When 27-year-old Tetsuya Inoue began running Asahi Ryokan -- the Fukuoka, Japan hotel owned by his grandmother -- he wondered how he could improve business in the new economy.

After a British YouTuber passing through livestreamed much of his stay at the inn, Inoue had an idea -- what if he could use the internet to bring in a new audience and a new revenue stream?

Now, guests coming to Asahi Ryokan have the option to pay just 100 (about $1) per night to stay in room number eight -- if they agree to have their entire stay livestreamed.

That said, there are restrictions around how the livestreaming works. Inoue explains to CNN Travel that the feed is video-only, so guests will have privacy in their conversations or phone calls. His YouTube channel is called One Dollar Hotel .

Guests are permitted to turn the lights off, and the bathroom area is out of camera range.

"This is a very old ryokan and I was looking into a new business model," says Inoue, who started running the hotel last year. "Our hotel is on the cheaper side, so we need some added value, something special that everyone will talk about."

Before Inoue's creative idea, room number eight was the least popular. Now, many young guests who are looking to save money while traveling in Japan have been open to the $1 hotel room concept.

"Young people nowadays don't care much about the privacy," Inoue adds. "Some of them say it's OK to be [watched] for just one day."

And while the $1 rooms are clearly a loss leader, Inoue is thinking beyond the cost of a single night's stay. The YouTube channel has already passed 1,000 subscribers and once it accumulates more than 4,000 view hours, he will be able to put ads on the channel and monetize it.

On days when room number eight is vacant, Inoue will post a livestream of himself working in the ryokan's office. Signs in Japanese and English are posted in front of the camera to let viewers know when he's out of the room.

So, besides the opportunity to have thousands of strangers watch your REM cycle on the internet, what's the incentive to head to Fukuoka?

Plenty -- so much that CNN Travel named Fukuoka one of its must-visit destinations for 2019 .

The pretty seaside city is known for its incredible food. In addition to local, freshly-caught seafood, Fukuoka is also the birthplace of the popular Ichiran chain, home of yummy pork tonkotsu ramen. Also, the acclaimed Fukuoka Art Museum reopened in early 2019 following three years of renovations.

Link:
This Japanese hotel room costs $1 a night. The catch? You have to livestream your stay - kjrh.com

Lets be honest, the Dallas Cowboys (6-4) arent expected to travel to Foxboro and beat the New England Patriots (9-1) on Sunday.

The Patriots have one of the best home-field advantages in the NFL, having won the past 20 games at Gillette Stadium. And they have the greatest head coach and quarterback of all time in Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.

The Patriots rank first in total DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average), 12th in offensive DVOA, first in defensive DVOA and 10th in special teams DVOA, according to Football Outsiders. Purely based on DVOA, the Patriots have the advantage everywhere except when their defense is on the field against the Cowboys offense each unit ranks first in DVOA, making that a push.

Although the Patriots have the advantage almost everywhere in this game on paper, that doesnt mean the Cowboys cant do the unthinkable and escape with a victory.

The Patriots may have lost once this season, but the unfortunate reality for the Cowboys is that they cant learn much from that loss from a schematic perspective because the Baltimore Ravens are a completely different team than the Cowboys on offense and defense. The Ravens possess the most unique offense in the NFL and their defense is extremely complex when compared with Dallas.

The Cowboys will need to forge their own path to victory.

For that to happen, they have to put together one of the best performances of the season. Without further ado, lets dive into a few of the Cowboys keys to victory against the defending Super Bowl champions:

The worst-case scenario for the Cowboys this week would be if they get off to a slow start and allow the Patriots to grab an early lead, enabling Brady and the Patriots offense to control the pace of the game.

One of the biggest reasons the Patriots have the best record in football is because of their ability to jump out to a lead and play with it. They have posted the best first-quarter scoring differential in the NFL, averaging 8.7 points on offense while giving up just 2.0 points on defense in the initial stanza, meaning New England ends the first quarter with a six-point lead on average.

If the Patriots are the best team in the NFL in the first quarter, the Cowboys are one of the worst. Dallas averages a meager 4.0 points while giving up 6.2 points in the first quarter, meaning the Cowboys are losing by two points heading into the second quarter on average.

If the Cowboys are able to flip the script and get off to a fast start against the Patriots, it will make everything else easier for them the rest of the game. Its no coincidence that when the Cowboys win, they tend to win big all of their wins except one have been by double digits. Dallas is built to play with a lead.

The Cowboys biggest weakness right now is defending the run, and the great byproduct of playing with a lead is that it naturally nullifies the opposing teams run game, forcing them to throw more to close the gap.

In fact, the Patriots throw more often when losing than most teams, throwing the ball 74.14% of the time when down by nine-plus points the seventh-highest rate in the NFL, according to The Quant Edge.

This means that if the Cowboys are able to get an early lead, their venomous pass rush (more on that later) will be able to pin its ears back and rush the passer without much of a run threat.

Its easier said than done, but the Cowboys cant afford to have another slow start against the Patriots if they hope to win.

The first key to victory dovetails nicely into the second playing with a lead will make it easier for the Cowboys defense to get after Brady.

The future Hall of Famer is a totally different quarterback when kept clean compared to when under pressure.

