Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

During a sultry Texas summer, we really appreciate a little shade in the landscape, so a large tree can be a great asset. But we also appreciate a lush, beautiful lawn and turf and trees tolerate each other at best.

Warm-season turfgrass requires a significant amount of sunlight to maintain acceptable growth and density. For best results, a minimum of four to six hours of direct sun is needed, although a bright, dappled shade over the course of the entire day may be enough. Less sun means a progressively thinner, weaker stand of grass.

Among our southern turf species adapted to the Bryan-College Station area, St. Augustine is the most shade tolerant. If a spot is too shady for St. Augustine, it is too shady for any warm-season lawn grass. Zoysiagrass is next, followed by centipedegrass and finally by bermudagrass, which is by far the least shade tolerant.

In a landscape filled with trees, the light intensity the grass receives decreases a little each year as the trees grow larger, blocking more and more of the sun. So, it is no surprise that a shady area where grass once thrived can begin to decline over several years.

Once a lawn begins to thin out from lack of sunlight, other complications likely will arise. Soil structure will be lost as foot traffic creates compaction, reducing water infiltration, aeration and root growth. Weeds often become a problem in these spots, further stressing the remaining grass.

Turfgrass weakened by a lack of sunlight is more susceptible to some disease problems, and lawn care practices that may be fine in sunny areas can exacerbate problems in the shade. A natural response to thinning turf is to water and fertilize more to make it grow faster and fill in better.

Extra watering also is counterproductive, as this can increase some diseases; in fact, grass uses less water in the shade than it does in sun.

The bottom line is that while sunlight, nutrients and moisture are all needed for strong growth and good grass plant health, you cant make up for a lack of sun by adding more of the other two.

If you have a shady spot where the grass is not thriving, here are several tips to help improve your lawn:

Avoid compacting the soil. Reroute the pitter-patter of little feet, both people and pets, until the area fills in. Areas that are already compacted may benefit from mechanical aeration. You can rent a machine or hire a lawn care professional.

Set your mower higher for shady spots. The leaf blades of the grass are its solar panels. More leaf area enables them to capture more light to support new growth. Plus, it makes thin areas look a little thicker than if they are mowed shorter.

Avoid the temptation to over-fertilize. Turf growing in the shade requires less nitrogen, not more. Extra nitrogen results in the plant pushing more leaf growth at the expense of root development. But without solar rays to drive photosynthesis, there isnt the carbohydrate production needed to build a stronger grass plant and to increase turf density.

Avoid the temptation to over-water. As with nutrients, you cant make up for a lack of light with extra water. In fact, heavily shaded areas use only 1/2 to 2/3 as much water. Over-watering also can result in increased disease problems.

Sometimes selective tree trimming by removing some branches around the lower periphery of the tree canopy can help allow a little more light in from the sides. If the shade is not too dense to begin with, this may be somewhat helpful. However, pruning throughout a tree enough to make the turfgrass thrive is generally not recommended since doing enough pruning to make a big difference is detrimental to the trees structure and form. It is also only a temporary fix; the tree will quickly regrow, often creating a denser shade in the long run.

If the shade is marginal and you have taken some of the above steps, planting plugs or sod strips in bare areas can help speed reestablishment of the turf as it tries to fill back in under less than ideal light levels. Otherwise the new plugs will just decline along with the existing turf.

These tips, although helpful, will not guarantee a lush lawn in heavy shade. Lets face it, some spots are just too shady to grow grass. Shady spots can become mulched areas with outdoor seating, or planted with very shade tolerant groundcovers, perennials and shrubs. With a little planning and creative design, these areas can become a beautiful addition to the landscape.

Robert Skip Richter is the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Horticulture Agent for Brazos County, 2619 Texas 21 W., Bryan, Texas 77803. For local gardening information and events, visit brazosmg.com. Gardening questions? Call Skip at 823-0129 or email rrichter@ag.tamu.edu.

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SKIP RICHTER: Grass doesnt have it made in the shade - Bryan-College Station Eagle

NEW YORK (TNS) Gov. Andrew Cuomo invoked the AIDS crisis of the 1980s Friday to encourage the use of masks during the coronavirus pandemic.

During the AIDS crisis, a public health campaign convinced people to practice safe sex and use condoms to stop the spread of HIV, he said.

That could make a difference between life and death, he said.

Its the same idea now with face masks, he said. The mask could make a difference between life and death, Cuomo said.

