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Panel considers 3-person rule for HOV lanes on I-405

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BELLEVUE. Wash. – Big changes are coming to Interstate 405 – you may soon need three people in your car to use the HOV lanes.

Transportation officials say changes are necessary because the freeway is becoming increasingly congested during the morning and evening commutes.

And now a study reveals that the two-person HOV lane requirement in use now would not be effective into the future.

An advisory committee is meeting Thursday afternoon to study three new possible options along I-405:

• Three-person carpools ride for free

• Three-person carpools ride for free at peak times, two-person carpools ride for free at off-peak times

• All carpools receive a discount

The meeting will take place from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Renton Community Center, 1715 SE Maple Valley Highway.

The public is welcome to attend and provide comments.

All options are under discussion at this point. At lease two more meetings are scheduled before the state makes a final decision.

The advisory group plans to present their recommendations at a Nov. 20 meeting of the Washington State Transportation Commission in Kirkland. The Commission will ultimately set toll exemptions and rates through a public process scheduled to continue into spring 2014.

Filed Under: landscaping ideas

TeWinkel returns to city council seat

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Monday night, the council voted 4-1 to return him to the District 4 aldermanic seat that he resigned from six weeks earlier.

The council selected TeWinkel over two other applicants for the position — Pam Brokaw, a former alderperson for District 2, and Jim Webber, a former Troy Town Board member who moved to the city 15 months ago.

Webber received one vote in the secret ballot by council members.

TeWinkel said he resigned from the council because a city job came open that he wanted to apply for. He said City Attorney Catherine Munkittrick advised him that it would be a conflict of interest for him to pursue the position as a member of the council.

He ultimately wasn’t hired for Public Works Department job, and chose to join the applicants for the council seat he was elected to in April 2012.

“Because I am able to now, I want to finish out the term I was elected to,” TeWinkel said in his statement to the council.

The candidates were asked to introduce themselves and address three questions:

1. Did they have any specific concerns regarding the city?

2. What would their goals or objectives be as a member of the council?

3. Why did they want to serve on the council?

The applicants drew numbers to determine the order they went in.

Alderpersons were invited to question the candidates following their opening remarks.

Alderperson Randy Morrissette II asked each of the applicants if they would run for a full two-year term on the council next April if they were selected to fill the open seat. All said they would.

Morrissette asked Brokaw and Webber how they would have voted on one of two controversial issues that were decided by the council in recent years — the order for private docks to be removed from the St. Croix River and the decision not to rezone St. Croix Meadows dog track for school use.

Both chose to address the dock issue, and said they agreed with the decision the council made.

Morrissette asked TeWinkel if he favored an increase in the tax levy in order to increase city’s operational budget.

TeWinkel said he didn’t. He indicated that the city’s increased spending on street projects will be felt by taxpayers, and that the line should be held on further increases.

“I feel a strong obligation to serve the residents of Hudson’s District 4 who elected me to this position in the first place,” TeWinkel said in his cover letter seeking the appointment. “I have in-depth knowledge of current concerns within the city, and therefore know that if appointed to fill the seat, I’d be up to speed immediately without a period of acclimation.”

TeWinkel is a commercial project manager for a St. Paul lawn care, landscaping and snow removal company. He also operates an online auction site.

Regarding city issues, TeWinkel said the council will need to work with the school district to find a solution for locating a new secondary school.

He said the development of the former tourist information center property and the Hudson Golf Club are concerns for District 4 residents.

Brokaw represented District 2 on the council from 2008 to 2010. When challenged by current District 2 Alderperson Mary Yacoub in the 2010 election, she withdrew from the race.

The city’s aldermanic district boundaries were redrawn in 2011, placing Brokaw’s home in the current District 4.

Brokaw emphasized her volunteer service with a number of Hudson nonprofits, including Youth Action Hudson, the Girls Scouts, the Lions Club and St. Croix Valley Youth Court.