Though much has been made of Bradys struggles this season, hes still one of the best QBs in the league when kept clean, posting 2,307 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, two interceptions, an 80.1% adjusted completion rate (no drops or throwaways) and a 105.8 passer rating, according to Pro Football Focus.

Under pressure is when Bradys decline is most apparent, posting just four touchdowns, three interceptions, a 56.8% adjusted completion rate and a 48.5 passer rating, according to PFF. Moreover, Brady ranks 27th (among 29 QBs who have played a least 50% of their teams offensive snaps) in passer rating and 26th in adjusted completion percentage when under pressure, according to PFF.

If a defense gives Brady time to sit in the pocket and survey the coverage, he will slice and dice it up all game long.

But when a defense makes him uncomfortable in the pocket, making him move off his spot and make plays off of different throwing platforms, he becomes mortal.

Seeing as how the Cowboys dont blitz very often, their front four have to win their matchups up front and attack the pocket.

Coached by the best offensive line coach in all of football Dante Scarnecchia the Patriots will be ready for the myriad stunts, twists and defensive line games the Cowboys run. Also, the Patriots receive a boost this week as starting left tackle Isaiah Wynn returns from injured reserve.

Scarnecchia, much like Belichick, is great at taking out the opposing teams best pass rusher watch how New England slowed Aaron Donald down in last seasons Super Bowl but the Cowboys possess four effective and impactful pass rushers in DeMarcus Lawrence, Robert Quinn, Maliek Collins and Michael Bennett.

The Patriots cant double everybody, so its incredibly important that Dallas best pass rushers are able to consistently win and apply pressure on Brady when provided a one-on-one matchup.

While the Cowboys defense has had trouble stopping a lot of offenses this year, if it is able to consistently pressure Brady with the front four, then it should have a real chance to stymie the Patriots.

The Patriots are the most modular team in the league, capable of morphing their personnel and scheme to attack the weaknesses of the opponent while taking away its strengths. One thing that is certain on an almost weekly basis is that Belichick and the Patriots are going to take away, or limit, the opposing teams best weapons on offense.

Whether that means bracketing Amari Cooper in coverage while leaving Stephon Gilmore who arguably is the NFLs best cornerback one-on-one against Michael Gallup or vice versa, you can bet Belichick is going to have a good plan on how to slow down Dak Prescotts primary weapons.

This means players such as Randall Cobb, Tavon Austin, Jason Witten and Blake Jarwin need to step up and take advantage of the matchups presented to them.

Outside of his propensity to drop one or two passes per game, Cobb has been an outstanding addition to the offense. His ability to stretch the field and make plays after the catch have been exceedingly beneficial this season. The Patriots use a variety of players in the slot depending on matchup, but Cobb should see most of his time against Jonathan Jones, who has been impressive but not perfect this year in terms of his coverage.

While its hard to trust him on a play-by-play basis, Jarwins speed is an important advantage against New Englands linebackers. The linebackers are good, but not exceedingly fast, so Jarwin could create some positive play opportunities in the passing game if utilized correctly.

In addition, this may be a good week to use a lot of two-running back sets with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard together on the field.

In a 2018 interview with Deadspin, former Patriots assistant coach Pepper Johnson, who spent most of his 30-plus years in the NFL as a player and coach under the tutelage of Belichick, revealed that the Patriots head coach never liked playing against two skillful running backs. Its a problem because he cant really cover them with his different combination of coverages with the secondary. The linebackers have to get them.

If the Cowboys can figure out ways to isolate the New England LBs especially Elandon Roberts in coverage against Pollard and Elliott, they can potentially create some explosive plays to move the ball on this stingy defense.

This one essentially explains its self, so we arent going to spend a ton of time on it. The Patriots are one of the best defenses in the NFL at forcing turnovers and, oftentimes, they turn those turnovers into points, as the Patriots rank first in defensive touchdowns (six).

Altogether, the Patriots have hauled in 19 interceptions while also recovering nine forced fumbles, as the team ranks first in turnover differential by a mile.

Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense havent turned the ball over a ton this season, just 13 turnovers so far, but its even more important that they play clean football this week. Turning the ball over is an easy way to gift the Patriots a lead, which, as discussed above, is the exact opposite of what the Cowboys need.

Newsflash: The Cowboys special teams have been one of the worst in the NFL. They rank toward the bottom statistically in most categories while ranking 25th in special teams DVOA, per Football Outsiders.

The name of the game for the Cowboys on special teams is to survive. The Cowboys havent earned the right to play the Patriots special teams straight up; therefore, they would be wise to minimize the effects of either teams special teams this week.

What does that entail?

Well, it means eliminating any opportunity for the Patriots punt and kick return units to return the ball. This means that Brett Maher needs to do his best to put the ball deep into the red zone on kickoffs while Chris Jones plays the sidelines with his punts.

Moreover, while the Cowboys shouldnt look a gift horse in the mouth and ignore giant return lanes, as Tavon Austin infamously was instructed to do against the Minnesota Vikings, fair catches are not necessarily a bad thing. The Patriots have one of the best punt coverage units in the NFL, per Football Outsiders, as they have forced two turnovers while allowing just 5.44 yards per punt. On top of that, New Englands punt return unit has blocked two punts this season.

