Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

David W. Myers| Kings Feature Syndicate

There are several ways to save money when launching a new construction or remodeling job. One of the best is to shop at the "ReStores" that are operated by the nation's largest not-for-profit housing group, Habitat for Humanity.

DEAR MR. MYERS: I recently heard that one of my favorite charities, Habitat for Humanity, also operates several retail stores that offer some good bargains in things like construction materials, appliances and other home-improvement items. Is this true? If so, how can I find a store near me?

ANSWER: Habitat for Humanity, which has built more than 300,000 homes for low- and moderate-income persons in the U.S. and rehabilitated countless more, is one of my favorite non-profit groups too. And yes, it's true: Most of the group's so-called "Habitat ReStores" sell a variety of construction and home-improvement items, from lumber and paint to furniture and appliances.

Items sold at the ReStores are typically donated by local retailers, builders, contractors and individuals - which allows Habitat to sell the items at a deep discount to what you would normally pay. Money from the sales is used to build or rehab even more homes, usually in the same general area where the stores are located.

Some of the items at the stores are brand-new, while others are used but in good condition. Donations come in often but on an unscheduled basis, which means the items you want might not be available today but that you could find a large selection of them a week or two from now.

The best way to find the nearest ReStore is to visit Habitat for Humanity's internet web site (www.habitat.org/restores) and then enter your ZIP code in the box marked "Search for Affiliates/ReStores." Or, you can contact the nearest office of Habitat and ask for the phone number of the store that is closest to you.

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DEAR MR. MYERS: My wife and I have been interviewing several real estate agents to sell our home. Two of the agents want a 90-day sale agreement, another wants a four-month deal, and two others say that they won't market our property unless we sign a contract for six months! How long should a typical sales agreement last?

ANSWER: I usually tell sellers to insist on a 90-day listing contract. That's typically enough time for a good agent to market the property effectively, but also allows the seller to release the salesperson without paying a commission if the agent hasn't found a buyer when the three-month time frame is up.

Of course, sales in many parts of the country remain slow. Although I would still never sign a six-month agreement with an agent, might consider a four-month term if sales in my particular area were softening and I was unusually impressed with the agent's skills and proposed marketing plan.

With sales cooling as the market heads into its usual autumn and winter doldrums, even some of the best agents need a few extra weeks to properly market a home and then shepherd the deal through to closing day

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DEAR MR. MYERS: I want to buy my first house, so I am following your recent advice to have the property inspected by a professional. What does a professional inspector look for?

ANSWER: According to the American Society of Home Inspectors - a trade association that represents more than 3,000 certified inspectors across the nation - a typical inspector's report should cover the condition of the home's heating system, its central air-conditioning system, and its insulation.

The inspector should also review the roof, the home's attic, all of its walls, the windows and doors, and its foundation and basement too.

You can find more information at the association's web site, http://www.homeinspector.org.

Our booklet, "Straight Talk about Living Trusts," explains how even low- and middle-income homeowners can now reap the same benefits that creating an inexpensive trust once provided only to the wealthiest families. For a copy, send $4 and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to D. Myers/Trust, P.O. Box 4405, Culver City, CA 90231-4405. Net proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross. Send questions to that same address, and we'll try to respond in a future column.

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ABOUT REAL ESTATE: How to get home-improvement items on the 'cheap' - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Just four months after finishing one search, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board is starting a second one, hunting yet again for someone to lead the states second largest traditional school system.

This unexpected second search kicked into gear because the person hired after the last search, Leslie Brown, resigned after just two months on the job. The 62-year-old Brown, a veteran educator from south Florida, went on emergency medical leave on Sept. 21 for an undisclosed illness. Sixteen days later, she turned in her resignation.

After nearly five hours of debate, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Thursday voted unanimously to promote top administrator Adam Sm

While the new search is underway, Associate Superintendent Adam Smith will take over the school district for up to six months as interim superintendent. Smith was one of five leading candidates for the job that Brown won and he is almost certain to apply again.

Smith takes the reins as the states second largest school district wrestles with an ongoing coronavirus outbreak and faces likely budget cuts thanks to the economic consequences of that pandemic.

Smith credited educators and school leaders for their hard work over the past seven months, with many forgoing vacations amid nonstop demands.

Any successes we have had in this district were because of the team and any failures were because of myself, Smith said.

