Particulate air pollution continues to cut global life expectancy by nearly two years as progress in some countries counterbalances worsening air quality in others, according to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI).

Produced by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), the AQLI is based on frontier research by EPICs director Michael Greenstone that quantified the causal relationship between human exposure to air pollution and reduced life expectancy.

New data from the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), which converts particulate air pollution into its impact on life expectancy, shows that particulate pollution was the greatest risk to human health before COVID-19. Without strong and sustained public policy, it will be after COVID-19.

The analysis finds that particulate pollution cuts global life expectancy by nearly two years, relative to what it would be if air quality met the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline. This has consistently been the case over the last two decades, with the average global decline in life expectancy from pollution remaining at two years as improvements in some countries like China were balanced out by worsening conditions in other countries.

Particulate pollution has a more devastating impact on life expectancy than communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, behavioral killers such as cigarette smoking, and even war, AQLI asserts.

Source: AQLI Annual Update 2020

In areas of Central and West Africa where diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria traditionally grab headlines, particulate pollution poses just as serious a health threat having a comparable impact on life expectancy. With growth in coal consumption in Africa over the next two decades projected to be triple what it was in the past two decades, recognizing particulate pollution as a possible growing problem becomes even more important.

Nearly a quarter of the global population lives in four countries in South Asia that are among the worlds most polluted: Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. People living in these countries could see their lives cut short by 5 years on average, after being exposed to pollution levels that are now 44% higher than they were two decades ago. High pollution across the entirety of Bangladesh makes it the most polluted country in the world. The most severe pollution, however, is found in parts of India, especially northern India, including the megacities of Delhi and Kolkata.

Particulate pollution is also a significant concern in Southeast Asia, where traditional pollution sources such as vehicles, powerplants and industry combine with forest and cropland fires to produce deadly concentrations. As a result, 89% of Southeast Asias 650 million people live in areas where particulate pollution exceeds the WHO guideline. Growing metropolisessuch as Jakarta, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh, and Bangkokbear the greatest burden.

The good news is that there is now a track record of countries deciding to take action and succeeding in cleaning the air.

Michael Greenstone

China began a war against pollution in 2013. Since then, three-quarters of the worlds reductions in pollution have come from China. The country has reduced particulate pollution by nearly 40%. If these reductions are sustained, Chinese citizens can expect to live about 2 years longer than they would have prior to their aggressive reforms.

The United States, Europe and Japan have likewise experienced success in reducing pollution due to strong policies that came on the heels of public calls for change. The progression of their success, however, further highlights the scale and speed of Chinas progress. It took several decades and recessions for the United States and Europe to achieve the same pollution reductions that China accomplished in 5 years, while continuing to grow its economy. Even with this progress, there are still parts of the United States, Europe, Japan, and most especially China, where pollution meaningfully compromises human health.

As countries today try to balance the dual goals of economic growth and environmental quality, the historical lesson from around the world is that policy can reduce air pollution in a wide variety of political contexts. The AQLI makes clear that the benefits are measured in longer and healthier lives.

Michael Greenstone

More here:

AQLI: new data reveals little progress globally in reducing air pollution over the last two decades - Green Car Congress

tZERO CEO Saum Noursalehi has published an update on progress pertaining to the digital security platform.

tZERO is part of Overstock (NASDAQ:OSTK), a company that has recently experienced a solid increase in its share price since the beginning of the year. Overstock is scheduled to release earnings tomorrow (July 30) before the market opens. The company has scheduled a conference call and webcast for 8:30 a.m. ET.

In a Dear Investors letter, Noursalehi said the value of their blockchain-based ecosystem is becoming increasingly relevant as companies remain private longer, while their investors have limited options for secondary liquidity.

Noursalehi said that tZEROs Alternative Trading System (ATS) is currently transacting hundreds of thousands of trades each monthe and growing rapidly.

While this volume may be a fraction of what is transacted in the traditional world, it is a major and positive trend in our growing ecosystem. This platform allows retail investors the ability to invest in these exclusive assets and offers issuers the opportunity to provide valuable liquidity to their existing shareholders. We believe tZERO is the solution to democratize access to private markets, said Noursalehi.

