Monthly Archives: March 2021

On March 3rd last year Marcus Stewart and Susan Wrafter found themselves among thousands of travellers at Innsbruck Airport.

Austria had just confirmed two Covid-19 cases and immediately went into a lockdown. Tourists feared they might get stuck.

The couple originally planned to go skiing in northern Italy, but this was cancelled when the region became Europes canary in the coal mine of the pandemic. Their alternative holiday in Austria was cut short, too.

Stewart and Wrafter spent 11 hours at Innsbruck Airport waiting for a flight. On the day before they left the Saint Anton am Arlberg resort, an older lady they had met went into hospital with suspected Covid-19 symptoms.

At the airport Wrafter (37), a personal trainer and pharmacist, developed a cough. I genuinely thought it was psychosomatic. We were so saturated with news of coronavirus, she says.

When they arrived in Dublin, both were exhibiting flu-like symptoms - a heavy fever and fatigue. After two weeks they thought they had seen the back of Covid-19, but a year on they are still suffering.

Stewart (40), producer of RTs Eco Eye programme, says the symptoms never really went away.

Wed be grand for a while and then we would be hit with it again. We dont get the fever anymore, but we get the extreme fatigue, he says. Every time I exercise thats when it really kicks in. I just hit the wall. I feel and look like death. Id be up all night sweating vinegar.

Stewart and Wrafter have long Covid and because Covid-19 is a relatively new disease, sufferers do not know when it is going to end.

Before catching the disease, both had trained as fitness instructors. Wrafter represented Ireland at touch rugby two years ago, but now struggles at times to carry their daughter Sofia (2) up the stairs without becoming breathless. She has been in and out of hospital for the last year.

There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. You think you are making progress, you think you are over the worst of it and then it rears its ugly head again.

Long Covid mainly affects women, according to Prof Frances Williams of Kings College London, who is part of an international team overseeing the Zoe Covid Symptom Tracker App study, which has produced findings about who is most at risk of long Covid.

Women tend to come forward more readily with symptom reporting, but our work with the Zoe app shows there is an increased risk in women and this is reflected in the fact that women are more likely to get post-viral fatigue, she explains. Fatigue and chronic pain in women can be a factor in long Covid and the menopausal symptoms dont help that as well.

Williams says it is difficult to get a statistical handle yet on the prevalence of long Covid in women compared to men as the definition is still evolving. The UKs National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has defined long Covid as symptoms that persist after three months. The previous definition was eight weeks.

Around 2 per cent of people infected with Covid-19 develop long Covid. It is not a huge proportion, but amounts to around 5,000 people in Ireland.

Stewart says it is a debilitating condition.

The hardest part is not knowing then it will end or if this is a permanent situation. Myself and Sue both go through phases where we think were getting better and improving but then were hit again.

Oonagh Carr (45), who lives in Clontarf, Dublin, picked up Covid-19 last March from her husband, who was working in London at the time. He fully recovered, but she has endured a year of sickness that has required her to take long periods off work.

After being out of work for 10 weeks I returned in June but had to sign out again in October as I had a bad relapse of symptoms, she says.

I have been having extreme dizzy spells (a new symptom) and gastrointestinal symptoms, too. I still have some issues with vision despite having had my eyes checked and the ophthalmologist not finding an explanation for this.

Tanja Buwalda (46), from Crosshaven, Co Cork, said her symptoms were initially so mild that it could be confused with anything. She felt tired and run down, and then lost her sense of smell. Six weeks later she noticed she was out of breath.

Symptom after symptom started to pile on during the summer. From August to October I was bed-ridden.

She discovered an online community that had 35,000 people worldwide with long Covid signed-up. She now says she is 70 per cent better, thanks to a cocktail of supplements.

I have had to come to terms with the fact that I have a chronic illness. My energy levels are very low, she says. You have to hope that the science will catch up. They are still learning so much about this disease.

Anita OLeary (39), from Thurles, Co Tipperary, had two underlying conditions before contracting Covid-19 last March. She is a coeliac and has an underactive thyroid. She now has another autoimmune condition, Psoriatic arthritis, which she says she developed as a result of long Covid.

Doctors have given her everything they can to help, but nothing has worked.

I am taking myself off tablets because nothing is helping me, she says.

She has been offered anti-depressants by doctors but has refused them.

I have never been an anxious person. I am very much the person who gets up and copes. I have never liked being a victim in my life before, but it is very hard when you are getting to the stage that doctors are offering you anti-depressants.

