The infotainment system's color screen is easy to read and provides a clear presentation of the different operating menus – choose from between the radio station list or the titles of sound files, telephone lists or navigation maps. The nav's driving recommendations also appear as arrow symbols in the center of the instrument cluster, i.e. directly in the driver's range of vision.
The audio, navigation and communications functions combined in a compact head unit can be conveniently operated in many different ways: using the prominently placed control knob, the steering-wheel-mounted remote control or the direct hard keys on the dash panel. A real highlight of the new generation, however, is the operation convenience provided by voice control in the Navigation 900 model. Spoken commands can be used in seven different languages to operate the radio, the CD player and the audio components hooked up via the USB port or AUX-in connection as well as to enter the destination for the navigation system. The destination can be entered by simply saying the postal code or the name of the city and the street and house number; the system will then quickly calculate the route and make driving recommendations.
The navigation data is stored on an SD card, which leaves the standard CD drive free to play music. The SD card for the Navigation 900 system includes map software for more than 30 European countries as well as a digital travel guide. The map material also provides information on seasonal roads, which can be included in the route calculation. There is information on many different points of interest (POIs), regardless of whether it's a restaurant, a parking lot close by or the nearest filling station – the navigation system will show you the way. It is also possible to add personal POIs (MyPOIs) to the list and to update this information at any time. So that none of the personal destinations along the route are overlooked, the Navigation 900 can provide acoustic reminders along the way.
The top-of-the-line Navigation 900 features either two- or three-dimensional map displays from a bird's-eye view. To support this information, there are also directional arrows along with precise driving recommendations and distance data. In addition to the fastest and the shortest route, the route guidance system in both models also offers the option of choosing the most economical route, i.e. the system searches for and recommends routes that use the least amount of fuel and reduce CO2 emissions. Parameters for such vehicle additions as rooftop boxes and trailers can also be taken into consideration in route calculation.
Different other features like the automatic intersection zoom, the lane assistant or lane recommendations on the highway and the graphical display of directional arrows for the next but one driving recommendation take the stress and strain off the driver and make sure that the vehicle is in the right lane at the right time.
2011年8月31日星期三
2011年8月30日星期二
Current Stories
This update to previous announcements about Princeton's campus safety following Hurricane Irene contains additional information updating road closures and traffic conditions.
As previously announced, Princeton University will delay its opening until 11 a.m. today -- Tuesday, Aug. 30 -- for non-critical and non-essential staff because of power outages and road closures following Hurricane Irene. All critical and essential employees should report to work at their normal duty times. Other staff who support some key operations have been contacted directly about also reporting at normal duty times.
The University's Tiger Transitsystem guidance
Several key roads that lead to the campus are now open, but employees should be sure to allow sufficient time for travel to their work sites, keeping in mind that the following roads remain closed: Harrison Street at the D&R Canal; Route 206 north of Princeton, from Ewing Street to Herrontown Road in Princeton Township; and Quaker Road. Traffic conditions can be monitored through Google traffic or Beat the Traffic, but please note that these independent sites vary in functionality.
Power has been restored to University administrative buildings, though some University housing located away from the central campus continues to be without power.
Students living in graduate units without electricity or gas may use the kitchen in the Common Room at New Graduate College and the kitchens at Old Graduate College (4th and 9th entrances). Access to the Old Graduate College kitchens is only through entryways 12 and 15, or the entrance facingparking Lot 19. Access to the buildings is limited to those with graduate student identification cards or PROX cards.
As previously announced, Princeton University will delay its opening until 11 a.m. today -- Tuesday, Aug. 30 -- for non-critical and non-essential staff because of power outages and road closures following Hurricane Irene. All critical and essential employees should report to work at their normal duty times. Other staff who support some key operations have been contacted directly about also reporting at normal duty times.
The University's Tiger Transit
Several key roads that lead to the campus are now open, but employees should be sure to allow sufficient time for travel to their work sites, keeping in mind that the following roads remain closed: Harrison Street at the D&R Canal; Route 206 north of Princeton, from Ewing Street to Herrontown Road in Princeton Township; and Quaker Road. Traffic conditions can be monitored through Google traffic or Beat the Traffic, but please note that these independent sites vary in functionality.
Power has been restored to University administrative buildings, though some University housing located away from the central campus continues to be without power.
Students living in graduate units without electricity or gas may use the kitchen in the Common Room at New Graduate College and the kitchens at Old Graduate College (4th and 9th entrances). Access to the Old Graduate College kitchens is only through entryways 12 and 15, or the entrance facing
2011年8月29日星期一
Business Announcements for the week
The Westside Welcome Club of El Paso has a new executive board of directors for 2011-2012. Mara Price will serve as president, Patricia Puentes as first vice president, Nancy Sandroni as second vice president, Joanne Cook as third vice president, Andy Scott as treasurer, Patty Chamales as recording secretary, Susan Ballard as corresponding secretary, and Ruth Puentes as advisor.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo a total of $142,451 in federal grant funding for Tigua tribal initiatives. HHS awarded $99,970 to fund a sustainable language project in the El Paso region. TxDOT awarded the money to construct a vehicular parking area for the Tigua Indian Museum and Cultural Center.
Students who meet the eligibility requirements of the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps or ROTC programs at civilian colleges will be eligible for a conditional scholarship. Each local legislator may appoint one scholarship student, and two scholarships will be available by appointment of the governor’s and lieutenant governor’s office. Each student may receive up to $10,000 for the 2011-2012 academic year. The scholarship program is available through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
The Compassionate Care Fund is seeking individual donors, service clubs, sports teams, churches, businesses, and professional organizations to commit to help one family by fulfilling a list of items based on their unique needs. Each week, the social workers at University Medical Center and El Paso Children’s Hospital identify families who have no other resources. Information: Victor Guerrero (915) 521-7229 ext. 2991.
The El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau was awarded the Gold Service Award by Meetings & Convention Magazine for the third year in a row. The award honors convention and visitor bureaus that have excelled in professionalism, dedication and service. They are evaluated based on the professionalism of staff, their provision of information on local hotels, assistance with ground transportation planning, guidance on local attractions, and services as a resource to provide access to local vendors. Winners will be featured in magazine’s November issue.
The Rotary Club of El Paso donated backpacks to all of La Fe Preparatory School’s 32 fifth grade students. Each of the brand new backpacks also contains school supplies. Many of the school’s students reside in the historically low-income Segundo Barrio community. Founded in 2007, the school was recognized as exemplary by the Texas Education Agency in 2011.
CF Jordan Construction, an El Paso-based commercial construction and construction management company, was awarded the Silver Award for the recent Safety Through Exemplary Performing scoring by the University of Texas System - Office of Facilities Planning and Construction. CF Jordan received the award for exceptional results during a six-month period for the University Parking Garage II at UTEP. The UT System offers safety awards to recognize projects that have demonstrated outstanding safety performance and met the requirements of scoring criteria.
Jorge Szewc has joined Varay Systems as support technician II. Szewc previously worked at Best Buy as part of the Geek Squad in the role of senior in-store technician. Varay Systems is a locally owned IT support system.
The University of El Paso at Texas is partnering with Coca-Cola Refreshments. The seven-year contract, effective Sept. 1, will make Coca-Cola the main beverage vendor for university employees, students and visitors. The partnership includes about $600,000 per year for scholarships and other university needs provided by Coca-Cola. The company had a previous partnership with UTEP that lasted 45 years.
The American Chemical Society has named Luis Echegoyen, Ph.D., the Robert A. Welch professor of chemistry at the University of Texas at El Paso, as one of its 2011 Fellows for outstanding accomplishments in chemistry. Echegoyen, a society member since 1973 and a leading physical organic chemist, has been at UTEP since 2010, and is the former director of the chemistry division of the National Science Foundation. He is the first UTEP faculty member to receive the award.
Baby Café de Ciudad Juárez opened in the Sede Hospital General de Zona No. 6 in Juárez on Thursday. The café, along with the El Paso Baby Café, serves the needs of women who are breastfeeding or are interesting in doing so. The free drop-in centers are open three days a week, with no appointment needed. Both are licensed under the umbrella organization of The Baby Café Charitable Trust, U.K. The El Paso branch is a community program of the Texas Tech University Heal Science Center’s Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing.
The Texas Department of Transportation has made $281,374 of funding available for the purchase of vehicles and/or vehicle related expenses for organizations providing transportation services for elderly individuals with disabilities in El Paso, Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties. The public is invited to attend TxDOT’s annual meeting Thursday at the Texas Department of Transportation Conference Room, 13301 Gateway Blvd. West, to receive detailed information about the application process.
Members of the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau traveled to Arlington, to make a formal bid presentation to host the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships in 2015. If successful, the USBC estimates El Paso will be visited by more than 100,000 bowlers and guests over a 150-day period. An estimated $75-million economic impact is expected.
El Paso MHMR’s Crisis Emergency Services was awarded a five-year re-accreditation from the American Association of Suicidology. The center was recognized for its gold standard of care in the field of suicide and crisis intervention by the AAS, the country’s premier organization offering accreditation to crisis centers.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo a total of $142,451 in federal grant funding for Tigua tribal initiatives. HHS awarded $99,970 to fund a sustainable language project in the El Paso region. TxDOT awarded the money to construct a vehicular parking area for the Tigua Indian Museum and Cultural Center.
Students who meet the eligibility requirements of the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps or ROTC programs at civilian colleges will be eligible for a conditional scholarship. Each local legislator may appoint one scholarship student, and two scholarships will be available by appointment of the governor’s and lieutenant governor’s office. Each student may receive up to $10,000 for the 2011-2012 academic year. The scholarship program is available through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
The Compassionate Care Fund is seeking individual donors, service clubs, sports teams, churches, businesses, and professional organizations to commit to help one family by fulfilling a list of items based on their unique needs. Each week, the social workers at University Medical Center and El Paso Children’s Hospital identify families who have no other resources. Information: Victor Guerrero (915) 521-7229 ext. 2991.
