Here are quarantine-friendly ways to get mom a perfect gift for Mother's Day. USA TODAY

When celebrating mom this Mother's Day, we are going the (social) distance!

Amid a global pandemic, Sunday's festivities may detour from the usual but there are still creative ways to make an irreplaceable parent feel loved. Technology can shrink the distance and allow for shared experiences. Take-out that pulls double-duty can also be a plus. Or perhaps you can drive a decked out car and toot your mom's horn!

Here are the ways that you can make your mom feel special. And bonus for the procrastinators (whose mom would likely lovingly describe themas "just very busy"): Most of these things can still be done now.

Timree Gold, owner of Timree Paint Studio, inNewport Beach, California, has created a not-so-paint-by-numbers way moms and their kids can have a shared experience, though distance may keep them apart. She's hosting a livestream painting class (Sunday, 6:30 p.m. EDT/3:30 PDT) where attendees will painta colorful bouquet.

Gold says once the quarantine hit "within 24 hours I totally switched my business to completely online live streaming." She's had interest in her classes from people across the country.

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One client was unable to visit her mother getting cancer treatment at the City of Hope. "So she got her mom all the paintsand all that," says Gold. "Now this is their way to kind of connect while shes in the hospital, and then the daughter and her grandkids can all paint."

Gold says moms can also opt out of painting beside their child, as a Mother's Day treat for themselves. "The selling point is the peace and quiet because you can set (your kids) up, give them to me and I take them step by step," she says. "Moms can definitely step away and just, like, watch some TV. Like, basically, thats what I want to do is, like, sit on the couch (laughs)."

Denise Richards,Laura Prepon and Valerie Bertinelli's tips for Mother's Day in quarantine

Just because you'resocial distancing doesn't mean you and your madre have to forgo your movie nights or TV binges, even if you aren't in the same household.

Thanks to a Google Chrome extension calledNetflix Party, groups of friends/siblings/familiescan get together virtually andwatch theirfavorite Netflix titles on their computers at the same time. The extension also comes with a chat room, so you and Mom can share your reactions as you watch. She might have something to say about the second season of "Dead to Me"or Jerry Seinfeld's new stand-up special.

In order to participate, all you need is a Google Chrome browser,the extension and a Netflix subscription. (More about how it works here.)

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Jordan Farrell, director of communications for theNashville-basedStrategic Hospitality, suggests checking out what local eateries and businesses have planned for the day. If you aren't in the same house as your mom, you can drop the food off with her.

"A lot of them have special packages, a lot of them are doing some really fun out of the box kind of things," she says. "So, look around. Theres a lot of ways that what theyre doing might help you figure out what to get Mom."

Strategic Hospitality'sPinewood restaurant has partnered with local vendors to create take-away offerings that please more than just the palate. Their Mother's Day Brunch Packsinclude a variety of options bath bombs and masks for a spa-like experience,a bouquet of flowers oran activity for the family.

"We want to offer everyone a really great experience so we thought, 'What do you want to do with mom on Mothers Day?'"saysFarrell. "We wanted to give people the option of enhancing that a little bit without having to try and look around too much."

Similarly, Mom 'n 'em CoffeeinCincinnati, started by brothers for their mother, has a trio of Mother's Day gift bags to choose from. All include a bouquet of flowers, tote and bottle of vino. The mid-tier option also includes a bag of coffee and the top-tier bundle adds on a gift card.

With so many out of work, there is a greater need this Mother's Day for assistance, and your mom might be touched by a donation to help other families.

Saturday, numerous celebrities are participating in an Instagram Live event (3 p.m. EDT/12 p.m. PDT) withBaby2Baby, anational nonprofit organization thatdistributes necessities likediapers, clothing and hygiene products for kidsliving in poverty.Gwyneth Paltrow,Chrissy Teigen,Kerry Washington, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Garner and Drew Barrymore are just some of the stars who will talk about their involvement with the organization, the impact of COVID-19 and theirMothers Day traditions.

"The need has increased exponentially,"says co-president Norah Weinstein. "As far as diapers go, we gave out 350% more diapers in the first month of COVID than in the previous months."

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Chrissy Teigen is one of the numerous celebrities who serves as a Baby2Baby Angel, committed to the organization the helps children in poverty receive the items they need.(Photo: Courtesy of Baby2Baby)

Baby2Baby says it has delivered 13 million items to those affected by the outbreak. and100 million items since its inception in 2011.

"In our minds, the gift that (moms) want and deserve is to be able to provide for their children, and we want to do everything in our power to help them realize that,"Weinstein says.

People inin Port Huron, Michigan have planned a Mother's Day Car Parade for Sunday. Organizers of the procession,business ownersLuke and Sindy Marion, have experienced some success and wanttopay it forwardto other local businesses with this parade. Lukesaid heand his wife spent $5,000from their own pocketsto buy gift cards from 10 local businessesto give toparade participants randomly.

He asks people decorating their vehiclesto stay focused on Mothers Day or have apositive message like appreciating first responders.

We just want to see some people smile, Luke said. Thats the objective.

