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A Barbadian policeman, who was working as a temporary construction worker in Brooklyn, was killed Tuesday when a building on which he was working collapsed.
Two other persons were injured in the incident. 33-year-old Richard Joseph was reportedly working on the ground floor of a former city building when the roof caved in, burying him under the rubble. The building is being converted into an apartment complex.Press reports in New York say the police officer was on two months leave from his Barbados job. But while confirming that Mr. Joseph was a member of the Royal Barbados Police Force, police spokesman Inspector Barry Hunte could not immediately confirm how long the officer was on leave. Family members in New York say Mr. Joseph was seeking to earn additional cash during his stay in New York and was scheduled to return to Barbados on Friday.
MIAMI, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- A 1950s-era house and two V-8 engines may help Florida scientists learn which construction materials and methods better withstand hurricane winds. Studying construction methods and materials and how they withstand hurricanes' wind and water can prevent future damage, the Miami Herald said Friday. Florida International University's International Hurricane Research Center and Laboratory for Coastal Research scientists used the V-8 engines to produce winds of 115 mph, which they trained on the condemned to learn on how older buildings fare, the Herald said. Authorities said improving building against storms stronger is the best way to corral insurance costs, the Herald said. Insurers tend to charge higher premiums on older homes, assuming the dwellings won't fare will in storms because they were built under less rigorous standards.
That's our reaction to news earlier this month about delays - and, as a result, increased costs in labor and materials - for 29 renovation and construction projects in the Ann Arbor public school system. In some ways, the situation is all too believable, part of a pattern of irresponsible oversight, failed communication and an ongoing lack of leadership. It's costing us, and it needs to change. These projects are funded by a bond that voters approved in 2004, which also is paying for the district's new high school. That high school is a year behind schedule and is at least $8.3 million over budget. You would think that, because delays and cost overruns for the high school have received intense public attention, the district would be scrutinizing all aspects of projects related to the bond.
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