Looking for a home appliance that will clean up what gets spilled and sort out the stains that are already there? The Vax ONEPWR SpotlessGo Spot Washer might just have grabbed your attention as the perfect solution for your home and car.

I've tested a range of the best vacuum cleaners on carpet, hard floors, and upholstery, and challenged it with new spills and old stains to give you the lowdown on how efficiently it will get rid of them, how easy it is to use, and how much space itll take up in your cupboard.

Those with young families and messy pets facing lots of spills and wanting a ready-to-go solution.

Simple to operate, this handy machine is easy to prepare for action and tackle spills with.

(Image credit: Vax)

I challenged the Vax ONEPWR SpotlessGo Spot Washer with both old stains and new spills in my testing. I inherited marks from an unknown source on a carpet in one of the bedrooms when I moved into my home, and with new carpets on the horizon now I had suspended my (unsuccessful) efforts to remove them. Using the SpotlessGo was the ideal opportunity to see if they could be removed after who knows how long in place.

The result? Yes, the Vax ONEPWR SpotlessGo Spot Washer cleaned up these marks effectively and with little effort on my part.

It was also a winner on hard flooring, sucking up a tea spill in a trice and leaving white tiles white, and worked equally well with a spill on upholstery.

The machine comes with a multipurpose attachment in the form of a brush that slots easily onto the wash tool on the hose and helps you work into carpet fibres. Theres also a pet attachment designed to pick up (yes, youve guessed it) hair and fur that was easy to swap into place. You also get a squeegee thats handy for the shower screen.

I found the Vax ONEPWR SpotlessGo Spot Washer to be an effective worker on all that it was challenged with once I got into the swing of using it. It came with a starter bottle of the brands Multi-Floor Solution. A measured quantity of this had to be added to the tank (which lifts easily out of the machine), along with water, and there are markers to indicate how much of each you need. The Multi-Floor Solution cleaner is antibacterial, and promises to remove up to 99% of bacteria.

Once youre working on a spill or stain, the key to using the machine is knowing that the floor head sprays the cleaning solution forward when the trigger is squeezed, so I needed to position it a small distance away from what I was tackling. Once this is done, the flooring could be agitated with the appropriate attachment. Releasing the trigger and re-angling the head was necessary to suck up the solution and dry the floor. It took me a couple of tries to get the hang of all this, and it would have been handy to have this information in the instructions and skip the learning curve.

Once I was in the swing, I was impressed by how dry the machine left the floor, which obviously makes things safer than cleaning up with cloths and buckets then leaving the floor wet, and is a huge plus point for the machine.

The machine has a run time of 15 minutes when the batterys charged, which was enough for me to tackle plenty of problems, and I dont think would prove insufficient for most households because its a machine for immediate clean-ups rather than the whole house (as a vacuum is). Charging time for the battery (see more on this design below) is a swift one and half hours.

The dirty water tank, like that for the cleaning solution, was fuss-free to remove from the machine. Its transparent so you definitely get to experience the yuck factor even before you pour the filthy contents down the sink.

The Vax ONEPWR SpotlessGo Spot Washer is part of the ONEPWR family along with cordless vacuum cleaners the Vax ONEPWR Blade 3, and Vax ONEPWR Blade 4, as well as the hard floor cleaner the Vax Glide. The lithium-ion ONEPWR battery can be shared between appliances so the battery from your Blade 3 or Blade 4 vac, for example, will work in this spot cleaner. Then again, you can buy an additional battery so theres always a charged spare for your Vax appliances.

Lithium-ion batteries do come to an end of their lives, but the ONEPWR version can be replaced when this happens, which means your cleaner isnt redundant for want of a functioning battery. This isnt the case with all appliances, so its worth bearing mind when youre purchasing a cordless.

(Image credit: Vax)

With dimensions of H21.6 x W28.9 x D32.4cm, the Vax ONEPWR SpotlessGo Spot Washer shouldnt be a nuisance to find storage space for after all its not much bulkier than a bucket and the shape makes it easier to accommodate than one of these. The hose coils neatly round it, too, so it didnt get tangled with other items when I put it away.

The Vax ONEPWR SpotlessGo Spot Washer wasnt heavy and it was comfortable to move around the house with as well. Although I had teething troubles with positioning of the wash tool, it wasnt hard to put in the right place nor to use once I had the knack.

The ratings of reviewers on the Vax site give this spot cleaner an average 4.3 out of five rating. Ease of use and cleaning results receive the highest ratings, but value for money isnt far behind. Users say its cleaned up spills and mud effectively. They also acclaimed its light weight and easy portability. Negatives from these reviewers included that it left some surfaces more wet than theyd like.

There arent a whole lot of similar cleaners although users of these machines definitely see the value of a portable machine for homes with kids and pets. The price of this version puts it head to head with other designs, but it is more compact and lighter than others factors that might well put it at the top of your list if storage space is short and weight crucial.

Sarah Warwick has specialised in homes and interiors for over 20 years. She was Executive Editor of Ideal Home magazine, and has written for nationals, magazines and websites including Real Homes, Homebuilding & Renovating, Grand Designs, Homes & Gardens, Houzz, The Guardian, House Beautiful and Country Homes & Interiors.

She put the vacuums through their paces all round the house, on all sorts of dirt and debris, and a variety of flooring and surfaces.

