The reinvigorated condo community in Monmouth County is now sold out of Building 4 and Building 5 is selling fast.

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (PRWEB) August 13, 2020

The temperature and sales pace for new homes are both heating up at Nobility Crest in Ocean Township! The 55+ luxury condominium community recently announced that the first building, Building 4, is now sold out and Building 5 is selling fast. To learn more or to schedule your one-on-one or virtual appointment, call 732-361-4982 or visit NobilityCrest55.com. All in-person appointments will follow all state-mandated guidelines to guarantee the safety of staff and future residents.

Residents at Nobility Crest are reaping the benefits of the $1M redesign and renovation of their pool and amenity area. With a beach-entry pool, sundeck, shaded pergolas, barbeque areas, fire pit and more, owners are having the time of their lives. "This community offers the carefree lifestyle our savvy buyers have worked for," said Robert Adinolfi, Chief Operating Officer at Renaissance Properties. "It's the perfect combination of luxurious, thoughtfully-designed living space and exciting on-site and off-site amenities that draws people to Nobility Crest and continues to delight them year after year."

Take advantage of all the wonderful onsite amenities that Nobility Crest has to offer. The community showcases a low-maintenance lifestyle with access to a 4,300 sq. ft. Lifestyle Center with a fitness center, business center, lounge, library, large multi- purpose room, media room, billiard and card rooms. Each new building will also add either a club room with billiards, a fitness room or an all-purpose room. For those with furry friends, a new dog park will also be constructed onsite.

In addition to ample on-site amenities, the Jersey Shore location of Nobility Crest put owners at the center of it all. Nearby shopping includes everything from groceries at Shop Rite just 1.3 miles away to incredible deals on world-famous designer goods at the Jersey Shore Premium Outlets less than three miles away. Need some beach therapy? Make a quick left onto Route 66 and you'll be at the Asbury Park Beach and Boardwalk in under four miles. Your family and guests will also appreciate the easy access from both Route 18 and the Garden Parkway when they come by to see your fabulous new home.

"It's such a point of pride among the residents to have their on-site oasis away from it all' along with the added comfort of knowing that most everything they need is just a short trip away," said Adinolfi. "Nobility Crest checks all the boxes: luxury, lifestyle and location and savvy buyers are taking note."

On the heels of the sellout of Building 4, Nobility Crest, from Renaissance Properties and Blue Star Group, opened its second new building, the fifth of six total buildings that will ultimately complete the 198-unit Nobility Crest. This new building features one- and two-bedroom home designs including some new model types priced from the low $300s.

All homes highlight open living spaces, spacious master suites, and appealing, designer-selected finishes. In addition, each home comes with an assigned parking spot and storage space in a secure, well-lit enclosed garage that enjoys elevator access to and from each floor.

Nobility Crest is located at 7 Centre Street in Ocean Township. Take Route 66 to Cedar Village Boulevard and make a left on Centre Street. To learn more, visit NobilityCrest55.com or email nobilitycrestinfo@renaprop.com. The Sales Center is now open, schedule an appointment from 11am to 6pm daily. To learn more, please call 732-361-4982.

About Renaissance Properties

Since its creation nearly 30 years ago, Renaissance Properties has evolved from a small real estate brokerage company to a multi-faceted real estate development firm and home builder with over 1,000 new homes and nearly 800,000 square feet of commercial space to its credit. The dedicated team at Renaissance Properties works tirelessly to ensure quality, integrity and customer satisfaction in all its endeavors. With distinctive designs and accommodating layouts, new home buyers and tenants alike are delighted with the product offered by Renaissance Properties. To learn more, visit RenaissanceProp.com.

About Blue Star Group

With over 80 years of combined experience in home building excellence and customer satisfaction, the Blue Star Group, LLC is recognized as one of Staten Island's foremost builders. Since its inception in 1976, Blue Star has received continual acclaim both from homebuyers and respected industry associations. Blue Star's standards are set at the highest levels of home design, building materials and craftsmanship to consistently deliver on its promise of bringing the best value to its deserving customers.

Sales are heating up at Nobility Crest in Ocean Township

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Sales are heating up at Nobility Crest in Ocean Township - Benzinga

An artist's rendering of the American Indian-style luxury tipis being built at the new Camp Bespoke "glamping'' campgrounds in Williamstown, Ky. that will rent for $225 a night.(Photo: Provided)

You wont find any makeshift shelters at the new Camp Bespoke campground openingthis fall in Williamstown, Ky.

The 31-acre site about 40 miles south of Cincinnati specializes in glamping or camping with hotel-like accommodations and amenities, including air conditioning and private bathrooms stocked with scented toiletries.

The $3 million campground is designed to be so plush that campers who so choose could wear a long fur coat of mink, even in the summertime, as Shelia E. chanted in her 1984 smash hit, The Glamorous Life.

Co-Founder and CEO Nicole Brassington said the concept behind Camp Bespoke is to let guests enjoy all that nature has to offer without the grit, grime and inconveniences of traditional camping.

"I'm not a camper, so the thought of going to the bathroom in the middle of the night when it's raining outside, or animals are roaming around just isn't appealing to me,'' Brassington told The Enquirer. "What we offer is still camping, but it's camping with all the accommodations you might have at a hotel, and maybe a little more.''

Nicole Brassington, co-founder and CEO of Camp Bespoke in Williamstown, Ky.(Photo: Provided)

Brassington, a Lexington native,is a pioneer in the camping industry.

She's one of the firstBlack female campground owners in the region, along with herco-founder Misty Smith, and partnersLatasha Reid, and Dr.Angelina Strickland all Black women.

The group, who met while working at the same hospital in Louisville,broke ground and began accepting reservations Wednesday for Camp Bespoke - a name that implies the curated and custom-made experiences guests can enjoy, Brassington said.

The campground will open in two phases, beginning in October with 16 cabins and eight cottages made from repurposed shipping containers with modern architecture and design features, she said.

The first phase will also include a dozen Native American-style luxury tipis ranging from 450 to 530 square feet with enough room to sleep six to eight people, according to the Camp Bespoke website.

The tipis will rent for about $225 a night, on average, Brassington said.

The350-square-foot cabins - designed to accommodate four to sixpeople - will rent for $175 a night, on average, and the cottages will be about half that size and rent for about $150 a night, she said.

The second phase of Camp Bespoke is expected to be completed next spring and will add six cabins with pools,six tipis, as well as aconference center, event pavilion and an outdoor amphitheater.

An artist's rendering of the cabins and cottages made from repurposed shipping containers that campers will be able to rent at Camp Bespoke when it opens in October(Photo: Provided)

No matter what kind of accommodations you choose, you certainly wont be roughing it.

All the cabins, cottages andtipis will have their own heating and air conditioning units,private bathrooms with running water, as well askitchenettes with mini refrigerators, microwaves and coffeemakers.

