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Texas is the Third Most Dangerous State for Motorcyclists

Austin personal injury attorney Chip Evans said the state ranks among the worst in the nation for motorcycle safety. Texas is behind only South Carolina and Mississippi in the number of number of motorcycle fatalities per registered motorcycles.




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Triple ISPO Awards Success for D3O Protection

Market-leading impact protection brand D3O is a common denominator in three ISPO 2019 award-winning products




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New & Notable: America's Failing Infrastructure, "Climatopolis," & Why Do Shepherds Need A Bush?

In August 2007, the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis, MN, collapsed, killing 13 and injuring 145 others. Investigations following the tragedy revealed that it could have been prevented. The grave reality is that it is a tragedy that threatens to be repeated at many of the thousands of bridges located across the nation.

In Too Big To Fall: America's Failing Infrastructure And The Way Forward (New York: Foster, 2010), author Barry LePatner chronicles the problems that led to the I-35W catastrophe — poor bridge design,shoddy maintenance, ignored expert repair recommendations, and misallocated funding — and digs through the National Transportation Safety Board’s report on the tragedy, which failed to present the full story.

From there LePatner evaluates what the I-35W Bridge collapse means for the country as a whole — outlining the possibility of a nationwide infrastructure breakdown.

He exposes government failure on a national as well as state level, explains why we must maintain an effective infrastructure system — including how it plays a central role in supporting both our nation’s economic strength and our national security — and rounds out the book by providing his own well-researched solutions.

Too Big to Fall presents an eye-opening critique of a bureaucratic system that has allowed political best interests to trump those of the American people. It contains special comments by James Oberstar, the outgoing Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure.

Cities are the engines of the economic growth and the foundation of our prosperity. But what will become of them as our world gets hotter?

In Climatopolis: How Our Cities Will Thrive In The Hotter Future (New York: Basic, 2010), Matthew Kahn, one of the world's foremost experts on the economics of the environment and of cities, argues that our future lies in our ability to adapt. Cities and regions will slowly transform as we change our behaviors and our surroundings in response to the changing climate. Kahn - professor at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, the UCLA School of Public Affairs' Department of Public Policy, and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research - shows us how this will happen.

The author is optimistic about the quality of our lives in the cities of the future, despite a high chance of less hospitable climate conditions than we face today. At the heart of his conviction in a bright future is our individual freedom of choice. This personal freedom will reveal pathways that will greatly help urbanites cope with climate change.

Taking the reader on a tour of the world's cities - from New York to Los Angeles, Beijing to Mumbai - Kahn's clear-eyed, engaging, and optomistic messages presents a positive yet realistic picture of what our urban future will look like.

An entire chapter is devoted to Los Angeles, including sub-sections titled "Los Angeles Has A Subway?" and "Could Public Transit Become Hip In Los Angeles?"

The names of the 300 or so London underground stations are often quite unusual, yet so familiar that Tube riders take them for granted.


We hardly ever question their meanings or origins—yet these well-known names are almost always linked with fascinating stories of bygone times.


In Why Do Shepherds Need A Bush?: London's Underground History Of Tube Station Names (Stroud, Eng.: History Press, 2010), author David Hilliam not only uncovers the little-known history behind the station stops below ground, but also explores the eccentric etymology of some of London's landmarks, offering trivia boxes that will surely amuse.


Until the mid-19th century, London was almost unbelievably rural, with names belonging to a countryside we could never recognize or imagine today.


Who in the 21st century, thinks of a real flesh-and-blood shepherd lolling back on a specially-trimmed hawthorn bush, when traveling through Shepherd's Bush underground station?


And who, traveling through Totteridge and Whetstone on the Northern Line, imagines medieval soldiers sharpening their swords and daggers at the aptly named Whetstone just before engaging in the appallingly bloody battle of Barnet?


This entertaining book will ensure that readers never view their normal Tube journey the same way again.




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Resources To Know: The MUTCD -- A Book In The News This Week You May Never Have Heard Of That Impacts You Every Day

A relatively obscure book is receiving its 15 minutes (or more) of fame this week, The Manual On Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

This set of federal standards for traffic signs, road surface markings, and signals is a primary resource to know about, so we wanted to take a closer look – especially since it is in the news right now.

New MUTCD standards announced recently require compliance over the next several years, depending on what type of changes are required.

For example, states, counties, cities and towns across America will need to increase the size of letters on street signs for roads with speed limits over 25 mph from 4 inches to 6 inches by January, 2012.

Street signs requiring new reflective lettering which is more visible at night must be installed by January, 2018.

