President Donald Trump has added a new architectural firm to his $300 million ballroom construction project at the White House. A White House spokesperson said Thursday that the firm, Shalom Baranes of Washington, D.C., was needed because the project is moving into a new stage. Earlier Thursday, the Trump-appointed chairman of a federal commission with jurisdiction over construction to federal buildings said he expected the White House to submit the ballroom plans this month for review. The new firm has worked on the Pentagon and Treasury buildings, among other federal properties. The initial firm, McCrery Architects, remains as a consultant.
Hong Kong firefighters have found dozens more bodies in a high-rise complex after a massive fire engulfed seven buildings. The death toll has risen to 128, with many still unaccounted for. Authorities said fire alarms in the complex, which housed many older people, did not sound during the fire. Authorities on Friday arrested eight more people involved in the building's renovation, including scaffolding subcontractors and project managers. The fire spread rapidly due to bamboo scaffolding and highly flammable foam panels. Crews have prioritized apartments from which they received emergency calls. The fire was fully extinguished Friday morning.
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe is floating the potential for the Kansas City Chiefs to play in a covered stadium without moving to Kansas. Kehoe said Tuesday that architectural improvements could be made to Arrowhead Stadium that provide an all-weather environment without building a full dome. Kehoe pointed to stadiums in Europe with flexible, retractable coverings. The Chiefs have played at Arrowhead for over 50 years, but their lease expire in January 2031. The Chiefs have been weighing whether to play in a proposed dome in Kansas or stay in Missouri at a renovated Arrowhead Stadium.