Noursalehi claims that tZERO facilitates 95% of security token trade volume today.

Noursalehi says that tZEROs cash burn rate is down as cost reductions have kicked in and the company continues to execute on its roadmap.

Key objectives going forward include trading new issuers on the ATS, integrate more brokers, while integrating primary issuance platforms and more. He believes that the biggest near term opportunity is in the real estate sector and pre-IPO companies. Noursalehi says that companies looking to raise capital is an opportunity they have shifted their focus to existing digital securities.

There are over 200 companies and/or assets that have been tokenized to-date. Many of these assets do not meet the criteria for our platform, either in size, quality, or both. There are some, however, that tZERO ATS may be interested in trading, and the business development team has had positive engagement with these issuers. The second category of issuers we are focused on is private companies, particularly those with a large number of investors, and other illiquid assets, such as commercial real estate. This represents the largest category of potential issuers as there are not many liquidity solutions available to these types of assets today. Our competitors in the pre-IPO liquidity space tend to exclusively service unicorn-type companies. Furthermore, they do not offer a live trading platform for their assets. For example, purchasing equity in a company often requires a middleman to facilitate the transaction and a minimum investment of $100,000, which can take months to close. Effectively, it is like buying/selling a home, which is an inefficient and costly process. Our platform, on the other hand, allows investors to trade shares of private companies in a streamlined experience. There are no minimums and, in most cases, non-accredited investors may also participate in investments. This is where we intend to focus the bulk of our business development efforts. Also, given there is no capital raise associated with this cohort, the variables that can impact success and timing are significantly reduced, and often an asset can be live and trading in a matter of weeks from signing.

Noursalehi says they continue to work with FINRA and the SEC on their retail broker-dealer tZERO Markets.

Expect additional information to emerge during the Q&A portion of the earnings call tomorrow.

See the original post here:

tZERO Updates on Platform Progress - Crowdfund Insider

Minneapolis, Minn. (KTTC) -- So, how did the second special legislative session go in St. Paul? Tuesday evening, The Council of Minnesotans of African Heritage held an online debrief to answer that.

The one major piece of legislation that did pass is the police reform and accountability bill.

"This was a significant move compared to where we were. We have made a step forward to addressing the issue of policing in our communities," said Rep. Mohamud Noor, (DFL) Minneapolis.

The bill banned certain police tactics but also addressed stress management for officers.

"What that means is when you have good police officers coming into our communities, they're dealing with stress based on the job that they're in. That they can get the care [that they need]." Noor said

The lawmakers also talked about Gov. Tim Walz's pandemic response.

"We can't evaluate the governor by what's happening. We are fighting an enemy in which we can't see. We are in unprecedented times. There are so many things happening. And I think that he is doing the best he can. Could we do better? Yes. Could we do more? Absolutely," said Rep. Hodan Hassan, (DFL) Minneapolis.

"The work that he has done to monitor the evictions, providing support to small businesses, to creating more opportunities for the distance learning, which we will be hearing more on Thursday. His leadership has been phenomenal," added Noor.

Still unresolved, passage of the bonding bill, the legislation that lays out spending for public projects.

"We are hoping to come back in September notwithstanding some issues behind bonding sales and get this work done. We haven't completed our work," said Sen. Jeff Hayden, (DFL) Minneapolis.

Gov. Walz has not specifically said that he would call a third special session, but he was disappointed that more didn't get done during the second session.

Read more:

Lawmakers break down legislative progress in St. Paul KTTC - KTTC

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --The death of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement sparked global outrage and inspired multiple generations of Americans to leave the safety of their homes during a pandemic and join in widespread demonstrations against police brutality. Nearly two months later, the protests and calls for justice, accountability, and sweeping law enforcement reforms continue.

On Thursday, July 30, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) outgoing president Cerelyn J. Davis and incoming president Lynda R. Williams will deliver a live national address on what progress has been made in the fight for social justice and equality, and what changes still need to come in order to move forward as a society.

