Latest news with #Lampe
IOL News
3 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Randburg woman wins court battle to keep her home exercise studio
A court battle against the Joburg municipality came to a head when the city was interdicted from disconnecting basic services at a home-based exercise studio after the court found that exorbitant levies charged were unlawful. Image: AI / RON A Randburg woman can legally keep running a home exercise studio despite the City of Johannesburg issuing non-compliance fines and penalties, which were enforced and included the disconnection of electricity and water supply at her property. This week, Sylvia Lampe's court battle against the municipality came to a head, where the city was interdicted from cutting the basic services at her home. The court found that levying property rates against her property based on the tariff applicable to properties put to an illegal use is unlawful. Since 1992, Lampe has been granted an indefinite operating licence by the Randburg Town Council, which eliminated the need for an annual licence fee that Lampe had diligently paid. In 2017, the city, which had assumed the rights and obligations of the Randburg Town Council rights and obligations, determined that Lampe did not have its consent to operate her business from the property. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ On December 13, 2017, the city issued a notice headed 'Unauthorised use of property'. The city informed Lampe that the property was being used 'in a manner which contravenes the Randburg Town Planning 1976 (sic)'. The contravention alleged was that she was 'conducting a gymnasium (callanetics studio) without the approval of the council'. Lampe then wrote letters to the city council informing them that her business was being operated in accordance with the licence she obtained from the Randburg Town Council in 1984. She had requested that the notice be withdrawn, but the letters were ignored by the city council. Since July 2019, Lampe's municipal accounts skyrocketed when the city increased the property rates levied against the property, which included an additional R9,400 per month in rates and taxes. The judgment read: 'Lampe could not afford these charges, and did not pay them. She did, though, lodge a new application with the city for consent to run her business from the property. Nevertheless, the city continued to levy additional rates and taxes on the basis that the property had been used illegally without its consent, and Lampe continued to refuse to pay them.' In response to Lampe's refusal to pay the additional rates, the city terminated her electricity supply and sued for the amounts outstanding. The electricity disconnection was reversed by a court in 2020. In that matter, the judge ordered the parties to 'hold a debatement regarding the penalties charged' to Lampe within 30 days of his order. That debatement never took place, since the city took the view that it would simply proceed with its action to collect the rates it said were due. In a judgment at the Gauteng High Court, Judge Stuart Wilson said that throughout the litigation of the matter, the city conducted itself in an unresponsive and high-handed manner. 'It failed seriously to oppose the bulk of Lampe's claim. In the end, it pursued a far-fetched justification of one portion of the penalties it has imposed. Had the city engaged reasonably and sensibly with Ms Lampe from the outset, this application would never have been necessary,' said Judge Wilson.
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Homeowner vindicated after CoJ's ‘illegal use' property rates declared unlawful
High Court orders the City of Joburg to reverse all charges levied against a Randburg property since July 2019. The City of Johannesburg's (CoJ's) conduct in levying property rates on a Randburg woman's home, based on the tariff applicable to properties put to an illegal use, has been declared unlawful by the High Court in Johannesburg. Sylvia Maria Lampe has operated a home exercise studio for 42 years and was granted permission by the Randburg Town Council on 19 January 1984 to run her studio from the property. Some 25 years later in 2017, the CoJ, which had succeeded the Randburg Town Council's rights and obligations, determined that Lampe did not have its consent to operate her business on the premises. ALSO READ: Charged R1 083.63 on your City of Johannesburg bill this month? Here's why Court orders reversal of charges Judge Stuart Wilson on Thursday ordered the CoJ to reverse all charges levied on Lampe's municipal account since 1 July 2019, which were based on the claim that the property was being put to illegal use. Judge Wilson also interdicted and restrained the CoJ from continuing to levy property rates against Lampe's municipal account on this illegal property use basis. The CoJ must, within 30 days of the date of Judge Wilson's order, also furnish Lampe with a municipal account recalculated on the basis of his orders. The CoJ was further interdicted and restrained from terminating any services to Lampe's property on the basis of non-payment of municipal charges levied in contravention of Judge Wilson's order. The order granted against the CoJ reflects what Lampe applied for in her application. Judge Wilson criticised the CoJ, stating it had conducted itself throughout the litigation 'in an unresponsive and high-handed manner'. 