Category Archives: Progress

By Mark Birdsall, mark.birdsall@hearstnp.com

Quad N Productions for the Huron Daily Tribune. Prints are available at http://www.misportsphotos.com 2-5-20 Cass City at Port Huron Northern

The Cass City gymnastics team competed Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, at the Port Huron Northern Invite at All American Flames Gymnastix in Port Huron.

Quad N Productions for the Huron Daily Tribune. Prints are available at http://www.misportsphotos.com 2-5-20 Cass City at Port Huron Northern

The Cass City gymnastics team competed Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, at the

Photo: Quad N Productions/For The Tribune

Quad N Productions for the Huron Daily Tribune. Prints are available at http://www.misportsphotos.com 2-5-20 Cass City at Port Huron Northern

The Cass City gymnastics team competed Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, at the Port Huron Northern Invite at All American Flames Gymnastix in Port Huron.

Quad N Productions for the Huron Daily Tribune. Prints are available at http://www.misportsphotos.com 2-5-20 Cass City at Port Huron Northern

The Cass City gymnastics team competed Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, at the

Cass City gymnastics team is a work in progress, and that work is paying off

CASS CITY Kathy Bouverette is in her 15th season as head coach of the Cass City gymnastics team, and shes especially excited for this years squad.

Were doing pretty good this season, Bouverette said. Were building the team.

That team, comprised of 11 athletes from Cass City, one from Bad Axe and one from Ubly, has already qualified for this years regionals, scheduled for March 7 in Grand Ledge. In fact, the team qualified with four meets remaining in the season. Bouverette attributes this success to the dedication and effort demonstrated by her athletes.

Theyve really worked hard, and Im really excited about how this season went for us, she said. Since Ive been coaching, I think weve only gone to regionals one time.

Bouverette emphasized just how much hard work is required of her team and that gymnastics is an intense, demanding sport that necessitates a lot of time and practice.

Were a true high school sport, so theyre only in the gym four months out of the year, she said. I see them in October when they start practices, and then theyre done in March.

This seasons success has Bouverette looking to the future with optimism. Her gym, Thumb Tumblers Gymnastics in Cass City, is like a building program for the high school, she said, and Bouverette is hopeful the Cass City team will continue to make progress.

Within these next few years Im hoping to see Cass Citys name in the gymnastics world, Bouverette said.

At the Vassar Invitational held earlier this month, the Vulcans came out on top 137.6-124.7. Individually for Cass City, Riley Copeland tied for third in the vault with a score of 8.85. Laura Peters tied for fourth with a score of 8.8. Madison Beckrow was 10th with an 8.175. Hanna Dobson was 11th with a 7.95, and Katie Mendrick was 12th with a 7.9.

On the bars, Copeland was fifth with a 7.25, and Beckrow tied for sixth with a 6.85. On the beam, Copeland was second with a 8.925, Mendrick was sixth with an 8.125, Dobson was seventh with an 8.025, and Kate Pohold was 10th with a 7.4.

On the floor, Olivia Schutte was fourth with an 8.6, Copeland was fifth with an 8.4, Lauren Peters was seventh with an 8.25, Dobson was eighth with an 8.15, Alexis Blackstock was 10th with a 7.9, Beckrow was 11th with a 7.85, and Mendrick was 12th with a 7.8.

All around, Copeland was fourth with a score of 33.425, Mendrick was eighth with a 29.525, and Dobson was ninth with a 29.375.

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Cass City gymnastics team is a work in progress, and that work is paying off - Huron Daily Tribune

Updated: May 25, 2018:

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Big Progress in Big Cases: PG&E and Puerto Rico are Making Strides Towards Achieving Creditor Consensus - JD Supra

By The Herald Staff

FridayFeb14,2020at3:09PM

Despite weather related setbacks, Ottawa University's athletic facilities campaign is now continuing apace.

After some pesky weather delays, Mammoth Turf is back on the job at Dick Peters Sports Complex, OU officials said online. Giant rolls of field turf have been delivered, and the first sections are being installed on the softball field. When the project is complete, the softball and practice fields will feature full turf, and the baseball field will be turfed on the infield and warning tracks.

Ottawa Universitys ongoing Advancing the Experience aims to provide much-needed upgrades and updates to the campus as enrollment continues to grow. Both of OUs residential campuses have been and will be experiencing advancement as part of this multimillion-dollar initiative.

Turf on OUs baseball and softball fields is the third in a series of major initiatives on OUs Kansas residential campus, the previous two being $1.7 million in upgrades to Braves Field seating, press box and Hall of Fame and $450,000 in renovations to Larry D. Peters Auditorium to serve as the home for the universitys new esports program.