If the Cowboys are able to limit New Englands special teams impact to just field goals, it will enable them to have a much better shot at winning this game.

Enjoy this post? More film studies:

How Robert Quinn has become the Cowboys most productive pass rusher

3 things we learned from Cowboys-Lions, including how Dak put together another MVP effort

Why the Cowboys should be encouraged by Travis Fredericks play this season

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Film room: 5 keys to a Cowboys win against the Patriots, including how to put pressure on Tom Brady - The Dallas Morning News

ECTOR COUNTY, Texas The Ector County Jail addition was supposed to get done in November, but there is still a long ways to go before construction and staffing is completed.

The problem is twofold, there is not enough space at the jail and there are not enough jailers.

So whats the solution? The jail has been moving inmates to other counties but it is costing taxpayers a pretty penny.

The Ector County Commissioners Court voted to to take any necessary action and pay the cost needed to house Ector County inmates to other county jails.

Right now, were still understaffed in our detention center," said Eddie Mancha, ECSO Chief Deputy. "We're hiring several people but we still dont have enough staff due to overcrowding.

Not only is there not enough room, Mancha says Texas laws require one officer for every 40 inmates and there are not enough jailers to go around.

Were having to move them to other counties until we can get enough staff to bring them back to Odessa," Mancha said.

It's been tricky to find county jails in the lone star state that have room.

A lot of counties know theyre maxed out, short staffed, where they cant be taking any other inmates," Mancha said."So we have to check around the state of Texas."

Moving inmates to other jails, like Kerr County, is costing Ector County.

Depending on the contracts with the other counties," Mancha said. "We have close to 200 inmates farmed out to other counties so the total is very expensive.

Let's break those numbers down a bit:

We have many openings and once we have staffing we'll be bringing inmates back," Mancha said. "That way the money can stay in Odessa."

Taxpayers are going to have to keep paying that cost to move inmates out to other counties until the jail expansion is done. Once complete, the jail will be able to house close to 1,000 inmates.

ECSO hopes the jail will be ready in early 2020.

If you would like to apply for one of these positions, you can click here.

RELATED: Midland County jail dealing with overcrowding, lack of hot water

RELATED: ECSO says man killed after high-speed chase was wanted shooting suspect

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Ector County Jail in need of more room, staff members - NewsWest9.com

At the south end of Main Street in Waterville, the four-story Lockwood Hotel is rising where the Crescent Hoteloriginally Lockwood Houseowned by an 1868 Colby graduate Reuben W. Dunnstood a half-century ago. Its also where Levines department store for men and boys, owned by Colby alumni Lewis Ludy Levine (Class of 1921) and Percy Pacy Levine (Class of 1927), was 23 years ago.

As the only hotel in downtown, the new Lockwood is expected to welcome guests by fall 2020. But even before its doors open to them, the hotel project is sparking significant economic activity in the area.

Its directly supporting local businesses and construction jobs in this area, said Vice President of Planning Brian Clark. The construction of the hotel and the plans for this hotel, just like the other investments of Colby is making on Main Street, are spurring significant private investment as well.

The Lockwood hotel project has put nearly $12 million into local businesses and supported close to 250 jobs since construction began this past summer.

From the foundation to the roof, hotels general contractor Landry/French of Scarborough is working with local subcontractors to build the Lockwood. Since the project began last summer, it has already put nearly $12 million into local businesses, while the construction has also supported close to 250 jobs. The 53-room hotel is projected to cost $26 million in total.

It is always a pleasure working with Colby on all their projects. It is also nice to see that they are using as many local businesses as possible, as they always do, said Mike Fortin, owner of Fortins Home Furnishing in Winslow, in an email. Fortins has worked with Colby for over 25 years and is providing appliances for the Lockwood.

Tobias Parkhurst, president of O&P Glass in Augusta, is a longtime partner with Colby, including on other downtown projects like the Bill & Joan Alfond Main Street Commons. I think their [Colbys] investment downtown is very impactful, he said. Its been good for our business, its been good for the community, its been good for the whole region.

The first steel beam of the Lockwood Hotel being placed in mid-October. The final beam in the structure will be installed on November 25.

The hotels interior framing, drywall, and limestone exterior faadewhich will blend with existing structures along Main Streetwill be supplied by Bilodeau Drywall Corporation of Sidney. Colby College has made a significant commitment to the local community, and we are very proud to play a small role in their development plans both as a Central Maine business and as residents, said Steve Bilodeau, president of the company, in an email. This is a landmark project, right in our backyard. We are grateful to be part of the process and have employment opportunity for our valued workers so close to home.

Opportunities will continue after construction, as the hotel is expected to have around 60 full-time employees. In addition to creating jobs and bringing overnight visitors to the heart of the city, the hotels restaurant and bar, which will be called Front & Main, aims to further generate economic activity.

We hope that the restaurant can become a new and different living room for the community, said Colbys Director of Commercial Real Estate Paul Ureneck.

A matchbook from the Crescent Hotel in Waterville, which operated on the site where the Lockwood Hotel will open in 2020.

This hotel and its restaurant are likely to be followed by other new spaces and businesses downtown. Since Colbys investments, over 20 commercial buildings changed hands. This was the intention all along, Ureneck said.