A state survey showed that about 20% of the public in New York City have tested positive for the Covid-19 antibody, meaning those people had the virus. Just 12% of health-care workers had the antibodies, the same survey showed.

Cuomo said today that shows how masks, handwashing and other protective measures can work.

You dont have a right to infect another person, he said. You dont.

Plus, he said, its a requirement. In mid-April, Cuomo signed an order requiring people to wear masks when in situations where they cant socially distance.

The mask is mandatory in public settings, Cuomo said, such as on public transit, in an Uber, or anytime in public within 6 feet of another person. Not wearing one, he said, is not just a nice thing to do.

LANDSCAPING, HORTICULTURE ESSENTIAL

New York put the landscaping and horticulture businesses on the essential list this week for all safe activities.

The state decision makes official what seems widely in practice already.

These businesses are considered low-risk to spread the coronavirus, the state said. Businesses still must create a plan to reopen safely using guidance from the Non-Food Related Agriculture Summary Guidelines to protect public health.

The state expanded the allowable activities for landscapers to include the care and planting of grasses, sod, plants, shrubs and trees and the mulching, trimming and removal of these items. Horticulture which includes greenhouse operations, nurseries, sod farms and arborists is also allowed.

NEW YORK NUMBERS

Another 109 people died from the coronavirus in the past day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, bringing the total number of reported deaths to 23,192.

Of the 109 deaths, 27 of those people died in nursing homes, Cuomo said today.

This number has been stubborn on its way down, Cuomo said of the steady number of deaths each day in the state.

This week, the daily death toll hovered just above 100. The average over the past five days was 107 deaths every 24 hours.

A month ago, the state was reporting 472 deaths in a day. The high came on April 14, when 800 deaths were reported.

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Cuomo: Face masks could be 'difference between life and death' - Olean Times Herald

The author is a professor and extension forage specialist with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Legumes have been used as pasture and hay crops throughout history. They are high-quality forages that improve livestock weight gain, reduce fescue endophyte problems, extend the grazing season, and reduce nitrogen fertilizer inputs due to nitrogen (N) fixation. The unique association of legumes with rhizobia bacteria to fix N is an often promoted but also widely misunderstood process.

The total amount of N fixed depends on the legume species and the population in the field. The reported amount of N fixed from full stands by different legume species varies widely. For example, N fixed by hairy vetch ranges from 50 to 150 pounds per acre and for alfalfa the reported range is 128 to 250 pounds per acre (Table 1). Annual legumes such as crimson or arrowleaf clover fix N at a higher rate than perennial legumes, but longer growing seasons allow perennial legumes to fix a higher total amount of N.

An expensive process

Symbiotic N fixation allows legumes to grow in an N-deficient environment. Nitrogen fixation is a biologically expensive process for both the legume plant and the rhizobia bacteria responsible for N fixation. The bacteria infect the legume roots, which causes the root to form a nodule where the rhizobia live and do their work.

The rhizobia bacteria fix N from air thats in the soil and the legume gains benefit from the fixed N. In turn, the legume provides carbohydrates and sugars from photosynthesis to the rhizobia. Each organism gains necessary nutrients from the association. Nitrogen fixation directly promotes legume growth without the need for N fertilization. Enhanced grass growth is only an indirect effect of N fixation.

Plants use N from various sources including snow or rain, which can contribute 5 to 10 pounds of N per acre annually; soil organic matter (OM), which can contribute 10 to 30 pounds of N per acre annually for each percentage unit of OM in the soil; fertilizer or animal manure, which varies by application rate; and N fixed by legumes.

So, adding N does not have a direct negative impact on the legume plant, but the net effect is greater competition from the grasses, which crowds the legumes from the sward. A study from Arkansas showed the percent clover in a bermudagrass-clover sod dropped by half for each additional increment of N fertilizer used (Table 3).

Most is in the top growth

It is important to note that the root nodules are the factory, but not the N warehouse. Research done in Texas by Gerald Evers showed that up to 90% of the N is in the top growth of annual legumes. In perennial legumes, about 70% to 80% of the N is in the plants top growth. Legume top growth typically contains about 2.5% to 4% N, which equals about 50 to 80 pounds of N per ton of forage dry matter (DM).

Work done in Virginia showed that a 53% stand of red clover or 59% stand of alfalfa grown with tall fescue fixed enough N for a total DM yield of 4.7 and 5.8 tons per acre, respectively. Top growth of the legumes contained 2.8% to 2.9% N.

Three modes of transfer

If the fixed N is in the plant top growth and is not freely shared with companion grasses in the stand, how does it reach grasses and other plants in the sward?