Chrissy Teigen's famous banana breadrecipe is here for your self-isolation baking

'Harry Potter' starRupert Grint, Georgia Groome are 'delighted' by arrival of baby girl

Contributing:Polly Campbell, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Bryce Airgood, Port Huron Times Herald andCharles Trepany, USA TODAY

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5 Mother's Day ideas to make Mom feel special, in addition to that very important call - USA TODAY

Souper Salad Manager Eduardo Vargas explains the new buffet style set up at the restaurant Monday, May 4, in El Paso. El Paso Times

El Paso's rising coronavirus cases have reached the peak many models predicted would happen in early May.

The county surpassed 1,000COVID-19 cases Monday, and by Friday, cases reached 1,276, according to data released by the city of El Paso. Additionally, 10 more El Pasoans had died from COVID-19 this week, as of Friday, bringing the total to 32.

This past week the first full week select Texas businesses could reopenat partial capacity saw record hospitalizations in the 80s, but the impact of the state's gradualreopening won't begin to be known until this upcoming week.

Dr. Alan Tyroch, chief of surgery and trauma medical director at University Medical Center of El Paso, said it could take about 10 days to see an impact.

The spike in hospitalizations seen this past week is from infections that occurred prior to May 1, when retail stores, malls, movie theaters and restaurants were allowed to reopen at 25% capacity.

While some of these cases could be a result of people gathering with family April 12 for Easter, these casesarelikelyinstances of people continuing to gather with those outside their household, said Dr. Hector Ocaranza, the health authority for the city and county.

Souper Salad at 7019 N. Mesa open Monday, May 4, in El Paso. Souper Salad reopened both locations after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott allowed restaurants to reopen while limiting occupancy to 25% capacity and promoting safe distancing practices.(Photo: BRIANA SANCHEZ/EL PASO TIMES)

"As the governor sends the message that the economy needs to reopen, people start relaxing, hence the message we continue sending the community: please continue to observesocial distancing," Ocaranza said.

"As more places are opening, it doesn't mean that the risk of getting exposed or infected is going to be lowered," he said.

Friday's reopening of salons and barbershops is of less immediate concern to health officials than Mother's Day, which this year falls on the same day in both the United Statesand Mexico.

Mother's Day 2020:10 gift ideas to make El Paso moms feel loved, while social distancing

If Sunday is a repeat of Easter and families get together to celebrate, Ocaranza and Tyroch said they expect hospitalizations to risein the coming weeks.

"If we don't do a good job on Mother's Day ... that may cause another peak in 10 to 14 days," Tyroch said.

Hospitalizations hit a record daily high of 83 COVID-19 patientsFriday, according to city of El Paso data.

An average 67 patients were hospitalized during the seven-day period between Saturday, May 2, and Friday, May 8. The daily hospitalization average the previous week, from April 25 to May 1, was 43 patients.

The number of patients in intensive care units also reached a record 47 Friday.

An average 40 patients were in the ICU between May 2 and Friday, higher than the prior week's 23 ICU patient average.

The city's hospitalization numbers are also a slightundercount from those UMC uses, Tyroch said.

On Friday morning, for example, UMC received a report that99 coronavirus patients in El Paso County were hospitalized. While that number can fluctuate over the course of the day, the change in patients between the morning and evening shouldn't be significant, Tyroch said.

Stay on top of the latest COVID-19 news: Click here to subscribe to elpasotimes.com.

UMC pulls its data from the local hospital systems in addition tothe daily reports hospitals send theTexas Department of State Health Servicesand the federal government.

Ocaranza was not aware of the undercount and did not have an explanation as towhy the city's nightly numbers differ.El Paso Department of Health employees call the hospitals daily to get hospitalization numbers, he said.

Because El Paso is in the midst of a case surge, Tyroch anticipates hospitalizations to increase and potentially reach the low hundreds as soon as the early part of this next week.And high numbers of hospitalized patientswill likely continue for a few weeks.

While that wouldput a strain on the area's hospitals, hospitals are in good shape when it comes to personal protective equipment, ICU beds and equipment, like ventilators, Tyroch said.

A significant spike in hospitalizations also wouldn't happen overnight, allowing hospitals time to take steps to avoidbecoming overwhelmed, such as by limiting elective surgeries again.

The Department of State Health Services reported 53 available ICU beds Friday for the region covering El Paso, Hudspeth and Culberson counties. Though Tyroch didn't know the exact number of available beds, it is higher than what the state reports, he said. That's because the state takes a conservative approach and reports staffed beds rather than licensed beds.

City of El Paso spokesperson Laura Cruz Acosta said an average 75 ICU beds are available daily across the county's hospitals.

El Paso Mayor Dee Margo said at a Thursday news conference he and El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego were prepared to speak with Gov. Greg Abbott as early as Monday to seek an exemption from a future statewide order allowing businesses to reopen at 50% capacity.

More: El Paso Applebee's, Peter Piper Pizza operator eager to return to full capacity in COVID-19 era

Samaniego told the El Paso Times Fridaythe motivation behind this is that localhospitalizationsare trending upward.

"It doesn't make sense that we're trending up and we're opening businesses simultaneously," Samaniego said.

Applebee's dining room reopened Wednesday, May 6, at 1766 Airway Blvd. in El Paso. Applebee's reopened their dining rooms in El Paso on May 1 after being closed six weeks by city and county orders, as part of an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.(Photo: BRIANA SANCHEZ/EL PASO TIMES)

In late April, the governorsaid asecond phase of business reopenings could come as early as mid-May, at which point businesses could operate at half their occupancy. When that happens, Samaniego said he will ask to have El Paso County be exempt from allowing that for 30 days.

