Why wouldn't the homes people plan to buy, build, or remodel reflect some of the lessons learned during this pandemic? Almost everything else in our world has been affected in some way by this situation.

When your home becomes your office, gym, or your child's school, it is not unexpected that you'd want more room, some dedicated spaces, and some other pertinent or practical changes.

For many Europeans, bidets are not only astandard way of life, many countries require them by law. Here in the U.S. - -not so much. And while they'll never be legislated here, people are coming around to their benefits.

Due to the Great Toilet Paper Shortage of 2020, companies that make and market bidets have seen a boost to their bottom lines. (Sorry, I couldn't resist!)More homebuyers are seeing them as a necessity, along with smart bathroom technology items like touchless toilets.

Something I've never really cared for is the open floor plan that has been a staple of home design for decades. You couldn't watch a home buying or remodeling show on HGTV without the prospective client mentioning that they wanted the "open floor concept". Well now, that may be changing.

Having the capability to self-isolate from other family members became very important over the last 6 months, and thanks to the continuing unknowns of our current crisis, will continue to be so.

Bigger lots are becoming more desirable for the same reason; more space between you and other people. Multi-generational homes are becoming popular due to the fact that people didn't like being separated from lovedones living in senior communities.

Finally, because more people have been avoiding shopping in stores and e-commerce has climbed to new levels,not to mention the fact that porch pirates have been very busy lately, designers are being asked to add safe package drop-off areas to homes.

Source: Livability

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COVID-19 Will Change Homes According to Real Estate Experts - KSOO News

An artists rendering shows the new Jefferson Elementary School, which will be built behind the football field at South Middle School. The city codes office issued a nearly $18 million permit for the project last month.(Photo: Provided)

HENDERSON, Ky. -- The Henderson County Board of Education secured a nearly $18 million building permit last month for construction of a new two-story Jefferson Elementary School at 800 S. Alves St., behind the South Middle School football field.

The new Jefferson Elementary will feature 17 classrooms; three kindergarten rooms; a media center; music, computer, art and special education rooms; a gymnasium with a stage; a cafeteria; and offices and related facilities.

The building will accommodate up to 400 students, contain 57,250 square feet and sit on a school system-owned tract covering about eight acres.

In an earlier statement, Superintendent Marganna Stanley said the school will also include learning labs, spaces for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education, an energy-efficient design and a safe learning environment for our students.

Enrollment at the current Jefferson Elementary this past school year was 340 students.

The new school will have its own entrance off Alves Street and its own parking lot.

Additional parking will be added on the campus of South Middle to help alleviate the on-street parking that occurs during school functions and events. That will include a new staff parking lot at the corner of South Alves and Cherry streets that will incorporate a new parent drop-off/pickup zone and a new event parking lot on South Alves near Norris Lane.

Earthwork for the project has begun, and the building is projected to be completed during the 2021-22 school year, according to Steve Steiner, assistant superintendent of administration for Henderson County Schools.

The construction manager for the new Jefferson Elementary will be Codell Construction and the architect is Hafer Design.

The new school will replace the 56-year-old Jefferson Elementary building, which was judged in a 2011 facility evaluation to be in poor condition. Stanley has cited issues ranging from the need to replace the HVAC system, windows and doors to improve energy efficiency as well as learning spaces (that) are chopped up. They are not conducive to 21st century learning by any means.

The new Jefferson will be the third elementary school here bearing that name, following the current school on South Green at Jackson Street, which opened in 1964, and an earlier Jefferson School at the northeast corner of Jefferson and South Elm streets.

The building permit for the school, the biggest issued here in years, brought the total value of new construction authorized last month to nearly $20.8 million.

The other major commercial construction project that got the green light in the city in June was a $1.1 million interior remodeling permit for the Walmart Supercenter store at 1195 Barret Blvd.

There were no commercial or industrial permits issued by the county in June.

Permits for five new single-family residences were issued in June, including three in the city two of which will be Habitat for Humanity of Henderson homes, both on Cumnock Street and two in the county. A permit was also issued for one residential duplex.

Residential construction was developing at a reasonable rate earlier this year, especially out in the county, before the Covid-19 pandemic set in. The county codes office issued 16 permits for new homes during the first four months of the year, but only two since for a total of 18 at mid-year.

The city issued no permits for new houses in April and May. Through the first six months of 2020, it has issued seven.

So halfway through the year, the city and county have issued a total of 25 permits for new single-family homes with an average construction value of $129,960 (excluding the value of land and other non-construction related expenses). New residence permits in the county have an average construction cost of $147,000 compared with $118,267 in the city.

For the first six months of the year, the city and county have issued permits authorizing nearly $28.5 million of construction, obviously dominated by the Jefferson school project.

Here are the permits issued by the city and county last month:

City

Commercial, accessory: Holy Name Parish, 511 Second St., $250,000.

