After completing a major remodeling project, (left to right) Southwest Metroplex Baptist Association Director of Missions Scott Whitson, volunteer Boots Hubbard and Paluxy Baptist Association Director of Missions Glenn Ward visit in the newly renovated conference room at the associational office building in Cleburne. (Courtesy Photo)

Volunteer builders from Paluxy Baptist Association recently renovated the conference room at the offices of Southwest Metroplex Baptist Association. Glenn Ward, director of missions for Paluxy Baptist Association, talked with Scott Whitson, director of Southwest Metroplex Baptist Association, when they were attending a Latham Springs Baptist Encampment board meeting. Ward told Whitson the volunteer builders from his association had helped three small-membership churches renovate and upgrade their buildings. Whitson mentioned his associational offices conference room needed work, and the volunteer builders from the neighboring association responded. They removed a popcorn ceiling, installed new LED lighting, installed electrical outlets and computer ports in the conference room table, removed an old wall-mounted television and installed a new flat-screen TV, as well as hanging drywall and painting. It gives us such joy and blessing doing something to help others, Ward said.

Hill Country Baptist Association presented a $100,000 check to Alto Frio Baptist Encampment. The camp continued to operate this year at reduced capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that resulted in significant loss in anticipated revenue. When our finance committee began working our associational budget for 2021, the top issue we discussed and the question asked was, What can do we do to help Alto Frio? said Robert Wheat, associational director of missions. Several years ago, the association received money from the sale of church property, and those funds were placed in an investment account. After praying about the matter, the finance committee agreed to liquidate the account and donate $100,000 to Alto Frio, designating the gift for life transformation in Christ. Rusty Brandon is executive director at Alto Frio.

Howard Payne University will host a Micah 6:8 Conference sponsored by the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission on Oct. 26-27. In-person attendance will be limited to HPU students, faculty and staff, as well as residents of the Brownwood area. Social distancing and masks will be required, and attendees will be screened. Other registrants can view the event via a livestream link. The conference will explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected social justice issues, including access to health care, heightened food insecurity, as well as examining ways critical needs can be met. Speakers include Katie Frug, director of hunger and care ministries for the CLC; Chaplain Mark Grace, chief of mission and ministry for Baylor Scott & White; Kathryn Freeman, a writer and advocate; Jeremy Everett, founder and executive director of the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty; and Michael A. Evans Jr., CLC director of public policy. The conference is offered at no cost to participants, but advance registration is required. Click here to register or to find additional conference information.

Gordon T. Smith, president of Ambrose University and Seminary in Calgary, Canada,is the keynote speaker for the B.H. Carroll Theological Institutes Frank and Pauline Patterson Fall Colloquy. All of the sessions Nov. 9-10 will be conducted via Zoom videoconferencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith is the author of 16 books on the Holy Spirit, ministerial leadership, and Christian spirituality in a secular age, including the soon-to-be-released Come Holy Spirit Come: The Spirit in Creation, the Church and the Christian. The Times, They Are A-Changin is the colloquy theme. In the first session, Smith will address the secular age and the problems and opportunities presented to Christians. The second session will feature a presentation on sustaining the scholarly vocation in changing times. The third session will address the Christians necessary hopefulness in a time of change.Also at the fall colloquy, Margie Clayton, the latest Ph.D. graduate of B.H. Carroll Theological Institute, will present her doctoral dissertation. There is no cost for online participants. To register, click here.

Baylor University announced a $30 million gift commitment from Dan and Jenni Hord of Midland. Through the Hord Scholarship Challenge, they are encouraging the collective Baylor Family to match their giving to the university by supporting merit-based scholarships to help deserving students bridge the gap between merit- and need-based financial aid and unmet financial need. Currently, more than 90 percent of Baylor undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid, whether from scholarship support, federal loans or private grants. Gifts to scholarships through such initiatives as the Hord Scholarship Challenge will empower the university to attract and retain students who have received merit awards from Baylor based on their success through high school rankings and standardized testing, yet still have unmet and inhibiting financial need.

J.W. Jack MacGorman, long-time professor of New Testament at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, is donating his personal library to the seminary. The donation includes thousands of titles from MacGormans time as a student and faculty member, as well as many titles from his father, also a minister. Additionally, MacGorman is donating many of his files, notes and records from classes and sermons dating back to the 1940s. MacGorman, who will celebrate his 100th birthday in December, devoted his career to the teaching and training of students. Dr. MacGorman is an incredible treasure of Gospel faithfulness who gave more than five decades in service to Southwestern Seminary, President Adam W. Greenway said. That he would now honor this institution with his library, papers and other valuable items is even more evidence still of the blessing he has been to the seminary.

