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TUNICA, Miss. (localmemphis.com) The Tunica Humane Society is helping cats and dogs beyond the shelter for this years Giving Tuesday. Its campaign, Freedom Fences and Full Tummies, is aiming to provide food for pets whose owners cant always provide food and fencing so dogs dont need to be chained up.

Sandy Williams works around the clock to take of nearly 150 dogs and 40 cats and rescue those in need on the streets. Their community is one of the poorest in the Mid-South and receives no funding from Tunica county or the state. The no kill shelter is the only animal shelter in the county and is run strictly by donations.

From the very beginning of our humane society, its always been our desire to help as many animals as we can in our community, Williams said. In reality, theres no way we can take all those animals to our shelter.

The money raised with this years campaign will go toward buying dog and cat food for their pantry and buying fences and shelter so animals are protected in the coming winter months. She said its important to keep animals dry, out of the wind, and with fresh water to drink at all times.

We want to set up a special fund, so we can get dogs off of chains, possibly install fences or dog pens to get the dogs off of chains, weve also had a food pantry here, Williams said.

The food pantry is for families in need in their community who cannot always afford to feed their pets. She said its her passion to help as many animals in her community no matter the effort it takes.

Somebody has to do this. Somebody has to be their voice, Williams said. There are so many animals suffering out there with no one to take care of them, and its our passion to provide them a good life.

Click here for additional information about the Tunica Humane Society.

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Tunica Humane Society launches Freedom Fences and Full Tummies campaign to help take care of cats and dogs in their community - WATN - Local 24

Over the summer, after some 15 years, the Trump administration announced the federal government would reinstate capital punishment. A federal judge in Washington, DC, however, last week halted that plan, blocking four scheduled executions. The Justice Department filed a request to stay the decision, and says it plans to appeal.

Yet de facto capital punishment continues to exist for one specific violation, at least for the inmates at an undisclosed number of federal prisons: Attempted escape.

Earlier this month, the federal government issued a solicitation for bids from contractors to refurbish a so-called lethal/non-lethal fence around a federal correctional facility in Tucson, Arizona. Three bids have so far been submitted, ranging from $3.3 million to about $3.8 million. One of the companies, KWR Construction, has been involved in constructing prototypes for US president Donald Trumps long-promised, and highly controversial, border wall.

A lethal/non-lethal fence is an electrified fence running around the perimeter of a prison. Upon first contact, these fences deliver a non-lethal electric shock, but a second one triggers a lethal high-voltage discharge, typically several times more powerful than a standard electric chair. This is meant to kill the potential escapee on the spot.

Lethal force is authorized to prevent inmate escapes, said Justin Long, a spokesperson for the US Bureau of Prisons, the agency that oversees the federal correctional system. Long declined to provide Quartz with the precise number of federal facilities now equipped with lethal electric fences, but said its more than seven.

A majority of US states, meanwhile, still have the death penalty, though few actually carry out executions. And like their federal counterparts, a number of state prisons are surround by non-lethal/lethal electric fencing. In California, where governor Gavin Newsom in March declared a moratorium on executions, about two dozen state prisons are equipped with the deadly fences. Electric prison fences in California deliver 5,000 volts of electricity to inmates trying to escape. In Missouri, the fences mete out 5,100-volt shocks.

As a comparison, most electric chairs employ a shock of between 1,700 and 2,400 volts for 30 to 60 seconds to produce a lethal current, wrote Milo Miller, a former researcher at Southwest Missouri State University, in a paper published in 2001 in the California Western Law Review.

Many states allow for the use of deadly force to thwart an escape attempt, but limit its use to situations where the officer reasonably believes it necessary to prevent or terminate the escape.

The use of firearms or other means of deadly force in a particular situation, by its nature, calls for the application of human judgment or discretion. Fences, unlike humans, cannot think, assess circumstances, or exercise judgment, Miller wrote.

Lethal fencing began in the early 1990s as a way to save money. Some state prisons, including in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Nevada, and Missouri, have now used them for more than two decades. In California, the first lethal fence was installed in 1993. It was part of a program to install 19 electrified fences in order to save $42 million a year ($79 million today).

