Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Last month we talked about moving your holiday fun outside. Regardless of where the festivities will take place at your home, there are a few areas you may want to inspect and fix before the guests arrive.

Fix Leaky Faucets: Shut off the valves supplying water to the house. Remove the faucets handle (not the faucet). The leak usually stems from the on-off handle. If you have two handles, see if the drip is hot or cold and remove only the problem handle. You might have to pop off a button on top to reveal a screw or some pins. Unscrew the screw or remove the pins and a cartridge will come loose. It should have a rubber ring (or washer) inside that is causing the leak. Remove that washer and take it to the hardware store for the right replacement. Install the new washer and put the handle back on. Turn on the water. If you have trouble with the handle or cartridge, you may need to call a plumber.

Stop running toilets: When the toilet is flushed, the flapper opens to let water into the bowl. When it closes, it creates a seal to keep the water in the tank until the next flush. Because the flapper is rubber, it can decompose, warp and harden, all problems that prevent it from sealing properly. Thats why water keeps running out of the tank into the bowl.

Shut off water to the toilet. Pull the flapper valve out of the clips holding it in place, take it to the hardware store and find a matching flapper valve. Replace the valve, making sure its sealed tightly. Clip the new valve chain on the trip arm. Turn on the water and test the valve. If the water keeps running, adjust the flapper so the seal is water-tight.

Clean the oven: A years worth (or more) of crusty food burned inside of your oven can smoke and create unpleasant odors in the kitchen and dining area. It can also alter the flavor of your food.

If you have one, run the ovens self-cleaning function. If not, spray on and wipe off an oven cleaning product. Keep in mind, these can be very corrosive if not used properly.

For a greener option, wash the oven racks in a sink filled with hot water and vinegar. Soak them while you mix baking soda with water. Spread the paste over the surfaces of the oven. Spritz vinegar on top and let it sit for a few hours or overnight before wiping down and rinsing off. Rinse and dry the racks before placing them in the oven. Be sure to clean the microwave and outdoor barbecue too.

Repair sticky sliding closet doors: Remove closet doors from their tracks. Place them on the floor and inspect for damage. Clean out debris inside the tracks. Straighten the tracks by holding a wood block against the track and tapping it with a hammer. Then lubricate the tracks. Tighten the screws in the overhead track as well. Reinstall closet doors; test them to be sure they are sliding smoothly.

Test smoke alarms and replace batteries: A critical safety measure. If you cant remember when you replaced the batteries, do it now. Otherwise, you and your guests may be woken up at 2 a.m. from the incessant beeping reminder.

Install path lights leading to the front door: Lights can make your home look more inviting and theyre a good safety measure.

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Sketch and measure the area you want covered to estimate how many lights you need. Take that information to the hardware store.

There are many solar options available which you simply dig a small hole and insert the light. If you choose electric lights, use an outdoor GFCI or ground fault circuit interrupter outlet. There are probably several outside; if not, have some installed by a licensed electrician. If you have existing GFCIs, make sure they work properly.

Buy a kit that includes lights, 100 feet of low-voltage cable and a transformer to convert your homes current into low-voltage current for the lights. Get a high-quality transformer thats slightly bigger than the total wattage of the lights you will use. You may want to buy two smaller transformers instead of one large one.

Follow instructions on the kit. The hardest part of the job will probably be digging a shallow trench for the cable that carries power to the lights.

For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 35 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8 to 11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and from 7 to 10 a.m. on KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.

Link:
Rosie on the House: Simple repairs before holiday guests arrive - Green Valley News

Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the followingstateroads and projects in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities. These lane closure restrictions include both construction and maintenance activities.

Escambia County:

oNine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass: Alternating lane shifts as crews construct the new southbound bridge.

oU.S. 29 traffic between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road may experience alternating lane closures as crews continue drainage and paving operations.

Santa Rosa County:

All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.