East Texas Baptist University received a $20,000 donation from the Rotary Club of Marshall to apply toward the renovation of the 8th floor of the historic Marshall Grand in downtown Marshall. ETBU has begun renovating the 8th floor into the Grand Hall, an open ballroom-type facility that can accommodate up to 280 guests in banquet-style seating or 400 theater-style seats. After Marshall Grand was given to the university in 2013, ETBU raised more $4 million to renovate the historic building with significant contributions from the Andersen Foundation, Moody Foundation, Meadows Foundation, and J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation. The School of Nursing Campaign also garnered support from foundations across the state, including the Rosa May Griffin Foundation, the T. J. and LaVerne Plunkett Foundation, and the Wece and Martha Johnson Foundation. While donor support provided the means to complete the academic spaces, three floors of the Marshall Grand remain unfinished, as the university continues to raise funds and make decisions on how to utilize the additional spaces.

Oza Jones Jr. has been named director of African American ministries for the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Jones served most recently as African American evangelism and church revitalization specialist on Texas Baptists Great Commission Team.He previously served churches in Grand Prairie and Arlington.

The Baptist History & Heritage Society honored church historian Karen Bullock of the B.H. Carroll Theological Institute with a Festschrift for her contributions to research and teaching in Baptist studies and for her service to Baptist causes globally. A Festschrift, German for celebration writing, has been a tradition in scholarly circles more than 120 years. Members of the academic community are invited to provide an article in an area of interest to the honoree. The articles then are compiled in a single issue of a scholarly journal. The Spring 2020 issue of Baptist History & Heritage features articles written by Bullocks former students, colleagues and friends. Prior to joining the B. H. Carroll Theological Institute, Bullock taught at Dallas Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She has served as chair of the heritage, identity and religious freedom commissions of the Baptist World Alliance.

Sign up for our weekly email newsletter.

Howard Payne University recently hosted alumni, students, personnel, board members and friends at the HPU Fall Family Reunion on Saturday, Oct. 10. The reunion featured Cobbler on the Campus and music from Taylor Castleberry, a 2013 HPU graduate. The festivities also included inter-squad scrimmages hosted by HPUs softball and baseball teams. The HPU Spring Family Reunion is scheduled Feb. 20, 2021. The spring event will feature a tailgate celebration with music by Austin Upchurch and his band prior to the HPU football game against McMurry University at Gordon Wood Stadium.

More here:
Around the State: Associations help each other and camp - Baptist Standard

An extensive renovation project at the Red Gym has enhanced several student programming spaces and improved the offices for some of the universitys key diversity initiatives.

Major elements of the nine-month project included the relocation and expansion of the Gender and Sexuality Campus Center, upgrades to two student identity centers, and improvements to the offices and meeting areas of the Posse Program, the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives, and theFirst WaveSpoken Word and Hip Hop Arts Learning Community.

This project is part of our ongoing commitment to invest in spaces where students can feel at home and where they can find and build community, says Gabe Javier, associate vice chancellor for student affairs in the area of inclusion and identity.

The Gender and Sexuality Campus Center, which supports LGBTQ+ students and their communities, remains on the first floor of the Red Gym but has moved to space that previously housed the Arpad L. Masley Media Room. The center, which serves 50-75 students daily, had outgrown its current space. The move roughly doubles the centers size.

Improvements include a lounge, enclosed offices for the centers four full-time staff members, a private area for students to meet with mental health professionals, and a meeting room large enough for classes. The meeting room will be available for events hosted by the dozen or so LGBTQ+ student organizations on campus.

The Gender and Sexuality Campus Center supports LGBTQ+ students and their communities. Photo: Bryce Richter

This feels like further institutional investment in the students we see every day and further recognition of the impactful work we do, says Assistant Dean Warren Scherer, center director. While the center has been on this campus for 28 years, this invites us to look ahead at the next 28 years, and that excites me.

A centerpiece of the new space will be an art instillation by Jeanette Martn, a Milwaukee-based artist and UWMadison alumna. The piece is being privately funded through a donation from the family of Paul Ginsberg, a former dean of students.

Another part of the remodeling project continues the universitys commitment to two relatively new student identity centers within the Red Gym: the Latinx Cultural Center and the APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) Student Center. The centers opened in the fall of 2018, but as startups that lacked staff or finished spaces.

The remodeling project continues the universitys commitment to two relatively new student identity centers within the Red Gym: the Latinx Cultural Center (above) and the APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) Student Center. Photo: Bryce Richter

Both centers remain on the North Mezzanine level of the Red Gyms second floor, but they now have newly remodeled, furnished space. And, as of last year, each has a designated full-time staff member.

