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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -

Some residents in Mandarin are upset with the Florida Department of Transportation after construction work on a five-mile stretch of Interstate 295 led to the destruction of a large number of trees.

Groups are calling for action by FDOT to address concern arising from projects impacting landscape and the Mandarin community. The noise is so loud we can barely hear ourselves and we are within one or two feet of each other, said Susan Caven, president of Scenic Jacksonville Inc. What if you lived here? What if you lived along the 5-mile road of 295 and this is what you get? Construction along a 5.7-mile stretch of I-295, just east of the Buckman Bridge and just west of I-95, has locals angry because FDOT has knocked down hundreds of trees, leaving an empty field eyesore.. They have worked so hard for so long to keep a look in Mandarin, Caven said. And they are so proud of their trees and to come and just mow them down is such a blow. The current six lanes are being expanded to ten travel lanes, including toll lanes. Heidi Chanatry has lived in Mandarin since 1985 and said the cleared land is devastating. It was shocking; it was heartbreaking to see what they had done, Chanatry said. Jacksonville Environmental and Civic Organizations say they want FDOT to:

FDOT said it will consider the community's complaints. We will take the input and our folks will look at it and do what we can with it and we listen to the concerns, FDOT spokesman Ron Tittle said. We are concerned.

Tittle said FDOT did hold a public meeting and shared its plans with about 100 people who showed up. The project just started and is supposed to be complete in 2016.

Continued here:
Resident calls tree removal for I-295 expansion project 'heartbreaking'

NorthWestern Energy will begin work next week to clear beetle-killed trees near a two-mile stretch of power lines on MacDonald Pass. Falling trees have increasingly knocked out residential power and forced emergency services to use backup generators to run communications towers on the pass.

Weve had a fair amount of problems on that line, said NorthWestern spokesman Butch Larcombe. As more of that beetle kill falls over weve seen a lot of outages. Its getting worse.

Outages have affected residential customers in the Elliston area and power to radio, TV and emergency dispatch towers on the pass. The towers are equipped with backup generators, and tower owners have been advised of the work and to have fuel on hand, he said.

Larcombe did not have the number of reported outages, but did call it the worst problem in our Helena division.

Work could begin as early as Feb. 2 and last through Feb. 20, he said.

Some of those towers support communications for emergency services in the Helena Valley, including the Montana Highway Patrol, and sheriff's office and fire department officials.

A message left for Peter Callahan, 911 Center manager for Lewis and Clark County/City of Helena, was not returned in time for this story.

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton confirmed that the towers have seen power outages in the past.

Trees falling into power lines create a variety of hazards, including forest fires, said recently retired Deputy Disaster and Emergency Services Coordinator Pat McKelvey.

Right-of-way issues can make clearing dead trees near power lines challenging, but necessary, he said.

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Beetle kill prompts tree removal on MacDonald Pass

Extension > Garden > Yard and Garden > Planting and transplanting trees and shrubs

Jeffrey H. Gillman, Nursery Management Specialist, Department of Horticultural Science Gary R. Johnson, Urban Forester, Department of Forest Resources

Trees and Shrubs should be selected for a site based on the ability of the plant to tolerate the soil, light, climate, and residential conditions present at that location. Information on the ability of various shrubs to tolerate environmental conditions in Minnesota can be found in the following guides published by University of Minnesota Extension:

The conditions of the planting site are as important as the plant. Soil type and drainage, available water and sunlight, exposure to drying winds, and other factors must be considered. Attempting to match the requirements of the plant to the site increases the survivability, performance, and longevity of the plant selected.

The first step in assessing the condition of the planting site is to examine the soil. Is it sandy and well drained? Is it moist with some organic material? Is it heavy clay and, therefore, wet and perhaps compacted? Construction practices such as cutting and filling, installation of underground utilities, and backfilling against foundations can create great diversity in soil structure. This variability can change drastically with depth and between planting locations on the same property-investigate each planting site.

Soil texture and drainage are closely related. Sandy soils usually are very well drained, have large pore spaces, and poor water-holding capabilities. They are usually associated with dry conditions. Conversely, clayey soils have much smaller pore spaces, are poorly drained, and can suffocate plant roots. The pore spaces in soil are very important to plant growth because the oxygen that occupies them is essential to healthy roots. A tree planted in poorly drained soil will be slow to establish, lack vigor, and often will slowly die.

Because plant roots require both moisture and oxygen for growth, soil drainage should be checked before planting. A poorly drained soil, high in moisture but low in oxygen, prevents both proper root development and growth of beneficial soil micro-organisms that are responsible for decomposing organic matter and releasing plant nutrients.

To test for soil drainage, dig a hole 18 inches deep, fill it with water, and let it stand overnight. If the water has not drained by morning, there is a drainage problem. (Do not test the drainage in this manner after heavy rainfall or before the ground has thawed in the spring.)

If soil drainage is inadequate, species that are tolerant of poorly drained soils may be planted, or soil drainage may be improved. This can be done in two ways. If a hard pan is present (a compacted, impermeable layer of soil) with an underlying layer of well-drained soil, a hole can be dug down to the permeable layer to provide drainage for the planting hole (Figure 1). If the soil is poorly drained and there is no well-drained layer below, a tile system can be laid (Figure 2). This, however, is expensive and requires the assistance of a professional for proper design. Simply adding gravel to the bottom of the planting hole will further decrease oxygen availability to the root system.

Compaction of the soil by vehicles or people can reduce pore space and restrict water infiltration, as well as cause physical damage to roots of existing trees. In compacted soil, oxygen is depleted, carbon dioxide accumulates, and root penetration is reduced. This is detrimental to root growth. Aerating the soil will help correct the problem.