'It failed seriously to oppose the bulk of Ms Lampe's claim. In the end, it pursued a far-fetched justification of one portion of the penalties it has imposed. 'Had the city engaged reasonably and sensibly with Ms Lampe from the outset, this application would never have been necessary,' he said. ALSO READ: Johannesburg homeowners uproar over soaring property rates Attempts to resolve consent issue Lampe sent two letters to the CoJ after it determined that she did not have its consent to operate her business from the property. She explained that her business was being operated in accordance with the licence she obtained from the Randburg Town Council in 1984 and that, accordingly, she did have the necessary consent to operate her business. Therefore, the property was not being put to an illegal use, and the notice should be withdrawn. Judge Wilson said those letters were ignored, and the CoJ in July 2019 increased the property rates levied against the property. Lampe told the court that from that month her municipal account included an additional R9 400 per month in rates and taxes. This was levied on the basis that the property was being put to an illegal use because the CoJ had not consented to its use as a home exercise studio. Lampe could not afford these charges and did not pay them, but she lodged a new application with the CoJ for consent to run her business from the property. ALSO READ: Bad news for business and property owners as municipal rates spike Electricity disconnected, later reversed by court The CoJ responded to Lampe's refusal to pay the additional rates by terminating her electricity supply and suing for the outstanding amounts. However, the electricity disconnection was reversed by order of Judge Bashier Vally on 5 March 2020. Judge Vally also ordered the parties to 'hold a debatement regarding the penalties charged' to Lampe within 30 days of his order. Judge Wilson said that this debatement never took place, with the CoJ taking the view it would simply proceed with its action to collect the rates it claimed were owed. Lampe's new consent use application from the CoJ was granted in October 2020. Judge Wilson said this seems to have triggered the withdrawal of the CoJ's action to collect the outstanding rates. But, Judge Wilson said the CoJ continued to levy enhanced rates and taxes against Lampe's property on the basis that it was being put to an illegal use, despite the CoJ itself having consented to the use of the property in October 2020. ALSO READ: City of Joburg, please get your house in order! Ongoing attempts to disconnect Lampe, in the meantime, had to fend off further attempts to disconnect her water and electricity supplies. Judge Wilson said the CoJ did not seriously oppose the relief sought by Lampe in respect of the illegal use charges levied on or after 20 October 2020, the date on which it gave its consent for the use of the property to run her business. He said the CoJ in its answering affidavit says that it is 'attending to reverse the penalty costs charged on and after 20 October 2020,' but highlighted that the answering affidavit was deposed on 6 September 2021. 'I have nothing before me that indicates that Ms Lampe's account has since actually been corrected to the extent the city concedes it should be. 'However, the city can suffer no prejudice from an order that it implements such a correction. If it has already done so, then so much the better,' he said. Judge Wilson said the only real dispute before him was whether Lampe is entitled to the reversal of the penalty charges levied between 1 July 2019 and 20 October 2020. ALSO READ: Huge rates shock could force Joburg schools to close down A 'far-fetched' proposition He said the CoJ maintained the property was being put to an illegal use during that time because its consent was not obtained until 20 October 2020, and that the penalty charges it levied against the property during that time were perfectly lawful. Judge Wilson disagreed, stressing the CoJ accepts that the consent the Randburg Town Council gave for the use of the property in 1984 binds it as the Randburg Town Council's successor in law. He said the CoJ also accepts that the Randburg Town Council granted Lampe a licence to use the property for the purposes to which she put it, and also that the licence was renewed annually for 10 years before being renewed indefinitely. Judge Wilson said the CoJ stakes its opposition to Lampe's application solely on the contention that she never applied for consent in terms of the Randburg Town Planning Scheme of 1976. The CoJ's point, as far as he understands it, seems to be that Lampe might have had a business licence from the Randburg Town Council but that did not mean the Randburg Town Council had consented to the use of the property in terms of its Town Planning Scheme of 1976. 'I find that proposition far-fetched. 'It beggars belief that the Randburg Town Council would have issued a business licence that authorised the illegal operation of Ms Lampe's business from the property nominated in the licence,' he said. Costs were awarded against the CoJ. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