A 24-year veteran of the school system, Smith has risen through the ranks and is well-liked. He spent six years in the classroom before moving to administration. He served as principal of Park Forest Middle School from 2005 to 2008 before moving to Central Office where he's worked ever since.

Smith has been called up repeatedly to stabilize schools in turmoil, including serving temporarily as principal of Glen Oaks and Scotlandville high schools. He has spent most of his career in middle schools, but former Superintendent Warren Drake, who retired in July, put him over elementary schools a couple of years ago.

As the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board works to narrow its field of five candidates for superintendent, they will have to decide whether

His supporters have been pressing the board to not stop at interim, but install Smith in the job permanently.

Yet, it was not clear until late Thursday and after nearly five hours of debate that Smith would land the interim spot.

While the final vote was unanimous, the board considered but rejected several alternatives that would have kept Smith out of the top job. One proposal would have continued a dual leadership arrangement established during Browns illness, with both Smith and fellow Associate Superintendent Ben Necaise in charge, but the motion was withdrawn for lack of support. Another motion, voted down by a 2-7 margin, would have rehired Drake to serve as interim superintendent.

On Friday, Smith told The Advocate hes not planning any immediate changes to the senior cabinet or to hire anyone to fill the job hes had. Over the next few months, Smith hopes to work with the board to advance some languishing priorities, including starting work on a new strategic plan, buying property in southeast Baton Rouge for a new elementary school and creating a new middle school in the Scotlandville area.

Smith said he has yet to talk to board leadership about how he will be compensated for his added duties as interim superintendent.

At this point, we hadnt had any conversations, he said.

The search for a permanent superintendent is starting right away a job advertisement is being placed in The Advocate to run early next week and will conclude as soon as practical. That likely means through at least the end of December and perhaps well into the new year.

School Board President Mike Gaudet said Friday that the job description and ad are essentially the same as the ones the board agreed to in January and that applications will be due 30 days after the ads start running, which works out to mid-to-late November.

Two local and three out-of-town educators have made the cut in the hunt for the next school superintendent for East Baton Rouge Parish and wil

Austin, Texas-based search firm JG Consulting is returning to lead the new search. The firm is honoring a clause in itsoriginal contract saying it will conduct a second, free search if the person hired left for any reason within two years of being hired.

In its first search, the consulting firm gave the School Board the names and rsums of 24 applicants one immediately withdrew. On March 5, the board narrowed the field to just five people: Brown, Smith, but also Quentina Timoll, Nakia Towns and Marshall Tuck.

It was not until late May, after a short pause due to the pandemic, that the board settled on two finalists: Brown and Towns, a chief of staff of a school district in Chattanooga, Tenn. On June 18, Brown topped Towns in a 5-4 vote.

Ending a yearlong search and after a meeting that stretched past midnight, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board selectedan administrator

Towns supporters did not give up. On Thursday, they proposed limited the new search, with Towns as the lone finalist. That motion failed by a 4-5 margin in a vote that broke along racial lines.

The rejection of Towns on Thursday might have eliminated her for good.

Board member Dadrius Lanus, a Towns supporter, said he spoke with Towns recently and said she was still interested in coming to Baton Rouge, but did not want to participate in another full-blown search.

In his first major appointment, state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley on Friday named a top official of the East Baton Rouge Parish s

Timoll may be off the table as well. At the time, she was an assistant superintendent, best known for her oversight of the Innovation Network, a federally funded turnaround effort aimed at the school systems lowest-performing schools. In early June, two weeks after she was passed over for superintendent, Timoll was recruited by newly appointed state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley to serve as his chief of staff.

The rejection of Towns and the resistance to elevating Smith both are Black prompted a lot of people to criticise White board members on racial grounds.

Former School Board member Jackie Mims told the board that race is laced through the efforts to deny Smith and you cant convince me otherwise.

Board President Gaudet defended himself. He said he had confidence in Smith after the meeting, he said that Smith was best candidate for interim he expressed concern that promoting Smith will undermine the renewed search, prompting good candidates to not apply because they see Smith as a shoo-in for the permanent job.

Gaudet also said that the calls of racism and the jeering were off base and they inhibit having a civil debate.

Im just disappointed that we cant talk about issues and about what were facing without resorting to calling people names, Gaudet said.