The campgrounds even offer free Wi-Fi.

All lodging also comes with full bedding, towels and wash cloths.

In addition to the upscale accommodations, Camp Bespoke will offer Kentucky-centric activities, including horseback riding and distillery tours, as well as movie nights and live entertainment.

The campground'soperators have contracted with cleaning and sanitizing company, Ecolab, to ensure the campsites are safe and sanitary during the coronavirus pandemic.

Campers treating themselves to Camp Bespoke's luxury accommodations will also be contributing to several charitable causes in Kentucky.

The campgrounds operators have pledged to donate a percentage of sales for all stays to organizations that uphold standards of fairness and equality across the state.

For example, one dollarfrom every Native American-style tent booked at Camp Bespoke will go directly to the Kentucky Native American Heritage Museum with a yearly minimum donation of $5,000.

In addition, camp operators have pledged to support Black Soil - a nonprofit dedicated to growing market share forblack farmers and producers in Kentucky.

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Construction workers are extending a portion of the front of Festival Foods at 1200 W. Northland Ave. in Appleton to accommodate a new fresh food area.(Photo: Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

Festival Foods will bring the first Caribou Coffee location to Northeast Wisconsin this fall.

The Minneapolis-based Caribou Coffeewill be part ofthe renovation ofFestival Foods'store at 1200W. NorthlandAve. in Appleton.

Festival is extending a portion of the store'sfront wall to accommodate a 2,000-square-foot, food court-style areaof fresh food counters.

BesidesCaribou Coffee, it will include an expandedHissho Sushi counter plusAsian stir-fry and pizza by the slice. Festival's gourmet popcorn stand will return. The area will have seating.

Caribou Coffee is the Minneapolis-based coffee shop chain with 464 US. locations and 2019 sales of $306 million, as estimatedby the foodservice research firm Technomic.

Festival Foods' Northland Avenue store in Appleton will have seating and ready-to-eat food counters, as shown in this rendering.(Photo: Submitted)

This will be Caribous second location inside Festival Foods, said Festivalspokeswoman Sheryl Hanson.

The first is in the chain'sClairemont Avenue store in Eau Claire.

The Tot Spot child drop-off room will not return in the store's renovation plan.

Caribou Coffee will be in Appleton in the fall.(Photo: Submitted)

With the state of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were uncertain on when we would be able to safely reopen the Tot Spot, said Aaron Aspenson, senior director of store planning. Because of this, we re-evaluated the layout of the store and identified an opportunity to adapt.

This is the only Fox Cities Festival Foods branch getting the food court-style addition at this time, Aspensonsaid, but theyre looking at other locations for a future rollout.

Contact reporter Maureen Wallenfang at 920-993-7116 or mwallenfang@postcrescent.com. Followher on Twitter at@wallenfang.

MORE: The Buzz: Fox Valley Restaurant Week canceled

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MORE: The Buzz: Nationwide Travelers closes tour bus business

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The Pennant Group of Eagle, ID, pointed to its local leadership model as the reason for a strong second quarter, according to an earnings call Wednesday.

As the industry faced extraordinary challenges from COVID-19, our operating model provided the toolkit for our local leaders to offset many of these headwinds, as evidenced by [senior living] segment revenue increasing 3.7% and occupancy improving 40 basis points, exclusive of communities acquired in the prior 12 months, CEO and President Daniel Walker said. While we recognize the uncertainty caused by COVID-19 and remain focused on operating through the pandemic to the best of our ability, we believe these results reflect a growing strength in our senior living business as our local leaders continue to refine their operations through the principles of our field-driven operating model.

Total senior living occupancy declined 2.2% during the second quarter and another 2% since cases began increasing in states where Pennant has senior living communities. But occupancy was 80.7% for the second quarter, and average revenue per occupied room increased 3.2% over the prior-year quarter.

The Pennant Group experienced potential COVID-19-related revenues losses of $8.1 million since the start of the pandemic. Walker reported 13 residents with active coronavirus cases at six of its 54 senior living communities.

Local leaders effectively adapted to increasingly complex operating conditions, which vary from market to market, Walker said. The pandemic is confirming our long-held view that the senior living community is an important care delivery setting and there is a growing need for senior living operators to prioritize care programs, including infection control, in addition to providing quality of life amenities.

We anticipate the pandemics impact will continue for a period of time, but our local operating model and our clinical strength position us well to address the community demand for robust care and wellness programs in a high quality of life setting.

Walker said there is an inherent upside in senior living communities, given the companys below-market entry prices and operating model that provides the tools for its operators to build significant value over time.

What we are experiencing in our senior living business is part of the cyclical nature of health care, akin to the headwinds we faced when starting our home health and hospice business 10 years ago, Walker said. Our platform represents a unique opportunity for our stakeholders to experience similar long-term value creation with an earnings-producing senior living business at a tie of significant industry disruption.

Chief Financial Officer Jennifer L. Freeman said the company rejected and returned $10 million it received in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provider relief funds.

We believe our operating model and growth strategy enables us to be successful through a challenging operator environment, COVID-19 included, Freeman said. The pandemic presents a new opportunity for resilient operators to be responsive to local needs.

Derek J. Bunker, chief investment officer, executive vice president and secretary, said peaking into a crystal ball over the next 18 months, he sees strong development in the senior living market. He said that the Pennant Group continues to see a lot of senior living opportunities but will remain picky about what we want to explore further.

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One Community Health (OCH) has opened a new health clinic at 849 Pacific Ave. in Hood River. Replacing their 29-year-old facility, the new 38,000 square foot health center offers modern amenities and new technology to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. The year-long construction project concluded in early July. One Community Health (OCH) is a nonprofit, federally qualified health center with locations in The Dalles and Hood River.

"While construction started on the new building before the arrival of COVID-19, OCH, in partnership with Scott Edwards Architecture LLP and Bremik Construction Inc., were able to make adjustments throughout construction to incorporate cutting edge technologies to help prevent the spread of the virus, said Max Janasik, chief executive officer for OCH, in a press release.

The changes included installing negative pressure rooms and photohydroionization technology, MERV-15 air filtering, and air change optimizations to help keep patients and staff safe.

With these new systems, rapid COVID-19 antigen testing, and enhanced safety training and procedures, well be providing patients with one of the safest environments to receive care, including oral health, said Dr. Elizabeth Aughney, chief health officer for OCH.

In addition to multiple layers of COVID-19 defense incorporated into the buildings HVAC systems, the added size (almost three times larger than the previous clinic) offers patients and staff more room to comfortably maintain distance. While the building provides immediate benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, many more will be realized in the future. All these preventive infrastructure layers are in addition to a lot of process changes and a lot of training and safety protocols, said Chief Technology Officer Paul Gering.

Patients now have access to integrated whole-person care including physical, mental, oral, and preventative health services.