Pictured: Construction area on Highway 29 at Molino Road. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Written by William Reynolds Filed Under News

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As You Head Back To Work Monday, Here Are The Traffic Delay Spots To Watch - NorthEscambia.com

February 1, 1936 November 21, 2019

Reverend Kenneth W. Weygandt passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Thursday, November 21, 2019, at Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House in Albany. He slipped into eternity and into the arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, eagerly anticipating embracing his son Viktor, grandson Jesse and great granddaughter, Aspen, and all his friends and loved ones who went before.

Ken was born February 1, 1936, in Portland, Oregon, to Henry Pierce and Maude Edith Weygandt. He was the youngest in his family, joining his brother, Glen and sisters, Edna and Thelma (Red). He spent his early years in Aloha and later, in Newport, where he resided until his junior year. The family relocated to White Salmon, Washington, where he graduated from Columbia High School in 1954.

He married the love of his life, Jean Lillian Blake, on June 4, 1955. They pledged their love in a double wedding ceremony with Jeans twin sister, Carol, who married his brother, Glen. Ken and Jean were happily married for 64 years. With God as their guide, they exemplified what a healthy, loving, lifetime commitment should be. Ken loved Jean steadfastly and faithfully all the years of their life together. He was a loving and devoted father and his children never once doubted his love for them. He always said his greatest goals in life were to help ensure the spiritual salvation of his family and to give his wife a happy and comfortable life. He leaves a legacy of loyalty, service, faithfulness, generosity and love of God.

Ken was an avid sportsman throughout his life. He played football in high school as a defensive tackle and offensive guard. Later he played church league softball for several years and he always enjoyed watching baseball, basketball, and football in particular, rooting for both the Ducks and the Beavers. He loved to fish, especially with his sons, and made an art of smoking his catch. He enjoyed the game of golf and played it most of his life. His favorite pastimes included playing cards, board, and dice games with friends and family and as an ardent reader; he always relished a good book. He was very sociable, had a witty sense of humor, and enjoyed engaging in conversation and good-natured debate. In addition, he and Jean loved to travel and were blessed to be able to tour the Holy Land of Israel together. They realized a lifetime dream on their 50th anniversary with a trip to Europe.

Ken worked a variety of jobs in his lifetime. As a young man he worked as a soda jerk," door-to-door salesman, lube mechanic, and in construction, helping to build the Dales Dam. Eventually he settled into the grocery business working for Safeway Stores Inc. for 23 years, finishing that career as the Albany store Produce Manager.

At the age of 46 God called him into full time ministry. He became a licensed, ordained minister in the Assemblies of God. He served as an Associate Pastor at New Life Center, Albany, Oregon, for 10 years. He was blessed to be a part of the team that helped to bring to fruition the dream of starting Teen Challenge of Oregon with the mission of assisting those seeking help to overcome life controlling addictions. Ken and Jean spent a year itinerating all over the state for Teen Challenge of Oregon. Their son, Viktor, joined the team becoming the Mens Director of the Teen Challenge center in Lebanon until his death in 1984.

Eventually, Ken went back to his roots at New Life Center and served as the Senior Ministries Pastor there. He then became the Pastor at the Alsea Assembly of God for several years and then served for five years as the Pastor of the Brownsville, Oregon, Assembly of God church. After his retirement, he was called on to Pastor the historic Brownsville Presbyterian Church until it eventually closed. Following that, Ken and Jean hosted a small church gathering in their home. In addition, Ken served as a mentor, discipleship leader and counselor to many in his retirement years. He especially enjoyed working with the men at Teen Challenge.

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He and Jean served side by side, tirelessly pursuing their love of Jesus Christ in whatever capacity they could, their lives always demonstrating the love of the Lord. Their home was always open to anyone who needed a place to stay and everyone was always welcome at their table. They were never rich, but what they had, they gave away with unmatched generosity. Kens greatest desire was to see people come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Savior and worked toward that goal until his death.

