Monday, January 18, 2010

“New snow plow philosophy made for cleaner Janesville streets - Janesville Gazette” plus 4 more

“New snow plow philosophy made for cleaner Janesville streets - Janesville Gazette” plus 4 more

New snow plow philosophy made for cleaner Janesville streets - Janesville Gazette

Posted: 18 Jan 2010 01:41 PM PST

PhotoVideo


A snowplow clears the southbound lane of Center Ave. at the Monterey Bridge on Dec. 10, 2008.

Gazette file photo

A snowplow clears the southbound lane of Center Ave. at the Monterey Bridge on Dec. 10, 2008.

JANESVILLE — It's not just your imagination.

Janesville's streets were plowed differently during the first snowstorm of the season, and those benefits are carrying over into the second half of winter.

John Whitcomb, the city's operations manager, credited his crew, management decisions and Mother Nature—in that order—for the success of that plowing operation.

People have noticed

An informal Gazette poll showed 56 percent of people thought plowing was better this year than last. While that might not seem like a big number, it doesn't take into account how much people complain about plowing.

"Snow plowing will always generate complaints, no matter what you do," Whitcomb said. "This year probably ranks the highest on the number of compliments we've gotten."

The first storm hit Janesville on Dec. 8 and 9 and brought more than a foot of snow.

"We didn't bring the crew in until noon, and then we brought in all of our crew," Whitcomb said. "Normally, we bring in half of the crew, but because of the rate of snow projected, we threw all in."

At midnight, crews were pulled off the main streets and sent into the residential areas. About half of each residential route was completed, but the effort gave crews a "good head start," Whitcomb said.

Clearer side streets made the next snowfalls easier to manage.

The January 2008 storm that shut down Interstate 90/39 is always in the back of his mind, Whitcomb said.

During that storm, the city followed standard procedure. When the snow stopped, people wanted to get out and about, and residential streets got packed down and rutted.

Then it rained. Remember the thunderstorms in January? Temperatures dropped, and the snow "just froze to the street."

Sometimes, crews simply can't keep up with snowfall amounts and changing temperatures—even if they do get to the side streets early.

In the past few seasons, the winter started off with heavy, wet snow that was almost immediately followed by freezing temperatures.

For the 2009-2010 season, the city council's budget decisions and philosophy also helped Whitcomb and his department.

"The message we got from the manager and the council is that the citizens wanted the same level of service in December that they got in January and February," Whitcomb said.

Jan. 1 is the start of the new budget year.

The council also increased the plow budget by $200,000. Much of that went to cover an increase in the cost of salt, but it also allows the department more leeway.

More than anything, however, Whitcomb credits his crew for the success of the Dec. 8-9 plowing operations.

"Kudos, kudos, kudos to the crew," Whitcomb said. "They did an amazing job. They had a total, 100 percent commitment to getting the job done."

The majority of the crew worked for nearly 30 hours during that storm. Workers were able to take only short catnaps on cots at the public works department.

"Words fail me. I can't even describe how proud I am of the job they did," Whitcomb said.

Operations manager explains city's plowing formula

Snow plowing is part art, part science and as much advanced planning as Mother Nature will allow.

But one thing remains fairly constant throughout the winter season: The Janesville Public Work's Department's plow philosophy.

At last Monday's city council meeting, operations manager John Whitcomb gave his annual plowing presentation: "Snow and Ice Control Goals, Objectives and Procedures."

Highlights include:

Goals

-Plow all city streets within 10 hours after a snowstorm ends.

-Treat all arterial and collector streets, bus routes, major hills and intersections with chemicals. The goal for these streets is bare pavement.

Arterial streets are main streets such as Milton Avenue and Court Street. Collector streets feed the arterials.

-Clear snow from sidewalks in front of public property, such as City Hall, within 72 hours of snowfall ending.

Snow and ice control tools

-Anti-icing is done before the ice and snow piles up to keep snow from sticking to the pavement.

-Chemical Application: Salt is applied to arterial and collector streets, bridges, major hills and bus routes to keep the snow from sticking.

When temperatures fall below 25 degrees, salt is treated with a chemical to lower the freezing point of the resulting "brine"—the slush-like mix caused by melting snow.

Did you know?

-Bare pavement is not the goal on residential streets. However, depending on the weather, those streets might end up with bare pavement.

- Just because the plows are out doesn't mean a snow emergency has been declared.

-If the forecast calls for snow totals of 2 inches or less, a snow emergency will probably not be declared in advance of the storm. The decision to plow after a smaller snowfall might not come until shortly before the storm ends.

-The city maintains a snow hotline, (608) 755-SNOW (7669). The hotline operates 24 hours a day and provides snow emergency updates.

Plowing by the numbers

-Number of salt storage facilities: 3

-Amount they hold: 4,900 tons.

