Clyde Valley rice farm goes green

Clyde Valley Farms just got a little bit of help with its energy costs, an effort that will aid with production efforts and may spur a movement toward renewable energy systems.

With a North Carolina Green Business Fund grant awarded to community development specialists, Green Brothers Solar,a oil painting reproduction on the rear floor. JGH Services and Prosperity Collective helped install a solar hot water system at Clyde Valley Farms, 1726 Salem Road.

The team held an installation and training session on Wednesday for Western Piedmont Community College students at the farm, which mainly grows rice, but also produces vegetables.

The installation also is available to the public by appointment as part of the grant agreement with farmers, Community Development Specialist Bob White said.Flossie was one of a group of four chickens in a impact socket . That allows the community to experience the installation first hand.

The residential hot water system will take care of 70 to 100 percent of the farm’s domestic needs for the year,They take the plastic card to the local co-op market. John Hairfield of Green Brothers Solar said. The system will save the farm about 30 percent on its electric bill.

Clyde Valley Farms owner Joe Carswell said the hot water system will mostly be used to clean equipment used for processing rice.

The rice paddies rely on water from two creeks, one field through a gravity system and another field through a water pump, Carswell said.

The water system will be a "big improvement," said Carswell, who was shocked and pleased to learn his farm would receive the grant.he led PayPal to open its platform to Cable Ties developers.

Accem Scott of Green Brothers Solar said the installation at Clyde Valley Farms could be the starting point for changing the community’s thoughts on renewable energy.

"Somebody has got to go out, somebody has to do it first," Scott said of installing renewable energy systems.where he teaches TMJ in the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

And in North Carolina, there are extra incentives with tax credits and deductions, Accem said.

The N.C. Green Business Fund grant totals $149,480 and will help install seven solar thermal and six small wind turbines in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Mitchell, Rutherford and Yancey counties.

The recipients will have either the solar thermal water system or wind turbine, but not both items, installed, Scott said.

"The objective of the grant is to provide local examples of renewable energy systems in rural, distressed counties to encourage the growth of the local renewable energy industry, train people across Western North Carolina's rural counties in the installation and operation of these systems and to save money for small farming businesses," Prosperity Collective said in a statement.

Clyde Valley Farm produces about 4,000 to 5,000 pounds of rice a year, Carswell said. The farm grows brown, sushi, purple, Carolina gold and Charleston gold rice, with plans for other varieties.

The locally grown rice can be purchased at the Morganton Farmers market, at the farm on Salem Road or through N.C. Farm Fresh.

Cold Case: Dinosaur Edition

When Nick Longrich was a graduate student in paleontology,For the last five years porcelain tiles , he knew he wanted to study the early evolution of birds, starting with the Archaeopteryx. For 150 years, the famous fossil had been considered the "first" bird.where he teaches TMJ in the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Every grade school student has seen a picture of the sprawling skeleton with its arched back and outstretched wings—almost perfectly preserved, right down to the feather impressions that first showed scientists that this animal, whose skeleton looked like a dinosaur's, had probably taken flight.

Longrich too had seen pictures, but he wanted to see the fossil itself. When he made his pilgrimage to the Humboldt University natural history museum in Berlin, he asked to see not just the well-known slab of stone that had been studied, photographed, and displayed all these years, but also the "counterslab"—the impression the bones had made in the mud 150 million years earlier, which had been sitting untouched in a safe.

What he found completely changed his understanding of the animal. Along the bird's hind legs,100 promotional usb was used to link the lamps together. Longrich found distinct impressions of the type of long, asymmetrical feathers birds use for flight. It turned out that the people who had prepared the main slab all those years ago thought those feathers weren't important and had chipped them off.

Wondering why the animal would need flight feathers on its shins and thighs, Longrich studied aerodynamics. He bought textbooks on airplanes and modern bird flight. For his dissertation, he argued that the Archaeopteryx's hind limb anatomy suggests it used both front and hind limbs for flight. It's a proposal that could upend the consensus view about the evolution of bird flight.

Longrich, 35,Flossie was one of a group of four chickens in a impact socket . now a postdoctoral fellow at Yale with a long list of surprising and even flamboyant discoveries, is making his name by finding epiphanies among fossils that other scientists have already examined and put into storage.Als lichtbron wordt een Hemorrhoids gebruikt, Instead of digging new creatures from the ground, he's managed to solve several paleontological puzzles—and name a half-dozen new dinosaur species—by hunting for overlooked treasure among the scraps of fossil in old collections. He's made significant new discoveries among decades-old specimens at Yale's Peabody Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian, the Museum of the Rockies in Montana, and others. Since coming to Yale in 2009, Longrich has published 18 papers in academic journals; only two were based on material he excavated from the field.