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East Baton Rouge Schools have another interim superintendent. How will they pick the next leader? - The Advocate

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--By late Friday (Oct. 23), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) expects to restore power to essentially all the 31,000 PG&E customers in seven counties who are affected by the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) that began on Wednesday (Oct. 21).

PG&E turned off the power to these customers, the majority living in Shasta, Butte and Tehama counties, to protect their safety and the safety of their communities because of strong, windy weather that elevated the risk of wildfires in Northern and Central California. Due to changing weather conditions Wednesday evening, PG&E was able to decrease customer impact by another 16% than previously estimated, removing about 6,000 customers and eight counties from the scope.

PG&E meteorologists forecast that the strongest winds will subside Friday morning, enabling crews to begin patrolling power lines (by air, vehicle and on foot) to ensure that no damage or hazards exist before those lines can be re-energized and those customers restored. PG&E expects all customers who can receive service will be back in power by 10 p.m. Friday.

Meanwhile, PG&E meteorologists are monitoring an additional potential wind event due to arrive Sunday. Although its still three days away and weather conditions can rapidly change, it has the potential to be a larger scale event than the PSPS event that began Wednesday, Oct. 21. Tomorrow, the company plans to begin notifications two days in advance of the event for potentially impacted customers indicating the possibility of another power shutoff for safety Sunday morning.

Our crews have been patrolling lines in helicopters, in vehicles, and on foot today and will continue into Friday in order to safely restore customers power as soon as possible. We know that being without power represents a hardship, especially for customers who might have to lose power a second time within a week. We are making every effort to restore power by Friday at latest so that our customers can run their appliances, recharge their devices and do whats needed before the power potentially goes off again on Sunday morning, said Mark Quinlan, a PG&E senior director and incident commander for the PSPS events.

Here are some updates related to the two PSPS events:

Current Oct. 21-23 Public Safety Power Shutoff

The PSPS that began Wednesday evening remains in place for some customers and PG&E is continuing to monitor conditions across the de-energized areas.

The top three recorded wind gust speeds by noon today were 56, 52 and 45 miles per hour. in Shasta, Butte and Yolo counties respectively, with humidity and fuel moisture levels remaining low.

Crews have already restored power to about 74 percent of customers affected by the Oct. 21 PSPS, with about 8,000 customers remaining as of 7:30 p.m.

Community Resource Centers

To support our customers, beginning Wednesday, PG&E planned to open 20 Community Resource Centers (CRCs) that operate from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. through the current PSPS event. However, seven of these locations were cancelled last night after the weather risk lessened and those areas were removed from the event scope as they did not have to be de-energized. An additional CRC closed once all customers in Glenn County were restored this evening. Thirteen temporary CRCs are now open to customers when power is out at their homes and provide ADA-accessible restrooms, hand-washing stations, medical-equipment charging, Wi-Fi; bottled water, grab-and-go bags and non-perishable snacks.

PG&E will also open CRCs for affected customers should the potential Oct. 24-26 PSPS come to fruition.

For updates on the CRCs, check here.

Potential Future Oct. 24-26 Public Safety Power Shutoff

PG&E meteorology is tracking and forecasting a potential PSPS event encompassing areas and adjacent terrain of the northern and western Sacramento Valley, Northern and Central Sierra, higher terrain of the Bay Area, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Central Coast Region and portions of southern Kern.

Support for Customers with Medical Needs

In order to support customers during both PSPS events, PG&E is also partnering with 30 community-based organizations (CBOs) to assist customers with medical, financial, language and aging needs before, during and after PSPS events. These activities include:

Details about these resources are at our website at pge.com/disabilityandaging.

So far in 2020, more than 1,000 portable batteries have been provided to vulnerable customers via the CFILCs Disability Disaster Access and Resources Program and through PG&Es Portable Battery Program.

Heres Where to Go to Learn More

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.

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Current PSPS Update: Restoration to Continue Friday Morning with a Goal of Restoring Power to Essentially All 31000 Customers by the End of the Day -...

BY BALFORD HENRYSenior staff reporterbalfordh@jamaicaobserver.com

Friday, October 23, 2020

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LEADER of the House of Representatives Edmund Bartlett is confident that the renovations to Gordon House to accommodate a resumption of sittings of the House of Representatives, will be completed by mid-November.

Bartlett told the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday that there would be no need for an extended delay of the works to be completed, and that he was satisfied that team that has been contracted will complete it within this timeline.

