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GUILDERLAND Claiming that a lower court judge overstepped the bounds of established judicial review, the town of Guilderland and Pyramid, owner of Crossgates Mall, have asked an appeals court to reverse the lawsuit that stopped both the construction of a 222-unit apartment development on Rapp Road and a proposed Costco Wholesale store.

Kevin and Sarah McDonald, along with other Westmere residents Lisa and Thomas Hart, and gas-station owner Jonathan Kaplan in September of last year filed a lawsuit against both the town of Guilderland and Pyramid Management Group after the towns planning board approved the companys Rapp Road and Western Avenue projects.

In November 2020, Albany County Supreme Court Judge Peter Lynch ruled in the groups favor. Pyramid filed its appeal with the Third Appellate Division on Dec. 11, 2020; Guilderland filed three days later, on Dec. 14. The Appellate Division is the middle level in the states three-tiered court system.

The issue at hand, Lynch wrote in his Nov. 20 decision, was whether the Guilderland Planning Board complied with its obligations under the State Environmental Quality Review Act procedurally and substantively. It did not, on both counts, Lynch concluded.

In his decision, Lynch wrote that the planning board had violated the procedure set out by the act as well as the hard look test, a three-part test that requires an agency reviewing an action to: identify the areas of environmental concern; analyze the areas of concern to determine if the action may have a significant adverse impact; and support its determination with evidence.

Since the board violated the SEQRA procedure and the hard look test, Lynch declared null and void the boards acceptance of: both the draft and final environmental impact statements; the August issuance of a findings statement justifying its approval of the project; and the October granting of site-plan approval for Pyramids 222-unit apartment and townhome development.

In its Jan. 25 appeal, Pyramid claimed that Lynchs decision was not made based on arguments presented by either the plaintiff or the defendant. Rather, Pyramid argued, Lynch chose to identify specific issues that had not been in dispute, and handed down a decision for a case that neither side had actually presented.

Lynch in effect took it upon himself to amend the original petition, Pyramid argued in court papers, and then didnt give the town or company time to respond, violating the states prohibition against litigation by surprise.

The Third Appellate Division, Pyramid claimed, has repeatedly recognized that a lead agencys rational and substantiated SEQR finding is to be complied with. But Lynch did not defer to the planning boards judgement, Pyramid states in its filing; he chose instead to ignore the boards nearly two-year hard look and assumed the role of lead agency and substituted [his] judgment for that of the planning boards.

In an affidavit, Guilderland Supervisor Peter Barber stated, At its core, the trial courts decision discarded the Towns 20-year effort, as shown in its Comprehensive Plan, Westmere Corridor Study, and Transit Oriented District, to redevelop the former pig farm and vacant residential subdivision with new large scale commercial and multi-family development, because of their placement on an underutilized four-lane road with direct access to the Northway, and walking distance, for residents, retail workers, and shoppers, to CDTAs busiest area transit station and terminus of its planned rapid bus line to downtown Albany.

The trial court improperly annulled the Planning Board's two year hard look by claiming that the Board should have blindly ignored this planning process and Town Zoning Code by finding that the proposed action was incompatible with its surroundings.

Barber helped town attorney James Melita write Guilderlands appeal.

He told The Enterprise he had taught SEQR classes in the past, and that Melita has had very little bit little experience with [SEQR]. Barbers affidavit notes that he chaired Guilderlands zoning board for 16 years

In October of last year, the town let Pyramid take the lead in responding to the plaintiffs original complaint, addressing only a specific records-request denial made by the plaintiffs lawyer, James Bacon.

Barber said that Guilderland let Pyramid take the lead then because the company had been defending, basically, [the] application process.

The difference between now and October 2020, Barber said, is: We have a decision from [a] state Supreme Court judge that we think was wrong. And, with the town itself as well as its planning and zoning boards being sued, he said, We want to provide the best defense that we can.

Pyramids plan included developing three sites:

Site 1, a 19-acre plot at Rapp and Gipp roads for 222 apartments and townhouses, with the possibility for another 90 apartments to be built on the site.

Specifically, Pyramid was proposing three two-story townhouse-style buildings, with 10 units in each building, totaling 30 units, on the west side of the property. On either side of the entrance to the property, the developer was proposing two five-story apartment buildings, one with 94 units and the other with 98 units. The project additionally included about 3,900 square feet of commercial space. The company was also proposing a total of 362 parking spots: 84 indoor spaces and 278 outdoor spots;

Site 2, sixteen acres at Western Avenue and Crossgates Mall Road for a Costco, a membership-only, 160,000-square-foot warehouse-price club, that would offer gasoline service and 700 parking spots; and

Site 3: Eleven acres between the Costco site and Pyramids hotel on Western Avenue that could be used for retail, offices, or apartments. There are no current development plans for Site 3 however, Pyramid did present a zoning-compliant conceptual plan that could include 115,000 square feet of retail space, 50,000 square feet of office space, and 48 apartments.

