WESTON, Wis. (WSAW)- Schools across the area are doing their part to make sure that families in their communities don't go hungry, but one in particular is going above and beyond on that front.

As part of a remodeling project at D.C. Everest, a grow room was added for their agriscience program. They started a hydroponic farm, meaning there's no soil used to grow crops, around Christmas. Just three months later, it's paying major dividends already.

"We like to call it Evergreen farm.'"

At the meeting where D.C. Everest decided to shut down a few weeks ago, agriscience teacher John Glynn had a bad feeling about the future of the school's hydroponic farm.

"The principal said to me, when our faculty meeting is over, we're having another meeting, you and I, said Glynn. I thought for sure he was going to tell me to shut the system down."

Instead?

"He said the superintendent was wondering if I'd be able to oversee the operation of this system to produce produce for our families here at Everest."

The school's hydroponic, vertical, zip farm put them in a unique position to help the community.

"The zip farm setup is actually fairly cutting edge, said Glynn. In fact there's only three of these setups in the state of Wisconsin, and we're the only school that has one."

From the LED lights, to the nutrients supplied, to the amount of water used, efficiency is the name of the game at Evergreen farm, and the amount of food they can produce reflects that.

"In our very small setup we can grow over 4,000 lettuce plants at a time."

Glynn is the only one in the grow room right now, but before the shutdown, the impressive setup caught the eye of students throughout the school.

"The attention from the student body was unbelievable, Glynn said. Instant and over the top. Students we're coming in here every hour of the day."

Whenever students are allowed back, Evergreen Farm will have made a massive difference for Everest families, because Glynn is just getting started.

"We're going to ramp it up until we're full, says Glynn. So we're going to ramp it up to four thousand-plus plants, and make sure that our community doesn't run short of the produce that we can produce them."

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DC Everest hydroponic farm pays big dividends in wake of COVID-19 - WSAW

Everyone is working from home.

In September 2019, the Bureau Of Labor Statisticsreportedthat 29 percent of Americans worked from home. Since the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic that number has increased substantially. As if this situation isnt difficult enough for everyone personally and economically, working from home has its own challenges, especially if there isnt a dedicated home office space. This is particularly true in New York City, where most of the population lives in smaller apartments.

Since most of the nation is likely working from home for the next couple of months, its essential to establish a dedicated home office space whether its located within a larger room, a closet or even a nook with a tiny footprint. Heres are the best ways to convert any space into a home office.

Setting Up A Home Office In The Bedroom Or Guest Room

A home office in a bedroom.

While it isnt ideal to work and sleep in the same room, the advantage of having an office in your bedroom is that unless you live in a loft or studio apartment, every home has a bedroom with a door that closes. Interior designer Alexis Rogers ofHome With Alexissuggests most bedrooms can accommodate a workspace with one of three configurations.

If you have a closet that can be sacrificed, you can remove the doors of the closet and convert the closet space into an office nook, she says. Even if its a shallow closet, having the desk in that nook creates a purposeful workspace while also giving it a separate feel from the rest of the bedroom.

If youre only going to be working from home temporarily, this might be a smart idea because you can put clothing into storage and then re-attach the doors when you return to your regular office. Not sure where to store the doors? Try under the bed.

Another option Rodgers recommends is swapping out an end table for a desk, if you have room to do so. This will work out better if you can keep your desk tidy, or if you just need a dedicated place to sit and work on your laptop thats away from the noise and activities of the rest of the house, she explains.

A third choice is either adding a desk to the existing bedroom furniture configuration or switching out a dresser for a desk. If your closet has extra drawers and shelves and you can edit the contents of your dresser into those drawers and shelves, or if your closet has room for the dresser itself and youd prefer to keep your desk in a main area of the bedroom, use the dressers former location for your desk, she says.

Then bring in desk accessories. Add a stylish chair, lamp, and beautiful piece of art above the desk. Create a little work sanctuary, and when its not in use, it still looks beautiful.

Turn A Living Room Into A Working Room

A home office space in the living room.

The next most obvious choice for a workspace is the living room. Under the best circumstances, to turn your living room into a home office, consider purchasing a desk and then creating a small work corner.Then consider using a room divider. This can be particularly helpful if you have children because it sets a physical boundary. They also make excellent backgrounds for Zoom calls.

But if there isnt a space for that, Sara Ianniciello, who is the director of design atWhitehall Interiorshas some strategies for working on the sofa, if you must. Make sure to keep proper ergonomic heights with the placement of your laptop, especially if you are working on a couch and coffee table, she says. This can be done with items that you already have in your home, like setting your laptop on a thick book or box to avoid neck strain.

In most homes, miscellaneous objects tend to find their way into living rooms. Clutter can really hinder productivity, so Ianniciello suggests decluttering as often as possible. This is something easy that you can do in any room of the house that makes a big difference. A clean workspace will help you stay organized and focus better, she says.

Then bring in decor intentionally. Candles, plants, picture frames, and art are great accessories to have at or near your workspace, even in the living room. Consider adding things like this or a table or task lamp during working hours and reverting back to normal when you are done for the day. This will help put you in work mode, says Ianniciello.

Cook Up Productivity By Turning A Kitchen Into A Home Office

Bring new meaning to working in the kitchen.

Yuna Megre ofMegre Interiorssuggests starting by de-cluttering your entire kitchen. Clean out your kitchen cabinets, organize them and move anything you can from surfaces into the closets, she says. This is vital not only providing you with extra space, but in decluttering your thoughts. If there is a lack of space in your kitchen, grab a box, and put anything you don't use on a daily basis and move the boxes to another room.

Then strategize the best way to use the space you have. Don't forget your vertical surfacesyour walls, windows, cabinets, and fridge. These can all be spaces for Post-Its, notes, drawing, and putting up documents you need in front of you when you work, she says.

But then the question is where to establish your workspace in the kitchen. The best-case scenario is having an eat-in kitchen without an attached family room, explains Raf Howery, CEO ofKukun. Kukun is a recently launched app that allows users to estimate and compare costs of home remodeling, which is something many people will likely be doing once the pandemic ends. If you have an eat-in kitchen and you don't have an attached family room, he says, Use your kitchen table, moving it so that it backs to a wall. You can move it back for meals. Avoid frying during that time.

Its always possible to use the kitchen island as a desk. However, Kukun cautions this setup can be uncomfortable for your back.

If that is the only choice in terms of set-up, Alexis Sheinman ofPembrooke and Ivesproposes a few ways to work around this. Whether at a bar-height counter, dining table or kitchen island, clear the surface off and match the table height with the most comfortable work chair you can find. If you have a wood or metal chair, bring a cushion [or pillow] along, she says.

Accessories are also key to establishing the space. Consider buying a desk lamp. Light can make or break the ambiance and brightness and is key to productivity. If your kitchen doesnt get enough natural light, bring a table or floor lamp. Then, adjust the light level throughout the day according to the weather and time of day, Sheinman says.

From there, you can accessorize to improve the aesthetic. Make it pretty - a small vase with flowers, a pretty table cloth, mason jars with pencils and pens, etc can make your workspace super fun, shares Megre.

Convert A Playroom Into A Home Office

Getting serious work done in a playroom.

Remember when you thought it would be great to turn that extra room or basement into a playroom for the kids? Are you now regretting that decision? Turning the space into your office might be a great lesson in sharing for them. Luckily, this doesnt require major construction and is simple enough to DIY using The Container Stores entirely customizableElfa Closet System.

The Home Edits collaboration with The Container Store on ahomework stationis a versatile workspace setup that can be used as a home office now and then for homework likely in the fall. Its worth noting that this set up can work in any room that has a free wall.

First, measure the wall and then install anEasy Hang, which is available in a range of finishes. From there, choose a shelf to function as the desktop. Then build up with shelves and choose organizers depending on your needs. Utilizing the wall is essential if you dont have a large footprint to work with.

Products like theElfa Utility Boardcan help keep accessories neat and the desk clutter-free. Color coordinate everything in true Home Edit style for a whimsical look that both kids and adults can appreciate.

Read the original:
Working From Home? Heres How To Create A Stylish Home Office In Any Room - Forbes

Having backgrounds in the health care industry, Silas and Micky Patel said they followed intently the spread of the coronavirus long before it reached pandemic proportions in New York.

They sawthe devastation in China and then in Italy, and how communities reacted.

Then they began to see how the pandemic was impacting their livelihood. As husband and wife owners of two hotels on Monroe Avenue in Brightonthe Clarion Pointe and the Hotel on Monroethey depend on guest reservations. The spread of COVID-19 cases brought an abrupt end to check-ins.

So when they went from a fully booked Clarion Pointe for the weekend of March 13-14 to completely empty because of cancellations, the Patels decided to be proactive and do their part in the fight to flatten the curve.

They offered full use of the Clarion Pointe at 2729 Monroe Ave. to the Monroe County Health Department, and by March 18 had agreed to surrender control for at least two months.

We understand health care, and in order to solve this problem, everyone has to contribute and this was our way to help, said Silas Patel, who has a masters degree in health care finance. His wife works part-time as a nurse at Genesee Valley OB/GYN.

The county announced over the weekend that the Clarion Pointe would provide lodging for Monroe County residents who are not able to isolate at home, perhaps because they live with someone who is immunocompromised or is at risk for other reasons.

As we find ways to help people during this difficult and uncertain time, it is reassuring to know that so many businesses in our community are eager to step up and do the right thing, Deputy Monroe County Executive Jeffery McCann said in a news release. I am so grateful to Clarion Pointe Rochester and all of our partners throughout the county who are providing critical services and supplies.

Three Clarion Pointe employees will continue working at the hotel for the county. Others had a chance to stay on but, because of the potential risk of working near people possibly infected with COVID-19, they opted not to stay on during the quarantine process, the Patels said.

There are 43 rooms at the hotel for use by the county. Persons quarantined will not be allowed to leave their room for 14 days. Meals will be delivered three times a day and the health of the people under quarantine will be monitored for the duration of the stay.

The Patels said they made sure room amenities like the entertainment system, mini fridge and microwave were fully functional.

The Clarion Pointe works well, Silas Patel said, because its a single building with just three entrances/exits, so iteasily can be locked down.

During a remodeling and rebranding last springfrom a Comfort Inn to the newest brand line in the Choice Hotel chaincarpeting was replaced by hypoallergenic stone flooring and drapes were replaced by blinds. Those elements lessen the potential spread of the coronavirus.

The Patels expect to dispose of all bedding and towels once the hotel is returned to them. It also will be thoroughly sanitized, they said.

The county has not yet said how much they will pay to use the hotel. Our motivation was not money, Silas Patel said. This virus is going to cross the globe and this is the right decision for the time were in.

He said other hoteliers in the Rochester area have also offered to help the county if the need arises.

The Patels continue to operate the 23-room Hotel on Monroe, which is the renovated Towpath Motel. Three current guests are in town because family members are in the health care profession and need help with household duties or babysitting.

The couple said theyre not concerned that future guests may shy away because the hotel was used as a quarantine facility.

You wouldnt not go to the hospital because there are sick people there, Micky Patel reasoned.

koklobzija@bridgetowermedia.com/(585) 653-4020

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Lending hotel was their way of helping flatten the curve - Rochester Business Journal

By RaeAnn Slaybaugh

For Tulsas Memorial Drive Church of Christ, connecting as a church family was never a problem but the facilities told a less inspiring story.

Built in 1963, this mid-century modern church features a tent-like parabolic roof, with additions in 1973 and 1977. While the church design surely had its admirers from afar, it left a lot to be desired up close.

For long-time member Laura McCall, the discouragement began in 2014 with the state of the nursing mothers room. Meanwhile, it was common for a leaky roof to invade Sunday morning classes.

Even so, Memorial was her home. I love this place, Laura said. I love these people.

Five years later, she took matters into her own hands, intent on redecorating the cry room. Her first call was to Sheila Cheatham, interior decorator and wife of elder Larry Cheatham. They were in full agreement and so was Sheilas husband, who was nearby when they spoke.

Shortly after, the elders held potluck meetings with the congregation, from Millennials to lifelong members. Overall, they were in favor of remodeling, Larry said. But, many were also worried about how the church would pay for this work.

Though funding was undetermined, Laura got the elders permission to call similar churches, ask questions about the remodeling process, and get professional recommendations. She also came across an article about Millennial-friendly church design, which resonated with her in a way nothing else had.

Laura was surprised and delighted when one church called her back and recommended none other than the articles author: Rodney James, a pastor whod transitioned into church building. In fact, Rodney President & Founder of Masters Plan Church Design & Construction had been that churchs pastor.

So, her next call was to Rodney himself. He was out of town speaking at a conference, but he called her back that afternoon.

As we spoke, I could feel the spirit moving through our words and hearts, she said.

Laura recommended an introduction with the elders. By days end, a lunch meeting was planned. When they met, both Laura and Larry said Rodney struck them as experienced, knowledgeable, passionate and compassionate.

His years spent pastoring a church allow him to see the whole picture, Laura said.

Gods hand has been all over this.

Before parting ways, Rodney mentioned a local news story airing the following Thursday. Hed been interviewed about designing space to help churches better minister to families who have children and adults with special needs. Memorial has a very large ministry to these families.

On the following Wednesday July 24, 2019 Memorial caught fire, burning for hours and rendering the entire 50,000-square-foot building uninhabitable.

While the church family mourned the loss of their facilities, Laura said that having Rodney already in their corner seemed like a blessing directly from God.

On that day, story after story on the church fire aired on local news but so did the story in which Rodney spoke about creating space to help families with children with special needs worship.

The timing was weird, Laura remembers. And we watch for God in the weird.

Picking up the pieces

The day of the fire, Cheatham felt perplexed and fearful. He didnt know how to respond to members questions. It helped immensely when the elders and the ministers met that night to pray and ensure the upcoming Sunday morning worship went on uninterrupted. Thankfully, earlier that day, the nearby Eastside Christian Church called to offer its building (for sale at the time) as a temporary worship and Bible classes space. Memorial continues to lease the building.

To house operations staff, office space was offered up by a member / business owner and his business partner.

At the individual ministry level, each leader found alternative places to host their events. Some didnt even have to look; a number of faith-based organizations called right away to volunteer their buildings. Except for the food pantry, every ministry continued as if the fire never happened. It wasnt long before a partner of many years, Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, helped in finding the food pantry a home, as well.

For the long term, elders organized a building committee for which Larry is the chair and a building finance committee. They are working with Rodney and his team on preliminary plans for a remodeled / replacement physical home. Each ministry leader has been interviewed, and their input is reflected in a schematic floor plan.

Though official plans are on hold pending the churchs insurance settlement, one option is to retain the space under the tell-tale parabolic roof, if the structure is deemed safe by the engineer and insurer. If a complete tear-down is required, the committee will aim to incorporate some of the old structures elements into the new building as an homage to the churchs history.

But Larry and the rest of the church know that the outcome isnt entirely in their hands.

Were focused on waiting for God to lead us, he said. All of us look forward to moving into a new home here in Tulsa, and to the opportunities God is preparing for us to meet.

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Out of the ashes - Church Executive Magazine

Whether their vantage point is home building and design, technology, or health and longevity, those whose careers intersect with residential architecture agree that this pandemic will likely change how our homes look and function in the years to come.

Heres the perspective of eight thought leaders on whats likely to shift in the places that we and our children will call home in the future whether were buying, building or remodeling them. Listed alphabetically, they are:

How will the classic American home change after the COVID-19 pandemic?

HEALTHIER SPACES AND MATERIALS

Tim Costello: I dont think you will see any perceptible change in construction soon. However, on the design side, you may see builders add or highlight new design features. In particular, you may see changes that further differentiate a newly built home vs. a used home. Options that could be deployed faster than changes to architecture [include] UV air treatment, indoor air quality monitoring, viral-resistant surfaces and health monitoring systems for homeowners. Changes like these that greatly benefit homeowners and that respond to learnings from COVID-19 could make their way into product offerings very quickly.

Veronika Miller-Eagleson: Germ-resistant counter tops and flooring will likely see an upswing. It would be good to see improved options for carpeting too. Self-sanitizing door handles actually exist. There could be a huge demand if these systems can be made available. Smart filtration systems for air and water will be a must-have. Smart toilets will be the biggest Christmas gift for 2020 and beyond! Home builders must plan for these now with electrical pre-wiring near the toilet.

Jennifer Quail: There was already an increasing interest in healthy materials, and I expect consumers will make an even bigger move in that direction, especially when products like antimicrobial surfaces are so readily available. There is a peace-of-mind connection to those decisions that will provide even more comfort than before we all had to shelter-in-place.

Veronica Schreibeis Smith: Our homes must be seen as a sanctuary. Too often they meet basic shelter needs and minimum code requirements that don't give us clean air or pure water.

The use of healthier home materials will increase in future design and construction.

PANDEMIC PROTECTION

Alex Capecelatro: Consider how many hands touch the elevator button in your building, the doorknob in your home, your TV remote or light switches. We're hearing a greater demand for voice control and to be able to control more devices during this pandemic. With more people working from home, the need to feel grounded, healthy and alert with the help of circadian rhythm lighting, nature sounds, and other smart home technologies will rise.

Sarah Susanka: Even before the pandemic, Ive been aware that we currently have a missing place for a new functionpackage deliveryand today it is even more critical. We need to design in an area for package drop-off that is accessible by delivery people, but not accessible by thieves.It should be a small room with a door to the outside [and] be able to receive drone deliveries. This room should also include a pass-through to the recycling bin so that unpacking can happen there before the contents are brought into the house.

Peter Chapman: All those bonus spaces developed in the heyday of big building might better be considered as isolation rooms now. Even with couples living alone, there may be a need for separate facilities for each in case one or the other is exposed.

Eagleson: A greater need to store non-perishables and frozen foods may come back with bulk goods storage and smarter pantries. Wine and beer storage may become a more common kitchen feature too.

Voice control technology will reduce shared surfaces and germ spread.

MORE NATURE CONNECTIONS

Dan Buettner:Gardening is a common activity of centenarians because it combines so many elements that contribute to longer life. Sunlight (vitamin D), fresh air, fresh veggies, purpose, and regular natural movement. It's making a comeback in the Statesand we hope this continues. Planting a kitchen garden or even a container garden reaps many benefits. There are houseplants that naturally clean the air and add greenery, which has been proven to reduce stress in people.

Eagleson: Biophilia will move from trendy to necessary, from indoor plant schemes (including lighting) to green walls, to indoor vegetable gardens, to integrated screens/monitors for nature sounds/visuals throughout the house. Increasing usability and improving design of outdoor spaces will likely see a lot of new development as well.

Homes will be designed with more space and technology to support indoor and outdoor plant life.

INCREASED SOCIAL CONNECTION

Buettner: One thing that is key to Blue Zones is face-to-face connections. However, that's not possible now. But one thing I recommend based on my research is front porches or front balconies. I love to see what's happening in Italy and Spain neighbors on their own front porches to connect, many feet apart, with each other during this uncertain time.

Eagleson: Possible solutions that will manifest during and after this crisis [include] easy-to-use tech, especially for seniors to never have to feel so isolated again. Addressing isolation side effects: Always-on communication options like Zoom, Facebook Portal, and in-home/virtual exercise products like Peloton, Mirror Gym, Echelon, etc. with dedicated spaces.

Front porches and balconies foster social connection between neighbors.

IMPROVED HOME OFFICES SPACES AND TECHNOLOGY

Chapman: Weve been moving away from discrete spaces within the home to a more open plan, but its clear that we will need to reconsider the need for more isolated spaces if (and when) these pandemic outbreaks become more frequent. Its ironic that a while back we were proclaiming the end of the home office, as we all had the capability to work from anywhere any time. Now it seems were all thrust back into the 1990s and 2000s as we strive to continue our jobs from home.

Capecelatro: I think the need for video calls will only rise, and with them the need to design rooms specifically optimized for quiet work sessions. I also think this time at home with increased devices pulling on the network, as entire families stream video and audio content, only exemplifies the need for a world class network highly optimized for the data rates we require today.

Eagleson: To work efficiently, a home office cant be the dining table or the den; it has to encourage productivity and minimize distractions. Designers have a huge opportunity to think about creating spaces that are designed for teleconferencing, removed from the rest of home to minimize household distractions, including noise control and physical separation.

Quail: I also believe well see a return to a dedicated workstation in the home. The emergence of laptops, tablets, and smart devices led homeowners away from that business station in the home where the desktop computer used to live but, after two weeks or possibly months of living and working in the same place, the need for a dedicated space for professional hours and a clear separation between working at home and actually being at home becomes much more necessary.

The need to work from home will spur the creation of more quiet, separate, tech-friendly office ... [+] spaces.

Originally posted here:
8 Thought Leaders On How The COVID-19 Pandemic Will Change The American Home - Forbes

Can you hear them? asked Tracy Medenwaldt of Hankinson. My kids are yelling at each other.

To each other, at each other, its the same noise. Today, Medenwaldt is both mom and teacher, joining thousands of parents across North Dakota thrust into this role after Gov. Doug Burgum closed public schools indefinitely because of coronavirus.

While trying to talk on the phone, she sent her kids outside to jump on the trampoline and get rid of their excess energy. I have to mark down on a sheet of paper they have their physical education in for the week, she said. Im so glad they can go outside.

Home schooling could last a few weeks or the rest of the school year. Medenwaldt is betting this virus isnt giving up any time soon and her children will be homebound until the end of the school year.

She and her husband Aaron have seven children five are pre-school and up. Her oldest, Hunter, 17, is a high school senior, while youngest, Rhubee, is one, almost two. The newest Medenwaldt is days away from coming into the world as she is pregnant and will be induced this week.

There are events her children are missing out on because of coronavirus Hunter may finish his high school career at the kitchen counter if schools dont reopen, so graduation ceremonies are still an unknown. Oaklee is completing his confirmation, another ceremony put on hold because of COVID-19, while birth of baby No. 8 wont have the typical fanfare with visits from family and friends, or even a big baptism since churches put mass gatherings on hold during this global pandemic.

Even the Medenwaldt children cant see their new sibling until he/she comes home since children are not allowed to visit in hospitals.

Medenwaldt said shes saddened by how much her children are missing, especially her oldest son.

I want Hunter to be able to finish off his senior year, to walk through the halls of Hankinson High School one more time, to say goodbye. I am hoping they get to walk through graduation, even if its June or July. They need to have their big ceremony. Its a big accomplishment for these seniors, and for the parents weve been waiting to watch our kids, we have been waiting for this moment, she said.

The Medenwaldts are trying to do their part during this period of uncertainty. She has to make more frequent runs to the grocery store since her children are home and they are going through more milk than normal. This provided a unique opportunity.

The elderly are told to remain isolated since they are at more risk for developing severe symptoms from coronavirus, so Medenwaldt and her daughters put care packages together for about 10 senior citizens in the Hankinson community.

These care packages included paper towels, toilet paper, small packets of coffee, word book games, anything they could think of to make this time more bearable, she said. Medenwaldt hopes her children are learning to take care of the people around them, she said, that something good will come from this moment in time.

The restaurant industry in North Dakota has been severely impacted by coronavirus after the governor shut down everything other than curbside, take out or delivery.

Many restaurants laid off staff. Greg Paulson owns Hotcakes Cafe and Lodging in Hankinson. He opted to keep staff and change his business plan, he said.

Once the word came down, I talked to my staff. Do you want to keep your hours? Should we stay open? What do you want to do? he said.

The vote was to stay open. Instead of competing with the other restaurants in Hankinson, Hotcakes, EDJ and Docs Pub decided instead to create a schedule throughout the month in which one restaurants menu is being featured each day.

Docs Pub was up first Monday, March 23, followed by Hotcakes on Tuesday. Paulson offered fried chicken and already had six orders by mid-day.

He planned to stay open three hours at night. Typically, Hotcakes was open for breakfast and lunch, but since the restaurant closure went into effect, his mornings have been slow. Thats where hes taken the biggest financial hit, he said. Paulson figures people are more apt to make their own breakfasts, so hes offering expansive items like omelets or specialized breakfast sandwiches.

Paulson and staff also are deep cleaning the restaurant to remain virus-free. This time also gives him a chance to remodel since he hadnt wanted to close Hotcakes for remodeling. That isnt a problem now since the dining room is closed.

Business wise, we have the opportunity to refocus. Weve decided to do more take outs with soups and salads. Why werent we doing this in the first place? Paulson asked.

Hotcakes offers homemade food and is selling items like quarts of fresh soup for $7. Tuesday morning, they had a big batch of potato salad, all made from scratch, Paulson said.

He is worried about how coronavirus is going to affect his business. When all is said and done, will he still have a business? My fear is whenever the doors do open and everything is back to normal, what will happen then? Paulson asked.

The News Monitor will continue to cover this public health threat. Look to the coronavirus section on our website for more information.

Original post:
Plea from a mother: 'I want Hunter to be able to walk the halls one more time' - Wahpeton Daily News

Amanda Tello drove her red SUV carefully down the narrow streets of the mobile home park tucked away in west St. Louis County. With cars parked on both sides of the street there was room for just one vehicle to pass at a time.

She was there for the same reason I was: following a tip that officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, had raided the park, looking for undocumented immigrants.

There had been no raid, though a man who lived in the park told me there had been some suspected ICE agents driving around for a couple of days, in vehicles with dark, tinted windows.

Theres always a fear, Tello told me, in communities like this one with heavy immigrant populations, particularly Hispanic ones. She works with a group of activists helping immigrants gain access to services, food and utility aid, and educational opportunities for children. She is part of a rapid response team that heads to neighborhoods whenever there is a report of a possible ICE raid, to record interactions with federal officers and to provide help to people if its needed.

These days, ICE hasnt been particularly active in St. Louis, she says. Their office, like so many others, is shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, Tello and others are trying to help guide immigrants especially those who dont speak much English through the crisis.

Its a very vulnerable time for poor people, Tello says.

Indeed, just last week, more than 3 million people across the country filed for unemployment in one week, a dubious new record. But many of the people whom Tello and organizations that help immigrants serve cant access most government aid programs. Their ability to react to the pandemic is that much more difficult.

Read the original here:
Messenger: Fear builds in immigrant community along with isolation brought by pandemic - STLtoday.com

Signs at the Forest Hollow Mobile Home Community in Beaumont, Texas, advise residents to wash their hands. That simple act is the first line of defence against the infection that sickens victims of the coronavirus.

But when Amy Yancy,unemployed, left the hospital this month after suffering a miscarriage, she was unable to follow the instructions.

The water at the trailer park had been shut off.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

I was terrified we would get sick, Yancy said. Already, eight people have tested positive for the novel virus in the southeastern Texas city, where nearly 20 per cent of residents are in poverty above the national average.

Yancys predicament is shared by Americans throughout the country, as the escalating outbreak exposes how uneven access is to resources like water resources allowing private individuals unable to protect themselves as public institutions stumble. As many as 15 million Americans experience a water shutoff each year, according to one 2016 estimate. That leaves them unable to clean themselves and flush the toilet, all because of nonpayment, compounded by spiralling late fees.

Scores of cities have tried to prevent water deprivation from exacerbating the public-health emergency by pausing shutoffs during the pandemic. Some states have even stepped in. But getting the water turned back on can prove an arduous process, leaving the most vulnerable without basic protection against the coronavirus.

In numerous cases where service has been restored, access has depended on legal intervention or philanthropic goodwill, underscoring the precariousness of public works, even during a pandemic.

You cant wash your hands, you cant flush your toilet, you cant clean your house or take care of your family, said Mary Grant, a campaign director at Food and Water Watch. And during a global pandemic, we shouldnt need to depend on court action or some other extraordinary step for people to have basic water service.

In Beaumont, the problem was not that Yancy had failed to pay her bills. She was up to date, she said, on her $1,050 monthly rent, which covers water, sewage and trash for the two-bedroom trailer she shares with her husband.

Theirs is one of 65 units, whose residents include both very young children and elderly adults; some live as many as eight to a trailer. One resident, Tonya Lanham, is caring for her fianc, who is sick with cancer, at the trailer park.

It was the facilitys operator, Southern Choice LLC, that was behind on water payments following significant cost spikes. In dispute was $50,000, according to court records.

No hype, just the advice and analysis you need

The city turned off the water on 19 March, the same day the states public health commissioner declared a public-health disaster and the same day Yancy returned from the hospital.

Without proper running water, US residents are asking how they can hope to wash their hands properly in the fight against Covid-19(Getty)

She needed water not only to stay hydrated for her recovery but to keep herself clean. Her husband found two gallons discarded on a random aisle of a nearby store everyone was panic-buying by that point and her sister drove an hour-and-a-half to retrieve another two gallons, she said. They used what they had to bathe and flush the toilet.

Jeff, who asked to be identified only by his first name because he works for the state, moved his family to a hotel room for a day so they could wash.

We were in a situation where we couldnt follow the health advice being put out by our own government because they had cut off our water, he said.

Meanwhile, complaints piled up on a Facebook page for the trailer park. Lanham, 48, used social media to contact a judge in Jefferson County. His wife replied, saying her complaint was the second they had received about water shutoffs in the area.

An attorney for the property manager sought to negotiate with the city, proposing the operator pay what it could. But the city demanded $30,000 to restore service, according to court records. The city manager, Kyle Hayes, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

A representative for the property, Bill Rodwell, said the city had been overbilling the trailer park. We want to do everything in our power to provide a safe, nice, quiet place to live, he added

The owners of a Missouri insurance agency contributed $5,000 to cover bills after the city said it would cut off water to residents who had not paid (iStock)

Residents at Forest Hollow said the conditions have been anything but.

I dont care if you have an ongoing dispute with the landlord you dont do that during a crisis, said Lanham, who recently lost her job as an assistant manager at a Lubys restaurant.

On 21 March, Southern Choice sued the city in district court in Jefferson County. At 6pmthat Saturday, a judge granted a temporary restraining order requiring the city to turn on the water.

Specifically, the lack of running water could result in loss of life and prohibits hand washing and proper hygiene during the Covid-19 health disaster, found the judge, Baylor Wortham.

The water came on that night. But the judges order expires next month.

I dont know how long the water will stay on, Yancy said.

In some places, it is still being shut off.

In Billings, Montana, identified by Food and Water Watch as among the 30 cities with the highest shut-off rates, terminations continue, an employee with the public works department confirmed this week. Mount Vernon, Illinois, conducted shutoffs throughout March but will pause new ones in April, according to the city manager.

Shutoffs are most frequent in the South, as well as in low-income cities burdened by poverty and unemployment. But the problem is increasingly pervasive. Nearly 36 per cent of households could be unable to afford water in five years if rates rise at projected levels, a scholar at Michigan State University recently found.

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While draft legislation in the House responding to the coronavirus outbreak included $1.5bn to defray water costs, coupled with a mandate that recipient states halt utility shutoffs, the $2.2tn package advanced in the Senate and approved Friday by the House does not include a similar allocation.

That leaves tens of thousands of water systems across the country to make these decisions, said Grant, the campaign director at Food and Water Watch. Its a patchwork of regulatory agencies.

Legal action was required in Beaumont, after a three-day scramble to get the city to reverse course.

In Troy, Missouri, a private act of philanthropy filled the gap. This month, as the novel virus bore down on the state, the owners of an insurance agency contributed $5,000 to cover delinquent bills after the city said it would cut off water to residents who had not paid.

We rely on members of the community to give us their money to sustain our livelihoods, so we needed to be able to reverse engineer that and help our neighbours, said Ramiz Hakim, a co-owner of North Star Insurance Advisors in Wentzville, Missouri.

Jodi Schneider, Troys city clerk, said the city was following its regular policy for having to do monthly disconnections. She said the board of aldermen would consider changes to the policy at its next meeting, scheduled for Monday night.

Among cities that have halted shutoffs, many are also vowing to restore utilities discontinued before the onset of the public-health emergency. But not proactively enough, warn advocates.

In Detroit, where taps were shut off in about 23,000 homes last year, the city said its crews were canvassing the 2,800 homes where water was known to be discontinued, and that nearly 1,500 homes had already taken advantage of the promised restoration. But Monica Lewis-Patrick, a Detroit activist, said there were tens of thousands of homes overlooked in the citys data.

In Buffalo, New York, the water department has agreed to restore service but is asking residents to call a customer service line to set up an appointment. Local attorneys said the arrangement presumes the citys most vulnerable residents have access to a telephone, as well as to television or other media where the number has been circulated.

But Oluwole McFoy, chairman of the board for Buffalo Water, said the city cannot instantaneously switch back on the water for fear that plumbing problems might lead to flooding. We need a contact, and we need someone present when our crews arrive, McFoy said.

The citys message, he added, was, Please call, please call.

Steven Halpern, an attorney at the Western New York Law Centre, called the expectation grossly unfair. He helped one of his clients, a 67-year-old Vietnam veteran who had been collecting rainwater to flush his toilet, request service, but he said there were doubtlessly hundreds of others in the city who dont have lawyers, who havent been in contact with anyone about this issue.

His client, who asked not to be identified, said, The shower felt so good.

Andrea Silleabhin, executive director of the Buffalo-based Partnership for the Public Good, estimated as many as 4,000 households a year have their water shut off for lack of payment. The city should have a list, she said, and could proactively communicate with these households.

McFoy said 128 households had been without water in the last month, and 64 had seen the resource restored since the onset of the pandemic. Now, the water department is accepting from advocates a list of their clients most in need of water.

In turn, advocates are asking the city to consider why a resource as fundamental as water is ever switched off.

Equitable access to affordable water was a national issue even before this crisis, Halpern said

The Washington Post

Read more from the original source:
Coronavirus: Multiple US communities struggle to battle virus with no access to water - The Independent

Twenty-five Marion County residents have now tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, with the majority of them 17 living in Ocala.

The patients are comprised of 15 women and 10 men and they range in age from 19 to 88. Two remain hospitalized.

Three are residents of Summerfield but it isnt clear if they live in The Villages or the surrounding retirement communities of Del Webb Spruce Creek, Stonecrest or Spruce Creek South. Others live in Belleview (2), Ocklawaha (1) and Dunnellon (1).

The tri-county area is reporting 142 Coronavirus patients 45 of whom said they hadnt been in contact with anyone else suffering from the virus. So far, 2,609 people have been tested locally, with 2,463 negative results. Four tests were inconclusive and 160 people are awaiting testing.

Thirty-nine percent of those patients 56 reported traveling recently either domestically or abroad, while its unknown if another 40 have a travel history. Those who are known to have traveled visited a variety of foreign destinations including Africa, Australia, Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Caribbean, Egypt, Europe, Germany, Honduras, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico, Spain, Turkey, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Kingdom.

They also reported visiting 15 states and many other destinations in Florida. Those other states include California, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Wisconsin.

Sumter County is reporting 51 COVID-19 patients, all of whom are residents. That includes 25 men, 25 women and a 44-year-old who is listed as unknown. The ages of the patients range from 18 to 92 and 15 of them remain hospitalized. Thirty-eight live in The Villages, while the others reside in Lake Panasoffkee (8), Bushnell (3), Wildwood (1) and Webster (1).

There are 66 Coronavirus patients in Lake County, 59 of whom are residents. The 34 women and 32 men range in age from 18 to 85 and 13 are still being treated in local hospitals. Besides the five that live in The Villages and a woman in her 60s who lives in the Lady Lake Mobile Home Park and was the first area resident to test positive for COVID-19, the patients reside in Clermont (17), Leesburg (12), Tavares (6), Mascotte (4), Groveland (4), Eustis (3), Minneola (2), Sorrento (2), Mount Dora (1) and Okahumpka (1).

All told 6,741 people have tested positive across the Sunshine State, with 6,490 of those being Floridians. There have been 85 deaths and 857 patients remain hospitalized.

As of Tuesday night, 63,400 people had been tested in Florida, with 56,644 negative results. There were 15 inconclusive tests and 1,261 people waiting to be tested.

Continue reading here:
25 Marion County residents test positive for COVID-19 with majority in Ocala - Ocala News

The Purple House in Alice Springs is usually a wonderful crazy place. People from remote communities come in for dialysis, to do their washing, to cook a kangaroo tail on the fire, to see a podiatrist or a physiotherapist. Theres singing, dancing, guitar playing and lots of cooking. Its like a big, joyful drop-in centre.

This week it is eerily quiet, and a whole lot of work has gone into making it so. Our front door has a sign that says Patients only, no visitors and theres hand sanitiser at the door.

Everyone has quickly become obsessed with hand hygiene and I am working really hard not to reach out to hug or comfort people when they are upset.

The dialysis continues and the social support team is out and about, checking on people in hostels and town camps, delivering soap, washing powder, tissues and healthy food. There is a sense of quiet before a storm.

This week we published a video in language, in Pintupi. We produced it in 24 hours. It had no budget, but we got it made and we shared it widely to help our communities understand what is going on, what we all need to do, and why.

There was a rush as we got news last week that the borders were closing and communities would be locked down. The rush was to get as many dialysis patients and their families back out bush where there is currently no virus. This becomes more complicated when you need dialysis three times a week to stay alive.

There is a lot of confusion out there.

How do we replace nurses when they are exhausted and support them from a distance? How do we relieve them given the quarantining regulations? When will our nurses who are overseas be able to return to us, and how can we possibly recruit staff at this time?

Do we have enough medical supplies? When will our orders of face masks and other protective equipment be supplied?

What will happen if or when there is a positive case in a community and the flying doctors and hospitals are so overwhelmed that we are told that we need to just try to do the very best we can for people?

There is distrust of the government based on generations of botched policies and draconian measures. The restrictions on social gatherings, on funerals, on meetings have turned communities upside down.

And when people ask us How long? we cant answer.

But there are also stories of incredible kindness and hope. Our isolation gives us a little more time to prepare than the big cities. Families and communities are working together to look after each other, to prepare as best they can, to minimise their risks andensure that old people, people with disability and children get priority.

Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations are meeting almost every day by phone to compare notes, share resources and knowledge.

What happens in the rest of the country affects us heavily. People who can stay home, please stay home! Do it for yourselves, but do it for us too.

This virus knows no boundaries in terms of wealth, status, language or education. But for those less able to cope with its impact, it will be devastating.

People in remote communities who have the least resources to deal with this are doing their bit. Can you help?

Sarah Brown is the chief executive of Purple House, the Aboriginal community-controlled dialysis service based in Alice Springs, which operates 18 remote clinics and a mobile dialysis unit called the Purple Truck

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What happens in the rest of Australia matters here. Please stay home for yourselves and for us - The Guardian