Commercial, new: Gary W. and Brenda Crawford, 1705 S. Green St., $97,000; and Henderson County Board of Education, 800 S. Alves St., $18.0 million.

Commercial, remodel: Walmart Real Estate Business Trust, 1195 Barret Blvd., $1.1 million.

Demolition, single-family residence: Margaret L. Pruitt Estate, 1027 Stewart Ave., $4,290; and Audubon Kids Zone, 1414 Powell St., $3,400.

Residential duplex, new: Gary and Lisa Attebery, 1616 Roosevelt St., $75,000.

Manufactured homes, new: James and Cynthia Lambert, 2820 Sunset Lane, $39,900; and Mark Stefansky, 510 Watson Lane #13, $48,000.

Single-family residential accessory: Jason Messeman, 912 Watson Lane, $8,000; Chelsea M. Mills, 2014 Morning Dove Ct., $2,500; Bradley W. and Priscilla Woosley, 1661 Bruce St., $5,000; Stephen R. (Sr.) and Amy Lynn Brann, 2708 Brettwood Lane, $4,500; Daniel P. and Abbie Boswell Pennaman, 1321 Glengary Way, $2,500; John and Karen Totton, 2361 Green River Road, $10,000; Shannon R. and Danielle Troutman, 101 N. Partridge Lane, $28,000; Marion E. and Lisa G. Gross, 2019 Summer Hill Lane, $4,000; Melissa Burkes, 1303 N. Green St., $3,000; Robert Wayne and Vicki A. McClure, 1809 White Oak Ct., $2,500; Michael V. and Amber C. Chandler, 1250 Alastair Dr., $6,000; Aaron Gregory and Melissa L. Pritchett, 334 S. Main St., $18,000; John F. and Nancy L. Klein, 665 Constanza Dr., $15,000; and Ernest Mays, 1024 Clay St., $1,000.

Single-family residential addition: William I. Markwell, 923 S. Main St., $20,000; and AJ Rentals LLC, 843 Cherokee Dr., $30,000.

Single-family residence,new: Habitat for Humanity of Henderson, 1233 Cumnock St., $115,000; HCM LLC, 1463 Arrow Way, $149,800; and Habitat for Humanity of Henderson, 1535 Cumnock St., $90,000.

Single-family residence, remodel: Mark A. and Donna L. Nally, 1340 Adams Lane, $75,000; Kentucky Apartments LLC, 1914 Powell St., $15,000; and James Martin Coursey Jr. and Carley Monet Haase, 2392 Balmoral Dr., $3,000.

Sign: Eastgate MHP LLC c/o Drew Warner, 1713 Franklin Ave., $800; Brad D. Higginson, 625 S. Main St., $950; Clifton O. Williams, et al, 1228 Second St., $600; Community United Methodist Hospital Inc., 1305 N. Elm St., $44,917 and $4,200 (two permits); Bob J. Vanzant, 2751 U.S. 41-North, $27,000; and Gardenside Center LLC, 2606 Zion Road, $13,565.

Total estimated construction value: $20.2 million.

County

New residence: Thompson Homes, 16246 Kentucky 136-East, $120,000; and Alex and Abbie Walters, 4182 Dr. Floyd Rd., $175,000.

Room addition: Eric and Joy Ries, 8976 Kentucky 1078-South, $20,000; Gregory Perkins, 4026 Kentucky 136-West, $8,000; Kelly Deep, 4346 St Olaf Circle, $32,442; and Glenn Kerr, 1377 Kentucky 416-East, $15,000.

Sign: New Hope Baptist Church, 5514 U.S. 60-East, $35,000.

Manufactured home: James Ambrous, 6711 Crooked Rd., $10,000.

Garages/utility: Dusty Risley, 5271 Kentucky 1299, $20,000; Carl and Christi Honeycutt, 11002 Kentucky 1078-North, $25,000; Jimmy McGann, 6057 Bauern Ct., $45,000; Larry Alexander, 4153 Briscoe Benton Rd., $15,000; and Tim and Cordelia Ann Shelton, 5792 Cairo Hickory Grove Rd, $5,249.

Miscellaneous: Harley Heath, 7134 Airline Rd., $44,900

Total estimated construction value: $570,591.

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$18 million permit for new Jefferson Elementary among those issued in Henderson - The Gleaner

Two years after it first emerged from stealth mode, Flagships Foghorn Therapeutics has nabbed its first Big Pharma partner as Merck signs on to the biotechs vision of drugging the very shape of DNA.

The deal, worth up to $425 million but with the upfront cash undisclosed, comes as Foghorn nears a pivot to a clinical stage biotech. The Cambridge-based company has added nearly 60 staffers from the 25 it had when it first emerged out of Flagship and, CEO Adrian Gottschalk said, they have finally refined the screening technology at the heart of the company, with plans to file their first IND towards the end of the year.

