text:
The Wehrmacht in Normandy
The 6th Airborne Division
The 9th Para Bn. training
6th June 1944 : The big drop
The attack on Merville battery
The next phase of the mission
Second taking of the battery
Ordeal for civilians
The casemates
An educational trail
The sound and light show
C47 "The SNAFU Special"
2016 – Photographic albums
Site de la Batterie de Merville > The battery > Second taking of the battery
– The Germans succeeded in getting two guns working again
The Germans proved the importance attached to the Merville battery, they reoccupied It.
The Germans reoccupied the Merville battery on the afternoon of 6th June.
Sergeant Major Buskotte, having emerged from his command bunker where he had remained since the attack by the 9th Battalion, said that the guns were repairable. They succeeded in getting the howitzers of casemates 1 and 2 back in service. Although they were able to fire, the guns were not capable of their normal rate of fire (6 rounds per minute).
The guns could just about manage to fire one round each every ten minutes. The Merville battery gave the German command the ability to fire two rounds every ten minutes from that location.
The invasion continued nonetheless because the capability of the battery was a fraction of what it was before the attack of the 9th Battalion.
No 3 Commando would again silence the guns of Merville during the afternoon of 7th June.
– The 3 Commando and the second taking of the battery.
Another assault on the Merville battery was necessary.
It was the men of No 3 Commando who would fight to retake the Merville battery.
On the morning of 7th June, as the 9th Battalion were heading to Le Plain on their next phase, artillery shell began to fall on the beach at Ouistreham Riva-Bella, Sword Beach. The British Headquarters thought that this could come only from the Merville battery, and ordered a second attack.
Led by Lieutenant Colonel Peter Young, the attack went in at midday. At the cost of many casualties, and having held on doggedly, the German guns were once again silenced. No 3 Commando penetrated into the casemates. The battery had fallen once more. The Commando withdrew.
The Eastern flank of the fighting on 6th June 1944 the Merville battery and museum form the Eastern portal to the battle of Normandy. Together they comprise a "must visit" place which enables understanding of what really happened at dawn on the longest day. As you begin your journey into the theatre of operation Overlord from the East, at the Merville battery you will discover the key points of what was the shield against German counter-attacks from the East which would have threatened the Allied bridgehead.
The story of the 9th Battalion will take you into the fierce fighting that followed D Day. The 9th Battalion will take you to Sallenelles, Amfréville, Le Plain, Bréville, Varaville, the Château Saint-Côme and Le Mesnil,… for Lieutenant Colonel Terence Otway and his paratroops during that intense fighting, locked the door to the Allied invasion beaches.
Your ticket for the: Second taking of the battery


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Category: Solar
Communications Tower in Bolton First Known in U.S. to Use C-PACE Financing to Install Solar Array
Posted on December 14, 2020 December 14, 2020 by Rudy Sturk
Environmentally-conscious tower owner Marcus Communications will benefit from significant energy savings
Rocky Hill, CT (Dec. 14, 2020) – The Connecticut Green Bank is pleased to announce the closing of Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing for the installation of a ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) system at a 450-foot telecommunications tower owned by Marcus Communications LLC. Located in Bolton, the tower and support equipment provide communication services, including emergency services, to a wide array of customers and clients. This is the first time that C-PACE has been used to finance a project at a communications tower in the United States, according to PACENation, a national nonprofit association that advocates for PACE financing
"As the first use of PACE on a communications tower, this innovative project is a model for how PACE can be used to increase the sustainability of our critical infrastructure. We applaud the work of the Green Bank in completing this project and look forward to seeing more deals like this one," said Colin Bishopp, Executive Director of PACENation.
The tower was originally constructed in 1995 and extended in 2005, going from a 300-ft to 450-ft, to become the tallest tower in Eastern Connecticut. In recent years, leaders at Marcus Communications have begun an initiative at their office to minimize the company's impact on the environment through improvements such as installing energy efficient lighting, solar panels, heating and cooling systems, and by providing free electric vehicle charging to employees, vendors and customers.
"We continue to be proactive in our efforts to be environmentally responsible and actively pursue solutions and enhancements that support that vision," said Bruce Marcus, CTO, Marcus Communications LLC. "This solar project is a great example. We are proud of the work we are doing to move the world towards renewable energy."
The 76 kW-AC solar PV system will be installed by Marcus Communications with guidance from Harness the Sun LLC of Lebanon. The project is estimated to save the company more than $740,000, over the 25-year effective useful life of the panels. The total project cost is approximately $250,000.
"It's exciting to see new types of properties taking advantage of C-PACE financing to improve their energy efficiency or add renewables," said Mackey Dykes, Vice President of Financing Programs at the Connecticut Green Bank. "We hope that other communications companies follow the example that the team at Marcus has set."
To see a video of the installation, please visit https://youtu.be/AXQT–XNxec
About the Connecticut Green Bank
The Connecticut Green Bank was established by the Connecticut General Assembly in 2011 as the nation's first green bank. The Green Bank's mission is to confront climate change and provide all of society a healthier, more prosperous future by increasing and accelerating the flow of private capital into markets that energize the green economy. This is accomplished by leveraging limited public resources to scale-up and mobilize private capital investment into Connecticut. In 2017, the Connecticut Green Bank received the Innovations in American Government Award from the Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center for Democratic Governance and innovation for their "Sparking the Green Bank Movement" entry. For more information about the Connecticut Green Bank, please visit www.ctgreenbank.com
About Marcus Communications
Marcus Communications was founded in 1969 in Connecticut by owner, CTO, and LMR industry innovator Bruce Marcus. While the technology from 1969 to today has changed completely, our core mission remains the same. We manage your communications with an innovative array of technical solutions. Over the years, we've helped thousands of customers achieve better safety and efficiency by supercharging their communications. When you choose Marcus, you're not choosing just any communications company. Your choosing the premiere leader in communications. Your choosing a company that hires veterans and gives back to the community, supporting events like the Hartford Marathon or the Special Olympics. You're choosing the leaders who work tirelessly to research and develop cutting-edge solutions for its customers. To learn more, please visit https://www.marcuscommunications.com/.
Posted in Activation, C-PACE, financing, Innovation, News, Solar
Connecticut Green Bank Sells Four Solar Projects to Inclusive Prosperity Capital, Announces Debt Facility
Posted on December 3, 2020 December 3, 2020 by Rudy Sturk
Two schools, an Islamic community center and a Boys and Girls Club will benefit from the reduced energy costs provided by the solar systems
Rocky Hill, CT (Dec. 3, 2020) – The Connecticut Green Bank announces the acquisition of four solar power purchase agreement (PPA) projects by Inclusive Prosperity Capital (IPC) as well as the closing of a debt facility designed to help IPC continue its management and growth of the Green Bank's PPA portfolio in Connecticut.
"IPC will be one of our key partners in continuing to serve the Connecticut solar market and expand upon the success the Connecticut Green Bank has had in creatively de-risking projects to provide access to previously underserved solar customers," said Bert Hunter, Chief Investment Officer at Connecticut Green Bank. "This transaction continues to exemplify the Green Bank model of leveraging limited public dollars to mobilize private investment."
Created in 2018 as a spin out of the Connecticut Green Bank, IPC is a mission-driven specialty finance organization working at the intersection of community development, clean energy finance, and climate impact. In Connecticut, they partner with the Green Bank on a number of programs including the solar PPA, which focuses on delivering energy savings to a variety of customers, like commercial properties, houses of worship, affordable multifamily, and non-profits.
The solar projects sold to IPC include installations on two schools, an Islamic community center and a Boys and Girls Club. The projects total 495 kW and are anticipated to save the customers approximately $20,000 in their first year of operation. These solar customers are:
Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Shelton, 127 kW Rooftop Project
Bridgeport Islamic Community Center, Bridgeport, 75 kW Rooftop Project
The Country School, Madison, 107 kW Rooftop Project
Washington Montessori School, New Preston, 186 kW Rooftop Project
"The Country School's solar project has had a catalytic effect. Not only have our students, as future leaders, seen the benefits of renewable energy but so too have their families, as they install solar at their homes and businesses, recognizing the short-term and long-term benefits for the country and the world. While our utility costs have already decreased, the greatest benefit is how excited our students have been, knowing that they have had a hand in this project. Connecticut Green Bank has been a great partner throughout the experience. We only wish we had more roofs for them," said Head of School John Fixx.
"Our goal for adding solar to our Shelton facility was two-fold. First to be good stewards for our environment and second to reduce our operating expenses. By working with Encon and the Connecticut Green Bank, our club was able to reduce our carbon footprint, set a good example for our Club kids and reduce our monthly electric bill with no money out of pocket for the installation" says Shaye Roscoe, Chief Executive Officer of The Boys & Girls Club of The Lower Naugatuck Valley.
Learn more about the solar PPA at https://www.ctgreenbank.com/programs/building-owners/green-bank-solar-ppa/.
About Inclusive Prosperity Capital:
Inclusive Prosperity Capital, Inc. ("IPC") is a not-for-profit investment fund scaling clean energy financing solutions that channels investment capital to program partners in communities that need it most. As a spin-out and strategic partner of the Connecticut Green Bank, IPC is focused on scaling its work in Connecticut and expanding its successful model nationwide by accessing mission-driven capital and partnerships. IPC operates at the intersection of community development, clean energy finance, and climate impact. We believe everyone should have access to the benefits of clean energy, helping to deliver Inclusive Prosperity.
