Beacon Transcript – The Fraser sinkhole may cause even more issues as local authorities are fearing that it might swallow a trio of houses that have been the most impacted.

This holiday season has been less than festive for some families. A Detroit suburban area has been hit with a sinking situation over this past few days.

Back on Christmas Eve, a sinkhole appeared in Fraser. This is a suburb located around 15 miles north of the downtown Detroit area. It is inhabited by about 14,500 residents.

The Fraser sinkhole is estimated to be about 100 feet wide and 250 feet long. Its sudden appearance has led to a number of protective measures.

Roads leading to the area have been closed. Some of the house in its surrounding area, around two dozen, have been evacuated. This was especially unpleasant seeing as it happened over Christmas.

Local authorities were quick in taking action. They have already initiated a months-long process. Through it, they will be trying to determine the exact causes. They will also be assessing its potential damages and carrying out repairs.

Reports released this Saturday pointed out the most probable cause. This would be a sewer line rupture. The leaking sewer line which runs under 15 Mile is believed to have collapsed.

And officials are afraid that the Fraser sinkhole may lead to more problems. On Wednesday, the damage projections grew as another issue was added.

According to reports, at least three houses will probably be swallowed up. The houses are situated on Eberlein Drive. They have been analyzed by the on-site engineers and authorities.

According to Nichols, most of those involved pointed out their permanent impact. Not only that but at least three of them are expected to sink.

Joe Nichols is the Fraser Mayor. Bob Canon, the Clinton Township supervisor, agreed. He also expressed the potentially inevitable nature of the event. The Eberlein Drive trio oh homes seem to be the most likely to sink. They are amongst the most heavily impacted properties.

The Fraser sinkhole has been raising questions since its formation. Local authorities are working towards solving the issue. Still, there are some that are potentially linking it to another problem.

2004 saw the appearance of another sinkhole. This formed in Sterling Heights.  The situation took tens of millions and some good months to fix. Now, there are wondering whether work on it did not weaken the infrastructure.

As such, there are some that started raising questions. They are asking about maintenance and inspections of the sewage line. Several years ago, Macomb County took over maintenance from the Detroit Water and Sewage Department.

For the moment, repair work has been initiated for the Fraser sinkhole. According to Nichols, the latest news is based on on-site inspections. Nobody would want the three homes to sink. Cannon himself stated his wish that it would not happen.

As one of the houses is the most impacted, its owners have been notified. This will most likely be sucked in or demolished. The other two houses are also at risk.

A decision will have to be made soon. Authorities will have to decide if they will be demolishing the properties. They will also have to continue surveying the area.

A plan will have to be established. This should also allow a return to the houses that have been less impacted or that did not suffer permanent damage. This latter part of the plan is said to be progressing.

At the moment, the evacuated homeowners can return for goods. However, they are not allowed to live inside the houses, at least for now.

The road in between Utica and Hayes has been closed. This precautionary move will continue for the time being. As such, the road will probably remain closed for several months.

As repair works are on-going, it is as yet uncertain when the residents will be allowed back in. Nichols stated that he will continue updating the population.

Fraser sinkhole-related meetings have been scheduled for January 9 and 31. They will be held at the Fraser City Hall. The sewer line has yet to be named as the definite culprit. But as the stabilization work is progressing, they will most probably reach a definite conclusion.

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Beacon Transcript – A Christmas Day storm has brought power outages and other issues across South Dakota as some residents may be still feeling the effects of the record weather.

Most everyone was dreaming of a white Christmas. Unfortunately, the weather was worse for wear than expected. South Dakota experienced quite an extreme weather during the period.

The Christmas Day storm brought strong winds and blizzards. It also came with freezing rains and even possible lightning strikes.

According to the National Weather service, local precipitation records were also broken. Pierre is one such example. The Christmas Day storm brought 0.92 inches of precipitation. Its previous record reached 0.48 inches and was registered in 2009.

Temperatures in the area stayed at about 30 degrees or more throughout the evening. As such, the falling rain and sleet remained water in most cases.

At the same time, the winds blew with up to 59 mph. Although there wasn’t much snow, it was blown away and kept circulating.

The high winds and low temperatures made for an unpleasant combination. Travelling was reported as being difficult on Monday. Thick ice was said to have coated the streets.

In combination with the strong and gusty winds, it made it difficult to travel. High winds are also the cause highway travel concerns.

State transportation authorities advise caution when traveling. They also maintain that circulating on the highway is still quite unrecommended.