The new stadium, press box and Hall of Fame are a significant step forward, and will provide a superior spectator experience for enjoying sporting events and seeing OUs strong athletic history on display, said Paul Bean, former senior vice president for university advancement. The new esports complex will be a state-of-the-art facility, which will serve an entire new generation of varsity competition on campus.

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Workers make progress on Ottawa University turf - The Ottawa Herald

OAKVILLE, ON , Feb. 14, 2020 /CNW/ - Spark Power Group Inc. (TSX: SPG), ("Spark", "Spark Power", or the "Company") is pleased to announce significant progress made on its U.S. expansion strategy.

SPG.TO). We work to earn the right to be our North American customers' Trusted Partner in Power. (CNW Group/Spark Power Group Inc.)" alt="Spark Power Group Logo (SPG.TO). We work to earn the right to be our North American customers' Trusted Partner in Power. (CNW Group/Spark Power Group Inc.)" />

Spark's U.S. expansion strategy is focused on diversifying its operations and extending its footprint across regions identified as highly strategic to the Company's long-term growth. In 2019, approximately 15% of the Company's revenue was generated from the U.S., and that percentage is increasing quickly, with the U.S. operations targeted to account for half of the Company's total corporate revenue, in the medium to long term.

"The U.S. market is a focal point of our growth strategy," said Richard Jackson , President and Chief Operating Officer, Spark Power Corp. "The outstanding progress we have made over the last year is a testament to the strength of our highly scalable branch-based business model. We live and work in our customers' communities providing them with independent advice and delivering complex technical services and solutions with consistency and scale, across North America . We are taking what has worked in Canada for many years and successfully applying this model to the U.S."

Jackson continued, "As our progress in the U.S. continues, I am confident that our customer relationships and our operationalized branch and regional strategy will carry us into new territories and, in the longer term, will account for half of the company's total revenue as we work to earn the right to be North America's Trusted Partner in Power".

Spark Power achieved the following milestones in the U.S. in 2019:

"I am very proud of the passion and dedication shown by our leaders, managers, and our highly-skilled technical teams, who have been a driving force behind our U.S. growth," said Mark Lyons , EVP, Spark Power U.S.A. "We completed 2019 with great momentum, working with some very large and prominent industrial and commercial clients as their Trusted Partner in Power. We look forward to expanding these relationships and leveraging our complete Pole-to-Product expertise with particular focus on the food and beverage, warehousing and distribution, and advanced manufacturing markets. There is a deep sense of excitement across our U.S. locations and we look forward to building on the growth and continuing this momentum, through 2020 and beyond."

Spark Power now has a total of eight offices in the U.S. with locations in California ( Fremont , Fresno , Ontario ), Texas ( Dallas , San Antonio , San Benito ), Minnesota ( St. Cloud ), and North Carolina ( Raleigh ), which also serves as the U.S. corporate head office. The Company intends to further its U.S. progress through continued branch openings, strategic acquisitions, cross-selling services and supporting existing Canadian customers who have facilities in the U.S. by prioritizing new branch openings in these regions.

About Spark Power

Spark Power is the leading independent provider of end-to-end electrical contracting, operations and maintenance services, and energy sustainability solutions to the industrial, commercial, utility, and renewable asset markets in North America . We work to earn the right to be our customers' Trusted Partner in Power. Our highly skilled and dedicated people, located in the communities we serve, combined with our knowledge of the power industry, technology expertise, and commitment to safety, ensures we deliver the right solutions that keep our customers' operations up and running today and better equipped for tomorrow. Learn more at http://www.sparkpowercorp.com.

Story continues

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of applicable securities laws) which reflect Spark Power's current expectations regarding future events. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as "believe", "anticipate", "project", "expect", "intend", "plan", "will", "may", "estimate" and other similar expressions. These statements are based on Spark Power's expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections and include, without limitation, statements regarding the execution of its U.S. operations and U.S. expansion strategy by Messrs. Jackson and Lyons.

The forward-looking statements in this news release are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. Several factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Readers, therefore, should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as expressly required by applicable law, Spark Power assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spark-power-announces-outstanding-progress-in-us-operations-301005113.html

SOURCE Spark Power Group Inc.

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2020/14/c9267.html

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Spark Power Announces Outstanding Progress in U.S. Operations - Yahoo Finance

GUILFORD As state police were enroute to another call January 28, they noticed suspicious activity at a nearby home and stopped to investigate.

