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A DIFFERENT KIND of tree-trimming took place at the White House yesterday when part of a historic magnolia on the south grounds was shorn off because it had become a safety risk, a spokeswoman for first lady Melania Trump said.
The nearly 200-year-old tree was cut back while President Donald Trump and his family are in Florida for the holidays.
Melania Trump had given her OK for a large portion of the tree to be removed after she reviewed reports about the magnolia’s condition prepared by government experts and explored options with White House staff.
She was concerned for the safety of visitors and journalists who often stand in front of the tree during certain events, spokeswoman for first lady Melania Trump Stephanie Grisham said.
The first lady has asked that wood from the tree be preserved, and that seedlings be available if an opportunity arises to plant a new tree.
President Andrew Jackson added the magnolia to the south grounds in 1835, according to the White House Historical Association. It stands on the west side of the South Portico, rising almost as tall as the White House itself, and is one of two magnolias flanking the south entrance.
The White House did not inform news organisations ahead of time that the tree would be trimmed. Despite the White House saying a large portion of tree would be removed, before and after photos showed that not much of the tree had been cut away after all.
Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton, who grew up in the White House during Bill Clinton’s two terms in office, tweeted her thanks late Tuesday to the horticulturists and National Park Service attendants who take care of the White House grounds. The White House is part of a national park.
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This is a huge story, there were 70 gas related incidents across two large residential areas of Boston, nearly 150,000 people were requested to evacuate their homes.
I don’t think this article is doing it justice.
So who over pressurised the gas line, the nearest Muslim or the Russian tourists??
@GClare: sometimes things just go wrong… I love that you guys don’t realise you’re the conspiracy theorists when you say that accusing the Russian “tourists” is a conspiracy.
@Paddington C.: wooosh
@Chris Linehan: I don’t think it’s a case of “whoosh” but I could be wrong.
@Paddington C.: double whoosh
Sorry to be a a grammar Nazi, but “too blame”? Sigh.
@chinaski: “Sorry to be a a grammar Nazi”???
Could it be the cost of deregulation?
You do have to giggle at the anti wind farm lobby using natural gas funded studies to pretend ficticious vibrations are melting their brain. Meanwhile in Boston….
I wouldn’t discount Chinese hackers doing a proof-of-concept test. This is exactly the type of chaos that can be caused in a cyber war.
Leeks made from gas…. no wonder there were explosions
@Mark Pom: The Welsh will be pleased with the reference to leeks!!
@GClare that could of been a gas leek and everyone tried to cook at the same time
Putin at it again!
have your say