The building's leasing agent said the crime shows an increasing number of vagrants and professional beggars in downtown Louisville.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. Just one day after a man was arrested for busting out windows at the Brown & Williamson Tower, the senior vice president for the company leasing the office building said the destruction "points to a much larger problem" in Louisville.

LMPD charged Troy Mercer with criminal mischief after he admitted to breaking windows at the tower with a hammer, causing more than $100,000 worth of damage just days after new windows were installed.

While leasing agent Doug Owen said he was glad someone was arrested, he said the crime shows an increasing number of "vagrants and professional beggars" in the downtown area.

"I, along with many others, have been urging City officials (Metro-Council and the Mayors office) to address the problem of vagrancy and professional begging in our downtown for over a year," Owen said. "Many of the vagrants are aggressive and that is something which can be off-putting to many."

Owen said they decided to remove boards from their windows following guidance from the city, however, leaders "did not listen to the concerns of the business community."

"As downtown struggles to rebuild [following] COVID-19 shutdowns and the damage caused by the riots this summer, we simply must do all we can to create a safe and welcoming environment for all," Owen said.

The leasing agent said he was "disappointed" that the current state of downtown was not a priority, saying it was as vibrant as ever pre-pandemic. Now, Owen said businesses are looking to other locations.

"Aggressive vagrants and boarded up buildings send a poor message to visitors and potential new businesses," Owen said. "I wish the City would see this problem and treat it like the emergency it is."

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After protests turned into riots Saturday night, downtown businesses are left salvaging through the destruction. Delaware News Journal

The morning after riots broke out in Wilmington following the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, friends and business partners Jonathan Whitney and Eliza Jarvis came up with an idea as city business owners began the process of cleaning up.

Theywanted to connect young artists with businesses boardingup their windows.

"How can we respond? How can we empoweryoung artists in this moment, not so much as to heal, but to continue this energy into ways that change begins to happen?," Whitney says.

If we can get a few donors and some store owners willing to turn their storefront into a work of art, the duothought, we can transform those blank wooden monuments from painful reminders into powerful messages of justice, love and inclusion.

New Castle artist Jannah Williams, 24, works on a mixed-media piece at Nomad Bar in downtown Wilmington. A new art project is raising money for artists to paint over the boarded up windows left in the aftermath of the spring city riot, which damaged several business following the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.(Photo: Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography)

That morning, they were on the ground on Market Street with fellow project co-founder Arden photographer Joe del Tufoasking business owners what they thought, even though the dazed ownershad only started to absorb what had just happened.

So far, a total of four artists of color have been commissioned for the project.

Spaceboy Clothing on Market Street was the first to give the OK, just a week after clean-up began. The piece was completed not too long after onJune 14 by Wilmington artist James Wyatt.

Next came Blitzen, the Christmas pop-up bar, which had two murals, recently removed for their opening. Those works were by Wilmington artistsErica Jones andJaQuanne LeRoy.

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The most recent piece, an eye-catching mixed-media work,wascompleted recently at the jazz club NomadBar on Orange Street by 24-year-old artist Jannah Williams, who goes by J the Artist.

At Nomad, Williams worked for several days, creatinga stunning mixed-media piece that usesnewspaper clips andold racist fliers as a base; on top are paintings of the faces of people who matterin this moment.

Erica Jones paints a tribute to 19-year-old Oluwatoyin "Toyin" Salau, a 19-year-old Black Lives Matter activist killed in Florida earlier this year.(Photo: Courtesy of Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography)

They include civil rights leaderMartin Luther King, Jr.; the first Black woman elected to theU.S.Congress, Shirley Chisholm;and former President Barack Obama.Ahmaud Arbery, who was shot to death while jogging in Georgia earlier this year,and Breonna Taylor, who killed by police in Kentucky in her home,also are included.

Taylor, wearing a wide smile, is in the center of the biggest project of William's young career. Taylor was two years older than Williams when she was shot six times in a botched policeraid earlier this year.