Troopers discovered two men allegedly committing a burglary at a deceased persons residence, stealing items from within and then attempting to hide in a nearby field as police approached. Police caught one suspect and the other fled the scene but was later arrested.

Connor J. Audette, 20, of Guilford and Joseph B. Schneider, 25, of Oxford were both charged with third-degree burglary. Schneider was also charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

According to New York State Trooper Aga Dembinska, the two men were in the process of burglarizing a residence in the Town of Guilford when police drove through the area in a search for an unrelated individual.

While attempting to locate another unrelated individual with an outstanding warrant on January 28, troopers and investigators spotted Audette and Schneider hiding in a field off of County Road 36 in the Town of Guilford, said Dembinska. Troopers found this suspicious and attempted to make contact with the two men.

See more here:

Troopers Thwart Burglary In Progress - The Evening Sun

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo visited with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday to come to a compromise to the administrations ban of New Yorkers being able to apply for or renew their membership in Trusted Traveler Programs, which includes Global Entry. According to the communications director for Gov. Cuomo, the sides did not reach a solution and plan to revisit the discussion next week.

The full statement reads, "Governor Cuomo met with President Trump today to discuss the situation and the dire need to rectify it. Governor Cuomo restated the initial solution that he proposed to the [Department of Homeland Security]Acting Secretary last Thursday on our willingness to allow federal officials access to DMV records only for individuals applying to the Trusted Traveler Program.

"As the Governor previously said, we believe DHS's action was politically motivated and unwarranted as the FBI already has information regarding criminal records and TTP applicants already go through an extensive federal background check. The President said that this is an issue he wants to work on and that he would follow up with the Governor next week."

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Earlier this week, Gov. Cuomo announced that New York state intends to sue the federal government over the decision, saying, There is no rational basis for this politically motivated ban, and we are taking legal action to stop the federal government from inconveniencing New Yorkers to score political points. The lawsuit argues that the decision is a violation of New Yorks sovereign immunity, denies state residences equal protection and is arbitrary and capricious.

Cuomo to Propose Compromise, Hopes to End Global Entry Ban

What the Trusted Traveler Suspension Means for Travel Advisors

ASTA Speaks Out Against New York Trusted Traveler Suspension

NY Banned From Trusted TravelerPrograms; U.S. Travel Responds

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No Progress on New York Trusted Traveler Programs Ban - Luxury Travel Advisor

Shirley Rivens Smith lives in the same Northeast D.C. house her mother moved into in 1956, and she said that when she was growing up, the neighborhood was a haven, a community.

Shirley Rivens Smith lives in the same Northeast D.C. house her mother moved into in 1956, and she said that when she was growing up, the neighborhood was a haven, a community.

I didnt know anything but black people, said Rivens Smith, 77, the membership chair of the D.C. branch of the NAACP. We were all a family the doctor, lawyer, the homeless people.

And while D.C. was largely a segregated city, there were white and black people living from one block to the other, she said. We never had a problem with each other.

Even so, she could not escape the times in which she lived.

There were nasty people, Rivens Smith said.

She recalled an instance when she was 14 years old at a playground on 17th and P streets. An old white man told her to get off the playground, adding a racial slur.

Rivens Smith said that she was not angry with the man, but she told him that she would kick his [expletive] if he called her that word again.

That incident didnt turn Rivens Smith against white people, she said.

I know that a lot of hate is out there. But the hate that people have, I dont internalize it for me. Im aware of it. I keep my distance from it. The same way I told that old man back then, I do that still today, she said.

These days, Rivens Smith said, more black and white people associate with each other than ever before; people are more educated, have good jobs and make more money. But this progress came with a price, she said.

People in the 50s, 60s, 70s into the 80s, were struggling for something that their great-great-grandparents didnt have, she said. It came to fruition and stopped. Those doing it were old and died out.

She added, Younger people took another direction because they were able to do things their grandparents and great-grandparents couldnt do. But they didnt see how to reach back. They werent able to reach back and pull people forward.

Thats led to a lack of community, she said. Instead of getting out, associating with others and meeting people as individuals, too many people now want to just associate with a particular group

The progress that we could be making that was happening when I was a teenager, that I feel would have taken us much further in this country is [betrayed by] the fact that we got labeled and labeled ourselves and got stuck somewhere, she said.

She also believes the media has a hand in fueling new racial tensions by concentrating on bad news, and some groups are grabbing on to that hate and using it for their agendas.