In the last 6 months, actually prior to the conversations with Merck, we had industrialized our ability to interrogate the biology, Gottschalk told Endpoints News.Weve made some very nice progress, really starting from scratch several years ago.

First founded in 2016, Foghorn is one of a spate of recent biotechs that try to treat cancer by targeting how genes are expressed, as opposed to trying to change the genes themselves or inhibit the proteins they code for. Michael Gilmans Arrakis Therapeutics is built, like Foghorn, on drugging DNA regulators called transcription factors and earlier this year got $190 million upfront and several billion in milestones for a deal with Roche. Syros, another Flagship-backed company, attracted considerable buzz several years ago by going after so-called super-enhancers, though they have since struggled to find traction in the clinic. More broadly, the still-juvenile field has yielded few major in-human successes.

Merck has already signaled its belief in the approach, at least in certain manifestations. Last year, they bought up Peloton Theraepeutics and its late-stage, kidney cancer transcription factor drug for $1 billion in cash and another $1 billion in milestones.

Foghorns twist, Gottschalk said, is looking at how these factors interact with these spherical structures on top of DNA, called chromatin remodeling complexes. Basically, human DNA contains billions of genes, not all of which are turned on at any point in time or in any cell. That DNA sits in tightly compacted strands called chromatin at the nucleus at the center of the cell, and one of the ways the body can decide which genes need to be turned on is to open and close those strands.

The molecular thing that determines whether and where genes are turned on is the interaction between those transcription factors that carry instructions and the chromatin remodeling complex that does the opening and closing. Foghorn compares it to air traffic control, the two types of proteins telling the genes where to launch and where not to launch. And Gottschalk cited data that suggest around 25% of cancers can be chalked up in part to those biological controllers getting their signals crossed.

For the last four years, Foghorn has developed a high-throughput screening system to allow their scientists to model both the transcription factors and the remodeling complexes and figure out which molecules can modulate each. Though high-throughput screening is about as common a word in the drug industry these days as pancakes are in the diner industry, Gottschalk said that was no easy feat. The chromatin remodeling complexes are just that complex and they needed to set up a system that could handle proteins as much as ten times as large as the ones most screens handle.

Under the new deal, Merck has essentially licensed one of the factors Foghorn has just begun testing, buying exclusivity on any potential drugs that emerge to target it. Internally, meanwhile, Gottschalk said that after years building their systems, the company is preparing to soon bring a few of its 10 preclinical and unnamed programs into the clinic for several genetically-defined cancers that currently have few good treatment options.

I think this biology has been unexplored and unexploited as drug, and I think the time is right, Gottschalk said.

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Merck dangles up to $425 million to team with Flagship's Foghorn Therapeutics on drugging the shape of DNA - Endpoints News

Doing laundry is a relatively boring task. But it doesnt have to be done in a drab, boring room.

With a few strategic changes, even a small laundry room can become a space thats appealing to be in and can double as a room for other activities too.

Laundry rooms dont need to be a space that we apologize for anymore, says New York-based interior designer Deborah Martin.

Here, Martin and two other designers HGTVs Brian Patrick Flynn and Miami-based Raquel Mothe, of Mothe Design offer advice on turning a basic laundry room into a space you love.

Especially in older homes, one of the least convenient things about the laundry room is where it is often far from where laundry gets generated.

If youre remodeling, Flynn says, consider relocating your laundry room as close to the master bedroom as possible. In fact, make it part of your master bedroom closet, if theres enough space.

This makes it way easier for homeowners to tackle their laundry without having to bring it back and forth across the house, he says.

And though its a splurge, its worth considering having more than one space where laundry gets done.

When working on new luxury home projects, Mothe says, she often includes one laundry room on the houses main level for cleaning things like small rugs, pet toys, pool towels and other household items. She puts another laundry space with similar design and the same machines on the second floor near the bedrooms.

Have fun with color and pattern, the designers say.

Mothe rarely uses white for a laundry room, aiming for a cozier vibe.

If there are colors you love but think are too bright for other rooms, Flynn suggests using them in your laundry room. Its also a great place for patterns that seem too much for a living room or bedroom. Wallpapers a good way to do that.

Nine times out of 10, Flynn says, I find that simply adding wallpaper to a laundry room or laundry closet instantly makes it feel more inviting.

If youre updating the floor, Martin suggests creating a cheerful space with an interesting tile design.

Martin and Mothe both advise including a really large sink in a laundry room. And Martin suggests adding a drain in the floor.

We never plan for accidents, but accidents happen, she says.

Martin also recommends built-in bins or baskets for separating clothes.

And make sure you have plenty of space for drying items that you wont be putting in the dryer. Lets say you are washing a silk blouse that you are not sending to the dry cleaners, Mothe says. Install a bar with hangers or a retractable hanging rack.

