Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Carla Trivino|Palm Beach Daily News

Long considered a safe haven from the outside world, Palm Beach has not been spared by the coronavirus. As the health pandemic continues to wreak havoc on several industries around the globe, the island's shopping districts have not been immune to the virus' consequences.

While most island businesses depend on the high seasons earnings, the mandatory closure of non-essential businesses in early March put a hamper on the town's most profitable month. Many of them tried tofocuson e-commerce or virtual experiences, but for those not having anonline presence, sales suffered.Ahandful refused to close.

"Spring was a wash of a season and we figured that out quickly," Beth Buccini, owner of women's clothing shop Kirna Zabete, said. "Business is completely down."

Buccini quickly adapted her business by offering curbside pickup and virtual styling services during the pandemic. She also refocused her store's merchandise by creating her own collectionto reflect her clients' new lifestyle (i.e. fewer ball gowns and more cashmere sweaters).

While many survived, the mandatory closure, loss of revenue, continued expenses such as rent and the added cost of operating once allowed to re-open proved disastrous, forcing some businesses to make their temporary closure permanent.

We heard there are 23 vacancies on Worth Avenue and six at The Royal Poinciana Plaza, said Francis Scire, a senior vice president and head of leasing, marketing and brand management at OConnor Capital Partners.

Scire has more than 25 years of experience in the retail real estate business, where his large focus is the luxury market. He also spearheaded The Royal Poinciana Plazas leasing during its 2017 reopening as the vice president of leasing at WS Development, where he also focused on merchandising and redevelopment. His current firm has commercial space available for rent on Royal Palm Way and The Esplanade.

Since March, hes watched the real estate market boom with Northeastern clients looking to buy or rent in Palm Beach during the pandemic. With it, he said, came an uptick in office space.

People buying these residences want to have an outpost for their offices, Scire said.

Given the recentdemand in office space, he said, The Esplanades second-floor vacant spaces may be transformed into offices. But the same demand has not translated into retail space.

A recent walk through the islands shopping districts tallied more than 25stores available for lease. Since March, 70 local business tax receipts, formerly known as occupational licenses, did not file for renewal, according to the towns Clerk Office.

"We had to close,it was very slow with pandemic and everything," Silvia Ispas, owner of Olivia Preckel, said. The Via Amore store did not file for a license renewal, but that does not mean she will not be operating nextseason. When her lease ended a month after the mandatory closures, she decided to wait to reapply.

"Iknow there's like 20 available spaces on the island, so I'm waiting to see if there's a better space for me, but in November."

The towns Supervisor of Business Tax Receipts Debby Moody suspects other business owners may be following Ispas' lead.

Theyre opting to not pay the tax and reapply when they reopen again. When we get back to normalcy, well see an influx of licenses, Moody said.

Some businesses relocated, such as Sharis Place, which moved across the street from its former location to 334 Worth Ave, Charlotte Kellogg, whichmoved to 228 Worth Ave., and Woody Michleb Beauty Salon, which joined forces and relocated to Donna Kelly Blush Brow Blowdry at The Esplanade. Others such as Milou of Palm Beach closed permanently.

Permanent closures did not discriminate. Luxury conglomerate Neiman Marcus is closing its Worth Avenue store Sept. 12. Thenewly openedshop Lili Bermudas handcrafted perfumes lasted less than one season on the island. And decades-long family-owned businessRapunzels Closetcloses permanently Sept. 30.

Other stores closing permanently this year includeThe Grand Tour, Joey Wolffer, LaunchPad,COMO Home & Design, Mystique of Palm Beach, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, Socapri and Brooks Brothers.

Some stores saw the pandemic as a sign to close while things were good.

Such was the case with Lili Bermuda, the town's only perfumery that opened last December.Perfumer and owner Isabelle Ramsay-Brackstonewas an investment banker and accountant whose financial skills helped build her company and expand to Palm Beach. Her Bermuda store was subsidizing much of the expansion, but when the pandemic affected all her locations, she had to close her shop.

The Federal Reserves regular survey of its nationwide business contacts shed light on the struggle some industries are facing. The August 2020"Beige Book" report showed that while vehicle sales, tourism and retail had been boosting consumer spending, many districts noted a slowing pace of growth in these areas, and total spending was still far below pre-pandemic levels. A bright spot, the report said, was the growth in residential construction and residential real estate sales, but commercial construction was down widely, and commercial real estate remained in contraction.

During the pandemic, many of the retailers' struggle was with their landlords who wouldn't budge on rent or compromise with tenants.

"I'm hoping the landlords owning vacancies on Worth Avenue are as open as we are to creating opportunitiesfor new tenants," Scire said.

Laurel Baker, chief executive officerof the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce, concurred. She believes the town and landlords can work together to open new businesses and help them stay open.

"Its sad," Baker said when she heard news of Rapunzel's Closet closing. "South County Road has enough empty storefronts. Worth Avenue is even worse. And its our hope that the town will work with the landlords across the board to accommodate people that want to start a business and have been thrown off by the pandemic.

By this time of year, most stores that relocated within the island are in their new locations and new businesses are usually set up or in the process of opening, but experts have noticed a rather sluggish start. But it doesn't mean there isn't movement.

According to the town's clerk office records, 37 businesseshave filed for a business tax receipt since March 20. Among them are Worth Avenues latest additions such aswomens clothing store Ala von Auersperg at 312 Worth Ave., private spa Palm Beach Facials at 205 Worth Ave.and womens clothing shop Valentina Kova, which moved from The Royal Poinciana Plaza to 243 Worth Ave. Also,FeragamoUSA Inc. was recently approved for a new tenant,Faidra Hanna & Co., at 210 Worth Ave. during the Aug. 27 Architectural Commission meeting.