The El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau was awarded the Gold Service Award by Meetings & Convention Magazine for the third year in a row. The award honors convention and visitor bureaus that have excelled in professionalism, dedication and service. They are evaluated based on the professionalism of staff, their provision of information on local hotels, assistance with ground transportation planning, guidance on local attractions, and services as a resource to provide access to local vendors. Winners will be featured in magazine’s November issue.
The Rotary Club of El Paso donated backpacks to all of La Fe Preparatory School’s 32 fifth grade students. Each of the brand new backpacks also contains school supplies. Many of the school’s students reside in the historically low-income Segundo Barrio community. Founded in 2007, the school was recognized as exemplary by the Texas Education Agency in 2011.
CF Jordan Construction, an El Paso-based commercial construction and construction management company, was awarded the Silver Award for the recent Safety Through Exemplary Performing scoring by the University of Texas System - Office of Facilities Planning and Construction. CF Jordan received the award for exceptional results during a six-month period for the University Parking Garage II at UTEP. The UT System offers safety awards to recognize projects that have demonstrated outstanding safety performance and met the requirements of scoring criteria.
Jorge Szewc has joined Varay Systems as support technician II. Szewc previously worked at Best Buy as part of the Geek Squad in the role of senior in-store technician. Varay Systems is a locally owned IT support system.
The University of El Paso at Texas is partnering with Coca-Cola Refreshments. The seven-year contract, effective Sept. 1, will make Coca-Cola the main beverage vendor for university employees, students and visitors. The partnership includes about $600,000 per year for scholarships and other university needs provided by Coca-Cola. The company had a previous partnership with UTEP that lasted 45 years.
The American Chemical Society has named Luis Echegoyen, Ph.D., the Robert A. Welch professor of chemistry at the University of Texas at El Paso, as one of its 2011 Fellows for outstanding accomplishments in chemistry. Echegoyen, a society member since 1973 and a leading physical organic chemist, has been at UTEP since 2010, and is the former director of the chemistry division of the National Science Foundation. He is the first UTEP faculty member to receive the award.
Baby Café de Ciudad Juárez opened in the Sede Hospital General de Zona No. 6 in Juárez on Thursday. The café, along with the El Paso Baby Café, serves the needs of women who are breastfeeding or are interesting in doing so. The free drop-in centers are open three days a week, with no appointment needed. Both are licensed under the umbrella organization of The Baby Café Charitable Trust, U.K. The El Paso branch is a community program of the Texas Tech University Heal Science Center’s Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing.
The Texas Department of Transportation has made $281,374 of funding available for the purchase of vehicles and/or vehicle related expenses for organizations providing transportation services for elderly individuals with disabilities in El Paso, Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties. The public is invited to attend TxDOT’s annual meeting Thursday at the Texas Department of Transportation Conference Room, 13301 Gateway Blvd. West, to receive detailed information about the application process.
Members of the El Paso Convention and Visitors Bureau traveled to Arlington, to make a formal bid presentation to host the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships in 2015. If successful, the USBC estimates El Paso will be visited by more than 100,000 bowlers and guests over a 150-day period. An estimated $75-million economic impact is expected.
El Paso MHMR’s Crisis Emergency Services was awarded a five-year re-accreditation from the American Association of Suicidology. The center was recognized for its gold standard of care in the field of suicide and crisis intervention by the AAS, the country’s premier organization offering accreditation to crisis centers.
2011年8月28日星期日
High-tech tool helps Calgary drivers find parking
Drivers may now be able to save time finding a parking space downtown with the click of a mouse.
The Calgary Parking Authority has launched a system that keeps a realtime tally of available stalls in all seven of its parkades so drivers know before they head downtown what the chances of finding a spot are.
“It’s added convenience,” said general manager Troy McLeod.
“I think it might provide additional comfort for those coming downtown, especially those who don’t come downtown often.”
The CPA has a parking guidance system (PGS) to count available spots using devices at the entries and exits of parkades and sensors in the stalls.
The information is kept up to date in the operations control centre, and the CPA realized it could share the information with the public fairly easily and at essentially no extra cost, said McLeod.
Updates will be made approximately every 30 seconds, he said.
The service also allows Calgarians to receive automatic updates on computers or phones that are equipped with Internet Explorer 7 of higher.
They can subscribe to the feed with a Really Simply Syndication (RSS) reader, but with Alberta’s new distracted driving legislation to launch in a week, motorists are reminded not to check updates while they are driving.
The CPA has 5,327 stalls between its seven parkades, approximately 23% of which are open for hourly or daily parking.
Parkade availability updating is the first step in a larger plan to provide Calgarians’ access to parking information.
The CPA is working with a city agency to develop an iPhone application — expected to debut this fall — that would include the stall counts, but also other features including the ability to a make parking payments.
As well, historical parking data for on-street parking will be uploaded daily on the parking authority’s website starting this fall.
McLeod said the CPA does not have realtime information for its 2,300 on-street spots downtown, but can provide drivers with an idea of which areas tend to be busiest at which time of day.
The Calgary Parking Authority has launched a system that keeps a realtime tally of available stalls in all seven of its parkades so drivers know before they head downtown what the chances of finding a spot are.
“It’s added convenience,” said general manager Troy McLeod.
“I think it might provide additional comfort for those coming downtown, especially those who don’t come downtown often.”
The CPA has a parking guidance system (PGS) to count available spots using devices at the entries and exits of parkades and sensors in the stalls.
The information is kept up to date in the operations control centre, and the CPA realized it could share the information with the public fairly easily and at essentially no extra cost, said McLeod.
Updates will be made approximately every 30 seconds, he said.
The service also allows Calgarians to receive automatic updates on computers or phones that are equipped with Internet Explorer 7 of higher.
They can subscribe to the feed with a Really Simply Syndication (RSS) reader, but with Alberta’s new distracted driving legislation to launch in a week, motorists are reminded not to check updates while they are driving.
The CPA has 5,327 stalls between its seven parkades, approximately 23% of which are open for hourly or daily parking.
Parkade availability updating is the first step in a larger plan to provide Calgarians’ access to parking information.
The CPA is working with a city agency to develop an iPhone application — expected to debut this fall — that would include the stall counts, but also other features including the ability to a make parking payments.
As well, historical parking data for on-street parking will be uploaded daily on the parking authority’s website starting this fall.
McLeod said the CPA does not have realtime information for its 2,300 on-street spots downtown, but can provide drivers with an idea of which areas tend to be busiest at which time of day.
2011年8月25日星期四
MCPS Back to School Fair planned for Saturday
Montgomery County Public Schools will host the Fourth Annual Back-to-School Fair from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday on the grounds of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville.
The fair will include entertainment, music, children’s activities, health screenings, information about the school system and resources for supporting students’ learning.
"It’s all about building a partnership between home and school, giving parents a opportunity to come to the grounds of the school system central offices and meet with school system staff and pick up materials to help with their student's success," said Erik Davis, director of the Department of Family and Community Partnerships, which organizes the fair.
Limited Parking guidance system is available across the street at Montgomery College, but bus transportation will be provided starting at 11:30 a.m. from Gaithersburg Middle School and the following high schools: Watkins Mill, Wheaton, Springbrook, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Seneca Valley, Northwest, Kennedy, Einstein, Blair and the East County Community Center.
There is no cost for the fair, and students in need can also pick up backpacks filled with school supplies.
"It's free; we could not do this without the support or our sponsors, corporate and local businesses," Davis said.
For complete information, visit www.mcpsbacktoschoolfair.org or call 301-279-3100.
Sherwood High holds orientation for new students
Orientation for ninth-graders and students new to Sherwood High School will be held from 7:25 to 11:10 a.m. Thursday in the Ertzman Auditorium of the school, 300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Sandy Spring.
Transportation will be provided by Montgomery County school buses using regular school-year bus stops. During the time at school, students will meet with their instructors and receive their schedules.
Parent Orientation will also be held Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m.
Parents will be able to attend seminars aimed at introducing them to the culture of Sherwood High School and have the opportunity to meet the school’s administrators and guidance counselors.
The fair will include entertainment, music, children’s activities, health screenings, information about the school system and resources for supporting students’ learning.
"It’s all about building a partnership between home and school, giving parents a opportunity to come to the grounds of the school system central offices and meet with school system staff and pick up materials to help with their student's success," said Erik Davis, director of the Department of Family and Community Partnerships, which organizes the fair.
Limited Parking guidance system is available across the street at Montgomery College, but bus transportation will be provided starting at 11:30 a.m. from Gaithersburg Middle School and the following high schools: Watkins Mill, Wheaton, Springbrook, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Seneca Valley, Northwest, Kennedy, Einstein, Blair and the East County Community Center.
There is no cost for the fair, and students in need can also pick up backpacks filled with school supplies.
"It's free; we could not do this without the support or our sponsors, corporate and local businesses," Davis said.
For complete information, visit www.mcpsbacktoschoolfair.org or call 301-279-3100.
Sherwood High holds orientation for new students
Orientation for ninth-graders and students new to Sherwood High School will be held from 7:25 to 11:10 a.m. Thursday in the Ertzman Auditorium of the school, 300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Sandy Spring.
Transportation will be provided by Montgomery County school buses using regular school-year bus stops. During the time at school, students will meet with their instructors and receive their schedules.
Parent Orientation will also be held Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m.
Parents will be able to attend seminars aimed at introducing them to the culture of Sherwood High School and have the opportunity to meet the school’s administrators and guidance counselors.