He is survived by his wife, Jean Weygandt of Brownsville; son, Larry (Charlene) Weygandt of Albany; daughter, Deanne Gray (Robert) of Salem; son, Steve (Dateria) Weygandt of Albany; and son, Ken (Christina) Weygandt of Lebanon. Also, his grandchildren: Melissa Stauble, Kelli (Jeff) Millikan, Anthony (Andrea) Gray, Becky (Eric) Nicolarsen, Jade (Andrew) Buckle, Jacob DeLoe, Colton Weygandt and Athena Miller. He was fortunate to see the birth of his great-grandchildren, Adrian and Kaitlyn Gray, Piper Fishell, Evelyn, Isaac and Elijah Gray, Jensina Buckle, and Alana Nicolarsen. He was preceded in death by son, Viktor Weygandt, grandson, Jesse Gray and great granddaughter, Aspen Buckle.

The family wishes to express their deep appreciation to the staff at Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House in Albany for their compassion and kindness during the last days of Kens life.

All are welcome to a memorial service, celebrating the life of this remarkable man at Teen Challenge of Oregon, 31700 Fayetteville Drive, Shedd, Oregon, at 2 p.m. Saturday, December 14. The family requests any contributions in Kens name be to Teen Challenge or The Gideons International.

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Reverend Kenneth W. Weygandt - Lebanon Express

The Akdamar Church of the Holy Cross Photo Exhibition, organized by the Turkish Presidency Communications Office, met art lovers Monday at the Noho Showrooms in London at 7 p.m. for its next stop following shows in Istanbul Hagia Irene Church and New York.

As an important part and witness of the Anatolian lands that hosted the Phrygian, Hittite, Lydian, Urartu, Armenian, Assyrian, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman civilizations, the eastern Van province is a bridge to ancient ages with its historical and archaeological riches. The Church of the Holy Cross on Akhtamar (Akdamar) Island in Lake Van is among the most brilliant and unique works of medieval Christian art. The church, which was built between 915 and 921, is one of the most important centers of Armenian history and continues to exist today thanks to detailed renovation and restoration works carried out by the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

Research and promotional activities have been carried out to increase awareness regarding the Akdamar Church and to make it known worldwide. In addition to a book containing all the detailed information about the church, architectural drawings and photographs, the most detailed digital work on the church has been compiled on the website of the church at www. akdamarchurch.gov.tr. On the website, available in Turkish, English and German, high-resolution VR videos were shot and 360-degree photographs taken from 14 various points were published for the first time utilizing the most recent technology.

The interior and exterior facades, reliefs and frescoes of the construction were, again for the first time, photographed from eye level and presented online on the website. Also, the magnificent natural view of Akdamar is presented to the website's visitors through zzet Kehribar's camera. The introductory film on the Akdamar Church of the Holy Cross, which was another phase of the introductory project, accurately reflects the magnificent grandeur and unique atmosphere of the church.

The glorious monument of Anatolia has now come to light with the photo exhibit in London. Among the participants of the show are Nikitas Eminence, the archbishop of Great Britain, Orthodox Armenians spiritual leader Degabah Sahak Bishop Masalyan, Turkish Armenian Foundations Union President Bedros irinolu, Polycarpus Augin Aydn, Syriac Ancient Beyolu Church Board Chairman Kenan Grdal, Lolita Asili zzet Kehribar and Terry Katalan.

Continued here:
Akdamar Church introduced to London in exhibition - Daily Sabah

The St. Paul Public Housing Agency spent two decades adding sprinklers to every unit on every floor in each of its 16 high-rise apartment buildings.

Thats why St. Pauls retired fire marshal, Steve Zaccard, believes public housing residents in that city would have been saved from the kind of fire that killed five people in Minneapolis last week.

If the sprinklers are maintained, a deadly blaze like the one in Minneapolis is not possible, Zaccard said in an interview this week.

The Cedar High Apartments, where last weeks deadly blaze occurred, is one of 42 high-rises operated by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. That 25-story building at 630 S. Cedar Av., has partial sprinkler coverage on the main floor and lower mechanical equipment rooms but lacks sprinklers on the upper levels where people lived.

Zaccard sees what happened in Minneapolis as a teaching moment.

