Category Archives: Progress

HAPPY VALLEY, Calif.11:34 A.M. UPDATE - CAL FIRE says they have stopped the forward progress of the Rio Fire.

Crews will remain at the scene for the next few hours, improving control lines and extinguishing hot spots.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The incident was named the Rio Fire.

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Firefighters are responding to a vegetation fire in the area of Happy Valley Road in Happy Valley.

The CAL FIRE Shasta Trinity Unit said they sent two air tankers, two helicopters, two hand crews, two dozers and six engines to the fire.

CAL FIRE says the fire is burning in trees, brush and grass.

The fire has burned one to two acres with a moderate rate of spread.

Multiple structures are threatened, CAL FIRE says.

The first call came in at 10:50 a.m.

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Firefighters stop forward progress of Rio Fire | News ... - Action News Now

ST. LOUIS The more than $200 million expansion of the downtown convention center is on track to open in 2024, leaders said Tuesday, promising a new era of business and tourism.

Crews have been building out the 23 loading docks, more than double what exists now, and 73,000 square feet of additional exhibit space at Ninth Street and Convention Plaza, on downtown St. Louis northern edge.

Plasterer Matt Raymer works as construction continues on Phase 1 of the expansion of the America's Center Convention Complex in downtown St. Louis, on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023.

The expansion, called AC Next Gen, will enable its operator, St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission, to host at least three concurrent events something the convention center has not been able to do before, officials said.

Together with the billions of dollars invested throughout downtown and central corridor, convention officials said they are ready to sell to event planners a story of St. Louis in renaissance.

The table is set, said Brian Hall, chief marketing officer for the visitors commission.

Steph Kukuljan and other business reporters bring you insights into St. Louis-area real estate and development.

The convention center is not a destination for most St. Louisians, but some of downtowns success hinges on it. The citys central business district has struggled in recent years. That leaves conventions, trade shows and other events at the Americas Center Convention Complex filling rooms at hotels, seats at restaurants and crowds at area attractions with thousands of eventgoers and tourists.

Tourism officials said the region needs a newer, bigger facility in order to better compete with other cities that have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to revamp their tourism infrastructure. But the expansion here has hit hurdle after hurdle since it was first pitched in late 2018, and the project that will debut next year will be considerably smaller than what officials first envisioned.

Construction continues on Phase 1 of the expansion of the America's Center Convention Complex in downtown St. Louis, on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023.

Initially, the visitors commission pitched a multiphase expansion with 92,000 square feet of exhibit space along Cole Street, a 65,000-square-foot ballroom along Ninth Street, a new pavilion and green space, as well as other faade improvements.

But political squabbling in St. Louis and St. Louis County slowed the issuance of bonds to pay for the project. The pandemic halted business for months and tied up global supply chains that drove up costs. Interest rates spiked. Only one company bid to build the first phase.

Officials had to retool what they could build. A $30 million boost from the Rams settlement helped cover some of the funding gap. Construction finally started in May 2022.

But Hall said that despite those setbacks, the expansion is already drawing interest from groups his agency hasn't been able to reach before, though he declined to disclose which groups.

The loading docks, especially, will make events run more efficiently, he said. Truck drivers will be able to back up and turn around inside the convention center, eliminating the bottlenecks on Cole Street and making life easier for nearby residents.

A new lobby, facing Martin Luther King Drive, will allow easier access for multiple events.

A community garden, which will supply events with fresh food, is planned for 10th Street. Greenspace will replace a surface lot at Ninth Street and Convention Plaza.

Although next year will be short on events, convention officials are optimistic business will bounce back in 2025. Already, they said, theyve booked the same number of events as they have for 2024.

And they said theres a 57% increase in booked rooms for hotels contracted with the facility, Hall said.

Jobs outlook: With unemployment in metro St. Louis at a record low, David Nicklaus and Jim Gallagher explain what has to happen for the region to see further job gains in 2023.

Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.

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First look at the progress of the new convention center in downtown ... - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

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Brown pleased with progress of WVU's special teams - WV News

DES MOINES On August 21 Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.

Weather was mostly drier, cooler and comfortable for Iowa State Fairgoers, with the exception of a very hot final weekend, said Secretary Naig. Iowans should take precautions to protect themselves from the excessive heat that will cover much of the state for several more days, though a cold front is expected to bring more pleasant weather toward the end of the week.

The weekly report is also available on the USDAs website at nass.usda.gov.