On late Sunday, authorities proceeded to close Interstate 90. It was closed in both directions to and from Vivian, in the south of Pierre, to Rapid City. As of Monday, 1:45 P.M., it has been officially reopened.

I-90 was closed to traffic because of the difficult weather conditions. Strong winds and snow-packed, icy roads made it difficult to travel. Whilst I-90 has been reopened, some roads are still quite unrecommended.

No-Travel Advisories have been issued for a number of roads. They span across the northeast, northwest, and north-central areas of the state.

Those interested or having to travel can obtain road information from a number of sources. They can call 511. Or they could access safetravelusa.com/sd and download the SDDOT511 app.

The Christmas Day storm affected more than just the roads. Quite a few state residents were affected by power outages.

Brenda Kleinjan, a South Dakota Rural Electric Association spokeswoman, went to offer details. According to her, around 19,000 of its utilizers were without power early Monday.

Crews are said to be working on repairing the damages done by the storm. The powerline repairs are underway and the crews are reportedly making progress.

As it is, some residents might still be experiencing power problems and facing outages. Around 14,000 electric cooperative members, consumers, and owners are still without power.

The outages are spread throughout the state. They spread from the northeast to the southwest corners of South Dakota. Most outages are reportedly affecting the northeast and northwest.

The aforementioned Kleinjan offered more details. Some 200 outages were reported in Jones County. 212 more were registered in Stanley County.

Some minor outage problems were also reported in Lake Oahe and Sully County. Still, the problems were minor and repair crews have reportedly already restored power in the area.

Jessie Tucker, of the West Central Electric Cooperative, also offered details. According to Tucker, the Christmas Day storm and its consequences stretched for about 25 miles. They began around west Fort Pierre and up to the Four Corners.

Several miles of power lines and 75 poles were damaged or put down. Both Kleinjan and Tucker stated that restoring them might take some more time.

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Beacon Transcript – Commercial drone delivery services might be closer than you think as the first chain the offer the option might quite unexpectedly be 7-Eleven.

We are living in a very fast-paced world. As such, most expect services to be top notch and just as fast. Big chains and couriers have been developing their delivery services and offers. At the same time, they are looking for new ones.

Commercial drone delivery services may a be a new such option. Drones have started having a more frequent and common usage. They could come to ensure the global Internet broadband. Little such buzzers are also used in the entertainment industry.

Their next utility may be in the delivery sector. Big technology industry names such as Alphabet and Amazon are already working on such projects. Even Starbucks tried introducing a commercial drone delivery.

However, 7-Eleven was the first to cross the finish line. Amazon Prime Air and Project Wing from Alphabet have a seemingly common goal. They are seeking to ensure a regular commercial drone delivery service.

7-Eleven, the convenience store chain, initiated its own such project. 7-Eleven is the American subsidiary of Seven & I Holdings Co., Ltd. Its headquarters are situated in Irving, Texas.

The convenience store chain has an international outspread. It operates, licenses, and franchises more than 56,000 stores. They can be found in about 18 countries.

Now, the company partnered up with Flirtey. They are an Australian start-up. Based in Nevada, the company is trying to introduce the first commercial drone delivery services and systems.

Flirtey is reportedly trying to ensure such services. They are targeting multiple domains. These include anything from medical emergencies and rescue to e-commerce.

The drone maker is collaborating with the store chain and flying demo tests. They are based in Reno, in a 7-Eleven convenience store.

Details about these tests have been revealed. A dozen select customers have reportedly benefited from them. Such customers are said to live within a mile of the shop.

They are said to have received drone-delivered goods. Such a delivery pilot would be the first of its kind in the U.S. Regular commercial drone delivery systems have yet to be released.

Such a service would have previously unavailable. The FAA or Federal Aviation Administration had strict initial drone regulations. They essentially prohibited such flights.

Their reasoning was as follows. Drones had to be continuously within the pilot’s line of sight. They also should not have flown over a person.

But FAA has announced that it is working on the drone regulations. It is trying to develop broader rules. Private companies have also joined the process.

The 7-Eleven commercial drone delivery services have reportedly already served customers. 77 users have apparently benefited from them. They are all based in Nevada.

The commercial drones are said to have delivered the goods to their doorsteps. Such flights are said to have been carried out throughout November.

They involved flying over populated and suburban areas. Such commercial drones delivered various good. Either food and beverages. Or potentially over-the-counter medicines.

Drones located the customer address by using their GPS system. After arriving, they lowered the packages. Reports state that the store-ground delivery time was short. 10 minutes are said to have passed between placing the order and its delivery.