These required changes will affect both large cities and small jurisdictions across the country. ABC News reported on some sample impacts this week:

“In Milwaukee, this will cost the cash-strapped city nearly $2 million, double the city’s entire annual for traffic control.
In Dinwiddie County, Virginia – with lots of roads but not many people – the cost comes to about $10 for every man, woman and child.”
So where did these regulations, which some may consider to be overly-bureaucratic, come from?

In the early 20th Century, roads were promoted and maintained by automobile clubs of private individuals. Each road and highway had its own type of signage, without regard for directional assistance or safety promotion.

By 1927, the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO - the predecessor to today's AASHTO) published the first standards, titled the Manual And Specifications For The Manufacture, Display, And Erection Of U.S. Standard Road Markers And Signs, a precursor to the MUTCD that is still in use today.

The first MUTCD was released in 1935, setting standards for both road signs and pavement markings. Since then, eight more editions have been published with numerous updates that include changes in usage as well as technological improvements over the years.

Some of these changes are particularly noteworthy. It wasn’t until 1971 that all center lines were to be painted in yellow (as opposed to white) and all highway signs were required to be in white on a green background.

The most recent edition (2009) weighs in at 864 pages, dictating required standards for everything from simple items like street names and route signs to more complex topics, such as how to designate Bicycle Lane Treatment At A Parking Lane Into A Right Turn Only Lane and Examples Of Light Rail Transit Vehicle Dynamic Envelope Markings For Mixed-Use Alignments.

Additions and revisions are recommended to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) by the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD), a private, non-profit organization, which is made up of twenty-one sponsoring organizations comprised of transportation and engineering industry groups, safety-oriented organizations, and others such as the American Automobile Association.

This takes us back to this week’s controversy.

Federal standards promote safety and recognizable meanings, but when those standards are changed there will be ripple effects across local jurisdictions with limited resources to comply.

In places like Dinwiddie County, Virginia, citizens may argue that standards compliance could take funds away from education or public safety.

The Federal Highway Association says the new regulations, written under the Bush Administration, are designed to be easily read by America’s aging population. However, the FHWA announced this week a 45-day period for public comment on the new rules, “a step that could lead to easing on the guidelines,” according to ABC News.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation took matters a step further today, stating:

“I believe this regulation makes no sense. It does not property take into account the high costs that local governments would have to bear. States, cities, and towns should not be required to spend money that they don’t have to replace perfectly good traffic signs.”

LaHood tried to put a balanced spin on the controversy by summing up, "Safety is our priority, but so is good government."




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Shami, you need evenweave fabric to do Hardanger. ...

Shami, you need evenweave fabric to do Hardanger. It will not work on aida. 22 ct fabric is specially for Hardanger or any evenweave above 22 ct can be used




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Chicken Scratch embroidery?? Never heard of it! ...

Chicken Scratch embroidery?? Never heard of it! How cool!!! Glad you are catching up on these different techniques!




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Portland Wins PRCA Award Following Successful Work on Baladna IPO

Strategic communications agency Portland has won the PRCA 2020 'Best IPO' campaign award for its support to Baladna's IPO on the Qatar Stock Exchange.




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Richard B. Taylor Celebrated for Dedication to the Fields of Accounting and Finance

Mr. Taylor provides four decades of financial expertise to his clients at Avid Wealth Management Group.




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Ackerman & Co. Brokers Achieve Top Honors at the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtor's 2020 Million Dollar Club Awards

Top 10 Producer Honors Are Awarded to Brian Lefkoff and Courtney Brumbelow of Ackerman Retail and John Speros of the Land Group




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Call For Entries – Global Banking And Finance Awards 2020

Financial organizations and corporate entities are invited to participate in the 10th annual Global Banking & Finance Awards




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Cardinal Capital Management, Inc. Awarded 6-Star and 5-Star Top Guns Manager by Informa Investment Solutions

The firm received PSN's 6- Star and 5-Star recognition for its Balanced Portfolio for the 5-year period ending December 31, 2019




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Insights into the Conflict Regarding COVID-19 Guidelines between the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and a New Interest Group of Fertility Centers, the Fertility Providers' Alliance

"Controversy" over COVID-19 and fertility treatment reveals investor-led interest pushing for more control in the IVF field




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Chad Larson Selected as Finalist for Discretionary Manager of the Year in the WP Awards 2020

MLD Wealth Management announced that it had been selected as a Finalist for Discretionary Manager of the Year and Multi-Service Advisory Team of the Year in the 6th annual Wealth Professional Awards.




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The Most Secure Hardware Wallet is now on Indiegogo | Sleek, Secure, Simple

The HASHWallet Indiegogo campaign is out! Sign up and get 30% off and Free Vault service.