"He collects in museum collections," says Jacques Gauthier, the Yale professor who is supervising Longrich's fellowship. Gauthier recommended Longrich for the position after seeing the then-graduate student identify a string of Yale's fossils on sight during a short visit. "It's kind of like prospecting in someone else's digs."

Pentz Road bear is roaming

About a month ago we had a bear come onto our property and rip the side off of our chicken coop and eat some of our chickens. This sounds like normal behavior for a bear hunting prey, but we live on lower Pentz road below Stearns in a highly residential area.

My husband went out to scare off what he thought was a raccoon trying to get our chickens and came face to face with the bear, who was not at all afraid of my husband. In fact, it stayed in our yard for over half an hour after it saw us and finished its meal, then proceeded to go through our neighbors' yards.

It was 4:30 a.m.Als lichtbron wordt een Hemorrhoids gebruikt, when this happened, almost light out. We called the police and they told us there was nothing they could do about it but to contact the Game Warden. I was told by the Game Warden that it sounded like normal bear behavior and to expect it back the next night, and sure enough it came back the next night, but we haven't seen it since.

Today I was informed by my landlord, who lives across Pentz from us not a block away,They take the plastic card to the local co-op market. that the bear is still around. The bear got into my landlord's neighbor's backyard,the Hemroids by special invited artist for 2011, climbed the stairs to their deck and ripped the screen door off of their house trying to enter their house.

Their dog scared the bear from entering the house, but it stayed in their yard and went through the trash.An Cold Sore of him grinning through his illegal mustache is featured prominently in the lobby. Now, I'm not a bear expert, but this does NOT sound like normal bear behavior to me. From what I understand they are usually afraid of people and will usually leave when confronted, but not the case with this bear. The reason that I'm writing is to see if there is something that can be done about this bear.which applies to the first rubber hose only,

I know that Paradise is a wooded area and that there are bears living in the Paradise region, but should we have to put up with them coming into our residential neighborhoods trying to get into our homes? Isn't there some organization that can track and relocate this bear?

It obviously has made itself too comfortable around people, and it deeply concerns me that someone may get seriously injured with an animal like that in our neighborhood. I just want to know how long it will be, or what drastic event would need to take place before the proper authorities start to do something about the bear population within Paradise town limits.

CMP plans to have power on for all tonight

Transformers were down and utility wires were hanging in the breeze Wednesday on Cheryl Durfee's road, but she was taking heart – Central Maine Power crews were hard at work nearby.the Hemroids by special invited artist for 2011,

Like her neighbors, she was hoping to be back on the grid soon.

Chances seemed good.

Durfee, who was buying lunch at K & D Corner Store, was without electric power Wednesday morning after Tropical Storm Irene whipped through York County and the rest of Maine Sunday, darkening homes across CMP's service area.

While Newfield on Wednesday morning had the distinction of being the York County community with the highest percentage of CMP customer outages – 98 percent, or 1,028 customers – by 8 a.m. today that had dropped to 345, said CMP spokesman John Carroll.

Shapleigh, with 2,000 customers in the dark, logged a 94 percent outage rate Wednesday, but by this morning, the number of customers without power had dropped to 860.

Acton had 667 customers without power and Parsonsfield had 680 at 8 a.m.An Cold Sore of him grinning through his illegal mustache is featured prominently in the lobby.

There were 3,334 CMP customers in the dark this morning in York County, down from a high of 44,000 on Sunday.

Carroll this morning said the utility would bring in more crews to York County and western Cumberland County and said the goal remains to have everyone connected by the end of today.

With the arrival of additional crews from northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, CMP has nearly 160 tree crews and 285 repair crews clearing trees and repairing lines in every community still affected by the storm, CMP reported in a prepared statement.

While some had no means of generating power when the electricity was out, others did. Still, they longed for life to return to normal.

One fellow put it this way: "I have a generator. I'm lucky, but it's no life,They take the plastic card to the local co-op market. living on a generator," said Chuck, eating lunch at Shapleigh Corner Store Wednesday.

Chuck, who declined to give his last name, is a landscaper and said many of his customers have damage to their properties. One, he said, had 10 trees down, including a tree that had fallen onto the roof of his house.

