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WESTMONT The village of Westmont continues to excavate trees infested with the emerald ash borer and recently released a schedule for removing and replanting trees throughout the community.

While the villages forestry department is handling a portion of the tree removal, Westmont-based Vidito Tree Experts also had been contracted to remove 54 ash trees and 200 stumps. The $34,718 expenditure was approved earlier this year and another company could be contracted if deemed necessary, according to the village.

The reality is that the emerald ash borer problem is too large a problem for our internal staff to take care of on its own, Village Forester Jon Yeater said. Because of this situation, the village has approved funding to hire additional resources to address the problem. We are hoping to accelerate our tree removal program over the next six months, but we do ask residents to be patient during this process.

Ash trees become infested with the emerald ash borer when the larvae feed on inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the trees ability to transport water and nutrients and eventually killing its host.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture confirmed four years ago, the emerald ash borer had made its way to Westmont. At that time, there were about 2,000 ash trees on public property. Since then, about half the trees have been removed.

The village is removing trees in Oakwood Subdivision. Starting this fall, the program will focus on tree removal in the Ashford Subdivision and surrounding areas:

In September: All removals in the northeast downtown and northeast sections of the village (near Burlington to Ogden avenues, and Cass Avenue to South Wilmette Avenue and Richmond Street).

In September and October: All removals in the southeast downtown (near Quincy Street to 56th Street and Cass Avenue to Richmond Street).

In October and November: All removals in Farmingdale Subdivision and surrounding areas.

In December and January: All removals in Deer Creek and Sycamore Run subdivisions and surrounding areas.

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Village of Westmont continues emerald ash borer battle

Sept. 5, 2014, 11:42 a.m.

It may have gone quiet for six months since its removal but it appears the demise of the iconic Bum Tree may come back to haunt Shoalhaven City Council.

It mayhave gone quiet for six months since its removal but it appears the demise of the iconic Bum Tree may come back to haunt Shoalhaven City Council.

Council came under fire in March for removing the 45-metre, 400-year-old blackbutt as part of black spot funding to widen Gerroa Road at the intersection with Beach Road.

Council cited safety reasons and in particular line of sight at the intersection as one of the major reasons for the removal of the tree.

Before: The Bum Tree on Gerroa Road.

After: Shoalhaven City Council said the removal of the iconic Bum Tree was to improve the line of sight at the intersection of Gerroa and Beach roads, yet has now placed a speed zone and wildlife zone sign in the same area.

Council has again come under the spotlight, now for its placement of signs near the location of the once famous tree.

A 100km speed sign and an injured wildlife sign have been erected at the spot, which according to Concerned Residents Group of Gerringong member Debra Moore now block motorists vision at the intersection.

Shoalhaven City Council, after cutting the trees down to improve sightlines, has now erected two signs that impede vision at the intersection, Ms Moore said.

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Bum Tree back to bite council

8/31/2014

MEMBERS OF Boy Scout Troop 556, sponsored by St. Paul's United Methodist Church, stop for a roadside lunch en route from Ponca City to Altomito, Colo., and the trail head to Red Lake. Making the trip were Scout Master Lowry Blakeburn; Assistant Scout Master David Parks; Committee Chairman Jason Hicks; Zac Ladner, Brady Ladner, Austin Hicks, Michael Hooper, Christian Branch, Noah Henley and Devon Brannon.

BOY SCOUT Brady Ladner pauses for a starting-line selfie with his father Zac Ladner. They were joined by three adults and five other Boy Scouts for a week-long hike and camping trip to south central Colorado's Red Lake.

ZAC LADNER captured this image of the trail as the troop and their leaders set out on the first morning of the hike. Brady Ladner would soon begin feeling the effects of Acute Mountain Sickness.

ZAC LADNER used his cell phone cameras GPS settings to capture the latitude and longitude coordinates of the locations he photographed while he and 11-year-old son Brady Ladner were lost in the southern Colorado Rockies. Once safely home, the Pioneer Technology Center BITE program instructor used a satellite image of the terrain to pinpoint their route.