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Orlando Business Broker Michael Shea Awarded Top Broker Honors for Deal Volume and Co-Brokering by the Business Brokers of Florida

The Business Brokers of Florida Annual Awards Announced Michael Shea as Top Broker in Central Florida




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Phil Spencer Hints at New Xbox Scarlett Standard

On this week's Xbox show, new talent takes over Halo Infinite, Phil Spencer gives an idea of what to expect performance-wise from Xbox Scarlett, Gears 5 comes out swinging at Gamescom, PUBG does an awesome thing, and more!




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Gears 5 Restores First-Party Order on Xbox

Our Xbox crew discusses the Gears 5 campaign now that the review embargo has lifted (don't worry, no spoilers!). Plus: our impressions of Ghost Recon Breakpoint after playing six hours of it, Cyberpunk 2077's surprising multiplayer announcement, Telltale's even more surprising sorta-resurrection, and more!




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The One About The Outer Worlds, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and the Elite Series 2 Controller

#ad #TacoBellPartner First we show off Taco Bell's new Eclipse Xbox One X giveaway bundle (with the new Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller!), and then we discuss Obsidian's new RPG The Outer Worlds with reviewer Dan Stapleton. Plus: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order impressions & more!




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Data Transformation: Standardization vs Normalization

Increasing accuracy in your models is often obtained through the first steps of data transformations. This guide explains the difference between the key feature scaling methods of standardization and normalization, and demonstrates when and how to apply each approach.




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Best Coronavirus Projections, Predictions, Dashboards and Data Resources

Check out this curated collection of coronavirus-related projections, dashboards, visualizations, and data that we have encountered on the internet.




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Sand Angels nab world record

Sand Angels nab world record

It’s official! The Gold Coast now holds the World Record for the most people making sand angels simultaneously on a beach.

The City of Gold Coast received official notification this week that the November attempt - where 1624 angels gathered at Kurrawa Beach - was successful.

Mayor Tom Tate said almost $30,000 was raised on the day to support farmers through charity Drought Angels.

"This was a show of Gold Coast community spirit at its very best,” Mayor Tate said.

“It was a truly wonderful morning and I can’t wait until we are able to do another event like this one sometime in the future, once the pandemic is behind us.”

Groundwater Music Festival Director Mark Duckworth said the festival team couldn't be happier to be a part of this world record.

“The beach and the Gold Coast people are such a big part of our festival and we could not be prouder of the result."

Under the banner of We are Gold Coast, the City of Gold Coast joined forces with Groundwater Music Festival to deliver the community event.

Link to world record confirmation: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-people-making-sand-angels-simultaneously

 

Feature video: 
Not featured




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Heard in the C-Suite

Ken Denman, CEO of iPass.




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The Rewards of Innovation

Jim Andrew, senior partner at The Boston Consulting Group and coauthor of "Payback: Reaping the Rewards of Innovation."




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Leading Your Boss (and Following Your Subordinates)

John Baldoni, leadership consultant and author of "Lead Your Boss: The Subtle Art of Managing Up."




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Howard Schultz on Starbucks’ Turnaround

Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks.




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Anthony Bourdain on Why Leaders Should Eat with the Locals

Anthony Bourdain, celebrity chef and host of the Travel Channel's "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations."




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Francis Ford Coppola on Family, Fulfillment, and Breaking the Rules

Francis Ford Coppola, acclaimed film director.




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The Women Who Become Board Members

Boris Groysberg and Deborah Bell, authors of the HBR article "Dysfunction in the Boardroom."




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Christine Lagarde on the World Economy and the IMF’s Future

The managing director of the International Monetary Fund talks with HBR editor in chief Adi Ignatius.




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Why Leadership Feels Awkward

Herminia Ibarra, author of "Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader" and professor at INSEAD, on moving forward, even when it's not comfortable.




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The Creator of WordPress

Matt Mullenweg, founder and CEO of Automattic, on growth, leadership, and mindfulness.




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China and the Biggest Startup You’ve Probably Never Heard of

Clay Shirky talks about Xiaomi, the subject of his new book, "Little Rice."




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Low-Risk, High-Reward Innovation

Wharton professor David Robertson discusses a "third way" to innovate besides disruptive and sustaining innovations. He outlines this approach through the examples of companies including LEGO, GoPro, Victoria's Secret, USAA, and CarMax. It consists of creating a family of complementary innovations around a product or service, all of which work as a system to carry out a single strategy. Robertson's the author of "The Power of Little Ideas: A Low-Risk, High-Reward Approach to Innovation."