Im hoping these folks have not died in vain, that we can finally get some remaining high-rises sprinkled, he said.

Government codes did not widely require sprinklers in high-rise buildings until the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Cedar High building was one of many public housing buildings constructed before that.

Over the years, Minnesota lawmakers have considered requiring the owners of older high-rise buildings to retrofit them with sprinklers, but none of those proposals were adopted. After one of those efforts failed at the state level, Zaccard and the St. Paul Public Housing Agency decided they could wait no longer.

The residents expect a lot from us, said Jon Gutzmann, executive director of St. Pauls agency. They expect safe, affordable, quality housing for sure.

The agency began work on its first major high-rise sprinkler installation in 1990, when it began a larger remodeling effort at the Neill Hi-Rise in the citys Cathedral Hill district.

Over more than 20 years, it spent $8.3 million on the sprinkler project, with the final installation at the Ravoux Hi-Rise in 2012. Gutzmann said the authority used money from the roughly $7 million to $8 million in annual capital funding it received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Zaccard commended the agency for sticking with the project, noting that over that period of time, that two decades, funding was very lean at times, and they had to delay it.

He continued: It took them a while, but they were persistent and accomplished it.

Zaccard, who retired in 2017 after more than 30 years with the fire department, said sprinklers are 96% effective at controlling fires.

While the exact number of fires prevented can be hard to determine, the St. Paul Department of Safety and Inspections said it hears of about one fire each year in a public housing high-rise thats extinguished by the sprinkler system, according to spokeswoman Suzanne Donovan.

The Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) has sprinklers inside the apartments in 16 of its 42 high-rise buildings, which are about 50 years old on average, according to spokesman Jeff Horwich. In the days since the fire, residents and politicians have called on the authority to add in-unit sprinklers to more of its buildings. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said earlier this week that he would support efforts to require sprinklers in the authoritys high-rise buildings but the additional piece is that we need the necessary funding.

Horwich said in a statement that sprinkler systems are a priority for comprehensive building modernizations we undertake, and are included in the modernizations that are currently underway. He said he could not comment further.

The Housing Authority wrote in a draft of its 2020 annual report that it currently has $152 million in unmet capital needs, including $69 million for mechanical systems, which includes plumbing and fire systems. A separate progress report submitted to the authoritys board showed that as of late August, another building had a sprinkler system update in progress. That building is in the same complex as the high-rise that caught fire.

The authoritys report also noted that federal capital funds meet only about 10% of its needs. In 2020, we project no dramatic reversal in this decadeslong trend, the report added.

The authority concluded: While we continue to press the federal government for increased capital funding, MPHA and the families we serve cannot afford to simply wait.

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Over 22 years, St. Paul housing agency added sprinklers to every high-rise - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Since it launched last year, NASAs Parker Solar Probe has made three dives toward the sun as it reached the fastest speed ever clocked by a human-built vehicle. Scientists released the missions first batch of findings on Wednesday, revealing that the dynamics of our star are even weirder than once imagined.

Four papers published in the journal Nature describe what the spacecraft observed during its first two flybys, as it passed within about 15 million miles of the surface of the sun. That is about half the distance that the planet Mercury orbits the sun.

All of this brand-new information about how the way our star works is going to help us understand how the sun drives change in the space environment throughout our solar system, said Nicola Fox, director of the heliophysics division at NASA, during a telephone news conference on Wednesday.

The information could help scientists develop ways to provide advance warning of solar storms that could knock out satellites and electrical grids or endanger the health of astronauts in orbit.

The sun is essentially a big ball of hydrogen and helium, and for something that we see every day, it remains a complex ball of mystery.

One puzzle that scientists have been pondering for decades: Why is the solar atmosphere superhot?

The surface of the sun what we see as a yellow disk in the sky is about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That is toasty, but cool compared with what lies above, in the thin atmosphere known as the corona.

There, the temperatures jump by a factor of 300 or more, to millions of degrees. The corona also accelerates the solar wind the million-miles-per-hour stream of particles that fly outward from the sun.