THICK TANGLES of brush made hiking very difficult. Zac took this image after the pair crossed the top of the waterfall (out of sight behind the jutting rock face) and made the white-knuckle climb down the jagged cliff. Zacs greatest fear was either Brady or he sustaining serious injury without finding help.

FROM LEFT, Brady Ladner, rescuer John, and Zac Ladner take a commemorative photograph as the Ladners unexpected wilderness trek comes to an end at Trujillo Meadows Reservoir. The Ladners spent three nights and three and a half days lost in the Colorado wilderness below Red Lake.

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Part of Vita Serena a protected Estate Section house once owned by Jean Flagler Matthews has been demolished without town permission, after construction workers uncovered termite damage and rotten wood that threatened the buildings integrity.

The two-story center portion of the front or east-facing wall of the home at 105 Clarendon Ave. was taken down in recent weeks.

On Thursday, building officials ordered all work on the 88-year-old house to stop, a day after Landmarks Preservation Commission chairman Bill Cooley brought the issue to their attention.

It was evidently a life-safety issue, project architect Harold Smith said Friday at the site after an inspection by building officials.

Extensive renovation and expansion plans, including a new loggia and two-story addition, were approved by the Landmarks board in October, two months after auto dealer Chuck Schumacher bought the 1926 Palladian-style house. The house was designed by Marion Sims Wyeth and designated a town landmark in 1990.

Those plans allowed for reconstruction, but not demolition, of the facade.

But structural damage has made it unsafe to preserve all sections of the house, Smith said.

When they went to cut out some openings in the hollow tile, I guess the structure started crumbling, and the contractor determined at that point that that center section just had to come down, safely, Smith said. So, its an unfortunate thing, but its just the condition of the structure.

Problems first arose in January, when he and a colleague told the Landmarks board that newly discovered structural problems would require rebuilding the roof on the eastern side of the house and partially reconstructing the homes western-most two-story portion.

Six months later, Smith and contractor John Rossi returned to the board with news that the southwest corner of the homes main-living area had partially collapsed because of horrible termite damage and deterioration. The collapse compelled the team to rebuild one wall of the new loggia, one wall on the southeast corner of the house, and the stairs, they said.

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Town halts work on house after facade demolished

A possible addition to this article: In Canada, at least, there are often numerous cleanouts on each branch off the main sewer line, generally tucked behind cabinets. Thus, if only the sink (toilet/shower/whatever) is blocked, or if only the one bathroom is blocked, you can use the clean out for the sewer line directly from the problem area, rather than having to go through the entire house, which saves you a lot of time (and money, if you're paying your plumber by the hour). I kind of expected this would be standard since it's the easiest way to get access to a specific branchline where the problem is; steering augers into the proper path of a junction is a royal pain.

@anon167424 (The guy with the sinkhole issues): I'm afraid the city doesn't really know what it's talking about. The presence or absence of an opening that gives access to the sewage line into your home is irrelevant to the geological forces that cause sinkholes to develop. There are a number of other things that might cause it:

Natural ground conditions from the natural erosion of limestone or other rock types that are similarly susceptible to water erosion. Sinkholes are just like caves; they just open up rather than sideways.

Poor foundations. Standards for road construction are awfully poor in North America. Whenever there's a major flood incident, you'll see lots of footage of roads that have been washed out, particularly when they're over fill (rising above the natural ground). The powers that be refuse to understand this and keep rebuilding the roads the same way, which leaves geologists more than a bit annoyed. If you have a lot of groundwater activity in the area, the foundation issue would cause a sinkhole.

Broken pipes. Same issue with the foundations as above, but an old sewer or water line that breaks is going to leak large volumes of water. So, even if you don't naturally have a lot of groundwater activity, you now have far more than nature would ever throw at you. And in the case of a leaking water main (pressurized to 60 psi in my hometown), it only takes a day or two to cause critical damage.

And unfortunately, no, the city's not going to be liable. They installed the pipes properly -- just a long time ago and they need new ones. They built the foundation of the roads to spec, except the specs are useless.