There are three primary mechanisms for N transfer. The smallest of these three pathways is through root-to-root contact and mycorrhiza fungi associations. The other two primary pathways are by plant-animal cycling through grazing and by plant decay. By far, the largest transfer pathway is cycling the plant material through grazing animals, mostly aboveground, but also by belowground herbivores.

Only a small proportional amount of the N is retained in the grazing animals body. Up to 80% to 90% of the ingested N is excreted in the urine and feces. About 50% of the N in the urine is lost through volatilization.

Clearly, the system is somewhat leaky and not all the fixed N is captured in the soil. Further, use of the excreted N by grasses is dependent on distribution of the excreta across the pasture. Researchers have shown that only about 14% to 22% of the pasture area is covered by this transfer annually.

Grazing management and stocking rate influence distribution. More manure and urine tend to be concentrated near water and shade at low stocking rates and in continuous grazing systems. More of the N is distributed across the pasture at high stocking rates and in rotational systems.

Its different in hayfields

In hay systems, most of the N-containing top growth is removed so a secondary transfer mechanism comes into play. The second largest pathway of N transfer after grazing is through plant decomposition. As plants are grazed or harvested for hay, roots die back resulting in sloughed nodules. Normal plant maturation and damage also results in dead crowns, leaves, and stems. These plant parts must decay by action of bacteria and fungi to release N over time.

This pathway can be a significant N source in warm-season grass systems where a grass such as bermudagrass is overseeded with annual legumes. As the annual legume matures and dies in late spring, the plant residue breaks down, releasing N for use by the warm-season grass during summer. A Texas study showed that a combination of winter annual clovers overseeded in bermudagrass yielded as much DM as bermudagrass fertilized with the equivalent of 113 to 142 pounds per acre of N.

Nitrogen fixation takes time

An Arkansas study showed that the percent clover or alfalfa increased over four years when these legumes were interseeded into bermudagrass pastures. Calf body weight gain per acre tended to improve as legume percentage grew over the course of the four-year study, especially for alfalfa, but gains were generally lower in nonlegume treatments where N fertilizer was applied. Interestingly, calf gains per acre dropped drastically during a severe drought year for the N fertilizer treatments but stayed more stable across years in the legume-grass treatments (Figures 1 and 2).

Legumes are important forages and reduce the need for N inputs. Knowing how N cycling works in forage systems is critical to making effective use of these forages. An important concept to understand is this: Growing forage from N fixation is a process, whereas growing forage from N fertilization is a one-time event.

This article appeared in the April/May 2020 issue of Hay & Forage Grower on pages 6 to 8.

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Forage stand nitrogen movement is not what you think - Hay & Forage Grower

Market Expertz sheds light on the market scope, potential, and performance perspective of the Global Grass & Lawn Seed Market by carrying out an extensive market analysis. Pivotal market aspects like market trends, the shift in customer preferences, fluctuating consumption, cost volatility, the product range available in the market, growth rate, drivers and constraints, financial standing, and challenges existing in the market are comprehensively evaluated to deduce their impact on the growth of the market in the coming years. The report also gives an industry-wide competitive analysis, highlighting the different market segments, individual market share of leading players, and the contemporary market scenario and the most vital elements to study while assessing the global Grass & Lawn Seed market.

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Hancock SeedPennington SeedThe Scotts CompanyBarenbrug GroupTurf MerchantsGreen Velvet Sod FarmsBonideJonathan GreenPickseedPGG wrightson TurfNatures SeedAllied SeedNewsom Seed

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This study analyzes the growth of Grass & Lawn Seed based on the present, past and futuristic data and will render complete information about the Grass & Lawn Seed industry to the market-leading industry players that will guide the direction of the Grass & Lawn Seed market through the forecast period. All of these players are analyzed in detail so as to get details concerning their recent announcements and partnerships, product/services, and investment strategies, among others.

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In market segmentation by types of Grass & Lawn Seed, the report covers-

Bluegrass SeedRyegrass SeedFescue Grass SeedBahia Grass SeedBermudagrass SeedBuffalograss Seed

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Landscape TurfGolf TurfGardensOther

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The report contains historical revenue and volume that backing information about the market capacity, and it helps to evaluate conjecture numbers for key areas in the Grass & Lawn Seed market. Additionally, it includes a share of each segment of the Grass & Lawn Seed market, giving methodical information about types and applications of the market.