National Observer
02-07-2025
- Business
- National Observer
Nain microgrid project lays the foundation for Labrador to get off diesel
By Cloe Logan News Climate Solutions Reporting July 2nd 2025 Share this article Wind turbines over the future site of Nain's project, which will consist of two wind turbines, a battery energy storage system and micro-grid controller. Collage by Ata Ojani Listen to article Growing up in Nain, Labrador in the late 1950s, Johannes Lampe would use candles and oil lamps to light his home. Diesel plants started to go up in remote areas of Labrador in the late 1950s, and eventually, light switches and electric radiators were connected to wires, connected to transmission lines, leading to the power plant. He remembers ships bringing diesel barrels to the port and the young boys in town being paid 'five or 10 cents to roll a barrel of diesel oil to the plant.' Now, the town's energy mix is set to change again — a microgrid project is in the works, which will consist of two wind turbines and a battery storage system. It won't get Nain completely off diesel, but it will displace at least half of the fossil fuel consumed by the community each year. This month, the Newfoundland and Labrador government put forward $3 million for the microgrid project, a much-needed boost that will help the project reach completion, said Jamie Hewlett, regional energy coordinator for the Nunatsiavut government. He says the timeline is looking promising: this summer, they're planning to break ground on the road that will make access to the site possible, as well as construction of the crane pad, hopefully leading to turbines going up next summer and the project being online in 2027. Diesel is prohibitively expensive and Lampe – who is president of the Inuit region of Nunatsiavut – says many people in the community 'live on a fixed income or old age security … not everyone is able to afford to live in diesel oil-heated homes anymore.' 'So, we have to get the wind-generated energy. It's cleaner, and it's better for the world,' he said. Cutting down on diesel will mean fewer emissions and cheaper energy bills — and better health outcomes for the residents of Nain. A microgrid project in Nain, which will consist of two wind turbines and a battery storage system, is set to displace at least half of the fossil fuel consumed by the community each year. 'We, as people from the North, are the filter. We're experiencing different types of health issues coming from fumes … coming from fossil fuels,' said Lampe, who is a cancer survivor. Diesel exhaust is categorized as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization. The microgrid project could lead to something farther reaching, said Hewlett. Once built, it could serve as a blueprint to get the 22 other diesel-powered communities in Newfoundland and Labrador off the fossil fuel. Across Canada, there are more than 240 diesel-reliant remote communities. Seventy per cent of those are Indigenous communities. What works for one community won't work for all, but Hewlett says much of the planning around interconnecting with the utility and the agreement they've come to regarding selling the energy generated from the wind farm could be applied to other communities, especially in Nunatsiavut. The high cost of diesel, by the numbers Because of the high cost of diesel, those in remote areas pay more for energy than the rest of Canada, even after significant government subsidies. 6-10 times The multiplier on the cost of energy people in Nunatsiavut pay, compared to the rest of Canada. $300-400 million How much the federal government spends each year to subsidize diesel transport and use. 2.6 million Litres of diesel burned in Nain in 2022. 1.3-1.6 million Litres of diesel the new wind project is expected to displace annually. The reason Nain is the first community in Nunatsiavut to take on a renewables project goes back to wind studies Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro completed in the early 2000s, which sat unused for years. Eventually, the Nunatsiavut government created its own energy department and energy security plan, which included community assessments, to see which renewable projects could work in specific communities. 