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What is a Sewer Clean Out? (with pictures)

PARLIAMENT has exonerated private mortuaries in Harare which were, earlier this year, accused of contaminating drinking water sources through their disposal of fluid waste.

The funeral parlours came under fire for allegedly endangering the health of residents by discharging waste which has organic pollutants.

Among these was embalming fluid, formaldehyde, which also kills bacteria that is important in sewage purification.

Parliaments Portfolio Committee on Environment, Water, Tourism and Hospitality Industry set up a committee to investigate the allegations following an outcry in the media last May.

In its report which was presented to the House by the committee chairperson, Anastasia Ndhlovu, the committee absolved the mortuaries.

It further chided the country's media for allegedly blowing the alleged pollution out of proportion.

"The outcry by the media was rather exaggerated," said Ndhlovu, a proportional representation MP, while presenting the report to Parliament.

"The water and embalming fluids used on dead bodies were properly disposed of, Ndhlovu said.

The committee visited prominent funeral parlours Nyaradzo Group, Doves Funeral Services and Moonlight Profit Associates to verify the claims.

Ndlovu continued: "Based on the observations and findings from the visits that the committee made, no disposal of pollutants in water bodies that form sources of drinking water for residents was witnessed.

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Mortuaries exonerated over contamination charge

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RODIRON GRILL to offer eclectic, pleasing menu

There is a new restaurant coming to Sidney, and it will be unlike any establishment in the area. The RODIRON GRILL, located off of North Central Avenue in the Shops at Fox Run, will offer eclectic menu items.

We just knew that there was a demand for it here, Joel Kleinssasser, co-owner of RODIRON said.

RODIRON GRILL is owned and operated by Associated Investment Group (AIG), consisting of Rod Prewitt, Rayna Rice, Joel Kleinssasser, Trey Neumann, Todd Stevenson, TJ Stevenson and Ren Gardener.

The menu features a twist on tradition, offering a hodgepodge of items, Kleinssasser said. The restaurant will utilize its smoker and pizza oven, adding to the one-of-a-kind dining experience.

It will be both modern and traditional, Joel emphasized.

While Rice said they will offer steaks, sandwiches, salads, seafood, etc., it will be different from other restaurants in the area, including the Cattle-Ac, which is also owned by Kleinssasser and Rice.

The two are excited to add some street food to the mix, including items like fish tacos and pork belly corn dogs. It will be like some of the stuff that you see on food trucks, Kleinssasser explained.

The menu isnt completely set, but its going to be completely awesome, Kleinssasser said.

When it comes to atmosphere, the RODIRONs interior will offer an old, yet contemporary feel. As patrons walk through the dual set of doors, a see-through fireplace will greet them along with an eager host or hostess and staff ready to accommodate the guests.

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Under construction

By Gabriella Dunn, The Gazette

IOWA CITY Carpenters arent just only, well, carpenters anymore.

Today the term carpenter can be used to refer to someone who is employed in a broader spectrum of woodworking including furniture craftsmanship, construction and remodeling, among other professions.

And a sub-area of carpentry, remodeling contractors, refers to carpenters in charge of home remodeling projects that involve many disciplines beyond simply woodworking.

Oddly enough, said Chris Weckmann, remodeling contractor and owner of Iowa City-based Carpentry by Chris, the things we do involve very little wood anymore,

Weckmann said much of his job as a remodeling contractor involves orchestrating various disciplines involved in remodeling homes such as plumbing, lighting, tiling, drywalling, exterior home work and, of course, carpentry itself, which can include constructing cabinets, doors and trim.

The remodeling market nationwide has increased steadily since 2011, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity, a report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University that studies home-improvement spending.

The same report projects a 9.9 percent increase in home-improvement spending by the end of 2014 up from 5.6 percent in 2013.

But the remodeling group anticipates spending to drop to 7 percent during the first quarter of 2015, which would be the first quarterly drop since the beginning of 2012, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. WHY?

In the Iowa City area, some remodeling contractors and carpenters had a defense against the recent recession.

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Carpentry business branches out

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