2011年8月23日星期二
Use Metro, use Metro and use Metro
In preparation for the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial dedication Sunday, visitors will have to change their route if they were considering driving to the site.
Beginning at midnight and lasting through Sunday evening, Independence Avenue will be closed in both directions for the dedication ceremony. The memorial is located at 1964 Independence Ave. between the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials. Vehicles will not be able to park on several of the surrounding streets, according to National Park Service spokesman Bill Line, who said the area will be scattered with security.
“The event on Sunday is the highest levels of alert of American government. The Secret Service will be involved; the National Park Service will be involved. It will be a lockdown situation,” he said.
President Obama will deliver remarks at the dedication, and celebrities including Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, George Lucas and Jamie Foxx will also attend. In addition, members of the King family will be present.
The dedication ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., but Line said the area will open up at 6 a.m., and all visitors need to be seated by 10 a.m. Line said there are a limited number of seats and there will be sections for overflow crowds who do not have tickets.
Line said he highly recommends using the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority system for transportation.
“The best transportation alternatives and ideas are to use Metro, use Metro and use Metro. There is no parking,” he said.
Metro is extending rail hours and suggesting alternate routes for when visitors arrive. All stations will open two hours early Sunday, opening at 5 a.m. instead of 7 a.m., according to Metro spokesman Dan Stessel. In addition, Metro plans to run frequent service on all five rail lines, meaning trains will make stops every four minutes on select stations on the red and orange lines and stops every eight to 12 minutes at other stations.
“We’re certainly planning for large crowds. We are ramping up service for the major event,” Stessel said.
Stessel said Metro recommends using the Arlington Cemetery station over Foggy Bottom and the L'Enfant Plaza station instead of the Smithsonian stop, due to its traditionally congested nature.The Arlington Cemetery station is approximately 1.8 miles from the dedication site compared with Foggy Bottom, which is 1.5 miles from the site.
The L’Enfant Plaza station is approximately 0.8 miles from the site compared to the Smithsonian station, which is 0.3 miles from the site. Metro is replacing a major escalator at the Foggy Bottom station, which would also create delays if the station received a high volume of commuters.
In addition to Independence Avenue, surrounding roadways such as 23rd Street, Inlet Bridge and Lincoln Memorial Circle will be closed to all vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians Sunday.
The National Memorial Project Foundation has set up a free shuttle system for visitors looking for an alternative means of transportation, according to Line.
Visitors are able to park their cars or busses at RFK Stadium on Sunday and be shuttled to the MLK Memorial site for free. The shuttle busses will be the only transportation vehicles allowed near the site.
Monday was the memorial’s soft opening, where visitors could see the site without all of the activities. Roads were open and Parking guidance system was allowed throughout the week. Line said Friday and Saturday the memorial location will close for preparation and set up for the ceremony.
“The National Park Service is extraordinarily happy and proud and at the same time humbled to become the caretakers of this memorial,” he said. “It’s taking its rightful place on the National Mall.”
Beginning at midnight and lasting through Sunday evening, Independence Avenue will be closed in both directions for the dedication ceremony. The memorial is located at 1964 Independence Ave. between the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials. Vehicles will not be able to park on several of the surrounding streets, according to National Park Service spokesman Bill Line, who said the area will be scattered with security.
“The event on Sunday is the highest levels of alert of American government. The Secret Service will be involved; the National Park Service will be involved. It will be a lockdown situation,” he said.
President Obama will deliver remarks at the dedication, and celebrities including Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, George Lucas and Jamie Foxx will also attend. In addition, members of the King family will be present.
The dedication ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., but Line said the area will open up at 6 a.m., and all visitors need to be seated by 10 a.m. Line said there are a limited number of seats and there will be sections for overflow crowds who do not have tickets.
Line said he highly recommends using the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority system for transportation.
“The best transportation alternatives and ideas are to use Metro, use Metro and use Metro. There is no parking,” he said.
Metro is extending rail hours and suggesting alternate routes for when visitors arrive. All stations will open two hours early Sunday, opening at 5 a.m. instead of 7 a.m., according to Metro spokesman Dan Stessel. In addition, Metro plans to run frequent service on all five rail lines, meaning trains will make stops every four minutes on select stations on the red and orange lines and stops every eight to 12 minutes at other stations.
“We’re certainly planning for large crowds. We are ramping up service for the major event,” Stessel said.
Stessel said Metro recommends using the Arlington Cemetery station over Foggy Bottom and the L'Enfant Plaza station instead of the Smithsonian stop, due to its traditionally congested nature.The Arlington Cemetery station is approximately 1.8 miles from the dedication site compared with Foggy Bottom, which is 1.5 miles from the site.
The L’Enfant Plaza station is approximately 0.8 miles from the site compared to the Smithsonian station, which is 0.3 miles from the site. Metro is replacing a major escalator at the Foggy Bottom station, which would also create delays if the station received a high volume of commuters.
In addition to Independence Avenue, surrounding roadways such as 23rd Street, Inlet Bridge and Lincoln Memorial Circle will be closed to all vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians Sunday.
The National Memorial Project Foundation has set up a free shuttle system for visitors looking for an alternative means of transportation, according to Line.
Visitors are able to park their cars or busses at RFK Stadium on Sunday and be shuttled to the MLK Memorial site for free. The shuttle busses will be the only transportation vehicles allowed near the site.
Monday was the memorial’s soft opening, where visitors could see the site without all of the activities. Roads were open and Parking guidance system was allowed throughout the week. Line said Friday and Saturday the memorial location will close for preparation and set up for the ceremony.
“The National Park Service is extraordinarily happy and proud and at the same time humbled to become the caretakers of this memorial,” he said. “It’s taking its rightful place on the National Mall.”
2011年8月22日星期一
Westfield rolls out Australian-first ‘Find My Car’ feature
Shoppers heading to Westfield’s Bondi Junction complex can now use the Westfield iPhone app to find their cars, after the company last week took the wraps off a new tool that uses high resolution imagery to find cars based on their license plates.
Users type in their car license plate, before the app makes use of Westfield’s high-resolution ‘Park Assist’ photograph system — a part of Westfield’s wider Parking Guidance System that shows in real-time car parks that are available — to locate the parking bay that the car is in.
The iPhone app then presents the shopper a map directing them from their current position to their cars parking bay.
Westfield says it spent more than 3 months working on the solution with Australian partner Intunity, who built the solution on behalf of the shopping centre giant.
In a statement, the company said it’s looking at expanding the tool to its other centres across the country, but for now will only offer it at Bondi Junction.
Users type in their car license plate, before the app makes use of Westfield’s high-resolution ‘Park Assist’ photograph system — a part of Westfield’s wider Parking Guidance System that shows in real-time car parks that are available — to locate the parking bay that the car is in.
The iPhone app then presents the shopper a map directing them from their current position to their cars parking bay.
Westfield says it spent more than 3 months working on the solution with Australian partner Intunity, who built the solution on behalf of the shopping centre giant.
In a statement, the company said it’s looking at expanding the tool to its other centres across the country, but for now will only offer it at Bondi Junction.
In Brookings, schools spruced up over summer
Inside Brookings High School, it's not hard to see what construction crews have been up to this summer: A new grand entrance, kitchen, lunchroom, offices for administrators and guidance counselors, green room/makeup room, set-building room, a completely renovated auditorium and much more.
While it's certainly beautiful, this Phase III renovation work is not typical of summer projects in Brookings schools. The updated bathrooms in the high school's main hallway and new, brighter lights in the senior hall those are more along the lines of your average summer projects.
"It depends on what's needed," said Brian Lueders, Brookings School District business manager, during a tour of the school buildings Tuesday. "Usually there's concrete and sidewalk stuff that gets repaired. Sometimes the parking lot. We try to do lighting.
"Then, there's different stuff that principals and teachers have asked for over the year that's put on a five-year capital outlay plan," he added. "That might be a project we do over the summer ."
Any sizeable project should show up on the five-year plan. Smaller projects can be completed with the district's contingency fund, which gets about $100,000 per year. Improvements that the district's insurance company advises such as adding sprinklers to the Hillcrest Elementary library usually come out of the contingency fund. Some things are addressed at every school building every summer : Patching cracks and repainting lines in the parking lot, replacing crumbled concrete in the sidewalks, painting walls, deep-scrubbing and waxing tile floors, and more.
Replacing carpet used to be on that list, with each building getting about $25,000 in new carpet per summer. But this year, only Mickelson Middle School got carpet about $80,000 worth.
"We used to do so much per building, but then the dye lots didn't match up," Leuders said, explaining that carpet in the hallway could end up being a different shade than carpet in a neighboring classroom. "This year, we switched to doing one building and tried to get it all done."
Carpet was replaced in Mickelson's office area, seventhgrade pod, eighth-grade locker rooms and health rooms.
Next year, the project will be completed with carpet in the sixth-grade pod, library and another health room. Medary Elementary is next on the list for new carpet.
This summer, Medary is completing installation of energy-efficient lights and "univents" in all its classrooms. That means Medary's heating and air-conditioning is all controlled by computer now, as it is in the district's other schools.
This will save money when staff set the building to run warmer this fall when they leave for the afternoon. The project was done with $456,000 in no-interest loans to be repaid over 10 years.
Medary also got a wall down the middle of its computer room, to create a Social Skills classroom, and changed one wall in its library.
Hillcrest Elementary's major summer project was new boys and girls bathrooms in the main hallway, which cost about $115,000. They replace outdated bathrooms that were not handicap accessible. A set of similar bathrooms (the boys includes one toilet stall, two open toilets and multiple urinals) is on the fiveyear capital outlay plan to be replaced in the next several years. Hillcrest also got a set of new steps this summer to replace ones where a block was starting to crack.