The piece's titleis scrawledacrossthe top in black letters dripping with red: "All We Want Is A Better World Than This." A message of "Black Lives Matter"and "You Matter" also are included.

"I wanted to show the history of what we're fighting fortoday goes back years and years and years,"says Williams, who studied art at Delaware State University. "And we're still fighting for it in different ways, but history is repeating itself as well."

COMING UP: 'Delayed seat assignments' as 2021 Delaware State Fair announces music acts early

It took about 40 hours to complete, stretched across two weeks and was completed last week.

New Castle artist Jannah Williams , 24, works on a mixed media piece at Nomad Bar in downtown Wilmington. A new art project is raising money for artists to paint over the boarded up windows left in the aftermath of the spring city riot, which damaged several business following the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.(Photo: Courtesy of Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography)

Just like atthe other sites, passersby would stop and watch the artists work, getting a rare look at the process over severaldays. Some even asked artists about their work and whatit means.

"Those are important conversations," says Whitney, who co-foundedFlux Creative Consultingwith Jarvis earlier this year. "When I was at Blitzen andsaw little girls walking by that bigger-than-life painting, [it]is powerful.

"Yes, the panels are a blight. Yes, we wish they weren't there. But let's use them to push a message that we should keep moving forward because there are some great things happening."

Artist JaQuanne LeRoy works on a mural at Blitzen in downtown Wilmington earlier this fall.(Photo: Courtesy of Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography)

The project is so scrappy and homegrown that it doesn't even have a name, getting offthe ground withhelp of initial donors: Whitney's brother Benjamin andhis mentor at DuPont, F. Renarde Hill.

"The focus has been on finding ways to make it happen, not a name," says Whitney, also artist-in-residence at downtown'sEpiscopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew.

The artists behind the first three works at Spaceboy and Blitzen each received $500. Williams got $650 when more donors stepped up,including Wilmington non-profit Cityfest, whichsolicits sponsorship and grants to help, in part, fundarts programming.

Whitney isstill searching for donors to keep the project going. Donations can be made at Cityfest.com. Make note that it is for the storefront muralproject.

"We wanted top amplify the voices of these artists. A lot of times, finding the canvass and the funds are what keeps them from that and we wanted to take away that barrier," Whitney says. "We wanted to say, 'Go, speak!' "

When the project is complete, organizers hope it will find a home in a museum or another artistic space in or around the city.

Jonathan Whitney (left), Eliza Jarvis (right) and photographer Joe del Tufo are behind a downtown Wilmington art project transforming boarded up windows into pieces of art.(Photo: Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography)

But before that,Buccini/Pollin Group will partner with organizersto create a sidewalk art gallery.

It will be located atThe Residences at Midtown Park retail storefronts on NinthStreetbetween Shipley and Orange streets, Buccini/PollinVice Presidentof Design and Marketing Sarah Lamb revealed to Delawareonline/The News Journal.

The muralswill be lit and displayed inside so the public can visit the gallery safely from the outside. A completion date has not yet been announced.

Artist James Wyatt works on a mural at Spaceboy Clothing in downtown Wilmington earlier this fall.(Photo: Courtesy of Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography)

We recognize that June of 2020 will go down in history as an important time of civil discourse in our city, and the nation as a whole, she says. "The artwork that emerged after the nationwide protests plays an important role in this narrative, and we at BPG want to ensure that the murals, as well as the celebration of the artists themselves, can continue to engage our community.

For Whitney, theNomad Bar exhibit is especially meaningful.

As a jazz drummer, he has spent many nights with his back against the other side of that boarded up window, playing with his band,The Whitney Project.

He releases his debut album, "Life's Dimensions," on Monday with an in-person album release concert at Wilmington'sChristina Cultural Arts Center on Friday at 7 p.m. It will also be livestreamed as part of the city's Clifford Brown Year-Roundseries.

He couldn't help but think of the old days as Williams painted.