"Palm Beach is considered a safe place, a haven," Scire said."Weve seen a bounce back in sales for luxury tenants. Its not as strong as it was prior to COVID but its significant. I think it will take some time and I'm hopeful for the upcoming season."

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What is the future of Palm Beach retail? Stores close during the pandemic - Palm Beach Daily News

By the time you read this, the NFL regular season will have begun. But were not here to talk about that game. Were here for all things Dallas Cowboys.

2020 NFL Predictions Captain Comeback: NFL Analysis by Scott KacsmarThis is a deep dive into the whole league. Worth your time to read the whole thing, but here's a quote about the Cowboys that is encouraging.

But The Clapper is gone, replaced by Mike McCarthy, who won 61.8 percent of his games in Green Bay before things soured. As last year in Green Bay showed, not all of the problems were on McCarthys offense growing stale. A year away from the game and some self-evaluation should serve him well. Hes retained Kellen Moore as the offensive coordinator, a move thats been widely praised in Dallas.

Oh, and how about this?

SUPER BOWL LV

Kansas City 30, Dallas 24

Wipe that smile off Jerry Jones face as the Chiefs come through to give us a repeat champion for the first time since the 2003-04 Patriots.

TL;DR version: Get used to your new football overlords from Kansas City, but dont discount Dak Prescott spoiling things.

Cowboys season preview: Question marks, must-watch games and a record prediction Jon Machota, The AthleticAnother detailed look ahead for the Cowboys.

Whats new? Almost the entire coaching staff has changed. Mike McCarthy became the franchises ninth head coach after he was hired in January. While McCarthy retained offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, tight ends coach Doug Nussmeier (now coaching quarterbacks) and defensive line assistant Leon Lett, the rest of the staff is all new. McCarthy is leaning on several veteran coaches in key areas, most notably defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, defensive line coach Jim Tomsula, special teams coordinator John Fassel and offensive line coach Joe Philbin.

The biggest changes are taking place on defense. The 4-3 front that generated the majority of pass rush under previous defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has been replaced by a more multiple look under Nolan. Training camp practices revealed edge rushers standing up and dropping into coverage in some 3-4 looks as well as showcasing their pass-rushing ability in three-point stances in 4-3 looks. The back end is less predictable as well. The goal is to keep opposing quarterbacks guessing more often, increasing the number of turnovers. The biggest loss on that side of the ball was No. 1 cornerback Byron Jones signing a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Miami Dolphins in March. The biggest additions have been veteran edge rushers Aldon Smith and Everson Griffen. They are replacing Robert Quinn, who led the team in sacks (11.5) in 2019 and signed a five-year, $70 million deal with the Chicago Bears in March.

The special teams are expected to be improved under Fassel, who is widely regarded as one of the NFLs best special teams coaches. Greg Zuerlein, a 2017 Pro Bowler, takes over as the teams new kicker. Rookie wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is expected to handle punt-return duties. Second-year running back Tony Pollard is expected to handle kickoff returns.

NFL Kickoff: Which Teams Will Make the 2020 Playoffs? - Mauricio Rodriguez, Inside the Star

The only reason we look at predictions like this is to fuel our optimism and confirm our priors, right? Enjoy.

NFC East: Dallas Cowboys

It wont be easy for the Cowboys to win the division with a new coaching staff under this years conditions, but the talent on offense should be enough to overcome the adversities that come with adapting to a new regime.

Dak Prescott will lead one of the best offenses in the NFL. CeeDee Lamb has been great in training camp as he transitions from college to the pros at a very fast pace. Last year, the Cowboys offense was among the leagues best on Kellen Moores debut season, and now that Jason Garrett is out and Mike McCarthy is in, the main issue in Dallas has been resolved.

2020 NFL Predictions Matt Hollerans Sports BlogMore a graphic/table post from one of our FPWs personal blog, but worth a read. He has Dallas as the #2 seed in the NFC, and Aldon Smith as the comeback player of the year, but this is by far the most satisfying line in the whole post.

Biggest Disappointment Philadelphia Eagles

Predicting every NFL teams record in 2020 | by David Howman | Sep, 2020 | David Howman on MediumIt's a day for our FPWs to be doing some good stuff in their side gigs.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys 124

Philadelphia Eagles 88

Washington Football Team 610

New York Giants 412

The NFC East hasnt had a back-to-back division champ since the 20032004 seasons, and that isnt about to change. Mike McCarthy proves to be exactly what the Cowboys needed, jumping out to a 50 start and securing the top seed in the NFC.

Washington Football Team. Still cracks me up.

Writers Blocks: Learning To Embrace The Hype - David Helman, DallasCowboys.comIt just doesn't feel like a news roundup without something from always entertaining Helman. Here are three things he is thinking about the team.

It would be silly to project yardage totals for every player on the team, but I think CeeDee Lamb will improve on the numbers Randall Cobb posted last year. So, for the record, I'm calling for the rookie to catch more than 55 passes for more than 828 yards and more than three touchdowns. Seems doable.

I want to officially put it into writing that I'm buying all the Blake Jarwin stock I can afford. I know it's going to be easier said than done because of how much talent is on this offense. But I think Jarwin is capable of catching 50 balls. More importantly, I think he's capable of averaging 12-14 yards per reception. Oh, and put me down for 7-10 touchdowns. I just have a feeling.

It's probably not a good thing if Dak Prescott finishes second in the league in passing again, because it'd likely mean that the Cowboys aren't playing with a lot of leads. So I'm guessing he's not going to flirt with 5,000 yards again, like he did in 2019. That said, I do believe we're going to see the best seasons of Prescott's career. I'm looking for efficiency, good decision making and at least 35 total touchdowns rushing and passing. Most importantly, I'm looking for that performance to translate to more wins. Because all the stats in the world won't mean anything without a playoff appearance.