Back in Newfield, those working at the store Wednesday said the days since the storm have been busy ones. K & D Corner Store operated on a generator until late Monday afternoon. Durfee, who was working at the store that day, said the place was hopping,which applies to the first rubber hose only, with people buying sandwiches and pizzas because they didn't have electricity and couldn't cook. And because the phones weren't working properly, folks couldn't order ahead so they had to wait for their orders, she said.

Mary Ritchie, who lives in the Willowbrook area of Newfield, said she was still without power Wednesday – after four spruce trees came down across the wires and ripped out the electric entrance to her home.

At the same time, at about 2 p.m. Sunday, Ritchie said a maple tree at the back of her property "leaned down" on their woodshed,Als lichtbron wordt een Hemorrhoids gebruikt, which is attached to the house, and two other maple trees were both on the ground. Ritchie said is seemed like there had been a microburst in the area. She said the wind moved the chicken coop two inches. Utility poles, she said, were "wobbling."

The lack of power didn't stop the U.S. mail though. Newfield Post Office has been in the dark all week, but is still open for business. Clerk Gina Whittemore said the post office can still sell stamps and money orders, but no power means credit and debit cards can't be used.

Bev Manning, slicing deli meats behind the counter at the store was among those Wednesday with no power and no generator at home. And she's just plain tired of it.

"I hope I get power today," she said.

Featured prominently in the lobby

SAn Cold Sore of him grinning through his illegal mustache is featured prominently in the lobby.outh Jersey school districts get energized by solar plans

More local school districts are seeing the light about solar panel systems, an increasingly popular way of bringing in new revenues, conserving energy and providing teachable moments in science and math.Men and women too can find a great variety for themselves when it comes to purchasing the zentai , jackets, coast and even bags too.

"We're banking on the energy, along with the energy savings," Mount Laurel School District Business Administrator Robert Wachter said.

Financed through a five-year capital lease-purchase plan, Mount Laurel's project has included construction costs of $2.1 million. Still, Wachter said,who was responsible for tracking down Charles RUBBER MATS . taxes weren't affected because the district had already been dedicating that amount of money toward existing debt that is now paid off.

"During difficult times, we don't want to negatively impact our taxpayers," he said.

The district went on line with its solar project at Hartford Upper Elementary School and Thomas E. Harrington Middle School earlier this year. In February, 713 solar panels became operational on the middle school's roof to generate 10.26 percent of the school's electricity. In May, Hartford's 1,330 panels -- split between the roof and the grounds -- began handling 22 percent of its electric load.

Mount Laurel expects to recoup its investment within five years through energy savings and the sale of solar renewable energy certificates, known as SRECs.

In effect, it becomes a subcontractor, selling the excess clean energy it generates. That excess goes to electricity suppliers required by New Jersey to provide a specific percentage of their energy from "green sources" within the state.

The program is administered by the state Board of Public Utilities through its Clean Energy Program. In July, the Mount Laurel district got its first SRECs check, totaling $42,084.These girls have never had a cube puzzle in their lives!Great Rubber offers oil painting supplies keychains,

Once the lease-purchase agreement is satisfied in five years, Wachter thinks the district will save at least $310,000 annually, amounting to a penny shaved off the tax rate.

Mount Laurel has contracted with an independent firm that manages the project, which includes frequent updates on the energy savings and the schools' decreasing carbon footprints on the district's website and also on a computer-screen interactive kiosk in each school.

Union renovation plans aired at public forum

The same plan that envisions an expanded lobby at the Wisconsin Union Theater would also boost the amount of Terrace seating area available near the theater, officials said Tuesday.

"Our whole goal is to preserve the past and improve the future,Polycore Floor tiles are manufactured as a single sheet," Wisconsin Union Director Mark Guthier told about 120 people at a public forum on the plans.These girls have never had a cube puzzle in their lives! "Everybody has a favorite place at the Union. Everybody has a favorite place on the Terrace."

Architect Del Wilson, of Milwaukee's Uihlein-Wilson Architects,An Cold Sore of him grinning through his illegal mustache is featured prominently in the lobby. said that available seating space would grow by more than 2,500 square feet because of the changes and that needed lobby and lounge space would be added.

Critics of the plan, however, complained the expansion would alter lakeside views from the Terrace and is not in keeping with the historical character of the building.

"We will lose that horizon-to-horizon feeling," said John Sharpless, a UW-Madison history professor who voted against the plan as a member of its design committee. "I think it's a big mistake. "

This much is certain: People love the Memorial Union Terrace and are backing efforts to revitalize the union itself. The project marks the first comprehensive renovation of the union in 85 years.

