraising boss takes over temporary helm of Conservative party - Saskatoon StarPhoenix

Meet Mr. Bellevue! He's a handsome 2 bedroom/2 bath craftsman style bungalow in award-winning MRH school district. Large covered front porch ushers us into an awesome living area w/ gas fireplace & stain glass windows, formal dining room, & updated kitchen w/ pantry, granite counters, & newer appliances. Upper level greets us w/ 2 large bedrooms each w/ walk-in closets, a bonus sitting area, & 1 of 2 full bathrooms also w/ a linen closet. The clean basement includes the 2nd full bathroom, a walk out to back yard, laundry area, & ample space for storage. The back yard is fully fenced & features a wood deck, paver patio, a ton of off-street parking, & a storage shed! Updates during the last decade including a new water heater prior to closing, partial roof replacement, thermal windows, gutters & downspouts, exterior/interior paint, wood fencing, & kitchen & bathroom updates. Minutes from WUSTL, SLU, BJC, St. Mary's, Downtown Maplewood, Clayton, highway access, parks & entertainment.

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More News28 Dec 2019 | 5:01 PM

Kannur, Dec 28 (UNI) Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan's inaugural speech, at the 80th Session of Indian History Congress (IHC) in Kannur University Thavakkara campus here on Saturday, was disrupted following protest by delegates and Research students.

Puducherry, Dec 28 (UNI) Alleging that Muthialpet Inspector of Police Senthil Kumar has prevented the DMDK workers from joining the rally organized by the BJP in support of the CAA here on Friday, the Puducherry unit of the party on Saturday urged the police department to initiate action against him.

Salem, Dec 28 (UNI) Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami today said Tamil Nadu emerging on top in the National Good Governance Index (GGI) among the 'Big States' was a proud moment for the State.

Hubballi, Dec 28 (UNI) On the background of countrywide anti-CAA protests, the BJP has decided to run a pro-CAA awareness campaign across the state from January 1 to 15 which will include door-to-door campaigning to contact 30 lakh households, social media campaign, and rallies in all district centres.

Salem, Dec 28 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami today said the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by the opposition parties was due to political vendetta and to confuse the people.

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Union Cabinet on Tuesday announced that it has allocated around Rs 3,500 crores for updating National Population Register (NPR). The process shall commence from April next year and will be completed by September.

NPR was first done in 2010 and was later updated in 2015 when it was linked with the Aadhar. But since the announcement of the NPR update has come in the middle of a raging controversy on the National Register of Citizens (NRC), there is widespread confusion between the two. Many have also confused the National Population Register with Census, which is also due.

So what is National Population Register and how is it different from NRC or Census? Let's have a look:

WHAT IS NPR

The NPR is a register of the usual residents of the country. It contains information collected at the local (village/sub-town), subdistrict, district, state and national level under provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.

WHO IS USUAL RESIDENT OF INDIA

A usual resident is defined, for the purposes of the NPR, as a person who has resided in a local area for the past six months or more, or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next six months.

The law compulsorily seeks to register every citizen of India and issue a national identity card.

WHO WILL CONDUCT NPR

The process of updating NPR will be carried out under the aegis of the Registrar General and ex-Officio Census Commissioner, India.

WHAT INFORMATION WILL BE COLLECTED UNDER NPR

The objective of the NPR is to create a comprehensive identity database of every usual resident in the country. The database would contain demographic particulars such as:

WHAT DOCUMENTS DO YOU NEED TO PRODUCE FOR NPR

During the NPR, a respondent will not require to produce any document. As per a statement was given by Home Minister Amit Shah to news agency ANI, NPR information will be self-attested, that is, whatever information is provided by the respondent will be deemed correct and no documents or biometric would be required.

WHEN AND WHERE NPR WILL BE CONDUCTED

The process of collecting information for NPR will start in April 2020 and will be completed by September. NPR will be conducted across India, except Assam as the state has already gone through the National Register of Citizens. Gazette notification for the forthcoming NPR has been published by the central government in August.

HOW IS NPR DIFFERENT THAN CENSUS

While the process of NPR and Census will begin simultaneously, the two databases are not same.

The decennial census is the largest single source of a variety of statistical information on different characteristics of the people of India.

While NPR only contains demographic information, more details are required for census like information on demography, economic activity, literacy and education, and housing and household amenities besides others.

The census is the basis for reviewing the country's progress in the past decade, monitoring the ongoing schemes of the government and plan for the future.

A census official collects details from village residents during Census 2011. REUTERS

The census provides detailed and authentic information on demography, economic activity, literacy and education, housing and household amenities, urbanisation, fertility and mortality, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, language, religion, migration, disability besides others.

The enumerators also collect data related to cultivators and agricultural labourers, their sex, occupational classification of workers in the non-households industry, trade, business, profession or service by class of worker and sex.

There will be a detailed survey on gender and literacy rate, a number of towns, slum households and their population.

Information is also collected on sources of potable water, energy, irrigation, method of farming, whether a house is a concrete, thatched or others.

Also read | What is NRC: All you need to know about National Register of Citizens

The census, 2021 will be done in two phases. In the first phase, the work of house-listing or housing census will be conducted from April to September 2020. In the second phase, the enumeration of the population will be done from February 9 to February 28, 2021, with reference moment as 00:00 hours of March 1, 2021.

For snow-bound areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be October 1, 2020.

With a history of more than 130 years, this reliable, time tested exercise has been bringing out a veritable wealth of statistics every 10 years, beginning from 1872 when the first census was conducted in India non-synchronously in different parts.

HOW IS NPR DIFFERENT THAN NRC

National Population Register is a database of people living in India, citizens or not, but National Resgiter of Citizens is a database of Indian citizens. The NRC process demands proof of citizenship from the respondents. Those who found in wnat of the proof may face deportation or detention in long run. But in NPR, there is no need to provide any document.

WILL ANYONE LOSE CITIZENSHIP BECAUSE OF NPR

"It is possible that some names are missed in the NPR, still their citizenship will not be revoked because this is not the process of NRC. The NRC is a different process. I want to make it clear that nobody will lose citizenship because of NPR," Amit Shah said.

The home minister's statement came amid controversy that NPR was the first step towards NRC. Several opposition leaders requested CMs to boycott the NPR process to avoid NRC. But the home minister has claimed that the two are not linked in any way.

The home ministry officials have also said that there is no plan to use data collected during NPR to form the basis of NRC.

WHAT IS THE USE OF NPR

The question remains that if the government has Census than why does it need NPR.

The officials say that NPR data helps identify the demographics of actual residents who will be direct beneficiaries of any schemes launched in the area.

For example, a majority of permanent residents of an industrial town in Gujarat may be Gujarati speaking, but the majority of current residents may consist of Hindu speaking people from various parts of the country. The NPR data will help government design and adapt schemes like Ayushman Bharat, Jandhan Yojna, or medium of instruction in schools as per the current demographics, thus making the schemes more effective.

(With inputs from agencies)

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