A big year for Ezekiel Elliott among bold predictions for the Cowboys | Patrick Conn,wfaa.comThis is something that keeps cropping up, but just doesn't get as much play as it probably should. The expected high-powered offense for Dallas is going to feature a productive running game.

Ezekiel Elliott goes for over 1,800 yards from scrimmage

The talk all offseason in Dallas has been about the ascension of the passing game. There is a good reason for that. After all, the pass attack led by Dak Prescott was the most impactful area for the Cowboys last season and now they sport the addition of rookie top pick CeeDee Lamb at wide receiver and the expected emergence of Blake Jarwin at tight end.

The Cowboys also return two 1,000-yard pass catchers in Michael Gallup and Amari Cooper. All eyes will be on Prescott and the pass catchers this year. That bodes well for former All-Pro and two-time rushing champion running back Ezekiel Elliott.

With NFL defenses no doubt putting in more concerted efforts to slow down the passing game, Elliott is likely to get some favorable looks this upcoming year.

Execs Unfiltered: On what all 32 teams should worry about entering the season Mike Sando, The AthleticPessimism! Get your hot, fresh pessimism here!

Dallas Cowboys

The worry: The Cowboys peaked in July.

I liked them a lot more in July than I do in September. The reason would be number one, since then, (Patrick) Mahomes and (Deshaun) Watson get paid, and (Dak) Prescott does not. Gerald McCoy gets hurt again. We dont know if Randy Gregory is back (he is eligible to return Oct. 25). They do have Everson Griffen. Sean Lee gets hurt again. Amari Cooper is already missing practice. Before all that, (Travis) Frederick retires at center. Now you throw out Lael Collins for four weeks. Who starts at right tackle? Cam Erving? You can go turn on some Chiefs film from last year and see if you are willing to back that horse. He is a liability.

Cowboys Say Amari, Awuzie & Xavier 'Full Capacity' For Rams - Mike Fisher, SI Cowboys MavenOh, yeah, there is preparation underway for a game Sunday night. Heres some key injury stuff.

"They've had a good weekend of rehab," head coach Mike McCarthy said on Wednesday. "I know the strength-and-conditioning (staff) and the trainers feel good.

"So we'll watch their workload (Wednesday) and obviously evaluate them again in the morning."

"They'' are safety Xavier Woods and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, who did dress for practice on Wednesday. Woods (groin) and Awuzie (knee) have been limited for the better part of training camp. Meanwhile, cornerback Jourdan Lewis continues to be sidelined with an ankle injury.

Jaylon Smith, Dallas least understood Cowboy, is ready for his next step Mike Pieliucci, The AthleticThis is a deep dive into the talented but sometimes controversial linebacker. Whatever you think of him, you will learn something from this. And this final point from the article says a lot about him.

Jaylon Smith knows what he wants his future to look like.

Its one he has no plan for at least not yet. Yes, there are the football goals, and the financial goals, and the business goals, but all of them stand in service to a larger conceit. When he tries to envision his life in five years, then in 10, only one thought shines through. I want to be happy, he says.

Hes still shaping that idea into something more solid, more tangible. Maybe he winds up there in the next few years, with a Lombardi Trophy in hand as confetti rains down, his reconstructed leg planted at footballs pinnacle after it once led him to his personal nadir. Perhaps its after that, when the game is behind him, with MEI a global enterprise and a conglomerate in his name. It could be as simple as fatherhood and building a family. Or what about something else altogether, a heretofore undiscovered passion that hell stumble onto and sponge up when the time is right? Im not the guy that has all the answers, he says, but Im a guy that wants to search and learn.

Forbes - Cowboys again most valuable NFL team, at $5.7 billion - ESPN via Associated PressIt has become a perennial story.

Forbes estimates the Dallas Cowboys are the NFL's most valuable franchise at $5.7 billion, the 14th consecutive year they've held that distinction.

According to the magazine, Jerry Jones' team is also the most valuable franchise in the world.

And a little note of interest to some of you.

We offer a variety of shows on the BTB podcast network and drop two episodes every single day for you as things are always happening in the world of the Dallas Cowboys.

BTB Podcast Schedule

We also offer daily episodes of The Ocho where we give you that days latest headlines so that you always stay caught up. The BTB podcast network is available on all major podcast avenues.

You can find your preferred platform right here. Make sure to subscribe, rate the feed, and leave a review! Our latest episode is available in the feed down below.

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Dallas Cowboys news: Last minute predictions, forecasts are rolling in - Blogging The Boys

If you're working from home, here are some tips to stay productive and ensure your home office is optimized for working remotely. USA TODAY

Robin Salcidoand her husband have been sharing a small home office since March as America eased into the era of remote work.

Shes an artist. Hes an engineer. But as the months ticked on, the couple in Louisville, Colorado,longed toseparate their work environments.

Let's face it, no matter how great a relationship is and ours is pretty fantastic no one wants to be on top of each other 24/7, especially when you're working, Salcido said. Now that we cant go to coffee shops, and were really limited in other opportunities for leaving the house to get some work done, we realized we need more space.

So they ordered a prefabricated backyard shed thats getting installed on Friday. Salcido will use it at her office.

As the COVID-19 crisis enters its sixth month, an increasing number of Americans are buying and building backyard sheds useas home offices. For some, it represents a chance to get work doneaway from the kids as schools practice remote learning in the fall. For others, its a necessity because theres no room for an office setup inside their home.

Apartments for rent: Americans don't want yearlong leases amid the pandemic, neither do landlords

These detached, mostly self-contained spaces are more affordable and more practical than taking on a full-scale construction project, shed buyers say.

Google queriesfor office sheds began to tick higher in April, a few weeks after the pandemic was declared, according to search data.Searches began trending higher again in mid-Augustas the nation entered the back-to-school season. Companies that sell backyard shed products are noticing the trend.