"That's the gathering spot for jazz musicians. And that special place is part of this conversation," he says. "And if Nomad was open, I'd be playing there and doing what she does, just in a different medium."

Got a tip? Contact Ryan Cormier of The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier), Twitter (@ryancormier) and Instagram (@ryancormier).

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This is the guerrilla team behind the colorful murals covering boarded windows in downtown Wilmington - The News Journal

by Jack Russillo

When Isolynn Ice Dean, the owner of the Central Districts Cortona Cafe, made the decision to close her coffee shop, she wanted the space to continue to be a hub for the community even after she locks the doors for the final time on November 29.

Since November 2009, the cafe has offered more than just Herkimer Coffee and homemade waffles. When Dean took over the cafe from her brother-in-law in 2013, she started filling the space with different gatherings rooted in the community, from open-mic nights to meetings of Africatown and Seattle Neighborhood Greenways. On the corner of 25th Avenue East and East Union Street, the space has been a part of the Central Districts heartbeat, and Dean didnt want to disrupt that when she moves to Georgia in the spring to pursue her agricultural dream of farming mushrooms.

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic affected Cortona, but Dean believes that the cafe could have made it through the winter. Doors were shut in March and havent opened to customers since. Among other adjustments, Dean began serving customers through a streetside window and business was doing well enough to remain open.

My customers are phenomenal, said Dean. My customers, my neighbors, my friends, my family, whatever you want to call them, they are phenomenal. They just showed up and they really pushed us through those first couple of months.

Even with steady numbers, Dean eventually felt the time was right to move on from Cortona and Seattle. In wanting to preserve the character of the space that Cortona had represented for years, Dean specifically chose the replacement for the coffee shop to be Hanan Hassan Diriye and Ambrosia Austin, the founders of Melo Juice and the future operators of Melo Cafe, the next occupant of the coffee shop.

I didnt want to sell it off to whomever, said Dean. The Central District is already gentrified. I was very adamant that I wanted to keep it woman-owned also. I just wanted to leave it in a good space Hanan is the thinker and the creator and Ambrosia is the one that really pushes things along. She provides the space and Hanan fills the space and its really a beautiful combo.

In March, Hassan Diriye started making juices to boost her immune system. Then she started taking orders and Austin helped Dean become one of the earliest customers, consistently buying the first Melo Juice combination, a ginger-flavored beverage with locally-sourced ingredients like echinacea and honey.

The trajectories of the two cafes paired well. The owners believed in each others missions, behind the coffee bar but also around the community.

Ive known [Dean] for years, in various circles, said Hassan Diriye. Shes really well connected and I guess I could say Im well connected in the community from community-building work [Dean] is one of those people that I was really lucky to get to know because shes so great at making people feel warm and at home. And she definitely did that with her space and how she really drives to put community first.

Both of them are deeply involved in the community, said Dean. What [Hassan Diriye] does for the community and just her energy in general draws people in You feel safe around her, so automatically she is creating a safe space. And I think that is my main goal. I just want Cortona to be a safe [space], whatever safety means for you.

From now until the time Cortona closes its doors for good on the final Sunday of November, Austin and Hassan Diriye will be at Cortona on Wednesdays and Sundays to familiarize themselves with the space and the shops regular customers. After Cortonas last day, Dean will help oversee renovations for a few weeks before Melo Cafe opens in early 2021.

Were just so grateful beyond grateful, honestly to have the support and the thought of Isolynn to move forward with the space, said Austin. If you read her Instagram post, shes not selling the business or the space off to the highest bidder. This is a vision for her to build up women, Women of Color, and give it a community feel. It really does tie into the vision of what she sees when shes passing this torch. I honestly couldnt be more grateful.