At Camelot Intermediate School, the district's newest building, the only summer construction was a new patch of concrete to connect a storage shed to the street, Leuders said.
Small updates were also made to the newly named Career and Technical Education Center, which was the East Central Multi District building. Its exterior has a fresh coat of beige paint and some new landscaping, while the interior has a new sprinkler system , windows and smaller updates. Leuders said this summer included more large-scale projects than is usual for the district.
"There were more bigger projects this year, like that bathroom, so there were less smaller projects ," he said.
While it's certainly beautiful, this Phase III renovation work is not typical of summer projects in Brookings schools. The updated bathrooms in the high school's main hallway and new, brighter lights in the senior hall those are more along the lines of your average summer projects.
"It depends on what's needed," said Brian Lueders, Brookings School District business manager, during a tour of the school buildings Tuesday. "Usually there's concrete and sidewalk stuff that gets repaired. Sometimes the parking lot. We try to do lighting.
"Then, there's different stuff that principals and teachers have asked for over the year that's put on a five-year capital outlay plan," he added. "That might be a project we do over the summer ."
Any sizeable project should show up on the five-year plan. Smaller projects can be completed with the district's contingency fund, which gets about $100,000 per year. Improvements that the district's insurance company advises such as adding sprinklers to the Hillcrest Elementary library usually come out of the contingency fund. Some things are addressed at every school building every summer : Patching cracks and repainting lines in the parking lot, replacing crumbled concrete in the sidewalks, painting walls, deep-scrubbing and waxing tile floors, and more.
Replacing carpet used to be on that list, with each building getting about $25,000 in new carpet per summer. But this year, only Mickelson Middle School got carpet about $80,000 worth.
"We used to do so much per building, but then the dye lots didn't match up," Leuders said, explaining that carpet in the hallway could end up being a different shade than carpet in a neighboring classroom. "This year, we switched to doing one building and tried to get it all done."
Carpet was replaced in Mickelson's office area, seventhgrade pod, eighth-grade locker rooms and health rooms.
Next year, the project will be completed with carpet in the sixth-grade pod, library and another health room. Medary Elementary is next on the list for new carpet.
This summer, Medary is completing installation of energy-efficient lights and "univents" in all its classrooms. That means Medary's heating and air-conditioning is all controlled by computer now, as it is in the district's other schools.
This will save money when staff set the building to run warmer this fall when they leave for the afternoon. The project was done with $456,000 in no-interest loans to be repaid over 10 years.
Medary also got a wall down the middle of its computer room, to create a Social Skills classroom, and changed one wall in its library.
Hillcrest Elementary's major summer project was new boys and girls bathrooms in the main hallway, which cost about $115,000. They replace outdated bathrooms that were not handicap accessible. A set of similar bathrooms (the boys includes one toilet stall, two open toilets and multiple urinals) is on the fiveyear capital outlay plan to be replaced in the next several years. Hillcrest also got a set of new steps this summer to replace ones where a block was starting to crack.
At Camelot Intermediate School, the district's newest building, the only summer construction was a new patch of concrete to connect a storage shed to the street, Leuders said.
Small updates were also made to the newly named Career and Technical Education Center, which was the East Central Multi District building. Its exterior has a fresh coat of beige paint and some new landscaping, while the interior has a new sprinkler system , windows and smaller updates. Leuders said this summer included more large-scale projects than is usual for the district.
"There were more bigger projects this year, like that bathroom, so there were less smaller projects ," he said.
2011年8月18日星期四
Driver crashes Google’s 'driverless' robot Prius
I knew this would happen. It seems like Google’s much-ballyhooed driverless robot Prius was involved in a crash.
According to the website Jalopnik.com, the car – which uses radar sensors, a roof-mounted camera and lasers as a Parking guidance system – engaged in some “Prius-on-Prius” violence last week. Robocar bumped into the back of another Prius parked outside Google’s Mountain View, Calif., headquarters. The smack allegedly triggered a chain reaction fender bender with three other cars.
At first it seemed like a great day for people who hate the idea of self-driving cars (also known as “car lovers”) to get their gloat on. But faster than you could say, “Illogical! Illogical!,” in a vibrato computer voice, Google announced that a human was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident.
Well, isn’t that just like a robot.
Burn around town bragging about how you are, according to Google’s chief autonomous car researcher Sebastian Thrun, “the perfect driving mechanism,” but the minute you get in a fender bender it’s blame the human time.
The incident reminded me of another robot car, one that would never have thought to blame its master, and one that would never have allowed that driver to be in accident in the first place – namely the Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT), a 1982 Pontiac Trans Am driven by detective Michael Knight (actor David Hasselhoff) in the NBC 1980s television series Knight Rider.
KITT was endowed with enough artificial intelligence to know that it was probably best that the Hoff be relieved of any difficult driving duty. He could also converse eloquently (unlike Google’s prize Prius), refrained from using the contraction “ain’t” and often cracked dry jokes at his owner’s expense.
For example, from the “Knight Flight to Freedom” episode:
Michael: What’s with the darkened windows pal?
KITT: This is Hollywood, Michael. I’m wearing sunglasses.
How did we go from a wisecracking, kick-ass, supercomputer Trans Am to a laser-guided nerd-ride Prius with a camera stuck on its head? And who’s responsible?
That’s the big question, isn’t it? If a robot Prius hits my ride in a parking lot is it programmed to leave a note? Or does it do a quick calculation on my finding out and then peel away? Who knows? It might wait around and vaporize me.
Robots and computers are not known for their empathy or mercy and, if my interactions with the Internet, mobile phones, PCs, ad hoc genre, are anything to go by, then their prime directive is to inflict as much suffering and frustration on us carbon-based life forms as computerly possible.
Sure, human drivers are awful but at least a human can be fined and sent to jail. If you tell a robot car it’s in trouble it would just give you a “does not compute” and turn itself off. We already have enough problems with people not taking responsibility for their driving without the added excuse “the robot made me do it.”
Robot lovers will argue that computers are less likely to make mistakes. The Prius, for instance, went 250,000 kilometres without an accident. That does not impress me. My grandfather drove his entire life without an accident. Sorry, correction. He flipped a jeep over once, but that was in Italy in 1944 and he was fighting the Germans, so he gets a pass.
Why build a driverless car at all? I’d say it’s because it gets our global technocrats one step closer to realizing their ultimate fantasy – having us infantilized inside our steel rolling wombs - free to be enslaved by our distractions.
I can hear the marketing people now: “Distractions aren’t the problem. It’s the driving. We need to get rid of the driving. Think of it. Every minute a person is driving is a minute he could be buying something!” We could Google ourselves silly in our no-brainer robot cars.
Roboholics will argue that computer cars will save lives. Most accidents are caused by human error. So are most births. If it weren’t for half-a-pint of gin and poor judgment, most of us wouldn’t be here. You want to make the roads safer? Make driving a privilege (don’t give a licence to just anyone who can walk and chew gum), spend money on public transit, stop trying to solve transportation problems with solutions and thinking that are 50 years old.
If you insist on creating robot cars, at least make them like KITT. I want a Trans Am loaded with Turbo Boost, Etymorphic and Anamorphic equalizers, olfactory sensors and molecular bonded shell. But who am I? I’m only human. I should just shut up, stick a burger in my mouth and leave the thinking to the computers.
I think KITT and the Hoff put it best in the “Knight Song” episode. “Michael, I may not be flesh and blood, but I am a friend. And I wish you happiness, but I still don't understand.”
“In a way,” Michael replied. “Neither do I.”
According to the website Jalopnik.com, the car – which uses radar sensors, a roof-mounted camera and lasers as a Parking guidance system – engaged in some “Prius-on-Prius” violence last week. Robocar bumped into the back of another Prius parked outside Google’s Mountain View, Calif., headquarters. The smack allegedly triggered a chain reaction fender bender with three other cars.
At first it seemed like a great day for people who hate the idea of self-driving cars (also known as “car lovers”) to get their gloat on. But faster than you could say, “Illogical! Illogical!,” in a vibrato computer voice, Google announced that a human was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident.
Well, isn’t that just like a robot.
Burn around town bragging about how you are, according to Google’s chief autonomous car researcher Sebastian Thrun, “the perfect driving mechanism,” but the minute you get in a fender bender it’s blame the human time.
The incident reminded me of another robot car, one that would never have thought to blame its master, and one that would never have allowed that driver to be in accident in the first place – namely the Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT), a 1982 Pontiac Trans Am driven by detective Michael Knight (actor David Hasselhoff) in the NBC 1980s television series Knight Rider.
KITT was endowed with enough artificial intelligence to know that it was probably best that the Hoff be relieved of any difficult driving duty. He could also converse eloquently (unlike Google’s prize Prius), refrained from using the contraction “ain’t” and often cracked dry jokes at his owner’s expense.
For example, from the “Knight Flight to Freedom” episode:
Michael: What’s with the darkened windows pal?
KITT: This is Hollywood, Michael. I’m wearing sunglasses.
How did we go from a wisecracking, kick-ass, supercomputer Trans Am to a laser-guided nerd-ride Prius with a camera stuck on its head? And who’s responsible?
That’s the big question, isn’t it? If a robot Prius hits my ride in a parking lot is it programmed to leave a note? Or does it do a quick calculation on my finding out and then peel away? Who knows? It might wait around and vaporize me.
Robots and computers are not known for their empathy or mercy and, if my interactions with the Internet, mobile phones, PCs, ad hoc genre, are anything to go by, then their prime directive is to inflict as much suffering and frustration on us carbon-based life forms as computerly possible.
Sure, human drivers are awful but at least a human can be fined and sent to jail. If you tell a robot car it’s in trouble it would just give you a “does not compute” and turn itself off. We already have enough problems with people not taking responsibility for their driving without the added excuse “the robot made me do it.”
