Septic systems
By Sharon OmahenUniversity of GeorgiaLike hot water and electricity, your home septic system is one ofthose things you may not think about every day. That is, until itstops working. Then it’s all you think about.University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist Kent McVaysays an easy way to prevent septic system problems is to haveyour system inspected every few years. Training the state’s installers”Septic system installation used to be as simple as knowing a guywith a backhoe,” McVay said. “Now, installation is much moreprofessional. And the state requires installers to attend whatamounts to one day of training every two years to earn eighthours of continuing education credits.”UGA specialists, engineers, state environmentalists and industryconsultants teach with both classroom and hands-on field trainingin the UGA program.About 4,000 Georgians are employed as installers. Another 400soil scientists and engineers work in the field, McVay said.With 70 percent to 80 percent of new home construction using on-site septic systems, McVay says septic system installation should be regulated because improper installation can severely impact public health.”The soils in Georgia are capable of taking careof this waste,” he said. “But the systems need to be installedcorrectly.”For a list of upcoming trainings, call McVay at (770) 233-5506or email him at kmcvay@uga.edu. Pay now or pay laterIf you haven’t had your home septic system inspected in fiveyears, McVay recommends making an appointment with a septic tankpumper.”You may not want to spent the $200 or $300 for the inspectionand pumping now,” he said, “but it’s a lot cheaper than diggingup your lawn and installing new drain fields because youneglected your system.”McVay recently joined the UGA faculty in Griffin, Ga., asdirector of the university’s wastewater management educationprogram. He teaches proper septic system installation proceduresto installers across the state and at on-site training centers inGriffin and Hazlehurst.Each site demonstrates various types of septic system designs.The sites and the training program are funded by the GeorgiaDepartment of Human Resources, with support from the GeorgiaOnsite Wastewater Association.
An ounce of prevention”It’s not a pleasant topic, but it’s something that has to bedealt with,” McVay said. “The easy way to remember it’s time tohave your septic system cleaned is to have it done every electionyear.”To help extend the life of your home septic system, McVay offersthese tips:* Minimize water usage. “Your system can handle only so muchwater at a time,” he said. “Keep that in mind when you’re washingclothes, taking showers and running the dishwasher.”* Don’t use a garbage disposer. “If you’re on a home septicsystem, compost your kitchen scraps,” McVay said. “This canreduce the organic load by as much as 50 percent and help yourhome garden, too.”* Reduce harsh chemical usage. “Don’t use chlorine bleach toclean everything in your home,” he said. “Moderate use is okay,but excessive use kills the useful bacteria that are working tobreak down bacteria in your septic system.”
The Vermont Foodbank is asking the community to ‘do nothing’ about ending hunger through an innovative initiative that highlights the despair of having nothing to eat with the launch of the ‘Nothing Can End Hunger’ campaign.Beginning today through September 30, Vermont residents will have the opportunity to purchase cans of ‘nothing’ ‘ empty cans with slots for collections ‘ at all participating Hannaford locations throughout Vermont for $2.99 each. All proceeds collected will go directly to support the Vermont Foodbank.Governor Peter Shumlin joined representatives from the Vermont Foodbank and campaign underwriters Citizens Bank and Hannaford Supermarkets at the Hannaford store in South Burlington today to launch the initiative.‘I appreciate the commitment of these businesses to lead Vermont’s fight against hunger in our state through the ‘Nothing Can End Hunger’ campaign,’ said Gov. Shumlin. ‘Coming off the national recession, the demand for food assistance here at home and across the country is huge. No one should go hungry. I am confident we can raise at least $40,000 to enable the Vermont Foodbank to ensure every Vermonter has access to nutritious meals.’Vermont is the ninth hungriest state in the country with 14 percent of all households experiencing food insecurity. Proceeds from the sale of each ‘nothing’ can will help provide 18 nourishing meals for a local family in need.