Once open, Melo Cafe will offer pre-bottled juices, Herkimer coffee, the same homemade waffles currently served at Cortona, and other pastries. New Melo Juice flavors will be released around the time of the cafes opening and any updates will be posted on the Melo Juice Instagram page. Long-term goals for the juice company include adding a covered and heated seating area, sourcing more ingredients from Black-woman-owned farms, providing an outlet for local artists to showcase their work, and hosting community events once health guidelines permit them to do so.

People dont like change nine times out of ten and we just want to continue the feeling of excitement, Austin said. Even though Ice is moving on and pursuing her dream, we want the community to know were here. Were here to honor her legacy, were here to give you something thats going to make you feel good as far as Melo Juice goes, and were also going to maintain the familiarity of what Ice provided for the community.

Jack Russillo has been reporting in Western Washington since 2013. He covers the environment, social justice, and other topics that affect a sustainable and equitable future. He currently lives in Seattles Beacon Hill neighborhood.

Featured image by Jack Russillo.

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Cortona Cafe Will Close at the End of November, to Be Replaced by Melo Cafe - southseattleemerald.com

NEW YORK CITY Classrooms across the city may be under an automatic coronavirus shutdown, but they'll return with 35,000 new students.

That's the number of students who opted into blended learning during a two-week enrollment period, according to city Department of Education data.

The city initially gave parents a rolling chance to opt in, but eventually set a hard deadline to help teachers better schedule classes. The definite in-person enrollment numbers which tally at about 300,000 citywide will give educators a chance to roll out classes in buildings up to five days a week, officials said.

"We know that nothing can replace in-person instruction and blended learning families deserve as much time in the classroom inside their schools as possible," said Katie O'Hanlon, a DOE spokesperson, in a statement. "We will be working with schools to increase the number of days blended learning students are in buildings, and we're excited for these students to join their peers when we reopen."

The new blended learning enrollment numbers follow the closure Thursday of public school buildings citywide.

The shutdown was triggered once the city's average coronavirus positivity rate hit 3 percent.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said officials are crafting a reopening plan in the next few days and hope to get students back to classrooms soon after Thanksgiving.

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35K NYC Students Opt For In-Person Classes, Whenever They Return - Patch.com

Windows 10 October 2020 Update, which is only a service pack fashion improve, was launched in October. This replace is a minor launch, however it comes with two new options theme-aware Start Menu and new Alt-Tab expertise.

As you could know already, Alt+Tab is a well-liked multitasking keyboard shortcut that has been in Windows since Windows 2.0 and it was final up to date in model 20H2 with a brand new function.

Windows 10 20H2 modifies the best way Alt-Tabbing works in relation to Microsoft Edge by permitting browser tabs to look as a separate app window within the Alt-Tab display screen.

Alt+Tab enables you to swap between open home windows on Windows 10 and you may also navigate between apps utilizing the arrow keys. With Windows 10 October 2020 Update, Microsoft stated it has improved the multitasking expertise by together with Microsoft Edge tabs within the Alt-Tab interface.

Microsoft believes that commonplace Alt+Tab is fairly fundamental and Edge tabs inclusion may help you navigate by your operating duties extra simply.

Unfortunately, Alt+Tab interface is now damaged for some customers after they utilized the Windows 10 October 2020 Update. According to reviews and our personal testing, a bug within the replace may lead to your Alt+Tab order altering unexpectedly and itll open the mistaken window if you attempt to swap between apps.

For instance, when you have three app home windows open (A, B, C) and also youre making an attempt to change to the primary window A, Alt-Tab interface will as a substitute give attention to the window after the meant one.When this occurs, it may be noticed that the choice on the Alt + Tab menu just isnt on the entry A, appropriately, however on the second entry B.

Several customers confirmed the difficulty within the Feedback Hub and it seems like Microsoft is conscious of the reviews.

Alt-Tab has started acting very inconsistent. For example, if I am quickly switching between windows A and B using Alt-Tab, it will be fine 9 out of 10 times. Then on the 10th time Im using Alt-Tab, it will randomly switch to window C which I havent opened in a while, one person noted within the Feedback Hub.