This 1-hour program will stream live at 1:00 p.m. ET as part of the National Press Club's Virtual Newsmaker series, and is accessible to both the media and members of the general public free-of-charge. Click here to view the livestream.

With nearly 60 chapters representing more than 3,000 members nationwide, NOBLE prides itself as an organization that "serves as the conscience of law enforcement by being committed to justice by action." NOBLE's membership is comprised of chief executive officers and command-level leadership from every tier and sector of law enforcement.

Opening remarks will be followed by a moderated question-and-answer session with National Press Club President Michael Freedman. Viewers can send their questions for Davis and Williams via email to Headliners@press.org. Freedman will ask as many questions as time permits.

PRESS CONTACT: Lindsay Underwood for The National Press Club; lunderwood@press.org, (202) 662-7561

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leadership-of-noble-to-discuss-progress-made-and-reforms-still-needed-since-death-of-george-floyd-at-national-press-club-virtual-newsmaker-july-30-301102371.html

SOURCE National Press Club

Follow this link:

Leadership of NOBLE to discuss progress made and reforms still needed since death of George Floyd at National Press Club Virtual Newsmaker July 30 -...

Business in the U.K. seems to be picking up looking at increasing location counts, as opposed to gross since the market reopened, Boxoffice Pro editor Daniel Loria said

Hollywood has resigned itself to forgo releasing new movies in theaters (for now), instead rolling out shelved wares overseas in markets where the novel coronavirus pandemic is more under control.

One sign of promising demand came Tuesday from Imax, which pulls roughly 70% of its overall revenue from outside of the U.S. The large-format theater exhibitor has reopened 624 of its theaters globally, or approximately 40% of its network, including 409 theaters in China over the July 24 weekend, CEO Rich Gelfond said Tuesday.

Over the weekend in China, Dolittle and Bloodshot earned $750,000 on Imax screens, despite playing in only 40% of the companys Chinese theaters with a 30% capacity limitation and reduced ticket prices, the company said Tuesday. We project that approximately 1,400 screens in 70 markets, or 90% of our global network, will open by the end of August.

Also Read: Imax Reports Revenue Down 92%, $26 Million Loss in Q2

Reopening theaters and getting the moviegoing business up and running again has proven difficult for studios and exhibitors, particularly in the U.S., where cases of COVID-19 continue to spike in many key markets.

On Monday, Warner Bros. committed to releasing Christopher Nolans highly anticipated big-screen spectacle Tenet in more than 70 countries worldwide ahead of the U.S. The film will open starting Aug. 26 in international territories, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia, Spain and the U.K. It will open in the U.S. over Labor Day weekend in select cities. But that decision followed months of uncertainty and three announced delays in a release date.

In South Korea, theaters have been able to successfully reopen and even produced a genuine box office hit: Peninsula, the blockbuster sequel to 2016s Train to Busan, has grossed more than $21 million in the country since its July 15 release. Thats a case where a successful domestic title on the market can make a real impact, Boxoffice Pro Editorial Director Daniel Loria said.

Also Read: Christopher Nolan's 'Tenet' Will Not Skip Theaters for HBO Max Debut - But Other Movies Could

Peninsula continues to perform well across markets in Asia and Europe, drawing $26.5 million in global box office despite capacity limitations and highlighting solid demand among moviegoers in lower-risk markets worldwide, Gelfond said in a statement on Imaxs second quarter earnings. We are seeing early signs of progress, with approximately 40% of our global network currently generating revenue We believe that our solid financial position gives IMAX the strength to be ready as the rest of our network comes back online.

On the other end of the overseas theatrical spectrum, however, French theaters have struggled since reopening in June. The French Cinema Federation has called on the government to provide additional aid the cinema sector.

Theaters there were allowed to reopen on June 22 and are hoping the influx of studio product helps their cause a bit, Loria said. Admissions from repertory titles and domestic films havent been able to keep Pariss iconic Grand Rex open its closing temporarily through much of August. Complicating things further is a creeping number of domestic films in France now opting for a VOD release instead of hitting theaters at reduced capacity.