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To summarize, the global Grass & Lawn Seed market report studies the contemporary market to forecast the growth prospects, challenges, opportunities, risks, threats, and the trends observed in the market that can either propel or curtail the growth rate of the industry. The market factors impacting the global sector also include provincial trade policies, international trade disputes, entry barriers, and other regulatory restrictions.

About Us:Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. Theres more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges.

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Grass & Lawn Seed Market Provides in-depth analysis of the Industry, with Current Trends and Future Estimations to Elucidate the Investment...

Plainsman Park, home of Auburn baseball.(Photo: Zach Willard)

AUBURN On March 22, Jon Bailey tried to see if he could take the trash out to the street, check the mail and make it back inside his house in less than 120 seconds. Just to remember the feeling of the fifth-inning drag again.

Five days later, he intentionally threw his newspaper at the mailman. Just to see if he would charge me or not.

OK, maybe those are just jokes that Bailey posted on Twitter. But what they mean is real. He misses baseball, and in a way that is unique to most in the Auburn community Bailey is the head groundskeeper at Plainsman Park.

For him and the rest of Auburns grounds crew, the last 10 weeks have been very, very strange.

People think football season is our busiest time, said Eric Kleypas, Auburns director of turf and landscape services. Thats busy, but not anything like spring. Spring, the hour demands are just so high. So its taken us a while to kind of shift gears and get into a normal work week, so to speak, versus what were used to.

Wednesday marks 10 weeks since the last games played on campus at Auburn softballs 2-1 win over Georgia State and baseballs 4-3 loss to Wofford on March 10. The SEC officially shut down competition the next day because of the coronavirus pandemic. Before long, the entire spring season was canceled.

Had it not been, and had life still been normal, Auburns grounds crew would have worked 40 home events over the past 70 days 19 baseball games, 17 softball games, two outdoor track and field meets, a spring soccer scrimmage and the A-Day spring football game, plus countless practices in between.

Instead, the five full-time employees currently on staff have worked mostly in solitude, without the help of the 12-14 turf students they normally have.

Its just really weird for most of us who have been doing this, said Zach Willard, who is the manager of athletic turf. Borderline eerie, almost, because Im supposed to be at the ballpark all day on a Friday, from 7 a.m. till 10 or 11 p.m. Thats just ingrained into who I am at this point.

Willard isnt exaggerating. Getting a field ready for play is exhausting work. For a home baseball game at Plainsman Park, it usually starts at 7 a.m. and runs through 3 p.m. They have to mow the grass, water the infield dirt anywhere from six to 10 times depending on the temperature outside, do detailed clay work on the mound and around home plate on the field and in both bullpens, and manage the landscaping around the ballpark. And thats just before the game. During it, they drag the dirt between innings, fix any issues that arise and pull the tarp if it rains. After, they stick around to get the field ready for the next day.

So you can imagine the comedown from that has been quite a shock to their systems. The grounds crew normally works 80-hour weeks during the spring. This year, though, they have only recently gone back to working even 40 hours for a while, they were just coming in early, getting done what they needed toand heading home.

The Auburn Soccer Complex.(Photo: Zach Willard)

The experience has been strange, Kleypas said. But it has also been freeing, in a way. For one, they have all gotten to spend more time with their families than they normally would this time of year. Kleypas has a wife and a son. Willard and his wife Kendra, who works for Auburns athletics communications department, have two young daughters.

Its really allowing us to make up for a lot of lost time, Willard said. As weird its been to not be working, its also been very refreshing to connect with my kids in a way that Im normally not used to doing.

And when it comes to their jobs, 10 weeks of no sports has given members of the grounds crew time on the fields they have never had before.

At Plainsman Park, Bailey has already completed the process of transitioning the field from ryegrass (which thrives in colder temperatures but struggles when the weather heats up) to Bermudagrass (which has exceptional heat tolerance but dies out in the winter). Last year, because the baseball team needed the field nearly every day through its trip to the College World Series, that work wasnt done until the middle of June.

The same is true at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Pat Dye Field isnt used nearly as much during the spring as Hitchcock Field across the street (just a few scrimmages and A-Day), but it still needs to look perfect all times for recruiting purposes a field with patches of dead grass or dirt has never impressed anybody.

For that reason, Willard said the grounds crew often does a lot of sod work during the spring. If the Bermudagrass isnt coming in correctly at some spots, they just replace it in order to speed up the transition. And they have to plan that work around the football teams schedule, so they dont interfere with visits or camps.