'Nain had the best [wind] resource from the data that was collected, so we started that as our potential first demonstration project and ran with it from there,' he said. They then partnered with an engineering company to dig deeper into the feasibility of a wind project, and what would work for Nain, which has a population of about 1,200. The energy generated from the project will be sold back to Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, the Crown corporation that owns the diesel-power plant in Nain. The income generated will be put into a trust which the Nunatsiavut government will own and 'find ways to give it back to the beneficiaries in some type of programming, rebates and things like that,' said Hewlett. 'Wind technology is not new, but this is our first project, which would be a demonstration project,' he said. 'We hope to replicate it in other communities, whether it's another wind project or solar.' Finding funding The importance of getting off diesel has been underscored as a priority by the communities that rely on it, as well as by environmental groups and both levels of government. However, projects that get remote communities off diesel 'face tremendous challenges,' explained Rosa Brown, a senior analyst with the Renewables in Remote Communities program at the Pembina Institute. She highlights wins like the Kluane First Nation's wind project and Nain's project moving forward, but notes the latter has been in the works for about a decade. Challenges largely relate to funding, said Brown, which needs to not just address building the project, but making sure communities have resources to pay staff and hire the technical and legal support necessary for resource projects. Along with funding, the logistics of building in remote areas also holds communities back. Along with financial and capacity limitations, Natural Resources Canada noted that 'extreme weather conditions in the North and limited road access can increase costs and complications' of projects that would transition communities off diesel. Hewlett explained that the turbines for the Nain project were constructed in Germany, shipped to New Brunswick, and then barged up to Nain, where roads have to be reconfigured to move the materials. 'So the logistical piece of it is a massive added cost,' he said. There has been federal funding put forward, which builds on previous prime minister Justin Trudeau's promise to get diesel-reliant communities off the fossil fuel by 2030. In 2020, Canada's Strengthened Climate Plan announced '$300 million over five years to advance the government's commitment to ensure rural, remote and Indigenous communities that currently rely on diesel have the opportunity to be powered by clean, reliable energy by 2030.' But Brown says it will take funding from provincial and territorial governments to make the transition off diesel possible. 'A real highlight of this story is the Newfoundland and Labrador government stepping up with that significant funding. That's what makes the provinces different from the territories. The Newfoundland and Labrador government, though it is still a small jurisdiction, has a little bit more economic opportunity to support projects like this,' she said. 'Which would be harder for the territorial governments. Harder, slash impossible, for the territorial governments to come up with that kind of money.' July 2nd 2025 Cloe Logan Journalist @ Keep reading Trump's anti-offshore wind ire leading US states to look north for Atlantic Canada clean power By Darius Snieckus News Business June 30th 2025 A splash of paint, a flood of warnings: climate protest in a time of acceleration By Chris Hatch Opinion June 30th 2025 Canadian hospitals switching out anesthetic gas for cleaner alternative By Abdul Matin Sarfraz News Climate Solutions Reporting Ottawa Insider June 30th 2025 Share this article Share on Bluesky Share on LinkedIn Comments
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Homeland would've been stolen': AK Natives sound off on Biden energy bans as Trump officials tour tundra
FIRST ON FOX: Alaska Natives and residents of the vast North Slope Borough communities along the Arctic Ocean got a rare chance this week to directly discuss their concerns with White House officials, typically 3,500 miles away in Washington. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin joined Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy and local residents in Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow) as part of a multi-day visit to the oil and gas fields, workers and neighbors in the frigid but crucial region. Charles Lampe, a Native resident of Kaktovik – the main remote community within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) a few hundred miles eastward – said until President Donald Trump and the officials assembled in Utqiagvik took office, North Slope residents and their energy development hopes felt besieged by that same far-flung federal government. Lampe voiced similar concerns to those Fox News Digital had been told in the past by Alaska officials, in that environmental activists in the Lower 48 and federal officials who ideologically align with them have tried speaking for them in