Bacon previously told The Enterprise, The heart of an environmental impact study is a reasonable analysis of alternatives thats at the heart.

He then pointed to examples of his argument penned by Lynch:

In context of the proposed density, the project sponsor did not identify any alternative to the Site 1 use/design. To the contrary, the project sponsor affirmatively represented that there were no alternatives. This claim is false, Lynch wrote.

Pyramid argued in its Jan. 25 court papers that the planning boards Site 1 alternate-review had to be viewed in context: The board had already determined that the Rapp Road apartment-and-townhome development would not have a significant adverse impact on the environment, which negated the board from having to consider any alternative but the no-action alternative.

However, Pyramid claimed, the board did consider some Site 1 alternatives, like moving the entire development closer to Macys in nearby Crossgates Mall; different site layouts in order to protect the butterfly-management area; and nine different ways of routing traffic.

Lynch also wrote that the apartments and townhomes and proposed Costco had represented a maximum build scenario, and wrote that nowhere in the record was there any evidence of a scaled-down alternative, which would have enable[d] a comparative analysis to mitigate impact

The Costco was not a maximum-build scenario, Pyramid countered, stating that retail facilities of up to 250,000 square feet are permitted in the Transit-Oriented Development District (TOD). The company was proposing a 160,000 square-foot price club, approximately 36-percent smaller than the maximum allowed.

Bacon previously told The Enterprise that the court, in its decision, was mindful of its role in looking at the project: The role of the court was not to substitute its own judgement for that of the planning board, Bacon said; the role of the court was to determine if the lead agency, operating under the hard look standard, followed the correct procedure.

It did not, in Lynchs opinion.

One thing the plaintiffs were looking for in asking for a redo of the SEQRA review process was re-establishing a lead agency in order to obtain an impartial examination of the projects environmental impacts .

Lynch, citing case law, wrote that the lead agency is principally responsible for determining whether or not a project would have a significant impact on the environment.

The planning board had the authority to review site plans for each of the three sites, Lynch wrote, but it was the zoning board that had the sole responsibility of issuing a special-use permit for Costco. So, Lynch wrote, It is arguable that either entity is principally responsible to conduct the SEQRA review for the project. As such, the lead agency determination was required to undergo the coordinated review process.

Lynch wrote that its undisputed the planning board had a procedural failure with its SEQRA review process because it failed to coordinate Lead Agency determination with the Zoning Board of Appeals. Lynch went so far as to say, The Zoning Board was simply left out of the process.

The Planning Board had every opportunity to re-establish lead agency but failed to do so, Lynch writes. This was a blatant, material procedural failure which undermined the integrity of the EIS review.

In its Jan. 25 court filing, Pyramid argued that the planning board did not violate the coordinated review process laid out by SEQR, because the zoning board had been established as an involved agency, and had been notified of that fact after Costco and Site 3 were added to the planning boards scope of review, a move that triggered an in-depth environmental review.

When it adopted the positive SEQR declaration that triggered the in-depth review, the planning board identified the zoning board as an involved agency, Pyramid stated. The zoning board was fully apprised at the start of and throughout the EIS process, Pyramid claimed, and had a free hand to participate in the review process.

The positive SEQR declaration form that triggered the in-depth review stated that the scoping process would be undertaken, a draft scope would be prepared, and that draft document would be sent around to all involved and interested agencies and anyone requesting a copy.

Copies of the positive SEQR declaration were sent to nine potential involved and interested agencies, the zoning board among them, which also never objected to the planning board declaring itself lead agency, Pyramid noted.

Pyramid claimed that Lynch evaluated the SEQR record, de novo, as if the planning board had never adopted a negative declaration, and determined that a closer look was needed on already-settled issues. Lynch also identified three new areas of concern that were never addressed by the complainants, Pyramid argued, but were nevertheless cited by the judge in his decision to overturn the planning board.

