“Investment in UK infrastructure is a win-win – promoting economic growth and jobs whilst providing attractive investments for the trustee board in meeting its commitments to members,” he said.The wholly owned asset manager’s head of private markets, Michael Powell, said Heathrow had a “bright future” as the country’s only hub airport, and that USS looked forward to the outcome of the Davies Commission, set to recommend where runway capacity in the south-east of the country should be expanded.“We have confidence the right incentives will be set in place to encourage the investment Heathrow and the UK needs,” Powell added.USS has been active in the infrastructure market, buying Airtrain Holdings last year for AUD110m (€87m).The monopoly train provider is responsible for maintaining the rail link between Brisbane Airport and Brisbane centre.It has also repeatedly provided water utilities in the UK with debt funding, and was part of a consortium involved in a £5bn bid for water provider Severn Trent. The UK’s second-largest pension fund, the £37.9bn (€44.6bn) Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), is to invest nearly £400m in Heathrow Airport.Under terms of the deal, USS will invest £392m in exchange for an 8.65% stake in FGP Topco, the London airport’s holding company.It marks the defined benefit fund’s single-largest domestic infrastructure investment to date.Roger Gray, chief executive at USS Investment Management, said the 8% stake represented a “premier” infrastructure asset.
Old Route 17 Bridge to be closed for months
WINDSOR (WBNG) — Those who use Old Route 17 Bridge in Windsor will need to find a different route beginning next month. It will be closed for rehabilitation and painting. The Broome County Executive’s Office says the bridge will be closed from March 2 at 7 a.m. to August 29 at 4 p.m.
A detour route will be posted.
COVID-19 pandemic brings increased burden on mental health
If you or a loved one needs help, you can contact the New York State COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline at 1-844-863-9314. “People are feeling pretty isolated, and that’s something our organization plays a critical role in the community, helping to address issues like isolation,” said Leahey. MHAST Executive Director Keith Leahey says the line is there for people who need someone to talk to. At the Mental Health Association of the Southern Tier (MHAST), they offer a “warm line” where people can call for support. However, since the pandemic has started, MHAST has since an 80 percent increase in calls to their warm line. For organizations like MHAST, there’s a concern that government funding will be reduced due to the coronavirus. If that were to happen, MHAST would not be able to provide their mental health resources. “We know that this is going to be a long term need, and service is going to be at record levels, there’s no question about that. The state is facing some pretty difficult budget-related issues,” said Leahey. Right in the Southern Tier, mental health experts say New Yorkers are feeling the isolation that comes with staying at home. “If you just look at the latest on unemployment numbers, we have 38 million people who are out of work. You have parents who are home, who are trying to not only work and provide and take care of things at home, but many of them are now teachers as well,” said Leahey. With the growing number of phone calls, Leahey says he’s confident this mental health crisis won’t be going away anytime soon. Leahey says a common feeling everyone seems to be sharing is the feeling of being isolated. “We received just over 3,000 calls in the first quarter of 2020,” says Leahey. (WBNG) — According to the American Psychiatric Association, more than one-third of Americans say the pandemic has had an impact on mental health. 
Old Union Hotel suspends indoor dining after employee contracts virus
BINGHAMTON (WBNG) — The Old Union Hotel is changing the way it operates temporarily after one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19. The restaurant says it will close Aug. 4 but reopen Aug. 5 for takeout only. It will not reopen for dine-in services until Aug. 12. The Old Union Hotel says this gives them adequate time to disinfect and ensure the safety of its customers. The Broome County Health Department did not issue a public health statement about this positive case.
The infected employee last worked on July 29 and wore a mask during their shift, the restaurant says.
U.S. elections, China trade data, currencies and oil
SINGAPORE — Stocks in Japan were set to trade higher at the open as investors in Asia-Pacific react to the Democrat Joe Biden’s defeat of incumbent Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential race, according to NBC projections.Futures pointed to a higher open for Japanese stocks, with the Nikkei futures in Chicago at 24,425 while its counterpart in Osaka was at 24,360. That compared against the Nikkei 225’s last close at 24,325.23.- Advertisement – Shares in Australia edged higher in early trade, with the S&P/ASX 200 up around 0.9%.Former U.S. vice president Biden won following his projected win in the states of Pennsylvania as well as Nevada, according to NBC News projections on Saturday. Still, Trump is refusing to concede the election, claiming it’s “far from over.”On the economic data front, China’s exports surged 11.4% in October as compared to a year earlier, according to official statistics released over the weekend. – Advertisement – – Advertisement –
– Advertisement – Meanwhile, on the coronavirus front, infections continue to surge stateside. The U.S. recently reported more than 126,000 new infections for two day in a row. Globally, the number of coronavirus infections crossed the 50 million mark on Sunday, according to Reuters.CurrenciesThe U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was last at 92.184 following a decline in recent days from levels above 93.1.The Japanese yen traded at 103.24 per dollar after strengthening from levels above 104.3 against the greenback last week. The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.7288 after last week’s rise from levels below $0.711.
The move of 2 mobile homes creates controversy over county ordinance
by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Sumner County Planning Commission Director Jon Bristor, upon the direction of two Sumner County Commissioners, is asking for the removal of two mobile homes off of property owned by Lynda and James Lynn Davis at 1101 North Line Street — just two blocks north of the Belle Plaine city limits.Bristor said he has spoken with Ms. Davis this morning giving her and her brother 30 days to remove two mobile homes off a .8 acre lot in unincorporated Sumner County. Bristor said he will also submit a formal letter to the owners. If the Davis family does not comply, the county could take the matter to court, Bristor said.Bristor said the Davis family is violating three Sumner County ordinances: •moving a pre-1976 manufactured home into the unincorporated Sumner County limits;•not obtaining a certified transportation permit;•and having two mobile homes on one parcel of property.The steps taken by the Sumner Planning and Zoning Commission office today came after a contentious 70 minute discussion held at the Sumner County Commissioners meeting Monday. Two of the commissioners ultimately decided to have Bristor make the enforcements, while another commissioner said the county should not be involved with the mobile home issue.The issue arose when the owners of “Triple 5” mobile home park, who are allegedly from California, decided to close down its operation in the summer of 2012, Lynda Davis said. The Davises were occupants at the park and owned two pre-1976 mobile homes. Lynda Davis said they were given 60 days notice to move their mobile homes off the property. James Davis told Sumner Newscow that their mobile homes were the only ones occupied at the time, and there are still abandoned mobile homes at the mobile home park site today.The Davises were taking care of their mother, Georgie Davis at the time. In November, Lynda Davis bought the parcel north of Belle Plaine, and moved the mobile homes there. Georgia died Dec. 3, 2012. She said they made the move so they could continue to take care of their ailing mother before her death.The move, however, was illegal and Bristor said he had received a complaint by neighbors on Nov. 26, 2012. The neighbors’ concerns were also brought up at two commissioners meetings in 2012. They instructed Bristor to take the matter to the advisory Sumner County Planning Commission to interpret the law concerning moving pre-1976 mobile homes. The commission, in turn, voted 8-3 at its Jan. 16 meeting that the ordinance was legal and should be enforced.Bristor then brought his findings back to the commissioners on Monday where a lengthy and contentious discussion ensued. Six neighboring property owners, including Kelly and Kim Martin of Belle Plaine, were at Monday’s meeting. Kim Martin sent a letter via e-mail to Sumner Newscow expressing her concerns as well.She and her husband had bought rural property in the area in March 2012 and moved to Sumner County the letter said.“There was no ‘squatter’s’ mobile home park developing near us. It was actually already in existence at the south end of Belle Plaine,” Kim Martin said in the letter. “But in November 2012, what resembled as a ‘squatter’s mobile home park’ began to develop in the township. This became a concern to me for it was an entrance to my and several other properties, no matter which direction you drove, you drove past it.”She said the inclusion of these two mobile homes is causing her property values to decrease.On Monday, the Commissioners were not in agreement with one another. District 1 Commissioner Steve Warner advocated that the Davis family should be left alone, citing that the Davis were being deprived of their Fifth Amendment right of the U.S. Constitution which states that citizens are protected against the abuse of government authority in a legal procedure.Commissioner Jim Newell disagreed, stating that laws are in place and throwing out the rules for one incident is not good governmental policy. If the commissioners were to eliminate the pre-1976 mobile home ordinance it would only cause expansive county government, he said.Commissioner Cliff Bales said the ordinance should be changed in which pre-1976 mobile homes could be allowed to move within the county but not from another county into Sumner. But in this case with the law already on the book it should be enforced. He requested that the planning commission revisit the ordinance again and see if it could to be changed.One planning commission board member John Larsen was in attendance at the Commissioners meeting and vocally supported the enforcement of the law.“If we don’t enforce the zoning laws, then why do we have a planning commission or even have these laws on the books?” Larsen said.The neighbors in attendance speculated that the ordinance change could be a way for the commissioners to cater to the oil industry and its possible influx of workers coming to the county who will need housing. Others worry by getting rid of the ordinance, that would invite a glut of mobile homes coming from small towns such as Milan and Mayfield to the unrestricted unincorporated area of Sumner County.Afterwards, Lynda Davis said she and her family does not know what they are going to do next. They said to move the mobile homes to another location under the Sumner County guidelines would cost them $8,000 and they don’t have the money. They now worry about being homeless.