The Bureau of Prisons began plans to install lethal fencing in federal prisons in 2006 for the same reason. The fences meant less need for tower guards, who earn up to $70,000 per year at some prisons, with overtime, and generous pensions after they retire. Fences dont.

The use of such fences is of concern to human rights advocates.

Under international law, guards standing on towersor any automated systemmust weigh whether or not the use of lethal force is strictly necessary, said Alison Leal Parker, director of US Programs at Human Rights Watch. In this, she told Quartz, the use of lethal force under state and federal law in the US contradicts international human rights law.

There are times when technology can be rights-respecting and even rights-protecting in a way that human decision-making may be flawed, she added. But there are also many, many instancesand I would argue this is onewhere the need to assess whether killing someone is strictly necessary cannot be done by an automated fence.

That is, fences lack the key element of human judgement that would make the use of deadly force legal.

The Eighth Amendment is what we would look at to see if [the fences] are legal, said Nila Bala, an associate director for criminal justice and civil liberties at R Street, a nonpartisan public policy research nonprofit. The amendment forbids the use of cruel and unusual punishment, and the indiscriminate use of lethal force by an automated device would likely not pass this standard.

This issue has never really reached the Supreme Court, Bala told Quartz, though the court has ruled on the use of deadly force in correctional facilities. The law is fairly deferential about what happens in correctional facilities, she said, allowing for good faith judgement made by law enforcement officials, even when it results in the death of the inmate.

But an automated device is different, and its use should raise questions even from a policy point of view, as their function can deviate from the goal of deterring escapees. Inmates could use the fence against each other, Bala said, or use them to commit suicide. Further, she added, there are plenty of examplesboth in the United States, and from other countriesshowing there is no added advantage, in terms of safety, in using indiscriminate lethal force when lesser force would be effective.

Whether or not lethal/non-lethal fences adhere to the letter of the law is almost beside the point, said Nick Schwellenbach, director of investigations at the nonprofit Program on Government Oversight.

This seems like a dramatic escalation of consequences without requiring human intervention, Schwellenbach told Quartz. While electric fences are a more pedestrian technology, this makes me think of the intense debate over drones that could kill without human oversight.

It turns out that inmates arent the only ones under threat from these lethal fences. Its other species that suffer the most.

Mostly they kill birds and small animals, Martin Horn, former commissioner of the NYC Department of Correction, told Quartz.

Indeed, the first five years after California installed lethal electric fencing in 1993 at 25 of its 33 state prisons, some 3,000 migrating birds were electrocuted, according to United States Fish and Wildlife Service data cited by the New York Times. They included 144 burrowing owls, 111 loggerhead shrikes, and 10 red-tailed hawks.

To Steven Van De Steene, a Belgian expert on the use of technology in correctional settings, a dynamic correctional model works best. That means focusing on creating a culture of rehabilitation, fostering trust between staff and inmates, and utilizing non-security-related tools and technologies to create a safer environment, he told Quartz.

If you treat people like animals, he said, they will behave like animals.

See the rest here:
US prison fences designed to kill inmates may be illegal - Quartz

Olympic fencing gold medalist Miles Chamley-Watson is G.H. Mumm's most recent celebrity endorser

G.H. Mumm & Cie., the venerable Champagne producer, has announced a new partnership with American world-class fencer, world champion and Olympic medalist Miles Chamley-Watson. The company, which is headquartered in Reims, in the heart of the Champagne district, is the fourth best-selling Champagne brand in the world, with annual sales of approximately eight million bottles. Its owned by French wine and spirits conglomerate Pernod-Ricard.

Mumm has a long history with celebrity endorsers. From 2000 to 2015, it was an official sponsor of Formula 1 racing. Its distinctive red stripe was showcased on the podium and its Champagne was used to celebrate the winner after each race. They are now the official sponsor of Formula E, a motorsport championship series that only uses electric cars.

Champagne and the art of fencing

The company has also been closely associated with international horse racing. It is the official champagne of the Kentucky Derby, Australias Melbourne Cup and South Africas The Sun Met. Since 2016, the brand has also been closely associated with eight-time Olympic gold medalist sprinter Usain Bolt. He has been featured in a multi-media promotional campaign as the companys CEO or Chief Entertainment Officer.