@SMWarwick

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Read our review on the Vax ONEPWR SpotlessGo Spot Washer cordless vacuum cleaner - Real Homes

The video camera visibly shook in the nervous hands of Rashawn Bass as he entered an Ocean County burger restaurant on Sunday looking for a bearded man sitting at a table with a chocolate milkshake. Bass said he knew the man as Steve Chase, a Skout app user who had spent the last day arranging a meeting with someone he believed to be a teen girl.

The confrontation at the Toms River restaurant was a first for Bass, the YouTuber behind the Minority vs. Predator channel he started four months ago. Bass continued filming as he followed Steve Chase outside and peppered him with questions about why he was trying to meet a teen for sex.

I was thinking I hope everything goes smoothly and thankfully it did, Bass told NJ Advance Media. I was scared to no end, but had to hold my composure as best as I could."

The YouTube video posted Sunday by Bass, an Ocean County resident who works at a carpet cleaning service in Toms River, quickly circulated on social media. After people recognized the man and shared his real name, Bass went to law enforcement.

By Monday evening, Phillip Stone, a 34-year-old real estate agent from Lacey Township, was facing charges of luring and attempted sexual assault. Attempts to reach Stone by phone and email were unsuccessful. It was not immediately clear if he had retained an attorney.

Bass said authorities appeared appreciative of his effort. But they warned him against doing it again.

This is a dangerous thing for private citizens to do, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday. "Anything couldve gone wrong there. It couldve turned violent. Innocent people couldve been hurt. Were fortunate in this case that it didnt go wrong.

Bass posted the phony profile of a teen girl on the messaging app Skout about a week ago, using photos of a childhood friend. The first messages from Steve started on Saturday.

"Do you like older men, or are you just here to chat? the man said. The conversation, detailed in numerous screen captures on Basss video, quickly turned sexual and led to the in-person meeting less than 24 hours later, Bass said.

The video has now been viewed more than 150,000 times.

Bass said he started the YouTube channel to raise awareness about the dangers of online predators and teach parents to keep open lines of communication with their kids. He hopes his videos - there are 15 in total so far - help victims feel more comfortable reporting incidents to authorities.

It is very difficult to keep a child safe with guys who are expert child groomers, Bass said. "They are the ultimate sociopaths. They know what to say, theyre very charming. You have to teach children early on to not trust everyone they come across. Parents, build a rapport with your child.

While the Ocean County Prosecutors Office filed charges in this case, this type of sting by private citizens could be problematic, Billhimer said.

Text exchanges leading up to the meet-up may not be admissible in court if a defense lawyer successfully argues entrapment." Entrapment means a law enforcement agent induced a person to commit the crime, but professionals are trained to avoid that, Billhimer said.

These are very delicate and intricate investigations, Billhimer said. "People that work in our Special Victims Unit and our High Tech Crime unit... theyre trained to say the right things so that when ultimately the case goes to court, we have a case we can win.

In this case, though, Billhimer said he is confident Stone will be convicted. But the safety concerns remain. During undercover operations, there is back-up law enforcement nearby in case the suspect is armed or turns violent.

It would be better for civilians to turn over text message evidence to the prosecutors office rather than meet with a suspect in person, said Elie Honig, executive director of the Rutgers Institute for Secure Communities.

If (civilians) were to take information, take the names of individuals they had identified, to take transcripts of chats they had had, to take evidence they generated into law enforcement and let law enforcement handle it from there, I think that would be a way better model here, Honig said.

Bass said he turned over his footage to the prosecutors office on Monday. While he is laying low for the time being, Bass says he plans to continue his vigilante work at some point.

With caution, I plan to continue. Itll be a day-by-day decision, he said. Parents need to know about stuff like this.

Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo2@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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The YouTuber who exposed accused child predator says he will continue stings in exclusive interview - NJ.com

If youre a sucker for a cleaning hack then youre in luck, because theres a new one on the scene which will remove all of the unwanted hairs from your carpet, and you can achieve it simply by using a 1.99 window cleaner 'squeegee'.

Taking to the popular Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page, one woman posted a video of her hair-ridden grey carpets, writing: Window cleaner (squeedgy) really works to lift stubborn dog hairs from stairs! Thank you to whoever shared this tip. [sic]

In the clip, the woman can be seen dragging a window cleaner, better known as a squeegee across her carpets and, as a result, a whole host of pesky hairs are lifted off.

Fans of the hack were quick to share their love for the cleaning tip.

I need to buy one of these, one person wrote, with another adding: Oh my days, Im off to B&M tomorrow to get one of these!! Genius idea, [sic].

A third wrote: I love this tip, and a fourth added: I love it! Know what Im buying next !!! [sic]

The comments for the hack rolled in thick and fast with members of the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook group eager to get their hands on the carpet cleaner.

And it turns out the tool is extremely cost-effective, and can be found online at B&M for just 1.99, named the Addis Premium Squeegee, in grey.

Famed cleaning sensation Mrs Hinch has also been known to rave about this carpet cleaning hack, taking to Instagram to share the tip in 2019.

The Essex-based cleaning pro shared images of herself scraping the squeegee over the carpet to lift away hair, dust and more, causing her fans to take to their Instagram stories to show themselves doing the same.

