The expected record numbers of holiday gifts being shipped this year is creating a golden opportunity for porch thefts.

PLAINFIELD, Ind. Christmas, the season of giving, is also the season of taking.

The expected record number of holiday gifts being shipped this year is creating a golden opportunity for porch thefts.

While local homeowners were out of town, a thief helped himself to a package on their front porch. He stole something much more valuable than some inexpensive things McKenna Shutes bought online.

"Kinda your feeling of being safe," Shutes said. "You could be sleeping or hanging out in your house and someone feels like they can step up on your front porch. It just kinda gives you a chilling feeling."

It's something more people are likely to feel this year.

By choice or necessity, record numbers of people are shopping online or shipping presents this holiday season. The pandemic is creating a potential gold mine for thieving porch pirates.

"So law enforcement, we have to adapt," Plainfield Deputy Police Chief Joseph Aldridge said. "It is more important this year than ever before for us to be patrolling the neighborhoods of Plainfield to ensure that our consumers don't get victimized."

Additional holiday patrols have already started. Officers who typically don't work the streets are now required to spend at least an hour of their work day patrolling neighborhoods looking for suspicious activity.

Since the program began two years ago, Aldridge said there's been a dramatic decrease in the number of reported porch thefts.

"Last year we had two. One was solved. That is amazing in a community of 30,0 to 40,000 residents," Aldridge said.

Not every community can afford additional police patrols.

Shutes is already being more careful.

"If it is going to be delivered when I'm not home, I'll just maybe hold off until I know I will be here," Shutes said.

There are other ways to protect your holiday deliveries.

Schedule deliveries to arrive when someone is home. Have alerts sent to your phone. Ask a neighbor to pick up your package if you won't be home or if possible use a delivery "drop off" box.

View post:
The pandemic creates more opportunities for porch thefts - WTHR

The Delachaise (Uptown Messenger photo)

When The Delachaise first opened at 3442 St. Charles Ave. 17 years ago, it had a patch of grass out front where owner Evan Hayes hoped to build an outdoor space.

Then 10 years ago, Entergy tore up that section of the avenue to install a new gas line, and Hayes used the opportunity to pave the area and create a patio. That doubled our business, he said. And ultimately, this helped us during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hayes, the owner of The Delachaise and Chais Delachaise, further uptown at 7708 Maple St., loves to tell people about his restaurants. And fortunately for him and his customers both places have ample outdoor spaces in the time of social distanced outdoor dining.

Hayes had worked in the restaurant business for years when, in the late 1990s, he began working in the wine industry. He got to know vendors and wines and felt that he had the background to open The Delachaise.

One thing I learned in the wine business is to let people have a taste of the wine they want to try, Hayes said. This is a way to build relationships, and a good way to interact with people. The selection of wines at The Delachaise is staggering, and there are also substantial beer and spirit selections.

It is named for its location in Faubourg Delachaise between Delachaise and Aline streets, both named in 1855 by the widow Marie Antonine Foucher Delachaise. Given the task of naming the streets in the newly subdivided property, she named Delachaise Street in memory of her late husband, Philippe Auguste Delachaise, and Aline Street for her daughter Aline. She probably never imagined that, a 165 years later, a lively wine bar would occupy the space on St. Charles Avenue where the two streets come together.

The building, which Hayes calls Mission Metro for its resemblance to Paris metro stations, was built in 1904 as a flower shop. Considered a mix of Spanish Mission style and Art Nouveau architecture, it originally housed the Avenue Flower Company. In the interim between the flower shop and the wine bar, there have been a dress shop and an Italian restaurant, among others, in the building. And since 2003, The Delachaise wine bar bistro has been in the distinctive building.

The Delachaise has a 30-foot bar, or as Hayes calls it le grand comptoir the large bar. Madame Delachaise would approve. The place is cozy, the kind of place people go on first dates. Women and men feel comfortable going there alone. Birthdays and anniversaries are celebrated there.

The cheese and charcuterie plate is a popular menu option. (courtesy of The Delachaise)

The most popular food items are their goose fat French fries, the flank steak bruschetta and the cheese and charcuterie plate. And now chef Patrick Nolan is branching out with New Orleans beloved barbecue shrimp, for example.

All customers who sit outside in the patio sooner or later are serenaded by Mike, a self-taught saxophone player. He showed up after Hurricane Katrina and has been a fixture on that section of St. Charles Avenue ever since. When his playing gets to be too much, the staff gently directs him to move away and play softly. That usually works for a while before the process repeats itself.

