Over the past five to 10 years, cool greys have become a go-to colour. IMAGE: Benjamin Moore

What goes around comes around, but never in the same way

It was the dawn of a new millennium and is widely remembered for the so-called Y2K bug many feared would cause havoc in computers and computer systems as they made the transition to Jan. 1, 2000.

It was also the year in which then-unknown British actors Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson were cast in Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston tied the knot, NSYNC released No Strings Attached and the Nokia 3310 was the No. 1 selling cell phone.

In the world of dcor, shabby chic, white kitchen cabinets with black countertops, and chocolate brown dining rooms were all the rage. Karl Lohnes, editor-at-large of Style at Home magazine, walks us through the year 2000s hottest trends and how theyve evolved.

Hint: Everything that goes around comes around but never in the same way and usually in quite an opposite way, he says.

THEN: White cabinetry, dark countertopsNOW: Dark cabinetry, dark countertops

White cabinetry, black granite counters and stainless-steel appliances were the holy trinity of 00s kitchens. Todays trend: dark or black cabinetry with a dark never white countertop. Shaker-style cabinets or cabinets with raised panels were on trend in 2000, while todays cabinets feature flat fronts with no detail.

Today, white cabinets are typically paired with white countertops featuring grey veining and often elements of natural wood. Its a look thats reminiscent of the 1980s, when white cabinet doors with an oak strip across the bottom were on trend.

It was called the European kitchen and its sort of come back with upper white cabinetry usually glossy and bottom cabinets that may be done in a natural oak, says Lohnes.

When stainless-steel appliances were introduced 20 years ago, many wondered if they were merely a trend, but theyve become a classic choice. Stainless steel is still the standard but white certainly outsells everything, says Lohnes.

The trend for 2020 is black stainless steel or graphite/darker grey over the stainless steel so appliances blend into dark kitchens and dont stand out like big boxes wrapped by a cabinetry colour or tone.

THEN: Shabby chicNOW: Farmhouse chic

Shabby chic falls under the country decorating category, which is always the most popular style of decorating. It embodied a very vintage but very feminine look with ruffles on the bottoms of sofas, cabbage patch floral, white slipcovers, and pretty pinks and blues, says Lohnes.

It wasnt as dowdy as the 1980s, which was the Laura Ashley look with a lot of dried flowers and beige mixed in with pastels.

Two decades later, shabby chic has evolved to farmhouse chic, which Lohnes describes as a more masculine version of the trend with lots of wrought iron and copper and grey-toned or driftwood-coloured wood.

Its also slightly more modern, with furniture lines that are cleaner compared to the rounded and curvy lines of shabby chic. Today, there are many versions of country, including cabin, cottage and chalet.

THEN: Chocolate brownNOW: Beige and greige

In the year 2000, chocolate brown was the big buzzword in colour, Lohnes recalls. We were putting beautiful milk chocolate colours on walls, which was new and dramatic yet still warm because it was a brown tone.

A lot of wood stain became more chocolate brown, which evolved into espresso tones, which were almost black but still brown. Chocolate brown was also big in fabrics. People thought a dining room painted in chocolate brown with white trim was avant garde.

Over the past five to 10 years, cool greys became our go-to colours. For 2020, were going to see beige and greige tones come in, says Lohnes. You might choose a dark neutral colour for your walls but its not going to be warm chocolate brown and its not going to be cool grey. Its going to be a mixture of both.

Its warming up the grey and its allowing us to keep some of our grey things like carpets, couches or chairs. The wall colour will still have grey in it, but it will be like a big dollop of brown is going into it. The lightest version of that is beige, which is also returning in 2020.

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Design trends then and now - Gananoque Reporter

When you religiously watch a show or movie, it begins to infiltrate every aspect of your life. Sure, you can quote the show or decorate your apartment with memorabilia from the hit series, but do you have something themed to cook with? This is now possible, Friends fans, because of this slow cooker.

Box Lunch

Slow cookers can make meal prepping an absolute breeze and save you time, so every Friends fan needs this one to be able to cook like Monica but eat like Joey. Let's call this: The One Where You'll Want To Use All Of Our Slow Cooker Recipes.

The appliance is sold online at Box Lunch and goes for just under $60. Box Lunch is currently having a site wide promotion where you can get 25% off with the code "BLGIFTS." The slow cooker has a fun design on it that includes sayings from the show like "How you doing?" and "PIVOT!" while also displaying iconic sites like the couch, fountain, and peep hole. For the most part, the design is just black and white so it would go with just about any kitchen set up as a statement piece or a matching countertop appliance.

Unfortunately, the single pot slow cooker is sold out at the moment but thankfully there is a Friends triple slow cooker for only $10 more than the single version. This way, you can have all your Friends-loving friends over for a dinner party, and have one appliance to do all the work.