‘The charitable food system is feeding more Vermonters than ever before. Cuts to the federal nutrition safety net, high unemployment and food and housing costs mean more Vermont residents are making a choice between food and other necessities,’ said John Sayles, Chief Executive Officer, Vermont Foodbank. ‘At the Vermont Foodbank, we turn nothing into a commodity to help the hungry year round. We commend Citizens Bank and Hannaford Supermarkets for partnering with us on this campaign to end hunger within our communities.’The ‘Nothing Can End Hunger’ campaign is supported and underwritten by Citizens Bank and Hannaford Supermarkets.‘The idea that nothing can end hunger in Vermont reflects the depth and intensity of the problem. At Hannaford, we are deeply committed to helping reduce hunger throughout the communities in which we serve and operate,’ said Hannaford Supermarkets Vermont District Manager Andy Willette. ‘We encourage our shoppers to do a little bit of nothing to assist the Vermont Foodbank. It is more important now than ever to lend our support to the organizations who share in our mission to combat hunger.’”Investing in our community is a core value at Citizens. When we learned about this campaign, we immediately thought it was an innovative and exciting way to approach hunger awareness and we wanted to be a part of it,” said Joe Carelli, President, Citizens Bank, Vermont. ‘Regardless of your ability to give – whether it’s a financial gift, donating your time to volunteer, or helping to promote awareness – any and all support makes a difference. I am proud to say we can all do something about nothing.”‘Nothing Can’ purchasers are also invited to use the empty can to collect donations from friends, colleagues and associates for the Vermont Foodbank. Filled cans can be returned at any participating Hannaford location. Hannaford Supermarkets will match all additional donations received through the return process.The Vermont Foodbank also accepts donations online at www.vtfoodbank.org(link is external). A $25 donation to the Vermont Foodbank will help provide a family of four with groceries for nearly two weeks.About the Vermont FoodbankThe Vermont Foodbank is the state’s largest hunger-relief organization, serving communities in all 14 counties of Vermont through a network of more than 280 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, senior centers and after-school programs. In FY2010, the Vermont Foodbank distributed more than 7.6 million pounds of food to as many as 86,000 Vermonters. The Vermont Foodbank, a member of Feeding America, is nationally recognized as one of the most effective and efficient nonprofits and food banks in the nation. To learn more about hunger in your community and to take action against hunger and poverty in Vermont, visit us on the web at www.vtfoodbank.org(link is external)About Citizens BankCitizens Bank is a division of RBS Citizens, N.A., operating its seven-state branch network in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. It has 24 branches and 46 ATMs in Vermont. RBS Citizens, N.A. is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $132 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. CFG’s two bank subsidiaries are RBS Citizens, N.A. and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. They operate a 12-state branch network under the Citizens Bank brand in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont, and the Charter One brand in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. CFG has non-branch retail and commercial offices in more than 30 states. CFG is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc). CFG’s website is citizensbank.com. About Hannaford SupermarketsHannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough, Maine, operates 178 stores and employs 27,000 associates in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. Most Hannaford locations have full-service pharmacies and all stores feature Guiding Stars, the nation’s first storewide nutrition navigation system. For more information, visit the all-new www.hannaford.com(link is external).