Such an exemption does not mean local officials are opposed toAbbott's decision to reopen the state, Samaniego said, but rather that El Paso's coronavirus peak is a month behind other parts of the state.

"It's going to take more time" for El Paso to be ready to safely reopen, the county judge said.

Tyroch acknowledged the local economy cannot remain closed forever and said El Pasoans can patron businesses "as long as (they) do the smart thing." That includes wearing a face covering, maintaining at least 6 feet of distance from others when possible, washing hands frequently and staying home when sick, as well as not socializing with those outside your household.

Ellen Germany finally has her hair colored and cut after a long beauty salon closure due to coronavirus. Markham Salon at 2200 N. Yarbrough reopened Friday to the delight of many who visited the salon.(Photo: Mark Lambie / El Paso Times)

El Paso's emergency directive prohibiting public and private social gatherings of any sizeremains in place.

"Just be smart. You gotta live life.This is part of the whole thing. This is sort of like a new normal for now," Tyroch said.

That new normal will continue into at least the early summer, he said.

Staff writer Eleanor Dearman contributed to this report.

Molly Smith may be reached at 915-546-6413;mksmith@elpasotimes.com; @smithmollykon Twitter.

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COVID-19 hospitalizations hit record high in El Paso as impact of reopening still unknown - El Paso Times

The intrinsic journey of turning a house into a home occurs alongside the evolution of the interior. An inviting selection of occasional chairs can bring a much-needed air of elegance and beauty to any room in the house and these 10, in particular, will put you on the fast track to developing a very classy abode.

British designer Damian Williamsons inspiration for this selection of occasional chairs is far from standard. A sheet of fresh pasta draped over a large rolling pin served as the starting point for Williamsons design process. Although strange, the easy-going nature as of this occasional chair lends a very unoffensive presence in the room.

This chair was originallydesigned by Jens Risom in 1961. Risom was at the forefront of the Danish Modernism design movement and the A-Chair is one of his most compelling creations. Its a timeless piece, prioritising comfort as much as design innovation.

fredericia.com

With a base structure composed of native Brazillian wood and a beautiful combination of leather fabrics, the Adriana is named after cunning designer Jorge Zalszupins granddaughter. Available in a wide array of colours and fabrics, these occasional chairs are simple yet intriguing.

Heavily leather-centric, the Rondo is luxury seating at its best. Designer Lucy Kurrein received her inspiration from punching bags an object not usually associated with finer interior living. However, the crossover is clear when one considers durability and simplicity. Hopefully, this chair gets the same amount of wear as its inspiration.

spenceandlyda.com.au

Fans of Pierre Jeanneret will recognise his unmistakable style in the Cross Easy Chair which he designed for Chandigarh in the mid-1950s. The appeal of the chair is undeniably simple, conveying a grounded earthly presence through the warmth of teak and braided cane. A rare piece from an iconic designer.

This eccentric chair was designed by the professional design duo of GamFratesi, consisting of the Italian Enrico Fratesi and Danish Stine Gam. The wide-bodied chair, which can be upholstered to the buyers liking, features a bent beech framework framing woven cane with the option of brass feet.

gebruederthonetvienna.com

The Louise offers a very sturdy frame, planting its low position to the ground and reinforcing sturdiness. This suggests a strong beauty of design, found with the solid beech body that can be lacquered in shades of black or burgundy.

Very appropriately named, the Sling incorporates a clear resonance of relaxation and easy sitting. The intricate metal working of the legs is a clear standout of the impressivedesign. This difficult construction process means that no two Slings are the same, creating a bespoke customer experience every time.

rwguild.com

The Cortina seems to sink into its environment while simultaneously standing out as a beautiful addition to any room. The back includes a light-weight, web-like metal structure to ensure excellent support of the individual in the chair, seemingly defying gravity.

Espassos second feature on this list is well deserved, thanks to the Oscar. This particular piece was originally designed in 1956 for the So Paulo Jockey Club and is named after the legendary Brazillian design master, Oscar Niemeyer.

espasso.com

If youre looking to tie a space together, get some inspiration from Harvey Specters decor for his home and office.

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10 Statement Chairs That Add Character To Any Room - Boss Hunting

Homeless communities are one of the most vulnerable amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and people are on the frontlines to ensure their health and safety. USA TODAY

Transgender singer and actress Mizz June was coughing up blood and wheezing. Her ribs hurt when she breathed. She had painful migraines.

But when she called 911, the telecommunicator kept putting her on hold. When someone got on the line, they told hershe shouldnt go to the emergency roomunless she was really sick.

"I said I needed to go. I'm in pain. It hurts to breathe," she said. "They were like, you're just going to sit there. So do you want to at three o'clock in the morning, go to this emergency room and just sit there?"

Mizz June pushed back. I can't breathe, she told them.

They began questioning me, but I was so angered that I demanded to go to the hospital, she said. If I had not been the kind of woman that I am, a black transgender woman who has been through so much adversity. I would be dead.

The coronavirus outbreak is pummeling LGBTQ Americans, especially those of color, leaving a population already vulnerable to health care and employment discrimination suffering from high job losses and a growing rate of positive cases, according to preliminary data collected from multiple LGBTQ advocacy groups.

Many LGBTQ Americans live in states that have seen the highest number of coronavirus cases, including California, New York and Washington. These areas have also been hit by job losses driven by economic shutdowns.

In this Oct. 8, 2019 file photo, supporters of LGBT rights stage a protest on the street in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington.(Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta, AP)

As a result, many more LGBTQ people are struggling with unemployment, homelessness and food insecurity compared with other Americans, while simultaneously facing increased rates of health issues stemming from bias, mental illness and lack of insurance.

Scout, a transgender activist and deputy directorat the National LGBT Cancer Network, a non-profit organization based in New York City,said many LGBTQ Americans already face discrimination when seeking health care, and are worried these barriers could make it hardertoget treatment during the pandemic. Scott cited a recent controversy over afield hospital in New York's Central Park that requiredemployees to sign a pledge against same-sex marriage.

"Imagine if you were in New York City and you're queer and your partner gets COVID. Your closest hospital might be that one in Central Park that is very anti-LGBT," he said."Can you imagine what kind of fear you might have to send your partner to the hospital knowing you couldn't visit them again, right, because you can't visit the hospitals. And you can't be there to protect them and to make sure that they get the kind of care they deserve."

Advocates said the U.S. needs more comprehensive data on who is being tested for COVID-19. So far, many states have collected COVID-19 data based on age, race and ethnicity, but are not collecting sexual orientation and gender identity data.

That's prompted activists to try to create their own data onpositive cases in the LGBTQ community, while alsosurveying respondents onhealth care disparities stemming from discrimination from medical providers, including being turned away because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

"I would say that there is definitely not as much research out there as other communities because so few surveys ask questions about sex orientation and gender identity," said Naomi Goldberg, policy research director of the Movement Advancement Project, a non-profit think tank that provides LGBTresearch in Colorado.

Scout saidthe health care system needs to take into accountprior medical histories, as well as societal issues, while treating Americans for coronavirus, especially LGBTQ people.

"No one's measuring our outcomes, which, in my mind, is people in the health care system forcing us back in the closet," he said. "They're hiding the way this pandemic is going to play out our extra vulnerabilities and have a disproportionate impact on us."

More: Fauci guided US through AIDS crisis, too. Survivors say it's a roadmap for coronavirus.

Experts agreethat LGBTQ people may have health complications that could put them at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 or heighten complications after contraction. For example, LGBTQ people are more likely to be smokers than other Americans, according to the Human Rights Campaign. They also are more likely to have asthma. LGBTQ Americans, especially those who are non-white, are also more likely to have chronic medical conditions such as HIV or AIDS.

Access to health care can also be contributing to high cases of COVID-19 among LGBTQ Americans. Roughly 17% of LGBTQ adults do not have any kind of health insurance coverage, compared with 12% of non-LGBTQ Americans, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality based in Washington, D.C.

"We need to be talking about disparities, especially around race and class, recognizing that people of color have less access to health care,"said Daniel Ramos, executive director of One Colorado, a LGBTQ advocacy group based in Denver.

Participants wave rainbow flags during the 2015 New York City Pride march in New York on June 28, 2015.(Photo: JEWEL SAMAD, AFP/Getty Images)

Stigma and discrimination can also deter LGBTQ people from seeking medical care, even when they do have health insurance. One in fourLGBTQ people reported experiencing discrimination, while 8% of lesbian, gayand bisexual adults and 29% of transgender adults reported that a health care provider refused to see them because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, according to a national survey by the Center for American Progress, a policyresearch organization in Washington, D.C.

Sean Cahill, director of health policy research at the Fenway Institute, a center for research and advocacy in Massachusetts, said there is stillanti-LGBTQ stigma in health care.

"This affects their health, well being and affects their sense of safety," he said.

Michael Adams, chief executive officer at SAGE, a non-profit organization focused on LGBTQ aging in New York, suspects that many older Americans dying from COVID-19 could be part of the LGBTQ community.LGBTQ older adults are twice as likely to be living alone and four times less likely to have children compared to non-gay people their same age, which means that older LGBTQ people are especially at risk to lack care or support from family during COVID-19, according to a study by SAGE.

In a public health crisis like this there are very thin support networks among LGBT older adults, Adamssaid.

To help raise awareness, activists plan to host virtual pride events starting June 1, the beginning ofgay pride month, saidBrian Hujdich, executive directorof HealthHIV, one of the largest national HIV nonprofit organizations in Washington, D.C.

MizzJune said she contracted COVID-19 in mid-March and fears she may get it again. The symptoms initially left her with a dry cough andblood in her mucus. Then she felt constipated for a week.

I had a mild case but still I was coughing up blood, wheezing and I could feel my lungs and ribs hurting when I breathed, she said. Its just a disgusting virus.

She said was she baffled by the claims from the 911 operators that she should avoid going to the emergency room because it was too crowded. Only three other patients were waiting when she arrived.

"They told me I could contract the disease if I went. How could I when there were only three people, I expected at least a full room of 100 coronavirus patients," she said.

She has recovered since her hospital stay, but is worried that other black transgender women might have the same experience where"symptoms weren't taken seriously." She's been encouraging other black transwomen to get tested for the virus.

"I don't think people understand the seriousness of it," she said. "Whenever I go outside I put on gloves and a mask, I keep my distance because I've had it. I don't know if I can still pass it on to people but also I don't want to catch it again."

More: FDA eases restrictions on blood donations from gay and bisexual men during coronavirus pandemic

In this June 26, 2016, file photo, a woman holds a rainbow flag during the NYC Pride Parade in New York.(Photo: Seth Wenig, AP)

For LGBTQ Americans who don't get sick from coronavirus, many are struggling with unemployment or other financial burdens, activists said.

"When we think about the kind of economic earthquake that has happened as a result of COVID-19, with job losses and unemployment benefits, there's a lot of reason to be concerned about the precariousness of LGBTQ people and their families at this moment," said Goldbergof the Movement Advancement Project.

As the economy plummeted, more than 5 million LGBTQ workers were likely to have been impacted by COVID-19, according to recent estimates from the Human Rights Campaign. Jobs in restaurants and food service, hospitals, K-12 and higher education and retail industries have been hit, making up about 40% of all industries where LGBTQ people work, the organization found.More than 33million Americans havesubmittedunemployment claims since March.

"While we do not have official numbers on how many LGBTQ people have contracted coronavirus or have died because of it, we know in addition to health disparities, LGBTQ people are employed in the industries heavily impacted by the pandemic, such as retail, nightlife, restaurants, and they are more likely to live in poverty, be food insecure, and uninsured," said Tyrone Hanley, senior policy counsel of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the first national LGBTQ legal organization founded by womenin California.

Roughly 9% of LGBT were unemployed, compared with 5% of all Americans, before the outbreak.About 27% LGBT people were food insecure, compared with 15% of all Americans.

LGBTQ Americans are also more likely to be homeless than other Americans. Up to 45% of homeless youth are LGBTQ, while LGBT people ages 18 through 25 are two times more likely to be homeless than their peers,according to the Williams Institute, a leading research center on sexual orientation and gender identity at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law.

"We estimate that 139,700 transgender adults were unemployed at the time the coronavirus pandemic began. Recent job losses due to official orders enforcing social distancing practices will likely increase this number and exacerbate existing employment disparities,"said Jody L. Herman, a scholar of public policyat the Williams Institute and co-author of a recent report on COVID-19 and transgender Americans.

A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Rent Strike" Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. With millions of people suddenly out of work, some tenants in the U.S. are vowing to go on a rent strike until the new coronavirus pandemic subsides.(Photo: Ted S. Warren, AP)

LGBTQ people of color tend to face much harsher discrimination compared with their white counterparts because of their ethnicity, in part because of barriers such asinadequate or non-existent non-discrimination protection for LGBT workers, and a lack of mentoring,said Goldberg.

We know that with the economic issues arising many of them wont be able to work at their jobs, or their jobs arent remote, meaning they'll lose a paycheck, Goldberg said.

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LGBTQ Americans are getting coronavirus, losing jobs. Anti-gay bias is making it worse for them. - USA TODAY

An untouched room inside a scorched home. Those are thepictures Southington firefighters snapped following a Tuesday fire. And theonly difference was a door.

"Closing a door buys you that time to escape or for usto be able to rescue you," said Southington Firefighter Daniel Comen.

The Southington Fire Department is spreading that message on social media after the fire broke out on Queen Street.

Southington Fire Marshal James Paul says a mother, father, and 3-year-old boy escaped with injuries. On Wednesday, officials say all three had been released from the hospital. They and two other children are now displaced. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

"You go into the bedroom that was opened and everythingis blackened from the smoke," said Paul.

"A closed door, some people may think it's not going to make a huge difference. It's just a thin piece of wood, but hallway temperatures can exceed 1,000 degrees while the room temperature can be below 100 degrees," said Comen.

In addition to that, experts say a closed room during a firekeeps more oxygen in and away from the fire. It also keeps carbon monoxidelevels down in the room.

"The airflow plays a huge factor with fire development,so even when you're leaving home during the day for work, just shutting doors,isolating rooms can make a huge difference," said Comen.

The UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute recommends everyone close their bedroom door before sleeping. One of their videos shows the difference between a bedroom with and without a shut door. The one with appears in great condition. The one without has obvious signs of smoke and fire damage.

UL FSRI says 40 years ago, people had 17 minutes to escapefrom a house fire, but with all the synthetic materials now, people have less thanthree. Being inside a closed room can add minutes to that.

Half of all home fire deaths occur between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., so the extra step of closing the bedroom door before you fall asleep could save your life.

Southington firefighters hope getting the word out gets more families to add it to their routine.

"Literally any door will give you a better chance ofsurviving a fire than having an open door," said Comen.

If you wake up in a room with a closed door and hear the smoke alarm, firefighters say you should check the door with the back of your hand or check the doorknob. If you feel heat or you see smoke from under the door, stay in the room. If you're unable to escape out a window, firefighters recommend you throw something out the window to signal to them that you're there so they can rescue you.

If youd like to learn more about UL FSRIs Close Your Door pledge, click here.

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Southington Firefighters Remind Families to Close Your Door - NBC Connecticut

A majority of the Long Beach Island Consolidated Board of Education voted Feb. 26 to appoint Spiezle Architectural Group as its architect of record. The contract began March 1 and runs through June 30.

Board President Colette Southwick and Vice President Marilyn Wasilewski were joined by board members Kristy Raber, Fred Schragger, Brielle Hoffacker and William Fenimore in saying yes to the appointment. Board members Eileen Bowker and Georgene Hartmann voted against appointing an architect of record. John McMenamin, one of two Surf City representatives on the board, was absent for the second consecutive meeting.

