By MEGAN HUSSEY[emailprotected]

For about 30 years, the Nature Coast Builders Association has hosted the Parade of Homes for the Nature Coast; a tour of some of the most beautiful and stylish modern homes in Hernando County. And while the home tour, hosted by an organization that represents the interests of the building industry and the general public in Floridas Hernando and Citrus counties, always has been a showcase of virtual radiance and excellence in the art of homebuilding, this year's tour is 'virtual' in a second important sense.

This year's parade, co-sponsored by Sunrise Propane and scheduled February 29 - March 15 10am 5pm Monday thru Saturday, 12noon 5pm on Sundays throughout the duration of the Parade, features a total of 13 homes from seven area builders. And while you can visit 10 of these models at their tour locations, three of the models are presented in virtual tours, online at https://www.paradeofhomesnaturecoast.com/index.php. Also at the site, you can see high definition photo galleries and detailed floor plans of every home featured, and access pertinent facts such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, address, maps, directions, and contact info.

This new way of presenting model homes to the public seems very much in line with the theme of this year's Parade of Homes.

"The tour starts on Leap Day," said Nita Beckwith-MeLaugh, Certified Executive Officer, NCBA. "We can leap into the New Year and a new decade with a new home."

Since its inception, the Parade of Homes--a partnership and collaboration of builders association members and community sponsors--has served a dual purpose in the community.

"For builders, the Parade is an opportunity to show the community their new homes, the top of their game. " said Beckwith-MeLaugh. "For the public, this is the chance to find their dream home."

Although no set criteria is established for model entries, parade organizers pride themselves on presenting beautiful and affordable homes. Many of this year's models boast a two-bedroom, three-bathroom floor plan and approximately 2,000 square feet or more of living space.

"This is a showcase of new and existing models with many different features," said Beckwith-MeLaugh. "In many models, we see more open spaces for family gatherings and entertaining, and full and very convenient spaces and electrical outlets available for home offices."

Many models also feature accents such as fashionable, tropically influenced home designs, innovative home products, elegant decor, technology, energy efficiency, modern gourmet kitchens, relaxing owners' suites that include spa like baths, broad sparkling swimming pools, fireplaces, vaulting ceilings and marble countertops, etc.

Many of these features are customizable; and whether taking a self-guided tour of the parade on foot, or taking a virtual tour online, those interested can request the changes that they need to turn a parade model home into a dream home.

"Some prospective buyers like to customize options, like the number of bedrooms or other aspects of the floor plan," said Beckwith-MeLaugh. "Others walk into their dream home and buy on the spot."

As an added bonus, those who complete the parade on foot and visit all entries can qualify for a drawing to win a $300 Visa gift card.

Robin Pastore, Chairwoman of Parade of Homes and Owner, Pastore Custom Builders, Inc., says that today's home market is showing renewed signs of promise and growth.

"There is a real excitement in the building industry," she said. "The market is strong again, and it's good for everybody."

And so, says Pastore, is the parade itself.

"We have homes for everyone here, from starter homes to retirement homes," she said. "All the work of great builders."

This year's Parade of Homes features St. Martens by Pastore Custom Builders, Ocho Rios by Pastore Custom Builders, Camilla by ProBuilt U.S., Cabana Key by Palmwood Construction, Cabana Cay by Palmwood Construction, The Verona by Hartland Homes, Don Calais by Dream Custom Homes, Don Crystal by Dream Custom Homes, Don Valencia by Dream Custom Homes, Grand Floridian by Artistic Homes, Grand Bahama by Artistic Homes, Grand Cayman by Artistic Homes, and Goya by Alexander Custom Homes.

Andrew L Carr, vice president of Growth and Development at Sunrise Propane in Hudson, says that Sunrise Propane is proud to be sponsoring the Nature Coast Builders Association's Parade of Homes.

"This is our fourth year being the Platinum Presenting Sponsor," he said, "and we're looking forward to a great event this year."

Carr says that the parade provides a prime showcase, not only for his company's product, but for some amazing homes in this area.

"Being involved in the Parade of Homes gives us the opportunity to introduce the many efficient money saving features of using propane for residential use," said Carr. "The builders we work with take great pride in the homes they build, and we enjoy working with them on a daily basis."

And ultimately, said Carr, the Nature Coast Builders Association's Parade of Homes serves as a beautiful showcase for the Hernando community."We hope everyone who's interested in a new home will come out and take a look at what's available in our beautiful community."

Website:https://www.paradeofhomesnaturecoast.com/

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Nature Coast Builders Association Parade of Homes kicks off on Leap Day 2020 - Hernando Sun

Bill Lewis, Special to Nashville Tennessean, USA TODAY NETWORK newsrooms in Tennessee Published 5:00 a.m. CT Feb. 28, 2020

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Aaron and Rich Hardison loved living in Westhaven, the master planned community in Williamson County, except for one thing. They needed a bigger yard for Dolly, their pet pig.

The neighbors would bring her carrots. She was very popular in Westhaven, but the homes are pretty tight, said Rich Hardison.

They built a modern farmhouse with a two-and-a-half-acre yard large enough for Dolly and Tinker Bell, their second pig, two rescue dogs and some chickens. There may be a llama in their future if the HOA is willing.

Its one of those things you discuss over a martini and then it ends up happening, Rich Hardison said of the decision to have not just one but two pigs.

Before beginning construction of their new Williamson County home in the Southern Preserve neighborhood near Interstate 840, the couple had their builder, Carbine & Associates, completely redraw the floor plan. They moved the kitchen and the great room to the rear so they can watch Dolly and Tinker Bell grazing on the lawn.

We flipped it, he said.

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Aaron and Rich Hardison, left to right, pictured with their pet pigs Dolly and Tinkerbell, worked with Carbine & Associates in building a custom farmhouse on a larger home site in Southern Preserve.(Photo: Sarah Rodriquez)

Growing numbers of home buyers like the Hardisons are keeping their pets in mind when buying or building a house.

Pets are a big focus in life. Im building a house where the cats are a big part of the bedroom, a multi-floor cat condo area, room to play, said Daryl Walny, vice president of Carbine & Associates.

Doggyshowers in the mud room are becoming a thing so youre not tracking mud all over the house, he said.

Bitsy can still peek over the Dutch door and be part of the activity. The space was carved out under the staircase by Carbine, creating a great dog space.(Photo: Leslie Brown)

Its not unusual for buyers to say no to a house that wont accommodate their pet.

Many times over the years, I have had people rule out a home with too many steps due to older pets who are no longer able to climb. Houses have also been ruled out if the home did not have a big enough yard for their pets to enjoy and exercise, said Vickie Freas, a Realtor with the LCT Team at Parks.

Others are adding doggydens in the space under the stairs.

Its a clever use of space that would otherwise be drywalled in, said Freas.

Thats one of the features Aaron and Rich Hardison included while they were customizing the interior of their home. A Dutch door with a top and bottom that open separately adds a bit of elegance while keeping the dogs, Stella and Bitsy, in their room without isolating them.

We customized the house to make it what we wanted, and for them, said Aaron Hardison.

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The home office in the farmhouse overlooks the farmyard and "barn" tucked into the Southern Preserve neighborhood.(Photo: Leslie Brown)

A barn out back will have an office, a western saloon in honor of Aarons grandfather and swinging doors so the pigs can come and go.

Its called a garage because the HOA says you cant have a barn, he said.

The five chickens will be named Reba, Loretta, Tammy and well have to come up with two more county music names to go along with Dolly, he said.

The name of the future llama, Tina, was inspired by the movie "Napoleon Dynamite."

The Hardisons are turning their love of animals into a career. They are opening a cage-free doggydaycare, boarding and grooming business, Camp Run-A-Mutt. It will be in a quickly developing area of Murfreesboro close to 840 less than half an hour from their home.

Both of the Hardisons have always had dogs, but the idea of non-traditional pets was appealing. Dolly and Tinker Bell are Juliana pigs, smaller than farm pigs but not miniatures.

I remember watching 'Green Acres' and watching Arnold Ziffel, the bovine character on the popular situation comedy that originally aired from 1965 to 1971, said Rich Hardison.

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Home: Where cats rule, dogs drool and pet pigs have room to roam - Tennessean

Spring weekends in Houston are filled with home-related events, from home and garden shows to architecture and history tours and shopping events.

Design in Bloom brings a panel of national speakers to talk about architecture, design and, of course, floral design March 24. The following weekend is filled with home tours, ranging from modern homes to downtown lofts and more historic homes in Woodland Heights. Texas Antiques Week in Round Top is a shoppers delight, and the April and May bring more home tours.

Get your calendar out; its time to save a few dates.

The TexWoods series of home and outdoor living shows is underway, with a new HTown event at Silver Street Studios in First Ward. Hours are 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. on Sundays. (Note: Ill be a speaker at the HTown and Lake Houston shows, speaking about design styles each day at 12:30 p.m.) At all shows, admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and children 12 and under are free. Heres the spring lineup:

HTown: March 7-8 at Silver Street Studios at Sawyer Yards, 2000 Edwards. Speakers include Laura Dowling, who was the chief White House floral designer for six years of the Obama administration.

Cy-Fair: March 21-22 at the Berry Center, 8877 Barker Cypress. Events include floral design workshops by Ashley Wallace of The Tallest Tulip.

Lake Houston: March 28-29 at the Humble Civic Center, 8233 Will Clayton Parkway. Speakers include Dr. Loris Antiques Appraisal Comedy Show.

This years Design in Bloom event, in conjunction with Texas Design Week, brings Flower magazine editor-in-chief Margot Shaw, Nashville interior designer Ray Booth, Atlanta architect Bobby McAlpine, Lexington, Ky., landscape architect Jon Carloftis and New York floral designer Lewis Miller together for panel discussions, book signings and floral demonstrations.

When: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. March 24

Where: Houston Design Center, 7026 Old Katy Road (in various showrooms)

Tickets: $10-$100; DesigninBloomHouston.com

The Houston Downtown Management District will hold its second annual home tour on March 28. The self-guided tour takes you into residences in Bayou Lofts, Commerce Towers, Camden Downtown, Franklin Lofts, Kirby Lofts on Main, St. Germain Lofts and Condos at The Star. Park at One Market Square Garage (800 Preston) for $5 and a courtesy shuttle will take you to participating properties. There will be live music 11 a.m.-2 p.m.at Market Square Park, a lobby tour of the Niels and Mellie Esperson Buildings from noon to 3 p.m. and pop-up art shows by Rachel Schwind Gardner and Felipe Lopez all day at Franklin Lofts.

When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. March 28

Where: Start from Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene in the W.L. Foley Building, 214 Travis

Tickets: $25 in advance, $35 tour day; livedowntownhouston.org

While theres plenty of traditional home construction under way, contemporary and modern homes are increasing in popularity and the Modern Architecture + Design Societys annual tour will open six new examples of cutting-edge residential architecture to the public. Showcased architects include 2Scale Architects, studioMET, Intexure Architects and Boxprefab, On Point Custom Homes and Fifty Seventh + 7th by Carnegie Homes. Its a great chance to meet the architects and designers who worked on the homes.

When: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. March 28

Where: 1129 W. Pierce (2Scale Architects); 4038 Falkirk (studioMET architects); 5612 Blossom (Intexure + Boxprefab); 2514 Avalon Place (Fifty Seventh + 7th by Carnegie Homes); 2300 South Boulevard (On Point Custom Homes); and 2235 Colquitt (Scott Ballard Architect)

Tickets: $15-40 in advance, $50 at the door on tour day; mads.media

Homes built from the 1910s through the 1920s plus a few more current construction will be among the eight open to the public on the annual Woodland Heights Home Tour. The neighborhood began in 1907 as a streetcar suburb to Houstons downtown and was valued for its easy access to Highland Park now called Woodland Park. The neighborhood is busier now, but retains much of its century-old charm.

When: noon-6 p.m. March 28-29

Where: 619 Bayland, 505 Byrne, 3324 Morrison, 628 Omar, 3524 Pineridge, 715 Ridge, 1611 Sage and 621 Wendel

Tickets: $10 for single homes, $25 in advance, $30 starting March 26; woodland-heights.org

Round Top and surrounding small towns fill with visitors for Texas Antiques Week shopping that now lasts much longer than a week. Stalwarts such as the Original Round Top Antiques Fair and Marburger Farm Antique Show stagger their dates from March 30-April 4, but other shops, Excess Fields and pop-up tents open at least a couple of weeks prior. Head there early to avoid long lines of cars on Texas 237. Wear sunscreen and comfortable shoes and take cash since WiFi there is sketchy and vendors credit card apps dont always work.

The Original Round Top Antiques Fair: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. VIP admission, 1-6 p.m. general admission March 30; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. March 31; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. April 1-4. VIP early shopping pass, $20, general admission $10; includes entry to the Big Red Barn Event Center and the Continental Tent; roundtoptexasantiques.com; 475 S. Texas 237, Carmine

Marburger Farm Antique Show: Early buying 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and general admission 2-6 p.m. March 31; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. April 1-3; and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 4. Early buying $25; general admission $10; roundtop-marburger.com; 2248 Texas 237, Round Top

The Compound Antique Show: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. 2550 S. Texas 237, Round Top; admission is free; roundtopcompound.com

Rice Design Alliance is still firming up its roster for the 2020 Architecture Tour, themed Upwards. This tour is always highly anticipated, featuring some of the most interesting homes in the city on timely topics. The alliance will share more information on homes and tickets soon, but for now you can set these dates aside.

When: 1-6 p.m. April 25-26

Tickets: Information coming soon.

Milieu magazine is hosting its first Designer Showhouse, a 7,400-square-foot Edwin Lutyens-style home built by Jennifer Hamelet Mirador Builders. Top designers from the U.S., Canada and Europe including Kathryn Ireland, Lisa Fine, Carol Glasser and Jennifer Vaughn Miller will design the interiors. Milieu, a luxury shelter and lifestyle magazine, was founded in 2013 by Houston interior designer Pamela Pierce. The showhome event will benefit Clayton Dabney for Kids with Cancer, a group that provides assistance to families with children who have cancer.

When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. April 25-26 and May 2-3

Where: 3736 Del Monte

Tickets: $200 in advance ($250 day of); tour admission $35; milieu-mag.com or at the door

The Galveston Historical Foundations annual home tour is must for history buffs and for newcomers to the area who want to learn more about the Gulf Coasts architectural history. Galveston is a tourism city now, but it was once a thriving port city where merchants built beautiful Victorian and Queen Anne-style homes, grand examples and bungalows, too. The 2019 tour had eight homes and the 2020 lineup should be announced soon.

When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 2-3 and May 9-10

Where: Tour homes to be announced

Tickets: $30; galvestonhistory.org

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Save the dates: Spring design calendar filled with home tours - Houston Chronicle

Real estate customers of all stripes are demanding structures built to reduce energy costs, resist natural disasters and fit into tight budgets, but innovation comes hard to the construction industry.

Too often walls come in only two choices: concrete-filled masonry blocks or framed walls stuffed with insulation and clad with sheetrock. Neither method is especially efficient, in terms of labor or energy, but builders usually stick to what they know. Luckily, innovators are making new choices available.

A new concrete-and-foam wall system can better deaden sound, defend against fire, stand up to floodwater, insulate against Texas heat and, most importantly, costs about the same as conventional methods. Entrepreneur Paul Brown co-founded Bautex after failing to find better building materials for a construction project.

Most contractors, most architects really have the same palette. Its the same palette theyve had over 100 years, he said. People were struggling just to meet code, and these buildings that were being released were barely legal. They were struggling to get those done within budget.

Tomlinsons Take: Middle-class Texans are facing a housing crisis

Unlike other industries where prices go down, construction costs have only gone up. Brown saw an opportunity if he could create high-performance products with lower costs, something he learned in the tech industry.

They have to fundamentally simplify construction to the point that they save time, save money, save labor. At the end of the day, its all about dollars, Brown said. We absolutely want to see superior performance in every product.

The Bautex block is based on a technology developed in Austria in the 1930s, improved upon in the 1970s and then brought to United States in the late 1990s. Each block is about the size of four cinder blocks and have similar channels for poured-concrete reinforcement.

Brown and his team developed a patented manufacturing process at Bautexs San Marcos factory to mass produce the blocks at a low cost. Italian-made machines mold the blocks from a mix of cement, fly ash, foam pellets, water and a chemical additive. Three workers can produce enough blocks top build a big-box store in 16 hours.

Once at the building site, a group of workers stack the blocks, glue them together, thread rebar through the channels, and pour concrete in the channels to create walls that are stronger and more insulated than either framed or masonry walls. The process is quicker, cheaper and better insulated than competing systems.

Similar cement and polystyrene walls are commonplace in Europe and the Middle East, where lumber is either scarce or expensive and energy efficiency demands are high. The blocks exceed international building codes, and the owner treats them the same as a standard wall.

In the United States, Brown said the construction industry has resisted change, largely because convincing the architect, engineer, contractor and owner to all try a new technology is difficult. Bautex has used persistent marketing and white-glove customer service to win acceptance, he added.

If we can walk them through step by step and get them comfortable that we can get them to the finish line, theyre absolutely onboard, Brown said.

More customers are contacting Bautex as resiliency becomes the byword in residential and commercial construction. The blocks will resist fire for four hours and exceed standards for windstorms, flooding and mold. Post-disaster remediation is simpler than with conventional wall systems. The company has established a foothold with commercial contractors with some custom homebuilders.

Bautex blocks make up the walls of Sea Star Base Galveston, a LEED Platinum-certified youth center that city officials used as their command center during Hurricane Harvey. The company is currently working on a new structure at Brighton Center, a private school in San Antonio.

Tomlinsons Take: Millennials pose challenge to real estate values

The company has dozens of project across Texas and six other states. The founders chose San Marcos because nine of the 10 busiest construction markets are within 500 miles.

I reported in a recent column on how developers and builders believe only tougher building codes will lead to better, more innovative buildings. Bautex is just one example of suppliers trying to compete on price and quality until cities pass tougher codes. More power to them.

Companies like Bautex, and there are many, are trying to offer better ways of building that will make our lives easier. Too often, though, builders focus more on quantity and routine because profit margins are thin, and change is hard.

If you are involved in construction, take a moment to question whether the old ways are still the best. Open your mind to alternatives techniques that are better for the customer and the environment. Building owners and society will thank you.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and policy.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com

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Tomlinson: Tech entrepreneur tries to disrupt construction industry with a better wall - Houston Chronicle

Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Marketing and PR, Special to Naples Daily News Published 6:05 a.m. ET Feb. 29, 2020

The Creek Course at Fiddler's Creek is ranked among Golfweek Magazine's top 100 best residential golf courses in the country.(Photo: Rick Betehem)

For the 15th consecutive year, The Creek Course at Fiddlers Creek is ranked among Golfweek Magazines Top 100 Best Residential Golf Courses in the country.

The signature 18-hole, par-72 Creek Course, designed by acclaimed course designer Arthur Hills, is woven into the communitys lush natural surroundings and features a series of strategic and challenging holes. The course offers seven tee placements to accommodate golf enthusiasts of all skill levels and includes 7,157 yards, broad fairways and elevated greens.

Since beginning its rating system in 1997, Golfweek has developed the most respected ranking structure in the industry. The design excellence-based criterion includes overall strength of routing, feature shaping, natural setting, greens, variety and memorability of holes, conditioning and maintenance, landscape management and other statistical data.

We are honored to be recognized in Golfweeks Top 100 for the 15th consecutive year and to offer a world-class golf experience for our members and their guests, said Michael Saccameno, head golf professional at The Golf Club at Fiddlers Creek.

The Creek Course at Fiddlers Creek, which opened in February 2002, also has received recognition in Links Magazine as one of Americas 100 Premier Properties, Travel + Leisure Golf magazines Americas Top 100 Golf Communities List, and GolfCourseRealty.coms Top 10 Best Residential Courses in the Sunshine State. Golfweek also named The Creek Course 12th Best Residential Golf Course in Florida in its residential statewide ranking system.

Located on Collier Boulevard on the way to Marco Island, Fiddlers Creek is an award-winning residential community in Naples, Florida developed by Gulf Bay Group of Companies. Fiddlers Creek has been named a Distinguished Club by BoardRoom magazine, a prestigious honor reserved for the top private clubs in the world.

Residents of Fiddlers Creek enjoy amenities that include the 54,000-square-foot Club & Spa at Fiddlers Creek, featuring a resort-style multi-pool complex, state-of-the-art fitness center, tennis and pickleball facility and both casual and fine dining restaurants. The Club & Spa at Fiddlers Creek offers a luxurious resort lifestyle and hosts numerous community-wide parties, signature events, clubs, classes and a variety of activities for residents of all ages.

In addition to The Golf Club at Fiddlers Creek, residents have the opportunity to join The Tarpon Club, which offers a beach and boating experience that includes beach access at Marco Beach Ocean Resort, ranked among the Top Resorts in the U.S. by Travel + Leisures Worlds Best Awards and by Conde Nast Traveler.

Preconstruction and move-in ready homes at Fiddlers Creek are priced from the $400,000s to over $2 million and are offered by six preferred homebuilders Gulf Bay Homes, Stock Signature Homes, Taylor Morrison, Pulte Homes, Harbourside Custom Homes and Ashton Woods Homes.

For membership details and more information about Fiddlers Creek, call 239-732-9300, stop by the Fiddlers Creek Information Center at 8152 Fiddlers Creek Parkway in Naples, or visit http://www.fiddlerscreek.com.

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Fiddlers Creek named top 100 best residential golf courses for 15th consecutive year - Naples Daily News

Susan K. Barnett, Opinion contributor Published 5:00 a.m. ET March 4, 2020 | Updated 7:39 a.m. ET March 4, 2020

When people ask how to protect themselves against the spread of COVID-19, one of the first suggestions from doctors is washing your hands. Here are the do's and don'ts. USA TODAY

We cant build a wall around a germ. But we can wash our hands, and our government can help countries trying to improve their health facilities.

Never has my odd obsession with the lack of access to safe water,toiletsand soap around the world become more relevant to the headlines. Because nowhere is the absence of WASH (water/sanitation/hygiene) more abominable than in hundreds of thousands of health care facilitieswhere infections are supposed to go to die.

With all this hand-wringing about the new coronavirus, two things need to happen.

First, this virus has no cure, no vaccine, no treatment other than resting, hydrating, cough medicine and painrelief. You get sick, you feel crummy. You wait it out and try not to get anyone else sick. But the better option is to not get sick in the first place. There are only two ways to be on the offensive: Avoid sick people, which makes a big presumption that they and you know theyre sick, and the singlemost important thing you can do wash your hands.

Many illnesses start when hands become contaminated with disease-causing bacteria and viruses, including the coronavirus. Contamination happens all around us, every day after using the toilet, shaking hands, coughing, sneezing, changing a diaper and touching contaminated surfaces. (If you want to get grossed out, consider that germs from a cough can travel as far as13 feet,and though most of the bacteria die within 10 seconds, some survive up to 45 minutes, leaving plenty of time to spread disease.)

All of us subconsciously touch our hands to our eyes, nose and mouth, giving germs access to our bodies, making us sick. Hand washing with soap effectively removes bacteria and viruses before they can enter our body and spread to others.

Second, the world is finally waking up, nearly 200 years after Florence Nightingale found that 10 times more soldiers were dying of typhus, typhoid, cholera and dysentery than from wounds sustained in battle, due to unsanitary conditions in hospitals.

The first United Nations global baseline report, released in 2019, analyzed data from over 560,000 health care facilities in 125 countries and shows the widespread lack of safe health care:

2 billion people must rely on facilities that lack basic water servicesand 1.5 billion people on facilities without sanitation service.

45% of health care facilities in theleast developed countries lack basic water services, and 21% of them have no sanitation services.

49% of facilities in sub-Saharan Africa lack basic water services.

64% of health care facilities in Eastern and Southeastern Asia lack basic hygiene services.

Broken sinks at a health care facility in rural Ethiopia in 2019.(Photo: Haik Kocharian)

This report means that the ability to prevent and contain any number of outbreaks, including coronavirus, the most recent, is deeply, deeply compromised.

During the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak that also put the world on edge, Ebola killed 11,000 people, in part because family members were handling the bodies of the sick and deceased, but they did not have access to water and soap to adequately wash their hands.

The toll was deadliest for medicalworkers. Ebola deaths were 103 timeshigher in health care workers in Sierra Leone than in the general population and42 timeshigher in Guinea. Liberia lost 8%of its health workforce, in part because they did not have access to adequate WASH, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Exposed and unprotected: I work at the airport in the eye of the coronavirus storm without health insurance

The situation has not improved. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where Ebola is still killing and threatening its neighbors, 50% of health care facilities have no water,59% have no sanitation services, and just 62% have soap and water or hand sanitizer at points of care.

As for the Wuhan coronavirus, more than 3,000 Chinese health care workers have come down with it. Coulda lack of hand washing again be a contributing factor?

According to the World Health Organization and Lancet data, nearly1 in 6 patients acquires an infection inside a health care facility in developing countries and 1 in 15 acquires a hospital infection in developed nations that they didnt have on arrival. Notably, according to WHO, 61% of health workersdo not adhere to recommended hand hygiene practices.

Hygiene behavior change is needed. As is soap and water.

We cant build a wall around a germ. But our government can take action. In January, WHO Director-GeneralTedros Adhanom Ghebreyesuscited the absence of water, toilets, soap and waste management in health care facilities among the most urgent global challenges this decade.

Health Care New Deal: Trump's terrible coronavirus response hands 2020 Democrats a chance to show they can lead

Our government would be wise to helpcountries trying to improve their health facilities. Each of us can make sure that our member of Congress, which holds the power of the purse, knows that we understand that global health is our health. Congress must commit American technical support and resources, including funding.

If you have access to soap and water, andif you are reading this you likely do,use it. Dont scoff and wait for a vaccine that is at least 18 months away, if it exists at all. Hand washing is the single most effective means of removing germs, avoiding getting sickand preventing the spread of infection to others.

As WHO'sTedros said, "If you can't do the basics, forget the rest. Prevention, prevention, prevention."

Susan K. Barnett,a former journalist with ABC News and NBC News, is founder of Cause Communicationsand part of the Global Water 2020 initiative. Follow her on Twitter:@susankbarnett

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To fight the coronavirus, wash your hands and support clean water access around the world - USA TODAY

Some of the shows fantastical elements (the musical number Sarah imagines as she tries to impress potential investors) work better than others (repeated cuts to Sarah and Addie fighting in a shadowy boxing ring), but Madam C.J. Walkers story is one that deserves to be told on a large platform.

Feel Good

Starts streaming: March 19

Given the recent trend for small-screen redemption arcs (hello BoJack Horseman and The Good Place), there is something reassuring about the slow progress being made by the characters in Feel Good. This is the debut show from the comedian Mae Martin, whom you may recognize from her very good set on Netflixs Comedians of the World. She plays Mae, who is also a comedian, also a Canadian living in London and also a recovering addict. Mae meets George (Charlotte Ritchie), whos never dated a woman before and looks like Englands rose, according to Mae. After only a few weeks, the pair are living together. But George resists coming out to her family and friends, Mae tries to hide her addiction, and it doesnt seem to be getting any easier. How toxic of a relationship is too toxic to endure? The same question is posed to Maes relationship with her mother, played by the scene-stealing Lisa Kudrow.

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution

Starts streaming: March 25

Im always on the hunt for new documentaries that arent about murder, cults or murder and cults, so I was excited to see this Netflix production executive-produced by Barack and Michelle Obama. We meet the campers and counselors of Camp Jened, a camp in the Catskills for teenagers with disabilities, in the summer of 1971. With long hair and longer sideburns, the kids play sports and lounge around smoking cigarettes, playing guitar and flirting. But the normalcy of this teenage leisure time is quite radical when its available to people who live for the rest of the year in a world not built for them. We helped empower each other that the status quo is not what it needed to be, says Judy Heumann, a counselor who went on to found the advocacy group Disabled in Action. As 70s countercultural persuasions dovetailed with the civil rights movements of the era, Jened alumni started creating change on a national scale for people with disabilities.

Also arriving:

March 1

Beyond the Mat

Hook

The Shawshank Redemption

There Will Be Blood

March 3

Taylor Tomlinson: Quarter-Life Crisis

March 4

Lil Peep: Everybodys Everything

March 6

Ugly Delicious: Season 2

March 11

Dirty Money: Season 2

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Newsflash: Food critics are people, too. Do we love exciting, expensive, exotic meals served on white tablecloths in atmospheres of equipoise and refinement? We do. But equipoise and refinement dont count for much when youre stuck in traffic on the LIE, ravenous and hangry. At moments like that OK, not just moments like that theres only one thing to do: Detour into the nearest strip mall for a quick dose of carbo-comfort from Americas chain restaurants.

Youll never see us give out stars to the following establishments, but each produces at least one menu item that even critics are powerless to resist. Herewith, a few foodstuffs we pretend not to like, but devour when nobodys looking.

Do you remember the first French fry you ever had? Of course you dont. Your memory is obscured by all the millions youve swallowed since. Expect to have it jogged mightily, however, by that temple of fast-casual hamburger-ness called Five Guys, where the fries are so good, its like youre eating them again for the first time. Their potato planks are thin-thick and crunchy-soft, and every order comes with roughly 500 of them. That extra scoop they throw on top of the cupful thats already in the bag makes for a meal-sized side order, pushes calorie counts into the four figures and requires no less than 5 percent of Idahos annual potato crop.

Originally modeled after the boardwalk fries at Thrashers in Ocean City, Maryland, Fives Guys method involves power-washing the starch off of fresh-cut unskinned potatoes before frying them in 100% peanut oil to create a strong outer layer. Next, the fries are allowed to rest, which lets the insides cook to a mashed-potato softness without burning the outsides, and then fried again to produce a divinely crisp result. Steak fries, shoestrings, crinkle cuts and wedges are all fine, but if there are French fries in heaven, Ill bet they come in a red checkerboard, grease-stained paper bag. Scott Vogel

Later this year, the world will mark the 35th anniversary of what to my mind is one of the most spellbinding smells to ever becloud an airport terminal or shopping mall. No mere foodstuff could ever deliver on the promise of that fabled aroma, but the Cinnabon cinnamon roll continues to be my guiltiest of guilty pleasures nonetheless. And Im far from alone. That 880-calorie spiral of pancreatic assault in which a flypaper-sticky, impossibly sweet blend of molten spices finds a perfect foil in slicks of tart cream cheese frosting is now for sale in 50 countries worldwide. Theres a Cinnabon flavored Cream of Wheat, K-cup, creamer, toaster strudel and popcorn. There are Cinnabon candles, mugs, aprons, onesies, socks, pajamas and shirts (including a Bon in the Oven tee thats just perfect for expectant mothers or, for that matter, anyone who eats too many cinnamon rolls.) They are such stuff as dreams are made of. Literally. I once dreamed I was walking a labyrinth as a Zen monk when suddenly my dizzying path morphed before my eyes, enveloping me in a giant coiling Cinnabon. I awoke in shock, but also strangely at peace. Scott Vogel

Its hard to convey how monumental P.F. Changs felt when it firstdebuted in the mid-1990s. Outside of big cities, most Americans conception of Chinese food had been shaped by their local takeout spots; in bounced P.F. Changs, a slightly kitschy but soaring palace of dark woods, gianthorse sculptures and fusions pan-Asian dishes re-engineered for broad appeal, yet still incrediblyfresh tasting.(As an aside, co-founder Philip Chiangs mom, Cecelia Chiang, opened the country's first influential Chinese restaurant, The Mandarin, in San Francisco in 1961). The P.F. Changs on the edge ofWestburys Source Mall had a buzzyenergy, its bar and half-moon boothsalways packed. From the very beginning, thelettuce wraps were the most-ordered menu item (still are), an appetizer thatbasically paved the way for every keto-friendly wrap in their wake: A chocolate-hued crumble of gingery, soy-splashedground chicken that you spooned onto crisp petals oficeberg lettuce and dripped all over as you reduced them to nothing.Nowadays,P.F. Changs often feels half-empty, a sad state that mirrors the malls where they're usually found, but I still stand for the lettuce wraps; they're always a little too salty but their sameness over the decades is both acomfortand a feat of consistency. pfchangs.com Corin Hirsch

Choosing the Shackburger feels like a little bit of a cop-out, because universal love for Shake Shack crosses multiple class and coolness borders. I'm allergic to lines, so I never had one of these back when theoriginal Shake Shack opened in Manhattan's Madison Square Park in the early 2000s I could see the fits of bliss as I walked through the park, though, where the chain's famous hot dogs were devoured by the thousands. Years later, I had my first (single) Shackburger, neatly wedged into a brown paper sleeve with a romaine leaf peekingfrom its side, and was propelled headlong into love. The slightly tangy, secret "ShackSauce" smeared onto eachcheeseburgerhelps it vault above its competition; the LaFrieda patty is always drippy; and it's basically about asperfect a quick lunch that exists. Washing it down with anything less than a chocolate (or salted caramel)shake is heresy, and so is waiting on line. Embrace the app: Your quarry will be waiting when you show up. shackshack.com Corin Hirsch

If theres a Chipotle around, it means that there is a source of fresh, wholesome, responsibly sourced and delicious food, prepared to my individual specifications and rarely topping $10. My go-to order (and I go to it a few times a month) is brown rice (here, delicate and subtly cilantro-ed), grilled chicken (always and only dark meat, which is why I fell in love in the first place), pinto beans (which I think go a bit better with chicken than do the equally accomplished black beans), mild salsa (whose tomatoes are always red) and a final filip of medium salsa. Corn salsa, crema, guacamole might also find their way into my bowl. I very occasionally swap out the rice for salad. The coup de grace? They give me a cup that I can fill with seltzer for free. Erica Marcus

Now this is a guilty pleasure. But consider that all fried chicken is, for me at least, a very occasional treat. Certainly Popeyes is better than the fried chicken at that other national chain. The truth is its better than the fried chicken at many better restaurants too. The crust, whether regular or spicy, is crunchy and substantial, but always in the service of the meat beneath, which is juicy whether thigh, leg, wing or even breast. Its also worth pointing out that at a proper restaurant, you have to content yourself with whatever combination of parts the kitchen has deemed an order, but at Popeyes I can order as many thighs as my heart desires. Of the sides at Popeyes, only the biscuit can hold a candle to the chicken. But considering that a biscuit has 260 calories and 26 grams of carbs and a thigh has, respectively, 280 and 7, you might as well go for the extra thigh. If Im thinking clearly I might order a couple of extras for Day 2 because the only thing better than hot fried chicken is cold fried chicken. Erica Marcus

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By Corin Hirsch, Erica Marcus & Scott Vogel

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Newsday critics share fast food they actually love - Newsday

The annual Readers Choice contest is a fun contest for our readers to choose their favorites and is a big deal for our winners. Thousands of our readers cast their online vote every year for their favorites.

We are excited to be able to host this online ballot year after year. It gives local businesses a chance to shine while providing a fun opportunity for southern Illinois residents to vote for their favorites and show support. For some local businesses, this ballot is the perfect opportunity to let the region know who they are and what they provide. We do take some ribbing regarding the publics perception of what makes a business the best but lets take this contest for what it is: A popular vote promotion, an excellent marketing opportunity for local businesses, and an advertising support method for the Southern Illinoisan.It is a special honor to be voted as the best, second place or even honorable mention.

Advertising support is what keeps our products in motion. The Southern is a business that is customer supported by our advertisers and reader membership.Readers Choice is one of our most, if not the most popular section with businesses and customers alike. However, its important that you know that the results are a culmination of popular vote. Every year, we have plenty of businesses that advertise and do not make it to the #1 spot. Every voter and login is only counted once to avoid stuffing the ballots. Every year we improve the program in some form utilizing feedback from businesses and readers alike.

Readers Choice provides an opportunity for local businesses to tout their wares, personalities and services.I have lived in Southern Illinois my whole life and am always pleasantly surprised to find a new unique business that I have never tried before. I hope you will make some new discoveries as well by reviewing the results both online or in our printed section in todays edition. This area is rich with outstanding businesses, individuals, products and services. Readers Choice is a chance to showcase that.

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The Supreme Court appeared sharply divided along ideological lines Tuesday over the question of whether the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), an agency seen as a progressive achievement in the wake of the financial crisis, is unconstitutional.

The court heard oral arguments in a case centering on whether Congress improperly insulated the agency from executive branch control by designing it to be led by a single director whom the president cannot fire at will.

The Trump administration is refusing to defend the agency, instead siding with a California law firm that sued the CFPB in arguing that the structure unconstitutionally infringes on the presidents control over the executive branch.

Solicitor General Noel Francisco argued to the court that the arrangement is undemocratic, because a director who operates under such protections is not answerable to the president. Officials who are appointed by the president and can be fired at will, Francisco argued, are held accountable by the president and in turn the president is held accountable by the voters for those officials actions.

Most of the five justices on the court's conservative majority seemed to agree and sharply questioned the attorney that the court appointed to argue in favor of the agency, former Republican Solicitor General Paul Clement.

They appeared most concerned about the prospect of Congress instituting similar restraints on the presidents ability to fire officials at other agencies.

What do we do with the fact and I'm sure you've given this great thought that if we were to approve single-member agencies without any presidential removal power lets just suppose that we would run into questions about the Cabinet, for example, which are just agencies right? Justice Neil GorsuchNeil GorsuchJustices spar over fate of consumer agency Supreme Court leaves in place Trump ban on bump stocks Justices to hear first major abortion case of Trump era MORE asked Clement.

Clement responded that there are constitutional and structural protections in place to prevent Congress from dictating the presidents powers over certain executive branch personnel.

Chief Justice John Roberts seemed to be the only conservative justice to have any ambivalence. He said the 2010 law that created the CFPB, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, seemed to give the president some leeway by allowing him to fire the agencys director for inefficiency.

Theoretically, I dont know that the courts would be terribly suited to second-guess that, Roberts said.

The CFPB has been in conservative lawmakers crosshairs since it was first created. They argue it's an unaccountable regulator and an overzealous check on the free market.

But progressives see the agency as a massive success. It returned nearly $12 billion to consumers from predatory lenders and other financial firms in its first six years in existence.

Unlike most independent executive branch agencies that are led by multimember commissions, the CFPB is headed by just one executive, who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate but can only be fired for inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance. That restricts incoming administrations from installing ideological or political allies at the agency.

Congress designed the agency, which was first proposed by Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) when she was a law professor, in order to protect it from political interference or industry influence out of a belief that a lack of oversight on Wall Street helped lead to the 2008 financial crisis.

Richard CordrayRichard Adams CordrayJustices spar over fate of consumer agency To understand true impact of proposed interest rate caps, listen to history and borrowers Democrats blast consumer bureau over student loan oversight agreement with DeVos MORE, the first-ever CFPB director under former President Obama, told The Hill that his takeaway from Tuesdays argument was that the justices understood the gravity of the decision theyre facing.

"There were indications that the court understood that a very broad sweep would cause tremendous disruption to settled expectations and the economy, and they would not want to be the authors of that," Cordray said.

He added that legal challenges against the CFPB like the one heard Tuesday had been slowing the agencys work.

"But ultimately, I do think that it will be good for the court to decide this issue and put it behind us because it has been an obstacle in a number of enforcement actions, Cordray said. Once the issue is raised, it becomes a procedural problem, it slows down the case, it ties it up with side issues aside from the wrongdoing that the company may have perpetrated and it makes it harder to get results."

The liberal justices on the court expressed skepticism about the arguments against the agency's structure, noting that other agencies multimember commissions are similarly protected from being fired at will and the difference between those and the CFPB seemed inconsequential.

JusticeRuth Bader Ginsburg suggested that independence allowed the agency to more successfully police the financial sector.

The case before the justices involves the law firm Seila Law, which sued the CFPB, arguing the subpoenas it had received from the agency are invalid because the regulator is unconstitutional. Kannon Shanmugam, an attorney representing the firm, argued that the CFPB posed a threat to liberty because neither the president nor Congress could adequately check its powers.

You talked about liberty. Now whose liberty are we speaking of? Ginsburg asked. What about the consumers? I mean, Congress passed this law so that the consumers would be better protected against financial fraud. And you're talking about, I suppose, the liberty of your client. But what about the people that Congress was concerned about, that is, the consumers who were not well protected by the array of agencies that were handling these problems?

There are a number of different routes that the court could take in deciding the case.

Clement and Douglas Letter, the House's general counsel, are arguing that the case does not properly pose the constitutional questions raised about the agency because those issues do not affect the subpoenas toSelia Law. They're urging the justices to reject the case without deciding the merits of the constitutional argument.

While Seila and the Trump administration are in agreement on their critique of the CFPB's structure, they differ on how the court should go about addressing it. Seila proposes that the court invalidates the entire section of Dodd-Frank that created the agency, which would kill the CFPB and return consumer protection powers to other agencies.

The Justice Department, meanwhile, suggests that the court should simply strike down the removal protections and keep the agency in place by "severing" that language from Dodd-Frank and keeping the rest of the law intact.

Letter similarly warned that killing the agency would completely upend consumer protection in the financial sector.

"If there is no severability here, I want to make sure that you all understand this is not a simple situation of, well, we'll just have these functions go back to the other agencies where they came from," Letter said.

"The other agencies don't have either slots or appropriations to enforce what the CFPB does," he said. "So if you say this is non-severable, we strike down the whole statute, in this instance, that would be a very, very major action."

The case is expected to be decided by the end of June.

Sylvan Lane contributed.

Updated at 2:43 p.m.

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Justices spar over fate of consumer agency | TheHill - The Hill