“I believe that our community leaders serve as role models for our residents of all ages, and as ambassadors that help to strengthen relationships and increase awareness about our great city,” she said in her application letter.

Brokaw said alderpersons need to be open to new ideas and maintain open communication with their constituents. She said she thinks the city needs a teen or community center.

Brokaw serves on the city’s Park Board. She’s been a 3M Co. employee for 30 years. Her present position is as a human resources analyst in the Global Workforce Services area.

Webber is a 3M Co. retiree. He worked as an engineer for the company for 37 years and then started his own consulting firm.

He served on the Troy Town Board for two years, and was also a member of the town’s Park Board and Plan Commission before moving to Hudson.

Webber said that in his business career he excelled at developing good relationships with employees and customers.

He said he is concerned about how Hudson continues to grow and mentioned the closing of the Hudson Golf Club, the need for downtown parking, library funding and a location for a new secondary school as issues facing the city.

When asked by Alderperson Yacoub what his priorities would be for spending limited tax revenue, Webber named downtown parking, street maintenance and upgrading the city’s water and sewer capacity.

Council President Kurt TeWinkel presided over Monday night’s meeting in the absence of Mayor Alan Burchill.

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Palmer Avenue Block Party

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  • Palmer Avenue Gets New Look 11-7-13 5pm


By: Lanetra Bennett
November 7, 2013

Tallahassee, FL – The City of Tallahassee is holding a block party Thursday to celebrate the renovation of Palmer Avenue.

Palmer Avenue on Tallahassee’s southside has been transformed.

“It looks good.” Says, Tallahassee resident Jewel DeVane.

There are new sidewalks, seating walls, landscaped areas to filter stormwater runoff, crosswalks, and enhanced landscaping.

DeVane says, “The gas lanterns, they’re just gorgeous. It adds like an old antique look to the area; but yet and still it’s so modern. it’s just beautiful.”

Tallahassee resident Burnic Jordan says, “I hope that they do some of these same innovative ideas and projects in other areas on the southside.”

That’s the plan. The renovation of Palmer Avenue is the first project in a larger plan to create a sense of community in the Monroe-Adams corridor.

The corridor is the area near South Monroe and South Adams, bound by Magnolia Drive, FAMU, the train tracks, and Myers Park Historic District.

City commissioners allocated $1.2 million to the entire corridor project.

City officials say by helping to make this area a thriving, walkable urban district, the Monroe-Adams corridor will serve as a gateway to Florida AM University and Downtown Tallahassee.

The owner of Hinson Realty, which sits on the corner of Palmer and South Monroe, says the improvements benefit the business community.

Terence Hinson says, “You start to see increased investment by the owners into the buildings and that typically means you’re going to see increased investment in money spen on this side of town.”

Another area project set to begin soon includes FAMU Way.

The Palmer Avenue Block Party to celebrate the renovations is Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The event is free. Local musicians, food and entertainment are all on hand.

Press Release: City of Tallahassee

Celebrate Palmer Ave. Transformation

Free Event Featuring Music, Food and Entertainment
November 04, 2013

Come rock the block this Thursday, Nov. 7, at the City of Tallahassee’s Palmer Ave. Block Party. This rockin’ event, which celebrates the renovation of Palmer Ave., will feature local music, food and entertainment from Southside merchants. This free event takes place from 4:30 – 7 p.m. on the section of Palmer Ave. between S. Monroe and S. Adams streets.

“We encourage the entire community to take part in the Palmer Ave. Block Party,” said Terence Hinson, Chairman of the Capital City Chamber of Commerce and member of the Monroe-Adams Placemaking working group. “Area businesses and restaurants will be on hand to showcase what the Southside has to offer.”
Residents attending the block party will notice the street’s new amenities. Improvements include new sidewalks, seating walls and bioswales, which are landscaped areas that are specifically designed to filter storm water runoff. Through the addition of gas lamps, patterned crosswalks and enhanced landscaping, the ambiance of the block has been updated as well.