Mothe also adds drying racks for clients who will be washing things like sneakers and other shoes.

Laundry rooms need plenty of light, and that can include what designers call statement lighting something gorgeous that brightens the room and adds a dose of style.

Flynn suggests adding a pendant light or even some kind of chandelier, if space allows.

Recessed ceiling lighting is also helpful, Martin says, especially over areas where youll be trying to get out a stain or sorting clothes.

And if youre doing new construction or remodeling, Martin says, give your laundry room plenty of windows. Even if were just doing laundry, she says, We can enjoy a little light. We can enjoy a view.

Dont forget to add a few tall cabinets for things like brooms or ironing boards, Mothe says. And she thinks its worth investing in high-quality countertops.

A detail like that, she says, can make a difference between a regular laundry room and a luxury one.

If your laundry room also includes open shelving, Martin suggests storing items in apothecary jars or large Mason jars. Theyre a nice option to store stray things like collar stays, misplaced buttons or even detergent pods, she says. Theres no reason we cant put our detergent in something pretty.

But do add plenty of closed storage, since much of what you may be storing probably isnt especially attractive, Flynn says.

Concealed storage is super important, especially counter-to-ceiling when possible. There are so many essential supplies involved with laundry and not many are aesthetically pleasing, Flynn says. Keeping everything behind cabinet doors is key.

Martin has one client who uses her laundry room to cut and arrange fresh flowers. So the room was designed with extra storage space related to that hobby.

If youre building or remodeling, consider expanding your laundry areas size and purpose, perhaps combining your mudroom and laundry room.

This is especially good for active families with kids and pets, Flynn says.

Ive found that the more space allotted to a laundry room, he says, the less of a task space it becomes and the more of a social space it begins to feel like.

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Take your laundry room to the next level - Minneapolis Sun Times

Prepare for a germ reckoning at the gym.

As the coronavirus lockdown restrictions begin to ease, gyms and fitness studios have started to roll out reopening plans.

But health experts warn that your regular sweat seshes are about to look very different. Some worry about a repeat of what happened in South Korea, where more than 100 coronavirus cases were linked to a group of dance instructors.

The gym is a perfect storm for transmitting respiratory disease, says Dr. Purvi Parikh, a member of Physicians for Patient Protection and an immunologist at NYU Langone who points to crowds, heavy breathing and touching, as possible COVID-spreading culprits.

She warns that not all workouts are equally contagious, but says all gyms will have to take drastic measures to comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions guidelines for social distancing.

Gym owners such as Kelvin Gary, who runs Body Space Fitness in Union Square, have already begun to make serious changes. Gary has sunk about $12,000 into remodeling efforts to make his space more sanitary.

Were setting it where essentially each client has their own mini gym, Gary tells The Post.

At Equinox, expect shorter hours, temperature checks and prescheduled workout slots. The luxe chain announced these among other changes earlier this month, while its sister brand, SoulCycle, says theyll require gloves for staff, close their showers and cap the number of available bikes per class to ensure a socially distant sweat.

Big box gyms such as Retro Fitness have pledged to scrub down [using] hospital grade cleaner to clean the entire gym, according to a press release. Plus, they promise to enact touch-free check-ins and preorders for smoothies to limit hand-to-hand contact.

But will it be enough?

Here, the experts share what the gym of the future might look like.

Expect machines to be more spread out at your local gym. The way you see airlines blocking seats, we might see that, where gyms are blocking treadmills or bikes, says Parikh. In Hong Kong, some gyms have installed Plexiglass barriers to keep exercisers sweat and germs from mingling. But Parikh is skeptical this will make a real difference.

Plexiglass is great, but only if its being cleaned after each use or else the germs stay enclosed, she says.

You might be asked to wear a mask, or be required to, depending on where your gym is located. This can make working out tougher, or downright dangerous a man in Wuhan, China recently passed out while running with a mask.In two other incidents involving physical activity, two Chinese boys dropped dead within a week of one another recently while wearing masks during gym class.

Your best bet is to wear a mask when you can, but when it comes to workouts that require a lot of oxygen, such as running or heavy weightlifting, you might be forgiven for removing your mask, Parikh says.

Realistically I dont think many people will be able to work out [that heavily] with a mask, Parikh says.

Depending on the material of the dumbbells at your gym, these might be your best bet.

The virus tends to last the longest on plastic, says Parikh. Steel and aluminum surfaces are after that.

And, maybe skip using an exercise bench: If you press one button on a treadmill, thats less to worry about than an entire bench, where more onus is on the gymgoer to clean the entire thing, says Parikh.

Russian twists, planks and yoga moves that take place on communal mats will require the most prep.

Your whole body is being exposed at this point, rather than one area [using a weight, or machine], says Parikh, who points out that gym cleaning policies will matter most in these high-traffic areas.