Justin C. Kasper, a professor of space sciences and engineering at the University of Michigan and the principal investigator of one of the solar probes four instruments, said scientists said they had a hunch that the vibrating of the suns magnetic fields like the plucking of a guitar string was critical to heating the corona. So they were curious about what the vibrations would look like closer to the sun.

As expected, the vibrations did get stronger. But the instrument also picked up additional, powerful waves. Kind of like rogue waves in the ocean, Dr. Kasper said.

As one of the big waves swept the spacecraft, the speed of the solar wind would, within seconds, rise by 300,000 miles per hour. Each wave would last seconds to minutes. Just as quickly, in seconds, it goes past us, and were back in the normal solar wind, Dr. Kasper said.

The waves were so strong that they could flip the direction of the magnetic field, producing S-shape twists that the scientists called switchbacks, like the twisty paths carved in the side of a steep mountain.

These are very large and energetic events, Dr. Kasper said. Were really excited about this, because we think it tells us a possible path to understanding how energy is getting from the sun into the atmosphere and heating it.

With the closer view of the sun, scientists also now have a better idea of where the solar wind originates.

Most of the solar wind measurements to date have been in the neighborhood of Earth, more than 90 million miles from the sun.

Stuart Bale, a physicist at the University of California, Berkeley, who leads an instrument that measures the electric and magnetic fields in the solar wind, said trying to study solar winds from Earth is like observing the waterfall halfway down.

The water is always flowing past us, he said. It is very turbulent, chaotic, unstructured. And we want to know what is the source of the waterfall, whats at the top. Is there an iceberg melting up there? Is there a sprinkler system? A lake?

By the time the solar wind reaches Earth, clues about its origin have been jumbled and become difficult to discern.

We want to know the source of the water, whats at the top, Dr. Bale said.

He said that data from the Parker Solar Probe now shows that the so-called slow solar wind, moving at relatively slow speeds of less than a million miles per hour, emerges from what are known as coronal holes locations associated with sunspots and where hydrogen and helium are colder and less dense near the suns Equator. (Faster solar winds traveling more than a million miles per hour were known to originate from coronal holes near the poles.)

The spacecraft has also been putting together a picture of the cloud of dust surrounding the sun and the corona bits shed from comets and asteroids that have passed. The dust was thinner closer to the sun, matching the expectations for a long-theorized dust-free zone around the star.

As the Parker Solar Probe gets closer repeated flybys of Venus in the coming years will eventually nudge it to a trajectory that will take it within four million miles of the sun it is likely to confirm that observation and reveal new mysteries.

Its a bit early to say whether these discoveries actually overturn existing models, Daniel Verscharen, a space scientist at University College London who wrote a commentary accompanying the Nature papers, said in an email. They definitely show that there is a lot more happening close to the sun and that its absolutely worth going there to explore further.

A European Space Agency mission, Solar Orbiter, is set to launch in February. While it will not get as close to the sun as the Parker Solar Probe, it will carry instruments that will provide different views and provide more clues on solving the mystery of the solar wind.

Eugene N. Parker, a retired University of Chicago astrophysicist whom the spacecraft is named after, predicted the existence of the solar wind in 1958. It was humbling to see the probes launch and watch it disappear into the night sky, Dr. Parker, now 92, said in a statement provided by the university. But now that data is finally coming in and being analyzed, things are getting really exciting.

Link:
NASAs Parker Solar Probe Is Unlocking the Suns Mysteries - The New York Times

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Global Wi-Fi Smart Sprinkler Control System Market 2019 by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2025 - Breaking News Updates

College Avenue reopened to traffic earlier this week as the first of three phases of construction came to a close. The 100-300 block of College Avenue had been closed to cars with its asphalt torn up since the College Avenue Sewer Replacement Project began on August 7, with construction crews installing new water and sewage lines.

The road has been repaved for the winter and spring to allow vehicles to drive as usual. In the next construction phase, most likely beginning in May, New York State Electric and Gas Corporation crews will dig up College Avenue once again and install a gas line, as well as an electric line underground to replace the current above-ground electric lines.