Crop Report

Cool and dry weather throughout the state led to 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 20, 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included cutting and baling hay as well as harvesting oats. Continued dry weather meant CRP land was opened for emergency haying and grazing.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 15 percent very short, 38 percent short, 46 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 19 percent very short, 44 percent short, 36 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.

Corn in the dough stage reached 92 percent this week, 8 days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of the 5-year average. Thirty-nine percent of the corn crop was dented, 4 days ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of normal. Corn condition rated to 60 percent good to excellent. Soybeans setting pods reached 94 percent, 1 week ahead of both last year and the average. Soybeans starting to turn color was 4 percent this week. Soybean condition rated 59 percent good to excellent. Oats harvested for grain reached 98 percent, 1 week ahead of the average.

The States third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 82 percent complete, 19 days ahead of last year and 16 days ahead of the average. Pasture condition rated 23 percent good to excellent. Livestock producers continued to supplement with hay due to the prolonged dry conditions, but overall livestock conditions were decent with the lower-than-average temperatures for the week.

Weather Summary

According to Justin Glisan, PhD, state climatologist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, as the Iowa State Fair came to a close over the weekend, air and dewpoint temperatures began an upward climb. However, unseasonably cool conditions persisted through the reporting period with an average temperature of 68.5 degrees, 3.6 degrees below normal. Apart from a handful of stations in eastern Iowa, unseasonably dry conditions were reported statewide.

A strong low-pressure center continued to spin showers and thunderstorms across Iowa through Sunday (13th) afternoon and evening, bringing widespread rain totals. Stations in southern and northeastern Iowa collected the highest amounts, generally in the 0.50 to 0.75-inch range; two stations in Bedford (Taylor County) reported 1.05- and 1.64-inch totals with a 0.91-inch measurement in Asbury (Dubuque County). Westerly winds developed overnight with Monday (14th) morning lows in the upper 50s to mid-60s west to east across the state as light showers persisted in eastern Iowa. Moderate showers and some thunderstorms formed on the backside of the low pressure over central Iowa with a pocket of heavy rain and flash flooding along the Iowa-Wisconsin border; nine stations in Dubuque County reported totals from 1.01 inches at Dyersville to 3.20 inches at Dubuque Regional Airport. Daytime temperatures hovered in the upper 60s and low 70s with northwesterly winds building in as the disturbance pushed east. Clear skies and patchy fog were visible at sunrise on Tuesday (15th) with light winds and lows in the 50s. Upper 70s and mostly sunny skies greeted fairgoers with pleasant conditions stretching into Wednesday (16th) with gusty southerly winds, cloudless skies and highs in the low 80s. A weak cold front dropped southeast through Iowa, producing isolated thundershowers in north-central Iowa after midnight on Thursday (17th); light rain was reported at a handful of stations.

A stronger cell fired later in the morning in southeastern Iowa, bringing Columbus Junction (Louisa County) a 0.30-inch measurement. Winds shifted to the northwest as skies cleared and dewpoints dropped in the presence of a drier airmass. Low to mid-70s were observed statewide through the afternoon hours with fair weather cumulus pushing across the state. Calm winds prevailed into Friday (18th) as foggy conditions redeveloped at many stations. Afternoon temperatures rose into the upper 70s and low 80s and winds shifted to the southeast. Saturday (19th) morning temperatures were still unseasonably cool, holding in the low to mid 60s, though these readings quickly rose into the upper 80s and low 90s; the statewide average high was 90 degrees, nine degrees above normal. Very spotty showers formed in eastern Iowa with Strawberry Point (Clayton County) picking up 0.01 inch and a trace at a few other stations. Temperatures rose overnight into Sunday (20th) morning with very muggy conditions across the state; the average low was 67 degrees, seven degrees above normal; Des Moines (Polk County) reported 78 degrees, which is 14 degrees warmer than the 30-year climatological average and the warmest low temperature for the date since 1900.

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation at several central Iowa stations to 3.43 inches in Dubuque (Dubuque County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 0.28 inch while the normal is 0.90 inch. Sioux City Airport (Woodbury County) reported the weeks high temperature of 98 degrees on the 19th, 16 degrees above normal. Several northern stations reported the weeks low temperature of 45 degrees on the 16th and 18th, on average 13 degrees below normal.