Its latest celebrity spokesperson, Chamley-Watson joins the G.H. Mumm family, sharing a mission to challenge convention and perceptions of what is considered 'the norm' in traditional fields.

Tina Reejsinghani, G.H. Mumm U.S. Director, noted that Mumm is

Proud to partner with Miles Chamley-Watson, who is a groundbreaking force in fencing and fashion. Miles exudes the values of our brand, driving progress in his field with style. He will be a key ambassador and partner of the brand. His bold and daring attitude is a natural fit to the G.H. Mumm style and heritage.

Chamley-Watson is not a typical fencer. Hes brought a dynamic, unconventional style to the sport. His trademark move The Chamley-Watson whipping his foil around the back of his head to score a point on the opponent, is making waves within the sport. Already in his career, he has modernized fencing and redefined people's expectations around the sport.

According to Chamley-Watson:

I live my life by the motto create a legacy not a moment, which is exactly what G.H. Mumm is doing in the Champagne space. Nothing great ever comes from abiding to the status quo, and Im excited to continue my legacy through this partnership with G.H. Mumm.

Champagne houses are typically conservative and tradition bound, but Chamley-Watson believes that G.H. Mumm is anything but traditional.

They're all about changing the game and doing things differently in their field, which I love.

Champagne and its marketing are usually associated with luxury brands. Fencing isnt usually thought of as a luxury item the way car racing or equestrian events are associated with luxury lifestyles, but Chamley-Watson believes that associating fencing with an upscale luxury item like champagne will help fencing expand its audience.

I think my fans and fans of the sport of fencing will definitely be excited by the association. I genuinely believe in the importance of breaking with tradition and making your own statement so I think G.H. Mumm will translate to the audience who enjoy the sport especially because of the versatility of the champagne you can drink it however you want. Who wouldn't be into that?

A bottle of G.H. Mumm Champagne

As the Olympian has paved the way and changed the face of fencing, so too, in parallel, has G.H. Mumm reinvented what it means to be an international Champagne house with a rich heritage, by modernizing the category to the new age. The brand prides itself on their legendary liquid and iconic heritage among Champagnes, yet insists on pushing boundaries and driving innovation. From the groundbreaking redesign of the Grand Cordon bottle, with a label-less bottle and sleek iconic Cordon Rouge indent, to its modernization of Champagne glassware and consumption, G.H. Mumm is consistently driving progress in its category.

Today, G.H. Mumm and Miles invite consumers to challenge convention and feel empowered to break with tradition, starting with the introduction of G.H. Mumm's newest disruptive innovation The Cloupe. The Cloupe is an innovative hybrid between a flute and coupe glass, drawing from the Maison's rich, disruptive history. Emblazoned with the iconic, indented red sash, this innovative glassware aims to modernize and enhance the Champagne drinking experience with the legendary liquid of G.H. Mumm.

To find out more about the partnership between G.H. Mumm and Miles Chamley-Watson, follow @ghmumm_us on Instagram.

Cheers

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Getting To The Point: Champagne And The Art Of Fencing - Forbes

The Athletics Division of Williamson County Parks and Recreation (WCPR) will begin registering for Winter Youth Fencing and Junior Tennis Clinics in early December.

WINTER YOUTH FENCING CLINICRegistration will open on December 2 for Williamson County Parks and Recreations Winter Fencing Clinic for coed youth ages 7 to 17. The clinic dates are January 7 through March 5 and will meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the Indoor Arena at Crockett Park, 1485 Volunteer Pkwy., in Brentwood. The cost is $125 (includes equipment rental for level 1 and 2).

Fencing is a modern-day equivalent of a sword fight and is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country. Clinic participants will learn the rules of the sport, basic footwork and posture, as well as the rules of the sport, scoring, weaponry and safety rules.

Online registration will remain open through January 4 or until the clinics are full. Register at http://www.wcparksandrec.com. Registration code #16460. The fee is $35 per child for the six-week clinic.

For more information contact Chris Podunajec at (615) 377-6530, ext. 6602, or Chris.Podunajec@williamsoncounty-tn.gov.