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The Hardscrabble Business of Chinese Manufacturing in Africa

Irene Yuan Sun, a consultant at McKinsey, explains why so many Chinese entrepreneurs are setting up factories in Africa. She describes what it’s like inside these factories, who works there, what they’re making—and how this emerging manufacturing sector is industrializing countries including Lesotho and Nigeria. Sun’s new book is “The Next Factory of the World: How Chinese Investment Is Reshaping Africa.”




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Women at Work: Make Yourself Heard

In this special episode, HBR IdeaCast host Sarah Green Carmichael introduces Harvard Business Review’s new podcast “Women at Work,” about women’s experiences in the workplace. This episode about being heard tackles three aspects of communication: first, how and why women’s speech patterns differ from men’s; second, how women can be more assertive in meetings; and third, how women can deal with interrupters (since the science shows women get interrupted more often than men do). Guests: Deborah Tannen, Jill Flynn, and Amy Gallo.




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Harvard’s President on Leading During a Time of Change

Drew Gilpin Faust, the president of Harvard University, talks about leading the institution through a decade of change, from the financial crisis to the Trump era. Faust discusses how communicating as a leader is different from communicating as an expert, the surprising ways her study of U.S. Civil War history prepared her for the top job, and what it's like to be the first female president in the University's four-century history.




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Why Opening Up at Work Is Harder for Minorities

Katherine Phillips, a professor at Columbia Business School, discusses research showing that African-Americans are often reluctant to tell their white colleagues about their personal lives — and that it hurts their careers. She says people should expect and welcome differences at work, and she gives practical advice for strengthening connections among colleagues of different racial backgrounds. Phillips is a coauthor of the article “Diversity and Authenticity,” in the March–April 2018 issue of Harvard Business Review.




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Why It’s So Hard to Sell New Products

Thomas Steenburgh, a marketing professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, was inspired by his early career at Xerox to discover why firms with stellar sales and R&D departments still struggle to sell new innovations. The answer, he finds, is that too many companies expect shiny new products to sell themselves. Steenburgh explains how crafting new sales processes, incentives, and training can overcome the obstacles inherent in selling new products. He's the coauthor, along with Michael Ahearne of the University of Houston's Sales Excellence Institute, of the HBR article "How to Sell New Products."




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Smart Advantages Embraces Waterford's Winterval Festival

Sales and marketing firm Smart Advantages take time out to enjoy Winterval in Waterford, Ireland.




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MaidenGifts.Com Offering Fast Delivery on Orders Over $250 all Throughout Valentine's Month

Maiden Gifts, easiest and fastest gift has expanded their fast delivery offers all through the month of February including their Valentine's Special Catalogue of Products.




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How to Make the Cardboard BU Mask, Modify an Elipse Mask for Easy On/Off, and Sew a Fabric Mask with Insertable Filter


The video below features three mask tutorials. In the first, industrial designer Eric Strebel's wife shows you how to sew a pleated mask that contains a slot you can slide a filter into; then Strebel shows you how he modified his shop mask for easy on/off; finally, he runs you through making a BU Mask, which is a cardboard mask (designed by Evgeny Maslov, freely downloadble plans at the link) that can also take a replaceable filter.




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Bushfire hazard reduction burn – Tugun Hill Conservation Area

Streets/area affected: Tugun Hill Conservation Area eastern portions, Taperell Drive, Tugun

Region:

Category:

Date: 
Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 17:00 to Friday, July 19, 2019 - 05:00
planned: 
1
Read more: 

Start: Wednesday 17th July 2019 (weather permitting)
End:  Thursday 18th July 2019 (weather permitting)
Duration: Two days

In partnership with Queensland Fire & Emergency Service, the City will door knock residents adjoining burn locations to provide information regarding bushfire protection and preparedness leading into this year’s fire season. Minimal disruption to residents is expected.Residents with health issues associated with smoke are encouraged to contact the City’s Natural Areas Management Unit on 07 5581 6984.

For more information on the scheduled hazard reduction burn program, visit the Gold Coast Rural Fire Brigade Group website.




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Bushfire hazard reduction burn – Pacific Pines Parklands

Start: 8.00am, Tuesday 23 July (weather permitting)
End:  5.00pm, Friday 26 July
Duration:  Four days

In partnership with Queensland Fire & Emergency Service, the City will door knock residents adjoining burn locations to provide information regarding bushfire protection and preparedness leading into this year’s fire season. Minimal disruption to residents is expected. Residents with health issues associated with smoke are encouraged to contact the City’s Natural Areas Management Unit on 07 5581 6984.