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Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report | News ... - Cedar Valley Daily Times

BATON ROUGE - School was closed Monday to allow bus drivers to talk with school leaders, and it appears those talks went well as the majority of drivers returned to work Tuesday morning.

"Today was a pretty good day. We had about 324 bus operators that came in today most of all of our routes were covered. We had about eight routes that we had challenges with," said Superintendent Sito Narcisse, who spoke to the Volunteers In Public Schools at a luncheon Tuesday.

"We've been working diligently for the last couple days--morning and night--coming up with some formula around logistics to be able to cover and pick up all the kids. We feel like we are getting much, much closer now, so on Thursday we are going to present that to the board and public and then go through that process"

Narcisse and board members will meet with bus drivers and other school system staff Thursday to further discuss logistics. Currently, high school and middle schools are dismissing early.

"We're making some modifications because of the amount of bus drivers. We still have 161 vacancies so we're going to have to make some shifts in school start times."

He says that will involve changing or condensing some routes as well as adjusting school start times. There was no word on if drivers will be paid more on top of their stipend from last week.

The meeting will be Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Professional Development Center.

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School district and bus drivers making progress in talks - WBRZ

We just officially challenged the Youngkin administrations effort to withdraw Virginia from a program proven to tackle the root cause of climate change the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, better known as RGGI.

The petition states the state Air Pollution Control Board, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and its director Michael Rolband, do not have the authority to end the states participation in the successful carbon trading program.

It is critical that we continue our participation in RGGI, a proven climate solution, says SELC Senior Attorney Nate Benforado. Virginians know that we need this program and that we have no time to waste. We will be doing everything we can as quickly as we can to enforce the law and maintain this successful program.

Virginia joined RGGI in 2021 after the General Assembly passed a 2020 law requiring Virginias participation in the successful regional program, becoming the first Southern state to participate. In just over two years Virginia has already made substantial gains in reducing and controlling air pollution from power plants, while bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars to help low-income households save on energy bills and support localities planning for and protecting against recurrent flooding.

We filed the petition today in Fairfax Circuit Court on behalf of the Association of Energy Conservation Professionals, Virginia Interfaith Power and Light, Appalachian Voices, and Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions.

Given the intense warning signs weve received this summer, from record-setting heat to the horrifying wildfires affecting more and more Americans, it makes no sense to pull out

Two of the participants in todays action were also part of an amicus brief that SELC filed in 2021 in defense of the states participation in RGGI.

Rev. Dr. Faith Harris, executive director at Virginia Interfaith Power & Light, reiterates that RGGI is working and should continue to be part of the states plan to combat climate change.

The weatherization and flood preparedness funds created due to our participation in RGGI were sound and practical solutions to stabilize Virginias economy in the face of rising energy costs, sea levels, temperatures, and severe weather conditions, she said. RGGI is working for Virginia, and Virginians know it.

More and more are calling for solutions to the worsening impacts of climate change.

Given the intense warning signs weve received this summer, from record-setting heat to the horrifying wildfires affecting more and more Americans, it makes no sense to pull out, said Andrea McGimsey, executive director of Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions. With this lawsuit, we are standing up for climate justice and all life on our beautiful planet our one and only home.

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We're suing to hold the line on Virginia's climate progress - Southern Environmental Law Center

CROP PROGRESS ... Hot and dry weather enveloped the area last week

PUBLISHED ON August 22, 2023

In Yakima County, Washington, temperatures started high in the triple digits but gradually dropped to the 80s by the weekend. (Kseniia Zaitseva/Unsplash)

OLYMPIA, Wash. USDA NASS released its Northwest Region Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending August 20, 2023.

Idaho Remained Warm with Areas of Heavy Rains There were 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork in Idaho, an increase from 6.0 days the previous week. Temperatures were warmer than average throughout Idaho. Southern Idaho received isolated thunderstorms that produced heavy precipitation in some areas. Jerome and Twin Falls Counties experienced warm, dry weather for the week. More acres of potatoes were vine killed and rolled. Some dry bean fields began to turn color. Eastern Idaho reported heavy rains at the end of the week. Bannock, Bingham, and Butte Counties received moisture from two weather events over the past week. Potato yields looked promising across the area.