Gelfond assured analysts that theaters can operate successfully at 50% capacity or below, noting that Imaxs average global capacity was roughly 10% in 2019, when the company set a new box office record. Of course, a lot is still riding on whether people will feel comfortable enough to head back to theaters (signs point to yes) and whether major studio releases will draw moviegoers back to the theater, even at more limited capacity as Pennisula has done for South Korea.

Also Read: Hanks vs Theron vs Samberg: With Theaters Still Closed, Summer Movie Showdowns Shift to Streaming

According to the British Film Institute, the top 15 films at the box office during the July 17 to July 19 weekend (the most recent available) grossed more than $300,000. None of the films in the top 15 was a major release, most being library titles.

In terms of performance, without studio reporting were somewhat limited in what weve been able to track, Loria said. Business in the U.K. seems to be picking up, however looking at increasing location counts, as opposed to gross since the market reopened.

As the coronavirus continues to spread, an increasing number of movies are delaying or suspending production. As the number of impacted movies grows, TheWrap felt it would be most informative to keep a running list.

"No Time to Die"

MGM, Universal and Bond producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announced that after careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace, the release of "No Time to Die" will be postponed until November 2020.

"A Quiet Place Part II"

Director John Krasinski announced on Instagram that the horror sequel's March theatrical release would be delayed amid the growing spread of the coronavirus around the globe. Paramount has now dated the film for release on Sept. 4.

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway

"Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway" was one of the first films delayed as part of the coronavirus, with Sony pushing its late March release to Aug. 7. But as the shutdowns continued, Sony juggled its release slate so that the family film will now open Jan. 15, 2021.

"Fast and Furious 9"

The release of the next Fast & Furious installment, F9, has been delayed from May 22 to now opening on April 2, 2021.

"The Lovebirds"

Paramount postponed the April 3 theatrical release of the romantic comedy The Lovebirds" starring Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani after its SXSW premiere was also canceled. Netflix then acquired the film from Paramount and debuted it on May 22.

"Blue Story"

Paramount postponed the theatrical release UK gang film "Blue Story," which was set to open on March 20. The film then premiered on digital on May 5.

"The Artist's Wife"

Strand Releasing and Water's End Productions delayed the limited release of the Bruce Dern and Lena Olin film "The Artist's Wife." The film was meant to open in New York on April 3 in Los Angeles on April 10 and in San Francisco on April 17. No new release date has been set.

"The Truth"

Hirokazu Kore-eda's film "The Truth" from IFC Films will postpone its March 20 domestic release to now open at an unspecified date in summer 2020. The film is in both French and English starring Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche and Ethan Hawke and has already opened in some overseas markets. IFC Films has set a new release date for July 3.

"Mulan"

Disney postponed the release of its blockbuster, live-action remake of the animated film "Mulan" from March 27 to now open on July 24. The shift was part of a big shuffle of films Disney made to its release calendar on April 3.

"The New Mutants"

After numerous delays, 20th Century's X-Men spinoff "The New Mutants" was also pushed back by Disney "out of an abundance of caution." The film from director Josh Boone was meant to open April 3. The film will now open Aug. 28, 2020.

"Antlers"

"Antlers," an indie horror film from director Scott Cooper starring Keri Russell, was also pushed back by Disney and Searchlight Pictures from its April 17 release. No new release date has been set.

"Black Widow" and the MCU

In a restructuring of its entire release calendar, Disney pushed back every Marvel movie in the cinematic universe. "Black Widow" was meant to open on May 1, but will now shift back to the slot previously occupied by "The Eternals" on Nov. 6.Eternals is moving to February 12, 2021, Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings will open May 7, 2021, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is shifting to Nov. 5, 2021. The changes also affected Marvel's slate for 2022 with Thor: Love and Thunder opening Feb. 18, 2022, Black Panther 2 shifting to May 8, 2022, and Captain Marvel 2, which was not previously dated, is now set for a July 8, 2022 release.

Untitled Elvis Movie

Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic starring Austin Butler ceased production in Australia after co-star Tom Hanks (playing Presley manager Col. Parker) and his wife, Rita Wilson, tested positive for COVID-19. The planned release date was also bumped back one month to now open Nov. 5, 2021.