Since the road reopened, TCAT routes 11N, 30, 51 and 70 have resumed normal paths along College Avenue, according to a TCAT press release. The return of the bus route to this section of the road has helped business at the Green Star grocery, as people waiting for the bus frequently stop into the store for a snack, according to Green Star employee Jimmy Pomm.

But another local employee saw the effects of construction differently. Elber Calderon at Enzo Pizzeria told The Sun that business has remained steady throughout the construction.

Thomas Knipe, Ithacas Deputy Director for Economic Development, said that city officials are aware of the potential negative impacts that the construction might have on businesses. To address these issues, the city posted signs near the construction site indicating that the businesses remained open as usual, Knipe said.

Some employees at nearby businesses have had trouble parking since the project reduced parking spaces in the area, according to Calderon. Graham Kerslick (D-4th), Alderperson for the 4th Ward, said that limited parking was an issue that city officials are trying to mitigate.

Another concern that residents and local employees voiced about the construction was the dust in the air, which contractors have tried to quell, Kerslick said.

The sewer and water lines have not been replaced since 1895, according to Erik Whitney, assistant superintendent of the Department of Public Works, Water & Sewer.

We got our moneys worth out of this infrastructure, Whitney said. Its roughly a 100-year life cycle with the water and sewer, so this is a once in a lifetime project for everyone involved.

Aging aside, Whitney said that the water and sewage system needs an urgent update to provide adequate fire protection to the increasing population of Collegetown. According to Alderperson Stephen Smith (D-4th Ward), housing developments over the last five years have increased the living capacity of the area by approximately 1000 people, including the area of the College Avenue construction.

If a sprinkler system is activated, we need to know that the flow rate is enough to provide fire suppression, Whitney said. This was completely different with two or three story buildings. The new water pipes are larger than those installed in 1895 to supply sufficient water to these buildings in case of a fire.

The water and sewage pipes are being installed first because they are buried deeper than electrical and gas lines at around 5 and 8 feet deep respectively to avoid freezing in the winter. Electrical and gas lines, buried around two feet deep, will be installed next construction season.

Whitney said that the work has gone smoothly, finishing this stage of the project under the 800 thousand budget. Smith, though, was less optimistic.

I wouldve liked to see power lines buried at the same time as the water and sewage work, Smith said. But NYSEG is notoriously difficult to coordinate with, and notoriously bad at maintaining a construction schedule. Its obviously unfortunate to have two consecutive years of construction, but were having growing pains.

He added that the need for an improved sewage system is so serious that it could not wait for the NYSEG work happening next construction season. Theres always inconvenience, primarily for college students, Whitney said. Having one of the four years disrupted is a high percentage of their time here.

Unlike the water and sewage work, the electrical work is less urgent, according to Smith. The motivation for moving the electrical lines underground is to avoid outages or fallen power lines during a storm, as well as to improve the appearance of Collegetown.

This lattice work of power lines, its something you generally dont really notice, but it gives this exposed underdeveloped, temporary feel to things, Smith said. Its just not as neat and orderly or well designed as wed like a street with College Avenues prominence to be.

According to Smith, much of the reason that this work is happening now is that development in Collegetown has been discouraged since the 1970s. In 2012, city officials changed course, changing parking, zoning and height regulations to enable the larger developments which make replacement of the 134-year-old water and sewer lines even more urgent.

Smith said that permanent residents in Collegetown, tired of the student-dominated scene, implemented a regulation that every new building must have available one parking space for every two residents. This requirement meant that high-capacity buildings were effectively prohibited.

You can never build enough parking for a 50-unit apartment building, Smith said. But this strategy has unintended negative consequences, according to Smith. Many homeowners or developers paved over lawns to provide parking spaces, and renters spread out to surrounding single-family neighborhoods.

The 2012 decision also allowed developers to build taller buildings, and got rid of the requirement that structures cannot be built within five feet of the property line, therefore allowing owners with side-by-side properties to build adjoined buildings.