Colby is a catalyst, he said, citing recent Main Street investments by local business owner and developer Bill Mitchell, along with Colby alumni Tom Nale 05 and Tracy Nale 07, and Matt Hancock 90, and new restaurants, including the Greek restaurant OPA and the West African and European bistro M Lon Togo.

The plan is being fulfilled in front of our eyes, said Ureneck. Its working.

Excerpt from:
Lockwood Hotel Already Contributing to the Local Economy - Colby College

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At Home With John Baumann

Monches Mill House is a spot many people know, while others who pass by are likely to be curious.

Located in the artisans community of Monches within the town of Merton, the house sits next to the Monches Mill Pond, where you can hear the soothing sound of running water and where you can get a striking view from just about any area on the 2 -acre property.

And you can get a closer look during the Monches Artisans Holiday Open HouseDec. 6 to 8.

Built in 1842, the now 4,000-square-foot house was first a single-family home, later a bed and breakfast, then eventually returned to a single-family dwelling.

Today, its the home of John Baumann, who has filled it with unique furnishings that span the years in which the home has graced the area, and who has lovingly worked on restoring it since he bought it three years ago.

The first time I saw this house was in about 1990 when it was a bed and breakfast that was owned by friends of mine, Baumann said.

Then, I was living in Okauchee Lake, and I decided to move because the taxes were so high, but I was also looking toward retirement and I wanted to downsize. I wanted something in the country, but I also wanted to be near friends in Lake Country.

I always loved this house. I like the sound of the water, the fact that artists are in the area, and that my pieces would fit in here, he added.

John Baumann, here with his puppy Lainey, bought the house three years ago.(Photo: Angela Peterson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Other pluses to buying the three-level home were that a good amount of structural as well as cosmetic and restoration work had been done by previous owners.

A large addition had been added in the 60s, the kitchen had been updated, three new furnaces were added, there was all new plumbing and electrical, and new windows were added on the second floor.

But that didnt mean the three-bedroom home was turnkey.

I changed stuff you dont see, said Baumann, who is the owner of Best Engineering in New Berlin. I did foundation work, roofing, and I added cables tothe ceiling beams to keep the walls in the living room straight. Nothing is straight in this room. I also redid the windows and the window frames in this room.

Despite all the changes over the years, the homes many amenities still shine through.

Today it has most of its thick original stone and plaster walls, glossy, thick and wide oak and pine plank floors and thresholds; heavy, oversize and uniquely styled doors and windows, deep window sills, exterior walls that are exposed, and two large wood-burning fireplaces.

The addition was done in a style similar to that of a German chalet, yet it still carries through the homes historic look.

Then, the Wolf family, who were the original owners of The Fox and Hounds Restaurant & Tavern in Hubertus, owned this house and lived here, Baumann said. They added the addition, and it has the same look as the restaurant.

In that space theres a sunroom with a brick floor, a three-season room and a living room with thick wood floors, a vaulted ceiling with beams in a post-and-beam style and a limestone fireplace that spans almost 9 feet in width.

On the walk-out lower level,more of the homes original amenities can be seen.

This is where the original owners ran their milling business, he said. The mill was across the street.

That space has a large bar/game room and a family room that was the homes original kitchen. In that room the original brick fireplace and a bread-baking oven within it can still be used.

Theres also a half-bath and a wine cellar that holds over 400 bottles.

Spaces on the lower level, which are decorated in sports memorabilia, will be open to the public in this years 37thMonches Artisans Holiday Open HouseDec. 6 to 8. Pieces fromvisiting artist Mary Anne Roethle from Rockway Potterywill be featured there.

On the upper levels(not open for the tour), rooms are filled with other kinds of unique pieces.

My style of decorating is eclectic, Baumann said. Its a mess of everything. I follow my heart. When I see something I like, I usually buy it if I can afford it.

In the dining room chairs are from the late 1600s, and the table is from the turn of the century and is made of American oak. Theres a tall Stickley china cabinet and a sideboard from the arts and crafts period, and a second china cabinet is an antique from his parents that holds a set of teal Majolica plates.

In the kitchen eating area theres an old blue cabinet that was in the house, he said. I bought it from the previous owners. Theres a folk art train from about the 30s in the windowsill, and the kitchen table was a made from a piano. I think the guts are still in there because its really heavy.

The kitchen has an island that measures 6 by 4 feet with a large stainless steel farmhouse sink, custom cherry cabinets and a built-in refrigerator.

He recently talked about his home while his puppy, a Bernese Mountain Dog named Lainey, followed him everywhere.

This 4,000-square-foot home in the town of Merton overlooks a pond. Pete Sullivan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Question: Do you know any of the homes history?

Answer: It was built by Swiss architect Henry Kuntz as a single-family home. It was constructed from fieldstone from the area that was overlaid with mortar. The mortar was scored and gives the appearance of blocks to resemble the quarry stone dwellings of his native land. Im told its the only one in Wisconsin.

This was the home for the wood mill business. The mill was across the street. It was used to cut planks for Watertown Plank Road, which was made of wood planks. It was later used as a feed mill and a flour mill. This was the millers house. They lived in the two top floors and ran the business from downstairs.