Prof Clona N Cheallaigh , an infectious diseases specialist at St Jamess Hospital in Dublin, says there is a lot doctors do not know about the disease.

We dont understand what causes long Covid at all. Until we understand it, we dont know how to treat it. Its a wait and see approach, she says.

What is certain that it is a disease that primarily affects women of childbearing years.

That may be a clue as to what is causing it. Some women report that symptoms come with their menstrual cycle and it may be related to oestrogen or progesterone.

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Long Covid: You think you are making progress...then it rears its ugly head again - The Irish Times

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (KT) -- Louisville's football team wrapped up spring practice Wednesday afternoon and afterwards coach Scott Satterfield called the 15 workouts "very successful."

"A lot of good stuff, a lot of good work this spring," he said during a media teleconference. "I thought we had very good energy throughout the spring on both sides of the ball and on special teams. It's good to see a lot of young guys make plays and get better from the start to the end."

In that category, Satterfield mentioned defensive linemen Ashton Gilotte and Michael Gonzalez and wide receiver Ahmari Huggins-Bruce.

Satterfield, coming off a 4-7 season and operating with four new assistant coaches, said the spring was valuable in giving the newcomers on the staff the opportunity to blend in and get to know the players. He also noted that 10 true freshmen who enrolled early and four key transfers were getting their first indoctrination into the Cardinals' system.

Several players changed positions, including Jack Fagot, from safety to outside linebacker; walk-on Greg Desrosiers from wide receiver to running back; and Desmond Daniels, from tight end to the offensive line.

Fagot (6-0, 195), a former walk-on who was rewarded with a scholarship prior to the 2019 season, has played in 29 games during his career, including three starts last season.

"He's a very heady player to be able to move down closer to the box and I think it will help him," Satterfield said. "He's still learning the position and has to get better, but he gives us more depth at outside linebacker, where we need depth."

One of the most pleasing things for Satterfield was seeing junior running back Hassan Hall show indications that he will return to his 2019 form after regressing last season. He was an All-ACC Second Team choice two years ago after rushing for 501 yards and five touchdown while also returning kickoffs for 793 yards, with a 30.5 average that ranked fourth nationally. But last season he played in only eight games, gaining 223 yards with two TDs, and his kickoff return average dropped to 21.2.

"I thought Hassan, for where he was at in the fall, was a new player this spring," Satterfield said. "We didn't get a lot of production from him last year, we all know that. But he came in with a different attitude and he's worked his tail off. We all know he's very explosive. Hopefully, he's back to that old form he had when we first got here, when he had some big plays for us."

One newcomer to keep an eye on next fall is Shai Werts, a grad transfer from Georgia Southern, where he had 6,000 yards of total offense in 46 games at quarterback. At Louisville he will be primarily a slot receiver but will also fill the role of emergency quarterback.

"He's played a lot of college football, and with that experience it doesn't matter what the position is," Satterfield said. "Understanding blocking assignments as a receiver I think is probably the biggest thing for him. But I think he's a guy that gives us depth at the receiver spot, and we need it."

Last week with two practices remaining, Werts had this to say about his move from quarterback to receiver:

"I have my good days and my bad days. The transition has been smooth and it feels natural. At the end of the day, I'm an athlete, so it's been smooth overall."

Limiting turnovers was a focus going into spring drills because UofL lost the ball 24 times last season, rankin 124th of 127 teams in the FBS. Satterfield thought the Cards made progress, although he acknowledged that he won't know for sure until they face someone other than themselves.

"It's hard to gauge when you're going against each other," he said. "You basically look at decision-making in the throwing game, whether you're throwing interceptions and why, and I think we made some strides in that. I also thought we took care of the football in terms of fumbles a lot better as an overall offense."

UofL will open the 2021 season on Sept. 6 against Mississippi in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic in Atlanta.

"We still have a lot of work to do," Satterfield said. "But the good thing is we still have six weeks left in the semester. We'll use that time learning and growing as a team, we just won't be able to use a football now. But we'll be able to do a lot of things within our team to finish out the semester."

Russ Brown, a former sportswriter for The Courier-Journal and USA Today, covers University of Louisville sports and college football and basketball for Kentucky Today. He can be contacted at 0926.russ.brown@gmail.com.

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Satterfield happy with progress as Cards end spring practice - Times Tribune of Corbin

A bike rack at the Spring Hill Metro by GKJ.