According to Pyramid, Lynch claimed the planning board had failed to:

Take a hard look at the impacts the project would have on birds in the Pine Bush (later in its court filing, Pyramid claims that the birds were taken into account when the planning board undertook its hard look test);

Take a hard look at the visual impact a multiple five-story apartment buildings would have on the Rapp Road Historic District; and

The board failed to consider shorter alternatives to the apartment-and-townhome development on Rapp Road and a a residential alternative for the Costco site.

Pyramid stresses that the planning board took a hard look at the visual impacts associated with the Rapp Road apartment-and-townhome development. The appeal argues that Pyramid, to eliminate visual impacts, had to incorporate features the planning board had found in its study, features beyond the TOD minimum.

Pyramid had engaged in extensive outreach with residents in nearby neighborhoods during the early stages of the Rapp Road development review process, the company claimed.

Although the company also consulted with residents of the [Rapp Road Historic District], at no point during the Planning Boards SEQRA review did any resident of the RRHD raise any concerns regarding visual impacts, Pyramid claimed. Nor did the Historical Association or the SHPO, the appeal said of the State Historic Preservation Office.

Regardless, the planning board still analyzed visual impacts to the Rapp Road Historic District when it undertook SEQR, the appeal claims.

The district is a neighborhood of small homes, many of them hand-built by African Americans who arrived in the pinebush, largely from Mississippi, during the Great Migration.

Throughout his November 2020 decision, Lynch pointed to omissions that the planning board failed to consider when making its determination. The historical and cultural significance of the Rapp Road Historic District, Lynch wrote, cannot be overstated, and, in turn, cannot be ignored under the hard look test.

With the closest homes just a few hundred feet away from proposed five-story buildings, the planning board failed to consider any alternative with reduced building height.

But Pyramid counters that Lynch pointed to omissions that were actually omissions in the residents suit. Strikingly, Pyramid asserts in its Jan. 25 court filing, the Rapp Road Historic District was not mentioned a single time in the original complaint.

Pyramid also states that there are nearly 1,000 feet between the southernmost occupied home in the historic district and the northernmost five-story building at the site.

Whenever Pyramid makes an assertion like Lynch being way off in his measurement of the distance between the historic Rapp Road homes and proposed apartment building, or claims that the zoning board had actually been notified about its agency status with the project, the assertion is accompanied by a five-digit code that refers to a paper record in the companys voluminous court filing, which runs over 8,400 pages.

Lynch, the town asserted in its Jan. 28 court filing, claimed that the planning board failed to consider the impact the project would have on the historic Rapp Road neighborhood, committing a seismic failure in the process.

The record soundly defeats this false statement, the town states.

Rapp Road residents, according to the towns filing, confirmed that we get more help from the Town of Guilderland from what Ive seen going through this process going on two years, that it recognizes that this a gem and the amount of communication is very open with Pyramid and the Town of Guilderland.

The town argued that the planning board went well-beyond what is required of a hard look, for example, receiving expert opinions and comments from the states conservation and transportation departments, and says the proof is in the pudding.

Guilderland claims that a comparison of the project from when SEQR first began to when the board adopted a Findings Statement two years later shows that the planning boards review was proper and thorough. The town lists what it considers 10 substansial measures to illustrate its point, with four traffic-related measures and a requirement that Pyramid hand over 8.4 acres of land to Albany Pine Bush Commission, among them.

Justice Lynch wrote that the draft environmental impact statement also fails to mention, let alone account, for the fact that Costco will not improve the environment for non-automobile-oriented modes of transportation, will not reduce the number of required parking spaces, and will not focus intense development away from existing residential neighborhoods, all in contravention of TOD.

Pyramid countered in its court papers the plaintiffs conceded that Costco was fully consistent with the Transit-Oriented Development District, and that the plaintiffs objected to the project on economic grounds. The Court nevertheless faulted the Planning Board for relying on the fact that the Costco Project was permitted under local zoning, the company states.

Pyramid argued that it was only as the planning board was nearing completion of its environmental review for the proposed 222 apartments and townhouses on Rapp Road, that the company first made the town aware of its intention to apply to the zoning board so that it could develop the second of its three adjacent sites, a Costco.

With this new information, Pyramid states in its filing, the planning board decided to postpone taking any action on the apartment-and-townhome proposal and instead, on its own initiative, expanded the scope of the SEQRA action to include the [Rapp Road Development site], the proposed retail site on Site 2, and potential future development on Site 3, and declared itself SEQRA lead agency for the redefined action.

James Soos, the director of development for Pyramid, stated in an affidavit, Put simply, if resolution of this appeal is delayed, it is likely that Costco will abandon its proposed development on Site 2 and restart its search for other development sites in the region to construct its facility. Should that occur, the consequences would be devastating for Pyramid and the Town.