Tim Vack, general manager at Modern-Shed, said there has been a 400% rise in interest this summer. A 50% rise in the summer is typicalas people take on more outdoor projects.The company gauges interest by downloads of its online catalog.

A lot of companies are allowing their employees from home from now on if they choose. Soeverybody is scrambling to find space to put their computer, Vack said. People are growing tired of putting their laptop on their dining room tableor their kitchen countertop.

These detachedoffice spacesare more premium than the standard metal shedsat Home Depot. You decide on what style of wood you'd like to use, where you'd like thewindows to be placed and various other customization options. The more you want, the more you pay.

Modern-Shed tailors each outdoor building to the buyers specifications. The firm then uses independent installation companies to do all the on-the-ground work.

Most people are choosing to buy spaces that offer an additional 120 square feet, said Mike Koenig, president and co-founder of Studio Shed.

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The 12-year-old Colorado-based company said it saw a huge spike in inquiries for backyard home space since March. Most of the buyers are using them for home offices, followed by school rooms for their kids, and a few are being converted into home gyms, Koenig said.

Maybe the kids are doing their schoolwork in the shed" away from parents who can then work peacefully inside the house,Koenig said.

Studio Shed, which ships to all 50 states, sends buyers a flat-packaged kit to be installed in their yard.

Prices are typically around $120 to $180 a square foot, depending on size and other options, the company says. Prices for its entry-level series start at $10,500.

Thats substantially lower than costs associated with hiring a contractorand buying materials to build onto your existing home. The average cost to build onto your home ranges from just over $21,000 up to $70,000, according to Home Advisor.

Modern-Shed says more people are converting backyard sheds into home offices.(Photo: Modern Shed)

Salcido said shes saving more than $150,000 by choosing a backyard shed office rather than building on top of her existing house.

We wouldve had to tear down the garage to add more concrete to support another level, Salcido said. It wouldve been way too much work to go through just for another studio room. The Studio Shed room she chose comes with electrical outlets and mini splits for AC and heating.

The typical turnaround time for sheds is four to six weeks from the order date, according to Studio Shed.

People who go for larger backyard home offices often have a lengthier build process, experts say, in part because states require varying permits for constructing rooms over a certain size.

While many are turning to companies for help with their shed, some people are going the do-it-yourself route, which is an even cheaper way to add a yard shed.

In April, Julie Massonshusband and a neighbor teamed up on her She shed project. It took three months to build.Now she uses the 120-square-foot room as an office escape from the kids' distance learning in the main house.

Julie Masson's backyard "she shed" looks like a mini home. Her husband Jesse helped build it during the pandemic so she can work remotely.(Photo: Julie Masson)

My husband sketched out a blueprint on a piece of paper. I decided where I wanted the door and windows to be. And our neighbor told us the supplies we needed, said Masson, who lives in Kansas City, Missouri. They bought the home improvement materials from Lowes, Home Depot and Menards.

The entire project cost $5,000 including office furniture from IKEA. The hardest part was digging an 18-inch-deep trench from the house to the shed for the electrical wires, Masson said. Starting around 10 a.m. Monday to Friday, she works as a marketing director from the outdoor shed. She clocks out around 6 p.m.

Julie Masson designed the interior of this outdoor shed built by her husband and a neighbor.(Photo: Julie Masson)

I have this routine at the end of my day where I lower my standing desk, I shut the shades, I turn off my air conditioner I turn off the lights, I lock my door and I commute home, just a few steps away," Masson said.

Have you converted an ordinary shed into your office? Shows us! Send photos to Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown.

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/09/08/americans-turn-backyard-sheds-into-home-offices-pandemic-rages/3454144001/

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Americans are buying, building, converting backyard sheds into home offices - USA TODAY

Upgrading the backyard for the staycation just got easier with a new showroom opened in Manahawkin by an experienced company building bar sheds, pavilions, pool houses and more.

Oaktree Sheds & Gazebos, at 657 East Bay Ave., is a retail store with models of the quality sheds, gazebos and other products that build relaxation into the outdoor time families spend together.

In business for 35 years, the owners pride themselves on experience, quality, service and affordable pricing. Bob Albrecht owns and operates the family business with his wife, Linda, and sons Bobby and Connor.

The company still has its main showroom in Monroe Township on Route 33, but the Albrechts now live in Surf City, so the Manahawkin location is a plus for everyone.

With COVID-19 and people working from home, theyre wanting to update their backyards, said Linda Albrecht, who was showing customers around the store located on the west front side of the Manahawkin Mart shops.

Bar sheds have been very popular. Another item that has become more and more in demand is the poly furniture: Adirondack chairs, dining sets, bar sets, she said. Theyre very durable and hold up very well in the weather at the shore.

Bob Albrecht, a builder and carpenter by trade, started his business in 1985. He first operated a lawn service and saw the need for custom-built sheds and gazebos. Later he expanded the product line to outdoor bars and bar sheds, pool houses, pavilions, sunrooms, stand-alone garages, pergolas, playhouses, cabins, mini-barns, pet sheds, Adirondack chairs and other backyard specialty items.

In recent years, virtually all of the companys items are built with the legendary skill of Amish craftsmen. However, Albrecht designs and delivers every product himself. Larger projects, such as pavilions, will be built by an Amish crew right on the homeowners property.

We do a lot of custom items, Linda said; for instance, homeowners may request a varied placement of a shed window.

Property owners will be the ones to check on any required permits from the town, and the company can give advice. Then Oak Tree builds to specifications. The company has worked extensively in Middlesex, Monmouth, Mercer and Ocean counties and as far south as Cape May County.

Albrecht guarantees every item he makes. Customer satisfaction is our first priority, Linda said.

The company uses all wood framing and sheathing no particle board. Wall studs and rafter beams are a standard 16 inches apart on center, while floor joists are all 12 inches apart on center. Sheds can be ordered in vinyl, cedar or T1-11 siding. Gazebos are available in wood or PVC.