continue reading » As hard as it is to believe, it’s once again time to start in on all our New Year’s resolutions. But first, we wanted to step back and share our predictions for 2018. The thought leaders of Trellance gazed deeply into their crystal balls and came up with their vision for what might happen in this new year, and the implications for the credit union community.Mike Chenderlin, Senior Portfolio ConsultantTo say fraud will increase is not even a small stretch as far as predictions. But 2018 will bring much more complex and evolved forms of fraud to credit unions, in the form of account take-overs, false account openings and synthetic fraud. All ways in which criminals can make money, but which existing fraud detection systems won’t notice. The existence of all the breached Equifax profiles on the dark web just makes this that much easier for fraudsters to open an account, obtain a credit card and a loan, and walk away with the proceeds, leaving the credit union with the liability.Implications for credit unions: Many credit unions are dipping their toes into the online and mobile loan origination waters, which is the preferred method for fraudsters to commit crimes remotely. Additional scrutiny needs to be placed on new members and new loans acquired through online channels. 10SHARESShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr
ShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr Recently, I read Annamaria Lusardi’s article in Forbes about the importance of financial literacy in light of the COVID-19 economic recession.I’ve felt the devastating financial consequences of the pandemic in my own community: An eerily empty downtown. Jobs harder to come by. Dozens of restaurants closed for good.In the midst of this nationwide hardship, Lusardi (herself an economist and personal finance professor) and a team of co-authors set out to review the research and answer the question: Could building financial literacy really build financial resilience for American families? Or, more simply: does financial literacy work?Her team’s findings confirm what the team at Zogo already believed to be true: that financial education makes a difference — a great difference — in people’s lives. This post is currently collecting data…
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When asked if they supported the Tokyo Olympics going ahead as scheduled from July 24-August 9, 41 percent replied they did not back that idea with 34% percent saying the matter was complicated and more information was needed.The two-hour meeting also included athletes being asked when a decision should be made on what to do with the Tokyo Olympics, with a third saying the choice needed to come as soon as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has enough information.Almost a quarter wanted a decision no later than April 15, while 18 percent wanted an immediate decision.USOPC board chair Susanne Lyons said Friday her group will defer to the IOC as it gathers information from around the world. Topics : Almost three-quarters of the 300 US athletes who took part in a virtual town hall with US Olympic officials support delaying the 2020 Tokyo Games, USA Today reported Sunday.The poll followed calls to postpone the Olympics due to the global coronavirus pandemic by USA Swimming and USA Track & Field — the federations set to send the most American athletes to Japan in an expected delegation of more than 600 competitors.In all, 70 percent of the athletes supported a postponement with another 23 percent saying it would depend on the consequences of such a move, according to details of the weekend poll given to the newspaper by a member of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Athletes Advisory Council who participated in the meeting.
“At this point in time, we do not feel that it’s necessary for us to insist that they make a decision,” Lyons said.Nathan Adrian, a five-time US Olympic relay swim champion, says he doesn’t want to compete under current conditions.”I would have real moral objections, if the situation was the same as it was today, to competing,” Adrian told USA Today.US hammer thrower Gwen Berry told the newspaper she worries over the IOC’s decision.”I feel the IOC is being really, really selfish in trying to push it,” she said. “And there’s no need to push it.”Some US athletes told the newspaper about the disruption to training that safety measures to avoid spreading coronavirus have caused, including six-time US all-around men’s gymnastics champion Sam Mikulak, who has struggled to find access to equipment to train upon.”I’ve had a plan for four years to do Olympic-level routines, and right now I’d have to drop back to my basic routines,” Mikulak said.”It’s really throwing a four-year preparation out the window if they keep doing this.”
