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Texans vs. Jaguars Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread – Week 13
CARLIN — Starting with becoming an electrical apprentice right out of high school, Eric MacGill has enjoyed a career of supervising the design of electrical systems which keep Nevada’s roads safe. MacGill is the supervisor for the signals, lighting and Intelligent Transportation System design section of Nevada Department of Transportation. At the Zero Fatalities Nevada Crash Safety Summit in Reno earlier this month, MacGill wanted to discuss one particular project of which most Elko County residents have seen the results — and which broke new ground for highway-lighting systems. The Carlin Tunnel, actually a system of two highway tunnels and two rail tunnels, is the only Nevada highway tunnel that requires lightning, MacGill said. As for why no other tunnels in the state contain lights, he said reasons range from cultural ones — such as how the Cave Rock tunnel at Lake Tahoe, which goes through an area protected by the U.S. Forest Service — to the tunnels being too short to need any lighting. NDOT built the highway tunnels in 1974, MacGill said. A truck travels in the Carlin Tunnel before 2013 lighting upgrades. Dim lights cast an orange glow with the tunnel's outdated sodium vapor lighting. “They actually had options to V-cut the mountain, because the mountain itself is actually fairly small. It's only about 1,100 feet, 1,400 at the longest,” he said. “But the decision was made to bore through it. So, I guess that might have been a unique situation in that we didn't necessarily have to put a tunnel in. We did have options to do other alternatives. But now we've installed this and now we have to maintain it.” MacGill worked on a 2013 project to upgrade the lighting control system in the tunnels, which are now undergoing a lighting refresh. The eastbound Carlin Tunnel in November 2013 features an upgrade from sodium vapor lighting to energy-efficient LED lighting. The new lights are connected to sensors to make them brighter or dimmer in response to outside conditions. When the tunnels opened in 1974, they had a thin row of lights along either side, MacGill said. By the 1990s, NDOT decided to switch the setup to a more robust set of lights hanging from the ceiling. The amount of lighting lessened as drivers neared the end of the tunnel. “They realized that we needed to put a lot of light at the entrance so that people were going in knowing what was there. If there was an obstruction or something in the way, they could see that before they actually got into the tunnel,” MacGill said. “In 2012, we actually started a project that continued through 2013 in the design phase. Then, into 2014 when we actually installed it, we did a lot of research in the design,” MacGill said, because they wanted to keep it modern and meet current tunnel lighting standards. “We did a lot of systems engineering. We looked at all manufacturers who stated they did tunnel lighting or they provided tunnel lighting fixtures. We compared everything. We eventually came up with a system we felt met the needs. And, fortunately, we were able to make it much more maintainable,” MacGill said. Eric MacGill shows a photograph of the lighting system in Carlin Tunnel in the 1970s, at the Zero Fatalities Nevada Crash Safety Summit in the Silver Legacy Resort, Nov. 14, 2024. “During that process, the design process, we wanted an off-the-shelf system so that maintainers didn't have something that was specialized so much that they could only get it from a certain manufacturer.” The lighting needed to be something they could realistically maintain, he explained. While the NDOT team was designing the tunnel lighting, LEDs were becoming increasingly viable as a heavy-duty lighting source, with their lumens per watt increasing. “We got to the point where we were able to light the entire tunnel using LEDs. And in North America, the Carlin Tunnel was the first tunnel fully lighted by LED luminaries,” MacGill said. In order for Carlin to have a safe LED-lit tunnel, the lights needed to be at a different level of brightness in the nighttime than they were in the daytime, MacGill said. Eric MacGill shows how Carlin Tunnel's lighting system from 2013 compares with the lighting system from the 1990s, at the Zero Fatalities Nevada Crash Safety Summit in the Silver Legacy Resort, Nov. 14, 2024. Tunnel lighting operates according to a certain formula, he explained. “The brighter it is outside, the brighter it is in the tunnel. The dimmer it is, the dimmer the tunnel lighting is. So there's a direct correlation between the outside ambient light levels and the light levels inside the tunnel.” The team realized they needed to create a lighting system which would easily adapt to different light levels outside the tunnel, MacGill explained. “If lighting was reduced due to cloud coverage or a stormy day, we had to have something that brought the light level down so people, when they're entering the tunnel, their eyes didn't have to adjust,” he said. “We ended up establishing different steps of lighting so that the lighting would ramp up slowly and ramp down slowly. We wanted to have it completely dynamic — but in that process of programming the system, it was easier to have small steps of lighting that increased, as opposed to an infinite amount of ramping up and ramping down.” A major problem with the 1990s lighting system was its cost of maintenance, MacGill noted. The NDOT team discovered “there was no dimming ability with it — it either was on or off. So, they had these huge contactors that would either shut the lighting off for certain banks or turn it on. That rush of current was the majority of the costs — not the actual cost to run the lights or the energy to run the lights, but that rush of energy as they turn these big banks of lights on and off,” MacGill explained. Eric MacGill shows an example of the lighting components used for the Carlin