The renovation of Palmer Ave., an effort supported by area residents, businesses and community groups including the Knight Creative Communities Institute (KCCI), is just the first project in a larger plan to create a sense of place in the Monroe-Adams corridor. This corridor refers to the area near S. Monroe and S. Adams streets that is bound by Magnolia Dr. on the south, the campus of Florida AM University on the west, the CSX tracks and Capital Cascades Park on the north and the Myers Park Historic district on the east.

Pending approval and funding, other east-west streets in the Monroe-Adams corridor that could see an upgrade include sections of Magnolia Dr., Kestner St., Perkins St., Jennings St., Pershing St., Harrison St. and Oakland Ave./FAMU Way. The City Commission approved the Monroe-Adams corridor action plan in 2011 as part of the City’s overall Placemaking project.

“The Monroe-Adams corridor serves not only as a gateway to Florida AM University and to downtown, but it also serves as a gateway into our entire community,” said Mayor John Marks. “By helping to make this area a thriving, walkable urban district, we can enhance the overall appearance of our community and add to the quality of life for those nearby businesses and neighborhoods.”

Another area project set to begin soon includes FAMU Way. Project managers expect to begin construction in early 2014, further enhancing the entire Southside.

For more information, please call the Planning Department at 891-6400 or visit Talgov.com/Planning.

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Drury students offer new design for King Jack Park

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WEBB CITY, Mo. —
Architecture students from Drury University on Tuesday presented the draft version of a final design for King Jack Park at the Webb City 66 Events Center.

About 20 residents, city officials and members of the parks and recreation staff were on hand for the presentation.

The final design was a synthesized version of four individual designs that students presented last month to residents, who in turn shared feedback on elements they approved of, had questions about or didn’t agree with.

When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is done filling in Sucker Flats at King Jack Park with mining waste, the Parks and Recreation Department will reclaim about 23 acres of park land. The department wanted community involvement as well as ideas from the students as to what the land’s future use might include.

At 144 total acres, King Jack Park is home to the Praying Hands Monument; the Kneeling Miner Statue; the Webb City Farmers Market; the restored 1920s No. 60 Southwest Missouri Electric Railroad Association trolley and one-mile track; the Mining Days Event Center and Outdoor Amphitheater; baseball, softball and soccer fields; and a system of walking trails.

It also is home to Paradise Lake and the historic bowstring arch truss Georgia City Bridge. Two new lakes were built at the back of the park by the EPA as part of the agreement for filling in Sucker Flats.

On Tuesday, the Drury students again sought feedback on the final design.

The public was receptive to several elements of the plan, including the possibility of a bridge or underpass across Highway 171 for pedestrian traffic, improving the base of the Praying Hands statue, improvements to pavilions, adding a splash pad or water feature, establishing areas with native plants, additional parking for the Webb City Farmers Market, and extending the current trolley system around the entire park.

Parks Director Tom Reeder plans to meet with the students today or Friday in Springfield for further evaluation of the design, and to offer input based on his experience with landscaping.

The students will use the public’s feedback and Reeder’s input to tweak the final design, then present it to the city on Dec. 12 at the Route 66 Events Center. Reeder said the plan could serve as a guide for what happens in the park for the next 15 to 30 years.

“Overall, I think they came up with some really unique and good ideas,” Reeder said. “Some we’d discussed before and some we hadn’t, and that’s what we were hoping for.

“They came in with a fresh viewpoint — didn’t have a mindset as to what they were going to see, and they hadn’t been looking at it for several years like me to where they already had preconceived notions. It’s definitely something we can build on.”

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Met Council paves way to review options for Southwest Corridor

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    The Cedar Lake Trail runs alongside a freight train track that has been a proposed site for the Southwest Corridor light rail line in St. Louis Park.

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    Plans for the Southwest Corridor light-rail line are passing back over old ground as officials try to re-examine all possible options for the controversial freight and light-rail tracks.