Then Pyramid argues in its court filing, Costco Project will create numerous construction and retail jobs, inspire local business growth, and significantly increase tax revenues to the Town, Albany County, and Guilderland School District.

Pyramid is currently suing the town in an attempt to knock $139.2 million off of Crossgates Malls $282.5 million assessment. In tax year 2019, the seven parcels of land that collectively make up Crossgates Mall paid entities within Guilderland the town itself; Guilderland schools; and the public library about $7 million in property taxes. If Crossgates were to win its lawsuit, the taxes it pays could be cut by about half.

Barber, in his affidavit, citing a paid-for-by-Pyramid economic analysis, asserted that Costco would generate significant annual property and school tax ($141,707; however, $16,160 would be the countys money) and sales tax revenues ($2 million; of which $157,516 would be Guilderlands take) at a time when State, local, and school budgets are under extreme pressures.

Barber goes on to state that Costco alone is projected to generate 142 jobs, over $3.9 million in earnings, and over $114.4 million in sales in Albany County, annually, and 187 jobs, over $5.1 million in earnings, and over $133.3 million in sales in the Town, every year, in terms of the direct, indirect, and total impact on employment and wages, according to an economic impact analysis.

But economists of all stripes left, right, libertarian, in the academy, and at think tanks caution readers of economic impact analyses to take their findings with a grain of salt, in part because, most economic impact studies are commissioned to legitimize a political position.

Excerpt from:
Guilderland and Pyramid seek to reverse ruling that halted companys projects - The Altamont Enterprise

Wreaths Across America (WAA) is proud to announce the start of the 2021 national tour for its Mobile Education Exhibit (MEE). The MEE will hit the road this month in Maine and head Southwest towards Texas for both private and public scheduled events.

The goal of the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit is to bring community together and teach patriotism while remembering the service and sacrifice of our nations heroes, said Karen Worcester, executive director, Wreaths Across America. However, over the last year, in light of the current health crisis, we feel this exhibit has taken on even more meaning by providing the opportunity for people to safely participate in something that is both educational and inspiring, while supporting and giving back to the communities it visits.

The MEE achieves this goal by bringing the local community, veterans, active-duty military and their families together through interactive exhibits, short films, and shared stories. The exhibit serves as a mobile museum, educating visitors about the service and sacrifice of our nations heroes as well as to serve as an official welcome home station for our nations Vietnam Veterans.

When the MEE pulls into your area, all veterans, active-duty military, their families, and the local community members are invited and encouraged to visit, take a tour and speak with WAA representatives and volunteers. They can also share more about the national nonprofit, and the work its volunteers do to support our heroes and their communities year-round.

To host the MEE in your community, whether it be for a parade, a school-related or veterans organization, or a public or private event, visithttps://wreathsacrossamerica.org/meeto make a request.

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Wreaths Across America Announces Start of the Mobile Education Exhibit's 2021 National Tour Homeland Security Today - HSToday

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Tribal Development Division (LLTDD) is asking for feedback as part of its feasibility study for a vertically-integrated construction workforce program. We are seeking survey participants with construction experience or those wanting to pursue a construction-related job and are open to working in Leech Lake Reservation (LLR).

The survey is accessible at https://arcg.is/1SfCmK0, or you may scan the QR-code below with your mobile phone. It should only take around 10 minutes of your time. You will be eligible for a $100 prize by doing so (there will be five $100 drawings).

If the vertically-integrated construction workforce program is shown to be feasible; its development will help increase employment, housing development, and homeownership opportunities in our communities. The Leech Lake Tribal College (LLTC) will provide four- to five-week construction trades training certification courses to educate the workforce laborers needed to manufacture home panels and to develop needed construction trades to build housing homes within LLR. Collaborations between LLTC and non-profit agencies and private sector contractors also ensure a path towards on-the-job trainings and apprenticeship programs. The Leech Lake Financial Services (LLFS) role will be to assist potential homeowners with a budget, proper credit score, savings plan and guidance to keep them on the right path.

This effort being led by the LLTDD is funded by the EDA with the following partners: LLTC, LLFS, and regional and state networks such as Region 5 Development Commission, Widseth, Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment Program, and Sweet Grass Consulting, LLC.

If you would like to chat with someone regarding this survey or project, please call Michael Brydge, Principal Director, Sweet Grass Consulting, LLC at 540-448-1826 or email at [emailprotected]

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Construction Workforce and Home Manufacturing on the Horizon - Leech Lake News

A mule deer buck faces an elk feedground fence near Pinedale, Wyoming. A Cody group has formed to help make fences more wildlife friendly in the region along important migration routes.

The toughest deer in the West are found wintering outside of Cody, Wyoming.

Thats the assertion of Tony Mong, a Wyoming Game and Fish Department wildlife biologist who has monitored mule deer, elk, pronghorn and bighorn sheep migrations in the region.

As evidence, he points to one collared mule deer doe that traveled from west of Cody near Sheep Mountain about 164 miles into Yellowstone National Park in three weeks one spring. Along the way, the deer gained and lost thousands of feet in elevation in the steep terrain of the Absaroka Mountains, all while avoiding an array of predators and carrying that years unborn fawn.

Im blown away how tough these animals are, Mong said.

In the fall, the mule deer doe crossed the same terrain to return to the Cody area in only a week. About 5,000 deer and 2,000 to 3,000 elk are using historical migration routes every year, twice a year, in the region.

AFI volunteers modify a fence to make it more wildlife friendly near Clark, Wyoming, last year.

Help

To ease these wildlife migrations, Mong has helped form a new coalition the Absaroka Fence Initiative. The AFI is a combination of local, state and federal groups, as well as ranchers and landowners. The groups goal is to remove fence obstructions along migration routes that WGFD, the Wyoming Migration Initiative and Montana State University have identified.

Its a true collaborative effort, Mong said. Theres not just one group driving this.

Similar groups in Jackson Hole and the Platte Valley improved wildlife migration corridors, but werent formed specifically to address fencing issues, Mong said. The Absaroka Fence Initiative took form in 2019 as Mong met with several of local agencies and nongovernmental organizations.

Everyone had fencing work and conversion on their radar, but they werent working all together, he said.

By unifying the various groups, concentrating their funding and volunteer power, and by using data provided on migration routes, they could identify common projects to get work done more efficiently. In January 2020 the group was formed and by December they had finished their first project making about a mile of fence on public and private land wildlife friendly near the community of Clark, just south of the Montana border.

For deer and elk, which jump fences, a lower top wire can help prevent them from getting tangled and dying.

Project 1

Fifteen volunteers showed up in December to alter the fence on land owned by Kathy Lichtendahl and her husband.

Lichtendahl said she has long been aware of fencing-caused wildlife problems, prompting her family to modify most of their fences. Pronghorn go through her property on a daily basis to reach a spring, and elk winter in the area, as well. Mule deer numbers on her ranch have declined, she noted.

To me, its an invaluable resource to work on some of these projects around the Bighorn Basin to allow much easier movement of wildlife across the landscape, she said.

Landowners frequently dont have the time or money to alter their fences, Lichtendahl added, so having a group to help with the cost and work is a real godsend.

Making a fence wildlife friendly often means raising the bottom wire 18 inches above ground to allow pronghorns ease of access underneath, while dropping the top wire so deer and elk dont get snagged when leaping over the fence.

The coalition has another project scheduled for May in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management. The group will focus its efforts from the Montana border south to near Meeteetse, Wyoming.

A group of collared pronghorn antelope in southwest Wyoming encountered fences an average of 248 times a year, about 40% of which changed the animal's behavior.

Data

The Absaroka Fence Initiatives work was finished not long before researchers at the University of California Berkley provided hard evidence of the difficulty fences cause for wildlife. In a recently published study, they used collared mule deer and pronghorn in western Wyomings Green River Basin to identify specific sections of fence that cause the animals problems. These species navigate through an estimated 3,728 miles of fencing enough to almost span the U.S.-Mexico border while walking to summer range near Grand Teton National Park.

The data is so specific it showed how the collared animal reacted when it reached a fence. Did it jump the obstacle, as mule deer do? The data can even show the animal pacing back and forth, looking for a way to cross, or walking away. Wenjing Xu, a Ph.D. student at UC Berkeley, was the lead author of the study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.

Xu compared maps to GPS tracking data from 24 tagged mule deer does and 24 pronghorn. She found that each year mule deer encountered fences an average of 119 times. In comparison, pronghorn encountered fences about 248 times a year. About 40% of these fence encounters resulted in a change in the animals behavior, according to the study.

Anybody whos spent time in the West knows youll find a lot of fences, said Arthur Middleton, an assistant professor of wildlife management and policy at UC Berkeley and senior author of the paper. But seeing such frequent encounters, 40% of which result in a failure to cross, is kind of mind-blowing especially when you multiply those numbers across whole populations and landscapes.