It could be completed earlier than that, based on the responses from the team which is carrying out the renovation. But, it would be safe to say that we will resume meeting at Gordon House by mid-November, he said.

Preliminary work started at the building Monday, and Gordon House sources said that it should be in full swing by weekend. The challenge is to create a chamber in which all 63 Members of Parliament, particularly the overwhelming 49 Government MPs, can be seated on either side of the aisle under COVID-19 social distancing rules.

In the meantime, Bartlett acknowledged that Parliament will need to fork out just over $200,000 per sitting for the use of the Jamaica Conference Centre, which was originally built to host the International Seabed Authority (ISA).

Gordon House and the conference centre are situated less than a mile away at different ends of Duke Street in downtown Kingston, but while the huge centre is a much more accommodative venue, it does not have the parliamentary trappings of Gordon House.

Efforts by a committee led by Bartlett to get the work going as quickly as possible after the current session of Parliament started on September 13, following the September 3 General Election, were also delayed by the positive COVID-19 test result returned by House Marshall Captain Wayne Blake. This led to a brief closure of the building for full sanitisation, before staff was allowed back in.

We owe payment for the two meetings so far, and we expect to meet there on October 27 and November 4. After which the renovation of Gordon House should be completed. I am sure the work will not go beyond mid-November, the latest, Bartlett told the Observer.

He also suggested that with the Government's Urban Development Corporation (UDC) operating the venue, Parliament could end up paying less. No payments have been made so far.

Now you can read the Jamaica Observer ePaper anytime, anywhere. The Jamaica Observer ePaper is available to you at home or at work, and is the same edition as the printed copy available at http://bit.ly/epaper-login

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Gordon House renovation to be completed by mid-November - Jamaica Observer

Photo by Matthew Bowler

Above: Border Angels Executive Director Dulce Garcia speaks in support of asylum-seekers at the San Ysidro Port-of-Entry on Oct. 21, 2020.

Marchers converged on the U.S.-Mexico border Wednesday morning to protest the treatment of asylum-seekers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Tijuana, asylum-seekers marched to the El Chaparral port of entry, demanding that the U.S. restore asylum proceedings for the thousands of migrants fleeing their home countries and arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. Across the border in San Ysidro, advocates read the stories of asylum-seekers.

Aired 10/22/20 on KPBS News

Listen to this story by Max Rivlin-Nadler.

We cannot return to Honduras because our lives are in danger," read one of the testimonials. We do not feel safe in Tijuana, and the closure of the border has left us without work."

Before the pandemic, many asylum-seekers were waiting months in Mexico for their chance to appear in a U.S. court for an asylum hearing. As COVID-19 limited travel across the border, however, the US asylum system has nearly ground to a halt, and the U.S. has expelled anyone who crosses the border without authorization in a matter of minutes.

It has also postponed all scheduled asylum hearings for those in the "Remain-in-Mexico" program.

"Theres a lot of uncertainty, and fear for our asylum-seeking siblings in Tijuana. Their dates are having to be postponed. Theres a lack of information, a lack of resources, they dont have any certainty in their asylum process, said Dulce Garcia, the executive director of Border Angels.

The two groups converging at the border issued a list of demands including the end of Remain-in-Mexico, the reopening of the border for asylum-seekers, more support for immigrants from the Mexican government and the end of waiting lists for people who want to declare asylum.

RELATED: Trump Administrations Unprecedented Asylum Restrictions Could Outlast Pandemic

Garcia said next years presidential election will prove pivotal in the lives of these asylum-seekers. But she believes a lot of damage has already been done. Earlier this week, ACLU lawyers said that it has been unable to find the parents of 545 young asylum-seekers who had been separated at the border in 2017.

Essentially, this administration has undone all protections for refugees and asylum-seekers. So, if there is a new administration, a change in administration, wed expect there would be a respect of asylum laws, both domestic and international laws. The U.S. was a driving force for protections for asylum-seekers, we were setting an example for the rest of this world, until this administration.

On Monday, the Supreme Court announced it would soon be hearing a challenge to the Remain-in-Mexico program. The administrations migrant expulsion policy is also being challenged in court.

Protesters gathered at US Ports of Entry to demand the US restore asylum proceedings for migrants who have been waiting in Mexico for months. Also, well review Measure E on the ballot. Plus, a look at how the San Diego craft brew industry has been handling the changes ushered in by the pandemic.