WINTER JUNIOR TENNIS CLINICSRegistration for WCPRs Winter Indoor Tennis Clinics (Session 2) for juniors will open December 3 at 10:00 a.m. The clinics will begin the week of January 6 and continue through February 15 at the Indoor Sports Complex in Brentwood, 920 Heritage Way. Junior tennis clinics (age 5 and older) in beginner through advanced skill levels are offered Monday(s) through Saturday(s). Prices vary depending on the duration of clinic. Space is limited. A full class schedule, fees and registration information are available at http://www.wcparksandrec.com.

Link:
Parks and Rec Offers Youth Winter Fencing and Tennis Clinics - Williamson Source

After the Verdi project was completed, Reliable FenceCompany went to work on the project to make U.S.Highway 50 over Spooner Summit a four lane highway. I did not work on the Spooner Summit project but the following story was told to me by Johnny Warren after theproject was completed.

On the Spooner Summit project, federal funds were involved and federal aid requirements had to be followed by the State Highway Department during construction. One of the requirements was that the general contractor and all the subcontractors had to submitcertifiedpayrolls every week to show that the contractors were paying the prevailing wage rates specified for each classification. This was a requirement of the Federal Davis-Bacon act.

When Reliable Fence Company started work on theright-of-way fence along the sides of the highway, they soon discovered that the slopes were very steep and the terrain was incredibly rough. Even military jeeps or other 4-wheel drive vehicles could not safely haul rolls of barbed wire, bags of concrete and fence posts to the job site.

Johnny Warren then decided to approach the State Highway Department to issue him a change order to use mules to haul the fence materials up the steep slopes. The bureaucrats in the construction office at the Highway Department at first told Johnny Warren that this could not be done, since there wasnot anequipment rental rate in the contract fora mule. Johnny Warren then replied with a proposal to have the mule ordonkeys put on his payroll so the animals could be paid at the prevailing wage rate forlaborers. This would cover the cost of buying themules and the hay they ate.

After considerablenegotiating, the State finally agreed to the proposal, but they cautioned him that as laborers, the mules ordonkeys must be shown by name and should have a social security number. They later dropped the social securitynumber requirement, but insisted thelaborers should be given a name.

When the change order was finally approved and Reliable Fence Company started work using a mule,the first certified payroll was submitted to theConstruction Office. Along with all the other equipment operators and laborers, there was one laborer listed with the name Jack Ass. Later, other mules and some donkeys were used on the project but Jerry Nelms could notremember their names. This information was confirmed recently by a telephone call to Jerry Nelms, Foremanfor Artistic Fence Co. He also told me that Harker and Harker Electrical Company had used a helicopters to put in the power lines on this same project due to the steep slopes.

This article is by Dayton Author and Historian, Dennis Cassinelli, who can be contacted on his blog atdenniscassinelli.com. All Dennis books sold through this publication will be at a discount plus $3.00 for eachshipmentfor postage and packaging.

Excerpt from:
Building the fence over Spooner Summit - Mesquite Local News

I'll be totally honest, signing up for another streaming service does not excite me right now. And while my family is all about that Disney life, a lot of the movies and shows on its new streaming service I already own on DVD. Unlike Netflix, where seeing a physical release is super rare, Disney has been a part of our lives in every possible format for as long as I've been alive. And until I see more than one original series or movie on the platform that excites me, I wasn't sure this was something I wanted to invest in.

Over the holiday weekend, that changed. And now that Disney Plus (Disney+) is up for a super sweet $5 per month Cyber Monday deal, I am real happy I waited to pick this service up.

I grew up on cheesy Christmas movies. Miracle on 34th Street, Scrooged, Babes in Toyland, and so many others were part of a regular rotation at my Aunt's house. I have a soft spot in my heart for these films, and a lot of the newer Christmas stories don't really scratch that itch for me. Disney+ has an exclusive Christmas Movie, Noelle, with Bill Hader and Anna Kendrick, and I watched it after Thanksgiving with my family. It was perfect, the right blend of comedy and Christmas magic that made me feel like I was back on my Aunt's couch on Christmas Day. It really made me feel good, and was the final straw for me to really take a deeper look at what is happening with this Disney Plus thing.