"Mission: Impossible 7 and 8"

In late February, Paramount's action sequel halted production in Italy on the Tom Cruise action sequel. Paramount on April 24 also bumped the release dates of both films, with "M:I 7" moving to November 19, 2021 from its July 2021 release date, and the eighth film also moving back to Nov. 4, 2022 from its summer release.

"The Nightingale"

Sony postponed the Budapest shoot of the drama starring real-life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning.

"Birds of Paradise"

Amazon Studios halted production in Budapest on director Sarah Adina Smith's ballet drama.

"Jurassic World: Dominion"

Universal put a pause on production on the third "Jurassic World" in March after four weeks of shooting had been completed in the UK for a 20-week shoot. Production will resume on July 6, and the film is expected to be released on June 11, 2021.

"Flint Strong"

Universal also halted production on this boxing biopic starring Ice Cube and Ryan Destiny.

"Man From Toronto"

Sony delayed the start of production on the action comedy starring Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson (who stepped in to replace Jason Statham).

"Official Competition"

Spanish studio Mediapro suspended production on the new comedy starring Penlope Cruz and Antonio Banderas.

"The Batman"

On March 14, Warner Bros. halted the U.K. production on Matt Reeve's DC Films reboot for at least two weeks. The film stars Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader. On April 20, Warner Bros. officially shifted the release date back four months to Oct. 1 from its originally planned June 2021 release date. The shift also pushed back some other DC titles, including "The Flash" to June 3, 2022 and "Shazam 2!" to Nov. 4, 2022.

"Samaritan"

On March 14, MGM paused production on the Sylvester Stallone thriller. The film had been shooting in Atlanta.

"Cinderella"

Sony's modernized take on "Cinderella" from director Kay Cannon and starring Camila Cabello will put its production on hiatus due to the travel ban extension to the UK. The film was shooting at Pinewood Studios.

"Fantastic Beasts 3"

The third installment of J.K. Rowling's "Fantastic Beasts" series that's spun off from the Harry Potter universe will postpone its production that was scheduled to begin in March in the U.K. The film stars Eddie Redmayne, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Katherine Waterston.

"The Card Counter"

Paul Schrader's "The Card Counter," starring Oscar Isaac, Willem Dafoe, Tye Sheridan and Tiffany Haddish, shut down production with five days remaining in its shoot after the director said on Facebook that a "day player" tested positive for the virus. "Myself, I would have shot through hellfire rain to complete the film," Schrader added. "I'm old and asthmatic, what better way to die than on the job?" Schrader said in an interview in June that the film would resume production on July 6 but that all major crowd and intimate scenes had been completed.

"The Matrix 4"

Production on "The Matrix 4" was temporarily put on hold in March, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap. The sequel starring Keanu Reeves was in production in Berlin, Germany.

"First Cow"

After releasing Kelly Reichardt's "First Cow" in limited release on March 6, the distributor announced Monday it will re-release the film in theaters later this year.

"Deerskin"

The theatrical release of the indie film "Deerskin" from director Quentin Dupieux starring Jean Dujardin has been postponed until further notice. Greenwich Entertainment meant to release the film on March 20 after it played at Cannes, TIFF and Fantastic Fest. The movie will now open via a virtual cinema offering on May 1.

"Uncharted"

Uncharted, the film adaptation of the popular PlayStation video game franchise starring Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, and Antonio Banderas, was unable to begin production in March amid coronavirus concerns. As part of a larger shuffle of Sony's release slate, the most recent release date for the film was also shifted back from March 2021 to Oct. 8, 2021.

"The Climb"

Sony Pictures Classics' indie comedy "The Climb," which played at Sundance this year, was meant to hit theaters March 20 and will now be released on Oct. 9.