Playing off the success of The Delachaise, Hayes opened another restaurant, Chais Delachaise, 13 years later, in 2016. It is in an old house on Maple Street, in the university section. The building is set back from the street, creating a space and a front porch that spans its width.

(Courtesy of Chais Delachaise)

Chais Delachaise caters to the neighborhood, to families and students. Its name, of course, includes that of the wine bar bistro on St. Charles Avenue and adds a word play as well. Chais refers to an above-ground wine cellar in French.

Like The Delachaise, the second has ample outdoor seating. And like the first restaurant, Chais Delachaise has those popular goose fat fries on the menu, and its new chef, Barry Credeur, is adding dishes like homemade pts and pastas.

In mid-March, both restaurants had to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Employees filed for unemployment, and then the company made a successful application to the Paycheck Protection Program, known as PPP. The employees then had a choice: stay home and collect unemployment, or come back to work and use the shuttered time to renovate and do repairs that had been on hold for a time. They came to work.

The Delachaise space was renovated, chairs and banquettes were re-upholstered, and two rundown upstairs storage spaces were converted to offices and a storage space, all with air conditioning. Now wine could be stored there it became a chais. Our then-new chef, Patrick Nolan, only a few months on the job, took the kitchen apart, cleaning and restoring every bit of it, Hayes said. And I made the lunch every day.

Chais Delachaise also got its share of sprucing up. The configuration was changed and the walls were repainted. The floors and the bar also got a makeover.

Employees whose jobs had disappeared in the pandemic did most of the work. And the PPP made it possible to pay their salaries.

I feel that I had a different experience from many other restaurants in that regard. Most other restaurants employees opted for unemployment payments, Hayes said.

Evan Hayes also took advantage of the lockdown to expand the outdoor seating area of The Delachaise along Aline Street. It was able to open in the summer with limited outdoor seating. It closed again when employees had been exposed to the virus, but was open at the end of August.

At Chais Delachaise some employees had left town to volunteer in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura, curtailing its reopening. But by mid-October, both had reopened.

But opening two restaurants during the pandemic has had its challenges. The prices of meat, especially beef and pork, shot up 40% over the summer but went back down in the fall. Mussels and oysters have not been reliably available. And then there were the safety protocols, the regulations, and changing state and city mandates.

But at least, because both places had outdoor spaces, things could move forward. The Delachaise is operating at about 50% capacity; Chais Delachaise at a quarter or less. But both current operations are fully staffed.

I look forward to full houses, Hayes said, and bringing back Oysters Delachaise, in absinthe cream sauce, when the oyster supply is on track. Customers agree.

The Delachaise3442 St. Charles Avenue504-895-0858www.thedelachaise.com

Chais Delachaise7708 Maple Street504-510-4509www.chaisdelachaise.com

See more here:
Patios, a porch and the PPP offered lifeline to Delachaise bistros - UptownMessenger.com

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) The holiday season is here and as if things werent hectic enough, they are about to go up a notch.

Cities already tend to see an uptick in package thefts during the holiday season, but with the coronavirus pandemic causing online shopping and food ordering to skyrocket, it may be even worse this year.

People say theyre not just worried about porch pirates stealing their packages, but also their meals. Richmond native, Marquis Whitted, said he ordered food from a restaurant through Grub Hub on Wednesday. When he went to get his food from his front door it wasnt there.

I received the notification that my food arrived, Whitted said. And to my surprise when I walked outside to get it, nothing was there.

Whitted says he feels blessed to have a job and a roof over his head in the middle of a pandemic. But he wants to know what happens when someone is expecting to feed their family with that order.

I ordered another meal from somewhere else but can everyone do that?, he said. People work hard every day to provide for their families. Its not right for someone to take that away from them, especially around right around the holidays.

Ashley Garlick, a part-owner of The Lily Pad off Brook Road in Henrico County, deals with all the food delivery businesses like GrubHub, Door Dash and UberEats everyday.

She said the pandemic has turned life upside down for so many people across central Virginia but she says that doesnt make it okay to steal.

So much is going on in the world right now, Garlick said. But someone is expecting that food, someone has paid for that food.

She said if a situation like Whitteds happened to a customer at her business, she would ensure the customer that they would help fix the issue.

Ive had to call corporate for other reasons and Im not oppose to doing it again if I had to, said Garlick.

Richmond Police told 8News that package theft has increased from the same period last year.

Theyre concerned thefts will likely continue to rise at a rate higher than in previous years due to the pandemic.

However, RPD is hoping the public can help them in stopping the criminals.

What were hoping is that neighbors talk to their neighbors and community groups and get out the word to people, Richmond Police Department Lt. David Naoroz said. If you can have your packages delivered to a lockbox some of the delivery services offer lockbox services.