In one Feedback Hub publish, Microsoft stated that theyre investigating the reviews they usuallyve already mounted the difficulty in preview builds.

Its seemingly that Microsoft will repair the Alt-Tab issues in a future replace to Windows 10 October 2020 Update, however it could not arrive this 12 months because the tech big plans to launch fewer updates till January.

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Microsoft admits Windows 10 multitasking function damaged by replace - Enter21st

The Historic District Commission met on Nov. 17, with another meeting set for Nov. 19, to clear an agenda that dates back six months.

On Nov. 17, the HDC denied in a 4-3 vote the petition of Kevin Rinaldi-Young, 5 Russo Court, to elevate his house off the foundation and onto a new foundation to provide a garage at grade and a variety of changes to the structure.

Several neighborhood residents opposed the house being elevated above the rooflines of other historic houses along the street. However, there were several letters of support, including resident Erin Mulry, who spoke of the applicants regard for historic districts in the plan.

The HDC approved the following petitions:

. George Oliver, 29 Greenough Place, to demolish a garage and rebuild with new foundation walls and footings, to remove an exterior stairway to the third floor, a shed dormer and a kitchen addition, and to repair and replace rotted wood trim where necessary;

. Jeffrey Lipshires, 45 Kay St., to make various changes to the secondary structure;

. Elijah Duckworth-Schachter, 6 Greenough Place, to add a firstfloor deck;

. Earl and Nancy Powell, 1 Highland Place, to construct a two-story accessory structure;

. Zalo One LLC, 16 Barney St., to replace the siding, roof and chimney, to remove rear decks, to repair the stone foundation and to reconfigure the rear elevation;

. John and Jeanie Shufelt, 1 Cliff Ave., to construct an exterior elevator shaft and remove an historic window;

. Helen Hadley Johnstone, 13 Mount Vernon St., to replace wooden stairs and a handrail with stone stairs and an iron handrail;

. William and Kathleen S. Wallace, 86 Beacon Hill Road, to extend a dormer east to accommodate an elevator;

. Deborah Cloaniger, 11 Harrison Ave., to install a dryer vent in an exterior masonry wall;

. Eoin Howlett, 16 Poplar St., to replace aluminum windows with double hung insert windows, to restore two original wood windows on the front elevation, and other repairs.

A dozen petitions were continued to Nov. 19 and to December.

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HDC Holds Two Meetings to Hear Petitions - Newport This Week

Microsoft is creating a new security chip thats designed to protect future Windows PCs. Microsoft Pluton is a security processor that is built directly into future CPUs and will replace the existing Trusted Platform Module (TPM), a chip thats currently used to secure hardware and cryptographic keys. Pluton is based on the same security technologies used to protect Xbox consoles, and Microsoft is working with Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm to combine it into future CPUs.

This new chip is designed to block new and emerging attack vectors that are being used to compromise PCs, including CPU security flaws like Spectre and Meltdown. Intel revealed back in 2018 that it was redesigning its processors to protect against future attacks, and Pluton is an even bigger step in securing CPUs and Windows PCs in general.

Existing TPMs are separated from CPUs, and attackers have also been developing methods to steal the data and information that flows between a TPM and CPU when they have physical access to a device. Just like you cant easily hack into an Xbox One to run pirated games, the hope is that it will be a lot more difficult to physically hack into a Windows PC in the future by integrating Pluton into the CPU.

We shipped the Xbox which has this physical attack protection, so people cant just hack it for games etc, explains David Weston, director of enterprise and OS security at Microsoft. We learned principles of effective engineering strategies from that, and so were taking those learnings and partnering with Intel to build something for the PC that will stand up to that emerging attack vector.

A number of firms sell kits, or 0-day vulnerabilities, that let attackers gain access to machines and literally crack open PCs to steal critical data that can unlock other ways to get into company systems or access personal information. Our dream for the future is thats just not possible on the PC platform, says Weston.