Theyre pushing this hate so much, Rivens Smith said. Its not a lot of people. Its not all white people. Its not all black people. Its a group of people who have gotten into the environment.

As president of her neighborhoods civic association, Rivens Smith said she tries to interact with everyone, no matter what race they are, coming into the community.

Neighborhoods used to have heroes on each block, who took care of children, paid attention to sick people and did things for others, she said. Now, We walk like our heads are in a cloud, and were on our own little island.

Her solutions?

Respecting each other and treating people as individuals. We have to start to break the ice one-on-one. Not masses of people, just one-on-one.

And people need to get involved and head to the polls.

I dont care if you vote for Republican, Democrat. You have to be active. You have to do something. If were going to survive, we all have to pick up and do our part.

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Longtime DC civil rights activist reflects on progress within community - WTOP

LONGVIEW, Texas In 1870, Ossamus Hitch Methvin, Sr. was itching to be the latest landowner to benefit from the railroad boom.

Railroad surveyors came to Methvin's home to take a look at the hilly landscape. It was there, standing on the porch of Methvin's home on Rock Hill, according to local legend, that one of the surveyors said: "What a long view!"

In Longview's 150-year history, it has established itself as a regional center for commerce, the base for a critical oil pipeline and the home of a legendary high school football legacy.

"These are the very important hallmarks of our collective story and really sort of a signpost for where we've been and where we're going as we grow," said Kimberly Fish, host of the podcast Longview 150 Stories. "Some voices are old and you know, crack all with age of a life well-lived. Some reveal the struggles of what they had to go through in their growing up experiences but almost all of the stories that I've heard speak to a joy."

What is now Longview was once scattered farms with Methodist and Presbyterian congregations. Little was changed as the Civil War waged into Texas. However, the key to the city's future was the Texas and Pacific Railroad.

With completion of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869, America's greatest engineering achievement to that point, the West was now open to more railroads moving west to meet the ever-growing demand of the people in the East.

"So O-H was my fourth great uncle, my great-great-grandfather was O-H's brother," said Zack Methvin. "As a very small child, my grandmother would tell me you have a great uncle who founded this city in Texas."

Methvin, a 55-year-old corn farmer and landowner, recognized the potential to profit from the newly charted Texas and Pacific Railway, then known as the Southern Pacific Railroad, though it had no relation to the famous railroad company out of California.

Ossamus Hitch Methvin, Sr.

Public Domain

Perhaps impressed by Methvin's salesmanship, the railroad rewarded Methvin with $1 for the 100 acres he was willing to give to the line. The proposed line bypassed the already established Earpville, ironically named for the man who sold Methvin the land that would become Longview.

"The advent of the train how that brought a whole different temperature to this area and it moved from being an agricultural community into a transportation hub," Zack Methvin said.

Instead the line was planned through the enterprising farmer's property. The deal was completed in April 7, 1870. In September that year, Methvin sold another 100 acres to the railroad for $500 in gold.

"He knew that by having the railroad put in a stop here, it was going to bring commerce, it was going to bring transportation, it was going to bring families, it was going to build something that otherwise may not have been built," Zack Methvin explained.

Part of 1903 map showing route of Texas & Pacific Railroad through East Texas. Longview is marked by yellow dot.

Public Domain

In January, a post office was built and the town would eventually become incorporated in June 1871, becoming the fist incorporated settlement in Gregg County. New residents flooded into the city as the railroad helped Longview become a regional trading center in East Texas. Some of the earliest buildings were made from the stone from Rock Hill, the location of Methvin's home.

Though its first years were defined by the rough lifestyle of a western railroad town, the city expanded rapidly by the end of its first decade to include sawmills, schools, a machine shop, newspapers and a 450-seat opera house.

In the 1880's, the Kelly Plow Company relocated to Longview, furthering the city's expansion and employing several residents. The company would be one of the largest suppliers of plows and other agricultural equipment in the western United States. The company created one of the state's first charted industries back when other parts of the state was considered the wild west.

However, some of the classic elements of the Old West still existed in Longview. As with many up-and-coming railroad towns, the city was the target of bank robberies.

Public Domain

In 1894, a gang led by notorious outlaw Bill Dalton, shortly after leaving his alliance with Bill Doolin, wrote a note that was delivered to the First National Bank of Longview.

"We take this method of informing you that on or about the 23rd day of May, A.D., 1894, we will rob the First National Bank of Longview. So take notice accordingly and withdraw your deposit as this is a straight tip. For further information, see Charles Specklemeyer or the undersigned. Yours for business, B&F."