But on-campus recruiting was banned early in March and will be through at least the end of June because of the coronavirus pandemic, which has allowed Kleypas, Willard and Co. to let the grass at Jordan-Hare grow in naturally. They had originally planned on replacing the turf before the 2020 football season. Now, they wont have to.

Rather than tip-toeing around schedules, we pretty much have free reign to go about how we want to get our fields back in shape for the fall, Willard said. Its actually been freeing. Were thinking on a different wavelength than we have the last decade or so, because recruiting has become so heavy. Its been nice. Its been really nice.

The Auburn football team's outdoor practice field.(Photo: Zach Willard)

As a result, Willard said, all of Auburns fields are in tremendous shape. Theres just one thing missing, and thats the people who enjoy them the players plying their trade, the coaches watching from their perch on the sideline or dugout, and the fans in the stands.

Thats one of the coolest parts of our job, kind of that initial moment of the fans coming up the stairwells and coming out of the tunnels and taking a look at the field for the first time that day, Willard continued. We take great pride in the fact that our players, coaches and fans love our playing fields. We do what we do for our coaches and student-athletes. We also do what we do for our fans. To not have the fans in the ballparks to enjoy their ballfields, as well, is tough on us.

So you can count Auburns grounds crew among the many waiting anxiously for sports to resume, no matter the workload and time demands that entails.

We miss it. This is what we went into this field for, Kleypas said. Were ready for our student-athletes to get back on campus. Were ready to get back to whatever the new normal will be.

Josh Vitale is the Auburn beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. You can follow him on Twitter at @JoshVitale. To reach him by email,click here.

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What has it been like to be on Auburn's grounds crew during a time with no sports? - Montgomery Advertiser

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In the late 1870s Robert Kerr, a wealthy Marion County farmer, built the Kerr House Hotel on N. Main Street adjacent to the County Courthouse.

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Marion County will celebrate the 200th Anniversary of its founding with celebrations and events throughout the year. As part of those celebrations, assorted Moments and Memories from the past 200 years will be shared every Saturday in 2020 in the Marion Star.

For a calendar of events and more information about the bicentennial celebrations and activities, visit the Bicentennial Facebook page Marion County Ohio Bicentennial Celebration or http://www.marionhistory.com200.

The historic notes have been compiled and shared with the Star by the Marion Historical Society.

Read or Share this story: https://www.marionstar.com/story/news/local/2020/05/22/marion-county-200-kerr-house-hotel-built/3097895001/

May 22, 2020, 1:52 p.m.

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Marion County at 200: The Kerr House Hotel is built - Marion Star

Summer is fast approaching and temperatures have started to rocket, resulting in the UK recently seeing the hottest day of the year.

Many of us have been on a DIY kick with so much time spent at home. But, now that fences have been painted, lawns have been trimmed and patios have been immaculately pressure-washed, it's time to go one step further and turn your garden into an unbeatable summer paradise.

Here are the best value garden features that will really put the cherry on top of the cake.

Fairy lights

For only 9.99, Lidls Melinera LED Fairy Lights create the ideal relaxing atmosphere in your garden and will make your space perfect for al fresco dining this summer.

The pretty lanterns come in white or multi-coloured versions.

Hammock

Argos Home Metal Hammock is the perfect addition to lazy summer evenings in your garden.

Made with soft fabric for your utmost comfort, as well as a super-sturdy steel frame which allows it to be kept outdoors, this 60 hammock will bring added style to any garden.

The cloth can be removed for washing, and allows you to keep it safe in the winter months, while the frame can be easily disassembled in minutes.

Swing seat

If you are sun-shy, and burn quicker than a broken toaster, then perhaps an open hammock isn't the best choice for you. However, online gardening shop Wayfair has the solution.

Its Swing seat is the ideal for those who want to rock back and forth in bliss, while protected from the summer rays.

Large enough for three people to get comfortable, it offers a soft padded seat, along with the very handy tilting sunshade.

Fire pit

Aldis fire pit is a favourite summer buy among shoppers, and it made a return to shelves last month after proving popular the previous year.

Part of the reason for its popularity is the price. The much-loved fire pit only costs 49.99.

It comes in dark grey and features a geometric design as well as a cooking grate, which lets it double up as a barbecue.

Bird Bath

While mother nature is enjoying a holiday from pollution, busy streets and noise, as the country remains under lockdown, many people have noticed more birds appearing in the clear skies above.

So why not make the most of this time, and see more bird life up close in your very own garden with a bird bath?