Aired: October 22, 2020 | Transcript

Max Rivlin-Nadler Speak City Heights Reporter

I cover City Heights, a neighborhood at the intersection of immigration, gentrification, and neighborhood-led health care initiatives. I'm interested in how this unique neighborhood deals with economic inequality during an unprecedented global health crisis.

To view PDF documents, Download Acrobat Reader.

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Binational Protestors Converge On The Border To Demand Restoration Of Asylum - KPBS

New Fenwick Hotel Granted Inside Alcohol License After 7-Hour Hearing; Pool Bar Decision Delayed For Now After Opposition

FENWICK ISLAND With approval to license the facilitys interior for alcohol sales and consumption, the connections of a new Fenwick Island hotel now await a state commissioners decision regarding a second-floor pool deck.In a seven-hour-long public hearing Tuesday, the Delaware Office of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commissioner (OABCC), headed by Commissioner John Cordrey, granted Read more

NEWARK Worcester Countys public schools continue to gradually return students to classrooms.Worcester County Public Schools remains in Stage Two of its Responsible Return model as COVID-19 continues to be a concern. A third of the countys public school students are back in their schools for in-person learning and more will return on Monday.Weve welcomed Read more

BISHOPVILLE Worcester County launched its new place brand, Marylands Coast, at Lighthouse Sound on Wednesday.Elected officials joined county staff and industry partners to share the new brand, which highlights the countys greatest asset, the ocean.Our goal was to define a distinct brand to strengthen our countys destination as a vibrant destination for families, vacationers, Read more

BERLIN County officials approved the creation of an overlay zone to allow Ocean Downs Casino to expand despite objections from Ocean Citys mayor and representatives of the local hospitality industry.The Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday voted 5-2, with Commissioners Jim Bunting and Joe Mitrecic opposed, to approve a casino entertainment district for the A-2 Read more

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10/22/2020 | New Library Branch Will Not Find Home On Donated Land | News Ocean City MD - The Dispatch

When you're tired of watching shouting matches among the housewives or sick of dating shows, HGTV has your back with its simple yet entertaining content. What better way to spend a lazy day than curling up in your couch or bed watching people on a quest to find their homes, or giving their houses a makeover to turn it into their dream abode? Here are 10 HGTV shows that should definitely be on your watchlist for times when you can't decide what to watch or are seeking ideas on how to upgrade your home to the next level.

Over the years we have watched Drew and Jonathan Scott of 'Property Brothers' fame working alongside each other to renovate their clients' homes. If you ever wondered which brother was better at renovating and designing a home, then you should definitely check out HGTV's 'Brother vs Brother'. On this show, the twins are pitted against each other to redo and upgrade a property. The winners will be declared based on the home that earns the highest net profit. Aside from sibling rivalry, what's at stake for the brothers is the humiliation that awaits them if they lose the challenge and also that the loser will have to buy all the winners' favorite things during their trip to Disneyland. To know which brother aced the challenge, make sure you watch the fun show.

There are plenty of home renovation shows on TV, but what sets 'Extreme Home Makeover: Home Edition' apart from the other shows is the time taken by the renovation experts to complete the project. While we are used to seeing the contractors take weeks to complete a project, on this show, they have just a day to finish converting their clients' home into their dream abode. Apart from the awe-inspiring renovations and host Jesse Tyler's wit, the incredible talent of the designers Breegan Jane, Darren Keefe Reiher and Carrie Locklyn will definitely draw you in.

By now you should know that HGTV shows do not have any spicy drama in them, but the exception to that would be 'Windy City Rehab'. What started off as a mission to fix homes around Chicago city quickly became a hot mess, after Alison Victoria found out that her partner Donovan Eckhardt was embezzling money from her. The initial episodes focused on the renovation work, but the final episodes were heavily covered in the personal drama between the hosts.

Brad Pitt, Melissa McCarthy, Viola Davis, Rebel Wilson, Jeremy Renner and Michael Buble were some of the stars who appeared on HGTV's hit show 'Celebrity IOU'. Each episode of the show features a celebrity who wants to surprise a special person in their life with home renovations. The celebrities then roped in Jonathan and Drew Scott of 'Property Brothers' fame to execute the renovation work. The brothers worked alongside the celebrities to create a design plan and deliver a customized space as per their taste and that too under tight deadlines. If watching celebrities in their element alongside stunning homes appeals to you, then 'celebrity IOU' has to be on your watchlist.