Prices are extremely competitive, Linda said. Customers are given a price list up front that includes the cost of the finished product, shipping and delivery. There are no hidden fees.

Visit the showroom at 657 East Bay Ave. for an up-close look any day except Thursdays, view the website oaktreesheds.com, or phone 609-661-1299.

Were open throughout the fall at the Manahawkin showroom, and in the winter we take appointments.

One season prepares for enjoyment in another.

Weve done a lot of commercial jobs as well: beach lockers for Belmar, Spring Lake, Bradley Beach, beach cabanas for beach clubs in Monmouth County, benches on the boardwalk in Belmar.

Maria Scandale

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Oaktree Sheds & Gazebos Extend the 'Staycation' - The SandPaper

Dining at a restaurant is one of the riskiest activities for contracting the novel coronavirus, according to a CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published Friday.

How Covid-19 is changing the future of the health care industry

CDC's new findings come as U.S. officials as of Friday morning reported a total of 6,416,700 cases of the novel coronavirus virus since the country's epidemic beganup from 6,378,900 cases reported as of Thursday morning.

Data from the New York Times shows there are nine states that have seen comparatively higher rates of coronavirus transmission, meaning they've had a daily average of at least 15 newly reported coronavirus cases per 100,000 people over the past week, where rates of newly reported cases are "staying high." Those states are Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

Meanwhile, the Times' data shows that the daily averages of newly reported cases over the past seven days are "going down" in Alabama, Georgia, Guam, Iowa, and Mississippi, which all had been seeing comparatively higher rates of coronavirus transmission.

The Times' data also shows there are five states that have seen comparatively lower rates of coronavirus transmission, meaning they've had a daily average of fewer than 15 newly reported coronavirus cases per 100,000 people over the past week, but are now seeing those rates "going up." Those states are Alaska, Delaware, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

In addition, the Times' data shows that Puerto Rico; the U.S. Virgin Islands; Washington, D.C.; and 32 states have had comparatively lower rates of new coronavirus cases over the past week, and those rates are "staying low." Those states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.

U.S. officials as of Friday morning also had reported a total of 191,628 deaths linked to the coronavirus since the country's epidemic beganup from 190,714 deaths reported as of Thursday morning.

According to the Times' data, Guam, Hawaii, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and South Dakota saw their average daily numbers of newly reported deaths linked to the coronavirus rise over the past 14 days.

Although many areas of the United States still have coronavirus transmission rates that public health experts say are dangerously high, many states are moving forward with plans to reopen nonessential businesses that had been closed to help mitigate the virus' spreadincluding restaurants, bars, and other eateries for indoor and outdoor dining. But CDC's new report raises questions about whether dining out is safe amid the epidemic.

For the report, researchers from CDC and Hennepin Healthcare set out "[t]o assess community and close contact exposures associated with" confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus by comparing exposures reported by patients who contracted the virus with exposures reported by a control group of patients who were not infected with the virus. According to CDC, the "case-patient" group included 154 adult patients at 11 U.S. health care facilities who were experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and who tested positive for the virus. Meanwhile, the control group included 160 patients from those same medical facilities who were experiencing symptoms associated with Covid-19 but who tested negative for the coronavirus.

The patients received polymerase chain reaction tests for the novel coronavirus to confirm whether they were infected with the pathogen. The 11 medical facilities at which the patients received care were located in California, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington. The dates the patients had received care at the facilities spanned from July 1 to July 29.

Overall, the researchers found that patients who tested positive for the coronavirus were 2.4 times more likely to have reported dining at a restaurantincluding indoor, patio, and outdoor diningin the two weeks before they began to feel ill when compared with the patients who tested negative for the virus. In addition, the researchers found that 71% of the patients who tested positive for the coronavirus reported always wearing cloth face coverings or other face masks in public, compared with 74% of participants who tested negative for the virus.

According to the report, the researchers found "no significant differences" between the patient groups overall in terms of whether they:

The researchers also found that 42% of the patients who tested positive for the coronavirus reported having close contact with a person who was known to be infected with the virus, compared with 14% of the patients who tested negative. When the researchers narrowed their analysis to the 225 patients in the study who did not report having recent close contact with a person who was known to be infected with the virus, they found that patients who tested positive for the coronavirus were 2.8 times more likely to have reported dining at a restaurant and 3.9 times more likely to have reported going to a bar or coffee shop than patients those who tested negative.

The researchers in the report concluded, "Eating and drinking on-site at locations that offer such options might be important risk factors associated with [coronavirus] infection." They continued, "Efforts to reduce possible exposures where mask use and social distancing are difficult to maintain, such as when eating and drinking, should be considered to protect customers, employees, and communities."

But the researchers also noted that their study had limitations. For example, their study "question assessing dining at a restaurant did not distinguish between indoor and outdoor options," and their "question about going to a bar or coffee shop did not distinguish between the venues or service delivery methods, which might represent different exposures," the researchers wrote. In addition, the patients in the study were aware of whether they had tested positive or negative for the coronavirus at the time they were surveyed, "which could have influenced their responses to questions about community exposures and close contacts," the researchers explained. And lastly, the patients' true infection status may not have been known, as tests to detect the coronavirus are "imperfect," the researchers wrote.

And it's important to keep in mind that, while CDC's findings demonstrated a link between dining at a restaurant and coronavirus infection, they did not show that dining at restaurants caused coronavirus infections, The Hill reports.

Originally posted here:
Just how risky is it to dine out? CDC data sheds new light. - The Daily Briefing

publication date: Sep. 11, 2020

A study published in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network adds important knowledge about how immunotherapy-related adverse events can impact more than one organ in a single patient.

