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Just for Fun: St. Patrick's Day Celebrations Across the U.S. (and beyond!)

New York City's St. Patrick's Day parade can attract up to 2 million people (counting parade participants and spectators). It is not only the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the U.S., it’s the biggest in the world! However, there are also some other cities across the U.S. (and around the world) where St. Patrick's Day celebrations and parades attract thousands to hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators. Click below for a summary of some of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parades happening in 2024 (and related festivities), across the U.S. and globally...

Beacon Bears Hockey Team Competes in 15th Annual New England Pond Hockey Classic

In early February, Dennis O'Neill and friends participated in the 15th Annual New England Pond Hockey Classic. The Beacon Bears traveled to Central New Hampshire to compete in the 3-day pond hockey tournament held on Lake Waukewan. Once again, the Bears participated in the “TWIG Recreational Division” where each team has a maximum roster size of 8 players (age 21 and up). Although the Bears didn't win their division, they displayed outstanding sportsmanship, courage, and fortitude on the ice...

Sphere Las Vegas, Construction News Nov. 2023

You may have seen the amazing video clips and photos on the news (or on social media) about the unique new music and entertainment venue which opened recently in Las Vegas, known simply as "Sphere." The massive spherical structure is covered (inside and out) with high-definition LED screens that can create visually stunning immersive experiences. Sphere officially opened on September 29, 2023 when the Irish Rock band U2 performed there, kicking off U2's 36-show residency at the venue...

Fun Construction News: Researchers Uncover The Secrets of Super-Durable Roman Concrete

The Roman Empire started expanding beyond the Italian peninsula in the 3rd Century B.C. By the second century AD, the Roman empire ranged from Britain’s Atlantic coast to Mesopotamia in the east (the current location of Iraq) and down to North Africa in the south. It is estimated that more than a 20% of the world’s population was under Rome's rule at the peak of the Empire's power. One legacy left behind from this great Empire are the ruins of many buildings, amphitheaters, roadways, seawalls, sewer systems, bridges, and aqueducts which are now historic sites scattered across Western Europe and other areas...

Bio Concrete: An Emerging Construction Technology With Great Promise for Concrete Life Extension & CO2 Reduction

Bio concrete is a self-healing concrete designed to repair its own cracks. It was invented by a Dutch researcher, Hendrik Jonkers, at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Bio concrete is concrete with the addition of limestone producing bacteria utilizing a biochemical process called Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation (MICP). This article, written by Beacon Project Manager Myat Cyn, provides a great overview and introduction to this new technology...

Construction Industry News: Mutual of Omaha Plans New Headquarters Tower for Downtown Omaha, NE

Earlier this year, Mutual of Omaha and the Mayor of Omaha announced plans for a new $433-million skyscraper to be built in downtown Omaha. Although the project must still be formally approved by the Omaha City Council, many details about the project have been released by the city and Mutual of Omaha. The proposed tower (known as "Project Beacon") would be between 40 and 50 stories tall, up to 650 feet in height, with 800,000 square feet of office space and 2200 parking spaces. Depending on the final approved design, the tower could end up being the city's tallest building...

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Beacon Consulting Group!

Even if you don't have Irish roots, St. Patrick's Day can be a great day to celebrate the end of the winter. Across the U.S., St. Patrick's Day means parades, parties, and "corned beef & cabbage" dinners. Downtown Chicago has one of the more unusual and famous traditions -- Every St. Patrick's Day the local plumbers union dyes part of the Chicago River emerald green. Members of Local 130 use 50+ lbs of vegetable dye mixed with water which then gets sprayed into the river from boats.