You see this in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and New York City, Smith said. It has this charming urban vibe.

The final stage of construction, scheduled to be completed in two years, involves redesigning the surface of the street.

This is a good opportunity to rethink what we want Collegetown to look like are the sidewalks wide enough, does it make sense to provide so much longterm on street parking should we install bike lanes, Smith said. People have even suggested blocking it off to all traffic besides bikes and busses.

Smith said the redesign is constrained by the age of the street. It was built for two carriages to pass each other, not two buses, he said.

But Smith, ultimately, saw a glass half-full. This is all in the purpose of creating a better neighborhood where people can feel comfortable and people can enjoy living, Smith said. Thats the light at the end of the tunnel.

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First Phase of College Avenue Construction Closes for the Season, on Schedule - Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun

Video still from sprinklers going off at the old Target store in Campbell River. (Kory Wallace, Facebook)

Faulty sprinklers at the old Target store this morning wont put a damper on food donations this Christmas.

So says Knights of Columbus spokesperson, Kevin Gearey.

For 46 years, The Knights Of Columbus have been helping struggling individuals and families through their Community Christmas Hamper Fund.

Gearey said that just a small percentage of their food donations are stored there.

Right now, there is just the food that we got off the Fill The Bus (campaign), Gearey said. So theres not a whole lot. There might be five percent of the food that we are eventually going to use. And we are not in the Target area where the shopping occurred. Were in the area of Target where they used to have all of their storage their backroom sort of thing where its cement floors, cement and so on.

Gearey said most of the food is ordered during the first week of November and is delivered about two weeks before delivery day.

Thats when the 18 wheelers will come in and drop off the canned goods and dry goods and so on, and all of our perishable stuff goes to a cooler north of town, theres a company there that takes care of all of that for us the turkeys, hams, cheese, carrots, and the margarine they store that for us until the day we need it, he said.

Campbell River fire chief Thomas Doherty said the building is equipped with a dry sprinkler system for areas outside under the awnings.

These dry systems are normally charged with air (which holds the water valve closed) to eliminate the risk of the sprinkler line freezing outside.

Doherty said that when a sprinkler head activates on a dry system, or when the air compressor fails, the air escapes the system and the water valve opens which flows water to the dry system.

In some circumstances, the dry systems will charge when the compressor fails, but no sprinkler heads flow until the head itself activates due to heat, or damage, Doherty said.

Today, a sprinkler head on the dry system activated (failed for some reason) outside the building, there was no fire, Doherty added.

We were able to isolate the sprinkler system by shutting down the isolation valve to the dry system. There was no water damage to the building.

Continued here:
Knights of Columbus food hampers unaffected by fire sprinklers going off - My Comox Valley Now

Here are five important fire safety tips, courtesy of the Red Cross. St. Cloud Times/USA TODAY NETWORK, Wochit

Clive Fire Lt. Gerrit Foreman has worked25years fighting fires.

So whenhe saw the MadisonCounty home he partially built being devoured by flames over the weekend, his heart broke, he said. One of the family's dogs and two cats died, but Foreman's familymade it out alive. Only the fireplace was left standing.

Foreman said he felthelpless.

"That was the most humbling part, was looking at my kid's face and knowing that's something that I can't fix," Foreman said.

"I've grown up my whole life being able to fix everything and do everything, but this is something that no matter how much effort I put forward, I can't fix it."

All that was left standing of Clive Fire Lt. Gerrit Foreman was their fireplace.(Photo: Special to the Register)

Foreman splits his work time between Clive and Windsor Heights as a full-time firefighter and paramedic48 hours on, 24 hours off. He was working in Windsor Heights at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday when he got thetearful call from his wife, Connie, saying their house in St. Charles was on fire.

"First question I asked was, 'Was everybody out?'" Foreman said.

Foreman left the station and made thehalf-hour trip home as he spoke with his family.

When the fire started, Connie was in the house with their son, Evan, 15, and daughter, Hannah, 17. Their eldest, Emma, 19, was staying with a friend butdrove back to be with her family.