    It comes after metro officials hit the reset button in what would be the metro area’s largest transit project going from Minneapolis to Eden Prairie costing $1.55 billion. Even though most of the potential railroad plans unveiled Wednesday to more than 50 residents and leaders from Hennepin County and west metro cities weren’t new ideas, an independent consultant will be hired this month. They will reanalyze all options because it’s important to “try to get the lay of the land,” Metropolitan Council chairwoman Susan Haigh said.

    However, residents like Jami LaPray, the co-chair of the St. Louis Park advocacy group Safety in the Park, were skeptical the reassessment will dig up anything new.

    “It’s a waste of time to look at these options that have already been looked at and looked at,” she said, adding that any plan that reroutes freight trains to St. Louis Park to make room for light-rail lines in Minneapolis won’t be an acceptable option. “That’s what’s frustrating; they keep going over the same ground over and over again.”

    Some of the plans are ones that city and county officials say are likely going to reach the same conclusion as in the past — not doable — such as the option to put the light-rail line along the Midtown Greenway bike path in Minneapolis.

    “We’re not going to pursue all these options,” Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak said.

    It will cost the Met Council less than $1 million to hire an outside consultant for the freight reroute study. The company will be selected this month and will present draft reports by January followed by public input meetings.

    If freight and light-rail trains are positioned next to each other, which LaPray’s group supports, light-rail tracks would run through two shallow tunnels in the Kenilworth Corridor. The Met Council is also hiring outside consultants to conduct two studies to assess the effect on water resources in south Minneapolis and what kind of landscaping will be needed there. Officials said it isn’t clear yet what it will cost for the other studies.

    “The timeline to complete the three studies is very ambitious,” Hennepin County Commissioner Jan Callison said.

    Rybak and St. Louis Park officials gave informal consent to the preliminary scope of the three studies Wednesday.

    “Minneapolis is being asked to make drastic changes,” Rybak said. “This is not going to be easy, but I think it’s important we are working together.”

     

    Kelly Smith • 612-673-4141 • Twitter: @kellystrib

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    Filed Under: landscaping ideas

    Secret Garden Landscaping’s Jerry White provides some ideas for a garden for …

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    We often embark upon garden projects that need to take account of the needs of the whole family, especially children. And as well as domestic gardens, we have also designed and built gardens in schools and day nurseries, creating interesting outdoor environments to both entertain and stimulate children.

    There are many different and imaginative ways to create a garden that people of all ages can use and enjoy. Ideally, there should be separate areas for children to play and where adults can sit, relax and socialise.

    In one Bristol garden, there was already a large pond, but it needed to be made safe, to prevent anyone falling in. To solve this problem, we decided upon a timber deck that was both a seating area and a jetty.

    The deck appears to “float” on top of the water, which flows beneath, and a section was made “safe” with the addition of a small picket fence and a gate allowing access to the jetty. In turn, the jetty allowed kids to get close to the pond and explore the wildlife in it with their nets.

    In winter, a muddy or wet garden can limit its use, but installing a weather-proof surface is an easy solution – and means children can play outside all year round. Among the options is artificial grass, pictured, which has all the benefits of a natural lawn, but it’s also maintenance free, as it doesn’t need cutting or weeding.

    It looks realistic and is a great to play on, too.

    Recycled rubber chips are an alternative for a clean and safe play area. The chips come in different colours, so they can appear natural and blend into the garden for a grown-up space, or else choose more vibrant colours for a fun play area.

    In some gardens we have also built mounds with turf on top. One mound was built with the surplus soil dug out from a pond. The mound was shaped and a seat cut into it on one side, while meadow flowers were planted into the turf. On a summer’s day, it provides a lovely place to sit and relax, surrounded by flowers and overlooking the pond.

    In another garden, we built some mounds with tunnels going through the middle, pictured, inset, so that kids could crawl through, or use the tunnels as fun hiding places. The mounds were covered with turf so little ones could roly-poly down them safely, too.