Their first order of business will be to evaluate the Ethel Jacobsen Elementary School and the LBI Grade School at a cost of $14,900. The price tag does not include engineering services if that is required. The board unanimously approved the evaluation of the schools.

What came out of the failed referendum is that the public didnt have answers, Chris Kelly, district business administrator, said of the Dec. 10 special election in which voters in five Island communities voted down a $7.68 million referendum to renovate the LBI School in Ship Bottom. It marked the second time in less than three years that voters rejected a school project. The September 2017 project was aimed at expanding and renovating the E.J. School in Surf City.

Spiezle is charged with evaluating both schools for repairs and upgrades, she said. They will also provide data for additions to the LBI School and the E.J. School, in the event that a decision is made to merge into one building, according to Kelly. Lastly, the firm will provide information about the cost of building a new school, should that be the direction the district decides to take.

All of that information, Kelly said, will be rolled into the districts strategic plan. That plan is currently in the infancy stage as community members are working toward updating two separate reports: the state of the schools and the state of the community.

Fenimore, former school board president, said even with an eight-room addition at the E.J. School, the facilities would still be smaller than the LBI School. His comment prompted Kelly to further explain the firm is evaluating classroom space and how it can be used.

Also, she said the firm believes the state wouldnt hold the district to updating the gymnasium at the E.J. School, which was built to the specifications of a school for younger children.

In January, the district advertised a request for proposal for architectural services. It received 13 inquiries for more information; seven firms attended two site visits, and eight formal proposals were submitted, according to Kelly.

We chose one, she said during her roundup of the buildings/grounds/transportation committee meeting.

Spiezle Architectural Group is an award-winning, full-service architectural, interior design and planning firm, according to its website. It moved into its current headquarters in Hamilton, Mercer County, from Trenton, in 2017. It has offices in New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

The company is also currently bidding on an energy savings improvement project at multiple schools within the Little Egg Harbor School District, according to its website.

Gina G. Scala

ggscala@thesandpaper.net

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LBI Board of Education Appoints Architect of Record - The SandPaper

NEW COURTROOM Brooke County Magistrate Robin Snyder discusses the new courtroom for the countys magistrate court, with Chief Sheriffs Deputy Scott Addams. The courtroom is seen as temporary until the Brooke County Commission is able to complete a planned addition to the county courthouse for all of the countys judicial facilities.-- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG The Brooke County Commission has chosen McKinley and Associates of Wheeling to plan the proposed addition to the county courthouse.

The commissioners said a contract with the firm calls for it to receive less than 10 percent of the projects total cost, which hasnt been determined but has been estimated at $5 million to $10 million.

County Commissioner A.J. Thomas said McKinley and Associates was one of four engineering firms that submitted qualifications to the commissions building commission, a volunteer panel charged with pursuing funding for the addition.

Commission President Tim Ennis said the board will pursue loans for the addition, which will be built on the vacant lot by the courthouse and is expected to be equal in size to that building.

He said plans for it were spurred by two judicial orders citing concerns about security and handicap access to the county magistrate court facilities in the Community Bank building on Charles Street.

The magistrate court and its offices were moved there from the bottom floor of the courthouse when it was flooded in 2004.

In recent weeks, crews with Hukill Contracting of Wellsburg have established a new magistrate courtroom, with a new bench and walls, in the lunchroom at the courthouse known by many as the green room, for its former green floor.

County Magistrate Robin Snyder thanked the commissioners and everyone involved with the move, including custodians Larry Brownwall and Paula Huff-Smith and Brooke County sheriffs deputies who volunteered to move many files and remaining furniture not transferred from the bank by a moving company.

She also thanked other county departments and the commissioners themselves for giving up some office space to accommodate the courts return to the building.

Snyder said some features of the courtroom dont meet specific criteria set for the states courtroom facilities by the West Virginia Supreme Court, but state court officials have granted the commission some leeway because its seen as temporary until the annex can be built.

Following the meeting, the commissioners were asked whether the countys court facilities could remain in the original building, which houses the sheriffs department, a holding cell and the courtroom used by the circuit court.

The annex then could be used for other county offices, it was suggested.

They said it would be easier to build new court facilities to the state Supreme Courts specifications, with improved security measures, than to renovate the existing building.

Commissioner Stacey Wise said there are plans to maintain the original courtroom, which might be used for public meetings, when the addition is done.

In related business, Wise announced the commission has been awarded a $100,000 state courthouse facilities grant for a new heating and cooling system for the courthouse.

Wise submitted the grant, which requires a $10,000 local match.

She said the commission hopes to move as much of the current heating system from the bottom floor as possible and replace it with a system that is more energy and cost efficient.

Our goal is to get everything out of the flood plain, Wise said.

In other business, County Clerk Kim Barbetta said no bids had been received yet for the paving of Mac Barnes Drive though the deadline is 4 p.m. Friday.

The road leads to the countys animal shelter and the recycling center used by the countys solid waste authority.

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Engineer named for proposed addition to Brooke County courthouse | News, Sports, Jobs - The Steubenville Herald-Star

Great Wolf is opening a month ahead of schedule.

The biggest hotel ever built in the Great Central Valley aswell as Northern Californias first indoor water park will now open July 1.

Great Wolf Resorts Chief Executive Officer Murray Hennessymade the announcement Wednesday before the start of a sneak preview hard hattour of the $180 million complex that includes the signature 95,000-square-footindoor water park, 45,000-square-foot family entertainment center complete withrestaurants, and amusements, a 500-room hotel, and a 12,000-square-footconference center.

Great Wolf is a game changer for Manteca, Mayor Ben Cantutold the gathering that donned hard hats with wolf ears attached. The worldwill be coming to Manteca.

That may not be as big of a superlative as it sounds.

Hennessy underscored the fact Great Wolf expects the Mantecalocation to make a big splash when it open which is why it was built with thelargest water park it has among 18 locations.

BLD already attracts 500,000

people to Manteca, Great Wolf

will lure 500,000 more a year

The firm is marketing the Manteca Great Wolf in someinstances as the San Francisco Great Wolf given it is on the Highway 120 Bypassthat is traveled by the large chunk of the 4.1 million annual visitors fromaround the country and the world opting to visit Yosemite that work their tripto the national park in with a stay in San Francisco.

Before the Manteca Waterslides that were just over a mile tothe southwest from the front entrance of the 29-acre resort that you will beable to access in five months by turning on Great Wolf Way off the extension ofDaniels Street closed, a large share of its summer business were touristsstopping on their way back from Yosemite.

Great Wolf is also planning to build off the synergy ofbeing across the street from the Big League Dreams sports complex. The sixreplica baseball fields have been booked solid on every weekend since opening12 years ago and is the most successful BLD site in terms of play and revenue.

BLD lures more than 500,000 people a year to Manteca. Thatsthe same number Great Wolf is projecting will book rooms at the resort on anannual basis.

But while the water park that will eventually offer daypasses in addition to the two-day water park use that comes with booking roomsthat start at $199 for six people has been garnering a lot of attention for itsexpected economic impacts on Manteca, it has another component that will alsoserve to vault the city into a major destination in the Northern CaliforniaMegaregion a 12,000-square-foot conference center.

It includes a main ballroom that can be split in thirds orused as a large venue that has a capacity of 360 people in a classroom seating,450 people in a banquet configuration, and 600 for theater-style seating.Additional smaller spaces means Great Wolf with the right mixture of bookedevents can accommodate over 900 people at one time.

Great Wolf gives Manteca 2nd

largest conference center foot

print in one spit in Northern SJ Valley

That makes it the second largest conference-style center interms of available space in the same location in the Northern San JoaquinValley after the Modesto Centre Plaza.

The Manteca Great Wolf will have an outdoor pavilion as wellmaking it one of only two locations. The other is at the Great Wolf in Grapevine, Texas. One of the biggest users ofthe pavilion is expected to be events such as competitions staged by VarsityCheer that has an established working relationship with Great Wolf.

The conference center will have its own separate entrancegiven that events often attracts many attendees that have not booked rooms atthe hotel.

At other locations the conference center at Great Wolf hascreated a demand for booking nearby hotel rooms.

That means Great Wolf besides generating room taxes thatin the initial year Manteca will receive $2 million in a split that changesafter 10 years more in the citys favor and then goes 100 percent to the city will be staging events that will help fill other hotel rooms in Manteca. Allhotel rooms are assessed a 12 percent per night room tax that goes to thecitys general fund.

The city and Great Wolf split the first 9 percent of theroom tax while the balance a 3 percent increased approved by voters on allhotel rooms after Great Wolf signed the deal to locate in Manteca goes all tothe city.

Manteca expects to pocket

$129.1 million in taxes from

Great Wolf in next 25 years

Manteca expects to incur $350,000 annually in providingnon-user fee based city services to Great Wolf such as police and fire.Subtracted from the $592,000 in property and sales taxes the city will receivein addition to its share of the room taxes, it would provide a net flow of$242,000 yearly into the general fund. That is on top of the $2 millionannually in room taxes to help fund general city services and $123,000 yearlyfor Measure M public safety positions.

From all sources for the general fund after one full year ofoperations the city will pocket $2,242,000.

After 10 years, Mantecas share of the original 9 cents onthe dollar room tax increases to 75 percent. Starting in the 26thyear the room tax sharing deal ends and all money goes to the city.

The original analysis of the deal projected Manteca wouldnet $99.1 million during the first 30 years Great Wolf is open. Thanks to thevoter approval of a measure that took the room tax up to 12 percent from 9percent, the figure is now $129.1 million as all of the increase goes to thecity.

That means the city will have parlayed a $20,200 investment the amount Manteca paid in 1973 for the 29 acres they sold to Great Wolf forthe resort into $129.1 million.

Manteca 15 years ago realized there was a demand forconference space to serve the greater region as companies such as Verizon andelectronic firms that had operations in San Jose, Sacramento, San Francisco andeven Fresno were looking for a midway spot to bring personal together.Existing hotels had space capped out at 50 or so people. The Convention &Visitors Bureau had a number of requests for larger venues but could only offersocial halls during the week. Firms were looking for larger hotel-styleconference centers.

Great Wolf hopes to capitalize on that market by takingadvantage of Mantecas location. They also cater to wedding receptions andother events.

The Manteca location will have 500 year-round jobs of which250 will be full-time. In addition there could be up to 100 more seasonal jobs.More than 2,000 distinct workers have or are working on site to build theresort.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, emaildwyatt@mantecabulletin.com

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GREAT WOLF & BLD WILL LURE MILLION A YEAR TO MANTECA - Manteca Bulletin

1201 Half Street, SE

From a press release:

Atlas Brew Works is excited to announce its partnership with Andys Pizza for the brewerys new Half Street site, slated to open this spring. DC sports fans will have the perfect place to pre- and post-game when the new brewery and tap room opens its doors adjacent to Nationals Park at 1201 Half Street SE #120.

Andys Pizza is a New York-style, neighborhood shop offering classic pizza by the slice.

The dough is cold fermented for 72 hours and cooked in a New York deck oven, creating a crisp pizza with a satisfyingly soft and chewy interior. The concept strives to keep its toppings simple with a focus on quality. Andys Pizza got its start in Tysons Galleria and quickly grew through partnerships with Hilton Brothers Echo Park and Atlas forthcoming Half Street Brewery & Tap Room. Chef and Owner Andy Brown has a simple outlook, We are just trying to make the best pizza we possibly can, served on a paper plate.

Atlas Brew Works Founder & CEO Justin Cox said, Were excited to have Andys Pizza partner with Atlas for our Half Street Brewery & Tap Room. Andy is as nerdy about his pizza as we are about our beer. It will be a great addition to Half Street and a great amenity for the Capitol Riverfront community and sports fans alike.

Dine in to receive the full Atlas kitchen experience or grab slices to go at the walk-up window on Half Street SE. Guests will have a variety of options to choose from as the menu will include pizzas, salads, wings, and fries. Pair these food selections with any of Atlas beer offerings or try the novel Half Street Hefeweizen, specially brewed for the new location. The bready base, acting as the easy-drinking beers backbone, supports an overwhelmingly fruity yeast profile. Minimal hop bitterness and a dry, crisp finish round out the refreshing hefeweizen.

Originally posted here:
This Spring "Atlas Brew Works Brings Andy's Pizza to Half Street Brewery & Tap Room" - PoPville

Photo Credit: Jon Ort / The Daily Princetonian

In the spring of 2019, randomization errors in the University room draw process sparked outrage across campus. A few students conducted ad hoc data analysis, revealing the scale of the flaw. Eventually, the University awarded 220 seniors $1,000 in compensation.

Now, the University has promised it wont happen again.

According to Deputy University Spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss, a new system, to be put in place for 2020, will ensure proper randomization of draw times. This new system will ensure that larger groups have no advantage over smaller groups, and also eliminate similarities in draw times between 2018 and 2019, which were documented by Adam Chang 20 and Yang Song 20 last year.

The code that will be used to randomly assign draw times has been extensively tested within Housing and its efficacy has been confirmed by campus information technology partners, Hotchkiss wrote in an email statement to The Daily Princetonian.

In April 2019, the University acknowledged that there were unintentional similarities between the selection orders of the 2018 and 2019 upperclass draws, meaning that many seniors who drew in the same group both years received draw times in the same order as they did in 2018. As a result, approximately 220 were awarded $1,000 deductions to their housing bills.

However, many students expressed other concerns about the draw.

Chang and Song performed statistical analysis of the room draw times, and found that, in addition to the draw-time sequence concern, draw-group size also correlated with draw time. Larger groups, on average, received earlier draw times than smaller ones. This finding held true across all residential college draws, as well as the upperclass and independent draws.

We had a hunch that individual students were being drawn, Chang and Song wrote, in regards to their observation of a near-linear relationship between group size and draw time.

In both 2018 and 2019, room draw time randomization was conducted by CBORD, a New York-based software company. This year, according to Hotchkiss, the assignment of draw times will be performed by an external group random value generator outside of the CBORD system, which will be imported into CBORD.

We are confident that the implementation of the external group random value generator will address the random time assignment issues that were experienced during last years Room Draw, Hotchkiss wrote to the Prince.

Additionally, CBORD has committed resources to the University for this years Room Draw to provide a fast, coordinated response for any issues that may arise, he added.

The University did not indicate whether money will be awarded to students in the event of another similar error.

Despite these assurances, some students are not entirely confident that this years draw will be free of controversy.

I dont think its enough to blame CBORD and use an external group random value generator, Chang said. You learn in COS126 how to randomly generate numbers, so I doubt CBORD screwed that up. Its more likely that HRES [Housing and Real Estate] doesnt know what to do with random numbers. If they get perfectly random numbers but use those numbers to randomly choose students (instead of groups), well again see large groups drawn before small groups. Or if they use the same random number for each student in different draws, we'll again see similar draw orders in different draws.

Thats not on CBORD, thats because HRES doesnt understand probability, he added.

Reilly Bova 20, who contacted Housing in 2019 with concerns about the randomization process, has a more optimistic view.

I think characterizing these as changes would be incorrect, Bova wrote in a statement to the Prince. It was always the policy that draw group size does not affect draw time, and that a particular draw for a particular year has its own random order. The issue was that the room draw software was not properly tested to ensure it was developed to specification.

It is my hope that the University has learned from the room draw debacle, Bova noted, and will take precautions to audit and test administrative software before rolling it out into production.

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After last year's errors, U. amends room draw process, believes it will run smoothly - The Daily Princetonian