Robot lovers will argue that computers are less likely to make mistakes. The Prius, for instance, went 250,000 kilometres without an accident. That does not impress me. My grandfather drove his entire life without an accident. Sorry, correction. He flipped a jeep over once, but that was in Italy in 1944 and he was fighting the Germans, so he gets a pass.
Why build a driverless car at all? I’d say it’s because it gets our global technocrats one step closer to realizing their ultimate fantasy – having us infantilized inside our steel rolling wombs - free to be enslaved by our distractions.
I can hear the marketing people now: “Distractions aren’t the problem. It’s the driving. We need to get rid of the driving. Think of it. Every minute a person is driving is a minute he could be buying something!” We could Google ourselves silly in our no-brainer robot cars.
Roboholics will argue that computer cars will save lives. Most accidents are caused by human error. So are most births. If it weren’t for half-a-pint of gin and poor judgment, most of us wouldn’t be here. You want to make the roads safer? Make driving a privilege (don’t give a licence to just anyone who can walk and chew gum), spend money on public transit, stop trying to solve transportation problems with solutions and thinking that are 50 years old.
If you insist on creating robot cars, at least make them like KITT. I want a Trans Am loaded with Turbo Boost, Etymorphic and Anamorphic equalizers, olfactory sensors and molecular bonded shell. But who am I? I’m only human. I should just shut up, stick a burger in my mouth and leave the thinking to the computers.
I think KITT and the Hoff put it best in the “Knight Song” episode. “Michael, I may not be flesh and blood, but I am a friend. And I wish you happiness, but I still don't understand.”
“In a way,” Michael replied. “Neither do I.”
2011年8月15日星期一
Westfield rolls out Australian-first ‘Find My Car’ feature
Shoppers heading to Westfield’s Bondi Junction complex can now use the Westfield iPhone app to find their cars, after the company last week took the wraps off a new tool that uses high resolution imagery to find cars based on their license plates.
Users type in their car license plate, before the app makes use of Westfield’s high-resolution ‘Park Assist’ photograph system — a part of Westfield’s wider Parking Guidance System that shows in real-time car parks that are available — to locate the parking bay that the car is in.
The iPhone app then presents the shopper a map directing them from their current position to their cars parking bay.
Westfield says it spent more than 3 months working on the solution with Australian partner Intunity, who built the solution on behalf of the shopping centre giant.
In a statement, the company said it’s looking at expanding the tool to its other centres across the country, but for now will only offer it at Bondi Junction.
“Westfield is discussing the possibility of introducing the Find My Car technology in future Westfield centre car park developments,” the company said.
“In the meantime, shoppers who don’t have access to Find My Car can use the Parking Guidance System available at the following Westfield centres in Sydney and Melbourne to help secure a parking spot and find their car following their shopping experience.”
Those visiting other Westfield stores have access to real-time car parking info, and a more basic car park reminder tool.
The free Westfield iPhone App has been downloaded more than 83,000 times, with those downloading it using it on average just over two times per month.
Users type in their car license plate, before the app makes use of Westfield’s high-resolution ‘Park Assist’ photograph system — a part of Westfield’s wider Parking Guidance System that shows in real-time car parks that are available — to locate the parking bay that the car is in.
The iPhone app then presents the shopper a map directing them from their current position to their cars parking bay.
Westfield says it spent more than 3 months working on the solution with Australian partner Intunity, who built the solution on behalf of the shopping centre giant.
In a statement, the company said it’s looking at expanding the tool to its other centres across the country, but for now will only offer it at Bondi Junction.
“Westfield is discussing the possibility of introducing the Find My Car technology in future Westfield centre car park developments,” the company said.
“In the meantime, shoppers who don’t have access to Find My Car can use the Parking Guidance System available at the following Westfield centres in Sydney and Melbourne to help secure a parking spot and find their car following their shopping experience.”
Those visiting other Westfield stores have access to real-time car parking info, and a more basic car park reminder tool.
The free Westfield iPhone App has been downloaded more than 83,000 times, with those downloading it using it on average just over two times per month.
2011年8月14日星期日
Food trucks reshaping street eats in Rochester
When Jessica Toner was a kid, she loved the shaved ices and slushies she got at fairs and festivals.
Now, as a young mother of twin toddlers, the city resident wanted to share that cool joy with her girls, but without the high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and other ingredients that she consumed by default years ago.
So Toner, a devoted locavore, bought a shaved ice maker, began making simple syrups with fresh fruit and vegetable juices and purees from local farms and her backyard garden. For sweetening, she used sugar, honey and other natural sweeteners.
Wanting to share the cool treats with other like-minded families, she and her husband, Mike, purchased and refurbished a 1964 Shasta Trailer. Snow Daze, as their mobile shaved ice business is called, is now drawing lines at the Sunday Brighton Farmers Market and the Thursday evening South Wedge Farmers Market.
Flavors include orange pineapple, peach oolong (made with seconds from a local fruit farmer), tart cherry and Concord grape (also locally sourced).
"It's definitely not your average snow cone," says Chad Oliveiri, a first-time Snow Daze customer at the South Wedge Farmers Market. "These things taste as good as they look."
Touting a flowery apron, vintage 1950s and '60s kitchenalia and a sweet gee-gosh demeanor, Toner could be Rochester's June Cleaver of the 21st-century food truck movement.
"The idea of food trucks intrigues me. I want to inspire other small-food entrepreneurs to do the same," says Toner, who also runs Artistic Eats, a food distribution business, with her husband.
Toner has been studying the food truck movement in other cities, and she believes it's Rochester's turn to get rolling. She joins a growing and creative convoy of mobile food vendors who are scanning Craigslist for old delivery trucks or vans, outfitting them with miniature kitchens, then coming up with original recipes.
All that's left is to navigate to festivals, farmers markets, fairs, nightclub districts after hours and wherever else they can find street-food fans willing to line up and eat without a table.
Now, as a young mother of twin toddlers, the city resident wanted to share that cool joy with her girls, but without the high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and other ingredients that she consumed by default years ago.
So Toner, a devoted locavore, bought a shaved ice maker, began making simple syrups with fresh fruit and vegetable juices and purees from local farms and her backyard garden. For sweetening, she used sugar, honey and other natural sweeteners.
Wanting to share the cool treats with other like-minded families, she and her husband, Mike, purchased and refurbished a 1964 Shasta Trailer. Snow Daze, as their mobile shaved ice business is called, is now drawing lines at the Sunday Brighton Farmers Market and the Thursday evening South Wedge Farmers Market.
Flavors include orange pineapple, peach oolong (made with seconds from a local fruit farmer), tart cherry and Concord grape (also locally sourced).
"It's definitely not your average snow cone," says Chad Oliveiri, a first-time Snow Daze customer at the South Wedge Farmers Market. "These things taste as good as they look."
Touting a flowery apron, vintage 1950s and '60s kitchenalia and a sweet gee-gosh demeanor, Toner could be Rochester's June Cleaver of the 21st-century food truck movement.
"The idea of food trucks intrigues me. I want to inspire other small-food entrepreneurs to do the same," says Toner, who also runs Artistic Eats, a food distribution business, with her husband.
Toner has been studying the food truck movement in other cities, and she believes it's Rochester's turn to get rolling. She joins a growing and creative convoy of mobile food vendors who are scanning Craigslist for old delivery trucks or vans, outfitting them with miniature kitchens, then coming up with original recipes.
All that's left is to navigate to festivals, farmers markets, fairs, nightclub districts after hours and wherever else they can find street-food fans willing to line up and eat without a table.
2011年8月11日星期四
Automated Battery Cars Replace Buses at Heathrow Airport
ULTra PRT (urban light transport - personal rapid transport) vehicles have started operating at London's Heathrow Airport. BAA, the operationg company for Heathrow Airport, needed to provide a means of travel from the new terminal 5 to remote parking. Comparing several options, ULTra PRT provided a solution that was "... a 60% improvement in travel time and 40% operating cost savings."
The PRT concept has been around for a few decades. Heathrow is the first full-scale implementation of the concept. By installing a PRT, lower value land use like parking lots can be located further from the terminal. This less costly solution to public transit also has the advantages of personal transit. The personal air-conditioned vehicles do not have to stop for other passengers. They run at about 25 mph on a dedicated track with off-road stops, avoiding all forms of traffic control and congestion. (No stopping behind non-moving vehicles.) The "podcars" are in constant communication with a control center but operate autonomously using laser sensors. There is also a failsafe to keep vehicles from hitting one another.
The technology for some individual components is not cutting edge, but the system shows what can be done even with available equipment. The vehicles use a 4 x 45Ah, 48-volt lead acid battery pack that is recharged between stops and recycled when they are no longer usable. The front wheel drive motor typically draws about 2KW. The cars are relatively light and run on 13″ wheeled, tubeless tires. The body is of ABS plastic and steel with acrylic glazing.
Guideways provide a track for the vehicles and a curb for the Parking guidance system. They are not powered and don't contribute to the operation or communication of the vehicle with the control which is done wirelessly. Stations are less costly as well because the vehicles wait for people rather than large masses of people waiting for a ride. Like taxis gathering after a theater performance, we can expect control will schedule more units to wait for incoming planes.
The PRT concept has been around for a few decades. Heathrow is the first full-scale implementation of the concept. By installing a PRT, lower value land use like parking lots can be located further from the terminal. This less costly solution to public transit also has the advantages of personal transit. The personal air-conditioned vehicles do not have to stop for other passengers. They run at about 25 mph on a dedicated track with off-road stops, avoiding all forms of traffic control and congestion. (No stopping behind non-moving vehicles.) The "podcars" are in constant communication with a control center but operate autonomously using laser sensors. There is also a failsafe to keep vehicles from hitting one another.