For more information on the scheduled hazard reduction burn program, visit the Gold Coast Rural Fire Brigade Group website.

Region:

Category:

Date: 
Tuesday, July 23, 2019 - 18:00 to Saturday, July 27, 2019 - 03:00
planned: 
1




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Bushfire hazard reduction burn – Production Ave Reserve, Molendina

Production Ave Reserve, 10A Production Avenue, Molendina

Region:

Category:

Date: 
Tuesday, July 30, 2019 - 17:00 to Wednesday, July 31, 2019 - 03:00
planned: 
1
Read more: 

Start: 7.00am, Tuesday 30 July (weather permitting)
End:  5.00pm, Tuesday 30 July
Duration: 1 day
In partnership with Queensland Fire & Emergency Service, the City will door knock residents adjoining burn locations to provide information regarding bushfire protection and preparedness leading into this year’s fire season. Minimal disruption to residents is expected.Residents with health issues associated with smoke are encouraged to contact the City’s Natural Areas Management Unit on 07 5581 6984.

For more information on the scheduled hazard reduction burn program, visit the Gold Coast Rural Fire Brigade Group website.




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Bushfire hazard reduction burn – Wongawallan Conservation Area

Streets/area affected: Lanes Road, Wongawallan

Region:

Category:

Date: 
Saturday, August 3, 2019 - 09:58 to Thursday, August 8, 2019 - 09:58
planned: 
1
Read more: 

Start <time/date>: 7:00am, Saturday 3rd August (weather permitting)
End <time/date>:  5:00pm, Wednesday 7th August
Duration:   Five days

In partnership with Queensland Fire & Emergency Service, the City will door knock residents adjoining burn locations to provide information regarding bushfire protection and preparedness leading into this year’s fire season. Minimal disruption to residents is expected.Residents with health issues associated with smoke are encouraged to contact the City’s Natural Areas Management Unit on 07 5581 6984.

For more information on the scheduled hazard reduction burn program, visit the Gold Coast Rural Fire Brigade Group website.




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Bushfire hazard reduction burn – Tourmaline Reserve Reedy Creek

Streets/area affected: Tourmaline Reserve, Lot 913 Worchester Terrace, Reedy Creek

Region:

Category:

Date: 
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 - 18:00 to Saturday, August 17, 2019 - 03:00
planned: 
1
Read more: 

Start: 8.00am, Wednesday 14 August (weather permitting)
End: 5.00pm, Friday 16 August (weather permitting)
Duration: Three days

In partnership with Queensland Fire & Emergency Service, the City will door knock residents adjoining burn locations to provide information regarding bushfire protection and preparedness leading into this year’s fire season. Minimal disruption to residents is expected.Residents with health issues associated with smoke are encouraged to contact the City’s Natural Areas Management Unit on 07 5581 6984.

For more information on the scheduled hazard reduction burn program, visit the Gold Coast Rural Fire Brigade Group website.




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Bushfire hazard reduction burn - Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area

North western portion of Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area, Lot 201 Shelter Road Coombabah (opposite Myola Court)

Region:

Category:

Date: 
Tuesday, August 27, 2019 - 19:00 to Friday, August 30, 2019 - 03:00
planned: 
1
Read more: 

Start <time/date>: 9am, Tuesday 27 August 2019 (weather permitting)
End <time/date>:  5pm, Thursday 28 August 2019
Duration:  Three days

In partnership with Queensland Fire & Emergency Service, the City will door knock residents adjoining burn locations to provide information regarding bushfire protection and preparedness leading into this year’s fire season. Minimal disruption to residents is expected.Residents with health issues associated with smoke are encouraged to contact the City’s Natural Areas Management Unit on 07 5581 6984.

For more information on the scheduled hazard reduction burn program, visit the Gold Coast Rural Fire Brigade Group website.




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Bushfire hazard reduction burn – King Parrot Reserve, Clagiraba

King Parrot Reserve, 328 Henri Robert Drive, Clagiraba

Region:

Category:

Date: 
Monday, September 2, 2019 - 19:00 to Saturday, September 7, 2019 - 03:00
planned: 
1
Read more: 

Start: 9:00am, Monday 2 September (weather permitting)
End: 5:00pm, Friday 6 September
Duration: 5 days




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Water Interruption - Oxenford

Streets affected: Goldwyn Way

Cause: Repair water service 

W/O: 20592450     

Notif: 1000667978

Region:

Date: 
Friday, May 8, 2020 - 23:00 to Saturday, May 9, 2020 - 00:30
planned: 
0




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AATCC announces winners of J. William Wear Award