"Avatar"

The sequels to James Cameron's four "Avatar" sequels delayed shooting in New Zealand indefinitely, according to the film's producer Jon Landau speaking to the New Zealand Herald. The executive team was to fly to Wellington, NZ on Friday but will remain in Los Angeles due to the coronavirus. Landau said he couldn't give an answer as to when production would resume and when the local Kiwi crew could get back to work. "If I told you we are going to know something in two weeks I'd be lying. I might not be wrong - even a broken clock is right twice a day. But I would be lying because I don't know," Landau said."We're in the midst of a global crisis and this is not about the film industry. I think everybody needs to do now whatever we can do, as we say here, to flatten the curve."

"The Personal History of David Copperfield"

Searchlight Studios was meant to release "Veep" creator Armando Iannucci's comedic take on the Charles Dickens novel on May 8. It will now open in limited release on August 14.

"The Woman in the Window"

The Amy Adams mystery thriller from director Joe Wright, "The Woman in the Window" was meant to open in theaters on May 15 from 20th Century Studios. No new release date has been set.

"Bull"

The theatrical release of the Annie Silverstein indie drama "Bull" was postponed from its March 20 release and will now open on VOD and digital on May 1. The film has toured the festival circuit since making its debut at Cannes in 2019.

"Minions: The Rise of Gru"

The latest "Minions" movie "The Rise of Gru" was postponed from its release date on July 3. Illumination Entertainment's Paris office was forced to shut down due to the coronavirus, so the film was not able to be finished in time. Universal will release the film on July 2, 2021, a full year after its initial date.

"Wonder Woman 1984"

The sequel to "Wonder Woman" starring Gal Gadot will now hit theaters on Oct. 2 after first being pushed back from its June 5 release date and again from Aug. 12.

"In the Heights"

The movie musical based on Lin-Manuel Miranda's stage production "In the Heights" was postponed by Warner Bros. from its June 26 release date and bumped to June 18, 2021.

"Malignant"

"Malignant," a horror film from director James Wan, was pushed indefinitely from its release date on Aug. 14 to clear the way for "Wonder Woman 1984" to open at the tail end of the summer.

"Peter Rabbit 2," "Morbius" and "Ghostbusters: Afterlife"

In a sweeping overhaul of its release slate, Sony moved three films it had scheduled for release this summer to the first quarter of 2021. The "Peter Rabbit" sequel will now be released in January 2021 while both "Morbius" and "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" have been moved to next March.

"Greyhound"

Sony has moved a WWII drama written by and starring Tom Hanks off of its mid-June release date and partnered with Apple to release the film on Apple TV+ in early July.

"Wicked"

Universal has removed the movie musical adaptation of Wicked from its release slate from its original date on Dec. 22, 2021, and will be redated at a later time.

Read the rest here:

Why Movie Theater Reopenings Overseas Show 'Early Signs of Progress' for the Industry - TheWrap

Its time for your Market Line Commodity Report. Im Tim Hammerich.

Grains continue to slide as crops seem to be progressing even better than expected. Standard Grains Joe Vaclavik shared the details on his Grain Markets and Other Stuff Podcast.

Vaclavik So what you've got here is a situation where traders and analysts are going to update their yield models or already have, to account for these better crop ratings. Which will lead them to the conclusion that the yield is going to be better than what they had originally anticipated. So those traders and analysts who were working with the corn yield say at 180, maybe now they're thinking maybe it's a 181 or 182. And you could say something similar about the soybeans. That's not set in stone, that's not gospel, but that's what a lot of the people are thinking here this morning.

Chicago September Wheat futures closed down $0.04 to $5.23 .

Kansas City Hard Red Winter Wheat down $0.02 to $4.36 .

September Corn closed down $0.05 to $3.20.

Portland prices for soft white wheat of ordinary protein unchanged yesterday ranging from $5.75 to $5.78.

Club Wheat of Ordinary Protein also steady ranging from $5.78 to $7.50.

Dark Northern Spring wheat prices down $0.01 ranging from $6.01 to $6.21 for 14% protein.

Live Cattle futures were up $0.47 on the August board to $100.90. Feeder Cattle for August back up $1.35 after Tuesdays losses to $140.70.

Class III milk for August down $.20 to $21.91.

Read the original:

Prices Decline due to Crop Progress - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST - AGInfo Ag Information Network Of The West

A July 20 meeting of the Warren County Economic Development Commission Board, along with County Manager Vincent Jones heard comments from the public and provided updates on projects in progress throughout the county.