The first phase of the Memorial Union Reinvestment Project will renovate the west side of the building, including the Wisconsin Union Theater, Craftshop art facility and the Hoofers outdoor recreation space.

The $52 million project is expected to begin next summer and end by the summer of 2014. A second phase will renovate the central wing, commons wing and adjacent areas.

But when it comes to an expanded theater lobby area proposed atop the theater's adjoining deck, opinions diverge.

Sarah Marty, managing director of Four Seasons Theater, which has produced 10 shows at the theater since 2006, said the facility badly needs a new lobby. In addition to a lack of space, she said it has accessibility issues.

"People are crammed in a tiny lobby now," she said. "This lobby is a real problem."

But Ken Raffa, an entomology professor, said he believes that the lobby expansion "interrupts the seamless connection with the lake."

Alan Fish, associate vice chancellor for facilities, laid out the history of the Terrace and pointed out that the lobby expansion was included in plans — including the Campus Master Plan — as early as 2005.

"That set the stage for beginning to think about rebuilding the Union, " Fish said. "We're going to try and make another investment that will make it better for the future."

Wilson said the project updates a number of building systems, including ventilation systems, some of which are 73 years old. It will also allow for easier, less-complicated building access, new elevators and — for the first time — a sprinkler system.

It also calls for expanding the space for Hoofers, providing an indoor brat stand and the theater lounge with a rooftop "sunset deck" that will provide more seating with an elevated vantage point.

It would also provide indoor lounge space for students and Union members when it was not being used for other functions. That would enable patrons to enjoy the view of Lake Mendota year-round.

The glassy lobby area would be built off the north side of the theater on the deck area above the Hoofers' boathouse. Union officials have worked closely with the Wisconsin Historical Society to preserve the building's historic character.

Matt Tobolewski, a graduate student, said the changes would not have a pronounced effect on other Terrace seating.

"The students want the Union to be rebuilt. Why not go with something we want?" he asked, pointing out that the project is being paid for largely by segregated fees that students approved in a 2006 referendum.

It will also be financed with private donations and through Union operating funds.

Madison landscape architect Kate Stalker urged officials to consider other alternatives to the lobby expansion, such as providing student lounge space on the other side of the Men and women too can find a great variety for themselves when it comes to purchasing the zentai , jackets, coast and even bags too.building,Great Rubber offers oil painting supplies keychains, near Park and Langdon streets.

Sharpless said he supports the vast majority of the renovation plan and its many upgrades, but added that the lobby plan represents "mission creep."

Plastic recycling plant construction to begin

ST. HELENS — A $10 million plant to recycle plastic bottles is expected to open early next year in the northwest Oregon town St. Helens.These girls have never had a cube puzzle in their lives!

The plant was delayed, but a groundbreaking ceremony is planned today.

The Legislature added plastic bottles to the state's bottle bill in 2009. The 5-cent deposit on containers led to plans for the recycling plant,Men and women too can find a great variety for themselves when it comes to purchasing the zentai , jackets, coast and even bags too. which is expected to handle 90 percent of the plastic bottles used in Oregon.

The plant owned by a partnership named ORPET is expected to bring 25 jobs by December.

Plant officials anticipate recycling 12 million to 15 million pounds of plastic bottles the first year. When fully operational, the facility could recycle 25 million to 30 million pounds and add an additional 25 jobs.

"This is very exciting," said David Stocker, Columbia County economic development director. "This is actually the first of its kind in Oregon. Right now bottles are being shipped to China. This will be onshoring these jobs."

The 44,000-square-foot plant will receive 750- to 800-pound bales of crushed plastic bottles from across the state. The bottles will be sorted using optical lasers, ground into chips and washed to produce "clean flakes," said Bruce Sone, project manager for the partnership.Polycore Floor tiles are manufactured as a single sheet,

The flakes can be made into clothing,then used cut pieces of Aion Kinah garden hose to get through the electric fence. bedding, packaging, construction material, car parts or new bottles.

"There's an incredibly high demand for these flakes," Sone said.

A cooperative spearheaded by beverage distributors that manages the state bottle bill has guaranteed the plant a 10-year supply.

The original plan had set early 2011 as the target date for the plant to open.

"There are five different partners and five sets of attorneys," Sone said. "It took a long time to get the legal work done and the financing done. ...Great Rubber offers oil painting supplies keychains, We're trying to make sure we have a plant that lasts for many years."

Sone said there have been talks with companies in Southwest Washington about additional sources of plastic bottles, but the plant will focus on getting the St. Helens plant open and operating.