These commercial drone delivery systems did follow regulations. They were within their pilot’s line of sight. However, they flew autonomously.

Back in October, the FAA and NASA tested a new control system. The low-altitude air traffic control would benefit drones. Through it, pilots could watch the devices the entire time.

Such a system will be very important for a nationwide drone delivery system. More tests will be needed before a large-scale program roll-out.

7-Eleven has nonetheless made the first steps towards regular commercial drone delivery services. UPS also announced its wish for a similar program. They are hoping to use drones for urgent deliveries. Hard-to-reach areas in the United States would be especially targeted.

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Beacon Transcript – United States flight authorities are reportedly reconsidering current in-flight voice calls rules as more air companies are starting to offer wireless connections.

The no-call whilst up in the air is a decades-old custom. But the advancements in both the telecommunications and Internet areas may be changing this rule.

As such, the Unites States Department of Transportation or DOT is reportedly reconsidering some of the in-flight rules and regulations.

The former, well-known no phone call rule is beginning to be bent. Some airline carriers operating in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia are allowing voice communications.

In the United States, several airline companies have started allowing Wi-Fi-based calls. As such, DOT has started to seriously consider either a rule change or an addition.

With more companies offering in-flight Wi-Fi connections, the new flight accessibility feature can come as both an advantage and a nuisance.

It goes without saying that airplanes are tight spaces. Even during a regular flight, ignoring the long duration ones, passengers have to inhabit the same somewhat tight space. The addition of phone calls could come to mean an added cause of annoyance for some flyers.

As such, the DOT is seriously considering imposing a new rule on airlines. The regulations would force airlines to inform their prospective passengers about their in-flight customs.

This means that airlines will have to specifically notify passengers if they allow voice calls during flight, or not.

The new rule would benefit both airline and passengers. Airlines could, as such, placate the customers that may have been disturbed by the voice calls. Passengers, for their part, would know in advance if in-fligh voice calls will be allowed.

Another variant is also available, though it may be less popular. According to the DOT, the authority could also ban all types of in-flight calls.

As such, not even Wi-Fi voice calls would be allowed and flying would return to its previous no-calls habits.

The DOT has advanced a notice on the matter of in-flight voice calls. With the proposal targeting both domestic and international flights, the authority is now waiting for comments.

With the notice having been published in the Federal Registration, a 60 days period will be made available so as to comment on the matter.

One of the DOT’s reasons for advancing the proposal is the Wi-Fi-based calls unclear status. As the Federal Communications Commission bans voice calls, it does not mention such alternative method calls.

The Communications Commission currently bans the utilization of mobile device whilst onboard an aircraft on certain, specific radio frequencies.

With the ban including voice calls, Wi-Fi networks or other similar means have yet to be mentioned in the regulation.

According to the DOT, a number of U.S. air carriers already have in-flight Wi-Fi call capabilities. As such, the respective passengers could receive or make such calls. DOT states that it is now aware if the respective airlines actually permit such practices.

DOT declared that airline Wi-Fi providers are not typically offering such voice services.

Anthony Foxx, the Secretary of Transportation, released a statement on the matter on Thursday. According to him, airline passengers deserve to know their in-flight conditions.

As such, they should be notified if they can make or are to be subjected to voice calls before boarding the plane.

This is not the first time the DOT has advanced an in-flight calls rule change. Back in 2014, the authority released an ANPRM or Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

The notice regarded the use of such wireless supporting device during flight so as to make voice calls. At the time, the proposal was rejected by 96 percent of the commenters.

With the commenters including both passengers and cabin crew and staff, voice calls were deemed disruptive in the confined space.

As such, the faith of the current in-flight notice remains to be determined. The DOT did make a clarification to the proposal.

An advanced passenger notice about in-flight voice calls will only apply to larger aircraft. More exactly, U.S. or foreign air carriers with a higher than 60 seats plane capacity.

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Beacon Transcript – The Westar merger with KCPL will host its first and only public hearing later today in a Topeka-area high school as the two companies are seeking to become a single electric company.

Westar Energy, the Topeka-based company is amongst if not the largest electricity provider in the state of Kansas.

The company ensures the power needs of about 700,000 business and residential users in the 55 counties of the state.

KCPL or the Kansas City Power and Light Company is a Kansas City-based electricity company which ensures the electric utility of the Kansas City metropolitan area.

KCPL is the largest subsidiary of the Great Plains Energy Incorporated company.

