As homeowners anticipate more use of their outdoor spaces during "staycation summer," they should expect higher wear and tear for surfaces like patios, driveways and pool decks. That includes more potential for stains to mar the look of those surfaces especially for families with kids and pets, and those who enjoy outdoor dining.

WOODBURY, N.J. (PRWEB) June 17, 2020

As homeowners anticipate more use of their outdoor spaces during "staycation summer," they should expect higher wear and tear for surfaces like patios, driveways and pool decks. That includes more potential for stains to mar the look of those surfaces especially for families with kids and pets, and those who enjoy outdoor dining.

Nature's bold colors are beautiful, but they can also stain patios. Cherry and other tree fruits, dark bird droppings, pet accidents and wet leaves left too long in the hot sun are typical offenders. Common manmade spills include wine and other colored beverages, motor oil and acidic foods such as barbecue sauce. And pavers can lose their color and vibrancy over time due to acid rain erosion and UV ray fading.

For those with existing paved surfaces, experts recommend a regular regimen of sweeping or leaf blowing, hosing down, and washing with a mild soap like Simple Green. Power washing on the fan spray setting held waist-high is usually an acceptable option, but never on the stream setting. Pavers should be checked from time to time for mold or mildew stains.

But for homeowners looking to replace or build a new patio, the good news is that today's technology makes it easier to prevent some stains from the start. EP Henry's line of ColorTech pavers features a factory-applied integral sealer that enriches and locks in the paver's natural beauty without needing to apply a separate sealant. That adds a layer of protection for resisting the most common stains along with acid rain erosion and fading from the sun's UV rays.

"ColorTech pavers come right off the pallet with super-rich color and are a great solution for families looking for ways to prevent or minimize staining and fading," says Brad Schwark, owner of All Green Lawn and Landscaping based in Freehold, NJ. "Usually you have to wait for a year before applying sealer to let the pavers go through the efflorescence stage but of course, that leaves a year of risk for families with kids. I do recommend ColorTech pavers because we've had great results with them."

With ColorTech, most accidental spills bead off like a waxed car for easy clean-up instead of bleeding into the paver material. And the integral sealer's UV protection stabilizes the color to make it more fade-resistant. The technology is now incorporated as a standard feature in the company's Premiere Collection of Bristol Stone, Chiseled Stone and Belmont pavers as well as in their new Cast Stone Paving and Wall Cap options.

About EP Henry

EP Henry is the oldest American family-owned and operated manufacturer of unit concrete products in North America. Based in Woodbury, New Jersey, EP Henry manufactures a wide range of Hardscaping paving stone and retaining wall products, including ECO pavers and their new line of ColorTech integrally sealed paving stones offering advanced protection and enhanced color. EP Henry also offers outdoor kitchen kits, garden wall solutions, design ideas and more to homeowners throughout the Mid-Atlantic states. For more information, visit EPHenry.com or call 800-44-HENRY (800-444-3679).

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Keeping stains off the patio this summer: Tips from EP Henry - Benzinga

James Juanillo was confronted by two white people on the street for stamping "Black Lives Matter" with chalk in front of his San Francisco home, an incident Juanillo recorded in a now viral video.

The couple questioned Juanillo and then called the police.

Speaking to CNN's Don Lemon, Juanillo said he believes he was arrested "because of the color of my skin."

Juanillo said the Black Lives Matter "should resonate with all Americans because Black Lives Matter is about equality."

"As a first-generation Filipino-American, you have to fight for that," he said. "And as a gay man, we fight every day for recognition, visibility, equality. So the reason BLM resonates with me is because I've been fighting for equality all my life."

The woman in the video who confronted Juanillo, Lisa Alexander, issued a statement apologizing for the incident.

"I want to apologize directly to Mr. Juanillo. There are not enough words to describe how sorry I am that I was disrespectful to him last Tuesday when I made the decision I should have taken care of my own business," the statement said. ."I did not realize at the time that my actions were racist and I have learned a painful lesson. I am carefully analyzing the meaning behind white privilege and I am committed to growing from this experience."

Juanillo said that "this can be a really teachable moment for all of us."

"I hope that if she offers an apology backed by action, backed by fighting on the right side versus fighting on the wrong side. If she uses her platform to acknowledge that she is racist and wrong, that will be powerful." "

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Black Lives Matter and George Floyd protest across the United States and the world - live updates - NewsDio

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The Beaver Dam River flows past the Watermark in downtown Beaver Dam. The city is seeking a grant to fix up the retaining wall that is failing.