One wrote: Oh my - when you think your floors are lovely and last night try a new trick and this happens. 'Major squeegee cleaning after work tonight on ALL carpets and stairs. [sic]

Meanwhile another penned: Im so shocked at this! I Squeegeed my stairs which I hoovered before this and look at how much fluff I brought up. [sic]

See original here:
Woman's amazing hack removes hair from carpets in seconds all you need is a 1.99 'squeegee' - OK! magazine

Even the thought of cleaning tires me out, and I usually have to spend a few hours (okay, more like days) mentally preparing for the chore.

However, Ive found that once I start cleaning one of the rooms in my apartment, I get into a productive groove that whisks me from the bathroom and kitchen to the living room and bedroom with montage-like ease. Having both the mental strength to clean and a proper toolkit of products on hand helps me reach this cleaning groove and get the chore over as quickly and seamlessly as possible.

If youre equipped with thorough, durable, and easy-to-use cleaners and appliances, you can clean your entire home and barely break a sweat in the process.

So what products should you fill your cleaning basket with? We looked to the top-rated ones first to see what everyone else swears by to catch dust bunnies, clear out clogged drains, and make their countertops sparkle as much as when they first moved in.

Though the price is a lot to pay for a vacuum, the V10s powerful and thorough cleaning capabilities make every dollar worth it. The battery only runs when you push on the trigger and it lasts for up to 60 minutes, letting you clean your whole apartment more efficiently than ever before. It comes with two cleaner heads (one for hardwood floors and one for carpet) and four additional tools so you can reach every inch of any surface.

If you absolutely hate cleaning, let a robot vacuum do the work for you. While youre outside of the house, it can make use of all that empty time to clean your home and even automatically return to its docking station to recharge. It senses where there are concentrated areas of dirt and moves around your furniture so you wont return home to find it jammed in a corner.

The app lets you schedule cleaning sessions anywhere, while Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility integrate it seamlessly into your smart home set up.

Check out our guide to the best robot vacuums for more options.

Youll see these bleach-free wipes in nearly everyones cleaning cabinet because theyre thick and durable, kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, and come in three fresh scents. They dispense easily out of the canister and dry quickly, plus theyre safe on hard and nonporous surfaces like finished hardwood, sealed granite, and stainless steel.

This soft, fluffy duster captures all the dust settling on your shelves and countertops in one fell swoop. Flexible and lightweight, its comfortable and easy to maneuver around tight, tricky spaces. Its reusable head is machine washable, though its best if you simply handwash it in cold water.

If you need something to reach tall surfaces, OXOs 3-in-1 Extendable Duster is also highly rated. It extends to 8 feet, collapses to 3 feet, and comes with three interchangeable brush heads.

Whether youre dealing with thick pet hair or a slippery spill, this dual-use broom can handle it. The 100% natural rubber attracts hair and debris like a magnet from hardwood, linoleum, and traditionally difficult surfaces like carpet and rugs. Then use the built-in squeegee edge if you need to wipe off liquids from windows, showers, tile, and hardwood. It can extend out to 5 feet.

This well-designed system allows for hands-free wringing. The bucket has a special spinner, activated by a foot pedal, that spins your mop and keeps water splashes contained.

The mop head itself rotates 360 degrees and is shaped like a triangle to better clean the corners of your home. Microfiber is equally effective on hardwood floors and tiles, like the ones in your kitchen, when used wet or dry.

Natural cleaning brand Mrs. Meyers makes this plant-based multi-surface cleaner that cleans as well as traditional chemical-laden ones but doesnt leave any harsh odors behind. Instead, after its removed dirt from your countertops and surfaces, it has a sweet, pleasant, and flowery honeysuckle scent. Other nice scents from the brand include Basil, Lavender, and Lemon Verbena.

Rather than stick your head in your microwave and hack away for half an hour at the food crud that has been in there since 200 heating sessions ago, use this accessory to loosen it up first.

Add vinegar, water, and lemon juice to the fill lines on the body and microwave the Angry Mama for 5 to 7 minutes, after which any stains will be loose enough to wipe down quickly. It should cut down your cleaning time in half and make your microwave usable again in time for dinner.

People rarely ever wipe up their oven messes immediately, but they come to regret it weeks later when the baked-on spills and grease dont budge. Make your oven look brand new again with this affordable, fume-free cleaner, which works on ovens, oven doors, broilers, broiler pans, and stainless-steel surfaces to clean up those tough messes. Spray it and leave it on for at least 5 minutes and up to 40 minutes, then wipe down with a cloth or paper towel.

Living in a house involves the constant battle of unclogging pipes and drains. If youre not fishing out bits of food from the sink, youre probably unraveling a never-ending string of hair from the shower drain.

Green Gobblers clog remover clears your drains by liquifying everything in its path grease, hair, scum, food, and more. It comes in a dual-chambered bottle and you use one chamber for sinks and tubs and both chambers for toilets.

This multi-use cleaner can be used all over your house, including exterior parts like driveways and patio furniture. As a powerfully concentrated degreaser, its especially useful for your kitchen because it can take out food and drink stains, grease, oil, gum, and soap scums. Dilute one part concentrate with 10 parts water and you can cover up to 75 square feet of surfaces.

People who have tried this glass cleaner, available in both aerosol and spray form, never go back to any other products. Your mirrors and glass surfaces will emerge sparkly clear and streak-free since it doesnt contain any soaps, scents, or dyes. Its also ammonia-free.

Once all your bathroom and living room glass surfaces are clean, feel free to use on your car to remove the stains, droppings, and other dirty casualties of driving outside.

While far from being super plush or thick, these basic cleaning cloths are absorbent and durable enough to get the job done. The pack includes cloths in three different colors, so you can separated them by cleaning tasks. If youre on a budget, its hard to find a better deal than this value pack.

If you have the double whammy of a pet (or pets) and carpeted floors, youll want this specialized Hoover cleaner. The under-$100 appliance both cleans and offers antimicrobial protection, and it comes with a removable nozzle so you can rinse off dirt and grime.

It also has a dual-tank system that keeps your clean water separated from the dirty water, and its signature HeatForce technology means your carpets will dry faster.

The fresh Eucalyptus Mint scent of this cleaner might motivate you to actually use this cleaner every single day to prevent scum and grime build-up. Its made from non-toxic and biodegradable ingredients that you can feel better about going down your drain. Other than in the tub itself, you can use it for chrome faucets and shower doors.

The ToiletWand comes with disposable sponges that are preloaded with Clorox cleaner, eliminating the need to buy a separate toilet bowl cleaner. The sponge pad clicks securely onto the wand and gets into areas of your toilet that a brush cant, and once youre done cleaning, it comes off with one click so you never need to touch anything beyond the stick itself. This system also means you wont have a dirty toilet brush sitting in your bathroom at all times.

Getting into the tiny lines of your bathroom is difficult without a specialized, narrow brush like this. It has sturdy, angled brushes to reach the soap scum, grime, and mold stuck in your grout, but its equally easy to wash afterward in hot, soapy water. The thick 1-inch handle is fairly comfortable to hold, which certainly helps as you dig into the floors and walls of your bathroom.

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17 top-rated products to clean every room in your house - Business Insider

Metal framing for new residential homes and remodeling projects has grown in popularity over the last few years. For many years, metal construction framing has been more popular on commercial jobsites where there is more consideration for fire protection and the integration of red iron metal construction.

No doubt, metal framing is a proven method of structural building. There are pros and cons to consider when considering metal framing for your next construction project

The transition of metal framing to residential construction has been occurring over the last two decades with a lot of starting and stopping. One pro in using metal framing in residential construction is the ability to make a straight wall.

By nature of the growth rings in a tree, lumber is a product that naturally crowns, which can create minor bows and cups in the wood. Normally, a wall run of 2x4 wood studs will not be perfectly straight, especially in this day and time, because few carpenters understand how to site and crown lumber.

On the other hand, metal framing is true perfectly straight. A straighter wall can make a slight improvement on the installation of drywall, moulding, and doors.

Another pro of metal framing is that metal is rot and termite resistant. Thus far, there is not a termite alive that can eat a metal stud. In addition, other pests find metal less inviting to inhabit.

Metal does not preclude termite protection, because there is still a lot of wood that termites can enjoy in the doors, windows, and trim of a residential home. Metal framing can be more forgiving in case of flooding, and it can help limit the spread of a fire.

The first con with metal framing is the limited number of tradespeople who are skilled to install it on residential jobsites. Most residential framing crews are skilled to build wood walls and install wood trusses. Few of them have the experience to do this in metal framing.

In fact, some framing crews have abandoned installing any metal framing, because they cannot find the labor to do so. When you cant find labor, that means the price of that labor will be more expensive.

Another con with metal framing is the pricing. Until the trade wars of 2019 and the uncertainty of steel pricing in the world markets, the price of steel framing was growing more competitive with wood products not so much now. Typically, metal framing runs about 20 percent more and future pricing continues to be uncertain as the United States discourages lower-priced steel from overseas.

One of the more aggravating cons of metal framing for homeowners is its serviceability after the home is built. Lets face it, a lot of homeowners armed with a hammer or drill hang a lot of pictures and knick-knacks on the wall. Hanging a picture on a wall with wood studs is easy, because the nail can hit the stud edges in the wall and usually hold.

On the other hand, metal framing requires special fasteners that can cut through metal or pre-drilled holes so that metal screws can be installed. If you have ever installed a picture on a metal stud wall, you understand the frustration.

Wood framing is very forgiving during construction and remodeling projects. It is easy to plane, shave, cut, and modify when slabs are off a little. Because metal framing is true in its measurements, it takes more effort to adjust and modify, which is why metal framing installers are harder to find in the residential construction market.

Most homeowners give little consideration as to what is in the wall. Although metal framing is a great product for building a home, expect to pay more and understand the issues involved with its use. This is how you determine if the investment is worth the pros and cons.

Don Magruder is the CEO of RoMac Building Supply. He is also the host of the Around the House TV show on LSTV and LakeSumterTV.com at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; and at 7 a.m., Noon and 6 p.m. Saturday.

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Around the House: The pros and cons of residential metal framing - Daily Commercial

Facing robust opposition from Old Church Lane residents, the Lewisboro Town Board has dropped, at least for now, any plans to pave over that mile-long stretch of dirt road.

The board, which had already approved borrowing as much as a half-million dollars for the job, agreed last week to forgo the paving this year.

Scrapping the initiative was a setback for Supervisor Peter Parsons, who had labeled the South Salem road a disaster and made its rehabilitation a key project in his capital improvement budget. But board members enthusiasm waned after contentious, back-to-back meetings this month and Parsons concluded that the town would delay any decision [on the road] until next year.

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The people who live along the rustic byway filled town hall on Feb. 11 and again on Feb. 24, dismissing Parsons stated concerns about the roadways costly and recurring drainage fixes and the damage it inflicts on vehicles such as school buses.

There are alternatives, and good alternatives, to paving that road, one resident, Dr. James Jones, told the board at last weeks meeting. Paving is not the answer to the drainage issues that you have.

After the boisterous Feb. 11 meeting, which included a public hearing on borrowing for the project, Parsons had considered three approaches to dealing with the road: not paving it, paving the entirety of that road or a middle way...unlikely to satisfy anybody.

That compromise solution, tackling the most difficult parts of that road in terms of maintenance, called for taking the three quarters of a mile nearest the Pound Ridge border and paving that stretch.

While most residents who spoke at the Feb. 24 meeting opposed any paving, some, like Luis G. Formoso, supported any measures that would address the roads drainage woes.

I cant use my garage for its intended purpose, to park cars, he told the board. Thats ridiculous.

Formoso offered to help pay to solve the drainage problem.

If borrowing this money and using some of it to fix this has to happen, if I have to spend money out of my pocket...then so be it.

But right now I cant even spend money on my two cars and my driveway to fix the problem because thats just washed away. I got quotes of $30,000 to do somethingand all thats going to do is divert it from coming into my garage.

Another of the roads residents, Marjorie Samuels, was less enthusiastic about paying for a fix.

I would just like to know what this is going to cost me, she said. Anything?

Parsons has estimated the town would spend about $370,000 to pave the entire 1.3 miles of Old Church Lane and make other repairs, including to its faulty drainage. Others, including Highway Superintendent Peter Ripperger, however, have put the cost at closer to $500,000. So at its Feb. 11 meeting the Town Board authorized borrowing of up to the higher number, with the understanding that it could seek less than that amount or not borrow at all.

Parsons told Samuels her taxes would pay a share of retiring the bonds cost. But we believe that will be less than what youre currently payingwell, not you, what the town is currently payingfor maintaining the road as it is, he said.

I just want to know, she said, that its not going to cost me any more than what I am paying now.

Samuels went on to say she was concerned that I may have to sell my house at some point down the road, and I am very distressed to hear that the property values are going down in our area. I would feel that by paving that road its going to erode the property value even more.

Parsons told her, Ive got no crystal ball, and I dont know.

The supervisor cited numerous complaints by school officials and others about the roads condition, saying, I get phone calls, phone calls, phone calls.

But critics in the crowd challenged him to quantify the calls and Jones insisted that a majority of the residents on the road...do not want this paved. But we continue to hear about your phone calls, phone calls, phone calls.

See the article here:
Opposition Thwarts Plans to Pave Old Church Lane - TAPinto.net

N. 1st Street is closed between Tacoma Avenue and Yakima Avenue in both directions to install track, beginning on March 2. The track installation process will take about 10 weeks. During this time, crews will install two sets of tracks, the platform for the Stadium District station, and new sidewalks and driveways. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

The Division Avenue and S. J Street intersection will be closed for utility work on Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Please follow detours on I St., N. 3rd St., 6th Ave., and MLK Jr. Way.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Way from S. 18th Street to S. 15th Street, the contractor is installing track. Crews plan to lay asphalt on Wednesday, March 4, which will close MLK Jr. Way in both directions between S. 16th St. and S. 19th St. Please follow the detour on S. J St. After the asphalt work is completed, the contractor will open MLK Jr. Way between S. 18th St. to S. 16th St. to two-way traffic. Crews plan to install underground electrical vaults between S. 15th St. and S. 14th St. as soon as March 5.

In other areas on Martin Luther King Jr. Way, crews are installing stormwater structures at S. 13th Street and underground utilities near S. 3rd Street. On Division Avenue, crews are installing foundations for Link power poles between Yakima Avenue and I Street.

Construction and traffic restrictions on N. 1st Street, Division Avenue, J Street, Martin Luther King Jr. Way, S. 13th Street, S. 16th Street, S. 17th Street, and Stadium Way

Week of March 3

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N. 1st Street closes between Tacoma Avenue and Yakima Avenue for track installation - The Suburban Times

MANSFIELD -- Public input has resulted in several changes in the plan to convert Diamond Street to two-way traffic through the downtown.

City engineer Bob Bianchi went over the changes Tuesday during a Mansfield City Council streets committee meeting.

Bianchi said the new ideas all came from a Feb. 11 public meetingabout the conversion.

"It was a great meeting and we had a lot of great input," Bianchi said. "We looked at every comment at what we could possibly incorporate, considering costs. Most of them we can incorporate into this plan."

The conversion proposal, first presented to City Council on Jan. 21, is another part of the Mansfield Rising downtown reinvestment plan, which suggested the city adopt and implement a complete streets policy in the downtown area.

It would be similar to Mulberry Street, one-way southbound for many years, which was was converted to two-way traffic in August 2019.

The changes Bianchi outlined Tuesday were:

-- creating a right-in-right-out driveway at the gas station at the corner of Diamond and First streets. Bianchi said he spoke to the owner of the property who said it would be difficult to turn left out of the driveway closest to First Street. "'Right-in-right-out' features are great for access management and managing how vehicles enter public right of way," Bianchi said.

-- installing an ADA-compliant curb ramp at the corner Diamond and First.

-- installing a concrete "bump-out" for sight distance improvement along the east side of Diamond Street, north of Second Street.

-- prohibiting turning right on red from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for southbound Diamond Street traffic at Second Street.

-- creating a dedicated left-turn "split-phase signal" for traffic northbound on Diamond Street at Third, Fourth and Fifth streets.

-- moving four planned on-street parking spaces into the Municipal Parking Lot due to a utility conflict just before Fourth Street.

-- constructing four on-street parking spaces along the east side of Diamond Street, just north of Fourth Street.

-- constructing three on-street parking spaces along the east side of Diamond Street, just north of Fifth Street.

-- widening the northeast intersection radius for truck turning movements at the Diamond/Fifth street intersection.

Bianchi said the cost of the project, first estimated at about $360,000, will rise by $40,000 to $60,000, depending on the quantities of asphalt, concrete and curb are needed.

The engineer said the city has the funds to pay for the project. Mayor Tim Theaker has said no general funds will be used. Instead, funds for the project would come from four sources -- the permissive sales tax, the street fund, road resurfacing fund and the Downtown Improvement Fund, which began when City Council approveda $5 increase inmotor vehicle registration feesin May of 2018.

That increase generates about $220,000 annually and was used in 2019 to help fund a downtown beautification effort, the Mulberry Street conversion and the addition of amid-block, brick crosswalk on Fourth Streetbetween Main and Diamond streets.

The Downtown Improvement Advisory Board recommended on Feb. 20 that City Council spend $50,000 from the downtown improvement fund on the conversion.

City Council is expected to have three readings on the proposal -- March 18, April 7 and April 21. A vote on the conversion is expected April 21.

Bianchi has said concrete work could begin in May, followed by paving in July and in signal installation in August, if the signal poles are available.

Also on Tuesday, City Council:

-- gave second reading to an ordinance that would require council approval for any multi-vendor projects exceeding $50,000. Bidding will not be required except if an individual contract exceeds $50,000. The change will also require the city's board of control to approve all multi-vendor projects totaling more than $25,000.

-- approved a resolution honoring detectiveRonald Packer Sr., who recently retiredafter more than 31 years with the Mansfield Police Department.

-- approved the appointment of Russ White to fill an unexpired term on the city's utility appeals board.

-- approved a $1,200 payment to Michael Connolly for damage caused by sewer backups at his 48 N. Brookwood Way property in June and July of 2019.

-- approved demolition of dilapidated properties at 91 Lind Ave., 148 Willow St., 195 Sycamore St., 249 W. Fifth St., 345 Cedar St., 648 W. Fourth St. and 720 Burns St.

-- voted to accept $3,600 in donations for Cyclops Field, including $3,000 from Warren Rupp Inc., $500 from Larry Abrams and $100 from Skybox Packaging, LLC.

-- discussed in caucus the city's proposed 2020 final budget, which was the focus of a lengthy finance committee meeting on Monday night.Under state law, the budget must be adopted by the end of March.

-- heard an update from Public Works Director David Remy on the city-wide water meter replacement program. Remy said the mass replacement process should begin by mid-May. City residents will receive a booklet about the conversion later this month.

During the public participation portion of the meeting, Council heard from:

-- Kathleen Boyle, who repeated her request that the city construct a pavilion at Liberty Park that would allow senior citizens an indoor facility for events and gatherings.

--Jodie Perry,president & CEO ofRichland Area Chamber & Economic Development, who updated council on the countywide-branding campaign effort.

-- former 4th Ward CouncilmanWalden "Butch" Jefferson, who said he was concerned council members were losing losing their authority as an oversight group in allowing the mayor's administration to announce the Ocie Hill Neighborhood Center would be closing.

-- Geron Tate, president and CEO of G. Tate and Associates, an outpatient drug and alcohol treatment organization that has an office in Ocie Hill, who again expressed an interest in keeping the facility open. He invited council members to attend a public art event at Ocie Hill April 23 to 25 to learn more about what is going on at the center. He also urged city officials to talk to residents in the neighborhood to discuss what kind of programming they would like to see at the facility.

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Changes in Diamond St. 2-way conversion plan unveiled to Mansfield City Council - Richland Source

Evelyn Mae Boswell was reportedly last seen in December 2019. She was reported as a missing child on February 18. Knoxville

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.Evelyn Mae Boswell the Tennessee toddler missing since December was born into chaos to a teen mom whose childhood had been marred by domestic violence, family upheaval and isolation, a Knox News investigation of court and public records shows.

Evelyn, a 15-month-old girl with wispy reddish-blonde hair and big blue eyes, remains nowhere to be found despite almost two weeks of intense media coverage across the nation of her reported disappearance. Authorities say she hasnt been seen since mid-December.

Evelyns mom, Megan Maggie Boswell, is now behind bars after an arrest warrant statedshe refusedto tell the truth about her babys whereabouts. Shes been spinning yarns the sheriff's office called them "inaccuracies" in television interviews, too.

Evelyns maternal grandmother, Angela Mae Boswell, was just released Friday from that same Sullivan County Jail, accused of fleeing town in a stolen car with a boyfriend after her ex-husband Evelyns grandfather reported the toddler missing Feb. 18.

And Evelyns grandfather, Tommy Boswell Sr., isnt talking publicly especially to journalists.

Background: Mom arrested, North Carolina pond searched: Tennessee toddler Evelyn Boswell still missing

Evelyn Boswell: Why did it take months to issue an Amber Alert for the missing Tennessee toddler?

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Youre all vultures, he told the USA TODAY Network's Knox News this week in an encounter at the Boswell family compound in the tiny town of Blountville where Evelyn once lived.

The Sullivan County Sheriffs Office has been working around the clock with help from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the FBI to figure out where Evelyn is and, more importantly, whether shes safe and alive.

Sullivan Sheriff Jeff Cassidy and Captain Andy Seabolt said Evelyns mother's story has changed multiple times.Cassidy'sagency isnt saying much else, though. Search warrants have been obtained, authorities have confirmed, but remain sealed. Cassidy has said the agency remains hopeful the toddler is alive but has quashed the idea of citizen searches.

Knox News has been sifting through court and public records this week to glean a portrait of the Boswell clan into which Evelyn was born.

Sullivan County Sheriff Jeff Cassidy gives an update on the case of 15-month-old Evelyn Boswell. Knoxville

Angela Boswell was just 16 when she gave birth to Tommy Boswell Sr.s first son Tommy Jr. in 1993. A background check shows Tommy racked up an assault charge in Sullivan County a few months after the boys birth, but the specific details on the arrest are no longer available. A Tennessee Bureau of Investigationreport shows he was convicted of misdemeanor assault a year later in that case.

The couple, records show, eventually moved to Bulls Gap, Tennessee. In March 2001, Angela Boswell gave birth to the couples second child Megan Boswell, Evelyns mother. Angela married Tommy Boswell Sr.a few months later.

By 2009, the couple was back in Sullivan County, settling the kids in a manufactured home atop a hill on a family-owned plot of land.

But there was little harmony inside those walls, court records show. In March of that year, Tommy Boswell Sr. told deputies his wife attacked him, stabbing his neck with an ink pen, and struggling with their then-14-year-old son, Tommy Jr., as he tried to rescue his dad.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation gives an update on the Amber Alert case of 15-month-old Evelyn Mae Boswell.(Photo: PKNS)

Months later, records show, an angry Tommy Boswell Sr., showed up at the home of his wifes father, David Lynn Jones. Jones would later tell authorities Tommy Boswell Sr.accused his son of theft and had been drinking when he sped away in his Chevy Camaro.

Less than three minutes later, Jones stated the power went off at his house, a warrant stated.

Angela Boswell was with Jones and claimed her husband called her minutes later to say hed crashed the Camaro and ran away. She initially told authorities she was driving but under prodding by Jones later insisted she lied to protect her husband, court records show.

Tommy Boswell Sr. refused to return to the crash scene but eventually paid a fine for leaving the scene of an accident.

Less than two years after that incident, Tommy Boswell Sr. was angry again this time because another man was inside his home with his wife, according to an affidavit of complaint.

It was a cold February morning in 2012 when Brandon Yates and Angela Boswell awakened to shouts from outside the Muddy Creek home in which they had been sleeping, court records stated.

Angela Boswell was naked and said she could hear her husbands truck and his voice outside. When Brandon Yates went to the door, the Boswells'son, Tommy Jr., threatened him with some type of wooden club and told him to come outside, arrest warrants state.

Yates did, heading down the steep driveway leading to the exit of the Boswell family compound.

Brandon said that he was about half way down the driveway to Muddy Creek Road when he observed a grey colored Chevrolet pickup truck with Tommys Paving on the side heading straight for him, the warrant states.

Brandon stated that he was in fear for his life, and he began running toward a fence that was in the yard, it continued. Brandon stated that he was unable to outrun the truck and was struck by the vehicle and was flipped over the hood and landed on the driveway.

He later told Sullivan County deputies Tommy Boswell Sr., his son and a third, unidentified man surrounded him, kicking and punching him, before he broke free and ran to a neighbors house for help.

When detectives called Tommy Boswell Sr., he confessed the three of us did work him over but hung up, a warrant stated. The two Boswell men Tommy Jr. was 19 by then were arrested.

Seventeen months later, a reunited Tommy Boswell Sr. and his wife celebrated the birth of another son, Elijah. Tommy Boswell Sr. and his son soon struck plea deals in the Yatesassault, garnering probation.

But it didnt take long for trouble to erupt once again in the Boswell home.

Angela Boswell filed for divorce from her husband in September 2014 two months before Elijahs first birthday. Megan Boswell was 13. She wanted custody of both. She got the divorce over with a year later in an agreed settlement entered at a hearing Tommy Boswell Sr. didnt attend.

A year later, the couple were celebrating another birth Charlotte Boswell. By the time Charlotte was 2 years old, the Boswells were again in turmoil, records show.

It was early fall of 2018 and the Boswells were separated again. Angela Boswell was shuffling the three children a pregnant Megan plus Elijah and Charlotte between the Muddy Creek compound, her fathers home in Kingsport and an apartment in Johnson City, records show.

Angela Boswell appears in Wilkes County District Court in Wilkesboro, N.C., for her extradition hearing on Monday, February 24, 2020.(Photo: Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel )

Her drivers license was suspended. The tags on her car were expired. Police repeatedly stopped her, often finding her children unrestrained, records show. She was repeatedly jailed.

Tommy Boswell Sr. insisted she was endangering their children, including Megan, and asked a judge to award custody to him.

(Angela Boswell) is currently in jail, Tommy Boswell Sr. wrote in a petition for a restraining order against her. She has stated that she is out for blood and she will get revenge on me when she is released from jail.

I am in fear for myself and my children, Megan, Elijah and Charlotte Boswell, he wrote. She is using illegal drugs in front of our children. She is exposing our children to criminals.

Tommy Boswell Sr. won his request and moved the children back to Muddy Creek. Angela Boswell, nabbed trying to sneak stimulant pills into jail, was behind bars when Megan's baby Evelyn was born, records show.

Evelyns father, Ethan Perry, joined the military before she was born. So far, he has remained largely silent about her disappearance. There isnt much known about the relationship between Perry and Megan Boswell when it began and when it ended.

Photographs of Evelyn suggest she and her mom were living at the Boswell family compound with Megan Boswells two younger siblings at some point before she disappeared.

Tommy Boswell Sr. operates with Tommy Jr. a paving company from the compound, which now includes three manufactured homes, a double bay garage, a work shed and a stable of dump trucks, heavy equipment and personal vehicles. A Sullivan County Sheriff's Office captain says Elijah and Charlotte are living there now with Tommy Sr.

Angela Boswell was continuing to rack up arrests in 2019 for shoplifting and driving offenses. Sometimes, she told authorities she was living at Muddy Creek. Other times, she listed her fathers address or the Kingsport apartment.

Megan Boswell lamented in September 2019 in a Facebook post that her life was tough but Evelyn made it bearable.

I'm not the best mom in the world, but I try so hard for this little beauty, she wrote. I can't even explain the love I feel for her, and I know she loves me too. Lately my lifes been really sucky but she'll come reach for me and say mom mom and my heart melts and I'm reminded of her unconditional love.

You can say whatever you want about me being a young mom, but I promise you my life is so much better with this angel, she wrote. My life wasnt ruined when I had her, she gave me a purpose and a reason to wake up every day and to better myself. Theres no love like the love from your child!

Five months later, Megan Boswell hasn't explainedwhere her angel is.

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Missing Tennessee toddler Evelyn Boswell was born into family racked by chaos, violence - USA TODAY

Featuring original, architecturally integrated artwork, a recently-completed renovation project brings all of Yale Child Study Centers (YCSC) operations and staff together under one roof, in a setting that supports outpatient treatment and research related to childrens behavioral health.

Now occupying a 55,000-square-foot former telephone company building at 350 George Street in New Haven, CT, YCSC functions as the Department of Child Psychiatry for both Yale-New Haven Hospital and Yale School of Medicine. Intensive-outpatient services are located on the first floor, patient care and family support services are located on the second floor, and administrative and research offices are on the third. The new facility consolidates all of YCSCs operations under one roof for the first time since it began serving children and their families in 1911.

YCSC research and services had been spread out over multiple New Haven locations, including Yale School of Medicine, said Svigals + Partners associate principal Lynn Brotman, NCIDQ, IIDA, who led the project. Adapting 350 George has produced a single facility to serve as a home for both treatment and study. Not only is this more user-friendly for patients and their families, it creates a supportive research and work environment that fosters collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas.

Svigals + Partners faced multiple challenges in delivering a healthcare facility capable of supporting YCSCs mission and range of services, particularly given the building was originally designed to support use by a telephone company. Miles of cables had to be removed, and the structure limited the architects options for where to raise ceiling heights. The buildings walls also severely limited the number and locations of windows that could be added to the faade.

Our strategy was to take advantage of any opportunity to make the building more human-centered, said Brotman. We allowed the existing architecture of 350 George to inform the programming and design solutions by locating the second floor waiting room and main street corridor in the spaces where the ceiling could be raised, and placing circulation in areas where the new window openings introduce natural daylight.

Because the new home for YCSC needed to be a suitable environment for staff, caregivers, and children of varying ages and behavioral needs, the design team incorporated themes, patterns, integrated artwork and wayfinding elements inspired by nature. Applying a core Svigals + Partners philosophy that informs the firms work in healthcare as well as workplace, institutional and residential projects, this biophilic approach similar to those shown in studies to produce positive behavioral changes is designed to instill a sense of calm and comfort.

For example, the stair leading up from the double-height lobby to the main waiting area features a colorful overhead sculptural installation curated by consultant Nancy Samotis of Art for Healing Environments, LLC, depicting a shimmering school of fish. For children and families arriving at 350 George the sculpture introduces the nature theme that continues throughout, while also encouraging use of the stairs instead of the elevator.

The waiting room features a palette of colors and finishes that subtly evoke the natural world, including a ceiling installation of white curvilinear acoustic panels hung below a blue ceiling to suggest the sky and a single overt gesture: a full-height tree sculpture composed of brown and green wood veneer and laminate that hides a structural column. Combined with natural wood-finished reading nooks and donated books, the waiting room was designed to relax, reduce stress, and welcome all into the healing environment.

The nature themes continue into the hallways, with wayfinding elements such as names for exam and treatment rooms like Forest A-227, and ornamental light-boxes in the hallways that reinforce the themes. Smaller family waiting rooms in treatment wings also feature thematic finishes, built-in banquettes, whimsical pouf seating, and patio furniture to emphasize the connection to the outdoors.

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Art, Light, And Nature Inspire New Home For Yale Child Study Center - Facility Executive Magazine