This study provides new information on how frequently multiple organ side effects occur, and reveals that multi-organ irAEs are more likely to happen sequentially rather than simultaneously.

Multi-organ irAEs are under-recognized, under-reported, and their pathophysiology is poorly understood, lead researcher Ganessan Kichenadasse, of Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, Flinders University, Australia, said in a statement. We need a concerted international effort to improve our understanding and help identify predisposing factors and prevention strategies. Treating teams should be aware of the potential for irAEs which affect multiple organs and institute plans for recognizing and managing them.

The researchers evaluated the incidence and patterns of multi-organ irAEs using individual patient data from four non-small cell lung cancer trials where patients were treated with atezolizumab, a PD-L1 inhibitor. Those four studies, known as OAK, POPLAR, BIRCH, and FIR, include investigators from around the world. Out of 1,548 patients worldwide, 27% experienced at least one adverse event; 5.4% experienced multi-organ irAEs. Skin, laboratory, endocrine, neurologic and pulmonary abnormalities represented the most common organ systems involved.

Among the 84 cases with multi-organ irAEs, 70 patients (83.3%) had two organ systems affected, 13 (15.5%) had three, and one patient had four systems affected. 86% of multi-organ irAE patients experienced these side-effects sequentially rather than concurrently. According to the results, multi-organ irAEs were generally amenable to satisfactory management, and their occurrence was associated with better overall survival rates.

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JNCCN study sheds light on multi-organ adverse events from immunotherapy - The Cancer Letter

As this COVID crisis enters month six, more and more people are buying prefabricated backyard sheds to use as home offices.

For some, the sheds are a chance to get work done away from the kids learning remotely, and for others, it's a necessity because there's just no room for an office setup inside their home.

According to Google, searches for office sheds started to tick higher in April and those searches started trending higher again in mid-August as the country entered the back-to-school season.

Companies are noticing too. Modern-Shed said there's been a 400% rise in interest this summer.

Now, these aren't just normal utility sheds.

A lot of people are choosing to customize their office sheds, so you get to decide what style of wood you'd like to use, where you'd like the windows to be placed and various other options.

But of course the more you want, the more you pay. For the company Studio Shed, prices are typically around $120 to $180 per square foot.

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Sheds taking on the role of offices and classrooms amid pandemic - 69News WFMZ-TV

The president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis isnt content to simply be the purveyor of sound, data-based economic research. Instead of analyzing the Feds Ninth District communities from afar, hes jumped into the mix in community dialogues, and hes willing to accept the public criticism that accompanies his activism.

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Of course, people who know Kashkari would never accuse him of timidity. He was an assistant secretary of the Treasury in 2008 and 2009, overseeing the Troubled Assets Relief Program during the financial crisis. This was the most unpopular economic program in American history, Kashkari says. But he maintains that the $700 billion federal bailout of banks and other businesses was the right thing to do, and it crossed party lines.

Since he arrived in Minnesota in 2016 to lead the regional Federal Reserve Bank, Kashkari and his staff have made a concerted effort to change the institutions semi-reclusive image and to engage frequently with a range of citizens. The Fed has done everything from opening a booth at the 2019 Minnesota State Fair to convening local and national leaders tackling the affordable housing issue.

Kashkari also has entered the political arena, doing so when he believes it will help the Fed fulfill its mandate to achieve maximum employment. I want us to go take on important public policy issues, Kashkari says. If we can make a difference, and we can do it in a bipartisan manner, then thats what were here for.

His most prominent foray into public policy development is a proposed education amendment to Minnesotas Constitution, which states that all Minnesota children have an equal right to a quality public education.

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Kashkaris lead partner in advocating for the amendment is retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page, who wrote in a 1993 dissenting court opinion, The States duty toward its children is not satisfied unless it provides equal educational opportunities for all children.

Kashkari and Page want the Minnesota Legislature to pass a bill in 2021 that authorizes placing an education amendment on the 2022 ballot. The amendment would hold public schools accountable for providing a good education for each child. We believe the political system is what has failed the children of Minnesota, Kashkari says.

A 2019 Fed report, A Statewide Crisis: Minnesotas Education Achievement Gaps, documented the disparities in achievement for children of color and those from low-income families.

The study found that only three in 10 African-American students were performing at grade level, while 65 percent of white students met that threshold.

Regardless of geography, family income plays a huge role in how students are being educated in Minnesota. The Fed study showed that 37 percent of students from low-income families were proficient in math and reading, compared with 68 percent for children from higher-income households.

Kashkari believes its time to disrupt Minnesotas education system.

The achievement gap for students of color in urban schools is common knowledge among state politicians, private foundation heads, and business leaders. Yet most interventions theyve made to remedy the problem have not substantially narrowed the gaps.

A lot of effort and a lot of money has gone into trying to solve these persistent gaps, and it simply hasnt worked, Page says. Both Neel and I think that by changing the constitution it will act as a catalyst to create that [political] will to do something different.

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Page is a longtime advocate for education. In 1988, he and his wife, Diane, created the Page Education Foundation, which provides scholarships that help many students of color attend college. In turn, the Page Scholars mentor children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.

When Kashkari wanted to do something bold to break the inertia in Minnesotas education establishment, he turned to Page for help. Neel invited me to come down to the bank and talk about education, Page recalls. We talked about what other states had done, what their research was showing, what the possibilities were, and what we could do that would have some real impact.

They zeroed in on a constitutional amendment. They point to other states, including Florida, where they say voter approval of an amendment has exerted pressure on political leaders to achieve real progress in educational attainment.

Everyone says, We want to put kids first. We want to drive change, Kashkari says. But he expresses frustration that substantive change is often blocked. So were making people put their money where their mouth is. You say that you want to put kids first, and you really want to make changes. Heres your chance, Kashkari says.

Since Minnesota became a state in 1858, Page and Kashkari argue, education funding and teaching approaches have focused on the education system, rather than on the individual needs of each child in a particular school.