The city of Beaver Dam will seek a grant to deal with the tipped-in river wall once again. City takes another swing at DNR funds

Beaver Dam Common Council approved authorizing the submission of an application the the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for an outdoor recreation grant that would help fund the project which is focused on dealing with the aging retaining walls along the river that are caving into the river. There also would be improvements to the riverwalk area including the addition of a kayak launch.

The city has previously applied for the grant to improve the area near the South Tower Lot and was denied.

Mayor Becky Glewen said that the department requested the city include something like an access point to the river that people with disabilities can use for the grant to be approved.

We were trying to take care of the walls tipping in on the river but the DNR is looking for outdoor opportunities, Glewen said.

Council members Ken Anderson and Mick Fisher voted no on the application, according to the citys record of the meeting. Fisher expressed concerns about how the city would cover the rest of the cost.

Council President Cris Olson said the wall needs repairs so whatever the city can do to get supplementary funds would be helpful to the taxpayers.

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Beaver Dam to apply again for grant to replace river retaining wall - Beaver Dam Daily Citizen

Multiple people were injured and possibly one killed Saturday morning when a tractor-trailer hauling cars hit a retaining wall in Salisbury Township and caught fire, officials said.

Lancaster County dispatch said the tractor-trailer swerved off the roadway and hit a retaining wall in front of a home on the 5400 block of Lincoln Highway.

At least one other car on the roadway was involved in the crash, and possibly a second. Dispatch said the coroner was called to the scene for someone in one of the vehicles.

The home sustained minor damage, but no one was home at the time, according to dispatch.

Telephone poles were also knocked down during the crash.

Dispatchers said responders were still cleaning up the scene at noon, but the fire had been extinguished.

FOX 43 photos from the scene show the tractor-trailers charred remains and debris all over the roadway, which was still closed at noon.

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Coroner called to fiery tractor-trailer crash in Lancaster County - PennLive

As a homeowner, you're probably all too aware that when things break in your home, or when you want things upgraded, time is often of the essence. The last thing you want is for home improvement projects or repairs to drag on, yet these jobs can often get held up when a permit from your town or city is required to get started.

Now, you're probably aware that there are certain jobs that always require a permit. Generally speaking, any type of plumbing or electrical work must have a permit attached to it, and the same holds true for any major structure you're building on your property, like a deck, fence, or in-ground swimming pool. But you may be surprised to learn that depending on where you live, a permit could be required for the following projects as well.

Retaining walls can serve both structural and decorative purposes, but once they exceed a certain height, you'll generally run into permit territory. Of course, the specifics of whether a permit is required will depend on where you live, but if you're building a retaining wall, it pays to put in a call and see what's necessary.

You probably know that you need a permit to install a new roof, but in some cases, you may need one for roof repairs as well. If you're patching over a certain portion of your roof, the scope of the repair may be substantial enough to trigger the need for a permit, so check with your town's building department before you move forward.

It's a common upgrade to replace windows that are drafty or just plain unsightly. But while you'd think you could just pop out your old windows and put in new ones, in some towns and cities, you may need a permit to go that route. Find out before you order those windows to ensure that your replacements meet whatever requirements might come into play.

Putting in a shed is generally pretty easy, especially if you're buying a prefabricated unit and plopping it down somewhere in your backyard. But depending on where you live and the size of that shed, a permit may be necessary, so get the facts before you pay for one.

It's clear that if you're going to dig up a chunk of your backyard and have a swimming pool installed, it's grounds for a permit. But many homeowners are shocked to learn that above-ground pools often require a permit -- including the blow-up kinds that can be taken down easily. In some areas, a permit is required for temporary pools of a certain height, so find out what rules apply where you live.

Though getting a permit may seem like an annoying (and, in some cases, expensive) step on the road to fixing or improving your home, remember that a permit isn't just about bureaucracy and paperwork. Having a permit means that someone official has reviewed your plans and agrees that you're ready to move forward with the work. Also, when you get a permit to have work done on your home, there's often an inspection component that goes with it. That inspection can help ensure that the work in question is done correctly, so before you moan about getting a permit, remember that ultimately, it's for your own good and safety.

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5 Things You May Not Realize You Need a Permit For - Motley Fool

VDOT has determined that 460 East between Rich Creek and Narrows is unsafe for travel due to a retaining wall issue and falling trees.

They have officially closed East bound traffic completely until further notice.

West bound traffic will soon be closed as well.

Lurich is the closest alternate route for travel to the eastern end of the county says Rich Creek Police Dept.

VDOT will have workers stationed at the Glen Lyn tunnel to assist with traffic control.

Giles Rescue has a unit stationed in Rich Creek for emergency medical calls and Peterstown Rescue has also advised they will assist with coverage.

Watch WVVA News at 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on NBC for more.

You can watch all of our newscasts live on our App and website here: https://wvva.com/watch-wvva-live/

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BREAKING: Va. Dept. of Transport completely closes East bound traffic on Rt. 460 between Rich Creek and Narrows - WVVA TV

Ginny Anderson is about halfway done with the mural she is painting on a retaining wall in McCook.

Lorri Sughroue/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. A local tattoo artist, sidelined by the coronavirus, has switched from decorating the body to decorating sidewalks and walls.

Ginny Anderson, who co-owns with Thomas Adams The Tattoo Shop of McCook, has been a tattoo artist for 24 years and is a walking billboard of her craft. Almost every part of her body, including her armpits, are tattoos shes done herself, sometimes left-handed or by using a mirror. Some commemorate milestones in her life, like the baby foot prints of her sons and the signature of Hank Williams III, from the time when he gave Anderson his autograph. Some pay homage to her personal favorites, such as what she calls the morbid Bob Ross, a slightly ghoulish rendering of the iconic PBS painter who, years ago, wrote her back after she sent him a fan letter. I have a lot of Bob Ross stuff, she admitted.

When the coronavirus pandemic forced tattoo shops to close as well as nearly every other business in the nation Anderson found herself without a source of income.

Another of Ginny Anderson's works is visible from the walking trail east of Kelley Park.

Bruce Crosby/McCook Gazette

Thats when local individuals and non-profits stepped in.

McCook Community Foundation commissioned her to illustrate the sidewalk in from of Sehnerts Bakery with the names of local businesses. Chris and Annette Wagner paid her to paint their retaining wall that faces one of the Kelley Park Trails, with the colorful reminder to Be kind.

And now, shes in the process of completing a flower mural on a retaining wall that faces Kelley Park, commissioned by Chad and Katie Graham.

She said shes been thinking about putting sunflowers on here for a while, Anderson said. So Im doing that and adding some other wildflowers, to go with the landscape.

The pandemic seemed to bring out the best in some people. The commissioned work is keeping her afloat while her shop is closed down, she said. Im really grateful to those individuals who hired me, because it means I have at least some revenue coming in, she said.

Anderson said she spends about five hours a day on the mural, using plenty of sun screen and now wearing a hat because the tips of my ears got sun burnt the other day. It should be finished up in a couple of days, she estimated.

With pandemic restrictions loosening by the week, she expects to be going back to the tattoo shop sometime in June. When that happens, shell have lots to do: Anderson said she already has nearly two months worth of backlogged appointments to re-schedule.

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Tattoo artist works on new type of canvas - McCook Daily Gazette

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Chase Elliott appreciated the gesture from Kyle Busch in reaching out to apologize over their incident on Wednesday night at Darlington Raceway, but it didnt completely soften the blow of the missed opportunity to win a NASCAR Cup Series event.

Busch and Elliott were racing for second place in the Toyota 500 when the two-time and reigning series champion drifted up and turned the sport's Most Popular Driver into the inside retaining wall.

Denny Hamlin was leading and would eventually win during the resulting caution due to a race-ending thunderstorm but was on older tires and essentially a sitting duck for those behind him. Busch was trapped on the inside entering turn 1 and attempted to wedge himself between Elliott and Kevin Harvick, but the gap wasnt there.

The contact destroyed Elliotts No. 9 and left Buschs No. 18 with severe damage. Its plausible that Busch wouldnt have finished second had it not been for the immediate rain that followed the incident.

Meanwhile, Elliott was left fuming, climbing out of his car and delivering Busch the middle finger as he drove by under caution. Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9, marched his crew down pit road to where Busch was parked and had to be dispersed by NASCAR security for not maintaining physical distancing in lieu of current coronavirus containment policies.

Gustafson, who once served as Buschs crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports from 2005-2007, eventually had a one-on-one conversation, with the multi-time Cup Series champion expressing the contrition that he would later tell to the driver.

Busch made the phone call, but Elliott wouldnt concede the matter as a closed case, as it was still a stripped opportunity to win a Cup race.

"Like I told him, I dont think he wrecked me on purpose," Elliott said during a Friday media teleconference. "I think that he was trying to make a spot that wasnt there. And, much like I told him, I get that mistakes happens, thats part of life and I get it.

"Hes just not a guy that makes many mistakes, so for me to be on the poor end of a rare mistake on his end is, at the end of the day, unfortunate for me and my team."

Busch addressed that phone call on Thursday after the Xfinity Series race at Darlington and felt the conversation went well enough.

"Went really well," Busch said. "Hes a class act, weve all seen that. Conversation overall was good."

Busch and Elliott have raced each other for over a decade, dating back to the younger drivers Super Late Model tenure. Busch competes in multiple non-NASCAR races a year and first raced alongside the second-generation racer in the short track ranks.

Until Wednesday, there had never been an issue between them, something acknowledged by both. So it meant something that Busch made the phone call, even if it doesnt undo the damage.

"Kyle and I have gotten along for many years," Elliott said. "I feel like Ive raced him with a lot of respect because I respect him. I think hes really good, and he is. A two-time champion should be respected, in my opinion.

"I think hes earned that right. The respect from my end was there prior to the event, so to hear that from a champion and a guy that weve raced really hard and clean together over the years, I think goes further than someone who I dont care for as much, or somebody I dont get along with as well, or somebody that doesnt race with that kind of respect or that kind of integrity on the track."

Elliott conceded that it will be easier for him to move on if he can get that win back sooner than later.

"Like I said, who knows the situations or the circumstances that youll be presented with down the road," Elliott said. "But at the end of the day, the whole reason Wednesday was as unfortunate as it was because we were battling for a win.

"So, I guess the bottom line is to try to put ourselves in position to win more, and thats a good problem to have. Thats my goal. Who knows the circumstances? Nobodys perfect. I get that, everybody makes mistakes. Im sure Ill make plenty of mistakes as time goes on. I get it, I just hate I was on the wrong end of a rare one on his end."

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Chase Elliott Respects Kyle Busch, Which Is What Frustrated Him the Most - Autoweek

Sofia Nichole Koch (Photo: Santa Barbara Police Department)

By edhat staff

A Santa Barbara teenager has been arrested for DUI, vehicle theft, and other crimes from a vehicle collision on the Mesa earlier this month.

Sofia Nichole Koch, a 19-year-old nanny, turned herself in to the Santa Barbara Police Department accompanied by her attorney on Wednesday.

Initial reports state Koch allegedly took a vehicle from a gathering on May 7. Around 1:00 a.m., Santa Barbara Police responded to a collision in the 1500 Block of Cliff Drive that involved a serious injury from a moving vehicle colliding with two parked cars.

A 2020 Range Rover was traveling east on Cliff Drive at a very high rate of speed when it clipped a parked Volvo wagon then careened into a parked Scion sedan.

The velocity of the Range Rover caused the Scion to be hurled 160 feet down the road from where it was parked. The Range Rover then rolled, struck several trees and a concrete retaining wall. The Range Rover's roof separated from the vehicle completely and was ejected down the road. The debris field spanned over 1,300 feet.

Scenes from the May 7 collision (Photo: Santa Barbara Police Department)

Koch, the driver, and her female passenger, 20-year-old Maesyn Fitzgibbons of Santa Barbara, were extricated from the Land Rover by first responders. Both sustained major injuries. They were transported by ambulance to Cottage Hospital.

Fitzgibbonssustained severe injuries including a broken sacrum, multiple breaks in the pelvis, and amputation of her left leg from the shin down. She's recovering at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

A GoFund Me fundraising account has been created to raise money for Fitzgibbon's medical expenses.

Koch has been officially charged with driving under the influence and causing great bodily injury as well as excessive speed, vehicle theft/joyriding, driving without a license, and refusing to take a blood-alcohol test.

She remains in custody at the Santa Barbara Jail on $100,000 bail.

May 7, 2020: Multi Vehicle Collision on Cliff Drive

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Teen Arrested for DUI and Vehicle Theft in Mesa Collision - Santa Barbara Edhat

Houston and Little York firefighters tap out a large big rig fire along the North Freeway near Greens Road on Thursday, May 21, 2020.

Houston and Little York firefighters tap out a large big rig fire along the North Freeway near Greens Road on Thursday, May 21, 2020.

Photo: Jay R. Jordan / Houston Chronicle

Houston and Little York firefighters tap out a large big rig fire along the North Freeway near Greens Road on Thursday, May 21, 2020.

Houston and Little York firefighters tap out a large big rig fire along the North Freeway near Greens Road on Thursday, May 21, 2020.

Big rig bursts into flames along North Freeway, driver burned

The driver of a big rig was badly burned Thursday afternoon when his truck caught fire along the North Freeway.

An Atlas moving truck was northbound on Interstate 45 near Greens Road around 2:50 p.m. when witnesses say the trailer began to sway. The driver tried to exit the freeway but crashed into the retaining wall along the exit ramp, which is when the cab burst into flames.

OFFICER IN RECOVERY: Houston ISD police officer injured after crash near downtown

A witness who works nearby said the cab was burning for some time before the driver managed to escape on his own.

Firefighters got the fire under control quickly. No one else was injured, according to a Houston Fire Department spokesperson.

A few northbound lanes of I-45 as well as the entire northbound feeder remained closed as of 4 p.m.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com

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Big rig bursts into flames along North Freeway, driver burned - Chron