Posted in financing, News, Solar
Connecticut's Energy and Transportation Costs are Unaffordable for Many Households, Especially the Most Vulnerable
New report shows gap between what Connecticut families are paying for energy and transportation and what is affordable, creating a cost burden for lower income households
Rocky Hill, CT (Dec. 1, 2020) – According to a recently released report, combined spending on energy, transportation, and housing in Connecticut households exceeds affordable levels in areas throughout the state. On average, these costs are 49% statewide, which is above the 45% threshold for affordability. Low- and moderate-income households are burdened at a higher rate – 68% – than wealthier residents because these costs consume a larger portion of their household income.
These findings are from "Mapping Household Energy and Transportation Affordability in Connecticut," a study produced by VEIC on behalf of the Connecticut Green Bank and Operation Fuel. The report was partially funded by a U.S. Department of Energy grant for research into strategies for improving access to solar for low-income communities. The Connecticut Green Bank, in partnership with the Clean Energy States Alliance, the grant's managing organization, has been exploring energy's intersection with other low-income household burdens.
The study focused on spending in three categories: building energy (household heating fuel and electricity); transportation (vehicle fuel, transit costs, and vehicle ownership costs); and housing (total shelter costs, insurance, taxes, fees, etc.). Examining these categories, VEIC was able to determine the cost burden, household spending expressed as a percentage of annual income, and the affordability gap, which is the difference between an affordable level of spending and actual dollars spent.
"We know that Connecticut is among the states with the highest energy costs in the nation. When you combine this expense with high transportation and housing costs, it can be crippling for a low-income household. While over 430,000 households in Connecticut meet the eligibility requirements for energy bill assistance, only 18.7% are served through available funding. We need more comprehensive and sustainable solutions to help low-income families in Connecticut afford their energy costs," said Brenda Watson, Executive Director of Operation Fuel and member of the Board of Directors of the Green Bank.
Other key findings include:
Energy burden is highest among low-income households: 6-7 times higher.
High energy burdens are clustered in urban areas such as New Haven, Hartford, and Bridgeport.
The combination of efficiency and solar can help close the building energy affordability gap for most households in the state that own their dwelling, dramatically reducing annual energy costs.
Fewer options are available to renting households, although existing programs, like Energize CT's Home Energy Solutions do substantially reduce building energy burden.
While Connecticut has multiple programs available to low-income customers to help them better afford their utility bills, these programs on their own lack sufficient funding to meet all the needs of customers.
Transportation costs are high not just in urban centers, but across the entire state
Reducing transportation costs is crucial to preserving affordability
Inadequate public and shared transport options result in a personal vehicle needed almost everywhere for an acceptable level of mobility
The report sits at the intersection of many current issues brought to the forefront in 2020, including increased energy usage as people are sheltering in place, greater focus on indoor air quality issues, and the way these factors disproportionately impact communities of color and low-income residents.
The report points out that existing resources are not enough to cover energy needs for the most vulnerable. The Connecticut Energy Assistance Program ("CEAP") provides direct bill assistance to households earning <60% of state median income. The CEAP program budget is approximately $88 million, which is only sufficient to serve roughly 20% of the 430,825 eligible households in the state. Both of the state's investor-owned utilities also offer matching payment and arrearage forgiveness programs. In 2019 these programs served nearly 19,000 customers but only 58% successfully completed the program.
A bright spot was VEIC's finding that programs that combine energy efficiency and solar can close the building energy affordability gap for many low- and moderate-income households who are homeowners. Customers that participated in the Solar For All program from PosiGen and the Connecticut Green Bank in 2019 are estimated to have saved an average of $1,315 on their energy costs.
"There are a number of promising, transformative opportunities to reduce energy burdens in Connecticut," said Justine Sears, Consultant at VEIC. "For instance, working to make the transportation system more equitable and accessible in urban, suburban, and rural areas would significantly reduce transportation burdens for people – especially low-income households." To address the transportation issues identified in the report, VEIC recommends strategies to minimize the need for and use of private vehicles by increasing public transit, and promoting electric vehicles and e-bikes, which offer fuel savings over gasoline-powered vehicles.
To access the full report, please visit: https://www.ctgreenbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Mapping-Household-Energy-and-Transportation-Affordability-Report-Oct-2020.pdf
To join an informational webinar detailing the report on Thursday, Dec. 17 at 1 pm EST, register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6590608348170594317
About Operation Fuel
Operation Fuel was founded in 1977 after a worldwide oil embargo caused an unprecedented escalation in the price of home heating. Although federal and state governments had developed energy assistance programs for families experiencing poverty, low-income working families who were not eligible for government help and in crisis were left out in the cold.
To address the crisis in Connecticut, a collaboration among religious communities, industry leaders in banking, insurance, and utilities, Father Thomas Lynch, and Governor Ella Grasso created Operation Fuel, intended to provide relief for residents who fell through the gaps of government assistance programs. Our mission, is to ensure equitable access to energy for all by providing year-round energy and utility assistance, promoting energy independence, and advocating for affordable energy
About VEIC
VEIC is a sustainable energy company on a mission to generate the energy solutions the world needs. For over 30 years VEIC has been working with governments, utilities, foundations and businesses across North America to develop and deploy clean energy services that provide immediate and lasting change. With expertise in energy efficiency, building and transportation electrification, and new approaches for a clean and flexible grid, VEIC brings innovative solutions to the market. VEIC is nationally recognized for developing pilots and programs that optimize energy use, reduce energy burdens for low-income customers, and advance new technologies. In addition to our full-service consulting business, VEIC administers three large-scale sustainable energy programs: Efficiency Vermont, Efficiency Smart, and the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU). www.veic.org.
Posted in Economy, Innovation, News, Residential, Solar
Green Liberty Bond Named Bond Buyer Deal of the Year Finalist as the Winner in Innovative Financing Category
Posted on November 10, 2020 November 10, 2020 by Rudy Sturk
November 10, 2020 — The Bond Buyer announced yesterday that the Connecticut Green Bank is among the recipients of its annual Deal of the Year awards as the winner in the Innovative Financing category for their 2020 Green Liberty Bond issuance.
For the second straight year, The Bond Buyer has named winners in 10 categories: five awards in our regional areas of coverage, along with five in additional categories. All award winners are also finalists for the national Deal of the Year Award, which will be announced at a virtual event to be held Dec. 16. This is the 19th year that The Bond Buyer has recognized outstanding achievement in municipal finance.
"This year's lineup reflects the full range of communities and public purposes this market comprises," said Mike Scarchilli, Editor in Chief of The Bond Buyer. "The deals honored exemplify the creativity and resourcefulness this industry brings to bear on projects that advance the infrastructure and quality of life in the nation's municipalities. These qualities take on additional importance here in 2020, as issuers across the nation face unprecedented challenges."
The Bond Buyer's editorial board considered a range of factors when judging entries, including: creativity, the ability to pull a complex transaction together under challenging conditions, the ability to serve as a model for other financings, and the public purpose for which a deal's proceeds were used.
"We are very excited and honored to be recognized by The Bond Buyer in the Innovative Financing category for 2020," said Lonnie Reed, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Green Bank. "Issuing our first Green Liberty Bond during the COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges, however, the response from retail investors in Connecticut and across the country was incredibly positive. The desire to invest in Green Liberty Bonds is strong because it is both great for the environment and great for the green energy economy."
The Connecticut Green Bank's $16.8 million issuance of "Green Liberty Bonds" is this year's Innovative Financing winner. Modeled after the Series-E War Bonds of the 1940s, this new sub-category of green bonds is sold in maximum denominations of $1,000, making them accessible to everyday citizens and retail investors.
To see all the finalists, please visit The Bond Buyer's announcement.
Posted in Economy, financing, Innovation, News, Solar
Industrial Space at 75 Crystal Avenue Adds Solar Power
Posted on September 29, 2020 October 16, 2020 by Rudy Sturk
Energy savings, environmental commitment motivate property owner to use C-PACE financing
New London, Conn. (Sept. 29, 2020) – Thames River Properties LLC is pleased to announced the installation of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system on the roof of their 75 Crystal Avenue, New London, property using Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing through the Connecticut Green Bank. Originally erected in 1965, the 35,000 square foot single story building primarily serves as rental space for industrial and commercial tenants.
"We are very much looking forward to the savings that we expect to make due to this installation," said John Johnson, principal of Thames River Properties. "Working with Advanced Energy Efficiencies, we created a great clean energy project. Our tenants will benefit almost as much as the owner of the building. Installing roof-top solar energy panels demonstrates to our community and tenants our environmental commitment for clean, efficient energy. The Green Bank has been most helpful in this process, and we thank them for their cooperation."
The 69.9 kilowatt (kw) system will be installed by JD Solar Solutions of Glastonbury. Over the 25-year estimated useful life of the solar panels, the installation is projected to provide more than $500,000 in electricity cost savings.
This is the second property at which Thames River's management has used C-PACE financing through the Green Bank to install a solar system. In 2015, a solar system at Quiambaug Cove Professional Center, 107 Wilcox Road, Stonington, which provides office space for wellness, healthcare, and law practitioners, was financed using C-PACE.