A submission by Mike Ernzen opened the comments section of the meeting. If we get a vote, mine is a big No! he wrote with regard to the Chateau on the Lake, the $100 million hotel project that former EDC Director Stacy Woodhouse helped bring to Lake Gaston.

What happens if it gets built and goes bankrupt? Carolyn Hobgood asked.

Hers was one in a series of comments read by Charla Duncan, senior assistant to the county manager. Duncan was named the point of contact for all EDC-related matters while a search is conducted for a new director following Woodhouses resignation on June 23.

Citing traffic congestion, water and sewer treatment, and negative environmental impact, David Deck said hes strongly opposed to the zoning changes that would allow Chateaux at the Lake to move forward.

I am very much against this development as are a majority of my neighbors, he wrote. I respectfully ask that you not approve any zoning changes for this proposed development, and the development itself.

Louis Arp attended the meeting in person, spoke briefly and submitted his comments in writing. As a member of Eatons Ferry Estates Property Owners Association, which represents 300 Warren County taxpayers, Arp said, We oppose the high density zoning changes being requested by Chateau on the Lake developer.

He said the development is problematic in many ways, including creating major environmental, traffic and boating safety issues, lack of waste water treatment capacity for the development and property owners along the distribution route, and a questionable business model with a high degree of risk.

Littleton resident Joe Johnson, who also attended in person said, As a former developer of active adult communities in Raleigh and Cary, on topographically challenged land, I can assure the county that the expense of attempting to develop and maintain a user friendly beach at that location will be a very expensive exercise.

He went on to say, As taxpayers, we encourage the Warren County Board of Commissioners to take a real hard look at the long-term cost and effects of accepting a donation of the 1.84 acre parcel. Now is the time to embark on serious due diligence before the county gets too far committed into a project it will regret doing.

Betty Mazor expressed concerns about too much traffic.

Its entirely too big for this location, she wrote of the proposed project.

I do believe that we need a hotel, doctors office and retail stores here in Warren County, and that tax revenue from such would be welcomed. However, these revenues do not and should not be all located on the same piece of property that leads into a two-lane highway and two-lane bridge.

County Manager Vincent Jones said a Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting will need to be held in order give the final recommendation to the Board of Commissioners for the project to move forward.

However, he said no additional work will be done by the county until its safe to hold an in-person meeting, when residents can make additional comments and express further concerns. In the meantime, those who wish to do so can send their comments to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

Project update

After meeting with Woodhouse, Duncan reported the following progress on the projects he was working on.

According to a July 10 email, the developer once interested in building a multi-family apartment building on the land across from Mazatlan in Warrentons extra territorial jurisdiction has withdrawn from the 2020 cycle.

A housing project in Warrenton with no county money involved has been handed off to the town.

The hotel portion of the Wise interchange project off Interstate 85 is on hold, but construction of new sewer infrastructure is moving forward this summer.

The Heritage Mulch project, which had gone before the Board of Commissioners in October 2019, received funding support for a waterline extension project not to exceed $40,000. Further communication will be necessary to determine the status of this project going forward.

A potential project involving a CBD extraction company and the old Norlina High School facility is no longer viable.

Resignations and reappointments

Joseph Kronner resigned from the EDC board, while members Claude OHagan and Jane Ball-Groom will go before the Board of Commissioners for reappointment.

Carl Lynch, the former EDC board chairman, resigned after serving three terms. Lynch would have had to come off the board before being reappointed had he wanted to stay on. Dr. Ray Spain is now the board chairman.

It was time for me to leave, Lynch said. Asked about the decision to change the EDC by-laws that prompted Woodhouses resignation, Lynch said he was not part of the decision. Not consulted by either the county manager or the board of commissioners chairman, Lynch said he doesnt know anything about what prompted the change.

Its less my business now, Lynch said. But Im curious myself about what transpired.

Originally created to operate somewhat independently from the Board of Commissioners, Lynch said he imagines the decision was an attempt to bring the EDC under the auspices of county government.