For the last 30 years, Ive been saying education works best when we focus on one school at a time, one classroom at a time, one child at a time, Page says.

The state Constitutions current language says, it is the duty of the legislature to establish a general and uniform system of public schools. Kashkari asserts that the state needs to create an individual civil right that each child will receive a good education.

The proposed amendment says it is a paramount duty of the state to ensure quality public schools that fulfill this fundamental right. It states children would need to meet certain standards or educational outcomes, and the legal underpinning of the amendment would allow parents to hold schools accountable through litigation.

Page, an Ohio native, was 8 years old when the U.S. Supreme Court decided Brown vs. Board of Education, the landmark ruling that outlawed racial segregation in public schools. While the Brown case shattered the status quo in 1954, Kashkari and Page argue that dramatic change is needed in Minnesotas K12 schools many decades later.

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Before the coronavirus surfaced early this year, Kashkari was spending considerable time in meetings to build support for the education amendment. But his agenda has broadened because of the historic economic and social challenges that have been unfolding. In recent months, the outspoken Kashkari could be seen in numerous high-profile settings. He was a 60 Minutes guest in March, talking about the huge infusion of government money he thought was needed to respond to the economic crisis caused by Covid-19.

In May, he appeared alongside epidemiologist Michael Osterholm in a virtual Economic Club of Minnesota event. At that time, he warned it was unrealistic to expect a V-shaped economic recovery and argued Americans would need more direct government benefits because it will take a long time to bring back many jobs and rebuild the economy.

Shortly before the July 4 holiday, he took part in a National Association for Business Economics webinar on Race, Mobility, and Fairness in the U.S. Economy. During his tenure at the Minneapolis Fed, Kashkari said he doubled the percentage of key leaders who are people of color. As a major part of the Feds mission to promote maximum employment, Kashkari said the Fed should address education, health, and housing problems that limit job opportunities.

Kashkaris transparency in his communications and public access is a departure from how the Federal Reserve long has operated, particularly in Washington, D.C.

Our jobs are to serve the public, Kashkari says. We need the public to have confidence in us and what we are doing, and that confidence has to be earned. Historically, the Fed was very buttoned-up and didnt let people look behind the curtain. It was like the Wizard of Oz.

Kashkari maintains that aloofness had a downside. When the financial crisis hit [in 2008], we really needed people to trust us because we were doing extraordinary things, he says, but many people didnt know much about the Federal Reserve.

It was very mysterious, and we were never seen, he says. You would just hear these interest rate pronouncements that came out. [Former Chairman] Alan Greenspan intentionally spoke in a very confusing manner to add to the mystery of the Fed.

Kashkari says succeeding Fed chairs and regional Fed Bank leaders have been taking a different approach. Weve made a conscious effort to communicate more with the public, let them see what we are working on, he says. Just this past year, the board of governors led an initiative called Fed Listens, where we had a series of public forums, where community leaders and policy experts would come and meet with us to talk about how we conduct monetary policy.

In Minneapolis, in addition to scores of public gatherings on key issues, the Fed has held informal events to meet a range of citizens. The Fed took part in Doors Open Minneapolis, which allowed people to walk around the building and ask questions. It also hosted a booth in the Education Building at the 2019 Minnesota State Fair, where staff listened to people from around the state. Though they lacked a Fed product on a stick, Kashkari says, we did give out bags of shredded money. (The Fed shreds old bills removed from circulation.)

Increasing engagement with the public is one strategy that Kashkari has championed, but hes surprised some people by going a step further, into policy development.

We want to make as big a positive impact as we can on our community and on the country in terms of public policy, Kashkari says. Earlier in his Minneapolis tenure, he led a national conversation over banking regulation in the aftermath of the financial crisis.

Arguing that the biggest banks still pose an economic danger, Minneapolis Fed veterans Ron Feldman and Ken Heinecke authored The Minneapolis Plan to End Too Big to Fail. The plan recommended raising equity capital requirements for large banks with assets over $250 billion.

In that policy initiatives case, Kashkari says, We didnt get any traction because the regulatory winds in America have been blowing in a deregulatory direction and we were advocating for more regulation.

Kashkari, one of 12 members of the Federal Open Market Committee, which sets monetary policy including interest rates, says he has guardrails that help him determine his public policy advocacy.

Leadership on the education amendment fit his test for involvement, he says, because peoples ability to land good jobs is tied to the Feds maximum employment mission. Before moving forward on a major policy initiative, he also weighs three questions: Is this an important public policy issue? Do we have expertise to bring to bear on it? Can we develop a proposal that is nonpartisan?

More policy proposals are expected to flow from the Opportunity & Inclusive Growth Institute, which Kashkari established at the Minneapolis Fed in 2017. One of my big surprises coming to Minnesota was discovering the disparities, he says. In Minnesota, the median annual household income for whites is about $36,000 higher than the income for Blacks. Kashkari felt compelled to probe the reasons. Its too big of an issue for us not to try and use our really smart economists to try and understand the gap, he says.

That type of work appealed to Abigail Wozniak, a Harvard Ph.D., who gave up her job as a tenured economics professor at Notre Dame to become the institutes first director in early 2019.

She didnt want to do academic research in isolation and believes in Kashkaris vision for the Minneapolis Fed thats built on groundbreaking work by former Fed research director Art Rolnick. That research, which showed a high return on investment from early childhood learning, has been used for many years to buttress support for funding preschool programs.

While Rolnick laid the research-policy advocacy foundation in 2003, Wozniak says, Neel has really turbocharged this environment. Recently, Wozniak led development of a framework for gathering Covid-19-related data, so public and business leaders would have good information and analysis for making decisions during the pandemic.

Alene Tchourumoff, the Minneapolis Feds senior vice president of community development and engagement, says she and other leaders have emphasized spending time in Upper Midwest communities to learn about peoples concerns. Before Covid-19 curtailed travel, key themes emerged.

Almost everywhere we go in the Ninth District, people talk about housing, Tchourumoff says. They talk about access to child care, they talk about health care. The Fed wants to identify the stress points for low- and moderate-income people, she adds, so they can conduct research, develop solutions and move toward an economy that works for everybody.

That egalitarian approach is highlighted in the spring 2020 premiere issue ofFor All, a magazine of the Opportunity & Inclusive Growth Institute. The traditional view among central bankers is that theres little we canor shoulddo about economic opportunity and inclusive growth, Kashkari wrote in a column. He favors reexamining that assumption. We need to look beyond averages to see what effect national policies have on different groups.

Housing costs have been rising at a much faster rate than incomes, so the Opportunity & Inclusive Growth Institute convened a conference last fall to discuss research and affordability options.

You cant tax the middle class to subsidize the middle class, because that doesnt make sense, Kashkari says. So somehow we have to unlock the private sector to come in at much bigger scale to build more supply. Thats the only way were going to make things more affordable for the majority of people.

From Kashkaris perspective, he is shaping a Minneapolis Fed that will be highly relevant to policymakers, will garner the publics trust, and will help improve the lives of people who struggle financially.

Hes not afraid of critics, which is why hes pleased the Fed made a commitment to the city of Minneapolis to research the impact of the $15 minimum wage. Minneapolis told us that we were the one research group that everybody trusted would do the analysis honestly, both the business community and the activist community, Kashkari says.

Are we going to be taking some risk that we might be upsetting people? Yeah, but this is exactly the kind of research we should be doing, Kashkari concludes.

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The Minneapolis Fed sheds its reserve - MinnPost

Fire Force's investigation into the Great Cataclysm closes with explosive action and some dangerous revelations.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 10 of Fire Force, "The Woman in Black," now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Fire Forcecloses its investigation into the Great Cataclysm and uncovers more details about the menacing Evangelist, as Shinra's battle with Tempe hits breakneck speeds.As Shinra and the Woman in Black share an Adolla Link, the two discuss the Woman's past and the longstanding danger that the Evangelist and her plan pose to the world.

With Tempe and Ogun still duking it out and the Woman in Black's time running short, she grants Shinra one second of Adolla Grace to help him defeat the demon and preserve the forest. Shinra has achieved this Grace once before during his fight against his little brother Sho, and implements it with a similar effect here as he reaches incredible speeds.

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With the Adolla Grace, Shinra's body travels so fast it's broken down to the particle level, allowing him to travelquickerthan the speed of light, affecting the flow of time. When Shinra strikes Tempe with his time-bending kick, the young hero gets a glimpse into the demon Infernals memoriesfrom when he was still human. Tempe wanders through the desert afterthe Great Cataclysm claimed his wealth and family until reaching a spatial rift, which acts as an invisible barrier thathe can't pass through. Suddenly, the Evangelistemerges from the other side of the rift, towering over Tempe.

Tempe grovels at the Evangelist's feet, believing her to be God, and begs for the type of joy his money and status brought him. With a menacing smile, the Evangelist unleashes one of her insects, which imbeds itself into Tempe's chest, turning him into an Infernal. Back in the present-day, Shinra asks the Woman in Black if she, like the Evangelist, came from the Adolla world too since he senses a similarity between them. However, the Woman in Black states she was initially a human enkindled with an Adolla Burst from the Evangelist's insects.

Shinra and the Special Fire Force know that the Evangelist is working behind the scenes to reach her goal of engulfing the world in flames with a new Great Cataclysm. She has been orchestrating it since at least the first cataclysm over 250 years ago, but the Woman in Black reveals things could have been set in motion much earlier than that. The Evangelist may have been manipulating humanity since ancient times, constructing various "Gods" to pull the strings of history.

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Fire Force Sheds Light on a DANGEROUS Theory | CBR - CBR - Comic Book Resources

A renowned Belgian artist by the name of Hans Op de Beeck created a quintessentially site-specific work of art in the 13-century gothic church of the Convent of the Jacobins, in Toulouse, France. Created for the Printemps de Septembre Festival, this multi-sensory, immersive art installation is called The Garden of Whispers.

The 600 square metres of space has been re-imagined as a type of wasteland, where the terrain has been changed to sand dunes and lifeless trees. The sand used by Op de Beeck matches the same ochre colour of the buildings centuries-old brick walls. A wooden walkway winds through the sand dunes, lit only by a simple string of lights.

As you walk through the desolate landscape, whispers emerge from the sand all around you through 20 carefully concealed speakers, sharing secrets, confessions- of misdeeds and escapades. Women, men and children, all seem to be reaching out of the atmosphere to express themselves. The voices present in a mangled form, overlapping one another.

The area represents a kind of abandonment one feels while walking through an area which was previously occupied but has since been deserted, left to those who themselves are forgotten. While walking through the area, one can spot small makeshift campsites, cobbled together from scraps of canvas and wooden poles, according to the artists website, which serve as a visual reminder of the shelters built by nomads in the desert.

According to the artist, Hans Op de Beeck, this installation serves as an embodiment of man as a being who stages the world around him in a tragi-comic way, as told in an interview with The Mind Circle. The Garden of Whispers employs a range of biblical and mystical references that touch on the issue of refugees. The visuals and the whispers of the installation create an atmosphere that is almost confessional in nature, but further than that, the artist leaves the installing to the interpretation of the viewers introspection.

More so, with the current world environment, the sense of desolation created by Hans Op de Beeck, is even more relevant as the conversation regarding this post-apocalyptic pandemic has become the new norm.

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Hans Op de Beecks Garden of Whispers art installation sheds light on the refugee crisis - Hindustan Times