opposition to developing ANWR and other sites where none of those same activists live. Alaska Senator Literally Tears Up Biden's Energy Orders, Boosts Wh Efforts To Leverage Arctic Lng In Asia Trade "There's one thing that I want to bring up – we were under attack in Kaktovik by environmental groups," Lampe said. Read On The Fox News App "On Day 1, President Trump told the Fish and Wildlife Department to deny their requests. And that was such an amazing thing for us to be able to see. And we were so proud of our president then because he made sure that our ancestral homelands weren't going to be stolen – and [instead] protected," Lampe said, as many in the North Slope actually support the development of their Native homelands versus cordoning them off through regulation – as they bring jobs and resources. Ak Can Be 'Cure To The Nation's Ills' With Help From Trump Admin: Gov Dunleavy "So I really need to bring back this immense gratitude to President Trump for that action and being able to write something that, if the other guy (Joe Biden and Kamala Harris) would have won, there's no doubt in my mind that our homeland would have been stolen and there's nothing we could have done about it," he said. "Trump had the heart and the wherewithal to be able to right this wrong." He told Burgum to invite Trump to Kaktovik to see ANWR and its "Section 1002" – the oil and gas development sector – for himself. Burgum said he believes Trump would be open to the opportunity – and that the president has already pleasantly surprised regional corporate stakeholders with his openness to questions that the oil companies felt loath to even consider asking a president. Ak Lawmakers Claim Victor As Feds Begin Reversal Of 'Illegal' Biden Rule Restricting Anwr Oil, Gas "President Trump does care super deeply about this and at a deep level," Burgum said, adding the president shocked ConocoPhillips representatives in a recent meeting when he asked what they needed to improve their North Slope operations. When the company noted improved roads would be helpful, Trump asked rhetorically why a road couldn't be built, according to Burgum. "[They] were kind of like, 'Wow, I didn't know we could ask that.'" Wright also addressed the Utqiagvik meeting, and added in separate comments that he visited the Prudhoe Bay Discovery Well – a 1960s operation that first opened Alaska to energy development and at one point represented one-quarter of U.S. oil output. "Unfortunately, the last few decades have seen a long, slow decline of North Slope oil production – not because they're running out of oil. In fact, there's an amazing amount of untapped, unproduced oil up here. It's because of federal regulation, bureaucracy. It's made it so expensive and difficult to operate," Wright said. He added that with the "Big, Beautiful, Twin Natural Gas Pipeline" ultimately constructed, Alaska could be the key to global energy security by drawing buyers in Korea and Japan away from China. "It's great to be part of history again here in the great North Slope oil fields of Alaska," Wright said. Dunleavy last week headlined a global sustainable energy conference in Anchorage, which also drew the attention of those same potential stakeholders from article source: 'Homeland would've been stolen': AK Natives sound off on Biden energy bans as Trump officials tour tundra
New York Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Which UDFAs will make the Patriots' roster? Ranking the chances of the 17 signings
The start of Mike Vrabel's tenure with the New England Patriots came with the promise of change. Four months later, the roster looks quite a bit different. They were arguably the most active team in the NFL in free agency, overhauling the defense. They made 11 draft picks. Now they're on the verge of adding 17 undrafted free agents to provide competition this spring and summer. Advertisement No organization has a track record of keeping undrafted players quite like the Patriots, who have had a UDFA make the initial 53-man roster in 20 of the last 21 years. To gauge who could follow in those players' footsteps, let's rank the likelihood of each UDFA making the team from most to least likely. The Patriots signed two athletic tight ends after the draft, and the guess here is one of them will make the roster. For now, we're giving Dippre the edge because he's a bit bigger and more athletic than Gee Scott. He's also a good blocker, which the Patriots could use, given that Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper are both good pass catchers, and he played 529 special teams snaps in college. That's important when discussing undrafted players trying to make the team. The early (and maybe simple) comp in looking at Larison's testing numbers is Rex Burkhead. They're similar sizes, though Larison is a bit faster and a bit less explosive. Larison put up massive numbers at the FCS level (2,387 all-purpose yards in 2024). But since the Patriots have three running backs safely ahead of him and could end up keeping a fullback (see below), Larison will need a strong preseason to make the team. Still, the team clearly sees promise in him, considering they gave him an astounding $175,000 in guaranteed money. Lan Larison is off to the races 🏃♂️💨 for a 75-yard touchdown run. 48-10 Aggies. 