Pluton is essentially the evolution of the TPM, baked directly into a CPU. This is a better, stronger, faster, more consistent TPM, explains Weston. We provide the same APIs as TPM today, so the idea is that anything that can use a TPM could use this. That means features like BitLocker encryption or Windows Hello authentication will transition over to using Pluton in the future.

Microsofts work with Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm also means that Pluton will be updated from the cloud. Updates will be issued monthly on the same Patch Tuesday that regular Windows fixes arrive. The hope is that this should improve system firmware updates for both consumers and businesses that run Windows PCs.

Its not clear when PCs with Pluton chips will start shipping, but Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm are all committing to build this functionality into their future CPUs. Youll still be able to build custom PCs with Pluton chips embedded inside, and there should even be support for Linux in the future, too.

This is a future thing were going to build in, says Mike Nordquist, director of strategic planning and architecture at Intel. The idea is that you dont have to look for a motherboard with a TPM chip... so you just get it. Nordquist says Intel also supports choice for operating systems, and that it doesnt want to start doing different things for a bunch of different OS vendors. There are no firm details on Linux support just yet, but Microsoft already uses Linux with Pluton in its Azure Sphere devices, so its likely to be available whenever these chips ship.

New chips and security do mean new fears about DRM, and the fact that processors will now call back to Microsofts cloud infrastructure for updates. This is about security, its not about DRM, explains Weston. The reality is well create an API where people can leverage it, its definitely possible for folks to use that for protection of content, but this is really about mainstream security and protecting identify and encryption keys.

Microsoft, Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm all clearly believe that processors that are continually updated with security built into them is the future for Windows PCs. Spectre and Meltdown were a wake up call for the entire industry, and Pluton is a significant response to the complex security threats that modern PCs now face.

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Microsoft Pluton is a new processor with Xbox-like security for Windows PCs - The Verge

"What's one thing that most everyone is most thankful for? It's their family," Colleen O'Connell said.Pictures through windows will be the memories O'Connell and her sisters make with their dad, Danny, this Thanksgiving."They will have two assistants with my dad on the other side of the window. We'll do the wave thing," O'Connell said.Next week, O'Connell and her son will drive from their Northern Kentucky home to Iowa. They'll enjoy a holiday meal with her two sisters. But everyone's heart will be heavy, knowing Danny O'Connell will spend his 87th Thanksgiving battling dementia and diabetes in a room by himself in a Cedar Rapids nursing home."You can't celebrate what could very well potentially be the last Thanksgiving that he will be here on earth," O'Connell said."It really is a difficult time," Steve Slayton said.Slayton is executive director of The Kenwood by Senior Star, a retirement community in Madisonville. He plans to do all he can to help families stay connected during fall's biggest holiday."Zoom calls, FaceTime. We have, probably, 15 iPads at the community that my staff is really well-versed in using," Slayton said. "They'll go up to the resident's apartment and, you know, Zoom in with the family when they're doing dinner or something like that so they can feel engaged."Slayton knows technology can't replace human interaction, but he said the fear of spreading the coronavirus requires caution.That's something O'Connell, who WLWT investigator Todd Dykes talked to when her dad survived a case of COVID-19 in April, has come to appreciate, just as she's learned to appreciate senior care workers more than ever."Every year my sisters and I have given the people that are closest to my father a Christmas gift," she said. "This year we're giving them a Thanksgiving gift because we are thankful for them."Families who want to connect with loved ones living in nursing homes need to start crafting a plan now, because the last thing senior care facilities need is for people to simply show up on Thanksgiving Day without knowing the latest COVID-19 protocols.Also, people who have loved ones in a nursing home can stay connected by sending a card. Slayton said he watches the faces of residents light up when they get mail. Plus, he said a card makes a great keepsake.

"What's one thing that most everyone is most thankful for? It's their family," Colleen O'Connell said.

Pictures through windows will be the memories O'Connell and her sisters make with their dad, Danny, this Thanksgiving.