Alternatives to cars have made progress in recent years in Tysons, particularly with the opening of the Silver Line. In many parts of the edge city, some or most errands can be done by foot, though often not without facing off against wide crosswalks and long superblocks. Multiple public transportation options are available throughout Tysons. But bicycling through Tysons, according to a market study, is still hazardous.

While Tysons has some bike lanes on certain roads there is still work to be done to create a connected network, reads the market study conducted by HR&A Advisors for the Tysons Partnership (note: Tysons Partnership underwrites this coverage but has no editorial oversight.) Compared to more urban peers like Downtown DC, Tysons lacks protected bike lanes and a denser street network more suitable for biking.

According to the report, 39% of road segments in Tysons are rated caution by Fairfax Countys Department of Transportation. Out of 25 miles of road, only about two miles get Fairfax Countys highest bikeability rating of preferred. Nearly 10 miles rank in the most dangerous category.

Areas of comparable bike friendliness are often isolated and do not necessarily connect neighborhoods or across busy intersections and streets like Route 7, the report says.

Much of Tysons challenge with bikeability is how it was built: as a suburban center of superblocks built to optimize car traffic. Fast-moving busy arterials like Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) and Route 123 (Dolley Madison Boulevard and Chain Bridge Road) cut through the center of town, forcing bicyclists to navigate traffic and speed limits built for much larger vehicles.

The studys conclusion that much of Tysons is still hostile to bicyclists matches how those who do ride bicycles in Tysons have described the experience. A GGWash article last year quotes bicyclists who call the experience intimidating and describe close calls as flirting with death.

Fairfax County's bike map of Tysons, showing bicycle routes, trails, and bike shops.

The market study cites Walkscore.coms bikeability rating, which gives 57% of Tysons addresses the lowest score, somewhat bikeable. Only 2% of Tysons addresses are very bikeable.

Walkability scores better than bikeability, with 63% of Tysons addresses being rated either somewhat or very walkable, according to Walkscore. But that includes commercial addresses when residential addresses are sectioned out, more than half of them are in car-dependent locations.

Lingering challenges with bikeability and walkability could help explain why even though more Tysons residents work in Tysons ZIP codes than in any other, only 6% of residents walked or biked to work in 2018, the most recent year in the HR&A report.

Walkability is a major component of the Tysons Comprehensive Plan, the master planning document introduced in 2010 to transform Tysons from a suburban office park to a multi-use urban center. To make Tysons more walkable, the Comprehensive Plan established a goal of building out a series of grid streets, smaller streets to break up Tysons superblocks and create safer, more pleasant pedestrian travel routes.

A look atcurrent and conceptual grid of streetsin Tysons. Image from Fairfax County.

That new pedestrian-friendly network can be seen in a handful of new developments such as The Boro, as well as pedestrian and bicycle trails but most of it hasnt yet been built.

Although the proportion of residents walking or biking to work hasnt changed much since the Comprehensive Plan was first implemented, the percentage of residents commuting to work alone by car has declined, from 75% in 2010 to 70% in 2018. Most of that decline is attributable to an uptick in residents taking transit to work, largely due to the opening of the Silver Line.

As in most places, the pandemic threw a wrench into Tysons travel and commuting patterns, but its not yet clear what commuting will look like on the other side. What does seem clear, however, is that for more people to choose walking and bicycling in Tysons, structural changes will have to come first.

Editors note: A member of Greater Greater Washingtons Board of Directors is also a partner with HR&A Advisors. Our board has no influence over editorial decisions, nor content, in any way.

This article is part of our ongoing coverage of Tysons underwritten by the Tysons Partnership and community partners. Greater Greater Washington maintains full editorial independence over its content.

Libby Solomon is a writer and editor for GGWash. She was previously a reporter for the Baltimore Sun covering the Baltimore suburbs and a writer for Johns Hopkins Universitys Centers for Civic Impact. A Baltimore resident, Libby enjoys running and painting in her spare time.

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Walking and transit are making progress in Tysons, but bikeability is lagging - Greater Greater Washington

Paul Clemence Releases New Images Highlighting SHoP's 111 West 57th in Progress

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Paul Clemence has released a new series of images, showcasing the on-going construction works on 111 West 57th, designed by SHoP. Located in New York, the residential tower is set to become the second-tallest building in the city by roof height, and the most slender tall building in the world, once completed.