For over 34 years, One Community Health has served residents of the Columbia River Gorge with a special focus on vulnerable and underserved communities, Janisik said. For example, we know from our own data (over 3,100 tests) that those who identify as Hispanic are over three times more likely to test positive for COVID-19. Now more than ever, our patients deserve this safe, cutting edge, and beautiful space along with additional access to our amazing providers and care teams, Janisik said.

Asked about the cost impact of negative pressurization and other improvements, Janisik said, We were able to catch (the design changes) early enough in construction so it was not invasive, and as a federally qualified health center we were able to take some of those grants and absorb it within our overall contingency budgets. Its expensive but in the overall scale of thinking, the clinic will be here for 40 years, and for any (diseases) that can be transmitted, these capabilities are very valuable.

Gering said, We started three years ago with program area and conceptual design, after discussions with our clinical staff, to talk about team care and co-location or services, and how to structurally design the layout, with a lot of what are called bubble designs and adjacencies.

Its really a large wall full of bubbles, adjacent needs. At some point along the way we involved a contractor early to help with the actual design in the conceptual stages, which is a little unique, and good. He said it takes the intertwined process of design-and-build a step farther, involving the builder at the practical side of things, Gering said. It gave them the chance to say, Hey, thats a cool idea, but can we consider something else? So we involved the builder really early. There were quite a few minor adjustments, nothing major.

He said the goal was creating a space everyone can access.

Sometimes you think of a health center that serves lower income folks as not being at the same quality level as the ones that folks can afford, and we wanted to turn that on its head and create the experience for everyone, Gering said. All signage is bilingual, reflecting One Community Healths history serving the migrant community.

Artwork made possible through the OCH high school art scholarship graces lobbies and hallways.

Another amenity is the learning kitchen, to assist clients develop improved nutrition, and connected community space, located just off the main entrance.

Formerly known as La Clnica del Cario Family Health Care Center, Inc., OCH was founded in 1986 and today has evolved into an official Patient-Centered Primary Care Home recognized as the Best Primary Care Clinic of 2019 by the Central Oregon Independent Practice Association (COIPA).

OCH currently provides services to more than 16,000 patients. In addition, OCH excels in providing educational programs and support that reflect its integrated approach to health and wellbeing.

Dedicated to advancing health and social justice for all its community members, OCH serves patients from the Mid-Columbia River Gorge Region: Wasco, Hood River, Klickitat and Skamania counties.

The old OCH building has been demolished to create a parking area, and a September grand opening is planned for the new facility.

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PICTURED: Cooper helped organize and will emcee the Ms. VC Pride 2020 Drag Queen Pageant, taking place on Saturday, Aug. 15. (Photo by David Paul Leighton)

by Nancy D. Lackey Shaffer

Ventura County Pride 2020 takes place Aug. 15-16, a (mostly) virtual event that will provide the same sense of community, frivolity and inclusiveness as a live festival. Saturday will feature speakers, live music, celebrity guests and more, presented on the YouTube channel of Diversity Collective Ventura County (DCVC) both in the early afternoon and the evening, to give as many people a chance to participate as possible. There will also be a Pride car caravan from DCVCs Community Resource Center on Portola Road to Ventura City Hall, taking place Sunday evening.

One of the most anticipated events will be the Ms. VC Pride 2020 Pageant, emceed by drag queen extraordinaire E. Cooper Jr. known as Cooper to friends and in the biz. Texas-native, Utah-transplant Cooper moved to Ventura County in January 2019, and wasted no time getting involved with DCVC and organizing last years Pride pageant the first one in Ventura County history.

We had three participants last year, Cooper recalls. Karma Limbs, Serenity Aciid and Sheba.

The event was a huge success particularly for winner Sheba, who returns this year as a co-host and Cooper was determined to bring it back in 2020, pandemic be damned.

Even with all the changes, we worked hard to make it as special as we could, he says.

Even in its virtual format, the pageant has doubled this year, with six queens entering. Teaser videos of each went up on YouTube and viewers voted to select the top five that will go on to compete on Aug. 15. Cooper sees this as an indication that drag is growing in popularity in Ventura County.

This is only the second year; having six contestants originally was great, he says. Having such a strong top five is wonderful for this organization.

There will be no stage to walk during the virtual Pride. Instead, each contesting is presenting a 7-10 minute video, created with the help of videographer Rob Echanique at 12 on the Wall Studios and featuring a runway presentation, interview, talent segment and best drag runway look.

Cooper says judges will be rating contestants on understanding who you are as a performer, an ability to demonstrate what inspires your drag and . . . art and a glam look what Cooper describes as a contestants most elevated version of themselves.

In addition, every competitor will be asked, In this moment especially this day and age when were concerned with social justice what does Pride mean to you in your art?

Ms. VC Pride 2020 contestants, from left: Serenity Aciid, DollA$$ign, Pam Cakez, Angel DMon and Regina St. James. Image courtesy of Cooper/Diversity Collective Ventura County

Im so excited! Cooper says of this years contestants. We have everything from seasoned queens to baby queens just getting their start. Im excited to see from year to year artists growth.

Theres a lot of growth, theres a lot of potential, theres a lot of star power, he continues. I dont think that drag queens get enough credit for saying, Im an artist in this form. Its an activism in its own right.

Ventura County may not be known as a hotbed of drag talent, but there are places where these performers could showcase their art (and activism). The Harbor Queens Drag Show was a staple at Ventura Harbor Comedy Club for months, and the Dragtastic Bubbly Brunch at Levity Live in Oxnard was popular as well.

Even so, Cooper says that theres still limited space for artists of our caliber to perform. There are still venues that dont see drag as a viable art.

He credits reality show RuPauls Drag Race with helping to challenge that perception, and bring greater visibility to drag queens as individuals and artists. But he says theres still plenty of room for improvement particularly where financial compensation is concerned.

Ive known some organizations that say theyre embracing our queens . . . but they dont pay our queens what theyre worth, he says, adding that there are some local venues that I have worked with that are glorious. Paddys Cocktail Lounge its the home Ive had since Ive been in Ventura. The Tavern a great venue for drag.

Of course, none of these establishments are offering live entertainment for the time being. And like musicians, actors and comedians, drag queens have felt the pinch. Coopers own drag performances netted $600-1000 a month income lost practically overnight in March. Recent incidences of racism, police brutality and violence directed towards people of color and transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals have taken their toll as well.

We as queens of color especially were hit hard by all these social justice moments, he explains.

The need to express and create has been greater than ever, and in the absence of performance venues, Cooper says that drag queens had to create some space.

Space found, ultimately, on the Internet.

Drag is as innovative as it has ever been, Cooper says, noting that performers have turned to Twitch, Instagram, YouTube and other online platforms to present their work. When we saw our outlets shutting down . . . that artistic outreach that we do . . . having us go digital has allowed us to reach a broader audience. . . . Thats what the digital world has done for us.

With VC Pride 2020 going digital on Saturday, it has also been able to tap into some phenomenal celebrity talent. The judging panel for Ms. VC Pride 2020 is possibly as exciting as the contestants: Jai Rodriguez (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy), Kevin Cahoon (Glow) and renowned Australian drag performer Bebe Gunn. In addition to speakers and politicians, several RuPauls Drag Race contestants including AKeria Davenport (Season 11), Heidi N Closet (Season 12) and Silky Nutmeg Ganache (Season 11), just to name a few will make appearances.

Theyre all doing the same thing were doing, Cooper says. Theyre all doing digital videos. Were all in the same boat.

And without the digital world, there might not have been a VC Pride 2020 at all something that Cooper feels would have been a big loss, especially now. He recalls one of the first 2020 Pride planning meetings at DCVC.

We sat down as a group and said, We cant have a traditional Pride. Do we scrap it or go for the gusto?

As a LGBTQ+ person who grew up in a conservative area, he recognized how powerful a visible Pride experience even online could be.

What if I had had something like this that I could have turned on in my living room? Cooper says. So he told organizers, We have to do this.

Reflecting on the struggles he overcame, as well as the sociopolitical climate were all in right now, Cooper says that, Now that were in a very dark time, its more important than ever to shine a light and to stand out and stand proud.

VC Pride 2020 takes place on Saturday, Aug. 15, 1-3 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. on the Diversity Collective Ventura County YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/c/DiversityCollectiveVenturaCounty.

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I'M AN ARTIST IN THIS FORM | Drag queens stand out and proud for VC Pride 2020 - Ventura County Reporter

Harris brings Biden a direct link to the party's African-American base, reflecting his team's strategy of generating excitement and high turnout in Black communities. Four years ago, the Democratic ticket lost Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania -- and with them, the White House -- by a scant 80,000 votes.

Harris also brings a connection to a politically potent, largely overlooked Indian-American community that has produced successful candidates throughout the nation. Bobby Jindal and Nikki Haley were both elected Republican governors of Louisiana and South Carolina, respectively, and the current mayors of Hoboken, New Jersey, Anaheim, California, San Antonio, Texas are all of Indian descent. If elected, Harris would be the most prominent and powerful representative of this community.

At a time when demands for racial justice and inclusion are surging, Harris can speak with experience and authority about balancing the need for change with the core requirement of maintaining public safety. Attacks from leftist activists on her record as a tough prosecutor will likely fall flat. Harris comes across in public as pleasant, earnest and fair: Trying to accuse her of being pro-incarceration will sound like nonsense to most voters.

She is fearsome in debate and comfortable on television, two skills that will come in handy in a race that will largely be fought on small screens rather than at huge outdoor rallies.

Errol Louis is the host of "Inside City Hall," a nightly political show on NY1, a New York all-news channel.

Frida Ghitis: A running mate to inspire even Republicans

Joe Biden made precisely the right choice with Sen. Kamala Harris, a passionate, eloquent, inspiring figure with the potential to do everything a presidential candidate needs from his running mate.

To make his decision Biden, the former vice president and soon-to-be Democratic nominee, had to contend with competing demands. Pick someone who could help him win the election through campaigning prowess, or someone who can help him govern and is ready to take over if needed? Someone who would energize progressive Democrats, or someone who could appeal to the party's centrists? Someone who would boost turnout among Democrats, or someone who can lure disaffected Republicans?

The choice was obvious. As if by magic, Harris manages to meet all those seemingly-conflicting qualifications.

She is a centrist, like Biden. They share an overall philosophy, which is the most important criterion for choosing a potential successor. But most left-of-center progressives, despite some inevitable complaints, will find her an irresistible choice. She is a woman of color, with roots in Africa, India, the Caribbean. Her mother was born in India, her father in Jamaica. That means she is an American through and through; like pretty much all of us the product of immigration.

She would become the first woman vice president and she also has a very good shot at becoming president, not only because of Biden's age, but because she is now the automatic choice for his successor.

Some will object to her track record as a tough public prosecutor. But that prosecutorial background deals a devastating blow to President Donald Trump's efforts to claim the Democrats are soft on crime.

Ignore the sexists. They already accused her of being "too ambitious." Feel free to laugh at that charge: What politician is not ambitious? What Senator is not ambitious? Name one person who has run for high office who did aspire to have an impact, even to change the world. How many in Congress have dreamed of the presidency?

Some thought Biden would rule her out because she hit him too hard during the presidential debates. But Biden was probably impressed. Kamala is a brilliant debater, a fighter. She can spar with the best of them. She delicately shredded Justice Brett Kavanaugh with her questioning during his confirmation hearings.

The debate with Vice President Mike Pence will be must-see TV. Democrats, as if they needed more motivation than getting rid of Trump, will rally behind her. And those Republicans questioning their party's choice -- except for the most sexist and racist among them -- will find it tempting to back Team Biden-Harris 2020.

Scott Jennings: The problem with choosing Kamala Harris

In my view, several primary rivals like Bernie Sanders outlasted her because their authenticity was perceived to be far greater. But winning the vote of one person - Joe Biden, in this case - was easier than winning the millions of votes necessary to be the nominee herself.

Harris was the safe choice for a campaign that is playing it safe. The Biden camp thinks it is sitting on a lead so it took the safest route - a basically vetted person who will neither help nor hurt the Democratic campaign.

Tara Setmayer: Biden-Harris is the best choice for disaffected conservatives

From the beginning of his campaign, Joe Biden has made it clear that we are in a fight for the soul of America. He needed to find a partner in that fight -- now he has California Sen. Kamala Harris.

Throughout his career, Biden's most trusted advisers have been smart, strong women, from his wife Dr. Jill Biden to his sister Valerie Biden Owens, who has played a central role in every campaign throughout her brother's political career.

It's clear the Trump campaign will use Harris's prosecutorial record and Biden's sponsorship of the infamous 1994 crime bill as wedge issues to depress the black vote in crucial swing states. Harris and Biden must be fully prepared to assuage any voter concerns those issues may cause. They can't afford to make the same mistakes Hillary Clinton's campaign made in 2016.

As the country continues to reel from the tragic impact of a deadly pandemic, economic distress and racial division, the American people now have a clear choice in this 2020 presidential election.

Unlike Trump, Biden is competent, compassionate and battle tested through tragedy. With Harris at his side as a happy warrior with a powerful personal story of her own, the contrast couldn't be any starker. Biden-Harris is everything Trump-Pence is not.

Despite the policy differences many of us disaffected conservatives may have, the Biden-Harris ticket presents the best prescription to defeat the existential threat Trump poses to our democratic norms, institutions and ideals come Nov. 3.

David Gergen: Picking Harris shows Biden's good judgment

But from my perspective, there is even more reason why Harris is a good choice: Among the women of color under consideration, she is clearly the most qualified to become President. In this election, that matters.

David Gergen has been a White House adviser to Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, in addition to being a senior political analyst at CNN. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he is a professor of public service at the Harvard Kennedy School, where he founded the Center for Public Leadership.

Van Jones: The days of the Democratic establishment taking African Americans for granted are over

Shirley Chisholm is happy tonight. Barbara Jordan is happy. Fannie Lou Hamer is happy. Ella Jo Baker is happy. These pioneering activists are rejoicing in heaven tonight. Finally, we have a candidate who looks more like the women who have repeatedly rescued and revived American democracy than anyone who has yet sat in the vice president's office in the West Wing.

The days of the Democratic establishment taking African Americans for granted are over. Joe Biden's selection of California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate means that he will have some tough-minded tenderness to complement his tender-hearted toughness for the next four years. More importantly, it means that Black voters are finally being treated the way a core constituency of a political party should be treated.

No one thought it at all remarkable that Donald Trump picked Mike Pence -- a white, male, evangelical Christian -- because white, male evangelical Christians are the backbone of the Republican Party. Yet Harris is the first Black woman on the ticket, even though Black women and all Black voters are the backbone of the Democratic Party. That just goes to show how much the most loyal Democratic Party voters have been taken for granted all these years.

That time is over. This year, it would have been unthinkable for Biden to consider picking anyone BUT a Black woman, considering all the powerhouse candidates. Any one of those reported to be on his list -- Harris, Susan Rice, Karen Bass, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Stacey Abrams or Val Demings -- would have been a qualified running mate and governing partner. There was no rock star candidate from any other demographic who could have justified passing over a Black woman. In fact, the only other person with the charisma and appeal to qualify as a true rock star is another Black woman, Michelle Obama.

Harris inherits an incredible legacy of African-American women who stood up for the best of this country. Women who stood up to bullies and insults, and who had enough pride and self-respect to maintain their dignity and not back down. On Wednesday, an African American woman who shares their dignity, poise, strength and toughness will be standing next to the next President of the United States.

Patti Solis Doyle: Kamala Harris will help change how we view and treat women in politics forever

When the race is over and history has been made, Joe Biden will need a partner. He chose Kamala Harris because of her skill, her judgment, and her experience as a legislator, a prosecutor and a politician. Harris' gender and her race are icing on a very formidable cake -- and, for a woman of color like me, it just might be the most delicious icing ever whipped up.

As the head of VP operations for the Barack Obama/Biden campaign in 2008, I got to watch Biden win, learn and excel at the vice presidential role. Here's the thing: No one knows more about what is needed in a vice president than Biden -- and no one knows more about the kind of support and trust a vice president deserves.

He wanted to be Obama's partnerto be the last voice in the room before then-President Obama made the most difficult decisions. That is the vice president he was, and that is what he wants in his owna partner who can help him as he manages multiple crises on multiple fronts -- a global health crisis, an economic crisis, an education crisis and a climate crisis.

By selecting Harris, Biden has made history: the first Black and first Indian American woman on a national ticket. She is transformational, and she will energize the base. And, if they win,

she will help change how we view and how we treat women in politics forever.

David A. Andelman: Kamala Harris will be a force for equilibrium

Joe Biden has telegraphed that as president his top global priority will be to reposition America in the world, with a key component recalibrating and re-establishing the United States as a reliable partner, loyal ally and steady force.

While vice presidents don't usually set the administration's foreign policy agenda, they can be instrumental in providing backup and support, especially if they are truly valued by the president. And while Kamala Harris has not played a major role internationally, the positions she has taken very much suggest she will be a force for equilibrium, embracing a whole range of congruences with Biden's foreign policy agenda.

During her run for the presidency, she suggested she was in favor of reversing key Trump actions, provided American interests were in every case protected.

Foreign media, which headlined Harris on their front pages, are emphasizing a welcome change in direction in the US. Still, it is unlikely governments will be taking any official position any time soon. As much as many foreign leaders would like to see a change in the White House, diplomats have learned that it's never wise to count out Donald Trump -- or any presidential incumbent.

Alice Stewart: A Biden-Harris ticket will not lure in independents

On paper, Joe Biden made a wise move in choosing California Sen. Kamala Harris as his vice president. Biden's former challenger brings diversity, youth and energy to the Democratic ticket.

As the first Black vice presidential nominee for a major party, Harris is also a historic pick and checks the female box that Biden promised back in March. On top of all that, Harris has the necessary leadership experience to step into the top job if needed, having served at the local, state and federal level in positions of power.

However, mark my words, while Democrats may be able to bury that hatchet, the Trump campaign will make sure the Biden-Harris divisions are front and center. Video of Harris attacking Biden for opposing forced busing as a means to integrating schools in the 1970s will play over and over and over -- until November. And President Donald Trump will continue to say, as he did just after the announcement, that Harris was "nasty" and "disrespectful" to Biden.

As for the historic nature of a Black running mate, I don't see that moving the needle. A majority of Black voters already support Democrats -- and likely would have with or without Harris on the ticket. It's the independent voters who matter, and it's unlikely these voters will be persuaded by a game of identity politics, especially when a Biden-Harris ticket is the most progressive presidential ticket in modern history. While independents are a mixed bag of political views, they will likely not embrace all the progressive policies that the Democrats are championing this election cycle.

So, while this week will be a high point in the Biden presidential campaign, when the confetti settles, reality will sink in. And independent voters, as well as much of mainstream America, will have a tough time supporting the Biden-Harris agenda.

Joe Lockhart: Good choice... but the election is still about Trump

Bottom line, Joe Biden hit a home run picking Kamala Harris as his running mate. She is smart, tough, a former prosecutor who can take it to Trump/Pence. All of those things matter, but her race makes this both a historic pick, as a Black woman who would be a heartbeat away from the Oval and as an affirmation of just how important Black voters and women are to Democrats in 2020.

This election is about one, and only one, person -- Donald Trump. His gross mismanagement of the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic carnage that has come as a result of his lack of leadership, makes this campaign a referendum on his presidency.

Harris is a great addition to the Biden team. But Biden/Harris will win in November because they offer hope that government can and will work for the people again -- and Trump will be relegated to the annals of the worst Presidents in our history.

Raul Reyes: The vice presidential debate between Harris and Pence will be epic

Harris is an outstanding pick for vice president for several reasons. She has been a presidential candidate, so she already has a high public profile. This matters because the presidential campaign will take place in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic -- meaning there will be few rallies, large events or opportunities for Harris to introduce herself to voters (the convention may well be largely virtual).

Her experience as a candidate for the nomination means that she has been through the press vetting and scrutiny that come with being in the national spotlight. Plus, Harris being on the ticket will energize key Democratic constituencies in battleground states. She can be expected to help drive turnout in African American voters, particularly African American women.

That Harris comes from California is important, as this state is a microcosm of the 21st century United States. She knows how to connect to and support communities of color.

Jen Psaki: The only reaction Democrats should have to Harris

The only reaction Democrats should have to Joe Biden picking Kamala Harris for his running mate is a warm embrace of his new running mate. Harris is not only a historic pick, as the first Black and Asian American woman to be on a national ticket for either party, but she is young, tough as nails (just ask Attorney General Bill Barr, or Biden for that matter) and prepared to do the job on day one.

Typically, there are only three big moments during a campaign when this choice matters. First, the day it is announced. The Biden team deserves high praise for rolling out the choice without leaks, inaccurate reporting and on a timeline that worked for them.

In addition to the element of surprise, they will have another chance with the official announcement on Wednesday, when Biden and Harris will appear together to announce their candidacy. Then, it will likely dominate news coverage for the next 48-hours, which is a great boost for them considering how hard it is to break through the President Donald Trump show.

The second moment is the Democratic National Convention next week. Harris' speech will be her chance to re-introduce herself to a national audience. We will hear about her biography, and hopefully we will hear more about her career as a prosecutor. Her law enforcement record has been picked apart, and that will continue, but she has a high-profile opportunity to talk about her record from a position of strength, describing how her experiences have impacted her positions today.

The third moment is the vice presidential debate in October. Vice President Mike Pence won't even dine alone with a woman. Now the most important night of his year will be spent debating one.

My bet is Harris will have more moments than the traditional three. But beyond 2020, Biden's pick also tells us something about the future of the Democratic Party. A Black woman is now the safe pick for running mate.

Charlie Dent: Harris brings enthusiasm to Biden campaign

Joe Biden has announced his long-awaited vice presidential selection, and no one should be surprised it is California Sen. Kamala Harris.

On a personal note, I'm very happy for Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, who is a friend and trusted colleague of mine at the law firm of DLA Piper.

Biden's selection of Harris is both safe and smart for a variety of reasons. Among the women under consideration, Harris has been battle tested and better vetted through the presidential primary than all the others (with the possible exception of Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren).

Harris' history as a prosecutor caused many far-left Democrats to view her experience during the Democratic presidential primary as a liability. Not anymore.

Additionally, Harris possesses key attributes for constituencies important to the Democratic Party: women, Black Americans and people of South Asian heritage. African American women will no doubt be among the most excited by Harris, as she will be the first woman of color on a national ticket in American history.

Finally, Harris represents a fresh face and possesses a next generational appeal that Biden does not. Democrats can fall in love with Harris much like they did with previously successful young Democrats, like John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Let's face it, she'll give Biden a needed boost in the enthusiasm department.

The only downside to the Harris nomination is that she does not bring Democrats a state they didn't already have -- Biden's victory in California was already in the bag. Harris' foreign policy experience could be challenged, but foreign policy plays well to Biden's strength. Game on.

Charlie Dent is a former Republican US congressman from Pennsylvania who served as chairman of the House Ethics Committee from 2015 until 2016 and chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies from 2015 until 2018. He is a CNN political commentator.

Julian Zelizer: Biden's Harris pick should worry Trump

Joe Biden made an extremely strong pick. In this case, the safe choice is a bold choice. This selection will light up the ticket.

Senator Kamala Harris offers an important mix: she is a candidate with a track record showing she can govern and a skillful campaigner. During the Democratic primaries, the former prosecutor showed she can deliver a tough verbal punch.

She also has extensive experience as a public servant in California and Washington. Biden knows the importance of a running mate who would be able to help him lead in Washington after the responsibilities that he himself was given under the Obama administration. And if there are concerns about whether the vice president would be able to step into the role of president should that be necessarySenator Harris will allay them.

Through this choice, Biden sends the message that his administration would be committed to serious governancea stark contrast with the chaos that has been on display every day in the Oval Office under President Donald Trump.

The selection of a Black woman will offer more evidence to voters that Democrats aim to be a party that represents the pluralistic and diverse character of our nation in 2020 rather than some reactionary throwback to the nineteenth century. She will help Biden ensure that turnout is as strong as possible in every segment of the Democratic electorate.

But she has the opportunity to turn this to her advantage if she demonstrates a genuine commitment to changing the way the nation polices and imprisons. She can deliver this message as someone who has been "tough on crime" and understands the legal process better than most. Like Biden, she will be difficult to pin as part of the radical leftalthough the GOP will certainly try to do so.

Harris is also very good on television and social media, and this matters a great deal. During the pandemic campaign, Biden will need help selling his message on cameraone area where he doesn't shine as much as he does when he's out on the campaign trail. Most observers agree that Harris "pops" on the screen. Americans saw this not only during the debates, but also during Senate hearings, when she has delivered razor-sharp questions.

After dropping out of the primaries, Harris tweeted "Don't worry, Mr. President, I'll see you at your trial." While she was referring to Donald Trump's impeachment, the real trial will take place in November -- and now the senator will have the chance to deliver on her promise.

No vice-presidential candidate is perfect. Over the next few weeks, some of her weaknesses and flaws inevitably will be exposed as she faces the glare of the media once again. But the Trump campaign should be very worried. In one of his most important decisions of the campaign, Biden has made a strong choice that will greatly improve his chances of defeating President Trump.

Sarah Isgur: The Trump campaign's job just got a lot harder

Time and again, pundits through the winter said that Democrats were on the same path as Republicans were in 2016 -- too many candidates, catering to the extreme wings of their party, appealing to an ever-shrinking base unable or unwilling to run a campaign aimed at persuading voters in the middle. The far-left progressive wing was taking over and Bernie Sanders was moments away from being the leader of the Democratic Party.

Fast forward to August: Joe Biden is the nominee and Kamala Harris is rounding out the ticket. This is the Democratic equivalent in a lot of ways to a 2016 GOP ticket of Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio. More conservative than George W. Bush? Sure. But hardly Ted Cruz or Mike Huckabee heralding the apotheosis of the Tea Party movement.

Over the coming weeks, polls are likely to tighten as voters "come home" (as campaign pros like to say) to their respective parties after wandering in the summer wilderness of the undecideds. The Trump campaign's new ad blitz has focused on portraying Biden as too extreme for middle America. And, no doubt, some voters will cite Harris as their reason for voting for President Donald Trump, but it's unlikely her nomination made any difference.

Pundits and prognosticators have loved the narrative that the progressive wing of the Democratic Party was poised to take over. But that plot line was too simple for 2020 -- and Harris is no Sanders. The Trump campaign will do its best to cast this ticket in the most extreme light, but their jobs just got a lot harder.

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Picking Kamala Harris makes history, but will it make a difference in November? - CNN

In 1990 I had the remarkable good fortune to spend a week with Roger Tory Peterson. I could write a book about that one week, but for now I only want to emphasize the importance of one particular conversation.

Peterson changed the interaction between people and wildlife when he invented the field guide a concise yet detail-packed book for identifying species but small enough to carry comfortably in the field.

When you invented the field guide, I said, you made it possible for people to identify birds without having to learn about birds.

After a quiet moment, Peterson replied, Youre right.

Our ensuing conversation made it quite clear that it was a subject that bothered him. As he mentally developed the concept and physically assembled it, he never thought of birding as a replacement for ornithology. He conceived it as an adjunct that would augment the degree to which the human-bird interface would produce positive outcomes.

This one particular unintended outcome progressively became a rhetorical point with profound ripple effects. The impact begins with the separating of birding and ornithology, and the ripples elaborate from there.

Just because a birder can distinguish a rock wren from a canyon wren for a checkmark on a list does not make that person an ornithologist.

Just because a person can catch a rainbow trout on bait, lure or fly does not make that person an ichthyologist.

Just because a person owns 15 wildflower identification books, spends dozens of hours afield every summer to find wildflowers and can give both American and Latin names for 100 species despite all this effort and accomplishment does not make that person a botanist.

The examples are almost endless, but three are of special importance right now.

First, just because a person hunts big game animals such as deer, elk and moose does not make that person a mammalogist.

Second, just because a person owns a ranch does not make that person an ecologist.

And third, just because a person finds aesthetic pleasure or even intellectual gratification in wildlife identification does not make that person a wildlife biologist.

All of this and other aspects as well can be collectively summarized in a single meaningful appraisal: Familiarity with selective wildlife, by itself, does not qualify as a credential of expertise.

As relevant as this concept is right now, it will be crucial when three months from now Coloradans vote whether or not to restore the gray wolf to Colorados ecosystems.

I assert without reservation that personal opinions should be based on best available knowledge and not on bondage to tradition. From this perspective I pose the earnest and legitimate question: What do you know biologically, mammalogically, ecologically and biogeographically about the gray wolf?

This question reveals the distinction between assumptive knowledge and actual knowledge. The two are not the same. So study up!

Next month, I will be quizzing you for what you actually know about the gray wolf.

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Wildlife Window: Time to study up on the gray wolf - Loveland Reporter-Herald

MASON CITY, Iowa - The former St. John Baptist Church has quite the history.

In 1919, a group of African-American Baptists formed the church, with members meeting in various homes for services, and then a labor hall, before buying a house on 6th Street SW, which would be moved for a basement to be dug to house a chapel. In 1937, church members bought recycled stone, flooring, windows, even wiring and pipe from the demolished Grant School that was only a few blocks away to build a permanent house of worship.

The church was located in a once ethnically diverse section of Mason City, which went under the "Brickyard" and "Powder Street" names, and the congregation held lively events and programs, including Saturday morning breakfasts.

"They gave to the whole neighborhood, whether you were white or black or Asian, it didn't matter. It helped everybody in the neighborhood, all kids, all people."

Since services stopped in 1996, the church has largely sat empty, though the pews, carpet and other materials inside have been preserved. Over the last few years, there have been plans to bring new life to the building, but none have been successful. Now, a group is looking to restore the former church, with the upstairs planned to be converted into a chapel and community center, with historical items related to the congregation on display. The basement would also be renovated, and would house the offices of Al-Yad, an organization that provides help to children in foster care.

However, Corinne Sills, who got involved with the project a few years ago, predicts that renovations would cost a couple of hundred thousand dollars, and despite applying for grants and other financial assistance, they have been unable to receive them. Sills, who is also with Al-Yad, says the only way to make the restoration possible is by donations and volunteers.

"I think it's important to preserve any kind of history for our children to view. Anything positive that we can put in today's society is extremely important."

While the building has largely remained intact, the bell tower is in desperate need of repair, as well a new roof, window replacement, new exterior wood, and modernizing the plumbing and electricity.

"If we don't get some of the outside done, it will start falling."

For those who want to donate to the efforts, you can drop a check off at NSB Bank, 451 S. Illinois Avenue in Mason City, with checks being written to Al-Yad.

For more information about the project, you can contact Sills at 641-425-9333, or Marcia Boster at 641-420-2879.

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Group working to restore historic Mason City church - KIMT 3

India Stoughton lived and covered the arts and culture scene in Beirut for eight years. She's currently based in London due to the pandemic.

At the moment that one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history blasted outwards from Beirut's port and swept across the city, Zeina Arida, the director of Sursock Museum, was standing outside her office with two colleagues. The force of the explosion, less than a mile away, threw them into the museum's stairwell, as all around them windows shattered and glass and debris rained down. "We have escaped by a miracle," Arida said over the phone three days later. "The museum is blown away, very simply... There is no door, no window, no glass left in the building."

The force of the explosion also brought down parts of the ceilings and internal walls in the museum, housed in an ornate white mansion dating from 1912. Less than five years after it reopened in October 2015 -- following a seven-year renovation costing more than $10 million -- the museum is a wreck.

Beirut's architectural heritage: What the city stands to lose Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP/Getty Images

It had displayed a significant collection of Lebanese art from the late 1800s onwards and was known to host regular temporary exhibitions by both Lebanese and international artists.

Many works from the institution's permanent collection were damaged but, according to Arida, the stained-glass windows that decorate the faade saved many more from destruction. "The tinted glass is so thin that when we first went to look at the damage we were walking on a ground of colored powder," she said.

Painted glass is seen in Beirut's Sursock Museum in the Lebanese capital on October 5, 2015. Credit: Joseph Eid/AFP/Getty Images

Stained glass windows in the Sursock Museum were completely destroyed in the musuem due to the explosion. Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP/Getty Images

Streets filled with artists

Beirut's tight-knit cultural sector is still in the throes of this crisis but it's clear that the explosion has had a devastating effect. Many of the city's art spaces were located in the cosmopolitan neighborhoods of Mar Mikhael and Gemmayzeh and in the industrial area of Karantina, all close to the epicenter of the blast. "These streets were a hub for artists from many walks of life. [They] are filled with our friends, our colleagues," said playwright and filmmaker Lucien Bourjeily.

A view from the roof of an apartment building overlooking the ravaged port of Lebanon's capital Beirut in the Mar Mikhael neighborhood. Credit: Patrick Baz/AFP/Getty Images

Three days after the explosion, he and others on the theater scene had set up an online group to offer help and support to those who had lost their homes and studios. Bourjeily, who helped organize protests in 2015 when rubbish was left to rot on the streets of Beirut, says artists play a crucial role in leading a call for change after the blast because they are often freelancers who are not as embedded in Lebanon's system of sectarian political patronage.

Galerie Tanit, located less than a kilometer (0.6 miles) from the explosion, was completely gutted by the blast, which destroyed all the windows and walls, leaving just concrete pillars behind. One employee was seriously injured and Jean-Marc Bonfils, the architect who designed the gallery and lived above it, was killed in the blast.

Gaia Fodoulian, the young director of Letitia Gallery, which closed in February after months of economic hardship, was also killed. Firas Dahwish, who worked at Agial Art Gallery and Saleh Barakat Gallery in the west of the city, was severely injured. He died in hospital five days later.

The Arab Image Foundation, which safeguards a significant collection of photographs documenting a century of life in the Middle East, was also badly damaged. Three staff and board members were injured.

As they mourn the dead, the city's gallerists, artists and creatives are struggling to process the damage to many of the city's most important cultural spaces. "The city is destroyed. It's beyond description... There is not a single person in Beirut who has not been damaged... It's an unbelievable apocalypse," said gallerist Saleh Barakat, who opened Agial Art Gallery, one of the oldest art spaces in the city, in 1990, just after the end of the 1975-1990 civil war.

Lebanese volunteers clear the rubble in the devastated Gemmayzeh neighbourhood, on August 7. Credit: AFP/Getty Images

The explosion is widely perceived to have occurred as a direct result of entrenched corruption and dysfunction among leaders who have clung onto power for more than three decades. "Maybe we needed this for a wake up call. We are very, very angry. We are burying our dead and we are taking care of our injured but the anger is just growing and growing," he said.

A slow road back to reopening

The disaster comes at the end of a year of upheaval that had already taken a heavy toll on the local culture scene. Last September, the 10th edition of the Beirut Art Fair attracted 36,000 visitors, signaling a decade of successful growth for Lebanon's art scene. Over the past five years, new commercial and non-profit arts spaces have sprung up all across the city. Amid upheaval in the wake of the Arab Spring, artists from across the region moved to Beirut, and international curators and dealers regularly traveled to its most important exhibitions. But massive anti-government demonstrations, which began last October and continued for months, caused many of the city's art spaces to strike in solidarity with protesters, allowing staff to join the demonstrations.

"It is going to be very unlikely that things will go back to normal or the art scene can be functional again in less than six months," said Barakat. "How can I open up again? I have no windows, I have no doors. I have nothing... I have seen a lot of very bad situations but there was hope every time... Now we were already broke. How are you going to do anything if you don't have any money?"

According to the gallerist, without an independent investigation into the causes of the explosion, no one has any hope that insurance will pay out. Money aside, he cannot fathom reopening while the same leaders many hold responsible for the explosion remain in power. "We are not going to stop defending our cause, but there should be some changes before we can continue... We should dedicate our time and lives to changing the system, and then we'll see," he said.

The front of Marfa' Projects before the blast. Credit: Courtesy Joumana Asseily

The front of Marfa' Projects after the blast. Credit: Courtesy Joumana Asseily

Marfa' Projects, an exhibition space located next to the customs house in the Lebanese port, was completely destroyed by the explosion. "All that time we were working, exhibiting, 500 meters (0.3 miles) away from a kind of nuclear bomb," said owner Joumana Asseily.

She had closed the gallery for a week due to lockdown. Anyone inside would have been killed. She said she no longer cares about the loss of her gallery. "What is gone is gone. Even the artists don't care at this point. It's all material damages. What really enrages me is the people who lost their lives... The people who don't have houses, who don't have money to rebuild their houses."

But she is determined to reopen -- although only once it's possible to rebuild at the port. "The location was crucial for me," she said. "You feel it is the heart of Beirut because everything passes there."

For some, the challenge of rebuilding is simply too daunting. "I don't think we're going to be able to pick ourselves up and move on... I am 55. I have reconstructed my life so many times, and this time it's just the last straw," said Antoine Haddad, whose gallery, Artlab, suffered extensive damage. He plans to emigrate to Canada, but will continue to run Artlab online. "I owe the artists, morally. I'm engaged to provide for them."

Andre Sfeir-Semler, by contrast, is determined to reopen as soon as possible, even if she has to do it without any windows. "Of course we want to go on... You need to nourish people with art and culture because that is what feeds their souls," she said. But Sfeir-Semler Gallery, located 1.7 kilometers (a little over a mile) from the explosion, is a wreck. "The walls all broke down. The cinema imploded. We have a hole in the roof," she detailed, adding that a staff member who was at the galley when the explosion occurred only survived because she was in the bathroom.

Beneath the anger and sadness, many are simply exhausted. "The culture scene relies so much on private initiatives and very often on specific individuals that have been fighting for the past 25 years, if not more, and what is frightening is that we are already so exhausted, so discouraged," said Sursock Museum director Zeina Arida.

A sad city

"We all have this feeling that what the state failed at building, they have just destroyed." What gives her hope, however, is the support from other institutions, both local and international, who have pledged to help with everything from restoring artworks to renovations.

An aerial view of Sursock Palace, damaged in the explosion on August 7. Credit: Haytham Al Achkar/Getty Images

Gregory Buchakjian, an art historian and artist who spent 10 years documenting Beirut's abandoned buildings, described a long-running "war" between those who want to preserve the city's architectural heritage and the government, whose lax zoning laws and lack of formal protection for structures built after the 17th century leave Ottoman and French-mandate era buildings vulnerable to developers who want to tear them down and replace them with more lucrative skyscrapers. "Many people were saying that the municipality will try to demolish buildings on the pretext that they are on the verge of collapsing," he said. "It's definitely going to be a battle to preserve what can be preserved."

He added: "What is heartbreaking is that some of the buildings that were abandoned when I did my study were renovated, and now they are completely ruined."

Sursock Palace, a private residence close to Sursock Museum, built in 1860, was painstakingly restored over 20 years after the civil war ended. The interior of the three-story mansion was torn apart by the blast. Ornate Ottoman painted wooden ceilings collapsed, leaving antique furnishings smashed and buried under wood, rubble and glass. Its owners say there is little point in trying to fix the damage while the same corrupt leaders remain in power.

Buchakjian believes it's too early to predict how the explosion will affect Beirut's culture scene in the long term. "People are still just cleaning the rubble, assessing the damage."

A crooked painting hangs on the wall of the Sursock Palace, heavily damaged after the explosion. Credit: Felipe Dana/AP

But some people are already looking ahead. "There is this sense of solidarity... We really have the sense that we are all in trouble together," he said.

Back at the Sursock Museum, Arida has gathered the shattered pieces of two ceramic sculptures by Lebanese artist Simone Fattal, part of the permanent collection, in case the artist wants to use them to create something new. She has also offered use of the museum's storage spaces to other institutions and artists.

"It's a very sad city now... It's going to take years and it's going to take a lot of work," Marfa' Projects' Joumana Asseily said, but "all these institutions are so essential, so important... It's going to be very difficult. A lot of them won't survive. But the ones that make it are more important than ever. They must go on. I can't imagine how, but we need them."

All interviews for this article were conducted over the phone. The top image is an interior shot of Sursock Palace.

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Beirut's once-thriving cultural community was already at breaking point. Then the blast hit - CNN