The technology for some individual components is not cutting edge, but the system shows what can be done even with available equipment. The vehicles use a 4 x 45Ah, 48-volt lead acid battery pack that is recharged between stops and recycled when they are no longer usable. The front wheel drive motor typically draws about 2KW. The cars are relatively light and run on 13″ wheeled, tubeless tires. The body is of ABS plastic and steel with acrylic glazing.
Guideways provide a track for the vehicles and a curb for the Parking guidance system. They are not powered and don't contribute to the operation or communication of the vehicle with the control which is done wirelessly. Stations are less costly as well because the vehicles wait for people rather than large masses of people waiting for a ride. Like taxis gathering after a theater performance, we can expect control will schedule more units to wait for incoming planes.
2011年8月10日星期三
Friends of Fresh and Green Academy Inc Helps Kids in Ethiopia
Friends of Fresh and Green Academy Inc, a registered non-profit charity that works to feed, educate, clothe, and provide medical care for children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is hosting its Third Annual Texas Hold'em Poker Charity Fundraiser on September 12th, 2011. The event will be held in Manhattan at Connolly's Pub and Restaurant, 121 W. 45th Street, 3rd floor, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The evening's festivities include professional dealers and tables, Texas Hold'em and Blackjack, Monday Night Football, premium open bar, and three hours of passed hors d'oeuvres. Attendees also get $2,500 worth of chips. Beginners' tables and instruction will be available.
"Tables compete and those who win are eligible for some great prizes," says Trish Hack-Rubinstein, President and Co-founder of Friends of Fresh and Green Academy Inc. "The top three winners will receive prize packages valued at more than $1,500." Some of the prizes include a $1,000 gift certificate to Van Cleef & Arpels, Mets VIP seats and parking, year-long gym memberships, fine wine, helicopter rides over Manhattan, massage therapy vouchers, dinners for two at NYC restaurants, Broadway tickets, fine art photography, and much more.
"The money raised will ensure the children at the Academy continue to eat three meals a day. Last year's Poker and Casino Night raised more than $5,000 to benefit the students, and we're hoping to double that this year."
"Tables compete and those who win are eligible for some great prizes," says Trish Hack-Rubinstein, President and Co-founder of Friends of Fresh and Green Academy Inc. "The top three winners will receive prize packages valued at more than $1,500." Some of the prizes include a $1,000 gift certificate to Van Cleef & Arpels, Mets VIP seats and parking, year-long gym memberships, fine wine, helicopter rides over Manhattan, massage therapy vouchers, dinners for two at NYC restaurants, Broadway tickets, fine art photography, and much more.
"The money raised will ensure the children at the Academy continue to eat three meals a day. Last year's Poker and Casino Night raised more than $5,000 to benefit the students, and we're hoping to double that this year."
2011年8月9日星期二
McCain Secures First Order for NYSDOT 2070E Traffic Signal Controllers
McCain Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of intelligent transportation systems, traffic control equipment and parking guidance solutions, today announced a contract award from the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) for 2070E traffic signal controllers.
The contract award marks the first deployment of 2070E type controllers in New York. McCain introduced the 2070E traffic controller in 2010 and successfully marketed a NYSDOT version, securing its place on New York's Qualified Products List (QPL) in early 2011. McCain's 2070E controller remains the sole 2070 controller unit available on the NYSDOT QPL, making it the exclusive choice for 2070E traffic controllers throughout the state. The controller was designed in full compliance with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) 2009 Transportation Electrical Equipment Specifications (TEES), supporting interchangeability and upgrades to existing intersection management without requiring cabinet replacements.
"We're pleased to have been awarded the first 2070E traffic controller contract in New York," said Jan Amato, account manager at McCain, Inc. "This contract reinforces the importance of being recognized as the only 2070E supplier on New York's QPL."
The NYSDOT 2070E traffic signal controller's superior operability is supported by an integrated 4-port network switch, 32MB of system memory, 2MB static RAM for R0 drive and 4MB for R2 drive offering increased processing power, 64Mb (8MB) data key capacity, and one Ethernet port. The OS-9 operating system supports various applications based on the software control package utilized.
McCain Inc. provides progressive solutions that successfully address modern transportation concerns and promote urban mobility. A forward-thinking, vertically integrated company with 24 years of industry success, McCain conceptualizes, develops, and manufactures intelligent transportation systems. Operating over 300,000 square feet of office and manufacturing space and employing over 600 people, McCain produces superior traffic equipment, advanced traffic management software, and parking solutions. McCain is a recognized leader in innovative products and services, nationally trusted to facilitate safety, mobility, and navigation of the world's roads.
The contract award marks the first deployment of 2070E type controllers in New York. McCain introduced the 2070E traffic controller in 2010 and successfully marketed a NYSDOT version, securing its place on New York's Qualified Products List (QPL) in early 2011. McCain's 2070E controller remains the sole 2070 controller unit available on the NYSDOT QPL, making it the exclusive choice for 2070E traffic controllers throughout the state. The controller was designed in full compliance with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) 2009 Transportation Electrical Equipment Specifications (TEES), supporting interchangeability and upgrades to existing intersection management without requiring cabinet replacements.
"We're pleased to have been awarded the first 2070E traffic controller contract in New York," said Jan Amato, account manager at McCain, Inc. "This contract reinforces the importance of being recognized as the only 2070E supplier on New York's QPL."
The NYSDOT 2070E traffic signal controller's superior operability is supported by an integrated 4-port network switch, 32MB of system memory, 2MB static RAM for R0 drive and 4MB for R2 drive offering increased processing power, 64Mb (8MB) data key capacity, and one Ethernet port. The OS-9 operating system supports various applications based on the software control package utilized.
McCain Inc. provides progressive solutions that successfully address modern transportation concerns and promote urban mobility. A forward-thinking, vertically integrated company with 24 years of industry success, McCain conceptualizes, develops, and manufactures intelligent transportation systems. Operating over 300,000 square feet of office and manufacturing space and employing over 600 people, McCain produces superior traffic equipment, advanced traffic management software, and parking solutions. McCain is a recognized leader in innovative products and services, nationally trusted to facilitate safety, mobility, and navigation of the world's roads.
2011年8月8日星期一
Sunstone Hotel Investors Management Discusses Q2 2011 Results
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Sunstone Hotel Investors Second Quarter 2011 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder, this conference is being recorded today, Monday, August 8. I would now like to turn the conference over to Mr. Bryan Giglia, Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance of the Sunstone Hotel Investors. Please go ahead, sir.
Bryan Giglia
Thank you, Camille. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us today. By now you should have all received a copy of our second quarter earnings release, which was released this morning. If you do not yet have a copy, you can access it on our website at www.sunstonehotels.com. As you may have noticed, in addition to our scheduled quarterly release, we are also providing additional disclosures including property-level operating statistics. This additional disclosure can be found in the Investor Relations section of our website also.
Before we begin this call, I would like to remind everyone that this call contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties including those described in our prospectuses, 10-Qs, 10-Ks and other filings with the SEC, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. We caution you to consider those factors in evaluating our forward-looking statements.
We also note that this call may contain non-GAAP financial information including EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, FFO, adjusted FFO and hotel EBITDA margins. We are providing that information as a supplement to information prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
With us today are Ken Cruse, President and Chief Executive Officer; John Arabia, Chief Financial Officer; and Marc Hoffman, Chief Financial Officer. After our prepared remarks, the team will be available to answer your questions.
I will now turn the call over to Ken. Ken, please go ahead
Kenneth Cruse
Thank you, Brian. And thank you, all, for joining us. Today, I'll cover 3 topics including our second quarter performance, our outlook for the remainder of the year and Sunstone's now completed leadership transition. After that, Marc will cover our operational details, and John will review our finance initiatives, as well as our new supplemental disclosures. I will then conclude our prepared remarks before opening up the call for your questions.
Obviously, increasing global economic concerns, as well as the recently highlighted need for near-term stimulus and meaningful long-term fiscal reform in the U.S. have generated significant turbulence in the markets. While these macroeconomic concerns have taken their toll on individual stock values, we have not seen a direct translation into slower business trends in our hotels. In fact, as evidenced by our second quarter performance in our July results, we continue to see robust demand trends across our portfolio. Moreover, our liquidity position remains very strong, our debt maturities are well staggered and our business plan is oriented towards fiscal discipline and operational excellence. Accordingly, we are well-positioned for the current environment.
Moving to our second quarter results. For our comparable portfolio, second quarter RevPAR rose to nearly $132, an increase of 7.2% over the second quarter a year ago. Our solid RevPAR growth was driven by a 4.1 increase in rate and a 3.1 increase in occupancy. Transient business trends, in particular, were strong during the quarter and generally offset isolated instances of weakness in group demand. Our Q2 performance was further enhanced by strong growth in our recently renovated hotels and a corresponding decline in renovation disruption as we completed the majority of our 2011 renovation projects, including rooms renovations at 9 of our hotels during the first or second quarter of this year, leaving only a handful of ongoing projects throughout our portfolio.
Quality renovations and proactive asset management are leading to improved market penetration as measured by our composite, Smith Travel Research RevPAR index, which we refer to as our STR index. Our STR index increased nearly 100 basis points in the second quarter. Penetration was particularly strong in June with our portfolio gaining 230 basis points in STR index. Going forward, continued market share growth remains a core asset management focus.
Bryan Giglia
Thank you, Camille. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us today. By now you should have all received a copy of our second quarter earnings release, which was released this morning. If you do not yet have a copy, you can access it on our website at www.sunstonehotels.com. As you may have noticed, in addition to our scheduled quarterly release, we are also providing additional disclosures including property-level operating statistics. This additional disclosure can be found in the Investor Relations section of our website also.