Purchasing a home is without a doubt a very emotional experience. Everybody has their laundry list of things they want in their dream homes, but unfortunately, not everybody has a budget to meet their laundry list of expectations. So on 'House Hunters', we see real-estate agents showing their clients three homes and the client will have to pick one which is within their budget, but it may not have everything they want. Who knew watching clients reject homes over the paint color or the shape of countertops would be this addictive and entertaining.

The fun and witty banter between David Visentin and Hillary Farr is part of the charm of watching 'Love It or List It'. While realtor David tries his best to woo their clients into moving out of their current home into a new property shown by him, interior designer/ decorator Hillary makes all the remodeling and redesigning to the clients' current home to make it appealing enough for them to not move out of their home. At the end of each episode, the client will decide whether they want to stay put in their current home, thus declaring they "love it", or want to "list it" and move into a new property shown by David.

Bryan and Sarah Baeumler decide to kiss goodbye to their life in Canada and move to a remote tropical island seeking some adventure. As soon as they get to the island, they take up an ambitious project of restoring an old, massive, rundown resort after purchasing it for $100K. The couple has several challenges lying ahead of them, ranging from tight budget, a deadline to staff shortage. "This is the biggest change our family has faced and the largest project we've ever taken on," said Bryan. "What are we risking? Absolutely everything." Bryan and Sarah's adventures will definitely keep you at the edge of your seat wondering whether they'll manage to pull off the feat of completing the renovation of the resort in six months.

In this exciting prequel to 'Renovation Island', 'Renovation, Inc' will show the Baeumlers in their home turf juggling between running their successful construction company and managing their family.

Martha Stewart aka the domestic goddess revealed some treasured gardening secrets that every gardening enthusiast must definitely watch to learn more. On the show, we see Martha helping out her celebrity friends and fans with their home projects and also sharing some helpful tips and suggestions along the way. From demonstrating how to cut open a pomegranate to Jay Leno, to teaching Snoop Dogg how to pot tomato plants, Martha does it all on her HGTV show.

Who doesn't dream of winning a lottery? One of the first things that most lottery winners want to invest on after winning big is real-estate. So, on 'My Lottery Dream Home', we see host David Bromstad going on a quest with the lottery winners to find their new dream home. It is interesting to watch whether the lottery winner will shell out all their money to buy an extravagant house or just buy a simple one.

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Top 10 HGTV shows to stream: From 'Windy City Rehab' to 'Renovation Island', here are the network's best shows - MEAWW

Popular home renovators Dave and Jenny Marrs are all set to make a comeback with the second season of HGTVs Fixer to Fabulous. More worn-out houses will be brought back to life by the husband-wife duo in Season 2 of the reality show. From dilapidated front porches to squirrel invaded attics, theres nothing this husband and wife team cant make fabulous. Here's all you need to know about the new season of Fixer to Fabulous.

Fixer to Fabulous returns on Tuesday, October 27, at 8-9 pm ET/PT, on HGTV.

As per HGTV, Dave and Jenny Marrs embrace small-town America by renovating classic homes in and around their hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas. This resourceful and creative couple transforms historic houses in desperate need of an update and turns them into charming forever homes. In the new 13-episode run, the husband-wife duo -- who reportedly attracted more than 17.9 million viewers to the first season of Fixer to Fabulous -- continue to overhaul old homes in Northwest Arkansas, all while raising five young children and managing their family farm. Jenny, the creative influence behind their personalized renovations, specializes in designing spaces that are warm and welcoming for families, while Dave tackles the construction with aplomb, crediting his passion for reviving old homes.

Home renovators Jenny and Dave met right after college when they found themselves at the same company but in different branches. Love knows no limits and the two had a long-distance relationship. Jenny is a Florida native and Dave is originally from Colorado.

The Bentonville pair are the stars of Fixer to Fabulous. They put their handiwork and design skills to good use while renovating historic properties. They also operate a berry farm and event venue.

The trailer for Season 2 is not out yet. MEAWW will update the article when it's released.