Canada handled the novel coronavirus outbreak better than many of its allies, including the United States, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday, in a rare public comment on the faltering US effort.Canada – with a population one-tenth the size of the United States – has so far recorded 8,711 deaths and 106,167 cases and Trudeau said the situation was stabilizing, although some hot spots remained.In contrast, the United States has recorded more than 3 million cases and 131,336 deaths. Authorities have reported alarming upswings of daily case loads in roughly two dozen states over the past two weeks. “We were able to control the virus better than many of our allies, particularly including our neighbor,” Trudeau told a briefing, saying Canada’s success would help efforts to restart the economy.Canada and the United States have blocked nonessential travel between the two nations since March and are discussing whether to extend the ban when it expires on July 21.Canadian health officials said the death toll could hit 8,900 by July 17.Deputy chief public health officer Howard Njoo said the outbreak was largely under control, while stressing measures such as contact tracing and quarantine would still be essential.”If we relax too much or too soon, the epidemic will most likely rebound, with explosive growth as a distinct possibility,” he told a separate news conference.Although Trudeau’s relations with US President Donald Trump have been good over the last 18 months, he skipped a Washington meeting on Wednesday to herald the start of a new continental trade agreement with the United States and Mexico.Trudeau, who would have had to enter a 14-day quarantine period on his return, repeated concerns about the possible imposition of US tariffs on Canadian exports of aluminum. Topics :
Where is Ernie Banks? When Ernie played for the Cubs, they would ask him if he liked playing a double-header on the 4th; and his answer always was “it is such a nice day, let’s play 3.” Today you not only will not see a double-header, but you may not see every team even playing during the daylight. For a game that likes to sell itself as the Grand Old Game, they have sure given in to the players’ association and have gone away from almost every old tradition there was. You can’t make a team play day games after night games unless there is a special circumstance, and double-headers are usually only emergency makeups for rain outs. They then are played as day/night affairs so the team can collect two gate receipts. A couple of teams had Memorial Day off this year because it was their normal Monday “off day” on the schedule. When a pitcher today throws at a batter, the benches erupt and the League hands out fines and everyone gets worried the game may be getting too violent. In days gone by, the opposing pitcher retaliated, the umpire nodded, and the problem was solved. Those were the old days. Did you notice that no ball is used today after it hits the dirt? Heaven forbid if a pitcher found a way to make a pitch break funny by using such a ball. Some pitchers use a dozen balls an inning because they are so wild. How about worrying about pitchers getting killed from balls hit by steroid goons? This I know didn’t happen in the “good old days”.
Ricky Stephan won his career 100th IMCA Modified feature Saturday at Park Jefferson Speedway. (Photo by Jim Steffens)SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. – Ricky Stephan started his IMCA Modified career 30-odd years ago at Park Jefferson Speedway.Fittingly, he returned there on July 8 to win his 100th feature in the division.“It’s really my home track and I was racing in front of my home fans,” Stephan said. “Plus, Pepsi of Siouxland sponsored the night and I’m a Pepsi guy.”“It was about time. I knew I was capable of doing it,” he continued. “Winning 100 features puts you in the history book. It’s an elite group.”While Stephan is the 50th driver in division history to reach 100 wins for his career, he’s got a resume full of equally impressive accomplishments.He earned his first of 16 career track championships, at Buena Vista Raceway, in his rookie 1987 season. He became just the ninth driver to win four track titles in a single season last year.Add in a couple Side Biter Chassis North Central Regional championships (2001 and 2003) and six Allstar Performance State championships – three in Iowa and a current streak of three in a row in South Dakota – and there’s no disputing the fact that Stephan brings a unique list of achievements to any discussion about the best drivers ever to wheel an IMCA Modified.From South Sioux City, Neb., Stephan turns 51 the day after the upcoming IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s ends.He’s qualified for the big dance on six occasions while making a pair of Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational starts.Stephan’s Racer nickname is an obvious one and was bestowed on him by Wayne King Jr., the son of his long-time sponsor Wayne Sr. Stephan, in turn, began calling Wayne Jr. The Little King.Stephan started racing in 1984 in a limited late model class – his father Richard has only missed one of his races in all those years – and has become accustomed to the growing number of young faces surrounding him at drivers’ meetings.“Kids are faster now and I’m the veteran. It’s hard to believe I was like that 30 years ago,” he said. “I hope I can carry on and get some more wins.”