The Westar merger will seek to unite the two utility companies as they will come to serve the Kansas – Missouri border area. It will also ensure the electricity needs of an approximated number of 1.5 million users.

Great Plains Energy has advanced an acquisition deal to Westar Energy. The former is seeking to buy the later for a $12.2 billion sum.

As such, the Westar merger will become the biggest utility merger and sale to have taken place in the last couple of decades.

The last big merger took place some 25 years ago and involved almost the same utility players. Kansas Gas & Electric Co., a Wichita-based utility company rejected a KCPL offer.

It chose, in its place, the Kansas Power & Light Topeka-based company. As the two companies merged, they led to the formation of the Western Resources.

Western Resources came to be renamed as Westar Energy and the cycle will seem to end with a potential Westar merger with KCPL.

As the sale deal is the biggest to take place in recent history, the Kansas Corporation Commission has arranged a public hearing.

The public hearing, the first and only in the deal, will take place on Monday, December 05, at 6 P.M. It will take place in suburban Topeka, at the Shawnee Heights High School, according to reports.

Those interested in turning in on the hearing, but unable to participate in person, will have a number of alternatives.

Interested participants can either attend the meeting or watch it online as it will be transmitted live on the KCC website. A replay of the hearing will also be available on the aforementioned website.

The on-site participants, as well as the online ones, will be able to submit comments. Online users will be able to send them either during the hearing or comment in writing on the recording.

A Citizens’ Utility Ratepayer Board or CURB consumer counsel, David Nickel, is urging users to turn in and watch the hearing.

According to Nickel, the CURB is very interested in hearing the consumers’ opinions in regards to the Westar merger.

As he declared that the board will be reading all comments, he advised the commissioners to do so as well.

Nickel stated that CURB will be seeking to determine if the acquisition will beneficiate the public interest. As such, they will be using the comments in their arguments and in order to take a decision.

He also pointed out that the Kansas laws require that any utility merger should come to beneficiate the rate-paying public.

As such the Kansas commission will be holding the hearing, a procedure that is not law-required but has become a custom in important cases.

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Beacon Transcript – The Fight for $15 advocates are asking for a national protest this Tuesday, on November 29 as their claims for a minimum wage of $15 an hour are now joined by other demands and participants.

Tuesday, November 29 may be a difficult day for the nation as low-wage workers’ advocates are asking for a nationwide walkout.

The campaign wishes that any interested worker may walk out and join the protest in the hopes for a better payment system and working conditions.

As the campaign is expected to be carried out in 340 cities and towns throughout the country, Fight for $15 supporters are expected to organize marches, demonstrations, or protests.

One of the oldest and most important campaign demands is centered around a better payment.

The campaign organizers are hoping for better wages, which would be initiated by a raising of the minimum per hour payment.

As the current sum, which has remained the same for these past 7 years, is of just $7.25 per hour, advocates are hoping for an initial raise of up to $15 an hour.

The campaign’s tone has also changed when compared to previous years and calls for action. Its organizers are asking and encouraging the participants to make a stand, as they do matter.

Fight for $15 representatives have declared that they will not back down and will do all they can to block any potential social injustices.

According to them, these may include blocked wage increases, a change in the workers’ healthcare or general rights.

As opposed to previous years, this national protest day is expected to attract more working categories.

Besides the previously expected fast food and retail industry workers, which have been the usual participants, new category representatives are expected.

These may include Uber and possibly other ride-sharing drivers as well as various airport personnel. Some of the questioned Uber drivers have declared that they will be protesting against the current payment system.

According to them, the drivers consider that the on-demand car service is offering a bare minimum or an even lower than that wage.

Airport personnel is also expected to join the protests as various other air transport strike have been initiated lately.

One of the latest such movements saw an air company’s pilots protesting against their working conditions.

Most such workers claim to be subjected to too many hours of work that are not paid or reimbursed. In most cases, this overtime is also a breach of their work contracts as its terms are not respected and the worker is also underpaid.

According to the Fight for $15 organizers, the day’s manifestations will be seeking to draw attention to residents that get paid bellow this sum.

With the number being approximated at around 64 million, it includes airport, fast food, home and child care, and higher education workers, to name just a few.

These social categories will be asking for their rights at a $15 per hour wage through manifestations, strikes, demonstrations, and various other acts considered civil disobedience.

As the airport personnel will be joining in the campaign, the national air travel is expected to be facing some drawbacks.

However, the protestors have stated that the post-Thanksgiving Day period was chosen so as to encumber the least number of passengers.

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