Tunnel. “So, we were looking at costs of $18,000 to $20,000 a month, just for the power for the 1990s system,” he noted. “Once we installed the LED lighting, it worked much more efficiently. You didn't have the inrush of current to light the tunnel as it dimmed up and dimmed down.” “The 1990s system used contactors and circuit-based technology. So one circuit would be about 10 lights and it would either be on or off,” he said. “We want a much more dynamic system with the newer technology using LEDs. We wanted to be able to ramp that lighting up more gradually, to control it more more easily.” Now, communication is sent to the luminaires from a control room, turning them on or off. “As you can imagine, there are not a lot of tunnel lighting control manufacturers out there in the world. We worked with Nyx-Hemera. They're out of Canada and they work worldwide.” However, “we didn't want a manufacturer discontinuing their product line to force us to change out all the luminaires in the tunnel. So we standardized in 2013 on a lighting performance,” MacGill noted. “In 2014, we stayed with the same lighting performance and developed a sort of cut sheet so other manufacturers can build to that standard. So, we can purchase from any manufacturer who does tunnel lighting, say, 50 or 100 luminaires that can then be put up. So in the future, hopefully, we're not going to have to relight everything, even though the manufacturer no longer carries that specific fixture that's in there right now.” “The manufacturer we worked with, it wasn't a specialized luminaire they were providing to us — but they did state that, ‘Hey, we'll manufacture parts for this luminaire that you're buying from us for 20 years.’ And unfortunately, through administrative changes on their end, they stopped that product line, so we're no longer able to get those components that made up the luminaire,” MacGill explained. “We have a project going on right now where we're refreshing all those luminaires we installed in 2014. We're anticipating getting 20 years out of those luminaires.” Along with lights, the tunnel also contains six feedback cameras which say whether the system is working, as well as a few luminance cameras which mimic drivers’ eyes to adjust light levels, MacGill explained. As the mining industry in the area puts strain on the power grid, the power system has a special filter to ensure clear communication, he said. “The Carlin Tunnels are fairly short with regard to tunnels themselves. But driver safety and drivers’ perceptions of safety, with being able to light the tunnel to make sure that they're staying within the lines more easily and they know the walls are close but not too close to the vehicles — I think those are the major factors I focus on personally,” he said. “It's exasperating because you have these walls that are so close you don't have a shoulder — and people get nervous in tunnels when they can't see well,” MacGill explained. “It's very important to make sure we're properly signing the tunnels coming ahead,” NDOT traffic safety engineer Kim Goodwin added. “Advanced signage, proper striping, all those things play into notifying that a tunnel is coming and help the driver be alert.” MacGill concluded, “We don't want drivers to be thinking about how good the lighting is or how poor it is. Most of the time, drivers don't notice that there is lighting. They just notice if they can see the road well. They only notice that there's a problem when the lighting is poor and they have issues seeing what's going on in the tunnel.” Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
A scandal involving Clayton Bartolo, Clint Camilleri and Bartolo’s wife Amanda Muscat should be the subject of a police investigation, the Green Party has argued. ADPD secretary general Ralph Cassar said the trio should be charged with criminal association and fraud, and challenged the police commission to “do his duty” instead of standing by those who “defraud the people.” “This is another case in which the Commissioner appears to be spineless with those in power and a bully to those who steal a tin of tuna because they are hungry,” Cassar said. The scandal concerns manoeuvres by Bartolo and Camilleri to secure a fake ministry consultancy job for Muscat, who was dating Bartolo at the time. Muscat was first made a consultant within Bartolo’s ministry and then moved to Camilleri’s. But she never did any work as a consultant, had no qualifications to justify that role and continued to work as Bartolo’s secretary throughout. A parliamentary committee this week resolved to admonish Bartolo and Camilleri and order Muscat to refund the balance between what she was meant to be earning and what she actually made. Bartolo was also instructed to apologise to parliament. The prime minister, Robert Abela, has made it clear that he sees no reason for Camilleri to be sacked as minister. Bartolo was sacked and kicked out of Labour’s parliamentary group after Abela learnt that Times of Malta was to reveal that Bartolo and Muscat are the subject of a money laundering probe concerning an unrelated affair. In a new conference on Saturday ADPD said the parliamentary committee’s decisions were “scandalous” and that Speaker Anġlu Farrugia had effectively “granted guilty parties an easy pass” through his casting vote. ADPD public relations officer Brian Decelis said the prime minister appeared to be favouring loyalty to those around him over rectitude and ethical politics The steps taken by the Standards Committee are the minimum, Decelis said. “The abuse of power cannot be treated superficially and taken simply as a misunderstanding. It must be treated as a crime.” The ADPD speakers said the affair was proving them right – the country need constitutional change to allow more than two parties into parliament, to scrutinise a system that the country’s two large parties have allowed to deteriorate “for decades”. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.Barron Trump continues his new life chapter in college. The presidential family has shown their support as he embarks on his studies at New York University's Stern School of Business in Lower Manhattan. Barron is reportedly still adjusting while living at the family's Midtown Manhattan residence, Trump Tower. Barron Trump is NYU's latest 'ladies man': Report Melania Trump's First Lady outfits: Her latest gray ensemble at the New York Stock Exchange Melania Trump praises son Barron for 'giving advice to his father' Donald Trump A source has revealed that his mom, Melania Trump, is guiding him throughout his first semesters , and it seems he will not be staying at the college dorms anytime soon. "Living in a dorm in a college town isn’t in the stars for him at this point," a source said to People magazine. “Whether or not others think he is capable of being on his own, Melania feels it's better to be around him as much as possible," the source said. "I see that continuing." "[Melania] will do everything she can to make sure Barron does well in school and is socially and mentally adjusted to his life as a college student," the insider explained, adding that Barron "already has his own political ideas. It all needs to be monitored in light of the situation." The former and future First Lady is also preparing to take on her political duties ahead of the presidential inauguration. However, she is still present for her son's needs. "Barron is in school all day, so she has plenty of time for official jobs as well as being there for her son when he needs her," the source said. "Every mother handles her children the way she feels best," the insider said about the decision behind Barron to stay at the Trump Tower as he continues his education at NYU, adding that his living situation might change in the future, but it is the best decision "for now." "I don't think it's possible for him to be a normal student. His experience at college, it's very different than any other kid," Melania previously said during an interview with Fox & Friends.NEW ORLEANS, La. (AP) — A Louisiana civil court judge on Monday halted state agencies' plans to forcibly clear homeless encampments in New Orleans. Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Ethel Julien issued a temporary restraining order blocking state police and two other agencies from evicting homeless people from their encampments in New Orleans or seizing their property without following city laws and due process. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry had called earlier this month for the City of New Orleans to remove a large encampment before Thanksgiving and warned he would intervene if the city did not comply. “If a judge believes that people have a right to be on whatever public space they choose, maybe that judge should have them move into her chambers and courtroom," Landry said after the judge issued the restraining order Monday. Louisiana State Police spokesperson Sgt. Katharine Stegall said the agency’s legal team and the state Attorney General’s Office are reviewing the order. State police have “promptly halted activities” and are “complying with the restrictions” of the order, Stegall said. Landry and New Orleans officials have repeatedly clashed over how to address the issue of homelessness in the city. New Orleans City Councilmember Lesli Harris said Monday that directing more resources towards moving homeless people into stable housing was “infinitely more effective than punitive sweeps” of encampments. “Coordination between the government and service providers on the housing of people is imperative, and continuously moving people only makes it that much harder to house them,” Harris said. But the governor has pushed to clear homeless encampments. In late October, Louisiana State Police, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Department of Transportation and Development converged on a homeless encampment under a highway to remove and relocate dozens of people prior to pop star Taylor Swift’s concerts in the nearby Superdome. Some people who had been away at the time of the clearances returned to the area to find they had lost their personal property including family heirlooms, identification documents and medication, according to testimony in court documents. City officials and advocates for homeless people decried the evictions and said they disrupted ongoing efforts to secure long-term housing for these individuals because they became harder to locate. A judge later granted a temporary restraining order preventing more clearances but declined to extend it beyond early November after lawyers representing the state police indicated in court that removals tied to the Taylor Swift concerts had ceased. But on Friday, homeless people began receiving flyers from state police officers ordering them to leave their encampments within 24 hours, according to a motion for relief filed on behalf of two homeless plaintiffs by the Southern Poverty Law Center and two other legal groups. The planned sweeps preceded the Bayou Classic football game on Saturday between Southern University and Grambling State University at the Superdome. “Your presence is considered a violation,” the flyers stated, according to the motion for relief. However, they were halted by the new temporary restraining order. On Dec. 3, the judge is scheduled to deliberate on whether to issue a preliminary injunction against the three state agencies. “The vulnerable people with disabilities who make up the vast majority of people living in the street deserve to be treated with sensitivity and compassion,” said Joe Heeren-Mueller, director of community engagement for Unity of Greater New Orleans, a homeless outreach organization. There are about 1,450 homeless people in New Orleans and neighboring Jefferson Parish, according to a January survey by the nonprofit Unity of Greater New Orleans. The city has committed to securing housing for these individuals by the end of 2025. Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96