The 'B&F' is believed to have referred 'Bill and Friends.'

A gang of four outlaws would ride into Longview. They held the tellers at gunpoint and demanded money. However, the residents of Longview stepped up to defend their town. As the robbers attempted to make an escape, law enforcement and angry townsfolk opened fire.

"When you look back and you understand the layers, and you peel back some of those layers, you realize that the sacrifices that people made the decisions that they had to make, under crucial and maybe chaotic times, impacted the way we live today," said Fish

More than 200 shots rang out. Three people, including robber Jim Wallace, were killed and seven others were injured. Bill Dalton was killed two years later when he escaped arrest. Dalton would later be immortalized in the 1973 Eagles song "Doolin-Dalton."

Bill Dalton

Public Domain

Wallace's body was hung in effigy before being buried in Longview.

By 1910, the city's population had reached 5,000 and had running water, electricity and a sewer system.

However, an ancient issue would tear the city apart in what is called the Longview Race Riots.

After the murder of Lamuel Walters, a black man who was allegedly in love with a white woman in Kilgore, racial tensions exploded on July 10. By the end of the riot, one person had been killed, several others were injured and dozens of black businesses had been raised. It was one of the darkest chapters in the city's history.

Aftermath of Longview Race Riots.

Public Domain

However, the city would recover from the riot and the city was able to capitalize on what became Highway 80 and the East Texas oil boom.

"We've developed from a railroad town to old gas area, to an industrial area to what we are today," Longview Mayor Andy Mack said. "And it's a wonderful transition and transformation where we've seen us grow."

One of the most important developments in the city's history was the opening of the Big Inch Pipeline. Commissioned in 1942 and opened in 1943 in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, Longview became the southwestern terminal of the pipeline, shipping oil north towards the northeastern ports and fueling America's war machine in Europe during the closing years of World War II. By the war's end, more than 350 million gallons of crude oil passed through the Big and Little Inch pipelines.

Portion of Big Inch Pipeline.

Library of Congress

In the coming decades, Longview's population continued to grow from just under 25,000 in 1950 to more than 45,000 in 1970, partially due to the annexation of Greggton and Spring Hill as the city continued to grow.

However, as the city continued to expand, race would continue to be an issue that would plague the city's reputation.

"Some guys didn't want our schools to be desegregated, and on July 4th, 1970 they blew up 36 school buses," Larry Courington, of the Gregg County Historical Society, said.

Vicki Dade was in high school when the buses were blown up.

"Our parents had a normal conversation with us to explain to us that sometimes people are always nice and that things like this happen in the world. There are some people that are evil," said Dade. "It was a hurtful thing because both of my parents are educators or were educators at that time, and we couldn't understand why that would happen."

However, the city's school system has also given the city some of its brightest days.

Like many city's in Texas, each fall the community rallies around its high school football team. However, the Longview Lobos stands out from most programs in the state in terms of history and legacy.

The Lobos' football program began in 1909. Each year, the Lobos would have a losing season until finally in 1923, Longview completed its first winning season. Four years later, the Lobos were district champions with an undefeated record of 10-0-1.

Ten years later, in 1937, the Lobos reached the peak of their rise when they posted a 14-0 record and captured their first state championship.

1937 Longview Lobos

LoboHistory.com

The team would continue to win district championships and reach the state finals over the next eight decades. However, they would always come short of winning the championship.

That all changed in 2018 under coach John King. King led the Lobos to a 15-0 record heading into the state final against Beaumont West Brook. The Lobos narrowly edged out West Brook 35-34 to bring the state title back to the proud residents of Longview after an 81-year hiatus.

(Source: KYTX)

After 150 years, the city is continuing its tradition of progress.

There is vibrant shopping, a new arts district, a university and other developments on the way.

"It's heritage," said Mack. "It's the history, it's where Longview has been, where we are and where we're going."

The city plans on celebrating its 150th birthday with many planned events throughout the year. The biggest event will be a parade scheduled for April 18. The parade will give residents a time to reflect how far they have come since the day railroad surveyors looked across the land on Ossamus Hitch Methvin, Sr.'s porch and noted the "long view" from Rock Hill.

RELATED: Clydesdale horses making trek to Longview 150 parade

RELATED: Longview 150 time capsule donations off to slow start, city planner says

"Whether it's 2020 or 2030 or 2040," said Zack Methvin, "I hope that there will be a certain aspect of this community this still adamant about how this all started."

