Restoration Roundup is a regular feature here on www.randrmagonline.com meant to help keep you abreast of headlines and news affected the restoration and remediation industry. You won't find it in your print or digital issue, so keep a close eye on our web-exclusive content!

Hurricane Experts Warn of 'Above-Normal' Activity This Season
Hurricane season may be more turbulent than usual with as many as nine severe storms expected to develop in the Atlantic region this year, according to experts. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned Thursday that “above-normal hurricane activity” has been predicted for hurricane season, which will run until Nov. 30. In the forecast, five to nine hurricanes are expected, with at least two of those classified as “major hurricanes.”

California Fire Season Could Be 'Very Active'
Despite a wet winter, California again faces an above-normal chance for large wildfires as the state heads into late summer and fall. That’s according to a monthly report issued Aug. 1 by the predictive services branch of the National Interagency Fire Center. Heat — a major player in the devastating wildfires of the last two years — and the timing of autumn winds and rains will determine precisely how perilous the 2019 wildfire season becomes. In August, the higher-risk zones are mainly in the inland valleys and foothills in the northern part of the state. By October, the danger zone extends up and down the coast and into the mountains.

Intact Financial Corp Acquires On Side Restoration
Intact Financial Corporation (TSX:IFC) and On Side Developments Ltd., the parent company of On Side Restoration ("On Side Restoration") today announced that they are joining forces to strengthen repair and restoration services for personal and commercial property claims customers across Canada. With this acquisition IFC will deepen its claims expertise and strengthen its supply chain network. The transaction is expected to close on or before October 1, 2019 subject to certain conditions, including regulatory approval. On Side Restoration is a national restoration firm, based in Vancouver, with more than 1,200 employees and 35 branches coast to coast. Its reputation for excellent customer service along with 40 years of claims experience makes it a strong strategic fit for IFC.

Mold Outbreak at George Washington University Prompts Early Move-Out for Summer Residents
Summer interns are moving out of George Washington University's Mitchell Hall a week early after the discovery of potentially dangerous mold. In resident Skylar Nicholson's room, she just discovered she's been breathing mold hidden in the ceiling for the last two months. Officials with George Washington University say that it was on Thursday that crews replaced ceiling tile in Mitchell Hall's hallways, where the mold problem was discovered.

Connecticut Town Faces $91 Million Lead Abatement Project
City officials projected that the cost of testing for and abating lead, then relocating affected families, could cost between $78 million and $91 million, according to a city Health Department document obtained by the New Haven Independent. The two-page, undated draft document prepared by former Health Director Byron Kennedy makes three cost projections based on different assumptions. For the city to test paint and water or soil, it would cost $450 per unit, Kennedy estimated. The weighted average of abating the 41,300 units built before 1978 — 54 percent of which are multi-family units and 46 percent which are single-family — would be $12,310 per unit.