Our identity centers provide crucial programming, resources and support for students whose needs have not otherwise been met by existing structures within our institution, says Claudia Guzmn, an assistant dean and director of the Multicultural Student Center. These spaces are designed to foster identity development and community building in an effort to enhance the Wisconsin Experience for underrepresented students of color.

Guzmn notes that both the Latinx and APIDAidentitycenters were born of student activism.

Im pleased that the university is confirming their value through the staffing allocations and the remodeling project, she says.

The APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) Student Center opened in 2018, but now has newly remodeled, furnished space. Photo: Bryce Richter

The remodeling project also includes upgrades to space on the second floor that houses the Posse Program, First Wave, and the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives. The space now has more offices, a conference room, a new computer area, a study space, and new carpet and furniture. The programs are part of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement.

Additionally, the remodeling project includes significant sound-baffling on the second floor to reduce airborne sound in the largely open area.

Read more:
Remodeling project improves student spaces at Red Gym - University of Wisconsin-Madison

Is the fast-food dining room dead? Probably not. But the pandemic could well give rise to a new generation of restaurants that ditch indoor seating altogether.

With quick-service restaurants thriving during the pandemic, thanks largely to the drive-thru, more companies are considering takeout-only units. Del Taco said last week, for instance, that it plans to test a smaller, drive-thru-only restaurant that ditches interior seats.

That comes on the heels of Burger Kings new drive-thru-focused prototype, some versions of which do not include interior seats.

Its designed for us to be able to get into real estate like conversions and other opportunities, maybe smaller parcels of land and infill scenarios that we couldnt necessarily penetrate with a standard drive-thru prototype, CEO John Cappasola said last week.

To be sure, drive-thru-only units have been in the industry for a long time. Checkers and Rallys consolidated much of the drive-thru-only fast-food concepts in the 1980s and 1990s.

More recently, drive-thru coffee concepts have taken off, led by Dutch Bros. Coffeewhich generated 15% system sales growth in the U.S. last year.

Whats more, quick-service chains have in recent years realized the benefits of their drive-thrus, as more customers started accessing them for burgers and chicken sandwiches. Chains such as Chick-fil-A and McDonalds have spent a lot of money bolstering the technology and other capabilities of their drive-thrus.

Jack in the Box largely ditched work on its interior for a remodeling program. The majority of the returns from a full remodel is coming through the drive-thru, aligning with where 70% of our business is generated, former CEO Lenny Comma said last year, according to a transcript on the financial services site Sentieo.

The pandemic has only accelerated matters, emphasizing further the importance of drive-thrus to the fast-food business. Many quick-service restaurants have returned to growth on the backs of their drive-thrus. McDonalds generated double-digit same-store sales in September even though most of its dining rooms are closed.

The aforementioned Checkers and Rallys, which was restructuring its debt going into the pandemic, has thrived since then. Our sales results are putting us in a great position, CEO Frances Allen told Restaurant Business in August. Our profit is up significantly ahead of the quarter last year.

While consumers have returned to dining out at casual diners, albeit with state restrictions on capacity, they have been much slower to return to fast-food dining rooms.

Cappasola said last week, for instance, that demand for dining rooms has been tepid, suggesting that the company will only reopen its dining rooms once that demand returns. You may be able to pick up some sales, he said. But the drag down on profitability may not be worth it.

The pandemic has already led to several takeout-focused strategies by big chains. Seattle-based coffee giant Starbucks said in June that it plans to close some 400 U.S. locations to make way for its takeout-focused Starbucks Pickup stores in urban areas.

Burger King unveiled its new prototype last month, a prototype that it began working on shortly after the pandemic began. It features a much smaller dining room, or no dining room at all, along with two or three drive-thru lanes, walk-up windows and curbside lanes. Some of the options allow for the complete removal of indoor seating.

The dining in was something that was interrupted, Rapha Abreu, global head of design for Burger King parent company Restaurant Brands International, said on the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive earlier this month. The car and the takeout was the biggest service mode.

The design is meant to give operators more flexibility on their restaurants, based on market needs and real estate availability. But it clearly demonstrates that more markets will not need a dining room in the future.

We know there are some locations where dining in isnt a big thing, Abreu said. He said the flexibility is important, enabling Burger King locations to go into more types of real estate and fit into more types of markets.

Thats a similar thought to the one Del Taco is using as it explores a smaller prototype without seating. Many restaurant executives believe that more real estate will become available as restaurants close, and theyre designing flexible prototypes to take advantage of it.

Were going to have more opportunities there that we believe will lead to additional access for us on the real estate front and for our franchisees that should lead to more growth, Cappasola said.

See the original post:
Why the fast-food dining room could be a thing of the past - Restaurant Business Online

When it comes to home remodeling, there is one company that homeowners can trust, and that is none other than A&K Remodeling & Turnkey.

This press release was orginally distributed by ReleaseWire

Houston, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/19/2020 -- Making extensive changes to one's home is a big decision, and it is not always an easy one to take. Such jobs need to be handled by professionals that come from a company like A&K Remodeling & Turnkey. With more than 30 years of experience in the field, they are among the best general contractors who can assist with home remodeling in Cypress and Houston, Texas.

A home remodeling job can be anything. Starting from making small changes to the rooms or going for extensive changes, it can be anything. What is true of a home remodeling job is that it is a significant and long-lasting change. So the decision to bring down a part of the house to rebuild it again from scratch cannot be made whimsically. One has to put considerable thought into the matter before the hammer struck the wall. The home remodeling experts working with this company recognize their clients' sentiments, which is why before any significant decision is taken, they make it a point to ask it through. Whether it is a bathroom remodeling or giving the kitchen a makeover, the entire process is shared with the client. Ideas are taken and considered from the homeowners since it is their home that is getting remodeled.

Home remodeling in Cypress and Houston, Texas helps in value addition to the property. Whether it is adding a small room or making extensive additions just as bathroom remodeling, the expert bathroom remodeling contractor in Cypress and Houston, Texas A&K Remodeling & Turnkey will be glad to help. Even a home painting job can be beneficial for one's home. It can keep the house looking as good as new. The painting job can be carried out on the interior as well as the exterior. A&K Remodeling & Turnkey has been providing cover and interior paint services for more than 30 years.

Call 281-647-6871 for details.

About A&K Remodeling & TurnkeyWith more than 30 years of experience, A&K Remodeling & Turnkey company is one of the well-known companies offering bathroom and kitchen remodeling, room additions, home remodeling, and more.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/ak-remodeling-turnkey-is-the-one-to-trust-for-home-remodeling-in-cypress-and-houston-texas-1310313.htm

The rest is here:
A&K Remodeling & Turnkey Is the One to Trust for Home Remodeling in Cypress and Houston, Texas - Press Release - Digital Journal

Buy Photo

Tractor Supply Co. has submitted plans to Marine City to remodel a portion of the former Kmart space.(Photo: Brian Wells/Times Herald)

Tractor Supply Co,soon will start remodelingwork ona portion of the former Kmart spacein Marine City andplans to open in the city next year.

The space has been vacant since December, when the Kmart closed and ended its 40-year run.

They have already submitted their plans for buildingpermitsso I expect work to start soon,Elaine Leven, MarineCitys city manager, said in an email.It will be a welcome addition and give people in the area another source for a great mix of products.

Tractor Supply Co. public relations representative Darias Collins said in an email the Marine City Tractor Supply Co. store is slated to open in early spring 2021.

Tractor Supply Co. has submitted plans to Marine City to remodel a portion of the former Kmart space.(Photo: Brian Wells/Times Herald)

The store will provide about15 new jobs to the areawith at least half of themfull-time positions. Anyone interested in applying for a position can visit the company's website.

"Tractor Supply is committed to providing customer service that addresses the needs of the Out Here lifestyle in addition to everyday home and pet care, and the Marine City area reflects that," Collinssaid.

According to the companys submitted plans, the proposed remodel includesabout 28,709 square feet offormer Kmartinterior space, next toMarine City Auto Care.

The plans include a permanent sidewalk display area, permanent trailer and equipment display area, a fenced outdoor display area, a pet wash area and dressing room space.

Read More:

The next two closest Tractor Supply Co. locations are in Richmondand New Haven; the company also has locations in Fort Gratiot Township and Marysville.

According to the First Commercial listing for the property, the remaining former Kmart space available is 54,962 square feetwith a rate of$4.50 per square foot per year.

The listing describes Riverside Plaza as supporting the residents of Marine City and the surrounding communities. It is anchored by VG Foods and is located near the St. Clair River, just south of town.

Contact Bryce Airgoodat (810) 989-6202 or bairgood@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @bairgood123.

Tractor Supply Co. has submitted plans to Marine City to remodel a portion of the former Kmart space.(Photo: Brian Wells/Times Herald)

Read or Share this story: https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2020/10/15/tractor-supply-kmart-marine-city-remodel/5971431002/

Read the original:
Tractor Supply Co. plans to remodel part of former Marine City Kmart, open spring 2021 - The Times Herald

By Nicola Caul Shelley, Synergy Design & Construction

At Synergy Design & Construction, were big believers in giving homeowners insights into everything you need to know to make informed decisions about home remodeling.

As the pandemic wears on and were all spending so much more time at home, we know a lot of you are ready to make big changes. From kitchens to basements to bathrooms, interior remodeling services are in high demand especially as temperatures start to plummet and our attention turns to winter and the prospect of spending even more time indoors.

Other than kitchens, one of the most frequent home remodeling requests we get is bathroom remodeling. So, to help you on your remodeling journey, here are three dont tips you should know before you get started!

1. Dont Hire the Wrong Type of Contractor for the Job

Every day you see your powder room, your heart sinks a little and you make a mental note (again) its time to do something about it. If your powder room needs a little pep, its not a big remodeling project. But, just as you dont need a CPA to balance a checkbook, you dont need a full service design and build firm like Synergy if you just want to update a vanity and change a light fixture. Knowing who you need is the starting point. Doing your homework and aligning your needs with the type of service a particular contractor provides is a HUGE time (and money) saver. Read more in Best Remodelers in Reston and Where to Find Them.

2. Dont Assume You Need to Keep the Tub

We get this question a lot, Do I need a bathtub in my Master Bathroom?. The short answer is no. A soaking tub is aesthetically beautiful, but if you dont use it now you wont use it in the future. Weve completed a number of remodels for homeowners who chose to eliminate the tub altogether and create a larger shower that packs a design WOW! punch instead. If youre concerned about resale, most home buyers DO want a tub, but it doesnt necessarily need to be in the Master Bathroom. As long as theres one somewhere in the home for kids (and, yes, sometimes pets!) it isnt a deal breaker. Of course, keeping the tub and making a design feature out of it is always an option if you have plenty of room for one.

3. Dont Select Form Over Function

Its really easy to select finishes based on your HGTV vision of your space, not the real life version of how youll actually use it. Were all guilty of this one! For example, a pedestal sink can be a piece of artwork in itself, but it becomes a cluttered mess if you dont have a place to put everything. Spend your budget on storage-friendly vanities. Adding one might just reduce the stress you feel every time you walk into your bathroom and see cluttered countertops. Even the most modern floating vanities now come in all sorts of styles that include storage drawers, so if you have more contemporary taste, you dont have to sacrifice modern design.

Our featured remodel this month is a Reston townhome master bathroom remodel. This transitional bathroom is a great example of how removing the bathtub and creating room for a larger walk-in shower completely transforms the space. The result? A beautiful spa-like retreat.

Learn about the steps we take to ensure a safe home remodeling experience here. If youre ready for a design thoughtful home remodel, our consultations are FREE and we even offer virtual meeting options. If youre ready to chat, give us a call!

Read more:
Reno of the Month: Three Things Not To Do In Your Bathroom Remodel - Reston Now

Though both have been around for a while, construction professionals in the region said they are seeing them trend upward.

Old buildings for new purposes

Construction Engineers recently finished a project for Essentia Health that involved converting an old retail building into a state-of-the-art ambulatory care clinic.

The 23,000-square-foot building in Park Rapids, Minn., now includes 18 exam rooms, space for physical and occupational therapy, a speech therapy department, and a cutting-edge radiology department, among a number of other features.

Essentia moved into the space when Construction Engineers, headquartered in Grand Forks, N.D., was just finishing some final touches with the building in early September.

Mike Dunn, the construction companys business development manager, said this is not the first time the company has refitted a building for a new occupant. Dunn said vacant retail stores are prime real estate to convert to health clinics, in part because of the open spaces of vacant buildings.

We did a job very similar for Altru in Grand Forks where we repurposed a Scheels store, there on Columbia Road, into its PT and Performance Center, he said. These health care providers want to utilize these locations and save a little bit of money by remodeling into those buildings.

Dunn said there are some varying challenges repurposing old buildings, but the benefits surpass the hiccups. A couple of benefits is that the main structure is already built, and retrofitting an existing building instead of building a new one may save the new owners money.

I think there are definitely challenges with repurposing, but it can also help owners open faster because theyre not undertaking a totally new construction project, he said. I think that's why some of the owners like doing this. As an example, the Park Rapids project was a nice open floor plan to begin with and so it just involved adapting their layout for the flow of patient care and traffic patterns. It was totally transformed.

While businesses other than medical might find their own purpose for repurposing an existing building, it seems to especially be trending with healthcare providers.

They typically are in good locations and so the health care folks are seeing there's opportunity to put some of their specialty needs clinics in more retail locations and repurpose those buildings, Dunn said. We've seen a number of them do that. We see it all around the area, actually.

Dunn said he is unsure if the coronavirus pandemic has quickened the trend, because many remodeling projects started before the pandemic was declared. And from what hes seen, it is a trend not only locally but nationally.

A lot of these jobs have been in the works for three years or so, he said. I think it's more of a trend nationally with available buildings and, again, trying to fill up space instead of always doing new construction on the outskirts of town, that kind of thing.

Prefab and modular manufacturing

Modular construction and prefabricated buildings also are becoming more popular among medical facilities and the hospitality industry.

Something that makes these options appealing, according to Tim Torpey, general manager of B&T Manufacturing in Black Hawk, S.D., is that they are a cost-effective option, especially during economically challenging times.

There's no shortage of us having opportunities for projects, Torpey said. We continue to grow, and that includes our employees over the next couple of years.

The company is growing so remarkably, in fact, that it plans to open a new 60,000-square-foot facility this fall in Rapid City.

The Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020 SmartMarket Report, published by Dodg Data & Analytics, echoed similar sentiments, explaining that prefabrication and modular construction are experiencing significant growth as the construction industry seeks to improve safety, productivity, project quality and cost-cutting measures.

Clearly the future is bright for continued growth in use of both prefabrication and modular construction for a number of reasons, according to the report. One of those reasons, Torpey said, has to do with the number of diminishing trade professionals.

Construction folks will tell you that with the shortage of qualified personnel when you think about the carpenters and plumbers there are not a lot of folks going into those trades these days, he said. So they're looking for solutions to still get their job done, and this provides possibly more job opportunities in this market where people are not going into those other fields as much. This helps to kind of balance that out.

A view of a finished, factory-built bathroom by Black Hawk, S.D.-based B&T Manufacturing. Image: Courtesy of B&T Manufacturing

B&T specializes in prefabricated and modular bathrooms for hospitals, hotels and restaurants, among other industries. The bathrooms are manufactured at B&Ts facility and then delivered to the project site for installation.

They're actually complete turnkey bathrooms with tile, mirrors, shower doors, vanities, Torpey said. They just slide into the envelope of the building. Once on site, we do about two hours worth of connections and you have a fully functioning bathroom.

Of course, thats a simplistic explanation. Torpey said there is a lot of pre-planning, measurements, and coordination that happen along the way and long before the bathroom is installed. It never fails him when the job is complete; he is always excited to see a project come together like a finished puzzle.

B&T also is doing something else with bathrooms, something Torpey said he believes will be a game changer on the job site. Say goodbye to portable potties on the construction scene, he said. Say hello to the wellness hub.

The Wellness Hub for Hygiene & Health fits into a variety of environments to connect to sanitation, fresh water, and electrical utilities. It includes natural lighting and porcelain fixtures. Basically, Torpey said, it is a smart bathroom that scans the faces of users to take their temperature, provides a hand-sanitizing basin, and once the occupant leaves the hub it locks the door and automatically sanitizes the room for the next visitor. The hub is on wheels so it can easily be moved to new locations of a job site.

The hub is just another way that Torpey said B&T is following trends and making new ones. In the larger picture, he said some general contractors still have a tough time with prefabricated and modular projects, but he understands why that may be the case.

The general contractors out here, the hotel builders and such, they've been doing their stuff for years and years, the way they've always done it, he said.

But he believes prefab and modular will continue to take hold and grow, and those who have come on board with it realize the benefits.

They see the potential, but it is still that leap of faith, he said. Basically what were doing, we're just bringing construction into a manufacturing process.

Andrew Weeks may be reached at 701-780-1276 or aweeks@prairiebusinessmagazine.com

Go here to see the original:
A couple of construction trends to keep an eye on - Grand Forks Herald

Fall calls for more than just a reset on our clocks. We need to prepare for a new season. Here are some ways to do so and save money at the same time.

At the grocery store

Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season. Overripe fruits and vegetables go bad faster, so choose the freshest produce available. When it comes to leafy greens, opt for those that are richly colored, with few to no limp or yellow leaves. When youre picking out root vegetables like potatoes and onions, weight is a good indicator of freshness: The heavier they are, the better.

In your clothes closet

The cheapest place to go shopping is right in your home. With cooler months approaching, its time to go through your closet and swap out your favorite shorts for your favorite sweatpants.

Take a day to go through everything you own, and create piles for things you no longer want, things you want to keep, and seasonal items. For clothing you wont need until next summer, properly pack it in airtight containers to avoid issues like moths.

Once your clothing is separated, youll probably have some items that are showing signs of wear. Dont toss them. Its surprisingly easy to re-dye clothing that has started to fade. If you have stained items, try soaking items in OxiClean. If you noticed that your workout gear is not looking as spry as it used to (or that its retaining a funky smell even after washing), bring it back to life with Purex Fels-Naptha.

If the idea of going through your wardrobe doesnt fill you with joy, get some friends together over Zoom for a virtual clothing swap. You might be able to nab a couple of new pieces from pals and rid yourself of stuff you dont love anymore.

Around the house

If youre itching to do some remodeling, try something that doesnt cost anything at all: rearranging your furniture.

First, decide what you want the focal point of the room to be and concentrate on that. If its the bay windows in your living room, figure out how to arrange the furniture so it doesnt impede the view. Position the largest pieces of furniture (such as the bed or sofa) first, and work outward from there. Try different layouts.

Once you have an arrangement you like, step out of the room and walk back in. A vibe check will allow you to see how the room feels.

After rearranging, you may find yourself in need of a new piece of furniture or two. But before you go shopping, take a look around your house to see whether theres anything you can repurpose. Could that old bookshelf be transformed into your new standing desk?

Clean and organize

Now that youve rearranged, why not take the extra step of making the furniture look new? To tackle lighter stains, a little warm water and dish detergent can usually do the trick (depending on the fabric).

If you need something stronger, or you need more than just a spot treatment, it may be worth getting an upholstery cleaner. A good upholstery cleaner may seem expensive, but its cheaper and more convenient than hiring a professional cleaner.

Want to give your bathroom an inexpensive face-lift? Organize anything you have stored in exposed shelving. Tidying up (and hiding things out of sight) is especially rewarding if you have a smaller bathroom. A clean space creates the illusion of a larger space. Or perhaps you can craft a new shower curtain.

Originally posted here:
It's fall. Time to refresh, reset and save - Minneapolis Star Tribune

After a 3-year-old named Matthew started having one seizure after another, his worried parents learned he had a chronic brain condition that was causing the convulsions. They faced an impossible decision: allow the damaging seizures to continue indefinitely, or allow surgeons to remove half of their sons brain. They chose the latter.

When Matthew emerged from surgery, he couldnt walk or speak. But bit by bit, he remastered speech and recaptured his lost milestones. The moment one side of his brain was removed, the remainder set itself to the colossal task of re-forging lost neural connections. This gut-level renovation was so successful that no one who meets Matthew today would guess that half his brain is gone.

BOOK REVIEW Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain, by David Eagleman (Pantheon, 320 pages).

Stanford neuroscientist David Eagleman is obsessed with probing the outer limits of this kind of neural transformation and harnessing it to useful ends. Weve all heard that our brains are more plastic than we think, that they can adapt ingeniously to changed conditions, but in Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain, Eagleman tackles this topic with fresh lan and rigor. He shows not just how we can direct our own neural remodeling on a cellular level, but how such remodeling a process he calls livewiring alters the core of who we are.

Our machinery isnt fully preprogrammed, but instead shapes itself by interacting with the world, Eagleman writes. You are a different person than you were at this time last year, because the gargantuan tapestry of your brain has woven itself into something new.

His expertise derives from his place at the center of the livewiring universe. As the CEO of NeoSensory, which makes sensory aids like wristbands that allow deaf people to feel sound, hes been an architect of brain plasticity research for more than a decade.

In a refreshing counterpoint to the biology-is-destiny drumbeat, Eagleman embarks on a lively tour of how we can transform our brains by exercising our own agency. The neurons we exercise thrive and make new connections, he says, while the unused ones wither away. Its essentially Darwins survival of the fittest playing out inside the human skull. Just like neighboring nations, neurons stake out their territories and chronically defend them, Eagleman writes. Each neuron and each connection between neurons fights for resources.

The brains remodeling ability offers us lots of room to compensate for our existing weaknesses. Just as Matthews neurons cross-linked in new ways to make up for the brain tissue he lost, the brains of blind or deaf people adapt by forming more neural connections to process information coming from other senses. Brain regions care about solving certain types of tasks, irrespective of the sensory channel by which information arrives, Eagleman writes. The cartography of the brain constantly shifts to best represent the incoming data.

Still, he stresses that these kinds of dramatic changes may not be lasting unless theyre actively maintained. If youre a football quarterback, the region of your brain devoted to split-second decisions will be a rich thicket of neural connections, exquisitely attuned to the task of speeding the ball to a receiver. But if you retire and retreat into couch potato-hood, these hard-won neural connections will atrophy. Decades down the line, you may have to summon all your concentration just to flip the ball to your grandkids.

Our profound neural adaptability stems in part from the brains bias toward maximizing novel input, a strategy Eagleman calls infotropism. Once the brain hits on a vein of new information, it sucks it up with vigor, valuing it over old or static inputs a bent that explains some of our more memorable neural quirks.

You are a different person than you were at this time last year, because the gargantuan tapestry of your brain has woven itself into something new, Eagleman writes.

Lots of people saw book pages with a faint reddish cast in the mid-1980s because office workers were staring at green-lit computer monitors for hours each day. In response to the new abundance of green, the brain re-calibrated its visual baseline, causing everything else to look just a little redder by comparison. (The effect disappeared once monitors started to display more colors.) In a similar way, your brain adjusts for stable visual stimuli like the fine scrim of blood vessels on your retina, so youre never conscious of seeing these vessels at all.

Importantly, Eagleman also addresses the limits of neural remodeling a discussion that lends surprising insight into our polarized political landscape. We experience a pronounced drop in brain plasticity as we age, which is one reason some older people seem mired in world views that may not align with todays global realities. Through years of border disputes, neural maps become increasingly solidified, Eagleman writes, later adding, Someday, your brain will be that time-ossified snapshot that frustrates the next generation.

Despite his acknowledgment of this reality, Eaglemans overall tone is one of heady optimism about livewirings potential. The dogged adaptability of the human brain, he says, suggests a broader guiding principle for designers and inventors: Dont build inflexible hardware; build a system that adapts to the world around it. He floats the prospect of International Space Station components that are initially incompatible, but muddle their way to compatibility by trying different connection strategies just as the brain muddles its way to solutions through repeated trial and error.

No technology yet exists to enable this kind of flexible machine intelligence, which underscores the immensity of the challenge Eagleman is posing. While Livewired is long on enthusiasm (and rightfully so), its a bit short on guidance for emulating or augmenting the adaptable system inside our heads. Its easy for the hype that surrounds brain plasticity to get ahead of reality, as when Elon Musks Neuralink prototype branded as a Fitbit in your skull to enhance neural activity proved to be basically a miniaturized set of electrodes.

Even so, the scientific discoveries that have been made are remarkable enough, and Eaglemans insights on their significance shrewd enough, to make his book a vital addition to the pop-neuroscience canon. Were still a far cry from harnessing our brains chameleon-like properties to the fullest extent. But that doesnt mean its too early to sketch out the possibilities that will open up when we do.

View original post here:
Book Review: The Remarkable Adaptability of the Human Brain - Undark Magazine

Caribou Coffee will have a counter inside the Festival Foods on Northland Avenue in Appleton.(Photo: Einstein Bros. Bagels)

Five things to know today: Several coming attractions in the Fox Cities updated their opening date plansthis week.

One business will unveilits expansionshortly, and an east-side organization puts on the brakes both because of the pandemic's effects.

Plus, theres a voteright nowthat has nothing to do with politics.

The new food court in the Northland Avenue Festival Foods in Appleton will open Nov. 13. Its currently hiring 20 people to run the area at the front of the store.

The reason why a 2,000-square-foot food court is drawing so much attention is that it will be the home of northeast Wisconsins first Caribou Coffee counter.

It will also have a gourmet popcorn counter, expanded HisshoSushi, Asian stir-fry and pizza by the slice.

Going to Pieces Quilt Co.completes its expansion nextweek at 1017 W. Northland Ave. in Appleton. The new space will house a new specialty fabric room and a nearly 900-square-foot quilting classroom that allows social distancing.

The business has seena surge of interestduring the pandemic as home sewers looked for new projects, said co-owners Mary Klein and Joanne Mjos.

Acocas remodeling/expansion in downtown Appleton should wrap up by the end of the month.

The mousy beige building was painted pimento red, making it stand outacross the street fromthe Fox Cities Performing Arts Center.

When it reopens, co-owner Bill Wetzel said it will havelimited hours to start and curbside pickup anddelivery only for its coffee drinks and breakfast items. As COVID-19 eases, hell add hours and expand the menu.

Thompson Center on Lourdes, a senior center on Appletons east side, will closetemporarily starting Friday becauseof COVID-19'saccelerationin the area. The center will reopen when the curve has flattened, its leaders said in a release.

More: COVID-19 in Appleton, Fox Cities: Thompson Center will close Friday to help slow spread of coronavirus

Kimberly-Clarks Nano diapers, made for preemies up to two pounds, area final four nominee in the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin, contest, an annual Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce promotion. Anyone can vote at madeinwis.com up until the winner is named Wednesday.

Besides K-Cs diapers made in Neenah, Plexus in Neenah and the Boldt Co. in Appleton had also made it into the contests final 16.

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

More: The Buzz: Changes include a grocery store closure in New London

More: Shred Day offered Saturday at Bank First

More: The Buzz: VFW building sold to local investment group

Read or Share this story: https://www.postcrescent.com/story/money/companies/buzz/2020/10/08/buzz-updates-caribou-coffee-acoca-quilting-shop-and-more/5922790002/

See the original post here:
The Buzz: Updates on coming businesses, plus a few COVID-related changes - Post-Crescent