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LONGVIEW 150: Looking back at 150 years of progress - CBS19.tv KYTX

When the Giants play the As on March 24 and manager Gabe Kapler wants a relief pitcher, will he be able to signal toward the new bullpens beyond the outfield wall?

Will they be ready?

The Giants say yes. Judging by pictures shot by Michael Short for The Chronicle, theres lots of work left to do.

Were moving along with everything, Giants executive vice president Alfonso Felder said. Obviously, a lot happens in the last five or six weeks of a job. We plan to be ready for baseball.

The photographs Short took at Saturdays FanFest at Oracle Park show a construction zone with a temporary fence, a trench, excavated soil, rebar, concrete form tubes, 2x4s and sawhorses. Mounds, pitching rubbers and plates wont be positioned anytime soon.

The bullpens were on the field for the ballbarks first 20 years, and repositioning them not only makes the field safer defenders no longer will trip over mounds in pursuit of foul balls but it changed the dimensions, making the park slightly more hitter friendly.

Itll be 391 feet to dead center instead of 399, and the wall will be 7 feet high instead of 8 to allow fans to view the games from seats behind the bullpens and outfielders to catch more balls heading over the wall.

The deepest part of the yard used to be 421 feet to right-center, and now itll be 415 feet. The intersection between the left- and center-field wall will be 399 feet instead of 404 feet.

About 650 bleacher seats and about 12 rows in some areas were removed to make the changes possible.

That can make a difference, catcher Buster Posey said of the new dimensions, particularly in center field. Well see how many of those balls that are at the wall or the center fielders jumping up into the wall, well see if it will change it. I would think it does.

The Giants regular-season home opener isnt until April 3. If all the amenities heated sitting spaces are planned, for example, as are standing-room terraces making it possible for fans to get direct views of the bullpen arent fully completed for the As-Giants exhibition, Felder said, they will be for the Dodgers-Giants opener.

I can understand how somebody might be concerned, Felder said. Theres a short offseason window to get projects done, but theres a lot that happens in the last few weeks of this job.

John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicles national baseball writer. Email: jshea@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnSheaHey

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Will Giants bullpen construction finish in time? See photos of the progress - San Francisco Chronicle

Only a few months after saying little progress had been made in repairing more than 700 water leaks around the city, Fort Smith Utilities Director Lance McAvoy told Fort Smith city directors that about 70% of the citys reported leaks have been fixed.

McAvoy reported at the boards study session Tuesday (Feb. 11) that as of Feb. 4, the city only had 212 reported leaks left to repair. There are 135 sites where the leak has been repaired, but there is still work to be done on site restoration.

At a Feb. 5 board meeting, directors approved hiring 10 additional employees for the water and sewer department who would join the 17 department employees to create nine three-person teams working to fix the 700 leaks in the citys water system as well as taking care of new leaks reported to the department. The goal was to be caught up on the leaks in 18 months, then utilities director Jerry Walters told the board.

Nine months later, McAvoy told the board the city still had around 700 leaks needing repair. At that time, the city had not received the $350,700 worth of additional equipment, essential to build the nine teams, the board approved through a resolution Aug. 20. The city also had not filled all 10 of the new positions.

Since November, some of the new equipment has arrived and more employees have been hired, McAvoy said. This, along with crews working seven days a week except during holidays, has helped the city begin to get a leg up on the leaks.

Those numbers indicate less new leaks reported than what we repaired. We actually caught up by 48 leaks in October, 22 in November, 41 in December and 43 in January, McAvoy said, regarding a handout he gave directors. This means we are gaining on the leak issue.

Total leak repairs completed those months were 73 in October, 42 in November, 65 in December and 69 in January. That does not add up to 500 the difference between the amount of leaks on the citys books in November as compared to the number outstanding now. That is because over the past few months utility department workers have gone out and put eyes on every leak on the list. In doing so, they found many leaks had actually been repaired, but the work orders had never been closed, McAvoy said.

About a year ago, we went through our work orders with an internal audit and found several that had never been closed out. Apparently, we didnt fix the problem because that problem still exists. We went from a whole bunch down to just over 200. We are actually looking much better that what we were in November, he said.

After completing the backlog of leaks, the teams will continue to repair new leaks as well as turn toward a proactive system of preventative maintenance on the water system, which will include valve replacements, meter replacement and unidirectional flushing of the 720 miles of water lines, McAvoy said.

We have worked reactionary for too long. For every dollar you spend being proactive, you save $4 spent reactionary, he said.

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Fort Smith utilities boss says the city is making progress on water leaks - talkbusiness.net