Right now, thanks to Cyber Monday, Disney+ is $5 per month if you pay for the whole year up front. That's a cup of hot chocolate each month for me, which more than justifies having access to the massive mountain of things this service offers. While I originally shrugged off the service for all of the stuff I had already bought, there are tons of things here from when I was a teenager that I had totally forgotten about. It's a lot of fun to take this trip into my past, especially now that I have my sister to share it with.

If you've been on the fence about Disney+, you should give this a shot. I did, and couldn't be happier.

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If you were on the fence about Disney Plus, this Cyber Monday deal is everything - iMore

Ralph Hottinger has lived in Hidden Cove for more than 50 years, a relocation inspired in part by the Park City areas nature and wildlife.

But as the years went on and traffic increased on nearby Interstate 80, Hottinger said hed see more and more accidents between vehicles and animals. It got so bad that animals started to avoid the area, he said.

After a wildlife overpass and wildlife fencing was installed in the area, Hottinger said the animals are coming back and vehicle strikes are declining.

Hes the president of a group called Save People Save Wildlife that advocated for those measures and has been raising funds to install more wildlife fencing along the corridor.

Last week, installation finished on the latest mile of fencing, which is near the Jeremy Ranch roundabout project. Fencing now extends a half-mile east of Jeremy Ranch on the north side of the interstate and a little farther on the south side, near the Ecker Hill park-and-ride.

The groups vice president, Lorelei Combs, said the plan is to extend the fencing eastward to the U.S. 40/Interstate 80 interchange near Silver Creek.

Wildlife fencing starts where Home Depot is on U.S. 40 and goes to Heber, Combs said. Its about a 9-mile gap were trying to eventually close up.

The groups short-term goal is to extend fencing eastward to Kimball Junction, which would take about 3.5 miles of fencing, Combs said.

She said Summit Park is essentially the gateway coming into Park City, and animals follow the existing fence line looking for a place to cross the interstate.

If that fenceline is not completely closed, they cross, (and) theres an onslaught of vehicle collisions, she said. Its a natural migration path.

S.R. 224 is another common area for animal collisions, Combs said, shown to be one of the worst in the state in an upcoming report commissioned by the Utah Department of Transportation. The group is advocating for a wildlife bridge across S.R. 224 that she estimated would cost around $10 million.

We believe it has to happen, she said. There needs to be something done animals are going to die, it could cause a fatality.

She said an elk herd crosses S.R. 224 to reach its winter grounds, resulting in dicey situations nearly every day in certain periods.

Ever year, its an onslaught of dead elk, she said.

One mile of fencing costs around $85,000, but Combs pointed to a 2008 University of Utah study commissioned by UDOT that estimated each wildlife/vehicle accident that results in a human fatality costs $5.4 million in vehicle damages and personal injury costs.

She said Save People Save Wildlife has a cost-sharing relationship with UDOT for wildlife fencing where the agency will pitch in half the project costs if it has enough left over at the end of the year in its contingency fund. But the state has no dedicated funding for wildlife fencing, Combs said, and UDOT is only able to include the cost in certain projects.

Save People Save Wildlife has been able to raise $42,000 for its half of the project costs for the latest fencing along Interstate 80 and is continuing to raise funds.

The groups representatives have attended Summit County Council meetings a few times in recent weeks to request funding for the project.

While councilors did not commit to an ongoing budget item, wildlife fencing and cattle guards were included in the Jeremy Ranch roundabout project, public works director Derrick Radke told the council in early November. UDOT paid for the cattle guards on the westbound on-ramp while Summit County paid for those on the eastbound on-ramp.

The group is advocating for Park City and Summit County elected officials to take action.

At the rate were going right now, (with UDOT matching funds), it would take us 20 years to close that gap, Combs said. Without the help of Summit County, its going to take a long time.

The county also paid for about a half-mile of fencing near the Ecker Hill park-and-ride.

See the rest here:
Mile of wildlife fencing added along Interstate 80 near Jeremy Ranch - The Park Record

Photos: Eric Grossarth, EastIdahoNews.com

REXBURG Police are on the scene of a major crash that seriously injured at least one person.

It happened around 8 p.m. Tuesday on U.S. Highway 20 between the middle and south Rexburg exits in the westbound lanes. The driver of a vehicle was traveling at highway speeds when he crashed through a vinyl fence, hit three parked cars and smashed into a townhome at The Meadows on Sunflower Road, according to Rexburg Police Capt. Gary Hagen.