Clive Fire Lt. Gerrit Foreman returned to his home after a frantic call from his wife around 3:30 a.m. He arrived to see his St. Charles home in flames.(Photo: Special to the Register)

Hannahbegged over the phone for Foreman to do something as she watched the flames travel to her room.

"I've spent a majority of my time protecting other people, and I couldn't protect my family," Foreman said.

A neighbor housed his wife and kids as Foreman arrived. He asked a friend to be with him when he arrived.

Later, when Foreman brought the family'sdogs into a pole barn, he realized one of the sixwas missing.

Major, a German Shepherd who was Connie's "adamant companion," had followed her back into the house during the fire.He didn't make it back out.

The family had lived in the home for about five years. Foreman had remodeled the home and added a second staircase, a master bath and two bedrooms.

Foreman made sure his home had working fire alarms and two sets of stairs. He said his wifetold him she would have been dead if it weren'tfor the fire alarms he installed. Still, he said hewished he wouldhave installeda residential sprinkler system.

A fire destroyed the home of Clive Fire Lt. Gerrit Foreman. After his fire family started a GoFundMe, people have blown past the $3,000 goal and raised over $20,000.(Photo: Special to the Register)

Foreman began as a volunteer firefighter in 1994 in Truro, a town just south of St. Charles. In 2009, he applied to be a part-time firefighter in Clive.

At the interview, he was asked why he chose to apply inClive. He said hedidn't know he could get paid as a part-time firefighter until a friend told him about the opportunity.

He became a full-time firefighter a few years later.

"It kind of tugs at your soul," Foreman said."It's something that people really have a passion for and love doing. I love going and helping people. I love being the one that people turn to when they have no one else to ask for help.

"It's not a fire department anymore, it's an everything department."

Now, Foreman said itfeels strange being the one that needs help. The people in his community, without ever being asked, have stepped up. And his colleagues at the fire departmentin Clivestarted a fundraiser.

"I'm not used to being on the receiving end of this stuff," Foreman said."It's wonderful ... It just amazes me what people will do for you."

Clive Fire Chief Rick Roe said they expected to raise a few thousand dollars. The GoFundMe's $3,000 goal has been greatly surpassed with more than $23,000 raised for the Foremans.

"Gerrit's the kindof person that if anyone was down on their luck he'd be ... the first person to help somebody else," Roe said. "He's finding himself in the unique position where he's the person that could use a helping hand this time."

Foreman is taking some time off to decide on next steps. He said his wife joked that he won't last the week without working.

Here are some year-round fire prevention tips courtesy of the Delaware State Fire Marshal's Office. 8/13/19 Damian Giletto, The News Journal

Foreman said he thinks they will rebuild on the 20-acre land where thehouse stood. He said he can't imagine living anywhere else.

"I wouldn't change a thing about where I live. I love this community, the people that are in it," Foreman said."I hourly get texts and calls, 'What can we bring you? What can we do for you?' I know you see that in other places, but I think in a small-town community, something happens, and they really rally around you."

For now, Foreman said his kids seem to be responding as he does as a firefighter, ignoring the chaos and moving forward. They are running errands for their parents and offering other help where they can.

He said his children are actually stronger than he.

"They kind of went, 'Yep, it's time to take over,'" Foreman said.

Foreman said he and his wife are still wrapping their heads around the loss of a home. He comparedhis houseto a hunter's trophy.

Foreman said for hisfamily of hunters, their stuffed turkeys don't just serve as trophiesbut as mementos for what they experienced and accomplished together. After building onto his home with his children, wife and friends, he felt their home served the same purpose.

When they buildagain, Foreman said their new home will be a reminder of how fast things can change.

"Been doing this (firefighting) 25 years, and I don't think I ever once thought that that could be me," Foreman said.

Danielle Gehr is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. She can be reached by email at dgehr@dmreg.com, by phone at 515-284-8367 or on Twitter at @Dani_Gehr.

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'That's something that I can't fix': Clive firefighter is heartbroken after fire destroys his family's home - Des Moines Register