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Planting and transplanting trees and shrubs : Yard and ...

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Cliff #39;s Construction Gives This Kitchen a Complete Overhaul
This kitchen remodel was completed in the speedway area of Indianapolis. One of the emphasis of this project was the custom ceramic tile work. Our craftsman ...

By: Cliffs Construction Home Remodeling

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Cliff's Construction Gives This Kitchen a Complete Overhaul - Video

This Support FAQ page provides answers to questions our support team frequently receives. Here are the questions we're most often asked. If you don't find the answer you're looking for feel free to contact us.

What are rectified tiles?

All natural tiles vary slightly between production runs. Sizes change between batches and this means is that mixing and matching different production batches is seldom possible. Rectified tiles are deliberately made over size, and are then cut on a diamond saw at the factory to a common caliber. The square, saw-cut edges allow for finer narrower grout joints between tiles and result in a beautiful and contemporary finished look. Rectified calibration also means that rectified tiles will still work together when modular sizes are mixed. Rectified products have increased in popularity over recent times. Note that rectified tiles need to be installed on a good surface square and level, and your tile contractor should be experienced with the requirements for laying this type of product.

What is the difference between ceramic & porcelain tiles?

Ceramic tiles have been around for over 2000 years. They typically have a white or red clay biscuit with some form of glaze on top. Porcelain tile cost more than ordinary ceramic tile because you are getting a superior product. Porcelain tile requires the finest natural ingredients and a rigidly controlled manufacturing process that utilizes the most advanced processes and technology. Porcelain tiles are made from an extremely finely powdered clay tablet that is pressed under enormous pressure and heat - several hundred degrees hotter than ceramics. Porcelain tiles are much harder and more dense than ceramic tiles. This allows porcelain tiles to be made in very large formats that would be impossible to achieve in a ceramic tile. Porcelain tiles will also often have a colored biscuit that matches the surface glaze, or have a color and pattern that extends all the way through the tile. This avoids the common problem with ceramics where the glaze gets chipped and exposes the color of the clay biscuit underneath.

What is the difference between glazed and unglazed tiles?

Glazed tiles are made the same as unglazed except that a glass layer called a glaze is fused to its' surface by means of tremendous heat. The glaze provides an unlimited array of colors and designs. The glaze also protects the tile from staining. Unglazed tiles are true inlays. Unglazed tiles are very similar to glazed tile, except that their surface is not coated. Unglazed ceramic tiles do not show wear because their color extends throughout the tile, making them ideal for commercial applications.

What is the difference between wall and floor tiles?

Wall tiles, because they are not intended to be load bearing are typically thinner, lighter and softer than floor tiles. Wall tile glazes are not designed to handle the abrasive forces from foot traffic. Increasingly, floor tiles are being applied to walls and this is no problem so long as the walls are strong enough to support their weight and proper ceramic tile installation methods are used. However, it is not usual to recommend using wall tiles in floor applications.

What is the difference between interior & exterior tiles?

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Tile Installation FAQs Tips And Questions

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Welcome to John Bridge.com, home of the worlds friendliest and most informative tile advice forum, and the most visited tile information site on the Internet. While we are usually a humble and unpretentious group, I just cant help telling you how proud I am of our success and the people who make it possible. I hope you find our website useful and enjoyable. Any time you see pictures, click on them to see a larger version.

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The site has a two-pronged mission: to better inform the general public on the intricacies of the tile industry, and to provide a meeting place for tile and stone professionals where information might be freely exchanged. John Bridge Tile Forums provides the venue, and everyone, be they professional tile installer, manufacturers representative, do-it-yourselfer or interested consumer, is encouraged to participate.

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Operated by John Bridge & Associates LLC, the forums are non-proprietary. Although we are advertisers of various products and methods and often recommend their use, we encourage the discussion of all products in general. We are committed to discovering the best methods of setting ceramic tile and stone and in disseminating that knowledge to everyone interested.

John Bridge.com is affiliated with the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA). We also maintain a working relationship with the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF).

We now invite you to search or browse the site or to join us at the John Bridge Tile Forums.

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Direct Bathrooms and Tiles is a family-run business based on the border of Nazeing in Essex and Broxbourne in Hertfordshire. We are proud of our outstanding local reputation as the leading choice for bathroom supplies and bathroom installation in Broxbourne and Nazeing.

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At Direct Bathrooms and Tiles, we carry a wide range of porcelain, mosaic and ceramic tiles in Broxbourne and Nazeing that add the perfect finishing touch to your bathroom, kitchen or throughout your home. We also stock quality adhesives and grout alongside a full complement of affordable tools for a professional finish.

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Pedestrians had a narrow escape when a flying roof tile shattered a car window on Wednesday morning in Caversham.

The incident took place in Meadow Way, off Amersham Road at around 10.30am.

It turns out the owner of the car - a Vauxhall Astra - lives in one of the flats where the tile escaped from the roof.

His partner, who did not wish to be named, was in the flat when the tile became loose.

She said: "There was a massive gust of wind and I saw something flying down outside.

"I thought it was just a bunch of leaves at first but then I heard a loud crash at the bottom.

"I went out to check and realised it was my partner's car.

"He was getting a lift to work with a friend this week, otherwise he would have taken the car to get to work.

"It's very frustrating and has caused us a lot of problems."

Firefighters were called to make the scene safe and secure the other loose tiles on the roof of the block of flats.

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Car window shattered by flying roof tile in Caversham