Hot, Dry, and Hazy in Oregon There were 7.0 days suitable for fieldwork in Oregon, unchanged from the previous week. Temperatures were moderate with mild to dry conditions. The northwest region of Oregon reported that irrigation had been essential for maintaining horticulture crops. Heat put stress on berry crops. Corn was in the tassel stage and growing well in western Oregon. Morrow County suffered from a lack of rainfall with hot and dry conditions. There was an on-going haze over the region generated by regional wildfires. In Baker County, parts of the region received rainstorms. The rain slowed wheat and hay harvests. In Malheur County, mint and hay harvest continued, early onion harvest began, and potato harvest ramped up.

Hot and Dry Weather in Washington There were 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, down from 6.6 days reported the previous week. Western Washington saw drought conditions spread. Producers reported dustbowl-like conditions, with farmers avoiding working in fields due to the dust. Some wells began drying out in Whatcom County. Central Washington experienced more hot and dry weather. In Yakima County, temperatures started high in the triple digits but gradually dropped to the 80s by the weekend. A few wildfires were reported, air quality dropped to unhealthy over the weekend, and visibility was compromised. Tree fruit harvest picked up with peaches, nectarines, early maturing apples, and Bartlett pears. Vegetable harvest included summer and winter squashes, melons, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and cucumbers. Northeast Washington saw continued dry conditions. Bluegrass did not fare well this year. Wheat producers reported an average crop. Livestock grazing looked okay, but producers began requesting drought assistance from FSA. In east central Washington, producers stopped harvesting and switched to seeding. Southeast Washington also saw hot and dry weather.

USDA NASS

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Northwest Region Crop Progress and Condition for August 20, 2023 - Morning Ag Clips -

Now the work begins on electrifying all beverage transportation between Carlsberg Sveriges brewery in Falkenberg, the water factory in Ramlsa, and the transshipment terminals in Gothenburg, Malm and Helsingborg. The sustainable transport solution for southern and western Sweden has been developed together with the freight mobility company Einride, to make joint progress towards a ZERO Carbon Footprint.

Carlsberg Sverige works continuously to reduce the carbon footprint in all parts of the business, driving local actions and results towards Carlsberg Groups ambition for a ZERO Carbon Footprint. Now the next step is taken, with electrified transportation being deployed between the brewery in Falkenberg and the transshipment terminals in Gothenburg, Malm, and Helsingborg. In addition, transportation from the packaging company Ball in Malm, with aluminium cans to Falkenberg and Ramlsa, as well as transportation from Ramlsa to Falkenberg and some direct distribution from Falkenberg to wholesale customers in Halmstad, is being electrified.

Peter Hammarstedt, CEO of Carlsberg Sverige, says:

We started our collaboration with Einride in the fall of 2022, when we electrified the heavy warehouse transportation in Halland. In the spring of 2023, we expanded the collaboration by adding another electric truck that runs daily between Falkenberg and Ramlsa. Now we are taking the next step by making a big investment in a sustainable transport solution for the southern and western parts of Sweden, which will significantly contribute to a reduction of our carbon footprint and push our progress towards a net ZERO value chain."

A total of eight crews, consisting of electric trucks with trailers (51 pallet spaces per crew), will drive the routes. Charging infrastructure will be installed by Einride at strategic locations, including the brewery in Falkenberg and at the water factory in Ramlsa, allowing the trucks to charge while being loaded and unloaded. The first electric trucks will hit the roads in the autumn of 2024.

The electric truck fleet will be operated, planned, optimized, and monitored by the mobility platform Einride Saga. The expanded partnership is expected to electrify approximately 7,650,000 transport kilometers in five years, representing a saving of almost 12,300 tonnes CO2, compared to diesel trucks. Which is equivalent of taking 428 diesel cars, driving 200 kilometers a day for a year, off the road.*

Carl Ceder, VP Nordics at Einride, says:

At Einride, we strive for collaborations with forward-thinking companies to actively reduce global carbon emissions. It is a pleasure to work with customers like Carlsberg Sverige and assist them on their journey towards sustainable freight, proving together that the time has come for a large-scale transformation of heavy transportation, even over longer distances. Carlsberg dares to challenge old truths and break new ground through digitization and electrification, to create real change."

Since the transition to electric transportation with Einride, Carlsberg Sverige has succeeded in reducing transport emissions by up to 95% compared to routes previously ran on diesel.*

*Calculations from Einride

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Carlsberg Sverige drives progress towards a ZERO Carbon ... - Carlsberg Group

ABU DHABI, UAE, Aug. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The COP28 UAE Presidency has announced an ambitious and inclusive two-week thematic program for the conference to deliver on four key goals alongside the negotiations process and as part of the critical Global Stocktake response.