"They will have two assistants with my dad on the other side of the window. We'll do the wave thing," O'Connell said.

Next week, O'Connell and her son will drive from their Northern Kentucky home to Iowa. They'll enjoy a holiday meal with her two sisters. But everyone's heart will be heavy, knowing Danny O'Connell will spend his 87th Thanksgiving battling dementia and diabetes in a room by himself in a Cedar Rapids nursing home.

"You can't celebrate what could very well potentially be the last Thanksgiving that he will be here on earth," O'Connell said.

"It really is a difficult time," Steve Slayton said.

Slayton is executive director of The Kenwood by Senior Star, a retirement community in Madisonville. He plans to do all he can to help families stay connected during fall's biggest holiday.

"Zoom calls, FaceTime. We have, probably, 15 iPads at the community that my staff is really well-versed in using," Slayton said. "They'll go up to the resident's apartment and, you know, Zoom in with the family when they're doing dinner or something like that so they can feel engaged."

Slayton knows technology can't replace human interaction, but he said the fear of spreading the coronavirus requires caution.

That's something O'Connell, who WLWT investigator Todd Dykes talked to when her dad survived a case of COVID-19 in April, has come to appreciate, just as she's learned to appreciate senior care workers more than ever.

"Every year my sisters and I have given the people that are closest to my father a Christmas gift," she said. "This year we're giving them a Thanksgiving gift because we are thankful for them."

Families who want to connect with loved ones living in nursing homes need to start crafting a plan now, because the last thing senior care facilities need is for people to simply show up on Thanksgiving Day without knowing the latest COVID-19 protocols.

Also, people who have loved ones in a nursing home can stay connected by sending a card. Slayton said he watches the faces of residents light up when they get mail. Plus, he said a card makes a great keepsake.

Read more:
Cincinnati families worry about loved ones in nursing homes during Thanksgiving holiday - WLWT Cincinnati

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has vowed to come back stronger than ever after being ruled out for a significant chunk of the season.

Gomez was forced to undergo knee surgery after rupturing his patella tendon during England training earlier this week.

Getty Images - Getty

With Virgil van Dijk also out for months with a knee problem, the Reds were counting on Gomez and his injury could not have come at a worse time.

However, it is not the first time the 23-year-old has suffered a serious setback, and Gomez insists he knows what it takes to come back better.

The road to recovery has already begun, Gomez wrote onTwitter. Ive been here before, I know what it takes and Ill be back better and stronger than ever.

Im obviously gutted, but this is a part of Gods plan and I believe everything happens for a reason.

Id like to thank everyone for their well wishes and messages of support.

Im focussed on my recovery and supporting my team mates in every way I can. See you soon.

Meanwhile, Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson told talkSPORT he expects the Reds to sign a new centre-back in the January transfer window.

Joe is a very, very important player, he told talkSPORT 2. Obviously with Virgil van Dijk out, it would be Joe Gomez and another.

AFP or Licensors

The thing with Joe Gomez is hes had his operation straight away and theyre already saying hell miss most of the season, but that sounds to me really that he might just make it back towards the end.

And Matip is a decent player but hes like a willow tree; he occasionally gets blown over and hes not fit for two or three weeks, so hes another worry.

Some of the younger players have come in and theyve done absolutely fine, but I think youre looking at Matip, if fit, with the likes of Fabinho or maybe even Henderson [playing in defence] at some stage.

But I would think it will force the managers hand in the January transfer window.

Hes going to have to go out and buy somebody, and it wont be a difficult conversation with the owners. Theyll realise whats going on; the great thing about them is theyve got this sporting franchise in America and they know people lose form and get injured, so its case of who hes going to bring in.

Were all going to play the game now going into January who are Liverpool going to sign?

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Liverpool defender Joe Gomez breaks silence on knee injury as Reds urged to buy replacement in January - talkSPORT.com

Macys and ournew reality

To me, the recent boarding up of Macys 34th Street, in anticipation of possible post-election violence, symbolizes our countrys new reality.