Along with the study, the team is also publishing a software package that will help wildlife managers around the world analyze GPS tracking data to identify fences and other barriers to wildlife movement.

With so much fence on the landscape, identifying those key crossing points can save time, money and effort for groups like the Absaroka Fence Initiative.

We hope to use some of that data to drive decisions, Mong said. Thats all great information.

The other technology that has helped Mong monitor wildlife in his region are trail cameras. A network of 30 cameras have shown specific routes the animals take, what day and time of day they use the trails and in what weather conditions. Photos can also show the body condition of the deer, elk, pronghorn and bighorn sheep. Fifteen years ago, this technology wasnt available.

Alex Few carries her daughter, Kaia Cadwallader, as she works on a fence modification project in Clark, Wyoming, alongside other volunteers with the Absaroka Fence Initiative.

Why?

Wildlife migrate in the spring to find the most nutritious food. As they trek through the mountains, the animals are targeting new growth, which contains the most nutrients. This movement has been called surfing the green wave as they travel to continually find the newest vegetation to dine on.

Along the way, GPS collars have shown key spots where animals will linger, known as stopover sites. These sites account for 90% of the deers migration time in the Hoback region.

The animals return along much the same routes, often more quickly as they rush to avoid being trapped or hampered by heavy autumn snowfall.

In the Cody area, wildlife is lucky because much of their migration takes place in wilderness areas, Grand Teton or Yellowstone national parks. So its along the eastern edge of those wild places that the Absaroka Fence Initiative will concentrate its efforts.

I foresee us being able to make a real difference on the landscape in a quick manner, Mong said.

The real power in this group is its collaborative nature. Were all in this together and that drives change and good conservation.

Absaroka Fence Initiative

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Group formed to make fences more wildlife friendly in Cody area - Billings Gazette

ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) - Two Escondido women are hoping a dog they found abandoned at a dog park will soon be adopted into a safe home.

The dog was found tied up to a fence at Mayflower Dog Park in Escondido, reportedly left by two men.

Justine Hollins and Taylor Reynold saw a post about the dog late Sunday night. It was about 9:20 p.m. when they decided to drive over to the park to try and help.

The women say it was cold and that the dog was terrified, howling, and crying.

Animal Control showed up and was able to take the dog.

The women say the dog did not look abused. They say he looked clean, had a harness and a leash, but say if the owner could no longer care for him, they should have looked for a better way to re-home him.

Rescuing dogs is a passion for Hollins and Reynold, who frequently help rescue street dogs from Mexico, nursing them back to health and help them find forever homes. The women are now hoping the dog they found Sunday night will find a new home with loving owners.

Escondido Police referred questions about a possible animal abuse investigation to the San Diego Humane Society. The Humane Society said in a statement that officers are investigating and currently working to identify the owner.

There is a listing for the dog on the website, where it says dogs not claimed within the four-day holding period may be made available for adoption.

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Dog abandoned, left tied to fence in Escondido park - 10News

You can find aspects of Londons rich history dotted around the city in even the most simple and seemingly unremarkable of places.

Many walk past one particular piece of hidden history everyday, unaware that the simple objects that line some London streets have an incredible link to the past.

The black steel and mesh railings, mostly found in the estates of South London, are actually made out of old World War 2 stretchers.

These interesting fences can be found in Peckham, Brixton, Deptford, Oval and in parts of East London too.

The curved metal on the corners of the panels of the railings is not simply a design choice, but instead a reminder of their first life and initial purpose.

As London faced a barrage of bombings from German forces in WW2, hundreds of thousands of stretchers were produced to carry the wounded.

The emergency stretchers were used by Air Raid Protection officers who would bravely carry those injured during the Blitz to safety.

For more news and features about London directly to your inbox sign up to our newsletter here .

When the war ended there was no longer such a demand for these items.

However, there was a need to replace metal fencing which had been lost during the war and manufactured into weaponry.

With a large amount of stretchers suddenly free, the London City Council decided to have the stretchers welded vertically together, fixed onto poles, and used to replace this missing fencing.

Now The Stretcher Railing Society works for the promotion, protection and preservation of London's stretcher railings.

Have you ever spotted the interesting railings around London? Let us know in the comment section here.

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Unusual history behind the fences on South London estates dating back to the war - My London

Certain events stay with us forever. Well never forget where we were on Sept. 11, 2001, when we first learned of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Nor will we ever forget where we were on Jan. 6, 2021, barely a month ago, when we first learned of the terrorist attack on the United States Capitol.