    Sheds and other outdoor structures are other great places to play in, built dens, or indulge in make-believe games. It just takes a bit of imagination.

    For garden design ideas, visit secretgarden web.co.uk, or for a free design consultation, email info@ secretgarden web.co.uk.

    Filed Under: landscaping ideas

    Residents question parking cuts, cost of Roosevelt School project in River Forest

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    River Forest residents expressed concerns about parking, costs and the need for the proposed $1.1 million overhaul of the grounds at Roosevelt School during a public forum Oct. 28.

    Several residents voiced full support for the project during a public hearing hosted by the Board of Education in the school’s auditorium. About 30 of the more than 100 people at the hearing spoke to the board.

    District 90 officials outlined the four-part proposal and two-year process they said they have undergone to settle on changes to landscaping, lighting, access, stormwater drainages and the playground at Roosevelt, 7560 Oak Ave., home to an estimated 669 fifth- through eighth-grade students and 110 employees.

    The board plans to use the comments made during the hearing to consider new ideas about the project, not to weigh the number of residents who support it versus the number who oppose it, Board President Patrick Meyer said.

    “Unlike any school issue in recent memory, this issue has galvanized and polarized the community, based on the phone calls and emails we’ve received,” Meyer said. “It has generated tremendous interest from the community, and frankly we were caught off guard by it.”

    In March, the board chose to “put the brakes on” the decision process in order to invite additional public opinion, Meyer said. In order to get a better cross-representation from the community, the board also chose to add additional members to a sub-committee that will “fine-tune” the proposal, he said.

    The largest portion — $368,434 — of the cost of the project will go toward overhauling the north parking lot, including improving stormwater drainage, creating a student congregation area for seventh- and eighth-grade students each morning and creating safer pedestrian access around the parking lot, said Anthony Cozzi, director of finance and facilities.

    Stormwater mitigation will include adding paved parking for bicycles and eliminating a problem area often referred to as the “mud pit,” Cozzi said.

    The remaining funds will be divided among improvements to the Lathrop Avenue parking lot ($250,162), the east play lot ($224,236) and the Oak Avenue entrance ($188,230), he said.

    The project will reduce the number of parking spots around the school from 96 to 66, but add 30 temporary spaces for visitors to the school and the neighboring River Forest Library between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on school days, Cozzi said. It will also create five short-term visitor spots in the north or Lathrop lots, he said.

    Resident Al Popowitz urged the board to consider the needs of senior citizens before eliminating so many parking spaces. The congregation area for seventh- and eighth-graders could be moved to the library during early morning hours, Popowitz said.

    Sarah Lempia praised the board for proposing improvements that are badly needed to address poor planning executed many years ago, including building a library immediately adjacent to a school.

    “You have a lot of clean-up to do of shortsighted planning over the years,” Lempia said. “Thank you for the idea of providing a library book drop-off as part of this project. I would love if you could add a mailbox, too.”

    The project price tag of $1.1 million is a “staggering sum, especially given that it focuses on aesthetics,” said Kristen Coe.

    “Please remember that just because you have the money doesn’t mean that you need to spend the money,” Coe said.

    Filed Under: landscaping ideas

    Residents question parking cuts, cost of Roosevelt School project in River Forest

    by Leave a Comment

    River Forest residents expressed concerns about parking, costs and the need for the proposed $1.1 million overhaul of the grounds at Roosevelt School during a public forum Oct. 28.

    Several residents voiced full support for the project during a public hearing hosted by the Board of Education in the school’s auditorium. About 30 of the more than 100 people at the hearing spoke to the board.

    District 90 officials outlined the four-part proposal and two-year process they said they have undergone to settle on changes to landscaping, lighting, access, stormwater drainages and the playground at Roosevelt, 7560 Oak Ave., home to an estimated 669 fifth- through eighth-grade students and 110 employees.