RELATED | North, south, east, west which direction does U.S. Highway 20 really run?

Nobody was injured inside the townhome but Hagen says the driver of the vehicle sustained serious injuries. The passenger was not hurt.

Traffic in the area is backed up and drivers are asked to use caution.

EastIdahoNews.com will post updates as we learn more.

Read more from the original source:
Police on scene after driver crashes through fence, hits 3 parked cars and smashes into townhouse - East Idaho News

The committee responsible for organizing protests in the border region between Israel and the Gaza Strip announced on Monday that demonstrations would take place Friday following a significant hiatus.

The High Commission for the March of Return and Breaking the Siege, which includes representatives of Gaza-based terror groups and political factions, canceled the protests in the border area over the last three weeks.

The High Commission for the March of Return and Breaking the Siege calls on the Palestinian masses to participate in large numbers this coming Friday, the body said in a statement.

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It also named this weeks protests The March is Ongoing.

Since late March 2018, Palestinians in Gaza have participated in the protests along the frontier on most Fridays, demanding Israel lift its restrictions on the movement of people and goods into and out of the coastal enclave and calling for the return of Palestinian refugees and their descendants to lands that are now a part of the Jewish state.

The protests have frequently descended into violence, including the hurling of explosives, rocks and firebombs at IDF soldiers, as well as attempts to storm and sabotage the border fence. Israeli troops have often responded with live fire and tear gas. At least 200 Palestinians have been killed at the demonstrations and thousands have been injured.

Israeli officials maintain that the restrictions on movement are in place to prevent Hamas and other terrorist groups from smuggling weapons into the Strip. They also say that the return of Palestinian refugees and their descendants would destroy Israels Jewish character.

Last Wednesday, the High Commission said it decided to cancel that weeks protests in light of the very dangerous security circumstances and the threats of the criminal Netanyahu to carry out stupidity by waging a new and comprehensive act of aggression on the Gaza Strip to protect himself from the corruption charges against him.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing an uncertain political future after Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced charges on November 21 against him in three corruption cases.

Palestinians gather near the border with Israel in Malaka east of Gaza City on March 30, 2019, as Palestinians mark the first anniversary of the March of Return border protests. (Mahmud Hams/AFP)

Mkhaimar Abusada, a professor of political science at Al-Azhar University in Gaza City, said the High Commission decided to cancel the protests over the last three weeks because the Hamas terror group and other Palestinian factions feared they could lead to a fresh escalation of hostilities with Israel.

After the latest escalation last month, Islamic Jihad said Israel agreed to not target demonstrators as a part of a ceasefire. For its part, Israel said that is not true and only agreed to quiet for quiet, he said. So Hamas and the other factions concluded if the protesters go to the border and Israel shoots and kills some of them, a major deterioration could follow.

Israel and the Al-Quds Brigades, Islamic Jihads military wing, engaged in a 48-hour flareup in mid-November after the IDF killed Baha Abu al-Ata, a top commander in the terror group. During the escalation in tensions, the Al-Quds Brigades fired some 450 rockets and mortars at the Jewish state, which responded with many retaliatory strikes in Gaza.

Unlike previous rounds of fighting, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamass armed wing, stayed on the sidelines.

Islamic Jihad chief Ziad al-Nakhala told the Lebanese al-Mayadeen TV station in mid-November that one of the terror groups conditions for a ceasefire was Israeli security forces halting the use of fire against protesters in the border region. Netanyahu, however, asserted a few days later that the Israel did not make any promises in exchange for the ceasefire.

Abusada also said that another reason the protests were canceled was because Hamas did not want break an agreement it maintains with Qatar.

According to understandings with Hamas, Qatar provides approximately $30 million monthly to different programs in Gaza in return for keeping the protests peaceful, he said. This was also one of Hamass concerns.

For more than the past year, Qatar has contributed millions of dollars to various projects in Gaza on a monthly basis.

Abusada added that the High Commission decided this week to hold the protests because many of the factions that belong to it did not want to be seen as giving them up permanently.

Hamas is under pressure from these factions, he said. They are letting them happen this week, but I think Hamas will do its best to keep protesters away from the fence.