It was converted to a bed and breakfast in 1977, then returned to a single-family home about six years ago.

Q: What rooms are on the second floor?

A: There are two guest rooms, a full bathroom, the master bedroom/bathroom and a wide hallway.

Q: Can you describe your master bathroom?

A: You can see one of the exterior walls in it. It has chunks of wood in the mortar to hold the wood slats. The shower was all redone, and I have a trough sink and navy walls.

Q: How many bathrooms do you have?

A: The master, a full bath on the second floor, a half-bath on the first floor and a half-bath on the lower level.

Q: How did you update the half-baths?

A: The one on the first floor I decorated in a nautical theme. I used penny tile, and I painted it navy blue. The one on the lower level has an 1852 map of Wisconsin and original red brick walls.

Q: Whats in your game room on the lower level?

A: It has a wood floor and a wood ceiling, a bar, pool table, a large door that accesses the outdoors, a potbelly stove, pinball machine, jukebox and a refrigerator from 1927. The bar has the original field stone wall.

I also have a table from Lake Lawn Resort (Lake Geneva), made of fruitwood from Europe thats old. The room also has a brick chimney. Every room in the original house had a potbelly stove, so every room has a chimney.

Q: What about your windows?

A: There are original windows in most of the house and they have the original wavy glass. When the addition was added, they used windows in a similar style, and another owner added new windows on the second floor.

The windowsills are 18 inches thick on the first floor, but on the lower level theyre deeper. Theyre about 2 feet deep.

Q: Are the original windows efficient?

A: No, thats why I have three furnaces.

Q: How would you describe the three-season room?

A: It has screens with vines on them and a vaulted ceiling. It overlooks the mill pond. When its sunny I watch TV out here.

Q: What else is on your property?

A: A large barn, three-car garage, chicken coop, tennis court, a large Lannon stone patio and Lannon stone walkways. The original barn collapsed and was rebuilt with wood from other old barns in around 1979.Ialso have a private dock, and the front porch wraps around the front of the house.

Q: Did you do much landscaping?

A: The yard had all buckthorn and I cleared it. There were also ash trees that died, and I had to remove them. This yard is all from scratch.

RELATED: Farmhouse she fully restored displays owner's vintage collections in a cozy, quiet setting

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Do you, or does someone you know, have a cool, funky or exquisite living space that youd like to see featured in At Home? Contact home and garden editor Nancy Stohs at (414) 224-2382 or emailnstohs@journalsentinel.com.

What:37th Monches Artisans Holiday Open House. See the works of area artists in their studios or historic buildings in the area.

When:9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 6 to 8. Times at some locations may vary.

Where:The artisan community of Monches near Merton. Maps are available at all the tour stops. For a list of locations, a printable map and a list of participants, seemonchesartisans.comorthe Facebook page.

Cost:Free.

Read or Share this story: https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/home-garden/at-home-with/2019/11/21/historic-monches-hill-house-open-annual-artisans-holiday-open-house/4228667002/

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177-year-old Monches Mill house has 4,000 square feet, a barn, pond frontage - and a jukebox - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Mark Young of North Vancouver was happy with his 5K time of 23:19 in Sunday's WECHCPC Vancouver Historic Half at sunny Stanley Park. He was eighth overall and second in the 50-59 men's age class. He takes part in all the TRY EVENTS races and continues to get faster.Gord Kurenoff / Postmedia News

Hear about the plumber who went to Las Vegas and couldnt believe a full house was better than a flush?

Watching Mark Youngs eyes roll like wild casino dice suggests he has perhaps a few times too many.

The classy 58-year-old North Vancouver resident, fresh off posting a 5K time of 23:19 in Sundays WECHCPC Vancouver Historic Half at sunny Stanley Park, appeared satisfied with his eighth overall finish, and second in the 50-59 mens age class. And he should be.

The owner of a small plumbing company and father of four only started running three years ago to stay in shape to live as long as possible for my kids. Since taking the plunge hes wasting no time making his new passion look much easier than it is.

FOR SUNDAYS UNOFFICIAL RESULTS, click HERE

FOR MY FUN SUNDAY PHOTOS, click HERE

Even though Young took it easy Saturday morning in the fifth Movember Moustache Miler a gentle 5K effort at 26:20 to show support for mens health and save my speed for Sunday hes still beaming after enjoying a superb weekend at the Humana Rock N Roll Las Vegas earlier this month where he posted a personal best 23:16 in the 5K and a gentle 53:01 a day later in the Sin City 10K.

The man with the megawatt smile has been a regular fixture in the TRY EVENTS road race series I always do them all and is no stranger to the age-class podium. But he still remembers Vegas in 2016 and that inaugural 5K crawl.

More than 700 runners took part in Sundays half marathon, 10K and 5K races, but not many of them were as excited as these bubbly women! (Gord Kurenoff)

Hey, I thought it was a great idea since we were all there and got a few other friends to run. I could barely walk after that 5K! But Ive never regretted it. I keep meeting great people at every race and that makes it all worthwhile. Running for some great causes, supporting the communities and friends where we live is also a bonus, says Young.

Asked about his next local challenge, Young grins ear-to-ear and offers: The Big Elf Run in Stanley Park (Saturday, Dec. 14), where I look forward to beating you again!

Oh yeah, did we mention he likes to trash talk friendly and slower race rivals? A plumber with a potty mouth? Go figure! (Bet he still has a picture of actress Farrah Faucet on his wall!)

Drew Nicholson of Surrey, with friend Dora Velazquez, right, brought the heat Sunday in the Vancouver Historic Half, finishing second and third overall in their respective categories. (Gord Kurenoff photo)

While Young drained a lot of energy Sunday, the event suffered a total power failure with its electronic timing device, which created a few headaches for race organizers who otherwise staged another great show for more than 700 runners. The annual event also helped raise funds and awareness for the West End-Coal Harbour Community Policing Centre, whose volunteer members do some incredible work plus provide road closure assistance for running events like RUNVANs Granville Island Turkey Trot.

New York runner Ryan Thoreson didnt suffer any power problems in winning the half marathon in 1:16:21 20 seconds ahead of Surreys Drew Nicholson, whose recovery from summer injuries appears nearly complete.

That was my fastest half of the fall season, said Nicholson, who will be competing in the California International Marathon on Dec. 8 in Sacramento. And the best part today was that I helped get my good buddy Hans Zimmerling a personal best and third overall (1:17:27).

Nicholson was also proud of his good friend Dora Velazquez who finished third overall in the womens half in 1:31:09.

The other ladies in the half were insanely good. I fought really hard today for third, said Velazquez, who jokes that her short legs really have to motor to keep up to the taller runners. Im a very happy camper with my time and all the support along the course.

Postmedia News reporter Derrick Penner at Sundays finish line in Stanley Park, where the completed his first half marathon attempt in a respectable time of 2:18:26.

Another happy camper was my colleague Derrick Penner, a quality reporter with Postmedia News, who thanks to a successful weight loss program and dedicated training has gone from newbie to zoomer in no time. Penner started to notice improvements in the 2019 St. Patricks Day 5K, then the Vancouver Sun Run and this fall clocked a 62-minute 10K in the Granville Island Turkey Trot.

He completed his first half Sunday in 2:18:26, finishing 314th in the 377-runner field. He said his running journey will likely include more halfs and fast times to take over the office bragging rights. Sounds like a challenge buddy!

TRY EVENTS will launch an expanded road race series in 2020, starting with the popular Vancouver Chilly Chase on Sunday, Jan. 26 with a half, 15K, 10K and 5K at Stanley Park.

The final leg of the 2019 TRY EVENTS road race series served up picture-perfect weather for more than 700 runners on Sunday (Gord Kurenoff photo)

FINISH LINES: Ill have another blog this week highlighting popular and new December races, including the fifth annual Big Elf Run on Saturday, Dec. 14 and the 36th annual Gunner Shaw Memorial Cross Country Race on Saturday, Dec. 7. Well take a look at the 2020 PEN RUN Fraser Valley Trail Run Series that opens Wednesday, Jan. 1 at Crescent Park in Surrey, the popular Steveston Icebreaker 8K and New Balance 1K Kidsrun on Sunday, Jan. 19 and a few other surprises.

Gotta run

gkurenoff@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/ohgord

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Fun On The Run: Plumber Young taps into running to go with the flow of podium placers - Vancouver Sun

Adam Jacoby learned from his parents how to help people and now that his small plumbing business is growing he has been reaching out to the community. Paul Kuehnel, pkuehnel@ydr.com

A Facebook postcaught Adam Jacoby's attention:A man's car battery died, and he didn't have money for a new one.

"It was the Wednesday before payday, so I didn't know how I was going to get to work the next couple of days," said Rob Austera, who commutes 40 minutes each way. His post attractedcar advice about whether it was the starter or thebattery, but Adam saw it differently.

Adam thought, "I can help this guy."

Austeralives 30 minutesfrom Adam in New Freedom, so Adamcalled an Auto Zone in Hanover for help that evening. Ten minutes after closing time, Austera pulled up to findthe Auto Zone crewstill on the phone with Adam, purchasing the battery.

"They waited for him. He got there, they put it in, and his car's been running great since," said Adam, 35.

This wasn't unusual for Adam. If he can help, he will.

Adam Jacoby, right, installs a flag for Shirley Puente on Manchester Street in Glen Rock.(Photo: Paul Kuehnel, York Daily Record)

"If somebody asks for help, I try not to judge anybody. Everybody has their own story," Adamsaid. "If there's something I can do to make their life easier ... just like the guy with the battery, 130 bucks, and he can make it to work for the rest of the week."

Compassionate. That's the word his mother, Dawn Jacoby, uses to describe him.

When he was little, he spotted a homeless manasking for money. His grandmother explained that sometimes a person isn't actually homeless. Adam's answer:"Nope, he's true blue." Then, Dawn remembers, he handed the mana couple of dollars.

So when a woman recently posted on the Southern York County Facebook page that she was looking for building scraps, Adam jumped in again. He would donate supplies so she couldconstructan outdoor playhouse for her daughter's birthday.

At Starbucks a couple of weeks ago, he bought coffee for someone behind him in line, and she then paidfor others.

"All it takes is one person to show care for other people, strangers. It's like the butterfly effect," he said. "One person does it, then before you know it, everybody wants to give."

Shirley Puente with a flag that was just installed by Adam Jacoby in Glen Rock.(Photo: Paul Kuehnel, York Daily Record)

When Adam and his sister, Jennifer, were kids, they really wanted to go to Hersheypark. Knowing how important it was to them, their mother pawned her wedding ring to pay for the trip.

"She's a giver," Adam said. "My dad's the same way. He'd give you the last dollar he had and the shirt off his back if he had to."

Terry and Dawn Jacobydidn't have much money, so they did what they could for their kids and others. (Dawn went back for the ring after she got her paycheck. It was still at the pawn shop, and she bought it back.)

"They never really asked for help," Adam said. "So, I guess we would have been further ahead or in a different spot if they would have asked for help, but they didn't. It was always: 'We'll get through this.'"

When Adam was 15, a plumber visiting their house for serviceasked the teenager if he wanted a summer job. That began Adam's career path.

After more than a decade working for others, Adam decided to start his own plumbing business eight years ago, Jacoby Plumbing & Heating. Another business owner had told him: You'll never get rich working for somebody else.

With $1,800 in the bank, he took the dive, using his Chevy Tahoe to run plumbing jobs. Today, there are six employees in his company, including his dad.

"It takes a village to raise a child. Well, it takes a village to support a small business, too," Adam said.

Adam was in his early 20s, playing softball for a church team in Shrewsbury, when the ball, thrown to get him out at second base, hit him in the temple. He finished the game, but a doctor in the stands took a look at his head. It wasn't swelling, which worried him.

It turned out to be a fractured skull and artery damage, which required surgery.

"They told us: 'He's not gonna make it unless we do this now," Dawn said. "He was literally dying."

Dawn was distraught, but Adam was calm. He knew he would be OK; it wasn't his time, he told his parents.

Late at night, during surgery, aminister appeared to talk to the Jacobys. Dawn remembers his counsel: "Adam Jacoby does not need your tears. He needs your prayers."

His Pentecostal parents prayed, and their son with the sense of humor and gift for giving survived.

Adam Jacoby has patriot wrist bands he uses in his plumbing business.(Photo: Paul Kuehnel, York Daily Record)

Adam remembers driving through York County as a kid and seeing flags flying from front porches, but he doesn't notice it as much these days.

So, last week, he went back to Facebook with this: "I'm a very proud American and I love my country so I'm gonna order 25 American flags and porch mounts tonight and donate them with free install for hopefully this weekend if they come in by then. If you or someone you know wants one either like this post or message me and let's get patriotic."

The requests came in, and Adam drove through his southern York County "village" to mountflags for his neighbors on Sunday.

"I love America and love that I can go out and start my own business without a blink of an eye. If it takes off, great. If it doesn't, I still had that chance to do it," Adam said.

He doesn't weigh in on politics, but he does hold on to this: "When it comes down to it, in God we trust. He's got it. We'll be fine."

Keeping the faith: She lost her husband then her son, daughter and mother. But she holds on to faith.

York County: In 95 years, these twins have never lived more than a couple miles apart

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'All it takes is one person': Meet the plumber who is full of good deeds to help strangers - York Daily Record

More than 2 million people in the U.S. lack running water and basic indoor plumbing, according to a new report by the human-rights nonprofit DigDeep and the nonprofit U.S. Water Alliance and race and poverty are key determinants of who has access to clean water and sanitation.

Native Americans are 19 times more likely to lack indoor plumbing than their white counterparts, putting them in the worst spot of any group, and African-American and Latinx households lack indoor plumbing at almost twice the rate of white households, the report found.

The United States is home to some of the most reliable water and wastewater systems on earth, and many Americans believe access is universal, the authors wrote. But in fact, millions of the most vulnerable people in the country low-income people in rural areas, people of color, tribal communities, immigrants have fallen through the cracks.

Lacking access to safe water and sanitation makes it difficult to stay healthy, earn a living, go to school, and care for a family, they added.

The reports analysis drew upon data from the U.S. Census Bureaus American Community Survey. Given that surveys limitations it doesnt ask about wastewater services or about the affordability or reliability of water service, the authors said they also conducted qualitative research on a handful of regions (the Navajo Nation, Californias Central Valley, the Texas colonias, Appalachia, Puerto Rico and the rural South) that struggle with adequate water and sanitation access.

Race, the authors found, proved the strongest predictor of whether a household has access to water and sanitation. About 0.3% of white households in the U.S. dont have complete plumbing, for example, versus 5.8% of Native American households and 0.5% of African-American and Latinx households.

Racial water gaps for Latinx and African-American households are particularly salient at the regional level, the authors added: In parts of the South, African Americans are the group most likely to lack complete plumbing. In California and Texas, Latinx people are the most affected.

Economic status also played a role, as the report found that complete plumbing access was correlated with household income, unemployment rates and educational attainment. Higher educational attainment and income in African-American and Latinx households, for example, was positively associated with complete plumbing access. (Complete plumbing refers to running water, shower or bath, tap and flush toilet, though the Census Bureau eliminated the toilet question in the 2016 ACS.)

Whole communities often clustered in specific areas experience lack of access to complete plumbing, the researchers found. Access gaps are concentrated in places including Alaska, Maine and the Dakotas, as well as regions in which the researchers conducted field research. At the same time, smaller pockets experiencing lack of access to water and sanitation are nestled into some counties that generally have better access.

Disparities in water access arent the result of individual choice, the authors said; rather, they stem from historical and geographical factors that have left entire communities without adequate services. The report points to federal water-infrastructure funding that has dried up over the decades, and an even greater disadvantage for communities in which the government didnt initially invest money.

Vulnerable communities disproportionately lack access to water and sanitation, in part due to discriminatory practices embedded in some past water infrastructure development initiatives, the authors said.

A separate study published in the Annals of the American Association of Geographers earlier this year also found hot spots of racial and geographic inequality in Americans water insecurity. Having incomplete plumbing was concentrated in specific regions and was clearly racialized, the authors wrote.

Living in an American Indian or Alaskan Native, black, or Hispanic household increases the odds of being plumbing poor, and these predictors warp and woof through space, they said.

A 2017 analysis published in the journal PLOS One projected that the share of American households that will experience unaffordable water bills could spike from 12% to nearly 36% over the next five years. Factors like infrastructure repairs, climate change, water quality and sanitation all place an increasing strain on water prices, according to the research.

Continued here:
2 million Americans dont have access to running water and basic plumbing - MarketWatch

By Ed Del Grande, Tribune News Service

FridayNov22,2019at6:55PM

Q: Dear Ed: My wife and I plan some aging-in-place changes to our home. One big upgrade in the bathroom will be a walk-in shower stall with grab bars and hand shower. Any other AIP shower ideas we can add?

Mike, Nebraska

A: When removing a standard bathtub to install a walk-in shower, usually a new mixing valve needs to be roughed in as well.

If you want to be trendy and pick up some additional AIP features, check out the new digital electronic shower mixing valves. These push button temperature control valves feature large LCD display screens along with built-in diverter controls.

Aside from easy fingertip operation, other AIP features can include high-temp limit settings, pause settings and second control option outside of shower stall. Eco-mode setups are also available for multi-zone showers.

So when you add up all the numbers, a digital shower valve can be a smart choice for any bathroom.

Master Contractor/Plumber Ed Del Grande is known internationally as the author of the book "Ed Del Grande's House Call," the host of TV and Internet shows, and a LEED green associate.

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Plumber: Digital shower valves are a growing trend - The Topeka Capital-Journal

With festive turkey-based feasts fast approaching, and having just re-watched a classic Thanksgiving-themed Steve Martin video, I thought it appropriate that I share a few of the things for which I am thankful. I apologize if the list is too predictable and schmaltzy, but please bear with me.

I am thankful for the deer that frolic in my yard, for indoor plumbing, for pimento cheese, for CBD oil, for a loyal readership, for online treasure troves of long-ago photographs.

I am thankful that in this country a person no matter his station in life has the opportunity to pursue his wildest dreams, at least until he awakens to find that his friends have dipped his hand in a bucket of warm water.

I am thankful that the conscientious use of abbreviations, nicknames, acronyms, hand gestures and emojis has provided mankind enough spare time to conquer the common cold and land a human on Mars. Oh, wait

I am thankful that today is the first day of the rest of your life, unless somebody knocked you into the middle of next week, which would make it the eighth (?) day of the rest of your life, unless they hit too hard and youre, you know, dead. In that case, I am thankful I have a new suit coat for the funeral.

I am thankful that the government hasnt yet placed a microchip underneath my skin to keep track of my every movement, because that landline phone my mother got Dr. Rutledge to insert back in 76 made wearing long sleeve shirts a pain in the keister.

I am thankful that I am wise enough to know to keep my friends close, my enemies closer, my cousin over on the sofa in the corner and that guy I kind of remember graduating with my brother somewhere in the nosebleed section of the auditorium.

I am thankful that you cant always get what you want, because someone has to keep Amazon humble.

I am thankful that my white privilege means shopkeepers dont profile me and watch warily as I search for 7 million SPF sunscreen.

I am thankful that the advertisers who announce get a great meal and HAVE CHANGE LEFT from a five apparently live in a delightful world where only leprechauns and unicorns must pay sales tax.

I am thankful that my sudden realizations involve thoughts like Oh, I left the steam iron plugged in instead of Duh, I just realized that what I overheard the president say was probably significant to this investigation. Do over!

I am thankful that I have never served serious jail time for strangling mental giants whose idea of holding up their end of the conversation is Oh, did you? Is that right? Really? Can you beat that?

I am thankful that when one door closes, another opens, because otherwise we would have a roomful of losers packed in like sardines.

I am thankful that history is written by the winners, because history written by those who received a participation ribbon would be lame as heck.

I am thankful that only God can make a tree, because humans would be selling you an extended warranty on a sugar maple.

Finally, I am thankful that all those times I was dropped on my head as a child have not had the slightest long-term cognitive effects on me

Danny Tyree welcomes email responses at tyreetyrades@aol.com and visits to his Facebook fan page Tyrees Tyrades.

The rest is here:
DANNY TYREE: On being thankful for indoor plumbing - The Albany Herald