It could be good and could be bad depending on what they decide to do, he said. I dont know where we go from here. There were a lot of good things going on prior to now that might not come to fruition.

While allowing that its pure speculation and just his humble opinion, the retired former HR professional said it seemed like [Woodhouse] wanted to run and others wanted to walk slowly.

With a strong interest in seeing the county move forward, Lynch said some ideas and industries will be good for the county and others might not be.

I hope they get past the bumps in the road and do their best for the county, he said of the EDC Board.

Of Woodhouse, Lynch said, The guy is brilliant, no doubt about it. His decision to leave is, in my opinion, a loss to the county.

Lynch said it would have been interesting to see what Woodhouse could have done had he been given the full range of support to implement his and others ideas. He was the best Ive ever seen at pulling things together.

But now Lynch said the ball is in the court of the county manager and the board of commissioners.

I wish them nothing but success, he said. I hope someone comes in who can pick up the pieces and serve the citizens of Warren County.

Excerpt from:

EDC Board reports progress on projects - warrenrecord.com

Since the inception of the Industrialization and Digitalization of Additive Manufacturing (IDAM) project in March 2019, progress has been made: partners have been creating the promised digitalized AM pilot lines, and working on the three established phases of pre-printing, printing, and post-printing for automotive applications.

Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the 20-million-euro initiative consists of the following 12 partners:

Marking the halfway point for the project, the partners are heavily focused on constructing digital standards and the IoT overview for a comprehensive digital architecture. Most are either small to medium-sized business, committed to furthering progress with metallic 3D printing in the automotive industry.

GKN Powder Metallurgy is currently validating a recently acquired EOS M300-4 quad-laser system, testing out multi-laser exposure strategies and pushing the systems productivity (Image: GKN Powder Metallurgy)

Their goal is to consider the whole additive manufacturing process, integrating process chain modules, and creating a stable process for serial volume production. Pilot lines are being set up at the GKN Powder Metallurgy factory in Bonn, and also at BMW in Munich.

Laser powder bed fusion (LBPF) systems present a range of obstacles (from limited automation to its cost-prohibitive nature), making it difficult to establish the required reliability and versatility needed within the digital architecture, but at the Bonn site, the GKN PM team is testing out new strategies on an EOS M300-4 quad-laser system installed in May. GKN PM is also creating a new metal powder, DP 600, meant for industrial parts in automotive applicationsallowing for mechanical properties to be adjusted with heat. The new powder offers the following:

The partners are testing concepts used in the pilot line modules, and expecting to have them all on site by the beginning of next year. The partners will be able to test and qualify systems, parts, and processes over the next year as they look toward the prototyping chapterwith the ultimate goal of fabricating more than 10,000 automotive parts annually.

The pilot line should not only be open-source, but also easily customized for any LPBF system. To decrease costs further, the use of water atomized powders will be explored in further experiments.

GKN continues to function as a bridge between project members, considering strategies that may be either academic or application centered. Find out more about BMWs involvement in the project here, as well as the opening of their Additive Manufacturing campus here.

Consortium of the BMBF project IDAM at the kick-off in Munich on March 27, 2019 (Photo: BMW Group)

More:

IDAMs Automotive 3D Printing Production Lines Make Progress with BMW, GKN and More - 3DPrint.com

Firefighters have contained 40% of the Ridge fire, which rapidly grew to 310 acres and engulfed one home Monday afternoon.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department received the call about 3:45 p.m. for a 2-acre brush fire in a remote area of Gorman with heavy fuels, said Leslie Lua, a spokesperson for the agency.

By about 5 p.m., the Ridge fire had grown to 200 acres. By 6:40 p.m., more than 300 firefighters were able to stop the fires forward progress at just more than 300 acres.

Using aircraft provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and assistance form the Los Angeles Fire Department, firefighters were able to prevent injuries or damage to additional homes, the L.A. County Fire Department said in a tweet.

Firefighters will work through the night to to continue containing the fire.

Visit link:

Firefighters make progress in containing 300-acre Ridge fire, which burned one home in Gorman - Los Angeles Times