4Q | 14:39. #GoAgs — UC Davis Football (@UCDfootball) October 22, 2022 OK, this one is less about the athlete Lampe is (just OK for the position) and more because he's the only fullback on the projected 90-man roster. Vrabel has a history of using fullbacks, so it won't be surprising if he keeps one in New England. So far, all signs are pointing to Lampe being that guy. Plus, Lampe contributed on special teams in college. Advertisement Ponder is undersized for an edge rusher, but he's an incredibly gifted athlete for the position. He posted remarkable testing numbers, including a 41-inch vertical leap, an 11-foot broad jump and a 4.63-second 40. He projects as a speedy edge rusher who could see action in obvious passing situations but is too light to play against the run. Still, the athletic profile offers promise if the Pats can refine his pass-rushing skills. SIGNED!! ✍️ Elijah Ponder is headed to New England to play for the 6x Super Bowl champs! 🙌 🔥#RideHigh — Cal Poly Football (@calpolyfootball) April 27, 2025 Scott was a big-time wide receiver recruit out of high school but switched to tight end after the 2020 season. He's a bit undersized for an NFL tight end (6-foot-3, 238 pounds) and is more of a pass-catching option, which the Pats don't need as much from their No. 3 at the position. He only had one full season as a starter, which might've diminished his draft stock, but Ritzie is a great athlete for the position, posting a 35 1/2-inch vertical and running a 5.00-second 40 despite being 294 pounds. That makes him a touch undersized for a defensive tackle, but the athletic profile suggests there's upside here. After starting his career at Fresno State, Wooldridge transferred to Louisiana-Lafayette and became a three-year starter. His completion percentage shot up last season from 57 percent in 2022 to 66 percent. For now, he's one of only three quarterbacks on the roster, which ups his chances of making the team. The 5-foot-10 cornerback ran a 4.44-second 40, but the rest of his athletic profile isn't great, as he lacks agility, explosiveness and strength. Still, the Patriots could use a cornerback to step up behind Marcus Jones, so Crossley has a shot. Advertisement The Patriots' group of guards is already a bit crowded, which hurts Conley's chances. But he's a tough lineman (60 games played at BC across multiple positions) with good size (6-foot-7, 330 pounds), and those kinds of players tend to find their way at least onto the practice squad. Riley transferred to FSU after four years at Auburn and finished with the fourth-most tackles on the team last season. He's a bit light for a linebacker (228 pounds), so if he's going to make the team, it's likely going to come from carving out a role on special teams. His highlight reel is fun to watch because he made tacklers miss with ease. But that won't be as easy in the NFL as it was in the FCS, and Chism's 4.71-second 40 won't help. He'll need to impress offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as a shifty slot receiver, though he's more likely to be headed to the practice squad in case Demario Douglas gets injured. .@EWUFootball WR Efton Chism had a strong pro Day in the drills that matter/highlight what he'll do in the NFL. Outstanding short shuttle (4.06) and three cone (6.77). Here's him as compared to Trent Taylor (5th round pick), Jeremy Kerley (5th round), and Cooper Kupp (for fun)… — Eric Galko (@EricGalko) March 21, 2025 It's going to be difficult for either of the Patriots' UDFA safety signings to make the team, given the logjam ahead of them. Minkins is a better athlete than Polk, so we're giving him the nod at this point. He's a downhill, hard-hitting safety who forced four fumbles and notched a pair of sacks last season. Birdow is an athletic and raw offensive lineman who started his career at defensive tackle. But he put himself on NFL radars with an impressive pro day, which included a 32-inch vertical leap. The path is never easy for any undrafted receiver, and it may be difficult for Blankumsee, considering he'd likely have to beat out three of Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. Blankumsee's stats dipped a bit from his junior (901 yards) to senior year (677 yards), which didn't help his draft prospects. Advertisement Pene only made four starts during his four-year collegiate career, but he has an interesting background as a native of France who grew up in Connecticut. He didn't get any guaranteed money in his deal with the Patriots. Webb didn't do any athletic testing before the draft, which muddies his outlook, but he caught 36 passes for 649 yards and five touchdowns last season. (Photo of CJ Dippre: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