    The board plans to use the comments made during the hearing to consider new ideas about the project, not to weigh the number of residents who support it versus the number who oppose it, Board President Patrick Meyer said.

    “Unlike any school issue in recent memory, this issue has galvanized and polarized the community, based on the phone calls and emails we’ve received,” Meyer said. “It has generated tremendous interest from the community, and frankly we were caught off guard by it.”

    In March, the board chose to “put the brakes on” the decision process in order to invite additional public opinion, Meyer said. In order to get a better cross-representation from the community, the board also chose to add additional members to a sub-committee that will “fine-tune” the proposal, he said.

    The largest portion — $368,434 — of the cost of the project will go toward overhauling the north parking lot, including improving stormwater drainage, creating a student congregation area for seventh- and eighth-grade students each morning and creating safer pedestrian access around the parking lot, said Anthony Cozzi, director of finance and facilities.

    Stormwater mitigation will include adding paved parking for bicycles and eliminating a problem area often referred to as the “mud pit,” Cozzi said.

    The remaining funds will be divided among improvements to the Lathrop Avenue parking lot ($250,162), the east play lot ($224,236) and the Oak Avenue entrance ($188,230), he said.

    The project will reduce the number of parking spots around the school from 96 to 66, but add 30 temporary spaces for visitors to the school and the neighboring River Forest Library between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on school days, Cozzi said. It will also create five short-term visitor spots in the north or Lathrop lots, he said.

    Resident Al Popowitz urged the board to consider the needs of senior citizens before eliminating so many parking spaces. The congregation area for seventh- and eighth-graders could be moved to the library during early morning hours, Popowitz said.

    Sarah Lempia praised the board for proposing improvements that are badly needed to address poor planning executed many years ago, including building a library immediately adjacent to a school.

    “You have a lot of clean-up to do of shortsighted planning over the years,” Lempia said. “Thank you for the idea of providing a library book drop-off as part of this project. I would love if you could add a mailbox, too.”

    The project price tag of $1.1 million is a “staggering sum, especially given that it focuses on aesthetics,” said Kristen Coe.

    “Please remember that just because you have the money doesn’t mean that you need to spend the money,” Coe said.

    Filed Under: landscaping ideas

    Billings man charged in huffing crash

    by Leave a Comment

    An 18-year-old Billings man faces seven felony charges after police say he inhaled dust cleaner and passed out while driving, crashing into another vehicle.

    The Billings Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/1bW7GY9)Darien Cordell Martin pleaded not guilty Tuesday to six felony counts of criminal endangerment and one felony and three misdemeanor counts of negligent vehicular assault. Prosecutors say one of his passengers was seriously injured.

    Charging documents say Martin had four passengers in his car in July when he passed out after huffing Dust Off. The car crossed several lanes of traffic, went over the landscaping in front of a business and hit a car stopped at a traffic light.

    Prosecutors say a blood test showed Martin had the active chemical substance in the dust cleaner in his system along with marijuana and opiates.

    ___

    Information from: The Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com

    Filed Under: landscaping ideas

    Billings man charged in huffing crash

    by Leave a Comment

    An 18-year-old Billings man faces seven felony charges after police say he inhaled dust cleaner and passed out while driving, crashing into another vehicle.

    The Billings Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/1bW7GY9)Darien Cordell Martin pleaded not guilty Tuesday to six felony counts of criminal endangerment and one felony and three misdemeanor counts of negligent vehicular assault. Prosecutors say one of his passengers was seriously injured.

    Charging documents say Martin had four passengers in his car in July when he passed out after huffing Dust Off. The car crossed several lanes of traffic, went over the landscaping in front of a business and hit a car stopped at a traffic light.

    Prosecutors say a blood test showed Martin had the active chemical substance in the dust cleaner in his system along with marijuana and opiates.

    ___

    Information from: The Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com

    Filed Under: landscaping ideas
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