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Originally planned to be completed in 2020, works on SHoP's 111 West 57th are still undergoing, as documented in Paul Clemences recent photo series. Positioned to create an almost perfectly symmetrical view of Central Park for residents, the tower that topped out in 2019, is a superstructure measuring 1428-feet-tall.

Located on Billionaires Row, two blocks south of Central Park, the residential tower is a slender structure with a facade of glass and terracotta. Constructed by JDS Development and Property Markets Group, the project was expected to be the first $100 million sale in NYC.

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Paul Clemence Releases New Images Highlighting SHoP's 111 West 57th in Progress - ArchDaily

BIDDEFORD A cheer went up as onlookers watched a crane operator and a couple of workers on the roof maneuver a concrete slab, decked out with a small evergreen tree and an American flag, into place on top of Biddefords new parking garage on Lincoln Street.

The topping off ceremony as such events are called, signals completion of a significant portion of a construction project.

It was a brisk, bright March morning as city councilors, staff, Mayor Alan Casavant and personnel from PC Construction and Treadwell Franklin Infrastructure Capital and the James W. Sewall Company came together to sign the slab, as is customary, and then watch as a crane operator lifted it high in the air, carefully guiding it towards the roof of the building, where two hard-hatted workers steered it into place.

Its a real symbolic day for the city of Biddeford, said Mayor Alan Casavant as he watched city staff and others sign the slab before the brief ceremony began. So many said this would never happen here. This demonstrates the city is committed to changing the paradigm of Biddeford from an old mill town to a thriving community.

This is a great event for the city of Biddeford, said PC Construction project manager Mark Donovan, who explained the history of the topping off ceremony that dates back to 700 A.D. He said the evergreen tree signifies an injury free workplace, a blessing of the project moving forward, and the Earth. Its a major milestone of the project, said Donovan.

I want to thank the city of Biddeford and PC construction to make this project happen; it is a sign of great things to come, said Sewall and TFIC Development Vice President Matt Dieterick. I look forward to this being a centerpiece for future development here.

Biddefords 640-space parking garage, on the site of the former Maine Energy Recovery Company, is the first private infrastructure financing project of its kind in Maine.

The ground-breaking for the new parking garage Biddefords first took place Aug. 11. The project, estimated to cost $22 million, is expected to be complete by July 1. Project partners include Biddeford RiverWalk Community 1, LLC the name for Treadwell Franklin Infrastructure Capital and James W. Sewall Company Amber Infrastructure Group and PC Construction. Premium Parking will operate services at the garage.

Biddeford RiverWalk Community 1, LLC designed, are building and will manage the parking garage. Biddeford will make annual payments from the Mill District Tax Increment Financing fund, which comes from sheltered property tax payments from businesses and development in the district, and revenues from the parking garage and parking lots, in a 25-year agreement. If parking revenues are less than expected, the city can make up the difference by collecting payments from surrounding properties in the Mill District, adjusting parking rates, or a combination of the two. If revenues are more than expected, the city will receive the benefit.

The garage is designed to relieve existing and future parking pressures on Biddefords downtown as mill redevelopment continues, and is another signal of the citys continued resurgence, city officials said.

The project has had its detractors, but city officials forged ahead.

Hourly rates at the garage for years 1-3 will be $2 an hour and permits will be sold at the rate for surface parking lots ($55 for a daytime permit and $70 for a 24/7 permit), according to information on the citys web site.

It was amazing to see how quickly this came together, said Casavant, who said he first noticed a construction photo posted on social media a couple of months ago. He was a little skeptical, so drove down to see for himself, he said. This is really an awesome day for Biddeford.

The mayor touched on the dissent, noting that 10 years ago, the notion of a parking garage in Biddeford was a hard sell.

City Manager James Bennett said he will tell the council that he plans to turn the parking lots over to the company which will manage them as well as the parking garage, on July 1. He said the construction project is currently on time, and on budget and may result in a return of some money to Biddeford, though right now he said he doesnt know how much.

As well as the garage, the project includes an expansion of the citys RiverWalk.

City officials have said construction of the garage is expected to provide an additional $16.4 million in property taxes in the first 10 years of operation and a net benefit of $39.7 million over the 25-year contract.

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'Topping off' ceremony signals significant construction progress on Biddeford parking garage - pressherald.com

All amounts expressed in US dollars.

TORONTO, March 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the face of challenges across all regions, notably the Covid-19 pandemic, Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD)(TSX:ABX) met all its key performance indicators in 2020 and at the same time made significant progress towards achieving its key objectives, says president and chief executive Mark Bristow in the companys 2020 Annual Report published today.