Before we begin this call, I would like to remind everyone that this call contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties including those described in our prospectuses, 10-Qs, 10-Ks and other filings with the SEC, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. We caution you to consider those factors in evaluating our forward-looking statements.
We also note that this call may contain non-GAAP financial information including EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, FFO, adjusted FFO and hotel EBITDA margins. We are providing that information as a supplement to information prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
With us today are Ken Cruse, President and Chief Executive Officer; John Arabia, Chief Financial Officer; and Marc Hoffman, Chief Financial Officer. After our prepared remarks, the team will be available to answer your questions.
I will now turn the call over to Ken. Ken, please go ahead
Kenneth Cruse
Thank you, Brian. And thank you, all, for joining us. Today, I'll cover 3 topics including our second quarter performance, our outlook for the remainder of the year and Sunstone's now completed leadership transition. After that, Marc will cover our operational details, and John will review our finance initiatives, as well as our new supplemental disclosures. I will then conclude our prepared remarks before opening up the call for your questions.
Obviously, increasing global economic concerns, as well as the recently highlighted need for near-term stimulus and meaningful long-term fiscal reform in the U.S. have generated significant turbulence in the markets. While these macroeconomic concerns have taken their toll on individual stock values, we have not seen a direct translation into slower business trends in our hotels. In fact, as evidenced by our second quarter performance in our July results, we continue to see robust demand trends across our portfolio. Moreover, our liquidity position remains very strong, our debt maturities are well staggered and our business plan is oriented towards fiscal discipline and operational excellence. Accordingly, we are well-positioned for the current environment.
Moving to our second quarter results. For our comparable portfolio, second quarter RevPAR rose to nearly $132, an increase of 7.2% over the second quarter a year ago. Our solid RevPAR growth was driven by a 4.1 increase in rate and a 3.1 increase in occupancy. Transient business trends, in particular, were strong during the quarter and generally offset isolated instances of weakness in group demand. Our Q2 performance was further enhanced by strong growth in our recently renovated hotels and a corresponding decline in renovation disruption as we completed the majority of our 2011 renovation projects, including rooms renovations at 9 of our hotels during the first or second quarter of this year, leaving only a handful of ongoing projects throughout our portfolio.
Quality renovations and proactive asset management are leading to improved market penetration as measured by our composite, Smith Travel Research RevPAR index, which we refer to as our STR index. Our STR index increased nearly 100 basis points in the second quarter. Penetration was particularly strong in June with our portfolio gaining 230 basis points in STR index. Going forward, continued market share growth remains a core asset management focus.
2011年8月7日星期日
Fed Has Some Tricks Left, but None Are Magic
Since the onset of the financial crisis in August 2007, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has been pulling rabbits out of his hat. He cut interest rates to near zero, printed $2.3 trillion to buy Treasury bonds and mortgage debt, and, with a posse of sleepless economists, devised an alphabet soup of rescue programs for commercial-paper markets, money-market funds, dollar-starved European banks and other strained players in the vast global financial system.
The objective: to keep the damaged postbubble economy from drifting into zombie-land. Now, stock markets are gyrating and the economic outlook is growing dimmer. S&P's downgrade of U.S. debt is a reminder that the financial system is one shock away from more instability. As Mr. Bernanke prepares to lead a meeting of the Fed's policy committee Tuesday, he must be asking himself: Are there any rabbits left?
The answer: Yes. But some of them are very small. Some might bite. And he's reluctant to pull them out until he is sure the audience is ready.
In January, the Fed projected U.S. economic output would grow by as much as 3.9% this year. In April, it revised that down to 3.3%, in June, 2.9%, and now that looks optimistic. Unemployment is stuck above 9%. Prices rose more than the Fed expected early in the year, though inflation shows signs of retreating.
If Mr. Bernanke can help the economy, even at the margins, his record shows he will try. But he also is determined not to stir up inflation—now running nearer to the Fed's 2% objective—more than he already has.
Worries about causing inflation fears, coupled with divisions inside the Fed, make it unlikely that Mr. Bernanke is about to unleash a torrent of new securities purchases, known as quantitative easing. That's the big rabbit that might bite.
The earlier round of purchases was meant to hold down long-term interest rates and spur investment and spending, but printing lots of dollars puts upward pressure on prices and downward pressure on the foreign-exchange value of the dollar. While QE2, as it has been dubbed, has its critics, Mr. Bernanke is a believer. But he was more willing to try it last year, when inflation was too low, than he is now. As Donald Kohn, Mr. Bernanke's former top lieutenant, said last week, the Fed would probably want to wait to be sure inflation is actually slowing before launching QE3.
The smaller rabbits include the following. The problem is that none would do much to get the economy moving faster.
The objective: to keep the damaged postbubble economy from drifting into zombie-land. Now, stock markets are gyrating and the economic outlook is growing dimmer. S&P's downgrade of U.S. debt is a reminder that the financial system is one shock away from more instability. As Mr. Bernanke prepares to lead a meeting of the Fed's policy committee Tuesday, he must be asking himself: Are there any rabbits left?
The answer: Yes. But some of them are very small. Some might bite. And he's reluctant to pull them out until he is sure the audience is ready.
In January, the Fed projected U.S. economic output would grow by as much as 3.9% this year. In April, it revised that down to 3.3%, in June, 2.9%, and now that looks optimistic. Unemployment is stuck above 9%. Prices rose more than the Fed expected early in the year, though inflation shows signs of retreating.
If Mr. Bernanke can help the economy, even at the margins, his record shows he will try. But he also is determined not to stir up inflation—now running nearer to the Fed's 2% objective—more than he already has.
Worries about causing inflation fears, coupled with divisions inside the Fed, make it unlikely that Mr. Bernanke is about to unleash a torrent of new securities purchases, known as quantitative easing. That's the big rabbit that might bite.
The earlier round of purchases was meant to hold down long-term interest rates and spur investment and spending, but printing lots of dollars puts upward pressure on prices and downward pressure on the foreign-exchange value of the dollar. While QE2, as it has been dubbed, has its critics, Mr. Bernanke is a believer. But he was more willing to try it last year, when inflation was too low, than he is now. As Donald Kohn, Mr. Bernanke's former top lieutenant, said last week, the Fed would probably want to wait to be sure inflation is actually slowing before launching QE3.
The smaller rabbits include the following. The problem is that none would do much to get the economy moving faster.
2011年8月3日星期三
Wilhelm concluded by stating
James A. Wilhelm, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "I'm pleased to report a successful second quarter with results that were in line with expectations. With a 4% increase in our revenue and a 10% increase in paid exits at same location leases, we believe that the improving trends we noted in the past several quarters are continuing. Total gross profit decreased by 3%, as a 3% increase in same location gross profit was more than offset by the impact of certain anticipated location terminations. Our location and operating profit retention remain strong at 91% and 96% respectively. On the expense side, we're pleased to note that our G&A expense for the second quarter decreased by 5% as we continue to reap the benefits of the technology and process enhancements that we've spoken about repeatedly in the past. In fact, the second quarter G&A decrease would have been 9% had we not spent $0.4 million in the quarter for acquisition-related expenses on a transaction that we did not pursue. While this particular transaction did not proceed, we remain focused on enhancing our underlying, organic growth through significant strategic acquisitions."
Commenting on the Company's recently announced $20 million share repurchase authorization, Wilhelm stated, "We believe our current share price is significantly undervalued, and that buying Company shares therefore is one of the best current uses of our substantial free cash flow. For the year-to-date through the end of July, we have repurchased $2.2 million of common stock. Our relatively low cost of capital, low leverage and strong balance sheet, coupled with ongoing confidence in the business, enable us to return value to our shareholders through the share repurchases while we pursue strategic acquisitions."
Wilhelm concluded by stating, "Based on our first-half results and expectations for the remainder of the year, we're reaffirming our earnings per share guidance of $1.10 - $1.20. With strong first-half free cash flow, we're now expecting full year free cash flow to exceed $20 million."
Commenting on the Company's recently announced $20 million share repurchase authorization, Wilhelm stated, "We believe our current share price is significantly undervalued, and that buying Company shares therefore is one of the best current uses of our substantial free cash flow. For the year-to-date through the end of July, we have repurchased $2.2 million of common stock. Our relatively low cost of capital, low leverage and strong balance sheet, coupled with ongoing confidence in the business, enable us to return value to our shareholders through the share repurchases while we pursue strategic acquisitions."
Wilhelm concluded by stating, "Based on our first-half results and expectations for the remainder of the year, we're reaffirming our earnings per share guidance of $1.10 - $1.20. With strong first-half free cash flow, we're now expecting full year free cash flow to exceed $20 million."
2011年8月1日星期一
Lansdale is On the Move
Lansdale Borough is on the move and, according to borough manager Timi Kirchner, it is worth the investment.
At a borough council work session this month, Kirchner presented how Lansdale is putting the money where its mouth is.
A half-hour PowerPoint presentation showed off Lansdale’s current progress in records management, projects, department goals and more over the past year.
It was a summing up of the events undertaken following the results of a borough operations study last June.
“Six months into my first year as your borough manager, council was receiving and accepting the results of an internal controls review, again directing staff to address deficiencies revealed in that study,” Kirchner said, who also announced it was her one year anniversary as borough manager.
“With council’s strong support, we created an agenda for success that is aggressive, promising major improvements in our operations, assuring accountability throughout,” Kirchner said. “We also promised that our employees and our citizens would know what we are doing, how we are doing it, as we work diligently to keep all informed about and involved with this great community.”
She said consistent and informative communication is important to a community’s success.
“If people are well informed, they are more likely to be involved with positive solutions to the issues and opportunities presented to us daily,” Kirchner said.
The public, she said, is being brought in for their opinions on various initiatives in the borough.