Lt. Naoroz said doorbell cameras are also an option in keeping an eye on your package and the porch pirates.

That will certainly notify you if somebodys up on the porch, but then it doesnt necessarily secure your package, Lt. Naoroz said. If any of that stuff is kind of witnessed or people see any of those suspicious activities, we really ask them to give us a call.

And as for Whitted, he said although getting his food stolen wasnt anything life or death, he wants the community to be aware that its happening.

Look, there are more important things going on in the world right now, he said. But I just want people to pay attention and stay vigilant when they are ordering anything to their homes.

LATEST HEADLINES:

See more here:
Porch pirates are snatching more than your Christmas gifts this year - 8News

As far as odd and strangely entertaining crashes go, this one is completely unhinged (sorry not sorry for going there). An Audi crashed into a porch and drove off with the front door.

As the tweet below, from the WYP Roads Policing Unit, reveals, the Audi first crashed into another vehicle and then into somebodys porch. The impact was severe enough to unhinge the front door and ram it into the windshield of the Audi, but the driver still drove like this for a while longer before stopping. Even though hed clearly been hit not to mention that he was no longer able to see anything through the windshield.

Driver collided with a vehicle, then the front porch of a house - before then continuing to drive for several meters with front door attached to car. Driver arrested suspected unfit through drink/drugs, the tweet says. Its been tagged #Fatal4, a nationwide campaign meant to raise awareness on the most common motoring offenses, including speeding and DUI.

The 18-year-old male driver of an Audi suffered head injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment for the injuries which are not thought to be serious, a West Yorkshire Police spokesman revealed some time later. Inquiries remain ongoing.

Apparently, the driver of the Audi was the only one to be injured in the incident, and even his injuries are minor. All things considered, this could have ended so much worse than it did.

This means its ok to laugh at the mishap, which is exactly what Twitter is doing. Completely innocent. Looks like hes been framed, one user says. All those doors but still struggled to get out, adds another, while more ask the police if they knocked on the door when they arrived at the scene to arrest the irresponsible driver. Was a two door, now a 3 door car, says one user, while another declares this to be an open and shut case.

Visit link:
An Unhinged Tale: Audi Crashes Into Porch, Drives Off With the Front Door - autoevolution

Outdoor seating has provided some much-needed help for restaurants during the pandemic. Social distancing guidelines have forced businesses to find ways to seat customers outside of the building so they can be more spread out. Now, the challenge is the colder weather. The Porch Kitchen and Cantina in Winston-Salem recently rolled out their new dining bubbles to provide an enclosed area for guests to eat. I saw in other cities and in Northern Europe they use these bubbles and it will be snowing outside youll be cozy in your bubble! The Porch owner, Claire Calvin, said. The dining bubbles are now open to guests at the porch and Calvin said some people werent sure about the idea at first. Some people were like, that just seems as dangerous as anything else, she said. Calvin explained her thought process, that you can be in the bubble with your own group of people and not be exposed to others.Theres two sides that open so you can kind of air it out and then we obviously sanitize in between, she said. Calvin said the health department doesnt have an issue with the bubbles and more customers are now requesting them specifically when they come to the restaurant. A lot of people really like them, she said. She said its been a tough road for her business and thinks it could get harder during winter, but shes hopeful things will get back to normal eventually.I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Even if we shut down, theres a light at the end of the tunnel, she said. The bubbles arent the only modification to The Porch, they also opened a separate part of the building that allows for more space while customers are eating.

Outdoor seating has provided some much-needed help for restaurants during the pandemic. Social distancing guidelines have forced businesses to find ways to seat customers outside of the building so they can be more spread out.

Now, the challenge is the colder weather.

The Porch Kitchen and Cantina in Winston-Salem recently rolled out their new dining bubbles to provide an enclosed area for guests to eat.

I saw in other cities and in Northern Europe they use these bubbles and it will be snowing outside youll be cozy in your bubble! The Porch owner, Claire Calvin, said.

The dining bubbles are now open to guests at the porch and Calvin said some people werent sure about the idea at first.

Some people were like, that just seems as dangerous as anything else, she said.

Calvin explained her thought process, that you can be in the bubble with your own group of people and not be exposed to others.

Theres two sides that open so you can kind of air it out and then we obviously sanitize in between, she said.

Calvin said the health department doesnt have an issue with the bubbles and more customers are now requesting them specifically when they come to the restaurant.

A lot of people really like them, she said.

She said its been a tough road for her business and thinks it could get harder during winter, but shes hopeful things will get back to normal eventually.

I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Even if we shut down, theres a light at the end of the tunnel, she said.

The bubbles arent the only modification to The Porch, they also opened a separate part of the building that allows for more space while customers are eating.

Original post:
The Porch Kitchen and Cantina in Winston-Salem introduces dining bubbles - WXII12 Winston-Salem

About 12 years ago, Jesusa Palacios and her adopted son Jonathan were at a turning point.

Jonathan was 13 and preparing for middle school when he was asked to write a transition plan for his post-high school goals. The Palacios family started doing research with loved ones to find what would be best for him.

HOLIDAY DONATIONS: Toys for Tots continues accepting donations despite COVID-19 challenges

After deciding he probably was not going to college and determining that he has multiple challenges that prevent him from working independently, they noticed that he could enjoy working in an ice cream truck. Jonathan spent four years driving with a friend in an ice cream truck every summer, and he loves it, she said. While its not his own yet, they know that he will do customized self employment under the name "Bubba Jon's Ice Cream Delights."

Palacios is now the director of Solomons Porch Light, which helps her son and other families like theirs connect to businesses and ideas for their own childrens futures. She decided to start the Humble nonprofit after parents of individuals with disabilities started asking how they found something that was right for Jonathan.

So thats how Solomons Porch Light was born, Palacios said. Out of the need for my son and to help others... Well be the advocate for those individuals that never get noticed, never get publicized, nobody really knows about them theyre out there.

Due to the coronavirus, they started the program virtually this July. They have promoted individuals in the arts, footwear, shredding services and a pet rescue businesses. Their mission is to raise awareness and opportunities for individuals with disabilities to become business owners.

They have about 68 businesses that have connected with them. They promote them through their website to provide families with ideas as to how their children, who may not be able to be placed in jobs traditionally, could follow a career path and own a business that they enjoy, essentially serving as a middle man between families and businesses.

Next year, they plan to begin training sessions either online or in-person.

So thats part of the resources, right, Palacios said. Whatever I have learned as a parent and how to do these resources Im going to pass on to other people or other individuals that need help.

CORONAVIRUS: Active positives in Humble ISD reach 167 as cases grow at elementaries

One of those businesses helping to serve Solomons Porch Light is located in northwest Houston. Shredding on the Go offers secure business and residential document shredding services and recycling. The company hires individuals who face unique challenges shredding barriers one page at a time as their website states.

They have eight individuals in addition to owner James Parker working for Shredding on the Go who would have challenges finding work in the traditional job market according to Renee Parker, James mother.

Parker said they discovered her sons interest in shredding during a conversation with their family about what he could do for work.

I personally have a lot of experience with customized self-employment, which is what we did for my son and I think is what (Palacios is) doing for her son, Parker said. ... Customized self-employment creates a job opportunity based solely on individual skills and what they would enjoy doing.

For more information about Solomons Porch Light, visit their website at http://www.solomonsporchlight.org. For more information on Shredding on the Go, visit http://www.shreddingonthego.com.

savannah.mehrtens@chron.com

See the original post here:
Humble nonprofit Solomons Porch Light helps differently-abled adults find fulfilling work - Houston Chronicle

The holiday season is here, a time for giving thanks and sending love to friends and family, but for many the holiday season is a golden opportunity for theft.

This year, more than ever, many are taking their shopping online to stay safe from coronavirus which means thieves can expect a plethora of packages at residents doorsteps.

To keep gifts safe from porch pirates this year the Gulfport Police Department has a few tips. Gulfport PIO Sgt. Jason Ducre said, With the coronavirus going on, with everybody shopping online, packages are going to be delivered to houses more frequently. And theyre just crimes of opportunity, is what they are, and its our job to limit the opportunities. So if you can, have your packages delivered to your job, or a neighbors house, or a relative, or get a signature on delivery.

Ducre also recommends buying a porch camera. While they wont prevent theft, they can help police find a suspect faster.

Original post:
Beware of porch pirates ahead of the holidays - WXXV News 25

Twitter has some mixed feelings about a man who has been seen on video feeding "at least 30" raccoons on his porch. A video emerged on Twitter on Monday night of a man treating several chubby raccoons to what appeared to be hot dogs (sans the bun).

"[T]his guy goes out every night and feeds the raccoons living near his house and it's adorable chaos," a Twitter user wrote alongside the clip.

In the video, the man sits on a snow-covered bench while several heavyset raccoons crawl all over him, trying to grab some off the food from a container. Some climb on his lap, begging for food. Others perch on his shoulder, waiting for him to hand off a hot dog.

It's safe to say that the video has caught the attention of many people online. While some called the man's mealtime ritual for the raccoons adorable, others didn't find it as cute. "No- not adorable. We in CO know that you don't feed wildlife. Also, raccoons carry diseases that are especially dangerous for kids," one person wrote.

"It's not adorable if you are his neighbor. Ever had a neighbor who feeds feral cats? Same stupid behavior," another chimed in.

"When I see raccoons, the first thing I think of is rabies," someone else said. "The second thing I think about is the damage they do to homes. So, it's not as warm and cuddly for me."

One user pointed out that feeding raccoons could have an effect on an entire neighborhood, not just the folks feeding them. "Very dangerous too. Wild animals should not be fed by humans. They can carry diseases. Congregating unnaturally draws predators. Dangerous for entire neighborhood."

Read more

"Pretty dangerous. They're going to look for that food in the neighborhood every night...whether he shows up or not," another agreed.

Some folks were also concerned about the effect the food would actually have on the raccoons. "This guy is single-handedly causing an ecological disaster of diabetic raccoons, but free internet pass because he's a lonely old man and fat raccoons are cute," one person chided.

"I just wish he'd be a bit more considerate of their diet, if he's going to keep inviting them," another noted. "I know he means well, and just may not understand, for example, their size is not normal."

"How many times is he feeding them?" a third asked. "They are freaking huge!! Lmao."

As per Pest World, raccoons typically eat plants and other animals such as: "fruits, berries, nuts, fish, frogs, mussels, crayfish, insects, turtles, mice, rabbits, muskrats and bird eggs." So, basically, not hot dogs.

Read more:
This Man Feeds Raccoons on His Porch Every Night, and Twitter Has Some Thoughts - Newsweek

KILLEEN, TX Monday, we showed you how to safely shop while looking for gifts online but what happens when you do everything right and a porch pirate comes by and snags your packages?

Jennifer McCann owns a quaint mail service in Harker Heights and for the past 21 years in business, shes heard a common worry from her customers: Mail theft.

Well hold it for a few days if needed, McCann said, So [they] wont feel like they need to rush home from work to grab their package from their porch.

Its a crime officials take seriously since a 2019 bill Governor Abbott passed that charges porch pirates thousands in fines and possible jail or prison time if convicted.

Were going to have our officers out making sure that were watching for that, and that our citizens are watching for that, Lawrence Stewart, the public information officer for the Harker Heights Police Department said. Were gonna take the opportunity to arrest you.

But there are ways we can catch the thieves including utilizing an at-home security system.

You know it's working when you get notifications when your camera detects abnormal activity and it could be the only way to catch the criminal.

Were all super busy these days and were all running and doing things, Josh Wallace at InHouse Systems in Temple said. I mean it's just crazy right now. So, having a peace of mind at home, about home is important.

But if you dont have a Ring doorbell or security cameras, there are other ways to make sure your deliveries are safe.

The best thing to do is if you know you ordered a package, to be on the lookout for that package, Stewart said.

Or you can seek out a third party to help keep your mail secure like Eagle Express.

We keep everything safe here, McCann explained. We call the customers directly so they know they have a package here and they get the notification instantly.

Experts say the easiest way to stay safe this holiday season is to be vigilant with packages and invest in a security system or video doorbell.

See more here:
Porch pirates are on the rise as the holiday season rolls around - KXXV News Channel 25

You shouldnt mess with mans best friend or how they settle things among themselves. Dogs know where their spot is on the front porch, and whose spot is whose. The king, or alpha dog of the porch, will let any other dog know when they are sleeping in their spot. Theres a pecking order, a hierarchy among the porch dwellers. If you cross the unwritten rule of where your place is on the porch, youll suffer the consequences.

Comedian Kevin Heart says the same thing another way, Stay in your lane. The fact is, we all get a little ahead of ourselves. Where am I going with this? I think its critical that every company have a well-defined front porchi.e., organizational chart.

A good organizational chart lets everyone know who reports to who, and whos in charge of what task or department. It allows a company to manage from a much higher plane, no matter its size. An organizational chart also gives each employee a path, or a position to work toward.

Sometimes smaller companies are less likely to have an org chart, and I think this is a mistake. As in a small company, everyone normally takes on multiple jobs and the org chart helps define those roles and who does them. And, as the small company grows, the org chart can identify what positions need to be filled first, and what the pecking order should be.

If your company seems out of control, or if it seems like the company is running you, instead of you running the company, put in place a well thought out organizational chart, and see if that doesnt help. It certainly cant hurt. At the very least you wont get barked at while youre sleeping.

As alwaysMy two cents.

More:
Every Dog Should Know Their Place on the Porch | Mind Your Business - USGlass Metal & Glazing