The effectiveness of Barricks ESG strategy which is powered at all levels by a long-established partnership philosophy and a close relationship with all stakeholders, from investors to host communities was a key factor in the past years performance. This was particularly evident in our successful Covid-19 containment programs, which buffered the impact of the pandemic on our business and people, and also enabled us to provide much needed and welcomed support to our host countries, he says.

Noting that the merged Barricks foundational objective was to build a business capable of delivering the industrys best returns, Bristow says that since the announcement of the Randgold merger the Barrick share price had grown by 118% by the end of 2020 against a 92% increase in the GDX. The quarterly dividend has been trebled and the Board has recommended that an additional $750 million of surplus cash be returned to shareholders as a return of capital distribution this year.

A company that was burdened by net debt of more than $13 billion as recently as 2013 now has zero net debt, no significant maturities for the next 10 years and a robust balance sheet, with strong liquidity consisting of $5.2 billion in cash and an undrawn $3 billion credit facility, he says.

Efficient operations and effective management enabled us to capitalize fully on the higher gold and copper prices and to pass the rewards on to our investors as well as our community stakeholders. These achievements were produced on the foundation of a solid 10-year plan built on a great asset base, a fit-for-purpose structure and management teams that more than lived up to our best people mantra.

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Bristow says Barrick is still only at the beginning of an exciting and rewarding journey but it is well-equipped in every way to build on what it has and to find and exploit new opportunities, including any openings offered by the ongoing dynamics of the gold industry.

Barricks 2020 Annual Report, Annual Information Form and Form 40-F are now available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and EDGAR (www.sec.gov), respectively.

To access the above-mentioned documents, please visit http://www.barrick.com. Shareholders may also receive a copy of Barricks audited financial statements without charge upon request to Barricks Investor Relations Department, 161 Bay Street, Suite 3700, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2S1 or to investor@barrick.com.

Enquiries

President and CEOMark Bristow+1 647 205 7694+44 788 071 1386

Senior EVP and CFOGraham Shuttleworth+1 647 262 2095+44 779 771 1338

Investor and Media RelationsKathy du Plessis+44 20 7557 7738Email: barrick@dpapr.com

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

Certain information contained or incorporated by reference in this press release, including any information as to our strategy, projects, plans or future financial or operating performance, constitutes forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words objective, enable, capitalize, build, plan, opportunities, strategy, and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements including, without limitation, with respect to: Barricks objective to build a business capable of delivering the industrys best returns; Barricks sustainability performance and engagement with local communities to manage the Covid-19 pandemic; the benefits of Barricks efficient operations and effective management produced on the foundation of Barricks 10-year plan; future plans, growth potential, financial strength, investments and overall strategy, including with respect to our participation in future consolidation of the gold industry; and expectations regarding future price assumptions, financial performance and other outlook or guidance.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions including material estimates and assumptions related to the factors set forth below that, while considered reasonable by the Company as at the date of this press release in light of managements experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements and information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, copper or certain other commodities (such as silver, diesel fuel, natural gas and electricity); the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; changes in mineral production performance, exploitation and exploration successes; diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; failure to comply with environmental and health and safety laws and regulations; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and/or changes in the administration of laws, policies and practices; expropriation or nationalization of property and political or economic developments in Canada, the United States and other jurisdictions in which the Company or its affiliates do or may carry on business in the future; lack of certainty with respect to foreign legal systems, corruption and other factors that are inconsistent with the rule of law; risks associated with new diseases, epidemics and pandemics, including the effects and potential effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic; our ability to successfully integrate acquisitions or complete divestitures; risks associated with working with partners in jointly controlled assets; increased costs and physical risks, including extreme weather events and resource shortages, related to climate change; and availability and increased costs associated with mining inputs and labor. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion, copper cathode or gold or copper concentrate losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks).

Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can affect our actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, us. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Specific reference is made to the most recent Form 40-F/Annual Information Form on file with the SEC and Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities for a more detailed discussion of some of the factors underlying forward-looking statements and the risks that may affect Barricks ability to achieve the expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

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Strong Performance and Strategic Progress in 2020 Still Only the Start for Barrick, Says CEO - Yahoo Finance

COVINGTON, La. Some progress has been made after the City of Covington's computer system was hijack by hackers late last week.

However, it could still be weeks before everything is fully operational.