C-PACE allows property owners to install energy efficiency upgrades or renewables on their buildings without upfront costs using financing that is repaid through the town's property tax billing system as a benefit assessment akin to a water or sewer assessment. Through C-PACE, energy savings projections help building owners to feel confident that expected savings should exceed their investment and result in positive cashflow.
"The Green's Bank C-PACE program has financed 10 projects at diverse properties in New London, including car and motorcycle dealerships, a restaurant, office buildings and now a manufacturing space," said Mackey Dykes, Vice President of Financing Programs at the Green Bank. "It's great to see building owners realizing the savings potential in renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades, and moving forward with these projects that immediately have a positive impact on the bottom line."
Other building owners looking to finance energy efficiency upgrades or add solar should visit www.cpace.com to learn more.
Posted in Activation, C-PACE, financing, News, Solar
Solar For All Benefits the Poor
Posted on August 20, 2020 August 20, 2020 by CT Green Bank
Note: On August 13, 2020, the Hartford Courant ran a Letter to the Editor submitted by Connecticut Green Bank CEO and President Bryan Garcia. The published letter was a shortened version (to fit the Courant's guidelines); the full version of the letter is below.
By Bryan Garcia, President and CEO of the Connecticut Green Bank
Paul Steidler's July 26, 2020 article "Rush to Renewable Energy Hurts Poor" tries to make the point that America's expanded use of natural gas will not only benefit our economy and the environment, but also help those who are less fortunate. He notes that renewable energy is among the reasons why residential electricity is 66% more expensive in New England than the rest of the country.
In Connecticut, low-to-moderate income families and communities of color are reducing the burden of their energy costs not by consuming more natural gas, but by installing solar on their rooftops and making their homes more energy efficient. The energy affordability gap for our most vulnerable citizens is about $1,400 per year, which means that the poor are paying more for energy in our state than what is affordable. Through state efforts in partnership with the private sector, it is solar power and energy efficiency that are reducing that affordability gap by nearly $1,100 per year not natural gas. Our state is a "parity state" when it comes to income and "beyond parity state" when it comes to race in terms of solar deployment – meaning the poor and communities of color are demanding solar power and energy efficiency more than those with means and who are White.
Nearly a year ago to the day, Hartford experienced some of the hottest weather on record. The weather was so hot and humid that state officials warned people about two problems – excessive heat and bad air. This resulted in higher air conditioning usage stressing the electricity grid, resulting in ISO-NE calling upon higher-cost and higher-polluting power that came from fossil fuels. These fossil fuel power plants emit pollutants that react with sunlight to create smog which contributes to poor air quality and is harmful to public health. At the same time, across the Constitution State, there were nearly 28,000 homes powered by the sun that were providing 230 MW of power output during peak times. This reduced $3 million of peak demand costs which lowered energy costs for all electric ratepayers. It also removed the need for more power generation from burning fossil fuels thereby cleaning the air we all breathe.
Air pollution is not good for our public health – and it is especially detrimental when you have a disease that targets the respiratory system such as COVID-19. We are seeing more clearly today than ever before, how pollution from fossil fuel resources creates a disproportionate share of the negative environmental impacts on the public health within communities of color. Call it environmental justice or climate justice, natural gas and its infrastructure aren't good for the poor!
Right now, Connecticut is in the process of modernizing and decarbonizing its antiquated energy system into a 21st century clean energy platform that will continue to enable the growth of our green economy. By combining renewable energy resources like the sun, with energy efficiency, battery storage, and demand response, we are working towards a zero-carbon electricity grid that will fuel zero emission vehicles for our roads and power carbon-free renewable heating and cooling systems for our homes.
During this pandemic, we are all experiencing tough economic times, but everyone can be part of the solution. Schedule a home energy audit (no-cost). Insulate your home to make it more energy efficient (rebates up to 100 percent available). Install solar on your roof (it's affordable). Solar for all, benefits all of us, especially the poor!
Posted in Education, EV, News, Residential, SolarTagged solar for all
Connecticut Green Bank sells solar projects to Skyview Ventures
Posted on August 18, 2020 December 29, 2020 by Rudy Sturk
Completed projects will provide energy savings to municipal properties, a nonprofit organization and an affordable multifamily housing provider
Rocky Hill, CT (August 18, 2020) – The Connecticut Green Bank is pleased to announce the acquisition by Skyview Ventures, a Connecticut based renewable energy investor, of six solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. The projects, developed by the Green Bank, total 1.2 megawatts of solar capacity, and will produce energy that will benefit municipal properties, a nonprofit organization and an affordable multifamily housing provider. All six projects are backed by Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), and one is also secured by the Green Bank's award-winning Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy program (C-PACE).
"Connecticut Green Bank has a track record in developing solar PPA projects across the state that reduce the energy burden for customers, thereby freeing up budget for the services that they provide," said Bert Hunter, Chief Investment Officer and Executive Vice President. "When compared with expected utility-sourced energy, these six solar projects are anticipated to provide the customers an estimated $1.3 million in energy cost savings over the next 20 years."
While the Green Bank Solar PPA provides businesses, nonprofits and public properties the opportunity to go solar with no money down and deliver immediate savings on their electricity costs, over the last two years, the Green Bank has redefined its role in the commercial solar PPA market. The focus is now on the development and construction of solar projects, often with underserved credits or in markets that might get overlooked for on-site solar PPA projects. These projects are then sold to owners, like Skyview, allowing the Green Bank to remain closely involved in these projects as a long-term debt provider.
"In Skyview, we have found a like-minded local partner and look forward to bringing more on-site solar power to customers in the future," said Hunter.
"Skyview has developed and owns and operates over 50 solar PV projects in the state of Connecticut. The Green Bank's leadership over the years has allowed the renewable energy industry in Connecticut to mature without the fits and starts of most other markets. We are a Connecticut-based company that enables community institutions to allocate their capital and resources to their core missions while benefiting from locally produced clean electricity. Working with the Green Bank has allowed us to accelerate our impact across the state and make solar power accessible to a broader range of stakeholders." said Matt Coleman, Partner at Skyview Ventures.
The projects in this transaction were:
A 321 kW rooftop system at the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven, installed by AEC Solar.
A 302 kW ground mount system at Samuel Staples Elementary School in Easton, installed by Encon Inc. of Stratford.
A 119 kW rooftop system at Prescott Bush Apartments, an Elm City Communities property in New Haven, installed by PurePoint Energy LLC of Norwalk.
Three rooftop systems on Town of Darien buildings, totaling 215 kW, installed by Encon Inc. of Stratford.
A 131 kW rooftop system at Barlow Mountain Elementary School in Ridgefield, installed by Davis Hill Development.
A 130 kW rooftop system at Scotts Ridge Middle School in Ridgefield, installed by Davis Hill Development.
About Skyview Ventures
Skyview was founded in December 2008 to pursue investment opportunities in renewable energy. Our investments fall along four themes: environmental commodities; solar project finance, development and ownership; electric vehicle infrastructure; and early-stage startups. Skyview Ventures develops renewable energy under its subsidiary Davis Hill Development (DHD). DHD has developed a broad range of renewable energy projects throughout the Eastern US and the Caribbean. In Connecticut, DHD has developed over 50 solar projects serving over a dozen municipalities and school districts, as well as churches, non-profits, and commercial real estate customers. For more information please visit www.skyviewventures.com.
The Connecticut Green Bank was established by the Connecticut General Assembly on July 1, 2011 as a part of Public Act 11-80. As the nation's first full-scale green bank, its mission is to confront climate change and provide all of society a healthier, more prosperous future by increasing and accelerating the flow of private capital into markets that energize the green economy. This is accomplished by leveraging limited public resources to scale-up and mobilize private capital investment into Connecticut. In 2017, the Connecticut Green Bank received the Innovations in American Government Award from the Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center for Democratic Governance and innovation for their "Sparking the Green Bank Movement" entry. For more information about the Connecticut Green Bank, please visit www.ctgreenbank.com.
Green Liberty Bond's $16 Million Inaugural Issuance Sells Out
Posted on July 27, 2020 July 27, 2020 by Rudy Sturk
Connecticut Green Bank's lower-dollar denomination bond received strong support from individual buyers in Connecticut and across the country as well as from institutional buyers
Rocky Hill, CT (July 27, 2020) – Earlier this month, the Connecticut Green Bank successfully sold-out of its inaugural Green Liberty Bond offering of $16,795,000 to retail and institutional investors in Connecticut and across the country. Demand was so strong that the supply of bonds could not meet the interest of those seeking to invest in Connecticut's green economy.
Green Bank President and CEO Bryan Garcia executes and signs the inaugural Green Liberty Bonds as Brian Farnen, Chief Legal Counsel, looks on.
Retail investors were given priority during a one-day retail order period on Tuesday, July 14. Total retail orders received during this order period surpassed $9.9 million. With first priority given to Connecticut citizen investors, their orders for nearly $5 million of bonds were filled before the national orders. Due to heavy volume of interest seeking the first two maturities, the Green Bank was only able to fill $1 million of the national retail order.
"When we conceived of the idea of the Green Liberty Bond, we wanted to develop a type of green investment that would enable everyday citizens to invest in confronting climate change," said Bryan Garcia, President and CEO of the Connecticut Green Bank. "Green bonds now have a new sub-category – a bond sold directly to the people the proceeds of which are independently certified as financing projects with climate and environmental benefits. We invite other issuers to use the Green Liberty Bond structure and help fulfill the demand of our American investors."
Individuals accounted for 74% of the retail orders with the balance from professionally managed retail accounts such as private wealth managers and bank trusts.
"The level of interest from individual retail buyers was spectacular, something we have not seen in recent memory," said Alfredo Quintero, Senior Managing Director at Ramirez & Co., the lead underwriter on the issuance. "Clearly, there is an untapped segment of investors that is concerned about environmental and social challenges that we face today. Through this offering, the Green Bank has addressed the desire for action on the part of these individuals."
Institutional investors were able to place orders on July 15, and there was strong interest from a variety of traditional municipal investors and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investors. Almost the entire 2027 maturity was purchased by an institutional ESG investor as a result of direct outreach by the Green Bank.
"We frequently receive requests from foundations and endowments seeking ways to invest in our Green Bank projects. Green Liberty Bonds are an ideal investment to meet this need," observed Bert Hunter, the Green Bank's Chief Investment Officer.
The Green Liberty Bonds were created in honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day – a type of green bond whose proceeds are used to invest in projects that confront climate change in Connecticut. Modelled after the Series-E War Bonds of the 1940s, the bonds must be able to be purchased by everyday citizens through lower-dollar denominations (no more than $1,000), enabling them to invest in green projects in their community and to save for the planet.
Beyond the direct sales of the Green Liberty Bonds, Green Bank leadership received a number of inquiries from other states and non-profit organizations seeking information about replicating this product to support of other green causes like forest protection.
To launch the Green Liberty Bonds, the Green Bank worked with Ramirez & Co., Inc. as lead underwriter, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc. as co-underwriter, Shipman & Goodwin LLP as bond counsel, Lamont Financial Services Corporation as financial advisor, and Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. as trustee. The Green Liberty Bonds received an A rating from Standard and Poor's. They were labeled as "Certified Climate Bonds" by the Climate Bonds Initiative, and compliance of the bond's issuance with the Climate Bonds Standards was verified by Kestrel Verifiers.
Additionally, the Green Bank received important assistance from the staffs of the Office of the State Treasurer and of the Office of Policy and Management.
Encouraged by the success of this first issuance, the Green Bank is already planning its next Green Liberty Bond issuance, as well as looking into other ways to allow for more inclusive citizen investment in green projects. To receive notifications about future issuances, please visit www.greenlibertybonds.com.
This press release does not constitute a recommendation or an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security or other financial instrument, including the initial Green Liberty Bonds, or to adopt any investment strategy. Any offer or solicitation with respect to the initial Green Liberty Bonds will be made solely by means of the Preliminary Official Statement and Official Statement, which will describe the actual terms and conditions of the Green Liberty Bonds. The information provided is subject in all respects to the information presented in the complete Preliminary Official Statement prepared in connection with the initial Green Liberty Bonds. Any investment decisions regarding any of the Green Liberty Bonds should only be made after a careful review of the complete Preliminary Official Statement.
Posted in financing, Innovation, News, SolarTagged green liberty bond
Sweet Sunlight: Solar Energy to Power DiMare Pastry Shop
Using financing from Connecticut Green Bank's C-PACE program helps Stamford family business save money
Stamford, Conn. (July 20, 2020) – The DiMare Pastry Shop in Stamford is known for bringing sunshine into customers' daily lives and special moments through their baked goods, cakes and cookies. Now, the family-owned and operated business will power its 12 Largo Drive South location thanks to a solar photovoltaic (PV) system on their roof.
DiMare Pastry celebrated their 44th year in business in May 2020. Photo courtesy of their Facebook page
Started by Ugo and Bice DiMare in 1976, DiMare Pastry expanded to a second Stamford location in 1997. Three generations, including Ugo and Bice's daughters Maria and Sabrina and granddaughter Brittany, now keep the two shops running.
"We've spent over 40 years as a family baking delicious treats for our community and making customers happy," said Maria DiMare. "Going green with our new solar system takes some of the pressure off our business by giving us lower energy costs. We're proud to be doing the right thing for the environment too. We want to keep baking, delighting our customers and continuing on as a long-standing partner with the towns we serve."
"Going solar is sweet! We're saving money, helping the environment and I think our customers appreciate how we're leading the way into the future with our new solar system," said Sabrina.
The 75.8 kW solar PV system was financed through the Connecticut Green Bank's innovative Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program, which allows property owners to take advantage of energy upgrades immediately and pay for them over time alongside their property taxes. The solar PV system is estimated to save the business more than $20,000 a year on their electricity costs. The system was installed by 64Solar.
Drone image from 64Solar
"We are proud to see a great family business like DiMare Pastry using C-PACE to go solar," said Mackey Dykes, Vice President of Financing Programs at the Connecticut Green Bank. "Energy efficiency and renewable energy can provide many opportunities for small businesses, the backbone of our communities, to save money and help the environment. Financing these types of projects with C-PACE gives small business owners more control over their energy costs by both lowering and making them more predictable. With businesses looking more carefully at their operating expenses, additional cash flow from reduced energy costs can mean that they can focus on their core work, their employees and serving their communities."
"We are thrilled to help DiMare Bakery go green and realize significant savings on their electricity expenses," said James Patenaude, Director of Sales Management for 64Solar. "Working with the Connecticut Green Bank with C-PACE financing has allowed for a smooth process and will bring solar to DiMare with no initial investment required! Smart building owners are seeing the advantages of using solar energy paired with C-PACE financing to achieve their clean energy goals."
DiMare, which remained opened throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, has been delivering donations to frontline workers at Stamford Hospital throughout the health crisis.
To learn more about DiMare Pastry, please visit their website at http://www.dimarepastry.com/. For information on C-PACE, please visit www.cpace.com.
About 64Solar
64Solar is a provider of comprehensive solar energy solutions. Our team manages each phase of the project – designing, developing, engineering, financing, and installing, as well as operating and maintaining. 64Solar develops and structures both utility size installations as well as Commercial & Industrial (C&I) Rooftop installations, reducing the dependency on foreign energy and fossil fuels while working towards a healthier environment for our communities. For more about 64Solar, please visit www.64solar.com.
Posted in Activation, C-PACE, News, Solar
Connecticut Green Bank wins two awards from Environmental Finance for green bond issuance
Posted on April 1, 2020 April 1, 2020 by Rudy Sturk
March 30, 2020 — When Environmental Finance's 2020 Bond Awards winners were announced earlier this week, the Connecticut Green Bank was recognized with two honors: the Award for Innovation – Green Bond Structure and the Award for Asset-Backed or Asset-Based Bond. These awards highlight the innovation and success of the Green Bank's April 2019 $38.6 million in green asset backed securities, which was its first rated debt issuance, and the first ever solar asset-backed security (ABS) transaction by a green bank. The awards were judged by an independent panel comprising of 30 of the world's largest green, social and sustainability bond investors.
To read more about this award winning issuance, please visit Environmental Finance's article.
Posted in financing, Innovation, News, Solar

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Summertime means swimming, at least in our family.
But swim-hair often equals straw-hair if you don't care for it properly, and no-one wants that showing up in their summer pictures.
So regardless of whether your hair is thin and straight like mine, thick and curly like my kids', or somewhere in between, follow these tips so that you'll look more like a beach beauty than a beach bum.
Condition your hair before getting in the pool, during your shower, and even as a leave in treatment afterward. You'll get bonus points if you get your hair damp with clean water before getting in the pool and then combing conditioner through your hair, paying special attention to the ends.
As soon as you get out of the water, throw on a fun, lightweight beach hat with a big brim. We especially love the Nine West Packable Floppy Hat. Not only will it keep your hair from getting fried, it will protect your face from the sun's harmful rays as well.
One way we discovered to keep my daughter's long hair from becoming a pile of knots after swimming is to put it in a braid before she dives in. And if you're conditioning like I mentioned above, it's another great way to help keep that moisture locked in longer.
People are paying big bucks for beach waves these days. Regardless of whether you're going to the beach or just want to look like it, spritz some salt water in your hair and just run your fingers through it. For added effect, dab some Bobbi Brown Beach Eau De Parfum behind your ears!
Summer hair doesn't have to be difficult, but you can elevate it by following the simple steps above.


Affordable Homes: Is a Co-op in Your Future?
Housing co-operatives used to fill a gap between ownership and rental, but few are built today. How to fix that. First in a series of four.
This series on reinventing co-op housing in B.C and Canada builds on the Tyee's A Home for All series on affordable housing. Both series were made possible in part through the support of the Tides Canada Foundation, the Catherine Donnelly Foundation, and the Van Tel/Safeway Credit Union Legacy Fund, held and managed by Vancity Community Foundation. Monte Paulsen reports for The Tyee.
This dramatic 11-storey building is Toronto's first housing co-operative in 20 years.
How about Owning Just Part of Your Home?
Vancouver is among the least affordable housing markets in the world, according to a report by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.
That hardly comes as news to Vancouver families trapped between rents they can barely afford and the increasingly unobtainable dream of home ownership.
What appears to have been forgotten among the near-daily headlines about systematic renovictions and spiraling house prices is that for much of the last century, a third form of housing tenure frequently filled the gap between ownership and rental.
It's called co-operative housing. More than 90,000 such homes were developed during the mid-20th century. But outside of Quebec, almost none are being built today.
As part of an ongoing exploration of affordable housing alternatives, The Tyee and The Tyee Solutions Society invited a panel of co-op housing experts to discuss the question: Could co-op housing be reinvented for the 21st century?
Over the next few days, The Tyee will present some of the intriguing ideas that emerged from that wide-ranging discussion. But first, here's an overview of the problem, how co-ops work, and an introduction to our panel of experts.
Here are the facts leading to the inescapable conclusion that there is no longer any corner of Vancouver where a working-class family can afford a home.
A median Vancouver household earns about $64,000 a year, according to Statistics Canada. A typical bank will loan that working family somewhere in the range of $260,000 toward the purchase of a primary residence.
A detached bungalow on the West Side costs an average of $1.15 million, according to a 2010 survey by Royal LePage. That's more than four times what a median working family can afford.
A West Side condo costs $725,000, according to the survey. That's almost three times what a working family can afford.
A detached home on the East Side costs $674,000. That's more than twice what a family can afford.
And an East Side condo costs $402,000, or about one and a half times what a family can afford.
Put another way, a typical Vancouver family would have to save $140,000 in order to make a down payment on an entry-level home.
Since few working families are capable of saving that kind of cash, most remain trapped in the rental market. And with so few households exiting the rental market over the past few years, Vancouver rents have begun to skyrocket -- especially for multi-bedroom homes. An average three-bedroom apartment in the West End now fetches $2,589 a month, according to a recent Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp survey.
Until about two decades ago, co-operative housing filled much of the gap between home ownership and rental. A housing co-operative -- or "co-op" -- is a multi-unit property owned by its residents. But unlike a condominium, where owners hold stratified titles to individual units, co-op residents are shareholders in a legal entity that owns the building. The shareholders are called members, and the holding company is called a co-operative association. Each member also holds occupancy rights to a specific suite.
There are several types of co-operative associations.
Market rate co-ops function much like condominiums: the share price of a market rate co-op rises or falls on the open market. Though common among Northern European cities that share Vancouver-style affordability problems, market rate co-ops are relatively rare in Canada.
Limited equity co-ops have rules that limit share prices in an attempt to maintain affordability. Limited equity co-ops offer most of the privileges of ownership -- including the monthly savings realized once the mortgage is repaid -- but not the right to make capital gains in a rising market.
No-equity co-ops provide some of the privileges of ownership -- such as secure tenure and protection against market-driven rental increases -- but function more like rental apartments. There is a very low purchase price -- comparable to a rental security deposit -- and a monthly fee paid in lieu of rent.
Federal and provincial governments encouraged the construction of limited equity and no-equity co-ops throughout the 1970s and 1980s via an evolving series of funding programs.
The legacy of those programs remains: there are 91,890 units in 2,221 co-operative associations across the nation, according to the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada. British Columbia is home to 14,698 units in 264 co-operatives.
Much of that financial support was contingent on the provision of some units (often between 15 and 20 per cent) to low-income residents. As a result, most co-ops are mixed-income communities. At the same time, these requirements also led many Canadians to confuse co-ops with social housing.
Federal and provincial (except in Quebec) support for co-ops died in the 1990s, and most developers turned their attentions to the increasingly lucrative condo market. The co-op federation estimates that outside of Quebec, no more than 300 new co-op units have been created in the past decade.
Stuart Thomas, a principal of Terra Housing Consultants.
The Tyee asked the group a relatively simple question: Could co-operative housing be reinvented for the 21st century?
There was no simple answer, of course, but the wide-ranging discussion produced several intriguing ideas.
Over the next few days, we'll present three of those ideas: The invention of a shared-equity ownership model, the reallocation of existing government funding, and the reconstitution of hundreds of tiny co-operatives into larger associations.
Here's what a few of the panelists had to say about the current state of co-op housing.
"I think co-ops are important because I think there's a real lack of choice in terms of housing tenure that people can access. Not everyone can afford -- most people can't afford -- a condominium or single family home, and renting is inherently insecure and not prone to building any kind of stability in people's lives," Kitchen said.
"And I think, between those two extremes, a model that provides ownership, responsibility, community and vitally, security of tenure, is an important piece in ensuring people have access to a variety of choices of tenure rather than the two that we seem to have been stuck in for the past 20 years," Kitchen added.
City Hall veteran Cameron Gray recalled that co-ops were viewed differently before the condo boom.
"This was seen as affordable home ownership. Even though it was a rental model -- no equity -- it was seen as a home ownership structure in the sense that once the mortgage was paid off the members benefited from it just like anyone with a house," Gray said.
Jim O'Dea said public misperception has hobbled co-op development.
"I think the biggest problem that co-ops have always had -- and sometimes the press is to blame for this, by the way -- is that most people don't understand the community concept. They don't understand the difference between equity co-ops and non-profit co-ops... they mash them all together," O'Dea said.
"People don't understand the mix of populations, mix of economic conditions," O'Dea continued. "When I moved into a co-op back in 1980, I got on the front page of the Vancouver Sun. They questioned why should I be in a co-op because I was a high-income earner."
Thom Armstrong made a case that the cultural advantages were as valuable as the economic incentives.
"I think co-ops are important to talk about because it's a rare intersection between individual empowerment and collective equity. And there's not a lot of opportunities to experience that intersection in a way that builds the kind of communities that you can build with housing co-ops. But I also think they can be the catalyst for other forms of cooperation and community economic development. And that's something that as a movement perhaps we haven't explored as fully as we could have," Armstrong said.
And Nicholas Gazzard, who flew from Ottawa to join the discussion, was among the first to point a finger toward government.
"The reason we haven't seen housing co-ops develop in the last, say 15 years, isn't because they're culturally passé, but because the economic and policy environment hasn't favored their development as part of an affordable housing strategy," Gazzard said.
"It's been much easier for government to simply go to non-profit providers and developers and say, 'Here's some money, bring some assets to the table up-front.' That's what we're looking for, easy, simple, out of the box. Co-ops are not that simple. The payback is downstream, not upfront."
Tomorrow: Could shared equity co-ops unlock millions of dollars of private investment now sitting on the sidelines?


Kayu's products are handmade using indigenous techniques that have been passed down through the generations. Started by Jamie Lim, they eschew the mass produced and instead work with cooperatives and artisans, many of whom learned to weave and sew from their mothers. Each of their bags takes many days to make and each bears the mark of the individual artist.
We have worked with Jamie through many iterations of their website and e-commerce store, and continue to collaborate and consult with her today. As Kayu has grown, we have proudly worked alongside them to help them expand and adapt their web presence. In their latest installment, we consulted on overall design, sales funnel/automation, and developed both the WordPress and Shopify versions of the site.
Kayu uses Shopify for their POS system as well as online sales. Shopify is great at e-commerce, but it lacks as an overall content management system. We integrated WordPress (which the original store and site were built upon) with Shopify, developing a custom theme for Kayu that makes for a seamless user experience.
Kayu wanted to allow users to filter through their bags using various tags. This, in theory, would seem simple, but Shopify is unique. This provided a larger challenge than anticipated. In the end, we were able to make it work.
KSince Kayu's bags are beautifully handcrafted, they wanted to allow the customer to get up close and personal. We developed a "zoom" effect to allow users to zoom in on the bags.
Consulted on design and user experience.
Analyzed and audited the overall sales funnel, from acquisition to purchase and implemented recommendations.
Developed both the WordPress and Shopify sides of the site and integrated the two so that the experience is seamless for the user.
Developed a custom wholesale partition of the Shopify website with member login, order sheet, and custom product display.
Continue to support the site and ongoing consulting.


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Grape Farming in Avon and Avon Lake
As French Creek flows into Avon and Avon Lake (prior to 1915 the two cities were part of the same township), early settlers here specialized in grape farming. While the Prohibition Era deterred many farmers away from growing grapes for the sudden lack of market, farmer co-ops helped to revive the grape farming industry and sustain it into the twenty-first century.
Image of grapes being transported from Avon Lake to a market in Lorain, 1902.
Cletrac Crawler tractor that was shared between grape farms in Avon and Avon Lake.
Picture of vineyards taken from Webber Road looking South, 1946.
Excerpt from a Lorain Journal article about grape picking along Detroit Road, 1955.
Allan Klingshirn hand picking grapes for Welch's, 1963.
Grapes being loaded onto semi-trucks for the journey to the Welch's plant in northeast Pennsylvania, 1963.
Grape harvester that grape farmers in Avon and Avon Lake share among themselves, 2014.
Since the area between French Creek and Lake Erie shares the same temperate climate as many German and French vineyards, German and English settlers found grapes naturally growing in Avon and Avon Lake. Like at the Wilbur Cahoon House, most settlers practiced general or mixed farming – where grapes and other crops were grown together.
It was not until the 1880s that Avon and Avon Lake began specializing in grape farming. At the time it was discovered that the lake soil (which is more sandy than other parts of Lorain County) supported a superior type of grape for wine production and prompted land prices to rise from $15 per acre to $300. In addition, Avon settler Norton Townshend developed ways to drain the area's swamp fields and utilize them from agricultural production. By 1887 Lorain County's second highest agricultural product was grapes.
Before Prohibition, Avon and Avon Lake's grape farming industry was booming. In the 1891 Directory of Grape Growers, Wine Makers, and Distillers, 21 vineyards were listed in Avon Lake alone. The region's grapes were turned into wine products, which were exported as far as the East Coast. During Prohibition (1920-1933), which forbade the public sale of alcohol, grape famers suddenly found themselves without a market. To make up for lost product, most farmers reintroduced mixed farming, produced wine for their own consumption, or sold grape juice for others to make their own wine. Despite these attempts to stay open, most vineyards closed and only about 6 remained by 1933.
Once Prohibition was repealed, however, Avon and Avon Lake saw a resurgence in grape farming. New family vineyards opened – including the Klingshirn and John Christ wineries – and local farmers pooled resources together to help their neighbors. The first tractors were shared between family farms, like a Cleveland built Cletrac crawler first manufactured in 1916, which enabled greater productivity for the whole area. By 1940, grape farming was in full force once more as Lorain County ranked second in the state for grape production. Later, the Avon Fruit Grower's Association began growing and selling concord grapes for Welch's, who in return provided resources and tools for farmers. Those who grew up in Avon and Avon Lake circa 1940-1970 recall the many grape fields that dominated the landscape and their overwhelming fragrance.
While wineries across Ohio all but disappeared in the 1970s (only two remained in Avon and Avon Lake), Lorain County emerged as a leader in revitalizing the grape farming industry. Allan Klingshirn of Klingshirn Winery was an integral member in forming the Ohio Wine Producers Association, which encouraged families to promote their vineyards and increase public engagement. Much like the grape farmer co-ops from the post-Prohibition period, families pooled resources and purchased a grape harvester that each farm had a turn using before passing it on to the next. Lee Klingshirn, son of Allan Klingshirn, has also served as a committee member for Ohio Grape Industry Committee and shares educational resources with those interested in starting their own winery. With the help of the Klingshirn's support and guidance, as well as a dozen other visionaries from across the state, Ohio's wineries have grown from 27 to about 300.
In recent years Avon and Avon Lake's grape fields have drastically decreased in size due to urban development. Vineyards that have closed include Schober Vineyards on Chester Road, Horwedel Grape Farm on Detriot Road, and the Bommer Farm on Route 611. The Alten and Billinghurst families also had vineyards on Krebs Road and near Route 611. Driving though Avon and Avon Lake, old or abandoned grape fields are recognizable from the grape posts still standing in the ground. In 2022, active vineyards include Klingshirn Winery on Webber Road, Taddeo Vineyard near the west end of Chester Road run by Klingshirns, and the Moran Vineyard on Lear Road near Mills Road.
Directory of the Grape Growers, Wine Makers, and Distillers of California, and of the Principal Grape Growers and Wine Makers of the Eastern State. Sacramento: Board of State Viticultural Commissioners of California, 1891.
Howe, George M., "Geographic Interpretation of Land Use in Lorain County, Ohio." Honors Paper, Oberlin College and Conservatory, 1948.
Klingshirn, Lee (Owner, Klingshirn Winery). Interview by Erin Robichaud. March 8, 2022.
Ohio History Connection. "Home/Lorain County/6-47 Norton S Townshend, M.D. (1815- 1895) [5]." Remarkable Ohio. Ohio History Connection, 2022. https://remarkableohio.org/index.php?/category/914
Smith, Matt (Member, Avon Historical Society). Interview by Erin Robichaud. January 6, 2022.
White, Ralph (President, Avon Historical Society). Interview by Erin Robichaud. March 14, 2022.
Image 1 courtesy of Klingshirn Winery, Avon Lake, OH
Website for the Ohio Wine Producers Association
Website for Ohio Wines
2940 Stoney Ridge Road
Avon, Ohio 44011


In a city celebrated for its design, it's odd how many pubs feel formulaic. Frustrated with the abundance of mediocre, identikit "Gastropubs", Darwin & Wallace founder Mel Marriott wanted to turn unloved and under-performing sites into brilliant local bars: unique spaces which felt like private addresses; hand-picked (sometimes hand-made) style; inspiring all-day food and drink.
Without® began with a naming convention that replaced traditional pub connotations with the feel of private addresses. Identities for each space are built around common typographic principles but each is unique.
18 F&B competitors beaten by Darwin & Wallace to the Battersea site.


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text:
Where are you from originally and where do you live now?
I grew up in Vancouver, Canada and returned here three years ago after 10 years away. My time away included stretches of time in Portland, OR, Detroit, MI, and Toronto, ON, following various academic pursuits of both myself and my husband.
What is the inspiration of your Corpus series?
My work has always been inspired to some degree by the human body. My objects and 2D work often starts with a specific body-related theme (e.g., prostheses, technology and the body, etc.), that I abstract through form, and/or materials. This series began in a similar manner, with the investigation of organ diseases.
How do these works come about? Do you start with sketches?
I didn't sketch out these works specifically, though I did complete many anatomical drawings of healthy and diseased digestive organs. My work is very process driven - I delve into the making, let go, and see where it takes me.
You work with unusual materials in this series: batting, giant pins and fill. Why not use fabric or the hardened mixed-media used in other series?
I had wanted to work with a malleable material when I came across the bamboo batting. I was attracted to its soft texture and empathetic quality. I felt compelled to cut it up and sew the pieces together in a random way; before I knew it I was making forms that were organ-like with arterial connections. Once complete, it was important that they took on a specimen-type quality, which was achieved when I hung them from the hand forged, cast-iron pins.
How do you respond to viewers' reaction to your work, particularly the unsettling, or bordering-on-grotesque, elements in your work?
I think the juiciest parts of life are driven by attraction and repulsion. When people share their reactions and impressions of my work, it gives me insight on who they are - I really enjoy hearing what viewers think.
What are your hopes and goals for 2013?
I'm a maker and just want to make and make and make. A few shows would be nice too!
Fei Disbrow's website.
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text:
from __future__ import absolute_import

from billiard import get_context

class test_spawn:
    def test_start(self):
        ctx = get_context('spawn')

        p = ctx.Process(target=task_from_process, args=('opa',))
        p.start()
        p.join()
        return p.exitcode

def task_from_process(name):
    print('proc:', name)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Enter Search Input Below Search
About Great Hearts	Enrollment Join the Interest List
Great Hearts Irving Great Hearts
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Building Our Great Future
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Great Hearts Texas does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in providing educational services, activities, and programs, including vocational and career technology programs, in accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972; Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA"), as amended, which incorporates and expands upon the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; and any other legally-protected classification or status protected by applicable law.
The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
Deborah Zimmerman, VP of Finance & Administration
Great Hearts Texas
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Great Hearts Texas Adopted Budget
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2015-2016 Audited Financials
Texas Academic Performance Reports (TAPR)/Annual Reports
2015-2016 School Report Card
Community and Student Engagement Evaluation
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2017-2018 Criteria
GHI Campus Improvement Plan 2018-2019
GHTX District Improvement Plan 2016-2017
2018-2019 Vaccination Requirements
2018-2019 Vaccination Requirements in Spanish
Child Abuse Hotline Information
Guide to Reporting Suspected Abuse and Neglect
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Abuse 24/7 hotline telephone number: 1-800-252-5400.
For more information, visit www.txabusehotline.org.
***PDF files can be read with a pdf reader, such as from Adobe Acrobat Reader
Parent Portal (Enrollment)
Breakfast/Lunch Menu
2019 – 2020 Classics to Keep List (K-5)
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For all grades, K-10, School begins at 7:45 am with a dismissal time of 3:15 pm
M-TR Full Day: 7:45 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
F* Half Day: 7:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Office Hours M-TR: 7:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Office Hours F: 7:15 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
*See academic calendar for half-day Fridays
Info@GreatHeartsIrving.org
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Gozo News 23/01/2014: As at the end of June 2013, the Maltese economy recorded an estimated net international investment position of €1.64 billion, the National Statistics Office said today. In June 2013 total foreign assets increased by €0.98 billion, compared to the same month in 2012. Total foreign liabilities increased by €0.80 billion during the corresponding period, resulting in an overall increase in the International Investment Position (IIP) of €0.18 billion.
Malta's total foreign assets abroad amounted to €48.69 billion as at end of June 2013. Other Investment accounted for 53.5 per cent, while Portfolio Investment represented 42.9 per cent of total foreign assets. The improvement in Malta's foreign assets was mainly driven by a €1.47 billion increase in debt securities, primarily bonds and notes. This was partly offset by a €0.55 billion decline in Other Investment mainly due to a fall in loans generated by the banking sector.


text:
Mongabay Series: Global Agroforestry
Nuts about agroforestry in the U.S. Midwest: Can hazelnuts transform farming?
by Sarah Derouin on 28 April 2021
Monocultures of corn and soybeans carpet 75% of the U.S. Midwest, leading to soil erosion, water pollution, and massive greenhouse gas emissions.
However, a new wave of farmers is breaking the monocrop monotony by growing these annuals between long rows of perennial shrubs like American hazelnuts, which keep soils intact while harboring beneficial bugs and sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere.
Hazelnuts are a huge market internationally and have big potential in the U.S. either as a snack or an oilseed, since the fatty acid profile is very similar to olive oil.
Other kinds of perennial crops potentially useful in agroforestry—where annuals and perennials are grown together for mutual benefit—include chestnuts, blueberries, pawpaws and persimmons.
Drive along the backroads of the U.S. Midwest and you'll see farm fields stretching for thousands of acres. The rolling hills are sliced into straight rows, filled with the same plants all standing in line.
Many farmers here are monoculture-focused, planting only corn or soybeans. These crops are annual plants; each year, fields are prepared and planted, using large amounts of energy, fertilizers, and pesticides. Excess agrochemicals seep from field to stream, polluting waterways and killing beneficial insects, while constant plowing hastens soil erosion. In years of excess water, like the 2019 flooding, these detrimental effects can be exacerbated.
But what if many of these problems, ecologic and economic, could be tempered by going back to the Midwest's roots? Instead of one or two dominant crops being grown, could some farmland be planted with perennial, native, nut or fruit trees?
Trees stabilize soils while holding and filtering water, encourage biodiversity, which can reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides, and temper the effects of a changing climate. And the nuts and fruits can be harvested and sold, diversifying a farmer's crops and revenue streams.
Changing course from monocropping to diverse multicrop farms has a few bottlenecks, but researchers are working to help farmers with agroforestry — as the combination of woody perennials like trees and shrubs with annual crops is known — and propping up nut tree markets. If successful, agroforestry could be a boon to Midwestern farmers and communities.
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Alley cropping like this co-planting of soybeans between rows of walnut trees allows farmers to diversify their crops, while reaping the benefits of perennial plants (water storage, soil erosion prevention, shade and wind breaking, among others). Image courtesy of NAC (CC BY 2.0).
Annual planting, annual challenges
Row cropping is king in the Midwest, covering three-quarters of all the land. Corn and soybeans blanket most fields, and producing these singular species gobbles up energy: around the world, agriculture is responsible for a large chunk of human-caused emissions (10-12% of CO2, and a whopping 54% of other non-CO2 greenhouse gases).
Annual tilling of fields reveals bare earth leading to erosion of the soil — a little or a lot at a time. Over the past century, some researchers estimate that a third of the most fertile topsoil has disappeared from the Midwest.
Relying on a single crop also means that it only takes one weather event — a drought, late freeze, or flooding — to devastate a harvest. In 2019, the Midwest experienced an extremely wet spring, causing more than 7.9 million hectares (19.4 million acres) of corn to not be planted. Considering our changing climate, farmers who practice monocrop farming may therefore face more economic uncertainties as unexpected weather becomes the norm.
"In any one year, crops can be majorly impacted by the environmental situation," said Sarah Lovell, director of the Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri. "Whereas if we have a wider range of crops, they're oftentimes more resilient under those conditions."
"In the upper Midwest, we have a water quality problem," said Jason Fischbach, woody crops specialist at the University of Wisconsin Extension and co-leader of the Upper Midwest Hazelnut Development Initiative (UMHDI), adding that tillage and annual row crops are to blame. He said that with climate change, larger storm events are making things worse. "We've seen two 500-year floods in the last five years in our neck of the woods. And farther south, where there's more exposed soil, it is just getting worse and worse."
Bill Davison, program manager of tree crop commercialization at Wisconsin-based agroforestry research nonprofit the Savanna Institute, said that if farmers could establish perennial vegetation, many environmental issues could be mitigated. Trees and shrubs reduce runoff and erosion, can foster less agrochemical use, and encourage the capture and storage of water, while filtering agrochemicals. Davison said replacing annual crops with nut and fruit trees "takes a system that is burning carbon, and is based on fossil fuel inputs, and replaces it with a more sustainable form of production."
In fact, Midwestern farms might be the perfect spot for sequestering carbon while making a profit. In a new book, It's Not Too Late, Frances M. Lappe writes that gradually expanding alley cropping — where widely spaced rows of trees are planted with crops like corn in between — could remove large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere: hitting a target size of 20 million hectares (50 million acres) could remove 1.07 gigatons of carbon dioxide from the air.
While all these benefits seem straightforward on paper, there is still a big factor for farmers: what will it cost? "This is the challenge: it does reduce soil and nutrient loss, but does it really help the farmers' bottom line?" said Fischbach. He noted that for farmers to fully embrace planting perennials, agroforestry solutions need to be "productive conservation."
Riparian agroforestry adds fruit or nut trees near water sources to improve water quality, wildlife and pollinator habitat, and increase revenue sources. Image courtesy of NAC (CC BY 2.0).
Making agroforestry work in the Midwest
For farmers interested in stepping away from monoculture farming, planning new agroforestry plantings can feel overwhelming, so researchers at the USDA's National Agroforestry Center (NAC) are trying to provide information tailored to farmers' needs.
"It's really practice-specific and farmer-specific," said Matt Smith, a research ecologist with the NAC, noting that farmers are trying to address problems on their land with potential agroforestry solutions — and it's not always a one-size-fits-all solution. "What one farmer is doing, their neighbor could be doing something completely different," he said, adding that agroforestry solutions could be geared toward ecological or economic goals.
Agroforestry practices have to yield specific solutions to be embraced. For example, on big monoculture farms, alley cropping might not work. "[Farmers] have huge fields where they're planting 24 rows at a time," said Missouri's Lovell. "Jockeying around trees just really isn't feasible for farmers."
Instead, farmers could take a bolder approach and change larger areas into perennial crops. Lovell explained that some "difficult" areas — the small, odd-shaped fields, flood-prone areas, or hillside fields — can be perfect for perennial crops. For example, for a sloped, flood-prone field, she noted that crops like pecan are well adapted to that type of setting. The change could be more profitable in the long run, and have environmental benefits for the farmer.
"Replacing annual crops with perennial crops generally improves the quality of habitat for wildlife and in many cases will lead to increased populations of species that depend on perennial cover," said Davison. He added that by increasing the size of riparian buffers and windbreaks, wildlife will have more natural habitat. More diverse, robust wildlife also means more habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects in general. "This can lead to a more balanced system that has fewer pest and disease outbreaks," Davison said, adding this ultimately leads to lower costs of production for farmers.
Gary Bentrup, a research landscape planner at NAC, said farmers turn to agroforestry not only to solve problems on their land, but to also even out their labor demands. "You can have some really peak times, particularly if you just have one or two crops," said Bentrup, adding that for a diversified farm, labor demand is spread out over the whole year.
Bentrup said there's a lot of interest in agroforestry among farmers. "[They're] looking at integrating livestock, which can create a more closed loop system with animals providing fertilizer, and in some cases providing management services such as weed and pest control," said Bentrup. "These systems can also enhance livestock well-being, and shade [and] protection from extreme weather events that we're seeing more frequently."
Windbreaks between fields introduce perennial plants to a system, while adding soil erosion protection and water capture and filtration. Farmers can plant trees or shrubs that produce fruits or nuts, or after a few decades, they can harvest the trees for wood. Image courtesy of NAC (CC BY 2.0).
But some farmers are hesitant to embrace agroforestry practices. Transitioning toward a diversified crop system means a significant outlay. "They have a significant investment in their current operation: investment in equipment, in how their farm operation is laid out, in the buildings and facilities," said Rich Straight, a forester at the NAC. There are big financial considerations when farmers transition to a different type of scale of farming.
There's also a steep learning curve. "If a person spends half of their adult life farming in one particular way, it's a big investment in time and learning and finding resources," said Straight. "There's a fair amount of momentum going one direction. And change, as we all know, is not easy."
Related to this, there is a social and emotional component of transitioning to agroforestry that should be respected. "Folks say, 'It breaks our heart to plant trees, because our parents and our grandparents spent decades removing the trees from the landscape,'" said Straight.
Changing farming techniques can not only cause familial stress, but community tension as well. "I've talked to farmers who have transitioned to organic farming out here in Nebraska, and they have found that it caused a breakdown in relationships with other farmers in the area, that they maybe have known their entire life," said Straight. "People now perceive you as somewhat of an outsider, or they are thinking you're judging them because you've changed to a new system."
The trio at NAC noted that education for lenders, farmers and communities can help with resistance to agroforestry. "The National Agroforestry Center is always trying to consider the barriers and we do this by talking to landowners and natural resource professionals," said Smith, adding that they post potential solutions and latest research on their website. There are also investors who are increasingly looking to help farmers transition to agroforestry.
Farmers who have made the switch have also formed an effective support system. "It's a very supportive community of people who are looking at growing food and working the land in a different fashion," said Straight. "It can be very encouraging in that way [and] people do seem to rally around each other and support and encourage and share information."
Hazelnut alley cropping, where the nuts grow between an annual crop's rows. Photo courtesy of Savanna Institute.
Is the answer nuts?
"For a long time, we would just wag our finger at farmers and say you're doing bad things — do something different," said Fischbach, but he added that suitable solutions were murky. So over the last couple of decades, the research community has focused on the feasibility of perennial crops, especially in the Upper Midwest where Fischbach works. "I was brought on to try to help revitalize the agricultural economy," he said, adding that the short growing season and "crappy, clay soils" make farming a challenge there.
So he and his team looked to native trees for an answer: enter the hazelnut. The team began looking at hazelnuts in part because they are a nearly $5 billion a year market, a big number that's predicted to grow.
While the majority of them are grown in Turkey, some recent weather events mean the country cannot keep up with demand. Currently, all of the U.S.-grown hazelnuts come from orchards in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, generating $100 million in annual revenue, so the Midwest may be in a great position to cash in on a growing market.
There are two main varieties of hazelnuts: European and American. European nuts are bigger, and a popular snack there: "People eat them like we eat peanuts," said Fischbach. The American hazelnut is more of a shrub and produces smaller nuts, but the plants are prolific. "The American hazelnut is widely distributed across the upper Midwest and actually most of the eastern U.S.," he said.
Hazelnuts. Photo by George Hodan, CC0 Public Domain
Nut size isn't necessarily an issue, as the American hazelnut can be used as an oilseed crop. "The nuts are 60% oil by weight and the fatty acid profile is identical to olive oil," said Fischbach, adding that it can be called "the northern olive oil."
For the past 14 years, scientists have been working on breeding a hybrid of the European and American varieties; they're aiming for a hardy shrub that can tolerate a variable climate, yet produces bigger nuts suitable for snacking on. Fischbach said that although they created a plant that grows well from seed, breeders are still trying to crack the code on propagating, or cloning, the most successful plants.
While hazelnuts may be the nut of the future for the Midwest (see Savanna Institute's report "What will it take to catalyze the Midwest hazelnut industry?" here), they aren't the only perennial plant that can help farmers diversify. Davison said that on some of the demonstration farms affiliated with them, farmers are combining multiple perennial crops.
"A system that is working for farmers would be chestnut trees, Christmas trees, and blueberries," said Davison. He explained that these crops need similar types of soil and conditions, so they work well together. And at the end of the day, Davison said having three crops is "a really good economic scenario for the farmers."
"We kind of overlook the huge potential of a lot of species that are native to the Midwest," said Lovell. There are many other native species — black walnut, pecan, elderberry, aronia, pawpaw, persimmon — that we haven't fully incorporated into our food system.
"They're oftentimes much more resilient and adapted under more extreme climate conditions," Lovell said. "Looking into the future, there's just a lot of potential here."
Chestnuts can also grow well in alley cropping systems. Photo courtesy of Savanna Institute.
Reaping the rows
When agroforestry is initially embraced, it's often for smaller efforts like windbreaks. These narrow bands are often fast-growing trees like poplar or pine that become profitable about 30 years later, but only for a one-time sale. If a farmer plants hazelnuts for that windbreak, though, Fischbach said that they will create a positive cash flow in just five or six years.
"That's how we're trying to position hazelnuts," said Fischbach. "We're not trying to convince people to take the other 40 acres of corn and beans and put in hazelnuts; we want you to deploy these hazelnuts in a way that makes your whole system better."
Davison has also noted this approach and said he's seeing signs of more people changing the way they farm. "When I talk to some nursery owners, for the first time in 40 years, they have been overwhelmed with orders for trees — more than they can meet. It's pretty exciting."
Once the hazelnuts ripen, the next questions are around harvesting and processing, and since farmers who only grow a few rows of hazelnuts might not want to invest in their own harvesting equipment, UMHDI created Grower Networks in 2019 to help farmers pool resources for harvesting, processing and selling them. Fischbach said that early on, Midwest farmers would pick hazelnuts by hand, but that quickly became untenable.
So they tried a blueberry picker, and Fischbach said they work pretty well, especially considering that they were "built to handle soft, squishy, wimpy little blueberries." He said they are still tinkering with the machine for greater efficiency. And because the Midwest is new to the nut industry, with no processing plants operating nearby, UMHDI created a processing incubator in Ashland, Wisconsin, so growers can now ship to this regional plant to crack and separate hazelnut kernels from their shells, to avoid large shipping costs for processing in the Northwest.
Researchers from the Savanna Institute use their hazelnut harvester on a farm in Wisconsin. Image courtesy of Savanna Institute.
The future of farms?
Shedding the image of a corn- and soybean-only farm might seem far-fetched, but Lovell said the Midwest has the potential to grow much more. "There's so many things that we can be producing on this landscape that would just be a win-win-win in terms of the environmental health, the human health, [and] other cultural aspects," she said.
Increasing perennial crops and reducing monocropping has far-reaching benefits for the ecosystem, she added, like that potential gigaton of carbon sequestration. "All of that plant material that you see above ground, and then oftentimes [in] equal amounts below ground, is carbon that's being stored."
"It's just such an exciting time in agriculture," said Fischbach. "We really have some new tools, new energies, new young people doing the hard work of developing new systems." He added that while farmers are willing to try new agroforestry crops like hazelnuts, it still relies on Midwestern markets and companies like the American Hazelnut Company, a small-scale operation that processes and sells Midwest-grown hazelnut products like oil, hazelnut flour and snackable kernels.
"Ultimately, for any of this to work, we need consumers in the Midwest to eat hazelnuts," he said, adding that convincing folks to buy the little nut isn't too difficult "because it tastes great."
So Midwesterners can be on the lookout for this tasty product that supports area farmers. And if hazelnuts take off, one day a locally grown Nutella knockoff might even be pantry staple.
Sarah Derouin is a freelance science writer who lives in Michigan. Follow her on Twitter at @Sarah_Derouin.
This report is part of Mongabay's ongoing coverage of trends in global agroforestry, view the full series here.
Related audio from Mongabay's podcast: Agroforestry is an ancient climate change solution that boosts food production and biodiversity, listen here:
Article published by Erik Hoffner
Adaptation To Climate Change, Agriculture, Agroforestry, Archive, Climate Change, Conservation Solutions, Featured, Global Warming Mitigation


Have you ever been so focused on something you wanted to see happen that you missed something that WAS happening? It's a little bit like staring at a closed door, and not turning to see the beauty around that door that might be waiting to be seen.
This can happen so easily in our lives– we become so fixated on a disappointment we wish we could change, that we miss opportunities that could be leading us to a joy we never imagined. Closed doors can provide as much guidance as open doors if we let them, because they force us to turn around and see what other doors might be opening up.
There is a reason that a door closes- and even if you can see it right now, someday you will view it differently. You will have more of the story to better interpret this scene.
You don't always see what is actually happening when it happens. Time will bring new meaning. Today on my podcast, I tell a couple stories that illustrate this truth.
So find ten minutes and tune in. It might open your eyes to something you're not looking at that you need to see.


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USAID Shares Lessons in Women's Financial Inclusion in Global Learning Forum
A Philippine delegation of gender champions shared lessons learned from empowering women through entrepreneurship in the Philippines during the Women's Economic Empowerment Global Learning Forum held on May 23-25, 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Organized by the Small Enterprise Education and Promotion (SEEP) Network, the forum focused on the themes of empowerment of poor rural women, employment opportunities through enterprise development, and job creation and women's financial inclusion. Gender Specialist Ma. Gichelle Cruz of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Strengthening Urban Resilience for Growth with Equity (SURGE) Project, who was part of the delegation, joined participants from 61 countries in identifying solutions to systemic barriers to scalable and sustainable change in women's economic empowerment.
Ms. Cruz chaired the interactive peer learning session on Bridging Gaps and Challenges in Women's Financial Inclusion – The Philippine Experience. She led the discussion on challenges and good practices in promoting women entrepreneurship as an effective mechanism to address gendered economic inequalities with fellow Filipinos Patrick Henry Asiñero, Assistant Project Manager of the Supporting Women's Economic Empowerment in the Philippines Project or GREAT Women Project 2, and Primar Jardeleza, Vice President of the Pambansang Kalipunan ng mga Manggagawang Impormal sa Pilipinas (PATAMABA), Inc.
"I learned a lot from the great work of women empowerment in the Philippines helping women scale up from the value chain. It is very inspiring, very exciting and very practical," said Jonathan Burton, Head of Programs – South East Asia at CUSO International.
The Philippines presents an interesting case of women entrepreneurship. 80 percent of micro, small and medium enterprises in the country were started by women. A similar trend can be observed in the microfinance sector, where over 80 percent of active borrowers are women who use the capital to grow their businesses.
From the experience of PATAMABA, women in the informal sector earned the trust of microfinance institutions because they are good borrowers who regularly pay their . Although more Filipino women own businesses as compared to men, these women entrepreneurs are often resource-poor and struggle in obtaining initial capital investment and accessing institutional financial support.
The panel identified promising approaches to improving women's access to financial services. Developing the financial literacy of women entrepreneurs with learning resources and community-based training in regional languages can improve the competitiveness and sustainability of their businesses. Women at the grassroots level gain more access to additional capital through community organizing, savings mobilization schemes, and indigenous social protection strategies. In addition to these alternative channels, building social capital and linking women entrepreneurs with financial institutions increases their visibility and bankability with the formal credit market.
After this international forum, the Philippine delegation will organize follow-up discussions in Manila to explore opportunities for partnership among the public and private sector, civil society, and academia to support women's entrepreneurship.
Through the SURGE Project, USAID supports partner cities outside Metro Manila to fulfill their potential as engines of inclusive and resilient economic growth. As part of its work to improve connectivity and access between urban and rural areas, the project is facilitating market linkages that will provide more opportunities for women-owned businesses.
The session is a breather. I learned a lot from the great work of women empowerment in the Philippines helping women scale up from the value chain. It is very inspiring, very exciting and very practical. Thank you very much."
– Jonathan Burton, Head of Programs – South East Asia, CUSO International
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