Expect more disinfecting products in this area of the gym. Gary, the Union Square gym owner, plans on providing liquid sanitizer that can be used on both hands and equipment, and virus-killing UV light wands for each training station, too.

Classes may be the last thing to return at your local fitness center.

Classes used to be a lot of people in one room breathing heavily with their heart rate up, says Parikh. If everybody is dancing and gasping, youre probably not 6 feet apart, and you may be touching your face because youre sweating. Youre basically doing all the things weve been telling people not to do since January.

New-age classes will likely mean less people, and markers on the ground for everyone to keep a safe space from each other. Gary says looking forward, he plans on keeping his gyms group classes online, but venturing out to meet his clients. Were looking at potentially doing some group classes outside, he says.

Be careful not to get too comfortable in the locker room. Towels everywhere, close quarters and high turnover all concern me in terms of cleanliness, says Parikh, who adds that saunas and steam rooms are a no-go. Sweaty, enclosed rooms are where the virus thrives, and social distancing becomes a problem immediately, she says, adding that it might be a better idea to hit the showers at home.

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Here's what will gyms look like after the coronavirus - New York Post

Residents of Pierce County's smaller communities have slowly emerged from their isolation since Gov. Doug Burgum lifted restrictions on bars, restaurants and other businesses deemed "non-essential."

The Pierce County towns of Wolford and Balta have a combined population of fewer than 100 residents. A third town, Selz, near the Wells County line, has 46 residents, according to 2010 federal census data.

Bars serve as hubs for business and social life in these communities, and the March order closing them for all but takeout purposes stopped opportunities for gathering cold.

Sue Sitter/PCT Stephanie Halvorson stands near her menu board at the Balta Bar.

"It was a boring six weeks," said Tim Danielson, who tends bar at the Corrigidor in Wolford.

"It was very depressing," customer Heather Stutrud agreed. "I got more depressed."

"I really enjoy this place," Stutrud said of the Corrigidor. "I have family (in Wolford), too. The COVID brought damage to all of us."

Danielson said he was unemployed during the shutdown. "I had six weeks of doing nothing," he said. "I'm happy to be back doing something."

Danielson said customers were happy to come back, too.

"Customers are glad they can get out and about again. They can be with people," Danielson noted.

Danielson said the Corrigidor complies with phase one of the North Dakota Smart Restart program that calls for dining rooms and bars to limit seating capacity and not allow customers to stand at counters.

The Corrigidor serves steaks and other specialties on weekends like it did before the closure, but customers now wait in their vehicles if the dining room has too many people or tables aren't ready for seating, Danielson explained.

"It's been busy," he said. "We do 80 to 90 meals on Friday and Saturday. We watch it pretty close as far as how many people are at a table. You can have 10 at a table, but you can't stand at the bar. We also don't let them put tables together like they used to."

"We sanitize everything as soon as somebody leaves," Danielson added. "We sanitize tables and chairs and surfaces. Customers don't complain about it, because they know what's happening."

As he served a beer to another customer, Danielson said, "This is going to last for a while. It's not over yet."

South of Rugby in Balta, Stephanie Halvorson, owner of the Balta Bar, said she used the mandated closure period as an opportunity to do some remodeling.

"We took out the carpet," Halvorson noted. "We've got all wood floors now," she added, pointing to the bar's original wood floor, restored to a shiny finish. "We've got some reclaimed barn wood that we put up," she added.

"There was a lot of polyurethane that we put on," Halvorson said with a laugh. "Holy Hannah! It turned out really well, though."

Halvorson said she has seen the Balta crowd slowly trickle back into her establishment. "It's starting to pick up a little bit on weekends," she said, "But with only half capacity, you don't get the crowd you normally get. We're making do with what we have, I guess."

Halvorson said she makes sure to sanitize all surfaces and asks that people maintain social distancing. She has a hand sanitizing station near the bar's door.

The bar now hosts bingo games on Sundays, sponsored by the Rugby Amateur Hockey Association. Halvorson offers a menu of sandwiches, sides and dinner items. During the bar's closure, she offered cook-at-home meals and food items for locals to pick up.

"I would say there are fewer people coming in now," Halvorson said, noting state health restrictions may not be to blame.

"It's hard to say if it's different because of that, because of the planting and seeding going on," she said. "People are just busy right now because this is an agricultural community."

"I think there might be (some hesitance to come back due to the pandemic), but I don't think that's the main reason," Halvorson said.

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County's small communities return to life - ThePierceCountyTribune.com | Rugby, Pierce County and North Dakota news, sports and information - Pierce...

When restaurants closed two months ago and stocked up on takeout boxes, the elephant in the (dining) room became: Whos gonna survive?

Then some eateries slammed shut the takeout windows and turned off the lights completely.