-Amount used in a typical winter: Between 3,000 and 4,000 tons.

-Number of dump trucks/plows used during a major storm: 28.

-Number of motorgraders: 3

-Time it takes to plow the city: 10 hours, under normal circumstances.

-Amount of sidewalk the city shovels or plows: 12 miles.

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Philosophy, finances behind push to trim IPTV - KTVB

Posted: 18 Jan 2010 12:44 PM PST

by Associated Press

Posted on January 18, 2010 at 1:49 PM

******

 

BOISE -- Gov. Butch Otter's plan to cut state funding for Idaho Public Television is not all just about saving money. The proposal also has philosophical ties to Otter's view on government supported television.

Otter is proposing to phase out funding for the 45-year-old network.

For IPTV, the move would likely trim broadcasts that reach 300,000 people weekly to viewers in the state's biggest markets.

Otter says government TV has outlived the day when it was needed to connect a vast state like Idaho. Even without the state budget crisis, Otter spokesman Mark Warbis says Otter would be pushing to cut the network's funding.

Idaho isn't unique in cutting public television funding.

Larry Sidman, lobbyist for the Association of Public Television Stations, says state governments cut $23 million from public TV funding this fiscal year.

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Art, Film and Philosophy - My North.com

Posted: 18 Jan 2010 09:30 AM PST

Time: February 24, 2010 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Location: Antrim County Building, Room 211
Street: 205 E. Cayuga
City/Town: Bellaire
Website or Map: http://maps.google.com/maps...
Contact Info: 231-480-4515
Event Type: Gathering, Discussion
Organized By: ISLAND and Parkside Arts Council
Latest Activity: 4 hours ago

Export to Outlook or iCal (.ics)

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Two courses on philosophy at continuing education center - Ledger-Enquirer

Posted: 18 Jan 2010 08:12 AM PST

"Think Like a Philosopher: I and II" will be Jan. 26-Feb. 16 (I) and Feb. 23-March 16 (II) at the Elizabeth Bradley Turner Center, Columbus State University, East Lindsey Drive at College Drive.

The courses will be taught by Ian Bond, D.Min., an educator and former university president.

He has an M.A. degree in Biblical Studies and a D.Min. from Beacon University.

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Tennessean: Vols' Derek Dooley values Nick Saban connection - WBIR

Posted: 18 Jan 2010 02:03 PM PST

Commentary by David Climer, The Tennessean

Want to get on the fast track of college football coaching? No problem.

Just get a job working for Nick Saban.

It's not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. Saban is the boss from hell. He is a notorious control freak. His fingerprints are all over everything.

Assistant coaches are seldom seen and never heard. Saban's "one voice" philosophy prohibits assistants from speaking with the media during the season. The less noise, the better.

The story goes that when LSU hired Saban away from Michigan State in 2000, he sent a private plane back to East Lansing with job offers for most of his former assistants. All they had to do was get aboard.

The plane returned to Baton Rouge with no passengers.

Some guys can't handle it. Others prefer a path of less resistance. Of the nine assistants who made up Saban's first Alabama staff in 2007, three were gone by the next season. Two more left after '08.

But Saban gets results. He wins games and influences people. He just claimed a national championship in only his third season at Alabama. And along the way, Saban has churned out assistant coaches who have moved on to bigger and better things.

Saban's latest protégé to hit the big time is Derek Dooley, Tennessee's new head coach. It is no secret that Dooley's seven-year apprenticeship under Saban - five seasons at LSU and two with the NFL's Miami Dolphins - was a major factor in landing the UT job.

Rhetorical question: Considering Saban's scorched-earth philosophy of coaching, has anybody else ever survived seven years of working for him?

While some Vols fans might get the willies over the thought that their new coach has direct ties to Saban, there is no disputing that Alabama's coach is a master at identifying young coaching talent and developing it.

"Working with Nick was a very demanding environment but allowed you to blossom as a coach if you were willing to do so," Dooley said.

While on Saban's LSU staff, Dooley rubbed elbows with rising coaching stars - new Florida State Coach Jimbo Fisher, Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart.

In Dooley's first season with Saban in Miami, that staff including current Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett as well as Muschamp.

Now it turns out that the No. 1 target on UT's coaching search also turned out to be Dooley's No. 1 fan. Muschamp, who is also designated as Texas' coach-in-waiting when Mack Brown retires, informed UT officials that he was not a candidate but advised them to hire Dooley.

This twist of coaching fate means that on Oct. 23, teacher and pupil will face off. That's the day Alabama visits Neyland Stadium.

"Did I ever think I was going to go head to head with him?" Dooley said. "I hoped so because that would mean I was doing well and he was doing well."

But considering the current states of the two programs, be careful for what you wish

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