Water feature

What is more relaxing than the sound of flowing water?

Wayfair has made several customers happy with it's easy to install Gahn Fiberglass Fountain with Light.

The water feature has been designed to look identical to natural rock, and with use of its built in white LED lights that can illuminate the feature, it can be enjoyed come day or night.

The feature is currently on sale for the price of 107.99 from 129.99, and has received five star reviews.

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These bargain outdoor accessories will make your garden the ultimate summer hangout spot - News Post Leader

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

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

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

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

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

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

Plexiglass partitions, perhaps?

WHY ARENT THEY OPEN?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CIM Group announced today that it is preparing to open Fifth + Tillery, a newly constructed three-story, approximately 182,700-square-foot creative office building with outdoor walk-up access located at 618 Tillery Street in East Austin. Situated just off East 7th Street, a main thoroughfare, the property is within a short drive to both Austins Central Business District and South Congress submarkets and also has convenient access to mass transit and biking options.

Fifth + Tillery offers the features that appeal to a host of businesses such as technology, service providers, design firms, and others. Particularly given the new environment which is prompting a fresh look at office space usage, each of the buildings three large floors, ranging from approximately 50,000 to 65,000 square feet, provide for flexible configurations. All floors are accessible from outdoor walkways and staircases from the ground level parking, without having to traverse a central lobby or take an elevator. The floors are divisible into various office sizes.

Office suites are infused with natural light from the expansive windows and have outdoor balconies where employees and guests can enjoy the area views while conferring together in a large open space. Adding to the buildings outdoor features is a vast landscaped courtyard with ample areas for separated seating along with theater-style steps up to the building, providing another option for open air distanced gathering.

A steel frame, solar panel canopy spans from the roof across the front courtyard providing approximately 600 kw of energy for the building. This impressive solar component allows the building to be considered net neutral in electric utility usage, a significant feature for tenants mindful of their environmental footprint as well as potential cost-savings in terms of shared building costs. The functional canopy also provides a distinctive architectural element to this bright, modern building.

CIM Group acquired Fifth + Tillery, partially under construction, in October 2019 along with 507 Calles Street and a warehouse/office building located at 1300 E. 5th Street. Fifth + Tillery is anticipated to be complete in July.

For more than 10 years CIM has been an active owner, operator, and developer of over 2.2 million square feet of properties in Austin, bringing quality real estate uses to enhance the area as it does in other communities across North America. In addition to Fifth + Tillery, CIMs Austin office portfolio includes Penn Field, Hartland Plaza, Eastside Village, and Chase Tower, 507 Calles and 1300 E. 5th Street. CIM also owns and operates the District at SoCo apartments and was a co-developer of the Seaholm Power Plant mixed-use redevelopment as well as The Independent luxury condominium tower.

For leasing information regarding Fifth & Tillery please call (512) 814-3403 or visit https://5thandtillery.com/.

About CIM Group

CIM is a community-focused real estate and infrastructure owner, operator, lender and developer. Since 1994, CIM has sought to create value in projects and positively impact the lives of people in communities across the Americas by delivering more than $60 billion of essential real estate and infrastructure projects. CIMs diverse team of experts applies its broad knowledge and disciplined approach through hands-on management of real assets from due diligence to operations through disposition. CIM strives to make a meaningful difference in the world by executing key environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and enhancing each community in which it invests. For more information, visit http://www.cimgroup.com

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CIM Group Unveils Fifth + Tillery in East Austin Creative Office Building Featuring Outdoor Walkways and Solar Power - Business Wire

AUGUSTA, Maine (WABI) - As Memorial Day weekend approaches, we're reminded that social gatherings are still limited to no more than 10 people.

The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development Wednesday, released the safety checklist for large social gatherings.

Gatherings of 50 people or less are allowed starting June 1st.

The DECD recommends folks wear face coverings where social distancing is not possible.

The checklist says signage can help people at an event follow one-way traffic patterns to avoid crowded paths or walkways.

Indoor gatherings must adhere to square footage guidelines put out for retail businesses.

As you make plans with family for this weekend, the head of the Maine CDC says it's important to help your kids adhere to guidelines as well.

Doctor Nirav Shah says, "The same steps that we've recommended for adults would equally apply if not more so with children. Hand hygiene, covering their cough, if children aren't feeling well trying to make sure that they aren't exposing others."

Checklists can be found on the Maine DECD website maine.gov/decd.

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Maine CDC speaks on social gatherings ahead of Memorial Day weekend - WABI