Based on its mid-May year-over-year bookings having shrunk by 95%, reservation service OpenTable forecast that 25% of restaurants might not return.

Nevertheless, most local eateries have gamely reopened for dine-in, albeit in a changed world.

Restaurateurs heads are spinning over the new calculus of filling seats. Not only must they deal with Floridas offseason, now they have to figure out whether even 75% or 100% occupancy will accommodate spaced-out tables.

According to owner Dale Wentzel at Englewoods Zekes Uptown, I could not achieve 6 feet of distance and 75% occupancy. The 6-foot distancing (if done to the letter) would only allow us a maximum of around 30% capacity. There dont seem to be any easy choices or fixes, and I dont think people really understand what some of us are facing.

Plexiglass partitions, perhaps?

WHY ARENT THEY OPEN?

When Gov. Ron DeSantis first allowed restaurants to reopen at 25% indoor capacity, then permitted 50%, enthusiastic diners fully expected them all to fling wide their doors and welcome customers back with open air-hugs.

Not so fast. Some of our local eateries didnt reopen at all, and we want to know why.

For the wondering worried, here are a few answers not all of them comforting. If you dont see your favorite listed, and its not even doing takeout, you might want to start grieving.

Venices Blu Island Bistro reported, Were waiting and watching; we dont feel secure yet considering how deadly this virus has been ... so were in no rush.

Burgr Bar in Punta Gorda reportedly will open when it can seat more than 25% and do so safely.

Ephesus Mediterranean Grill owner Burak Cakir said, Were doing a lot of staff education and deep cleaning, and some remodeling. We are aiming at sometime in June.

Golden Corral in Punta Gorda opened briefly with a cafeteria-style buffet, but closed again until it can figure out how to fill more seats without wasting food.

Due to owner John McCallisters death, Johnnys Bar & Grill on Placida Road is not expected to reopen.

Owner Wayne Mazzone at Port Charlottes La Famiglia Italian Restaurant is reluctant to reopen even at 50% occupancy. He added, My employees are scared to come back to work, and its hard to survive not having any employees. Ill probably close the doors until next season.

Libees Sports Bar & Grill of Englewood reported not being ready to open on May 4 like others. It posted, Our staff is working hard to get ready for a better, safer, fresh Libees and we promise it will be worth the wait! In the meantime, lets get out there and support our restaurant neighbors!

Greg Gover, owner of the cozy Living Room in South Venice, at one point posted the wry Okay its time to walk up to the most expensive clubhouse ever, flush the sinks, water the plants, drink wine and walk home. Its like I have my own private wine cellar.

After at first targeting a reopen date of May 15, he admitted, It just isnt going to happen. We are simply unable to operate on 25% occupancy. Fingers crossed they will move to phase 2 soon.

At 50%, The Living Room will reopen Thursday, May 28, reservations recommended.

Mint Thai Cuisine in Punta Gorda is, for the moment, choosing to do takeout only. We want our customers to be safe and were trying to keep ourselves safe also, said owner Mint Holland.

Morgans Caf in Schoolhouse Square, Port Charlotte, will be back with homemade breakfast, lunch and peppermints on June 1.

Chef Jeanie Roland said of her Punta Gorda Perfect Caper, We arent reopening until we feel it is safe for our staff and customers, and will follow the original CDC guidelines. We are thinking mid-June or July.

Lauren Hertz at Englewoods Placida Grill said, Unfortunately our restaurant has almost no outdoor seating. Weve been talking a lot about how to reopen, and we were surprised by the new 50% allowance. Half of our seating inside is booths and cant be moved, so we wanted to open when it was safest for our guests and staff. Its tricky!

Despite a devastating storeroom fire on Apr. 2, Punta Gordas Royal Thai Restaurant reopened, for takeout only, on May 14.

Closed in early April, Port Charlottes Sabor a mi Tierra reopened its doors to serve Puerto Rican specialties again on May 21.

Former owner Sue Domuczicz at Englewoods Spinnaker Caf said that they plan to open during Phase 2. We have 100 seats and are trying to figure whether 50% seating would work for us.

Stacks, in Punta Gordas American Legion Post 103, has moved its breakfast up Taylor Road to Beef O Bradys.

Yummies Donuts & BBQ is busily renovating its South Venice location in anticipation of reopening.

Zekes Uptown owner Wentzel candidly summed up the plight of his peers when he admitted, It will be difficult to reopen while unemployment is paying more than some people normally make. Receiving about $700 per week doesnt provide a great deal of incentive to come back right now. I have been closely watching those who have reopened, and except for Farlows, I have not seen the influx of business that we will need to stay open for very long. It is very likely that I will have only one shot at this, so I need to make sure we time it as best we can.

Send restaurant and bar news and recommendations to columnist Sue Wade at suewade47@aol.com.