Indianapolis, In. — The Indiana Manufacturers Association (IMA) today launched an employer-driven education initiative to ensure a pipeline of highly skilled workers will be available to meet the needs of Indiana’s manufacturing industry. The initiative builds on the state’s efforts to help students pursue career and technical education and to help employers establish a pipeline of talent.The Indiana Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (INFAME) will work with regional manufacturers and educational institutions to implement dual-track training that includes both classwork and hands-on training. When students complete the course they will earn an associate degree that can move seamlessly to a bachelor’s degree program and will have two years of relevant, paid job experience that they can take immediately to the workplace.“INFAME is a natural compliment to the recommendations of the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet and Governor Holcomb’s 2019 workforce agenda,” said Brian Burton, President and CEO of the IMA. “Our manufacturing base is critical to the state’s economic success, and this initiative will not only serve manufacturers, but also help more Hoosiers find successful and rewarding careers in the industry.”The nationally-recognized FAME model currently operates in nine states. In Indiana, local FAME chapters will give businesses the chance to work with the IMA on education programs that meet their specific needs. Higher education partners such as Ivy Tech Community College and Vincennes University will provide tailored associate degree programs that will allow students to move into bachelor’s degree programs if they choose.“Toyota is excited to partner with the Indiana Manufacturers Association in launching the FAME model in Indiana to address the needs of our manufacturing industry,” said Millie Marshall, President of Toyota Manufacturing Indiana, Inc. “The FAME program has a track record of developing a pipeline of the highly skilled workers who are excellent problem solvers and creating opportunities for participants to jumpstart their careers.”INFAME will start by offering an Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) program. The AMT curriculum includes electricity, fluid power, motor controls, maintenance of industrial equipment, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), welding, machining, drawings, robotics and troubleshooting. Students are also equipped with personal development skills such as attendance, communication, innovation, teamwork, and interpersonal relations. In addition to classwork, students will get practical work experience at an area manufacturer. AMT also teaches students safety culture, workplace organization, lean manufacturing, machinery maintenance and reliability and problem solving. In the future, employers who participate in the program can tailor educational programs to their specific needs.“This initiative allows those of us in manufacturing to have direct input on developing the skills we need in our future employees,” said Matt Linville, HR Director at Zimmer Biomet, and a member of both the IMA Board of Directors and the INFAME Board of Directors. “The opportunity to build on the AMT and other workforce offerings through INFAME is exciting, and will offer Indiana manufacturers the flexibility they need to keep pace with the changing demands of the industry.”More information can be found at http://www.indianafame.com.
Lock Donnacha Ryan is also a doubt after incurring a shoulder problem at Murrayfield, while his second row partner Mike McCarthy continues to nurse a knee problem. The prognosis over Craig Gilroy’s groin complaint is better, however, with the Ulster wing expected to train next week. “Donnacha suffered a bruised AC joint. He won’t take part in training this week and will be reassessed on Monday. At this stage he is in some doubt for France,” Kearney said. “Mike is running well and is improving, but he has a number of milestones to reach before being available for selection. At this stage we’d rate his chances of being fit at 50-50. Craig Gilroy suffered a groin strain but scans excluded a tear. He continues to improve and should train fully next week.” Ireland’s Six Nations has imploded amid an awful injury-list and successive defeats to England and Scotland, with the loss of a match in Edinburgh that they dominated particularly damaging. The results have seen calls for Declan Kidney to step down escalate, but the head coach is focusing only on inflicting a fourth successive championship defeat on France. “I haven’t been thinking about that. My only concern is to help this team do as well as they can do. That’s my reason for being here,” Kidney said. “We have a match against France next weekend and that’s all I’m concentrating on. There are huge highs and lows that go with this job and last Sunday was a big low, especially after having created so much.” The erratic leadership of Jamie Heaslip, who replaced Brian O’Driscoll as captain before the championship, has been identified as a weakness, but Kidney has backed the Leinster number eight. “I’m aware there are frustrations out there. Jamie’s done an excellent job for us. He’s making good decisions and I’m very happy with him,” Kidney said. Ireland’s hopes that Jonathan Sexton will be fit for their RBS 6 Nations clash with France on Saturday week are fading. Sexton missed the 12-8 defeat by Scotland with a hamstring injury and team manager Mick Kearney has revealed that his chances of returning for the must-win encounter are receding. “Jonny continues to make progress. He’s back running this week but to reach match level intensity there’s still significant work to do,” Kearney said. “At this stage we are more hopeful than confident of his availability for France. We would say it’s somewhat less than 50-50.” 
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