As a young Jewish girl, I longed for a Christmas tree. No amount of cajoling or arguing could persuade my parents to allow me to have one. But I vividly remember being entranced by the famous Christmas-themed windows at Macys, and what it meant to me. Viewing those windows were part of my familys annual ritual of visiting the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center and attending the annual Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall.

Those glorious windows were special to me; there were simply so many of them, and they ignited the imagination (or at least my imagination). They literally sparkled, beckoning to all sightseers, no matter what their religion. And for a brief moment, I could fully participate in a holiday that I could only otherwise observe as an outsider.

Those sweet days are long gone but were replaced, years later, with another ritual: cutting through that same Macys on my way to and from Penn Station, as I commuted to my office, one block away from the store. It provided brief shelter and respite from rain and snow, chilling cold and sweltering heat. It was always bustling and welcoming. Tourists, speaking many languages and bearing large shopping bags, were a large presence. It gave the store a rather festive, international air. I liked that.

A high point of spring, for me, was always the Macys flower show, with its windows bedecked with multicolored blossoms. In the weeks before the flower show officially opened, despite the harsh March winds, I knew that spring was coming. I followed the progress as the windows and street floor began to be decorated with elaborate floral arrangements.

Macys also taught me a lesson about human nature.

During those dark days after 9/11, immediately after New York opened up again, I took one of the first DeCamp express buses out of Montclair. It was about half full. Usually, passengers were buried in their newspapers and electrical devices. But in that bus, at that time, we all had the need to talk and connect. We spoke of shock, confusion and fear. None of us felt comfortable going into Manhattan, but we each for our own reasons felt we had no choice. My story was that Im a psychotherapist; I had patients. End of story.

When I arrived in the city, I did not cut through Macys as I usually did. I was sure it would be the next target. While the Empire State building, on the other end of the block where my office was located, had become a virtual fortress, there was no visible security presence at any of the stores entrances.

Suddenly those interesting tourists with large shopping bags now seemed potentially menacing. And the landmark status of the building seemed downright dangerous.

But then, later that afternoon, I got a very noticeable run in my stockings (in those days I cared about such things). Feeling I had no choice, I nervously dashed into Macys for a replacement. It was virtually empty, but I still vividly remember all the salespeople standing behind counters in an empty store, determinedly smiling.

I hurriedly grabbed a pair of stockings and, as I checked out, I asked the salesperson if she was frightened being there. Of course she said yes, then hurriedly added, But this is my job. To me, those sales clerks at Macys symbolized the quiet courage and determination of New Yorkers during that terrible time a time that seemed to bring out the best in so many of us.

Now, suddenly, in a very different time, the Macys that had always been so welcoming to so many of us was boarded up. Has there ever been an American election thats brought forth such fear?

Happily, at this point in time, instead of violence there is dancing in the streets and the joyous honking of car horns. Soon, the boards covering Macys windows will undoubtedly be removed.

Will that be a harbinger of renewed hope for our divided country?

Janice Cohn

Montclair

Montclair Local is providing true public service through its in-depth reporting on Lackawanna. The issues are significant and many, and should concern all citizens. To clarify one crucial point: The members of A Better Lackawanna LLC should not be painted with one brush as being preservationists our 200+ members joined for any number of reasons, which align with the points in our lawsuit.

In one survey we did of members motivations, 80 percent said they were greatly concerned about the 400-car parking shortage and the traffic impact at what is perhaps the busiest intersection in all of Montclair. Only 20 percent said historic preservation was important to them.

At its heart, our appeal is about good government and the publics protected right to question and comment. All residents should be outraged at the taking of the public easement on Grove Street, without disclosure or input by the public. This project needs to return to the drawing board a full remand, in legalese a drawing board based on the survey map that was missing throughout the original approval process.

Priscilla Eshelman

A Better Lackawanna

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Letters to the editor: Nov. 12 - Montclair Local