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Column: Some eateries are back to serve us. What about the rest? - yoursun.com

Photos courtesy of Bailey & Weiler Design/Build

When Don and Lisa Weiler decided to build a new home in 2002, they chose a local Bloomington designer named Craig Bailey. Not only did the Weilers get their dream home, Don also got a new business partner.

Craig nailed the style we sought and his ability to visualize our home before we even started building was amazing, Don says. Craig is incredibly creative and talented with design.

On the other hand, Don says, his background is in engineering and project management. We operate out of different sides of our brain, so together it made for a great partnership.

Discovering that the two men worked together well convinced them to start Bailey & Weiler Design/Build in 2005. Headquartered in downtown Bloomington, the company recently was named Builder of the Year by the Building Association of South Central Indiana.

We try very hard to deliver projects that create homeowners dreams with detail to budget, Craig says. We listen to our customers and create what they want on time and budget.

In fact, this is the fourth time Bailey & Weiler has been honored with the award by their construction peers. Each year, local members of the construction industry select a company for the honor. Bailey & Weiler was selected for 2020 based on the quality of their design and construction projects, business reputation and contributions to the industry and community.

Humbled and thankful would be the best way to describe our reaction, Don says. It is an award from our peer builders, subcontractors and suppliers in South Central Indiana, which means a lot.

The company has 14 employees plus the co-owners. They are a great crew of talented and dedicated carpenters, designers and project managers, Don says. Many of them either ran their own company or worked with some of the best local builders that have since closed up shop.

Not surprisingly, both founders of the Bailey & Weiler company grew up to be exactly what they wanted to be when they were kids. Well, at least part of the childhood ambition for Craig who wanted to be a race car driver and a designer.

I learned construction and home design in high school, Craig says. My first job after high school was in construction.

For Don, I never really gave much thought to being anything but an engineer. When I was in grade school, I filled out a homework assignment with a very specific answer to that question: I wanted to be an engineer from the University of Wisconsin.

The college goal came from seeing his older brother attend the University of Wisconsin to become an engineer. My only brother is 15 years older, and my first memories of him are visiting his dorm room at Wisconsin, Don says. He was an engineering student and he had the cool railroad engineers lantern.

Dons father was a millwright at the local paper mill in central Wisconsin. His mother was a homemaker. If something broke, we fixed it, Don says. I learned a lot from them because they were always problem solving and had a great can-do attitude.

That attitude is a good one to have as a builder, Don says, because no project ever goes exactly as planned. There are always things to figure out. Every challenge has a solution. The key is to remain positive and honest in your effort.

Bailey & Weiler Design/Build specializes in the design, construction and renovation of custom homes and commercial properties. We have recently seen an uptick in remodeling, says Craig. There are very few lots and subdivisions to build homes on and the land costs are very high.

With the current trend of living closer to town, Don says the best way to get there is to buy and remodel an existing home. Remodeling in Bloomington has been on a steep incline the past few years. Homeowners who would sell and build new smaller or larger homes cannot find a lot on which to build or realize that the cost to build new just does not make sense relative to their current home.

As a design/build company, Craig says Bailey & Weiler can save homeowners money and avoid communication issues. Doing both design and construction we know how much things cost and can design to an individuals budget.

Don adds, Bloomington has many local designers and architects that we partner with on a regular basis. We love collaborating as part of a larger local team.

Bailey & Weiler also does commercial renovation and light commercial construction. Each of those markets has its unique needs and pace, so we have different people and processes dedicated to each segment, Don says.

Construction can start any time in the year. The design, selection and budgeting phase normally takes a minimum of eight weeks, Don says. We take the lead from our clients on the pace of design. The construction of a custom home normally takes seven to nine months with weather, home size and finish and timeliness of decisions being the most significant variables.

Bloomington continues to be a desirable place to live, which both Don and Craig say they understand. Its a small town blessed with the best the world has to offer, Don says. Our town is nestled in a beautiful natural environmentBut in the end, its the people that make Bloomington special.

Those people also are one of the greatest joys in his business, Craig adds. What I like most about our business is the people we meet and being able to help them create their dreams.

Read more from the original source:
Bailey & Weiler named Builder of the Year - Times-Mail

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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58)--We love spending time in our kitchen these days whipping up the perfect meal. So why not make sure it's the best space it can be?Senior designer Paulette Sodemann with Callen Construction in Muskego says there are a lot of considerations for a kitchen remodel, including size, functionality, and budget. But as you're planning, know the popular trends and what can really boost the resale value as well. Islands in the kitchen and open areas are two big concepts in big demand these days.

Another favored room in your home is the bedroom. More specifically the closet. Brian Hering with Tailored Living in Waukesha says you want to have your closet divided withtwo-thirds hanging and the other-third shelving. He also recommends bi-fold doors and storing your shoes at the top of your closet for the best use of space.

Remember when you're hiring a contractor, you have to be so careful. Any expert will say do your homework and seek out references. Both the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and Better Business Bureau (BBB) are two great resources.

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That tired kitchen or closet wearing on you? Try a redo! - WDJT

Jack Nicholson, Vivian Kubrick, Joe Turkel, Maxwell Craig, and George Holdcroft in The Shining (1980) // All rights reserved. Courtesy Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc.

The Shiningis one of the greatest horror films of all time. The 1980 film was based on the Stephen King book of the same name. The story detailed the descent into madness of a writer who takes on the job of caretaker of the vacant Overlook Hotel through a severe Colorado winter. The film today stands as one of the finest of the horror genre for its great performances and direction by Stanley Kubrick.

The film starred Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall as the couple who are responsible for looking after the hotel during a winter season. Jack Nicholson portrayed Jack Torrance, a struggling writer who is seeking solitude in which he can write in peace. With his faithful wife by his side and young son in tow, Jack looks forward to several months free of distraction so he can complete his upcoming masterpiece.

Kubrick had never produced a horror film prior to The Shining, but apparently had always wanted to. Kubricks trademark cinematic elements the use of brightly colored settings and close-ups of intensely emotional faces had enhanced several of his previous films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Dr. Strangelove. These films were in the science fiction and comedy genres, respectively. However, Kubricks signature stylings made an easy transition to the horror genre and The Shining has garnered a reputation as not only a horror classic, but also as one of the finest films ever made.

Much of the films content has become pop culture fodder and even those who have never seen the film are familiar with the classic lines All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and the meme staple, Heres Johnny. Here are some fascinating Shining tidbits that you may not know.

1. The author of The Shining book, Stephen King, disliked the choice of Jack Nicholson for the lead role, believing that Nicholsons generally crazed appearance from the opening scenes of the movie onward undermined the point that it was the Overlook Hotel that sent Jack Torrance over the edge. Torrance, in Kings novel, was a fairly well-adjusted guy at the beginning of the story and is gradually driven to insanity by the Overlook.

2. The child actor who played young Danny Torrance, Danny Lloyd, would never make another movie despite delivering such a gripping performance in the film. Apparently, Lloyd tried to win roles for the remainder of his childhood before finally retiring from the business at age 14, just as he was entering high school.

3. The famous line uttered by Jack Nicholson after he chopped down the bathroom door with an axe, Heres Johnny, was entirely ad-libbed by Nicholson. Kubrick considered scrapping it but reconsidered and it now stands as one of AFIs top 100 movie lines of all time, despite its extemporaneous origins.

4. Stephen King claims that the title of the novel, The Shining, was inspired by John Lennons song, Instant Karma, in which the singer repeatedly sings the line and we all shine onlike the moon, the stars, and the sun.

5. The Shining made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the movie with the most takes of a single scene. Kubrick was a stubborn perfectionist and he wasnt about to wrap any scene that wasnt up to his standards. He had Duvall repeat one scene a record 127 times.

6.Lloyd had no idea that the film he was making was a horror film. As far as the actor knew at the time, he was making a drama. Because Lloyd was so young at the time, Kubrick was determined to protect Lloyd and leave him in the dark about the nefarious nature of the film.

7. There is a real haunted hotel in Colorado called the Stanley Hotel. It was the inspiration for the Overlook, and it is considered one of the most haunted places in America. King stayed in the Stanley Hotel with his wife in 1973, later writing it into the novel 1977.

8. In one of the films most famous scenes, elevator doors open and blood comes gushing out and spilling into the hallway. This unforgettable scene actually took a year to set up and the only three takes to get it right. It seems that Kubrick got along better with machines than people.

9. Some observers have claimed that through The Shining,Kubrick confesses that he helped NASA fake the moon landing in 1969. It had been rumored for years by conspiracy buffs that Kubrick was in cahoots with NASA on the the supposed moon-landing prank. In one scene in the film, Lloyd wears a very prominent Apollo 11 sweater. Furthermore, the hotel room which Danny is told to never enter was changed from room 217 in the book to room 237 in the movie. The moon is 237,000 miles away from the Earth, and some of those conspiracy folks believe that this was Kubricks way of fessing up.

10.The scene in which Wendy Torrance finally realizes that Jack has completely lost it is the scene in which shediscovers the manuscript that Jack has been toiling over for weeks 500 pages of all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy typed over and over in multiple formats and languages. Some have suggested that Kubrick himself typed all these pages while other sources claim that he had his secretary, Margaret Warrington, do it. Regardless, it was a gargantuan feat the sort that would drive the most well-adjusted among us to the point of remodeling our bathrooms with an axe.

For more, explore the Entertainment section at FanSided.com.

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10 things you didnt know about The Shining - FanSided