Taking place at Expo City Dubai from 30 November to 12 December, COP28 UAE will focus on fast-tracking a just, orderly and equitable energy transition; fixing climate finance; putting nature, lives and livelihoods at the heart of climate action; and mobilizing for the most inclusive COP.

Designed to drive action and implement policy, finance, and technology solutions across these priorities, the innovative two-week thematic program was developed in consultation with stakeholders including civil society, NGOs, youth, and Indigenous Peoples. A six-week open consultation on the thematic areas and sequencing was held in which stakeholders were invited to submit feedback the first such approach taken by a COP Presidency.

Kicking off with a two-day World Climate Action Summit, during which the first-ever Global Stocktake response will be presented to world leaders with the COP Presidency seeking commitments and accountability, the program also features new individual thematic days that respond to global challenges.

For the first time at a COP forum, COP28 will dedicate a day to Health, Relief, Recovery, and Peace, with a high level climate health ministerial, among other thematic activities. COP28 will also be the first to focus on the role of trade in tandem with finance and it will be the COP that brings leaders together from across all levels of government and society from the local mayors to global leaders to work towards cleaner, greener, safer cities for current and future generations.

All thematic days throughout the two weeks will be underpinned with an inclusive approach that prioritizes frontline communities and focuses on how finance, technology and innovation can drive solutions.

More detailed information about each thematic day will be released in the weeks and months ahead, as the COP28 Presidency continues to ramp up preparations for this year's meeting at Expo City Dubai.

Below are the key themes and events for each day:

For more information on the thematic program, please visit COP28.com here.

Notes to Editors COP28 UAE:

COP28 UAE will take place at Expo City Dubai from November 30-December 12, 2023. The Conference is expected to convene over 70,000 participants, including heads of state, government officials, international industry leaders, private sector representatives, academics, experts, youth, and non-state actors.

As mandated by the Paris Climate Agreement, COP28 UAE will deliver the first ever Global Stocktake a comprehensive evaluation of progress against climate goals.

The UAE will lead a process for all parties to agree upon a clear roadmap to accelerate progress through a pragmatic global energy transition and a "leave no one behind" approach to inclusive climate action."

SOURCE COP28

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COP28 announces innovative thematic program to progress action ... - PR Newswire

PHOENIX It's been two months since Governor Katie Hobbs signed legislation aimed at restoring water to the Rio Verde Foothills.

"We have water, it's just expensive to get. So, we conserve as much as we can," said Rio Verde Foothills resident Kent Thomas.

The City of Scottsdale after many warnings, shut off access in January and Rio Verde Foothills has not had a reliable source of water.

On Tuesday, Thomas joined some of his neighbors as guests of the Governor to witness her ceremonial signing of Senate Bill 1432.

"Arizona has long been a steward for smart and responsible water management and this bill is a continuation of that legacy," Governor Hobbs said.

Senate Bill 1432 created a citizen-led district that is now working to secure contracts with Scottsdale, utility company EPCOR and water haulers to set up short-term and ultimately long-term solutions.

"So as far as costs, we don't have any costs yet. So, everybody knows there is a lot of costs that go into this," said Meredith DeAngeliss, a Rio Verde Foothills resident who also serves as the chair for the Rio Verde Foothills Standpipe District Board.

DeAngeliss believes the agreements with Scottsdale, EPCOR and the water haulers will be signed within 30 days. Once that happens, she believes residents will pay much less than what they are paying now to get water hauled to their homes. But securing the water for Rio Verde Foothills is not the end, it's only the beginning.

There are communities across the state which have been able to circumvent Arizona's 100-year guarantee of water law because of their size, allowing residents to build homes without an assured water supply.

"What everyone's done now to get this bill is start asking those questions on how many people are on hauled water. What does that look like? How much water is that? Is it going to the right places," said DeAngeliss.

These are questions the Governor and members of the legislature hope to have by January when lawmakers are back in session. "We need to remember what is not political," State Senator Justine Wadsack, the author SB 1432 said. "When it comes to access to water in our state, we need to think of the people."

The bill will keep water flowing to the Rio Verde Foothills subdivision for at least three years under terms of an agreement and a new government entity called a standpipe district that can enter into deals to help Rio Verde Foothills get water.

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Progress in the efforts to restore water in Rio Verde Foothills - ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix