Each offseason, all 32 NFL clubs go through their own form of changes on way or another. Whether it be widespread changes along the locker room, coaching staff, or front office, or more subtle adjustments to a team's current direction, change is inevitable.

For the AFC South, the 2020 offseason representing several major moves for each team. Whether it be the addition of a new coach, star player, or a change in operations, there were more than a few changes. But the question is, which offseason moves will be the most impactful?

In an effort to get a feel for each of the best movies in the Jaguars' division, we have gathered information from each of the AFC South's Maven team sites as part of a new weekly series where we will go through a different topic each week.

Indianapolis

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard stepped out of his trade-back-for-more-picks comfort zone when he parted with his first-round selection, 13th overall, to acquire defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from San Francisco in March. Eyebrows raised because the Colts dont usually make big splashes in free agency and Ballard, in four drafts, has traded back in nine of 12 deals.

What made Buckner the exception? Or as Ballard said of the decision, a no-brainer. Turn on the last Super Bowl and watch how the 2019 All-Pro second-teamer was throwing around Kansas City blockers. Buckner plays the three-technique on the defensive line, which is the engine for the Colts defense. Lately, that engine has kept running on spare parts. Buckner, who for his 6-7 and 300-pound size is a bit of a freak in his ability to rush the passer and stop the run, more than qualifies as a major upgrade. Its an entirely new engine.

Thats also why Ballard did something else unusual he gave Buckner a four-year, $84-million extension. So this 26-year-old defender is signed through 2024. That means weakside linebacker Darius Leonard, a tackle machine with 284 total stops in two seasons, will get to play more like his Maniac nickname because Buckner should keep blockers off his All-Pro teammate.

Why would the 49ers trade Buckner? On a loaded defense with young talent, including 2019 NFL Rookie of the Year defensive end Nick Bosa, general manager John Lynch decided to give defensive tackle Arik Armstead a five-year contract that could reach $85 million. Lynch didnt think he could afford two lucrative deals, and with Buckner due to get paid in a year on his rookie contract, it made sense for the 49ers to get what they could for him now. Lynch then pulled a Ballard by trading back one spot from No. 13 which basically equated to a later-round pick improving from the seventh round to the fourth and selected South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw at No. 14.

-- Phillip B. Wilson, AllColts

Houston

The Texans' best move is head coach Bill O'Brien unplugging from the offensive side of the football and turning the keys and play-calling duties to first-year coordinator Tim Kelly. Add in new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. The Texans have two new coordinators for the first time during the O'Brien Era.

It will only be the second time during O'Brien's tenure that he will not call plays. The last time was during the 2015 season. The change will allow O'Brien to be a head coach and keep a pulse on the team by letting his coordinators and position coaches do their jobs with the players.

Last season, there were times when O'Brien looked flustered on the sideline dealing with the offense and trying to be a head coach at the same time. Game days will be the most significant help for O'Brien, allowing him to monitor the game and steer the ship in terms of game flow with his coordinators.

O'Brien had so much on his plate last season with the start of his general manager duties, head coach, and running the offense, now with him no longer calling plays. It will no doubt help the Texans have a clearer picture when the regular season arrives.

--State of the Texans

Jacksonville

The Jacksonville Jaguars made a lot of major moves this offseason, though most came at the expense of overhauling the roster and attempting to reshape the locker room and draft capital moving forward. With that said, there is one addition the Jaguars made which could pay off in a big way early on: hiring Jay Gruden as offensive coordinator.

Just in terms of his experience and track record, Gruden is a massive upgrade at play-caller compared to John DeFilippo, Nate Hackett, Greg Olson, and Jedd Fisch, each of the Jaguars coordinators before him. Gruden has worked extensively with young quarterbacks in the past, helping mold Andy Dalton in his first three seasons in Cincinnati and then aiding Kirk Cousins in his development as a starter in Washington. Quarterback Gardner Minshew has a similar skill set to both of these passers, so realistically Gruden is a good match for what he brings to the table as a passer.

Too often in 2019, Minshew and the Jaguars' offense weren't set up for success. DeFilippo's approach to play-calling simply didn't get the job done, and it was clear Minshew would need a more established coordinator to thrive in his second season. With the Jaguars' entire 2020 relying on Minshew's performance, it was critical for the Jaguars to find a play-caller who could help guide him through the murky waters of the NFL. In Gruden, they did just that.

-- John Shipley, JaguarReport

Tennessee

The Titans had some difficult decisions to make this offseason, including whether or not to get involved in the Tom Brady free agency saga (they did not). Without question, though, their best move was to use the franchise tag to retain running back Derrick Henry.

General manager Jon Robinson chose not to (or did not need to) use a franchise or transition tag in any of his first four years on the job. Henry forced him to do something different because A) Tennessee cannot afford to be without the fifth-year running back and B) no one can say for sure what is his actual value following a season in which he led the NFL rushing (1,540 yards) and was a dominant figure throughout the first two weeks of the postseason.

Henry is atypical of the modern running back because he does not figure prominently in the passing game (57 receptions in four seasons). So, you cant exactly use Christian McCaffrey, LeVeon Bell, or Melvin Gordon for comparison. Ezekiel Elliott is the most similar, but Henry has only performed for the last 20 weeks of regular-season play at the sort of elite level Elliott has for four years.

The tag (the Titans chose a non-exclusive franchise tender) set a price for 2020. Even more important, it did not alienate Henry, who signed the deal in early April. Thus, the move took pressure off all involved, who now have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal or they get another full season to evaluate.

-- David Boclair, AllTitans

Excerpt from:
Inside AFC South: What Were the Best Offseason Moves? - Sports Illustrated

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An indoor pool in Creve Coeur? See some of the most expensive homes that just hit the St. Louis market - STLtoday.com

On Monday, May 18 the Langdon Area School Board outlined the plans for the graduation ceremony and the reopening of school grounds. Open only to immediate family of graduating students, the graduation ceremonies will be held at the Dakota Spirit Arena. To organize a safe environment for all participants several special guidelines will be enacted. All speeches from senior students as well as choir audio will be recorded prior. This ensures microphones will not be shared by multiple people. A senior video and separate scholarship video have also been prepared. In addition, the arrival and departure of guests will be organized by scheduled times. Masks are preferred but will not be mandatory unless a rash of cases were to materialize in Cavalier County.

Currently, the campus is still closed until June 1 by an executive order from the governor. Then, the decision to reopen will be left to the board's discretion. Daren Christianson noted they are planning on opening the track to the public at that time. The playground, however, may remained closed due to the complication of disinfecting equipment efficiently.

Tentatively, theres a chance student-directed activities will resume June 1st as well. In addition to drivers education, ideas proposed were organizing groups for weight room activities or open gym at the high school. If permitted, these activities would still need to adhere to proper social distancing protocols. This would mean maintaining a six-foot distance from other individuals. If six feet is breached during activities, such as spotting during weight lifting, a mask by both participants would be required. In addition, no more than fifteen people may be allowed in any one room at a time. This rule would reflect that fourteen students could participate per one instructor. Disinfecting weight room equipment after each use was also mentioned. These guidelines are just an outline going forward. Additional precautions may be enlisted to protect student health. It was stressed, the school should be ready June 1st but only to groups that prepare and submit a proper disinfection plan to administration.

Currently, there are 18 students enrolled in the summer high school physical education program and 20 signed up for the drivers education program. Enrollment for both of these programs is still open. Families are encouraged to contact the school if interested.

Read more here:
Graduation ceremonies and campus opening addressed - Cavalier County Extra

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has outlined a range of new remote collaboration tools for the company's professional Workplace platform, including video chat Rooms and new ways to connect via Portal.

Here's a look a how Facebook's working to cater to the rising demand for WFH tools.

First off, Facebook's expanding its new Messenger Rooms to Workplace, with Workplace Rooms.

As explained by Facebook:

"Workplace Roomsis a secure and easy way for coworkers to get things done and stay connected when they cant be together in person. Its a meeting space with unlimited time, where you can invite up to 50 people to a video call even if theyre not in your company or dont have a Workplace account."

Note the 'unlimited time' jab at Zoom.

Facebook has been slowly expanding the rollout of Messenger Rooms into more regions over the past few weeks, while it's also added Rooms for Groups and Events. And given the rising popularity of Zoom and Google Meet, Workplace Rooms makes sense, providing a dedicated video meeting tool within the company's business tools.

Facebook also notes that Workplace Rooms will facilitate screen sharing, while users will also be able to lock their Rooms to prevent others from joining.

"For security, a new link is generated every time you create a room, and links cannot be used again once they have expired."

It's still too early to say whether Rooms, in general, will be a challenger for the existing video meeting tools on the market, but for people already using Workplace, it could be a handy addition.

At the same time, Facebook's also looking boost awareness of Work Groups, which it released last November.

Work groups exist on the main Facebook app, and aim to facilitate more collaboration with colleagues on the social network,ideally to help organize shift swaps and the like. Facebook says that there are now more than 20 million active monthly users across 170,000 active Work Groups on Facebook.

Facebook's also expanding its new Live Producer tools to Workplace, which will enable users to live-stream from their desktop, and with professional video tools, if they so choose.

Facebook launched Live Producer for its main app back in March, providing options to create more polished, professional-looking live-streams, with the capacity, as noted, to integrate third-party tools, and add in graphic overlays, polls, and other on-screen features as you stream.

Live Producer for Workplace replicates the same functionality, which could be great for streaming announcements to staff - especially in conjunction with the Q&A featureFacebook announced last month, which enables Workplace users to ask, and vote on questions in-stream.

In addition to this, Facebook Live Producer for Workplace will also come with automatic translation options:

"You can turn on automatic captions for live videos in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. Workplace will also automatically translate videos in one of these languages into the other five, so employees around the world can follow along."

That could be especially handy for large corporations.

Facebook's also looking to provide more ways for professionals to connect via Portal, its smart home video calling device.

Ideal for people working from home - which, right now, is virtually every office worker -the new connectivity options will provide additional ways to conduct virtual meetings via the Portal camera, while Facebook's also adding a new wayto watch Workplace Live on Portal

"...so you can follow whats happening on a second screen while taking notes on your computer. And if you want these features on an even bigger screen, youll be able to use Portal TV for Workplace calls and videos starting next month."

Sales of Facebook's Portal device have increased more than 10x during COVID-19,so much so that Facebook is now struggling to keep up with demand. When Portal was initially launched, consumers seemed uncertain about adding a Facebook-originated camera into their homes, but now, with convenient features like these, and new options to connect via video, those privacy concerns seem to have largely been nullified.

Utility wins out over privacy yet again.

In addition to these new tools for Workplace, Facebook has also pointed to the next generation of virtual collaboration - in actual virtual reality.

Facebook outlined some of these tools in a blog post from Oculus last week, which looked at the rising use cases for VR. As you can see in this image, VR collaboration tools could eventually simulate being in the workplace alongside colleagues, with expanded functionality in the virtual space - which could have a transformative impact on remote work.

Facebook says that many companies are already utilizing this capacity:

"Salespeople at Nestle Purina are using VR to visualize retail displays and gather sales teams while reducing travel. Johnson & Johnson Institute is training surgeons with Oculus and helping improve patient outcomes. Employees at Hilton are using interactive simulations to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of hotel operations."

Catering to this, Facebook has now launched theOculus for Business platform, which will provide tools to facilitate and manage VR deployments.

VR is still some way from being a broadly adopted virtual collaboration tool, but with the rising shift to working from home, which will likely extend beyond the COVID-19 lockdowns, you can see where things are headed. This is likely to become a more relevant consideration, for many more organizations, over time.

In addition to these updates, Facebook has also reported that Workplace is now up to 5 million paid users up from the 3 million paid users Facebook reported last October.

Like Portal, when Workplace was first announced, there was a lot of hesitancy from professionals with respect to letting Facebook into their business, and giving Facebook access to sensitive information. But again, convenience trumps privacy, and with Workplace replicating the same interactive tools that people are familiar with in their every day social activity, it makes sense to integrate them across, as opposed to trying to train staff on entirely new internal collaboration systems and networks.

And with the shift to remote work being accelerated due to COVID-19, you can expect more businesses to make this a permanent focus. We now know that many people are able to work from home, and remain productive, and tools like Workplace help to facilitate such.

With new video connection tools, and maybe, with the next shift to VR, you can expect that Workplace will continue to gain momentum.

Continue reading here:
Facebook Announces New Collaboration Tools for Workplace, Including First Steps into VR Offices - Social Media Today

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Chiefs top offseason addition gives Andy Reid another ace in an already loaded hand - KCTV Kansas City

Being unable to afford air conditioning or wanting to save more by using it less is a normal circumstance for some of us.

Usually, in addition to using a few life hacks to stay cool, we would go see a movie, take a dip in the pool or visit an air-conditioned public facility to find some relief from hot summer temperatures.

But the pandemic has rendered those remedies inaccessible in many places. Many are closed for safety precautions, so when the heat becomes unbearable, it could feel like theres no place left to go.

However, there are ways to feel comfortable without cranking the air conditioning unit or going without. Here are more than 12 methods for cooling your body and buffering your house from the outside heat.

When youre hot and flushed, hydrating yourself is the first and foremost step to cooling down, said Wendell Porter, a senior lecturer in agricultural and biological engineering at the University of Florida.

The temperature of the water doesnt matter since your body will heat it, he added. If your body is suffering from the heat and needs to cool itself, it cant perform the function without enough moisture.

Taking a cold shower or bath helps cool your body by lowering your core temperature.

For an extra cool blast, use peppermint soap. The menthol in peppermint oil activates brain receptors that convey whether something youre eating or feeling is cold.

Place a cold washrag on your wrists or drape it around your neck to cool your body. These pulse points are areas where blood vessels are close to the skin, so youll cool down more quickly.

Place box fans facing out of the windows of rooms youre spending time in to blow out hot air and replace it with cold air inside.

If the weather in your area tends to fall between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit in the mornings and evenings, open the windows during those times to facilitate a cross-flow ventilation system. The outdoors can pull the hot air from your home, leaving a cooler temperature or bringing in the breeze. Just be sure to close windows as the sun comes out, then open them when the weather is cool again.

Usually we might not leave windows open in consideration of crime, but while were home during this time, this method could be feasible, Porter said.

Resting near a fan would reduce just your body temperature.

If you have windows that face the suns direction in the morning through afternoon, close the curtains or blinds over them to keep the sun from coming directly into the house and heating up [the] inside, Porter said.

You could also install blackout curtains to insulate the room and reduce temperature increases that would happen during the day.

If you do turn the air conditioning on, dont drop it to below 70 degrees Fahrenheit in an effort to cool the house faster, said Samantha Hall, managing director of Spaces Alive, a design research company helping to create healthy, sustainable buildings.

It just runs for longer to reach that temp and will keep going until you start to feel a bit chilly and is then hard to balance, she added. Instead, keep the unit temperature as high as possible while still comfortable.

Cotton is one of the most breathable materials, so cotton sheets or blankets could help keep you cool through the night.

The lower the thread count of the cotton, the more breathable it is, Porter said. Thats because higher thread counts have more weaving per square inch.

If you cant sleep through the night because youre too hot, you may not have to stay in your bedroom. Heat rises, so if you have a lower or basement level in your home, set up a temporary sleeping area there to experience cooler temperatures at night.

Common advice for staying cool without air conditioning includes refrigerating or freezing wet socks, blankets or clothing then ringing them out for sleep. But this isnt a good idea, Porter said.

The amount of energy they can absorb from your body that night, they will be warm in just a matter of minutes, he said. And then youd have damp stuff that would mold your mattress. So you definitely dont want to do that.

If no ones using a room, close it off to keep the cool air in only occupied areas of the house.

Flip the switch for the exhaust fan in your kitchen to pull hot air that rises after you cook or in your bathroom to draw out steam after you shower.

Incandescent light bulbs generate a higher temperature than LED light bulbs do. To make the switch, watch for sales on energy-efficient bulbs then slowly replace the bulbs in your house, Porter said.

Switching light bulbs can save money but wont reduce a lot of heat in the home, Hall said. But if you focus on switching the bulbs in areas youre sitting near, that would make a more noticeable difference, Porter said.

Oven heat can spread throughout your house. Keep the heat centralized in one area, such as a slow cooker. Or, cook outdoors on a grill to keep the heat outside.

Eating an ice pop or ice cream to cool down may help for a moment. But dont go overboard on the sugar if youre overheated or at risk of being overheated, Porter said.

Sugar would run your metabolism up and youd start feeling internally hot, he said. So the cool treat might be good, but the extra sugar might not.

If youve tried everything and still cant beat the heat at home, you could look online for any local programs that are offering ductless air conditioners.

Depending on your state, some cooling centers may be open and taking precautions to ensure theyre as safe as possible. You could start by checking with your local utility offices, as they would know who is offering certain programs, Porter recommended.

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How to stay cool without air conditioning when your house is hot and the outdoors are closed - ABC17News.com

Illinois parents preparing to head back to work, or managing kids while working from home, might be happy to learn they could have access to child care soon.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Friday childcare centers across the state will be able to reopen to the general public under tight restrictions as the state heads into phase 3 of its reopening plan, which officials have said is on track to begin next week though some municipalities might push it back.

A small portion of day care centers have been operating to serve the needs of essential workers during the pandemic. But state officials say as businesses like restaurants, retailers, and barbershops open back up, its essential to provide child care to all parents, and that its safe to do so.Many parents have asked WBEZ for clarity on the openings. (Have your own question? Ask us here.)

To date, Illinois has not seen significant transmission of COVID-19 in child care settings, which is encouraging evidence that child care can be provided safely, Pritzker said Friday.

Heres what parents need to know about the states gradual plan to reopen day cares.

Theoretically, as soon as the state moves into Phase 3, which state officials estimate to be as soon as the end of the month. But, it also depends on where you live, because local governments have discretion to decide whether to delay Phase 3 for their communities. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, for example, Friday released her own plan for a next phase, saying child care centers may be able to open with limited capacities, but not until early June.

The state also has rules for very limited capacity that day cares would have to meet.

Day cares have to be able to limit each room to no more than eight infants, or 10 children, for the first four weeks of reopening, if they havent already been operating with emergency licenses.

After that, day cares will continue to have tight caps on the number of children allowed in a room, depending on their age group. For instance, only 12 two-year-olds will be allowed in a room at one time.

Those caps will apply to Phase 3 and Phase 4 of the states reopening plan. Each phase will last at least 28 days, and could be longer.

In addition to capacity limits, the state is requiring day cares to do things like:

Before opening, child care centers have to submit a Reopening Plan to the state, outlining things such as how theyll isolate children or staff who become sick, or what theyll do if a staff member or child tests positive for COVID-19.

Parents will have to provide physicals for their kids day care centers have a 60-day grace period before having to give that information to the state.

But its really the children who will be jumping through hoops.

Any child over the age of two will be required to wear a face mask in classrooms and hallways, again to whatever extent thats practical, the state says. Theyll wash their hands frequently, and undergo daily wellness checks, where staff will check for temperatures and symptoms of COVID-19.

Mariah Woelfel is a reporter at WBEZ. You can follow her on Twitter @MariahWoelfel.

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When Illinois Child And Day Cares Will Reopening - WBEZ

Mark Sorensen and Kathy OBrien Sorensen found the perfect piece of land for their Delafield home.

Have you ever passed a home and wished you could go inside to see the rest of it?

Ive been able to do just that since taking on the job of writing the At Home With features for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

For years, Ive had people contact me and suggest I write about their homes, or the homes of relatives or friends. But Ive also contacted homeowners on my own to say they should share their unique homes with our readers. Ive even rapped on their doors or accosted them in their gardens.

Homes Ive done have been in every category imaginable; modern, Victorian, new, historic, full of high-end amenities, or filled with kitsch.

Because we haven't been able to go into homes due to the coronavirus, I decided to dig up some of my favoritehomes from years past to share with you.

These are homes that have stood out in my mind for different reasons.

I hope you will enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed taking a trip back in time.

Here are some favorites, numbers six to 10, in random order. The top five will be printed next week.

Landscaping and flowers surround the lake side of the Delafield home of Jeff and Laura Otto in 2016.(Photo: Michael Sears, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Many striking homes Ive written about were renovated with a good amount of work done by the homeowners.

One of my favorites is a Delafield home onLake Nagawicka that had stunning wide-open space with views of the lake and lush gardens all around it.

Here Jeffand Laura Ottodid the redesign and lots of work on their 1990s home themselves, but in some spots, it took them awhile to get things right.

One examplein the 2,600-square-foot home is the living room fireplace, whichtook three tries.

First a generic brick was added, then chiseled off.Stacked stone was added next, but that still wasnt what they wanted, so it was removed. Finally a blend of three natural stones was used to get the look they wanted.

It was so perfect, in fact, that the homeowners decided to add the same stone to cover most of the concrete siding they had already added at the front of the house, which faces the lake, and to a good portion of the front of the garage, which faces the road.

Jeff Otto redid the fireplace bricks three separate times until he was happy with the way it looked. He was so happy, he even used the bricks on the outside of his home.(Photo: Michael Sears, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Multiple attempts at perfection also happened in the master bathroom.

There a multicolored natural stone was first added on the walls and the area that surrounds a whirlpool tub; and a travertine was used on the floor.

But the tile just wasnt right, so it was taken out and replaced with a ceramic tile that matched the natural stone perfectly.

Changes were also made to the landscaping. First the homeowners hauled most of the 30 tons of limestone slabs and boulders to their home to build raised beds and accent areas around their home. But they later decided to add additional raised beds, so they rearranged boulders, which necessitated that changes be made to the homes irrigation system.

To make their gardens unique and beautiful, they spent a few thousand dollars on plants each year; most of which are annuals.

Included in that amount are two small palm trees at the front of the house and a large one at the back just off the road where it can easily be seen.

They also created a lush flowerbed that runs about 35 feet along the side of the home that has lots of flowers, apump, large rocks and garden art.

Large areas of glass and a spacious open patio distinguish this side of the Delafield home of Mark Sorensen and Kathy O'Brien Sorensen, as seen in 2017.(Photo: Michael McLoone, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Location, location, location are words I often hear when I tour homes.

Never was that more apparent than when I visited a home in the Town of Delafield.

There Mark Sorensen and Kathy O'Brien Sorensensaid finding the perfect piece of land was the most important factor for them.

They wanted to live in a rural area with mature trees, so they settled on a two-acre property that fit that bill. But location came into play again when they were ready to build their 2,800-square-foot, two-level, modern prairie-style home.

Because they wanted to be off the road and in an area that was private, they scouted out spots on their property for the best location. They picked an area toward the rear of the property where they would get a lot of light into their home, and where they could have a walkout lower level.

Here trees were also a factor.

There was a large maple that would give them shade, as well as cherry trees and pines that could be kept.

But there were also pine trees where the house would be, so they moved 17 of them to areas near the house.

A chaise lounge affords a nice place to curl up and relax next to a wall of windows looking out onto the side yard. Large plants also help bring the outdoors in.(Photo: Michael McLoone, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

When they built the house, main components they used were galvanized metal, cedar siding, glass and exposed concrete. They also opted for a style of home that used some of the design principles of Frank Lloyd Wright, for example clerestory windows and an entrance with a lower ceiling that opens into the main living area where there are high ceilings.

After the house was built they added small-scale trees, including a Summer Glow Tamarisk, a ginkgo and a white pine.

They also decked out their deck, which was 40 feet long and about 16 feet wide, with a large table made of old pieces of wood, and they put rollers on the bottom of a big and old tree stump to use as a coffee table.

Brenda Rosin-Schaff and her husband transformed the rustic out buildings on their New Berlin property into amazing living spaces. What had been a dilapidated old barn has been turned into an entertainment area with several different lofts.(Photo: journal sentinel files)

Its not unusual to see old farmhouses beautifully restored. But it is unusual to see a restored farmhouse with its out buildings restored to the same level.

Thats what happened at a New Berlin farmhouse built in the 1890s at which Brenda Rosin-Schaff and her husband, Paul Schaff, made striking changes to a large barn and chicken coop on their 3-acre property.

When they started making improvements to the buildings, the roof in the barn was riddled with holes, and rain would come in. The chicken coop was on the verge of collapse and they had to either renovate it or tear it down.

So they set to work repairing them, and ended up creating unique and comfortable spaces filled with repurposed items as well as unique finds.

They include an oldcopper sink with a pump and an old farm table in the chicken coop, and in the barn there are four church pews that were reupholstered and painted, and an old workbench to which wheels were added so it could be used as a buffet/bar.

Theres also a leather couch in the chicken coop that can give views of a creek that runs through the property, and there are couches in the barns lower level perfect for viewing nature.

When the spaces were finished, the homeowners used them for entertaining friends and family, as well as to host charity events.

In addition to sprucing up buildings, extensive landscaping was also done.

Gardens and walking paths were created, and an alle (a walkway lined with trees and shrubs) was added near the house in an area that runs from the courtyard to the backyard.

Plants were obtained from friends as well as curbside, and 70 trailers of mulch were hauled from the recycling center one year.

The kitchen is shown in 2016 at the home of Michael and Cynthia Hosale and Diane Dziengel in Milwaukee.(Photo: Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

At an east side home I saw, I marveled not only at the way the house was restored, expanded and decorated, but also at the fact that it was done by three people.

It helped that they were lifelong friends and that they had the same style in decorating. Another plus was that the house was 8,000 square feet with four stories, giving them plenty of privacy with both common and private areas.

At the home, which was built in 1902 in a prairie style, Michael and Cynthia Hosale and Diane Dziengeldid a substantial amount of work, much of it themselves.

They restored all the hardwood floors, refurbishing a first-floor bathroom, replaced all the homes knob and tube wiring, painted and removed wallpaper, repainted and added wallpaper, turned a storage area into a sitting area and added custom decorative paneling for the lower walls in some rooms.

They restored the roof and chimney, added new copper gutters, had brick cleaned and tuck-pointed, stripped and painted the exterior trim and restored metal railings and trim at the front of the house.

They also had custom work done.

In the living room they had the fireplace restored, addeda wood coffered ceiling, decorative molding to frame the bay, and elaborately decorative radiator covers. Custom woodwork was also done in the bathroom and hallway.

The most dramatic changes occurred when they updated the kitchen and added an addition.

In the kitchen they eliminated two butler's pantries, a back hallway and a stairway to open the area, added a beamed ceiling and a two-way fireplace that can be accessed from the sunroom.

The first floor of the addition includes the sunroom, a conservatory withaslate floor in a decorative pattern, skylights and large windows with a small courtyard on one side, and a four-car garage/carriage house.

The pool room is shown in 2016 at the home of Michael and Cynthia Hosale and Diane Dziengel in Milwaukee.(Photo: Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

On the lower level they added a media room and a pool room that has a 15-by-8-foot swim spa - that had to be dropped in with a crane - and a spa room with a bathroom and dry heat sauna.

To make the addition match the original house, they only used materials that would have been available when this house was built both inside and outside.

Other extras in the home included two wide, 8-foot-tall sliding doors withfive horizontal panels each;a large pocket door that leads to the living room;fireplaces in the living room and foyer;and uniquely shaped windows in the living room.

Ed and Beth Sahagian-Allsopp restored the wraparound porch, part of which had been used for kitchen space when the Concordia neighborhood home was a boarding house.(Photo: Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

When you see big and beautiful historic homes that are in great condition, there are likely to be interesting stories to tell.

One of my favorites was a 4,000-square-foot, three story 1898 Queen Anne-style homein Milwaukees Concordia neighborhood.

When Ed and Beth Sahagian-Allsoppbought it, a previous owner had already made changes to return a good portion of the home to a single-family dwelling, as it had been turned into a 12-unit rooming house.

But it was still far, far from move-in condition for the current owners, who ended up doing much of the work themselves or with the help of friends.

There were plaster walls to be repaired, walls and ceilings that needed paint, and hardwood floors and molding that had to be refinished and/or repaired.

There were even bigger projects as well.

One of the most massive undertakings was to the homes 700-square-foot wrap-around porch, whichwas sinking. To restore the area, the homeowners jacked the porch up six to eight inches andreplaced the structural pillars and all the decorative trim. To duplicate the trim, they had to have nine knives and cutters made.

They also removed two kitchens that had been added to the porch when it was the rooming house. One could be accessed from a door in the front parlor, the other from a door in the middle parlor, which was also a unit.

Other large projects included removing asphalt siding, rebuilding the roof over the area where the two kitchens were, restoring exterior wood and other decorative elements, and painting the house in a painted lady style.

Additional projects on the inside included repairing wood trim, duplicating missing pieces on the home's Eastlake-style front staircase, and repairing full round bead and barrel molding.

On the third floor, which had a number of small rooms from when it was a rooming house, they did more work. All the bedroom closets had beenturned into kitchens they had to remove, they removed room dividers, closed up windows not original to the house and painted the space with historic colors

The Sahagian-Allsopp home has two fireplaces. This one is in the first-floor parlor.(Photo: Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

When they furnished the home they added unique pieces. In a parlor there is a Ming Dynasty Chinese tablemade from stone with a carved inscription of Chinese characters, and in the dining room an old hutch from Afghanistan

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Next week: JoAnne Kempinger Demski's Top Five favorite At Home Withs. Do you, or does someone you know, have a cool, funky or exquisite living space that youd like to see featured in At Home, when social distancing allows? Contact us at psullivan@gannett.com.

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Years of writing 'At Home With' have shown me many great houses. Here are some of my favorites - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

WELLSBURG Brooke County voters will choose from two Democratic candidates for a seat on the Brooke County Commission.

They are challenger Timothy Tim Hooper of 75 Abbey Lane, Colliers; and incumbent Stacey (Hukill) Wise of 108 Collins Lane, Follansbee.

Hooper has served for 22 years as a local government specialist for the state Treasurers Office. During that time he launched the West Virginia Achieving a Better Life Experience program, through which residents with disabilities can establish tax-free savings accounts for related needs without affecting their eligibility for federal assistance; organized training for businesses, agencies and others in reporting unclaimed property; and worked with county school boards in implementing the states supplemental retirement plan for public employees.

Hooper has worked with school officials to bring to schools the state Treasurers Bank at School, Get a Life and Networth programs, aimed at teaching financial literacy to youth at various ages.

He has been a member of the Democratic Executive Committee, Brooke County Economic Development Authority and Brooke County Rotary.

Hooper said if elected, he would push for improved radio communications and safety for all of the countys first responders, support more funding for services provided through the countys senior center and explore the creation of a county administrator position to pursue economic development and new jobs.

I will promote and strive to keep quality historic buildings and promote renovation over destruction, he added, alluding to the commissions decision to raze the former county museum to accommodate a planned addition to the courthouse.

He said, I am a motivated individual with a solid commitment toward providing excellence. One core belief of mine is to lead by example. Its important to foster an atmosphere that is tolerant, cooperative and unified. Additionally, I possess a strong work ethic and uphold equity within the workplace.

In her fourth year as a county commissioner, Wise has more than 20 years of experience in senior housing services and rentals and is office/site manager of Colonial American Development, which operates Rockdale Village Senior Living Community.

She is former co-owner and treasurer of Wise Enterprise, a housing and recreational vehicle park rental company.

Wise said as commissioner she prepared the applications for nearly $300,000 in grants received from the state Courthouse Facilities Improvement Authority to make the main courtroom handicap-accessible and improve security for the jury room; install LED lighting, sensor lights that shut off when a room is empty and other energy-saving measures; and ongoing upgrades to its heating and air conditioning systems, including moving the boilers from the buildings basement in the floodplain.

Wise said if re-elected, she will work with the other commissioners to pursue a courthouse addition to house all of the countys court facilities without raising taxes.

She said bringing the courts together will improve their efficiency and allow the county to receive funds from the state Supreme Court for the use of county space.

Wise said she will continue to work with other officials and local economic development groups and public service districts to improve the countys emergency 911 center, make high-speed Internet service available to residents and businesses and extend water and sewer lines to unserved areas.

As a commission, we have tried to be good financial stewards by being financially responsible in all day-to-day operations, she said, adding she will continue to take that stance.

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When Californias Department of health announced Tuesday night that restaurants in Napa County could reopen dining rooms for dine-in service effective immediately restaurant owners in the region must have breathed a collective sigh of relief. The countys stay-at-home order has, of course, taken a huge financial toll on its much-vaunted, Michelin-star-spangled dining scene. Now, local restaurant owners are moving forward with a limited return to dine-in service and, in some cases, with great caution and an eye toward public health and safety.

We only have one chance to do this right, says Christopher Kostow, the chef at the Restaurant at Meadowood and the Charter Oak, both in the Napa County city of St. Helena. If we do it wrong, the impact from both a health perspective and a reputational perspective could be very negative.

In Kostows case, for now, hes planning to reopen just one of his restaurants, the Charter Oak, which just started doing takeout business a couple weeks ago. Rather than move straight into full service, Kostow says his initial plan perhaps starting as early as this coming weekend will be to continue his takeout business and allow customers to eat their food in the restaurants large outdoor courtyard, if they choose to. A return to full dine-in service is probably still quite some time away, in part because hes not sure how much business there will really be.

Were going to be more conservative before we go at it full tilt, Kostow says.

Still, a number of Napa restaurants are planning to dive right into full service. Tamer Hamawi, co-owner of the downtown Napa taqueria Gran Electrica (the lone West Coast outpost of a New York-based mini-chain), tells Eater SF that hed been anticipating some kind of reopening announcement, but the news definitely came as a big surprise to just kind of be dropped like that last night.

Nevertheless, the restaurant plans to reopen its dining room for dine-in service by Tuesday, May 26 at the very latest. Gran Electrica is fortunate, Hamawi says, to have a very spacious and airy dining room, plus a large back patio where they can seat customers who dont feel comfortable dining indoors. Well remove some tables well space everything out as much as we can, he says.

And Angle, a French restaurant in downtown Napa, will start serving customers this weekend, with a limited dine-in menu that will be available from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Owner Bettina Rouas tells Eater SF that customers will be seated outdoors, with just a couple of tables inside reserved for customers who dont like dining outside.

The layout of even the outdoor area will have to change drastically, Rouas says: Were going to do it correctly I mean, were not going to just shove a bunch of tables out there and serve, irresponsibly.

Honestly, from what I understand, I dont think anybodys ready to rush out, Rouas says. But I think people are ready to come out and support. And I think everybody is ready to get some air and some sort of normalcy back.

Maria Gonzalez, manager of the Model Bakery, a 30-plus-year-old cafe and bakery in downtown St. Helena, says the current plan is to wait until after the long Memorial Day weekend to reopen the cafe to dine-in customers. At first, there will be two tables, placed either inside or outside the restaurant, with each table limited to two customers at a time. Its going to help us a little, as customers start feeling comfortable, Gonzalez says.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Oxbow Public Market, downtown Napas prominent gourmet food hall, tells Eater that the marketplace is currently planning to open its communal seating areas both indoor and outdoor the first week of June.

Some of the regions higher-end, most widely celebrated restaurants are also taking a slightly slower approach, in part because the logistics of reopening pose so many challenges. The Restaurant at Meadowood, Kostows flagship, three-Michelin-star restaurant in St. Helena, wont open until the hotel that its a part of reopens and that wont likely happen until later this summer. Beyond that, Kostow says, the restaurant will need to take time to let its reservation book fill up again and to tweak its menu to eliminate tableside preparations, which arent allowed by the new state guidelines.

Ken Frank, the chef at longstanding French fine dining destination La Toque, explains that part of the problem is that his restaurant has been completely closed this whole time Its like opening a new restaurant, he says. He has to fill up his pantry, and his cooks have to start from scratch in terms of preparing all of the stocks and broths that the kitchen uses.

So, La Toque is aiming to open to the public on Friday, June 5 and, to be sure, Frank says, it will reopen as a significantly different restaurant than it was before. This time, it will have a la carte options in addition to the five-course tasting menu the restaurant is known for, as Frank isnt convinced that all customers are going to want a long, elaborate tasting menu right now. And there will be significant safety measures, Frank says: We will be taking temperatures. We will be requiring people to wear masks. Well have cotton white glove service in the dining room.

I dont feel the need to be first, Frank says. I want us to be the safest restaurant.

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Napa Restaurants Can Reopen Their Dining Rooms Right Now Heres Why Theyre Waiting It Out Instead - Eater SF