For instance, with the PCTI Project, the borough held meetings on evenings and weekends for input to the final project. With the streetscape project, the borough held public meetings and weekly updates on progress.
Kirchner also cited the new town hall meetings and public meetings for the future development of Madison Lot, and there is the setting up for a community discussion on Lansdale’s branding.
She said the borough has given citizens and employees information on daily operations, services, issues and opportunities through a newsletter, the website, council and committee meetings, quarterly staff meetings and social media.
“Tonight is but on in a long list of examples of holding ourselves accountable by letting you know just what has been accomplished in the last year,” she said. “It is also a reflection that we put our promise into action. Communication is the first action step in our accountability report; it is the first crucial step in promoting full engagement by the citizens of Lansdale.”
Records Management Protocols
Kirchner began the update with a look at the accomplishments and sound business practices of records management to be completed in 10 phases.
“The following is a remarkable example of the ingenuity taken by our records manager Sandy Cox in cooperation with all the departments of the borough. The stunning volume of work done is worth of recognition,” Kirchner said.
In the first completed phase, under requirements of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Cox disposed of 5½ tons of obsolete files, documents and copies dating back to 1997.
At present, Cox is in the second phase: disposing Code Enforcement Committee records from 1950 to 2005.
In the third phase, there is a plan to have a central filing system for the retention of original contacts, agreements, leases and the like from all borough departments.
The purpose, Kirchner said, is to enable the records manager to dispose of obsolete files; allow accessibility by departments when necessary; avoid lost or misplaced files; allow easy access of files for yearly audits and keep the borough departments nimble in their responsiveness to requests for information.
A fourth phase involves creating and maintaining a central file system in the basement of borough hall. The file system will include grant documents; request for proposals; state, local and federal agencies documents; historical materials; previous budgets; union contracts and various studies.
Phase Five of the records management plan is to compile and maintain original and copies of deeds for all borough-owned properties and store them electronically.
A sixth phase involves maintaining all drawings, agreements and specifications for all borough-owned properties, including scanned drawings and plans. All plans and drawings will be uploaded to a server for easy access by other departments.
Phase Seven will involve scanning and making available ordinances on the server for access by all departments. This is followed by an eighth phase where employees will be instructed on the process of scanning and document maintenance within folders on the borough server.
Documents saved on the server will then be disposed of in accordance with state law.
Phase Nine for records management involves cleaning out and disposing of unused items, like vehicles, equipment and furniture.
“The borough will be utilizing the services of Municibid or donating to nonprofit organizations to dispose of these items,” Kirchner said. “Use of Municibid enables the borough to sell items through the company’s website thus eliminating the use of borough funds for advertising and employees normally accrued through the bid process.”
The final phase of records management includes an in-house records retention policy for use by all borough employees.
Nine out of the 10 phases are in process.
“Now that (Cox) has been authorized to move forward with what she knows is a sound business-like approach to the management of government, she’s not taking any chances that it won’t get done,” Kirchner said. “She’s a smart woman on a mission with tremendous support from the departments who agree that a well organized internal system enables the ‘boots on the ground’ to get their work done.”
Borough Department Protocols
Kirchner reviewed the various accomplishments tasked to the departments of the borough.
The Code Enforcement department, she said, is undergoing a “complete overhaul.”
“This overhaul includes moving from consultant services to in-house staff saving the borough money and providing better service; re-organizing the work space for the staff; cleaning out piles of junk that had been allowed to accumulate over the years and creating a better meeting space for the use of all departments and council,” Kirchner said.
The Public Works Department, the Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Electric Department and Lansdale Borough Police have all hired more staff authorized in the 2011 budget, she said.
The Finance Department and the borough manager’s office are the two departments undergoing the biggest changes.
The Finance Department is working on creating a purchasing manual, which will guide the authority of the borough manager as the purchasing agent.
“It will give a clear road map, with strict adherence to state statutes, for all purchases done by this borough,” Kirchner said.
A human resources system is currently in the works. There is a steering committee overseeing this system creation, comprised of the finance department, the borough manager’s office, parks and recreation director Carl Saldutti and Lansdale Police Chief Robert McDyre.
The system, she said, ensures that employees clearly know what their jobs are and provides training to do their jobs better.
She said there is a capital list that acts as a working document for all committees and council. It serves as a record of actions accomplished and work that must be done to maintain and improve services provided by Lansdale.
“It gives the policy makers, our council, the ability to make informed decisions based on a comprehensive list of what must be done to assure good services now and into the future,” she said.
At a borough council work session this month, Kirchner presented how Lansdale is putting the money where its mouth is.
A half-hour PowerPoint presentation showed off Lansdale’s current progress in records management, projects, department goals and more over the past year.
It was a summing up of the events undertaken following the results of a borough operations study last June.
“Six months into my first year as your borough manager, council was receiving and accepting the results of an internal controls review, again directing staff to address deficiencies revealed in that study,” Kirchner said, who also announced it was her one year anniversary as borough manager.
“With council’s strong support, we created an agenda for success that is aggressive, promising major improvements in our operations, assuring accountability throughout,” Kirchner said. “We also promised that our employees and our citizens would know what we are doing, how we are doing it, as we work diligently to keep all informed about and involved with this great community.”
She said consistent and informative communication is important to a community’s success.
“If people are well informed, they are more likely to be involved with positive solutions to the issues and opportunities presented to us daily,” Kirchner said.
The public, she said, is being brought in for their opinions on various initiatives in the borough.
For instance, with the PCTI Project, the borough held meetings on evenings and weekends for input to the final project. With the streetscape project, the borough held public meetings and weekly updates on progress.
Kirchner also cited the new town hall meetings and public meetings for the future development of Madison Lot, and there is the setting up for a community discussion on Lansdale’s branding.
She said the borough has given citizens and employees information on daily operations, services, issues and opportunities through a newsletter, the website, council and committee meetings, quarterly staff meetings and social media.
“Tonight is but on in a long list of examples of holding ourselves accountable by letting you know just what has been accomplished in the last year,” she said. “It is also a reflection that we put our promise into action. Communication is the first action step in our accountability report; it is the first crucial step in promoting full engagement by the citizens of Lansdale.”
Records Management Protocols
Kirchner began the update with a look at the accomplishments and sound business practices of records management to be completed in 10 phases.
“The following is a remarkable example of the ingenuity taken by our records manager Sandy Cox in cooperation with all the departments of the borough. The stunning volume of work done is worth of recognition,” Kirchner said.
In the first completed phase, under requirements of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Cox disposed of 5½ tons of obsolete files, documents and copies dating back to 1997.
At present, Cox is in the second phase: disposing Code Enforcement Committee records from 1950 to 2005.
In the third phase, there is a plan to have a central filing system for the retention of original contacts, agreements, leases and the like from all borough departments.
The purpose, Kirchner said, is to enable the records manager to dispose of obsolete files; allow accessibility by departments when necessary; avoid lost or misplaced files; allow easy access of files for yearly audits and keep the borough departments nimble in their responsiveness to requests for information.
A fourth phase involves creating and maintaining a central file system in the basement of borough hall. The file system will include grant documents; request for proposals; state, local and federal agencies documents; historical materials; previous budgets; union contracts and various studies.
Phase Five of the records management plan is to compile and maintain original and copies of deeds for all borough-owned properties and store them electronically.
A sixth phase involves maintaining all drawings, agreements and specifications for all borough-owned properties, including scanned drawings and plans. All plans and drawings will be uploaded to a server for easy access by other departments.
Phase Seven will involve scanning and making available ordinances on the server for access by all departments. This is followed by an eighth phase where employees will be instructed on the process of scanning and document maintenance within folders on the borough server.
Documents saved on the server will then be disposed of in accordance with state law.
Phase Nine for records management involves cleaning out and disposing of unused items, like vehicles, equipment and furniture.
“The borough will be utilizing the services of Municibid or donating to nonprofit organizations to dispose of these items,” Kirchner said. “Use of Municibid enables the borough to sell items through the company’s website thus eliminating the use of borough funds for advertising and employees normally accrued through the bid process.”
The final phase of records management includes an in-house records retention policy for use by all borough employees.
Nine out of the 10 phases are in process.
“Now that (Cox) has been authorized to move forward with what she knows is a sound business-like approach to the management of government, she’s not taking any chances that it won’t get done,” Kirchner said. “She’s a smart woman on a mission with tremendous support from the departments who agree that a well organized internal system enables the ‘boots on the ground’ to get their work done.”
Borough Department Protocols
Kirchner reviewed the various accomplishments tasked to the departments of the borough.
The Code Enforcement department, she said, is undergoing a “complete overhaul.”
“This overhaul includes moving from consultant services to in-house staff saving the borough money and providing better service; re-organizing the work space for the staff; cleaning out piles of junk that had been allowed to accumulate over the years and creating a better meeting space for the use of all departments and council,” Kirchner said.
The Public Works Department, the Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Electric Department and Lansdale Borough Police have all hired more staff authorized in the 2011 budget, she said.
The Finance Department and the borough manager’s office are the two departments undergoing the biggest changes.
The Finance Department is working on creating a purchasing manual, which will guide the authority of the borough manager as the purchasing agent.
“It will give a clear road map, with strict adherence to state statutes, for all purchases done by this borough,” Kirchner said.
A human resources system is currently in the works. There is a steering committee overseeing this system creation, comprised of the finance department, the borough manager’s office, parks and recreation director Carl Saldutti and Lansdale Police Chief Robert McDyre.
The system, she said, ensures that employees clearly know what their jobs are and provides training to do their jobs better.
She said there is a capital list that acts as a working document for all committees and council. It serves as a record of actions accomplished and work that must be done to maintain and improve services provided by Lansdale.
“It gives the policy makers, our council, the ability to make informed decisions based on a comprehensive list of what must be done to assure good services now and into the future,” she said.
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