Friends Triple Slow Cooker

$69.90

See original here:
You Need This 'Friends'-Themed Slow Cooker In Your Life - Delish.com

Luxury apartments for rent: 2130 JFK Boulevard, Jersey City.

Already 50% leased, 2130 JFK Boulevard is attracting renters with its combination of brand new, convenient, and larger than life luxury. The new construction, elevator building brings 20 spectacular two-bed, two-bath units to the market, featuring condominium-level finishes and a full complement of amenities including private balconies in select residences.

2130 JFK is a modern mid-rise addition to the charming residential West Bergen neighborhood with a sleek grey brick facade. The building is also pending LEED Gold and Energy Star certification, promising a sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective luxury rental experience for all residents.

Quality is matched only by square footage in the wide open and oversized units. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural light and frame fantastic views in every direction. Light hardwood floors run throughout and every residence has a washer/dryer as well as central air.

Kitchens are open and well-appointed with high-end stainless steel appliances. Ashy wood cabinetry, just a shade darker than the hardwood floors, creates a natural contemporary look plus a pop of white countertop. And the massive island is sure to become the homes quintessential gathering place.

Each unit has two full-size bedrooms and two full baths, both clad in a chic natural palette of tiles and finished with modern fixtures. The master bath boasts a luxurious glass-enclosed walk-in shower and the secondary bath has a bathtub/shower combo.

Beyond the bold new residences is a host of amenities rivaling any luxury building. Making it incredibly easy to never have to leave, 2130 offers a state-of-the-art fitness center on-site and a secure package room to accommodate all those online shopping deliveries.

But when its time to leave, getting around is easy, too. The West Side Avenue stop on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail is only one block away and 2130 JFK is served by multiple bus lines along Kennedy Boulevard, which is easily accessible from all major highways. The building also offers covered parking. Pet-friendly and in perfect proximity to the neighborhoods services, 2130 JFK Boulevard is an appealing luxury opportunity and renting fast.

For more information, you may visit 2130jfk.com or contact the exclusive leasing agents from Vue Realty Group:Joe Stingone[emailprotected]201-401-3698

Tatyana Gabruska[emailprotected]646-465-4560

The rest is here:
Live Large and in Luxury at 2130 JFK Boulevard, Jersey City - Jersey Digs

Article

While designers always strive to personalize kitchens for the homeowners, the job becomes more challenging when the client desires a specialty kitchen, whether that specialty is a kosher kitchen, wheelchair accessible space or baking-focused design.

authors Kim Berndtson

For this family, the grandmother serves as the primary cook, and Susan Klimalas clients wanted to give her a beautiful new space where she could spread out and have access to all the tools she needed. Eliminating a corner pantry created a place for a new pro-style range. It also gave Klimala enough space to incorporate a much larger island that now houses a beverage center, microwave drawer, double trash pullout, seating for three and plenty of storage. Klimala also designed the space to accommodate a large sink with accessories. To the right of the built-in refrigerator, she created a shallow pantry and across from it is a baking zone that conceals larger appliances and outlets behind pocket doors.Photos: LOMA Studios

All kitchens are special to the clients for whom they were designed. However, sometimes there are clients who require designs that are above and beyond what might be considered typical. Maybe someone loves to cook or bake and they need professional-style appliances or a place to roll dough. Maybe another client has some physical challenges and needs to be able to maneuver easily throughout their kitchen. Yet another client may have special dietary considerations, such as needing to comply with kosher standards.

This month, KBDN asked designers to share specialty kitchen projects that have required extra attention to detail.

For this family, the grandmother serves as the primary cook, and Susan Klimalas clients wanted to give her a beautiful new space where she could spread out and have access to all the tools she needed. Eliminating a corner pantry created a place for a new pro-style range. It also gave Klimala enough space to incorporate a much larger island that now houses a beverage center, microwave drawer, double trash pullout, seating for three and plenty of storage. Klimala also designed the space to accommodate a large sink with accessories. To the right of the built-in refrigerator, she created a shallow pantry and across from it is a baking zone that conceals larger appliances and outlets behind pocket doors.Photos: LOMA Studios

Multi-generational accommodations

Families often gather for holidays where several generations come together in the kitchen to cook and visit with each other. But for one family where the grandmother serves as the primary cook, multi-generational get-togethers happen on a near-daily basis.

My clients are two busy working parents with two young children who are involved in many activities, says Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD, The Kitchen Studio, in Glen Ellyn, IL. Their previous kitchen was not living up to its potential, both visually and functionally, so we wanted to create a beautiful new space that took advantage of the rooms existing footprint but that also was a real workhorse in terms of functionality since the family does a ton of cooking.

Dark cabinets and countertops made the room feel dull, but the major drawback was a large corner pantry that took up a lot of floor space and made the room feel smaller than it actually was. Eliminating that pantry created a place for a new focal-point pro-style range with appropriate ventilation. It also gave Klimala enough space to incorporate a much larger island that now houses a beverage center, microwave drawer, double trash pullout, seating for three and tonsof storage.

Klimala designed the space to accommodate a large sink with accessories such as a drying rack and chopping block as well as a pro-style faucet that makes the space highly functional. To the right of the built-in refrigerator, she created a shallow pantry and across from it is a baking zone that conceals larger appliances and outlets behind pocket doors.

We also discussed at length where other key cooking items such as spices and bulk grains would be stored and we made sure to create spots for them, she continues. We included a drawer for phone charging to the left of the sink, and we placed as many drawers as possible throughout the space.

I get jazzed up about creating spaces for clients who have needs above and beyond what might be considered typical, she continues. For me, that is when I slow down and listen carefully, take careful notes, etc. An important part of any great design is to really listen to clients needs so we can come up with some creative solutions, passed through what I call the design filter, which takes a look at ideas and doing them in a way that also looks great and pays careful attention to detail. I try to also approach each project as a piece of living art that is personalized for each client. Yes, the space has to work and be practical, but it should also evoke some emotional response from the homeowner that makes them feel that space is uniquely reflective of them.

In this highly functional kosher kitchen, Rivky Ungar collaborated with decorator Sandy Sugar to incorporate a contemporary design theme via sleek, flat-panel cabinetry (by Mooza Wood Arts) in white and wood tones. Wrapping a table around one corner of the island helps save space, giving her enough room to incorporate two cooking surfaces and two sinks as well as two wall ovens, two paneled dishwashers and two microwaves.Photo: Jason Hartog

Special separation

As a designer who specializes in kosher kitchens, Rivky Ungar is well versed in their unique design challenges. Most notable is the requirement to keep dairy and meats separate during preparation and serving, which greatly influences space planning and material selections.

Any time heat is involved, there needs to be a separation of dairy and meat, says the CKD, Design it Kosher, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Oftentimes, that means finding enough space for separate sinks and dishwashers, separate cooking surfaces and ovens and even separate cutlery and pots/pans and their associated storage. Other challenges relate to material selections, including those for countertops, sinks and cooking surfaces. All need to be durable and preferably possess the ability to be koshered and returned to their original state.

Kosher kitchens can be super technical, she says. And they are also very hard working. Families are usually large and every single week there is a Sabbath meal, which is comparable in size and scope to a Thanksgiving dinner, so there is always a lot of food being prepared in kosher kitchens.

Given the heavy focus on function, aesthetics can sometimes take a backseat. However, Ungar works with clients to make each space special.

Such was the case in a recent kitchen design where she collaborated with Enid McIntosh to create three separate preparation and cooking areas, one each for dairy and meat and the third for pareve foods, which are considered neutral, such as eggs, fish, fruits and vegetables.

This client is a big baker, and she wanted a separate oven and countertop space for all of her breads, cakes and cookies, she explains.

Rivky Ungar collaborated with Enid McIntosh to create three separate preparation and cooking areas in this kosher kitchen, one each for dairy and meat and the third for pareve foods. While the ventilation hood surround, perimeter countertops and backsplashes all look like marble, they are actually porcelain. As a contrast to the light perimeter, the designer topped the island with a dark granite.Photo: RKD Photography

While the ventilation hood surround, perimeter countertops and backsplashes all look like marble, they are actually porcelain, which is a more practical surface material for kosher kitchens, given its durability and non-porous properties. As a contrast to the light perimeter, the designer topped the island with a dark granite. The kitchens three sinks are all stainless steel, also chosen for its durability and ability to be koshered. The main cooking appliance is a gas range, which Ungar complemented with two wall ovens. Two dishwashers and a built-in, full-size refrigerator and freezer are paneled.

Paneling appliances helps prevent a space from looking too much like appliance row, she says, especially if all of them are along one wall.

Even when she is more space-challenged, Ungar tries to maintain aesthetic appeal, such as in another recent kitchen design where she collaborated with decorator Sandy Sugar to incorporate a contemporary design theme via sleek, flat-panel cabinetry by Mooza Wood Arts in white and wood tones.

Wrapping a table around one corner of the island helps save space, giving her enough room to incorporate two cooking surfaces, one beneath the hood and another in the island, and two sinks, one in the island and another along the perimeter. She also included two wall ovens, two paneled dishwashers and two microwaves, which she located side-by-side for a modern look.

This kitchen, designed by Brenda Helms, is a case of less is more, where she transformed the previously overstuffed kitchen into a more appropriate galley-style design for her client, who uses a wheelchair. The only discernible ADA-compliant feature is a lowered induction cooktop with knee space below. Helms also included a pull-out pantry cabinet that gives easy access to dry goods for cooks at all heights.Photos: David Cobb photography

In the details

Brenda Helms typically works in a quantifying mode for any kitchen or bathroom she designs.

Its always important to find out what clients hope for and want to see in their spaces, says the owner/interior designer, Edmond Kitchen & Bath in Edmond, OK.

As part of that process, the designer routinely asks about special requests.

Maybe someone likes to bake bread, she says. Or maybe someone needs a space for a big blender. Most people have something they are specific about.

In the case of this kitchen redesign, it was about making the new space function better for a client who is in a wheelchair.

She is the main cook, but he wanted to be able to contribute and cook during the day, she says.

The previous kitchen was a bit overstuffed with an oversized refrigerator, a 42-tall high bar that was inaccessible to him and an island with just 30 between walkways, which proved to be a tight fit for his 29.5-wide wheelchair.

The new design is a case of less is more, highlighted with a sprinkling of thoughtful changes that elevate it from standard to specialtywithout looking too much like an ADA space, per her clients request.

To accommodate their needs, she created a galley-style kitchen where the only discernible ADA-compliant feature is a lowered induction cooktop with knee space below.

Induction cooking is very safe and he doesnt have to worry about a flame, she says.

The peninsula is accented with a table-height countertop that wraps around the end. It serves as a flexible workstation where Helms client can sit at the end and guests or other family members can sit along the backside. The sink was specified because it is easier to reach compared to a traditional undermount sink with countertop rimming in the front. An articulating faucet provides full access, even to the corners.

Along the same wall, Helms included a more appropriately sized refrigerator and a pull-out pantry cabinet that gives easy access to dry goods for cooks of all heights.

Some elements we included arent necessarily ADA specific, but they fulfill that function while being useful for everyone, she says.

Across the 55 walkway which gives him plenty of room to rotate his wheelchair between sides is the oven and microwave, both of which were located at a height that is comfortable for him to use. The sink, which offers additional protection with its apron front, was specified because it is easier to reach compared to a traditional undermount sink with countertop rimming in the front. Adding an articulating faucet provides full access, even to the corners.

The peninsula is accented with a table-height countertop that wraps around the end and along its backside.

Its a flexible workstation that is accessible to all members of the family, she says. He can sit at the end and prep food or write a grocery list while guests or other family members can sit along the backside. Every element within the space was considered for its impact on the homes occupants, whether they are in a wheelchair or not. Even the door swing on the microwave is addressed.

No compromises

Designers dont often get the opportunity to create spaces with the input of a single voice. Usually there are spouses or significant others ideas to consider, sometimes in conflict with one another, resulting in compromises. But when Michal Behar Brison renovated this kitchen for her bachelor client, there was only one opinion she had to consider.

When Michal Behar Brison renovated this kitchen for her bachelor client, he requested a clean, highly styled, open kitchen with masculine touches. Including one full-height pantry in combination with standard uppers and base cabinets satisfied his storage needs and prevented the cabinetry from overtaking the space. To give the space a bit of masculinity, Brison included walnut base cabinets for the perimeter and island, combining them with a hint of drywall above the upper cabinets painted in a masculine charcoal gray. Photos: Linda Kasian Photography

My client is a single dad who has a young teenage daughter so there was just one person making all the decisions, says the principal/founder, MBB Design Studio in Calabasas, CA.

With a single focus in mind, Brisons client requested a clean, highly styled, open kitchen with masculine touches. Additional requests were relatively minimal, such as including a coffee station and creating a simple cooking area. To accommodate this, the designer began by tearing down walls. Incorporating plenty of countertop space in the new kitchen adds to the visual openness.

The original kitchen was very closed in, with a lot of walls that were used for additional cabinetry, she says. He doesnt have a lot of small appliances or need a lot of storage space for dry goods, so we were able to remove some of the walls to achieve an open floor plan between the kitchen and family room.

Including one full-height pantry in combination with standard uppers and base cabinets satisfies his storage needs and prevents the cabinetry from overtaking the space to maintain an appropriate scale with the family room to which the kitchen adjoins. Because the kitchen is not heavily used by a large family, Brison was able to eliminate cabinet handles to provide a clean, sleek look.

A six-burner cooktop in the island and double ovens, located across from the refrigerator, address his cooking needs. The designer also included a broom closet next to the ovens for easy access.

To give the space a bit of masculinity, Brison included walnut base cabinets for the perimeter and island, combining them with classic white uppers. Adding a white subway tile backsplash further brightens the space while a hint of drywall above the upper cabinets, painted in a masculine charcoal gray, matches the interior doors.

Special times two

She loves to bake. He loves to cook. Their two young daughters love to help both parents.

However, none of it could happen efficiently in their previously dark, cramped kitchen, so Stephanie Fried, designer, Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens, in Rockville, MD, in collaboration with Kirsten Kaplan, Haus Interior Design, created a new space they could better enjoy together as a family.

While islands are often an important design element in todays kitchen, this one just wasnt wide enough to accommodate the familys cooking needs. Plus, there was air return that couldnt be moved, preventing them from opening up the wall. Yet the designers didnt want the new space to feel like a galley-style kitchen with two full walls, so they created a bumped-out peninsula, customized as a baking center.

Bumping out a portion of the wall actually makes it feel like an island, says Fried.

Painting the baking center deep blue set it off from the rest of the classic white kitchen. Adding antiqued mirrored doors gave it specialty status and reflects light from the windows, all while concealing the duct work.

Fried equipped the baking center with plenty of customized storage, including deep drawers for mixing bowls and accessories like rolling pins. A narrow cabinet serves as convenient storage for cutting boards, trays and cookie sheets while the shallow-depth pantry keeps baking ingredients within reach. Open shelves provide easy access to her cookbooks. While Fried often uses appliance lifts for heavy stand mixers, this client wanted to leave her striking red KitchenAid on display, so the designers created an alcove where it can be showcased.

A deep, 30 countertop gives her client plenty of space for rolling dough, without feeling cramped. Choosing to use quartz offers durability and minimizes maintenance.

Other essentials in her baking center include a pull-out trash, wall oven and microwave, all located directly across from the refrigerator.

Stephanie Fried needed to create a dual-purpose kitchen for her clients, one of whom loves to bake, the other of whom loves to cook. Her side features the bumped-out peninsula, which is painted deep blue. Fried equipped it with plenty of customized storage, including deep drawers for mixing bowls and accessories. His side features plenty of prep space combined with the range and sink. Fried also included deep drawers for storage and narrow pullouts for spices.Photo: Stacy Zarin Goldberg

Now she doesnt have to carry eggshells across the room, she says. And when she has a full sheet of cookies, she can just walk around the corner of the peninsula to her oven.

Since the kitchen needed to be dual purpose, Fried gave consideration to the cooking side by including plenty of prep space combined with the range and sink along the outside wall. Fried also included deep drawers for storage and narrow pullouts for spices. The refrigerator is conveniently positioned for both sides.

The designer also included a beverage center, complete with an undercounter refrigerator, at the end of the kitchen near the custom, built-in banquette. Open shelves that stretch across the window give easy access to often-used dishes and coffee mugs.

Now everyone can be in the kitchen baking and cooking together, she says. Theres plenty of space for someone tobe cooking and someone to be on the opposite side of the room baking.

Starting over

When designers at IDF Studio, including lead designer Jaclyn Christensen, CID, discussed renovating this kitchen for their clients, they discovered there was little about its previous existence that worked for the two home chefs.

Designers at IDF Studio transformed this dark, ill-functioning kitchen into a bright, welcoming and new space for their home chef clients. The resulting kitchen has an entirely new layout with warm white perimeter cabinetry that contrasts with the oversized gray-green island. To accommodate the clients passion for cooking, the designers specified top-of-the line appliances as well as a pot filler.Photo: Christopher Stark

We always love to get inside a clients head and learn about how they use their current space, says Kassin Adelman, founder/CEO of the San Francisco, CA firm. We like to find out whats working, and not working; what challenges or annoyances they face, and what improvements might make life easier. We want to understand how they plan to move about the space, which appliances and tools they use the most, then try to optimize it all for the best experience and flow.

The main objective for this remodel was to rid the room of its dark, ill-functioning design, which was best resolved by starting from scratch to create a bright, welcoming and new space for their home chef clients. The resulting kitchen has an entirely new layout with relocated doors and windows. Warm white perimeter cabinetry contrasts with the oversized gray-green island, which was designed to look more like a piece of furniture while housing ample storage for the active family.

To accommodate a passion for cooking, designers specd top-of-the line appliances, including the Wolf range.

The range offers superior heating elements and an infrared griddle, which is great for searing meats and quick-cooking stir fry, she explains. The refrigerator has advanced temperature and humidity controls to keep food fresher, longer.

Additionally, a microwave drawer saves precious countertop space. Adding a wine refrigerator keeps contents chilled and ready for the perfect meal pairings.

The designers also included a pot filler so theres less lugging around of heavy pots, she notes.

The durable quartz countertop is both practical and beautiful and complements the full-height Carrara marble backsplash. The walnut-clad range hood offers added texture and warmth.

More:
Above and Beyond - Kitchen and Bath Design News

FAIRFIELD TWP.

Last year, Fairfield Twp. focused on getting its fire department a better functional station.

This year, its the police departments turn.

Construction to remodel and expand the Fairfield Twp. police station is likely to start later this year as its anticipated trustees will hire a contractor this spring if everything goes as scheduled, said Fairfield Twp. Administrator Julie Vonderhaar.

LOCAL NEWS: Fairfield Twp. asks the states help to fund veterans memorial

The township is seeking qualifications from developers by Friday, and proposals would be due this spring. The contractor hired would determine when construction starts, but Vonderhaar said the project could take up to a year.

Included in the remodeling of the 3,500-square-foot building is an expansion on the front side that will include nine offices and a new lobby, records room, secure properties office and conference room. There will be three restrooms and the possibility for additional rooms. The remodeling of the existing building will include relocating partitions, and new floors, ceiling tiles and lighting.

The expansion will also require additional fencing to the southeast corner with a gated entrance and redeveloped parking area for police vehicles.

The existing under-roof parking bays to the rear of the building will also be enclosed as part of the remodeling project.

Weve outgrown the department, said Fairfield Twp. Assistant Chief Doug Lanier. When we first moved into this department, we just had an office at the administration building.

LOCAL NEWS: Overwhelmed, stunned and thankful: Fairfield Twp. man fighting to find kidney for wife

The department moved into the building in 2002 with about 10 fewer full-time employees. Today they have 21 sworn officers with two more to be hired later this year and two full-time clerks. They also have a part-time property room clerk.

The remodel and expansion will address three key areas of improvement needed, Lanier said: more space, better operational efficiency and better workflow.

Weve got a lot more people doing a lot more work, Lanier said. Weve moved personnel from one office to the other, weve turned offices into storage, weve moved the property room and evidence room around.

The working conditions are not unlike Fairfield Twp.s old fire station 212 on Tylersville Road before it was relocated to a new building last year on Gilmore Road.

The township has boomed in population since 1990 when it was 9,753 residents. Today, there are nearly 23,000 residents living in the township, a 130-plus percent growth over the past 30 years. Lanier said that growth does not include the townships business growth and day-time traffic, which is also growing.

Vonderhaar said the project could cost about $1.2 million.

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Read more:
Growing Fairfield Twp. needs larger police headquarters: What to know - Hamilton Journal News

If you think remodeling your kitchen is a lot of work, what if you had a fixer upper thats more than 2-thousand miles long. Yes, the Appalachian Trail, which runs from Maine to Florida and through Virginia is getting a makeover so it can be more accessible to people of various skill levels.

Literally, one step at a time, volunteers have been remaking sectionss of the Appalachian Trail that are too vertical, too precarious or just worn out.

Bruce Agnew is a Volunteer Steward of the AT. Back in the old days, they just ran it up the side of the mountain. And we've been maintaining those steep grades for 50 years, 75 years. So, let's make the grade a little bit gentler."

We met up with him on a New Years Day Hike in the Mountain Lakes Wilderness that comprises Virginias Giles and Craig Counties. Its a three-year project, 6,000 linear feet, a lot of stone steps and a, a, a lot of cutting side Hill. Literally cutting into a hillside, pulling the dirt out, creating a nice flat trail as it winds around the side of the mountain.

And let me just show you one photo of a section of trail that we finished about a year ago,

He shows us a picture of one section with what looks like a gently curved a staircase to a stone mansion. But at the top, all there is more wilderness. Hey, great picture, the hikers with us say. Very straight, and even."

The Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club has been doing this work and more volunteers are more than welcome. People come from all over the country and the world to help in these efforts. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, based in Blacksburg, makes sure they have tools and training to get the job done.

We use local material within a very short distance of where the steps are going in. We're hauling heavy tools, but we're not hauling a stone any further than we have to.

Several years ago, the Appalachian trail Conservancy decided its better to have a trail that is less steep. People like people like me can make it up a gentler slope.

Agnew is retired but he doesnt appear to have slowed down. The new, gentler trails follow the available topography when possible. Some are relocated to make them more sustainable.

A steep trail erodes much more rapidly than a gentler sloping trail because water running down hill has a erosional capabilities. The gentler the slope, the less erosion, the less erosion, the less maintenance, the less maintenance, the less work that the trail maintainers have to do to maintain that section of trail that they're responsible for.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy's flagship Konnarock crew program, founded in 1983, named after its original base camp in southwest Virginia, is looking for volunteers of all experience levels and backgrounds, any age over 18. No experience necessary. The ATC provides training, equipment, room and board.

Here's a section of trail that we put in about 40 or 50 stone steps. It takes about three people, four people to move one of those steps into place. And I mean, to be a part of that and to be able to come back five years, 10 years down the road and step on these things and make sure they don't wobble. Agnew Trails off: Well, thats a job well done.

Click here for more information about the Konnarock Trail Crew

View post:
Remodeling the Appalachian Trail - WVTF

Arkansas Federal Credit Union is paying $12 million for a building in west Little Rock that will become the organization's new corporate home.

Arkansas Federal announced Tuesday that over the next 18-24 months it will move its primary operations from Jacksonville to the 97,000-square-foot building at 5800 Ranch Drive that housed the nonprofit Family Life.

Family Life will continue operating at the site until August.

"After a three-year search for space to accommodate our growing operations and membership, we felt the building's size, quality, location and value were the perfect fit for us," Rodney Showmar, president and chief executive officer of Arkansas Federal, said in a news release. "We are excited to be able to have all of our operations staff under one roof in this new facility."

The new headquarters will accommodate 200 employees and has plenty of room for expansion, the company said, noting that it also will build a full-service branch on site to serve the area. Remodeling is scheduled to be completed in 2021.

The credit union serves 108,000 members at 15 branches in Arkansas. It has $1.2 billion in assets.

-- Andrew Moreau

Print Headline: Arkansas Federal Credit Union union moving to $12M west Little Rock facility

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Arkansas Federal Credit Union union moving to $12M west Little Rock facility - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Arkansas Federal Credit Union is paying $12 million for a building in west Little Rock that will become the organizations new home.

Arkansas Federal announced Tuesday that over the next 18-24 months it will move its primary operations from Jacksonville to the 97,000-square-foot building at 5800 Ranch Drive that housed the nonprofit Family Life.

Family Life will continue operating at the site until August.

After a three-year search for space to accommodate our growing operations and membership, we felt the buildings size, quality, location and value were the perfect fit for us, Rodney Showmar, president and chief executive officer of Arkansas Federal, said in a news release. We are excited to be able to have all of our operations staff under one roof in this new facility."

The new headquarters will accommodate 200 employees and has plenty of room for expansion, the company said, noting that it also will build a full-service branch on site to serve the area. Remodeling is scheduled to be completed in 2021.

The credit union serves 108,000 members at 15 branches in Arkansas. It has $1.2 billion in assets.

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Arkansas Federal Credit Union to move HQ from Jacksonville to west Little Rock - Arkansas Online

(Press Staff Photo by C.P. Thompson)Ralph Toy Sepulveda and Frank Cordova are sworn in by Magistrate Judge Hector Grijalva during a school board meeting Monday. They were reelected in Novembers first-ever consolidated local election.

The Cobre Consolidated Schools Board of Education heard from the district superintendent during their Monday meeting about the possibilities of moving sixth-grade students to Snell Middle School. Board members also tabled the superintendents contract because of time constraints.

Our elementaries are tight, Superintendent Robert Mendoza said. We have no more room. Theres no classrooms. The only way to get immediate relief from the elementaries is that we move the sixth grade [next year], the current fifth-graders, instead of being sixth grade in their elementaries, will be bused to Snell Middle School.

This year, the school includes just seventh and eighth grades.

Mendoza said this will be discussed with school administrators, and then a plan will be created for board approval. Snell Principal Pat Abalos has already expressed he is willing to take them, Mendoza said.

I think we really have to educate the community and get the community on board also, because, if not, we may have a lot of parents that are going to be really against it, said Deputy Superintendent George Peru. We were really aggressive, going after all these buildings. I mean, theres a lot of districts in the state that didnt put up as many schools as we did. But when we went after [the schools], we had a lot of layoffs [at the mines], so we built the schools for the amount of kids that we had at that time.

Associate Superintendent Jose Carrillo said that sixth-graders were originally moved to the elementary because Snell was being remodeled.

If you remember, we had seventh and eighth grades here at the high school, he said. And sixth grade went to the elementaries to help with that remodeling. We had the space at the time.

Carrillo said the districts early childhood programs have increased in numbers, and Mendoza assured board members that, so far, this move is just at the discussion level.

The board went into closed session for about an hour to discuss Mendozas contract and evaluation, but the action items were tabled after the board emerged.

We did not finish the evaluation, said board President Ralph Toy Sepulveda. Were going to table that, and resume at the next board meeting.

Magistrate Judge Hector Grijalva swore in Sepulveda and Frank Cordova as board members during the meeting, after they were re-elected in Novembers first-ever consolidated local election. The board then voted on officers for the year, and Cordova made the motion to keep the same board members as last year Sepulveda as president, Cordova as vice president and Frank Gomez as secretary. Gomez seconded the motion, and it was passed by the board, with Gilbert Guadiana being the only one to vote against.

I think the current makeup of the leadership of the board doesnt prioritize to get more people to participate in the meetings, Guadiana told the Daily Press.

He also complained that the board doesnt talk about the students education, strategies and issues even when there is a substantive strategic plan.

The current leadership of the board circumvents information to the board that should go to the board by engaging in one-on-one conversation with the superintendent, he said. The leadership is not fulfilling our responsibility of fiscal oversight.

During public input, Ruben Udero, coach of the Cobre Youth Wrestling program, said he would like a key to the facility at Cobre High School for practices. He said there have been multiple times that he had to call wrestling coach Reyne Maynes and Athletic Director Nelson Diaz to open the facility.

I feel like, why shouldnt I have a key? Udero said. I dont even lend my keys to my coaches. To tell you the truth, people, I just dont see any sense. I am not your enemy. Im not going to destroy that place. The success of this wrestling program is because of the feeder programs.

Peru updated the board on school construction projects, one of which is a new well at San Lorenzo Elementary.

We got cleared last Thursday, he said. We can open that well to the public, and theyre going to let us connect everything. So what well do is well hook everything up. Well just continue to test it. Right now, they feel that its OK for public use, especially after we start treating it.

The new well will pump more than 30 gallons per minute, Peru said after the meeting. The old well it replaces would sometimes run dry.

Fixing a problem with heating at the high school wrestling room, Peru said, will be about $6,000 for a new unit.

Construction of an auxiliary gym at Cobre High is on hold because of a lack of funds.

Once [President Donald] Trump put all those tariffs in, the [cost for] metal went through the roof, and we couldnt do anything, he said. We went now to check to see if we could do it with block, and the block is right at about the same cost. We can build one, but were only going to get about half the size that we had anticipated wed be able to get for the money we were going to put in. And if we build one half that size, we wont be able to accommodate the wrestling, the basketball and all those things at one time.

Peru said he visited with Lt. Gov. Howie Morales and District 28 state Sen. Gabe Ramos about the auxiliary gym, and that district is short by about $500,000 to $600,000.

In other news, Guadiana made a motion to allow No Regrets Basketball to use Cobre facilities, but there was no second from another board member, killing the request. Board members approved a preventive maintenance plan, which will now go to the New Mexico Public School Facilities Authority, Peru said.

C.P. Thompson may be reached at cp@scdaily press.com.

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Cobre may return 6th grade to Snell - Silver City Daily Press and Independent

Kimberly Manning had hit one of those crossroads in her professional career working for a high-profile insurance company.

The company was consolidating offices, and I was going to have to move or find a new job, Manning said. My husband (Michael) saw that this space was coming open and thought we should open a restaurant.

I thought he was crazy. I had no restaurant experience, but he kept talking to me about opening a wing spot, and I warmed up to that.

So about three months ago, the Mannings opened Macks Wings in space that has held several restaurants, including Uncle Herms, Sweet Lisas Caf (now at 1717 N. Peoria Ave.) and Reba Dales BBQ (now a food truck rotating between the Oklahoma City area and Tulsa).

I have chosen not to rate this restaurant because it essentially has one item chicken wings. It has a line of sauces, plus a sauce of the week, which was bourbon barbecue when we were there.

The standard sauces are mild, medium or hot buffalo; lemon pepper, Oklahoma dry rub, Mack sauce (a sweet and tangy buffalo sauce) and hot lemon twist (hot buffalo with lemon pepper seasoning).

The wings may be ordered by the piece, starting with 10 wings for $9.49 and going all the way to 100 wings for $93.99, or in combos with regular or sweet potato fries, carrot and celery sticks and a 20-ounce drink.

We opted for the combos. We got six wings with the dry rub, six with the Mack sauce and six with the hot lemon twist (World photographer Matt Barnard sampled the latter) for $8.99 each. We also received a small container of ranch dipping sauce for the veggies.

Barnard said the hot lemon twist had a pleasing flavor and some pizzazz without blowing off the top of your head.

If you like chicken relatively plain, then the dry rub is the way to go. It was mild and let the flavor of the chicken shine. I liked the Mack sauce as something between mild and spicy, and it had a little sweetness to it.

Michael developed the sauces, and we plan to add some more, probably roasted garlic and traditional flavors, Kimberly said.

The dining room is relatively small four red-cushioned booths and four high-tops but it is a new and comfortable space for dine-in guests. A large aerial skyline view of downtown Tulsa decorates one wall.

Michael did all of the remodeling himself, Kimberly said.

The restaurant is named after the owners 11-year-old daughter, Mackenzie.

She has her handlers permit, and she is pretty good on the register, Michael said.

Both Mannings come from interesting backgrounds.

Michael, who is a sizable man, was raised in Georgia and played basketball at Clemson University and Coker University, both in South Carolina. He also played for two years in Lisbon, Spain, when he was in his early 20s. He moved to Tulsa in 2006, and today works as a defense attorney.

He said he first envisioned owning a restaurant so his older sister in South Carolina could move here and go into business with him.

That didnt work out, but I still liked the idea, he said.

Kimberly, a native Tulsan, served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a security guard in Madagascar, an island off the east coast of Africa, and in the West African country of Togo.

It was an eye-opening experience, she said. There was so much poverty over there. You really appreciate coming home.

Macks Wings has been operating Thursday through Sunday, but beginning Monday, it will go to seven days a week.

We wanted to ease into it at first, but I think we have it down pretty good now, Kimberly said.

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Mack's Wings off to flying start in north Tulsa - Tulsa World