"We should expect a ransom note in order to get our information back to us, they have not done that as of yet, so we don't know how much they're asking," Mayor Mark Johnson said.

City of Covington officials aren't waiting though. In fact, for six days straight and counting, a team of experts has been working to get things up and running.

"Something called the Cyber Security Alliance, a state consortium consisting of the State Homeland Security Cyber Experts, Louisiana State Police and New Orleans Field Office of the Secret Service were all in Covington City Hall within 240 minutes dissecting our equipment," Johnson said.

So, here's what they do know. According to Johnson, the City of Covington's computer systems were hacked last Wednesday night.

"The bad guys found a way to go through Microsoft Outlook Email, that was their loophole," he said.

Police, fire, public works and other city employees were all locked out of their computers. It also shut down their phone system, which is still down. Now about a week later, some employees are back online, while other departments are having to improvise.

"Public works is fully functional, cultural arts and events, parks and recreation, building permits, everyone now is operating," Johnson said. "Utility Billing was severely hampered because most of what they do is on the computer. Now, they're using another method where they write it down on paper when you pay your bill. Eventually we'll have to enter all the data into the system."

The hack was part of a much larger one, affecting about 30,000 organizations, entities, municipalities nationwide. It's still unclear if personal information was affected.

"Since we're still in the diagnostic phase we don't know what they took if they took anything," Johnson said.

A timeline is also unknown.

"The cyber security guys were very clear it will be fixed when it's fixed," Johnson said. "It has been shared to me that when this recently happened with a neighboring parish's school system, it took about three weeks. So we don't know two weeks, four weeks, we can't be certain."

Still with a strong team working day and night, there's optimism a solution will be found.

Johnson says this is a good reminder for residents to make sure online accounts are extra protected and secure. Utilize strong passwords and always enable two-factor authentication when possible.

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Progress being made in Covington cyber attack - WWLTV.com

In a press release today, Apple touted the significant progress it has made as part of its $4.7 billion Green Bond. Thanks to the bond, Apple has generated more than 1.2 gigawatts of clean power, removing an average of 921,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually.

Last year, Apple funded more than 17 projects, resulting in the reduction of nearly 1 million metric tons of carbon emissions globally, equivalent to removing 200,000 cars from the road, according to Apple. Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of environment, policy, and social initiatives, says the company is dedicated to pursuing investments to promote clean energy.

We all have a responsibility to do everything we can to fight against the impacts of climate change, and our $4.7 billion investment of the proceeds from our Green Bond sales is an important driver in our efforts. Ultimately, clean power is good business.

In addition to its investment in clean power, Apple has also allocated $2.8 billion into researching and funding new projects that "support low carbon design and engineering, energy efficiency, renewable energy, carbon mitigation, and carbon sequestration." The investments come on top of Apple's commitment last year to become fully carbon neutral across its entire business by 2030.

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Apple Touts Progress of $4.7 Billion Clean Energy Investment - MacRumors

BATON ROUGE - LSU is making lots of progress two months into the renovation of the Huey P. Long Field house.

"We started with the demolition down to it's basic structural elements. They finished the third floor, the second floor and they should be starting on the first in the next month, said Paul Favaloro Director of Capital Project Management and Development.

They are stripping Huey P. Long down to it's concrete structure so they can renovate it from there, but with a building nearly a century old, it's not easy.

"On one hand the systems are very old, at the same time you run into things you don't really know are there. It's a lot more surgical than when you're dealing with a new facility coming out of the ground, Favaloro said.

The $25 million funded project is to remodel the field house to be used by the College of Human Sciences & Education.

"The inside will be modernized and developed to have more classrooms, more offices and things of that nature, Favaloro said.

While there's plenty of changes being made, history is still being saved.

"Whatever we can restore to its past, will be restored, Favaloro said.

Especially its most iconic feature, like the pool where people once swam and they had the riff off in Pitch Perfect. It will now be a spot to hang out but, you'll still be able to see that swimming pool just with no water.

"So it's going to be filled with dirt, the banding around is going to be preserved and restored so you'll always feel the presence of a pool here and expect it'll be a lawn," Favaloro said.

They'll also be preserving the outside of the building, transforming the dance studio into a ballroom and more that many tigers are thrilled for.

"It's a prominent building here on campus, not only have I gone to school here, but I also work here. So to see this building restored it's exciting, Favaloro said.

Their goal is to have the field house done by the end of 2022.

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Progress is being made on Huey P. Long Fieldhouse renovations - WBRZ