We all watched in horror as a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, easily overran understaffed and unprepared Capitol Police, smashed doors and windows, pummeled police officers with the staffs of their MAGA flags, penetrated the sacred Rotunda and House and Senate chambers, forced the vice president and all members of Congress to flee for their lives and killed officer Brian Sicknick.

It was an unbelievable, gut-wrenching moment to witness the desecration of our revered shrine of democracy, the first occupation of the Capitol by an enemy force since the British seized the building in the War of 1812. But a profound relief four hours later to know that the Capitol Building was once again secure and Congress could resume its constitutional duty of certifying the results of the Nov. 3 election.

The mob was chased out of the Capitol. The insurrection was crushed. And the Proud Boys lost. Right? Wrong!

If you think the Proud Boys lost on Jan. 6, try visiting the Capitol today. You cant even get close. The Proud Boys won beyond their wildest dreams. Theyve succeeded in shutting down the Capitol. The Hills an armed fortress. Not just the Capitol building, but the entire area is surrounded by a 7-foot wire fence topped with razor wire that surrounds the Capitol itself, the 58-acre Capitol grounds, the House and Senate office buildings, the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court and the Folger Library. The fence stretches from Independence Avenue on the South to Constitution Avenue on the north; from 3rd Street SE, to 1st Street NW, with heavily armed National Guard troops stationed inside its perimeter.

And now the Capitol Police have asked Congress to leave some version of the fence up forever. No way! That fence itself is an invasion: an ugly, god-awful, unnecessary wall that cuts against the spirit, history, and reality of democracy that the U.S. Capitol represents. Its a place where all Americans are welcome to visit the seat of their government, talk to their representatives and enjoy the magnificent landscape created by Frederick Law Olmsted.

Surely, Republicans and Democrats can agree on this: The most important action Congress could take to prove that this nation remains strong and free that we have not, in fact, been taken over by the Proud Boys, or any other right-wing extremist group is to take that fence down immediately.

After all, we know what happened on Jan. 6. An embittered president, unwilling to accept his defeat on Nov. 3, summoned a mob to Washington and unleashed them on the Capitol to take over Congress and overturn the election. All the while the Capitol Police ignored intelligence warnings and failed to adequately secure the Capitol and bring in reinforcements ahead of time. But neither Trumps act of sedition nor the Capitol Polices poor judgment justify locking the Capitol down forever.

Nobody wants a repeat of Jan. 6, but there are other ways to prevent it. The man who incited the insurrection must be convicted. His supporters who invaded the Capitol must be tracked down and prosecuted. The Capitol Police must get new leadership. The building itself must be better secured. But a permanent fence is not the answer.

Note: To join the ranks of Americans who want to free the U.S. Capitol, sign the petition to take down the fence at: https://dontfencethecapitol.com.

Press is host of The Bill Press Pod. He is author of From the Left: A Life in the Crossfire.

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Bill Press: Tear down this fence! | TheHill - The Hill

KALAWAHINE, Hawaii (KHON2) The Department of Hawaiian Homelands removed unauthorized campers and is working to install a fence in the Kalawahine Subdivision of Honolulu on Thursday, Feb. 4.

[Hawaii news on the goLISTEN to KHON 2GO weekday mornings at 7:30 a.m.]

Four individuals were issued trespass warnings and three had been removed by the start of the fencing project, according to the DHHL. The fence approximately 6 feet tall and 200 feet long is designed to secure unencumbered lands that border Kalawahine.

We are thankful for the communitys cooperation in this effort.The Department heard concerns about unauthorized campers in this area and worked with the homestead community association to provide time to guide these individuals to available resources. This fence will secure undevelopable lands and provide the community with a sense of safety.

Staff had posted notifications along Kapahu Street ahead of the removal, according to the DHHL, and one of the three individuals that were removed accepted shelter services.

Partners in the effort included the Department of Public Safety Sheriff Division, State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, Governors Task Force on Homelessness and Kula No Na Poe Hawaii.

The DHHL is completing several fencing projects to secure unencumbered lands across Hawaii.

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DHHL removes campers, installs fence in Kalawahine on Oahu - KHON2

A police pursuit of an assault with a deadly weapon suspect turned into a lengthy standoff after the driver tried to escape across an embankment and got stuck in Woodland Hills Thursday afternoon.

Officers initiated the pursuit of an assault with a deadly weapon suspect at about 5 p.m., said Officer Tony Im, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department.

Sky5 arrived above the chase just before 5:30 p.m., as the black sedan was speeding across several lanes of traffic in the area of Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

Moments later, the driver reached a dead end in the form of a fenced-in cul-de-sac, but drove the vehicle straight through the fencing.

The car tried to continue forward through a soft dirt lot but became stuck in an embankment along Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills, near the intersection with Royer Avenue.

The driver remained in the car and appeared to be attempting to communicate via phone.

At least eight police cars were stationed on Ventura Boulevard, with officers out of their vehicles and some aiming guns at the suspects car.

The standoff ensued for about three hours. Police eventually prodded the driver from his vehicle using some sort of long pole.

Speaking at the scene, LAPD Cmdr. Alan Hamilton said he was not going to get into the tactics used to force the suspect from his vehicle.

When he got out of the car, the man was armed with a knife and tried to run up hill, according to Hamilton.

Hamilton said the man appeared to be under the influence of some type of narcotic and was acting fairly irrational.

Officers were stationed at both the top and bottom of the hill. After a use of force by the officers atop the hill, the suspect was taken into custody near the bottom of the hill with the assistance of a K-9 unit, Hamilton said.

The suspect suffered minor injuries and was taken to the Northridge Hospital for treatment. Officials expected to verify his identity following his release later Thursday night.

He would be booked on suspicion various felony charges including assault with a deadly weapon and violating a restraining order, Hamilton said.

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Driver in custody after plowing through fence, ending pursuit with lengthy standoff in Woodland Hills - KTLA Los Angeles

2021 Washington Legislature, Day 26 of 105

Everett Herald political reporter Jerry Cornfield: jcornfield@heraldnet.com | @dospueblos

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OLYMPIA, Feb. 5, 2021 As another week concludes, the subject of reopening remains a hot topic.

Last Friday, three Democratic lawmakers declared publicly they had lost faith that Gov. Jay Inslee is on a course to safely open Washington and beat COVID-19.

They blistered the governors latest approach to reopening the state by regions. Only seven counties punched their ticket into the second stage. Since then others, including a Whatcom County public health officer, issued their own criticisms of the strategy.

On Thursday, Inslee pushed back, firmly but diplomatically noting, We always listen to these insights and critiques. But were not making changes at the moment.

He went on to say there are 10,000 legitimate criticisms of what theyve done. And, he said, be assured that any plan they put forth that did not fully open every last restaurant and gym would get criticized.

Early exit

A major criminal justice reform initiative of Democrats cleared the Senate on a party-line vote this week. Senate Bill 5121 broadens eligibility for a re-entry program allowing inmates to spend the last few months of their sentences in partial confinement on electronic home monitoring rather than behind bars.

Supporters, including the Department of Corrections, say the approach, over the past couple years, is saving state dollars without endangering public safety and that only a fraction of participants violate terms of the program while out.

Republicans arent convinced. They are worried about the public and tried to dial back some changes. A fiscal note estimates an additional 2,300 inmates could be eligible for this program in the next year if the bill becomes law.

Is it really worth the risk to our communities to take such a big, big leap? Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, said in the floor debate.

Take it down

Also Wednesday, Braun asked Inslee to remove fencing erected around the Capitol last month as a safety measure unless there is a continuing security threat justifying its presence.

Respectfully, it is time to take down the fences which are separating the public from their elected officials in the Legislature, Braun wrote in a letter to the governor. Nearly one month after being banned, the people should at least be allowed to return to the traditional public forum on the steps of the Legislative Building.

Read the full letter here.

Tick Tock

Senate Bill 5061 delaying a massive spike in unemployment insurance taxes paid by businesses and increasing the size of benefit checks for jobless workers sailed through the Legislature with strong bipartisan backing Jan. 29. It carried such importance that House leaders bypassed committee hearings and moved it straight to the floor. Thats end-of-session kind of speed.

As of Thursday evening, the bill had not made its way to the governor, who is ready to sign it. I think its a win for everyone in Washington, he said Thursday.

This story by colleagues Rachel Riley and Janice Podsada is a reminder why business owners are going to be anxious until he does.

Pay freeze

Gov. Inslee wont be getting a raise this year. Neither will state lawmakers or Supreme Court justices.

Economic uncertainty wrought by the continuing pandemic led a citizen panel on Wednesday to freeze pay for the states executives, legislative and judicial branches in 2021. But a majority of the Washington Citizens Commission on Salaries felt confident enough about the future to give them a 1.75% wage increase on July 1, 2022.

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Reopening gripes, fence frustrations and a wage freeze | HeraldNet.com - The Daily Herald