In the latter half of November, the pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper reported that the High Commission was holding a discussion about rolling back the marches to once a month or during national occasions, citing a unnamed source in the body.

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Following 3-week hiatus, Gaza groups announce resumption of border marches - The Times of Israel

While most plumbing jobs require a licensed professional, there are ways savvy homeowners can save time and money by safeguarding, upgrading or repairing their own systems.

Theres quite a bit homeowners can do themselves, especially when it comes to maintenance, says Gale Bellows, a journeyman plumber and service manager with South West Plumbing. If you have basic tools and some inexpensive supplies, here are six things you can do to prevent costly plumbing disasters and increase the life of your existing pipes, valves and appliances.

Protect your exterior faucets from freezing and breakage. Install inexpensive padded or foam faucet covers (about $10 each). Properly sealed, these will prevent or delay pipe freezing. While youre at it, drain the garden hoses youve disconnected to protect them as well.

Remove and clean (or replace) sink faucet aerators to improve water flow. The tips of most faucets can easily be unscrewed and the mesh aerator screens rinsed to remove grit. If a screen looks torn or damaged, take the aerator to the hardware store to buy a matching replacement.

Replace a worn toilet seat. This is a cosmetic repair, but many homeowners want to upgrade seats to more attractive or durable models. Soft close seats, which close slowly rather than dropping down with a crash, are popular, Bellows says.

Remove and clean the P trap under your sink. P traps (which are actually U-shaped) are critical parts of your plumbing system. Water is supposed to stay in them, forming an important barrier that prevents gas from your sewer from coming up into your house. Problems occur when a P trap gets clogged with hair or soap and the sink starts to drain slowly. Rather than using harsh chemicals, you can remove and clean the trap in a few minutes. Put a bucket under the sink to catch water and gunk while you work. Then twist off the slip nuts that hold the P trap in place. Once youve cleaned the trap, reattach it and twist the slip nuts. No need to use plumbers tape or worry that it will leak, according to Bellows. When you tighten the nut, it seals automatically, he says.

Check your water pressure. While many of us complain about low water pressure, the real enemy, Bellows says, is pressure higher than 80 psi (pound-force per square inch). Excessive water pressure can damage valves on water heaters, dishwashers, washing machines and other appliances. You risk flooding your house if a stressed hose or valve ruptures. Fortunately checking water pressure is cheap and easy with a psi gauge ($5 to $10 at the hardware store). Attach it to an outside faucet, turn the faucet on all the way, to measure system pressure. (Bellows suggests measuring psi at night, when few people are taking a shower or running washers.) If water pressure exceeds 80 psi, its important to call in a professional plumber address the issue.

Know the location of all the water shut-off valves in your house. That way, if a leak occurs, you can quickly turn off the flow to the sink, toilet, water heater or washer. If you are uncertain about where a leak is coming from, use the main water shut off to control damage.

Do-it-yourself repairs can be quick and inexpensive, but Bellows cautions against tackling more complex plumbing repairs or installations on your own. One problem, he says, is that the system you are repairing, or adding to, may not have been built correctly in the first place. Often, especially in older houses, the plumbing is out of code or lacking in required safety features. A professional plumber can spot these existing problems and avoid adding to them.

When to call in the pros? If you notice dampness on ceilings, walls or floors near pipes, bring in a plumber to analyze the situation. The leak may be minor, but ignoring it can allow mold to grow in walls and flooring, creating a larger problem.

Remodeling a kitchen, laundry, or bath? Youll want to get a plumber involved to make sure your system can support the new fixtures it may need updates. Bellows advises scheduling plumbing work early in your project, right after rough carpentry and before any electrical, flooring or tilework gets underway.

There are certain plumbing problems that require immediate attention from the pros. These include a malfunctioning water heater or the smell of sewer gas in your home. You dont want to risk a flood or an explosion, Bellows says.

South West Plumbing has been serving King, Pierce and Snohomish counties for more than 35 years. All South West Plumbing plumbers are highly trained and arrive prepared with fully stocked trucks. We work evenings and weekends at no extra charge.

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Plumbing 101: When to DIY and when to call the pros - The Seattle Times