Tidying Up with Marie Kondo

Jamies 30-Minute Meals

Property Brothers

Flip or Flop

Tiny House Nation

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Fixer to Fabulous Season 2: Release date, plot, host, trailer and all you need to know about HGTV's home ren - MEAWW

The leadership race tells you something about thorny trade issues

WASHINGTON, DC

MEMBERS OF THE World Trade Organisation (WTO) are not known for co-operating with each other. So when in June they began the process of choosing a new director-general, many feared deadlock. But now, as the process draws to a close, officials are feeling hopeful. Two candidates are still in the running: Nigerias Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the chairwoman of GAVI, a vaccine-finance agency, and a former World Bank official and finance minister; and Yoo Myung-hee, South Koreas trade minister. A winner is due to be announced between October 28th and November 7th, and support seems to be coalescing around Ms Okonjo-Iweala. Yet the contest says more about the discord in the trading system than the harmony.

The candidates themselves did a good job of highlighting various divisions in the course of the selection process (while dutifully noting that only members have the power to resolve them). Between them they identified a long list of problems: jammed negotiations that have left the WTOs rule book out of date; a broken system of solving disputes; members lacklustre commitment to transparency; and a trade war between America and China.

Disagreements between members also explain the candidates rather limited ambitions. A bold agenda might include a grand bargain on agriculture that lowers tariffs in poor countries and limits subsidies in rich ones. Ms Myung-hee is a seasoned negotiator and not one to shy away from tricky talks. Even so, rather than shooting for a big deal, she now reckons that restoring the WTOs credibility as a negotiating forum means just agreeing on something. She would prioritise ongoing talks to curb members fishing subsidies. (Even that narrower deal will be a stretch, given that negotiators do not yet agree on what counts as fish.)

Ms Okonjo-Iweala has emphasised her experience fighting covid-19 as her strong suit. As head of GAVI she understands the importance of open trade so that vital supplies can get to where they are needed. But this too is a thorny topic. Rich countries are more interested in lowering others tariffs than limiting their own right to apply export controls. They also hate a recent proposal from India and South Africa to suspend intellectual-property protection for products that could prevent, contain or treat the disease. So instead Ms Okonjo-Iweala has spoken only vaguely of exploring new trade rules and intellectual-property and licensing rights for drugmaking.

If she wins, Ms Okonjo-Iweala has also promised to empower the WTOs secretariat. That could be controversialsome members will resist what they see as a threat to their power over negotiations. But it could also help poorer countries, some of which lack the capacity to draft proposals on their own, making it hard to participate in talks. Her political clout will be useful too. If the problems of the global trading system were purely technical, they would have been solved long ago, she told members in July.

But Ms Okonjo-Iwealas success would also say something about the geopolitics of trade. China could reject Ms Myung-hee if that allows it to keep its deputy-director-general spot. (Historically, jobs have been divvied up among regions.) Japans nasty trade dispute with South Korea makes it unlikely to support Ms Myung-hee. Brazil, a big exporter of farm products, may be put off by South Koreas membership of the G10 group of countries, which staunchly defends agricultural subsidies. The agreement on the next director-general could be born from a host of disagreements.

This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline "The home straight"

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Global Ceramic Sanitary Ware Market 2020-2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The ceramic sanitary ware market is poised to grow by 226.25 million units during 2020-2024 progressing at a CAGR of 8% during the forecast period.

The report on ceramic sanitary ware market provides a holistic analysis, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis covering around 25 vendors.

The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. The market is driven by the increasing expenditure on bathroom remodeling and major brands expanding manufacturing facilities.

The ceramic sanitary ware market analysis includes product segment and geographical landscapes. This study identifies the growing availability of ceramic sanitary ware on online platforms as one of the prime reasons driving the ceramic sanitary ware market growth during the next few years.

The report presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters.

Companies Mentioned

The ceramic sanitary ware market covers the following areas:

The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to an analysis of the key vendors.

The report presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters such as profit, pricing, competition, and promotions. It presents various market facets by identifying the key industry influences. The data presented is comprehensive, reliable, and a result of extensive research - both primary and secondary.

This market research report provides a complete competitive landscape and an in-depth vendor selection methodology and analysis using qualitative and quantitative research to forecast an accurate market growth.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Market Landscape

3. Market Sizing

4. Five Forces Analysis

5. Market Segmentation by Product

6. Customer Landscape

7. Geographic Landscape

8. Vendor Landscape

9. Vendor Analysis

10. Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/23i02c

Link:
Global Ceramic Sanitary Ware Market (2020 to 2024) - Featuring Duravit, Geberit and Kohler Among Others - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire