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Fall Colors Highlight CityGarden
in Downtown St. Louis
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), October 21, 2009 - It's October, when leaves blaze yellow, orange and red. Foresters with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) say this should be a good year for autumn color.
According to MDC, the St. Louis Region has lost some of the early color due to the heavy rain, but more species are adding to the palette. Sugar and red maple varieties are showing why they're such popular landscape trees. Sugar maples may vary in color from yellow to red or include all the colors in between on the same tree. Landscape red maples are usually orange or red, but the same species may change to only yellow in the forest. Sweet gum is also showing a variety of colors ranging from yellow to purple.
In downtown St. Louis, the newly planted Gingko biloba 'Princeton Sentry' or 'Autumn Gold' trees at Citygarden along Market Street are living up to their reputation, showcasing vivid yellow leaves.
Certain local weather conditions can cause fall colors to be less vivid. For instance, heavy rains at this time of year can flush pigments out of leaves, reducing color. Foresters in northeast Missouri say wet, cool conditions there and increased prevalence of leaf diseases could make colors more bronze than gold in some areas.
Drought or strong wind sometimes causes premature leaf drop. But barring such conditions, Missouri's fall color outlook is bright.
In your fall color travels this weekend, look for flowering dogwood, sassafras, sumacs, white ash and Virginia creeper for good reds and purples. Some oaks are beginning to show hints of color, so you may see some nice reds developing on them, especially on white and pin oaks. Hickories, green ash, mulberry, elms, hackberry and spicebush have some excellent yellows right now, especially highlighted against the green that still remains.
Missouri Residents Can Call Toll-Free Number
for H1N1 Flu and Vaccine Information
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), October 18, 2009 - Missouri residents can call a new toll-free number for information about the H1N1 flu, from symptoms and basic medical advice to the availability of the new H1N1 vaccine.
The number, 1-877-FLU-4141 (1-877-358-4141), will be answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Specialists with the H1N1 InfoLine will answer questions about flu symptoms, when to seek medical care and ways to limit the spread of the flu, including the new vaccine. Medical professionals will be available to assist the specialists with callers' questions.
The information line is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
"As we get further into flu season, we know many Missourians will have questions about the H1N1 flu," said Margaret Donnelly, director of the state health department. "We urge Missouri residents to do everything they can to prevent the spread of the flu and keep their families healthy. The Flu InfoLine can help answer questions they might have."
Health care professionals can also call the toll-free number for more information about the H1N1 flu and vaccine.
The state health department is encouraging Missourians to get the vaccine as it becomes available. Pregnant women, children and young adults are the most at risk of contracting the H1N1 flu, so they will be given priority to receive the vaccine first. Studies show that older people are less at risk because they appear to have some degree of resistance to the virus.
Missouri received its first shipment of aerosol mist vaccine early this month. Additional shipments of the aerosol mist and the injectable form of the vaccine began arriving from drug manufacturers this week.
The mist version of the flu vaccine can be used by healthy children and adults ages 2 through 49. Because it contains live virus, it is not appropriate for pregnant women, children under 2 years old or anyone with an underlying health condition such as asthma. Those groups should receive an H1N1 flu shot.
"Adequate supplies of the flu vaccine will be available for the high-risk groups," Donnelly said. "As additional shipments of the vaccine arrive in Missouri, flu shots or vaccine mist should be available to everyone who wants them."
H1N1 flu symptoms include fever, cough and sore throat. Most cases are relatively mild to moderate and do not require treatment. Most people with the H1N1 flu can recover at home. They should get plenty of fluids, take over-the-counter medication to reduce their fever and stay home and rest.
Pregnant women and people with underlying health conditions who think they might have the flu should contact their health care provider.
For more information about the flu, go to the state health department's Web site at www.dhss.mo.gov.
Construction Market to Increase 11% in 2010
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), October 18, 2009 - McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies has released its 2010 Construction Outlook, a mainstay of business planning for construction and manufacturing executives, which forecasts an increase in overall U.S. construction starts for next year.
Due to improvement for housing from extremely low levels and broader expansion for public works, the level of construction starts in 2010 is expected to climb 11% to $466.2 billion, following the 25% decline predicted for 2009.
"The U.S. construction market in 2010 will be helped by growth for several sectors, following three straight years of decline that brought total construction activity down 39% from its mid-decade peak," said Robert A. Murray, vice president of economic affairs for McGraw-Hill Construction, addressing more than 300 construction executives and professionals at the 71st annual Outlook 2010 Executive Conference in Washington.
"The benefits from the stimulus act will broaden in scope, lifting not just highway construction but also environmental public works and several institutional structure types. With continued improvement expected for single family housing, after reaching bottom earlier this year, the overall level of construction activity should see moderate expansion in 2010."
Highlights of the 2010 Construction Outlook include:
- Single family housing for 2010 will advance 32% in dollars,
corresponding to a 30% increase in the number of units to 560,000
(McGraw-Hill Construction basis).
- Multifamily housing will improve 16% in dollars and 14% in units,
after steep reductions in 2008 and 2009.
- Commercial buildings will drop 4% in dollars, following a steep 43%
drop in 2009. The weak employment picture will further depress
occupancies, making it even more difficult to justify new
construction.
- Institutional buildings will begin to stabilize after losing momentum
in 2009. Square footage will retreat another 2% after sliding 23% this
year. The dollar amount of construction for this sector will edge up
1%, helped by a growing amount of energy-efficiency upgrades to
federal buildings and continued strength for military buildings.
- Manufacturing buildings will drop 14% in dollars and 3% in square
feet, hampered by the substantial amount of slack manufacturing
capacity.
- Public works construction is expected to rise 14%, given more
wide-ranging strength across all project types.
- Electric utility construction will slip 3%, continuing to settle back
after a record high in 2008.
The 2010 Construction Outlook was presented at the McGraw-Hill Construction Outlook Executive Conference in Washington, DC, which brought together top management from all parts of the construction industry including firms involved in building product manufacturing, architecture and design, contracting, engineering, industry associations and other industry professionals.
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