Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - COVID-19 is taking its toll on many area businesses, grocery stores being no exception despite being an essential service. At first, the rush to stock up provided a boom in sales, but new shelter-in-place rules have seen those numbers swing the other way.

Mark Monnette, owner of the popular Monnette's Market, has never seen such highs and lows in the industry in such a short period of time. "I might sell 10-15 cases of potatoes over the weekend... the first weekend this hit, we sold over 100 cases in a matter of two days. It's been a crazy couple of weeks for us... when they put the order in place, business literally folded in half. I think a lot of people aren't even sure if we're open."

Fresh produce seems especially hard-hit, and part of that swing may come from uncertainty about catching COVID-19 from food sources.

Let's be clear: According to the FDA, there is currently no evidence showing that COVID-19 could be a foodborne illness, though research suggests an average life of up to 4 hours on copper, a full day on cardboard, and up to 3 days on plastic or stainless steel. (For comparison, it's thought the virus can stay airborne for up to 3 hours.)

While those shopping carts require some extra sanitizer and elbow grease, washing your apples under the tap as usual should do the trick -- no soap or wipes required.

You may be tired of hearing the words "social distancing" at this point, but that combined with hand washing are still your best bets in warding off sickness in general -- and Monnette's is certainly doing their part.

"The countertops, we've lengthened those and doubled the space," Monnette points out, "so the cashiers can be at a safe distance as well as our deli employees."

Plenty of extra sanitizing supplies placed throughout the store add to the abundance of caution. Wiping down every surface of the market is time-consuming, of course, but worth it for the safety of customers and employees alike.

"We appreciate everybody abiding by these rules and regulations," says Monnette, "and the faster we can follow these rules, the faster we can see the other side."

In case you were wondering: Monnette's Market, like many other grocers in the state, has set aside the first hour of operation each day exclusively for seniors who may be at greatest risk for contracting the virus. For further information, visit their Facebook pages for the Glendale Avenue, Secor Road or locations.

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Don't fear your fruit: COVID-19 and fresh produce - 13abc Action News

BEAUMONT, Texas The Beaumont Public Health Department has confirmed that a eighth Beaumont resident has tested positive for COVID-19.

BPHD says that an epidemiological investigation is underway and they are working to quickly identify close contacts of the individual.

For the first time, BPHD has said that the ages of confirmed cases in Beaumont range from 23 to 70. Six of the individuals who have tested positive are recuperating at home and two are hospitalized.

"For confidentiality purposes, BPHD is not releasing any additional information to identify the individual," a news release said. "Community spread is a realistic possibility and citizens must make all efforts to minimize the spread of COVID-19."

12News has requested basic information including age and sex.

On Thursday, BPHD provided a broad range of ages of those who have tested positive. However, other cities around Texas and in other parts of the country have released more information about individuals who test positive including age and sex.

In cities such as Houston, Angleton, Galveston, Lake Jackson, Manvel, Angleton as well as Harris and Chambers County, age range and sex of the individual is provided to the media.

Many of those same cities include more case details such as where the individual possibly contracted the virus.

BPHD says they are not releasing additional information for confidentiality purposes.

"12News believes this is critical information residents need to better understand who this virus is impacting," 12News news director Daniel Brown said. "We believe it will show that this is not only impacting the elderly or those with immune issues. It is information that could help slow the spread, and we will continue to push for this information to be made public."

RELATED: VERIFY: CDC, WHO do not recommend homemade masks

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RELATED: Texas unemployment rate headed toward double digits, comptroller warns

RELATED: Gov. Abbott firm in decision not to issue state-wide 'stay at home' order, Southeast Texas judges meet to discuss next steps

RELATED: Coronavirus: Gov. Abbott orders hospitals to submit daily reports on bed capacity, COVID-19 testing

Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, the CDC says.

These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure:

If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice.

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Cases of coronavirus on the rise in Beaumont. There are now 8 confirmed cases. - 12newsnow.com KBMT-KJAC

Weve rounded up the latest places for rent via rental sitesZumperandApartment Guideto get a sense of what to expect when it comes to scoring affordable apartments in Miami if youve got a budget of up to $1,400/month.

Take a peek at what rentals the city has to offer, below. (Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Listed at $1,350/month, this one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo is located at 953 S.W. 10th St.

The condo has air conditioning and granite countertops. Animals are not welcome. Be prepared for a $75 application fee.

According to Walk Scores assessment,the area around this addressis friendly for those on foot, is quite bikeable and offers many nearby public transportation options.

(Check out the complete listinghere.)

Next, theres this two-bedroom, one-bathroom condo over at 2727 N.W. 17th Terrace. Its also listed for $1,350/month.

The building boasts secured entry. In the unit, you can expect granite countertops, a balcony and stainless steel appliances. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: This spot doesnt allow cats or dogs.

Walk Score indicates thatthe surrounding areais moderately walkable, is fairly bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options.

(Take a gander at the complete listinghere.)

Located at 2734 Bird Ave., heres a one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo thats listed for $1,350/month.

The condo includes a walk-in closet and a balcony. The building features garage parking. Neither cats nor dogs are welcome. Future tenants neednt worry about a leasing fee.

Walk Score indicates thatthe area around this addressis quite walkable, is great for biking and has good transit options.

(See the complete listinghere.)

Listed at $1,350/month, this 600-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment is located at 87 N.W. 36th Court.

In the apartment, you can anticipate central heating and a ceiling fan. Pets are not permitted. There isnt a leasing fee associated with this rental.

Walk Score indicates thatthe area around this addressis quite walkable, is fairly bikeable and has good transit options.

(Take a look at the complete listinghere.)

Lastly, heres a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 5537 N.W. Fifth Ave. thats going for $1,350/month.

Look for a ceiling fan and air conditioning in the unit. Pets are not permitted. Future tenants neednt worry about a leasing fee.

According to Walk Scores assessment,this locationis very walkable, is bikeable and has good transit options.

(Check out the complete listinghere.)

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Apartments For Rent In Miami: What Will $1,400 Get You? - CBS Miami

In the 1950s when the city of Wickliffe was pastoral and much less populated Jack Schneider knew that changes were ahead.

The late Schneider realized that much of Clevelands population was moving to the suburbs and that people would be looking for carpeting to install in their new homes.

Thus, in 1953 the insightful man established Location Carpet at 29334 Euclid Ave.

Location Carpet was founded in Wickliffe in 1953. Pictured is its second location at 171 Chestnut St. in Painesville.

Today the business continues to operate at the same site and in 2001 an additional retail store opened in Painesville.

Eventually, Jacks son John became the companys president and four of his five children along with other family members are currently part of the staff.

Ben Schneider, who is Johns son and general manager, said his on-the-job training took place early on.

In our house if you could pick up the toolbox you went to work with dad in the summer, he recalled.

Location Carpet is a longtime Lake County family business with stores in Wickliffe and Painesville. Pictured are John Schneider, center, and members of the Schneider family, most of whom work in some aspect of the business.

Other early memories include working in Wickliffe homes. In an email sent to The News-Herald, Ben stated that we did a lot of workthroughoutWickliffe which was heavily populated with Italian families. When we would show up in the morning they would be out in the garden picking fresh vegetables and they would prepare the most amazing lunchtime feast.

We would have to halt our work and sit down with them to eat lunch, talk and of course some homemade vino they would send home with us! Maybe this partly shaped how we are today with our customers, minus the heavy lunches that make you sleepy!

John said his best memory from years heading up the business was getting involved with Project Hope for the Homeless based in Painesville.

The facility was in dire need of floor covering, and Location Carpet stepped up by donating all necessary materials for the job. Upon seeing the needs of many families firsthand, all labor was done without cost as well.

I believe in my heart that we made a big difference, John said.

Location Carpet staffers participated in the Barstool Open in February. The annual event which raises funds for University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Childrens took place in Willoughby. Pictured are Jessica Schneider, left, Ben Schneider, Laura Schneider and Rachel Schneider Mullis.

The business continues to contribute to the community by supporting such events and efforts as Painesville Party in the Park, Keep Wickliffe Beautiful and the Wickliffe Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

Along with its strong community spirit, the company adheres to a solid business philosophy focusing on value.

Value is not just dollars and cents. I spend the time with each customer to explore what value is to them, John said.

To help determine the best value he not only asks customers about their flooring preferences but how long they plan to stay in their home. He noted that sometimes he even walks away telling customers that their best value is not doing a new floor.

I never want to lose a sale but I don't want people to spend their money for something thats not a value either,John said.

Ben added that the company strives to be easy to work with and for customers to enjoy working with them, while at the same time trying to be extremely thorough so that important details don't slip through the cracks.

Although the companys longevity speaks to its success, Location Carpet is no different than many other businesses which face challenges at various times.

One such challenge occurred during the stock market crash of 2008.

Rachel Schneider Mullis, Johns daughter and manager of the Painesville store, explained how the business survived the economic downturn.

We tightened our belts and powered forward," she said. "We adjusted the way we did business, putting more focus back on the retail and commercial side of thebusiness and reinvented Location Carpet.

A residual effect of the crash that still presents a challenge is the lack of available installers. Many left the trade during that time and no new installers entered.

So fast forward a decade plus later and we are still challenged and often held back by the need for skilled installers, Schneider Mullis said.

The pressing trial currently faced by Location Carpet as well as hundreds of thousands of businesses is tied to the effects stemming from the novel coronavirus.

The company is keeping limited hours and stores are equipped with Ring video doorbells so customers can drop off or pick up samples which are sanitized. Staff is willing to conduct virtual showroom visits, order samples to homes and provide ballpark estimates for potential jobs.

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Location Carpet's longevity speaks to its success in Wickliffe, Painesville - News-Herald.com

John Buckenroth assists in folding a section of turf as it is glued in place on Tuesday in West Liberty.

Gloves and scissors are the main tools for installing this new-fangled turf in West Liberty.

Workers from LeVans Excavating and Keepers Turf use turf glue to secure seams of turf to the dirt below during the process on Tuesday.

No matter how modern the field, theres still no place like home.

WEST LIBERTY It might not seem like it now, but the sun will eventually come out again. Even if its still a little damp outside, the ballplayers in West Liberty will be saying batter up a bit sooner than they would be on plain old grass and mud.

The West Liberty Ball Association is installing the first turf baseball infield in the tri-county area at Dodge Park, which is owned by the village. WLBA was able to secure the installation through a generous private donation. The value of the field is roughly $80,000.

Workers spent much of Tuesday laying down the new field surface before a deluge of rain stopped the action on Wednesday.

Having the turf will allow WLBA to host additional tournaments, play shortly after inclement weather and bring more people into the community. The new turf can be played on in as little as 10 minutes after a downpour. WLBA aspires to add lights to at least one field in the park. It doesnt currently have lights on any field.

The village of West Liberty has previously stated that it is committed to lighting one field this year.

The WLBA season has been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic but says it is committed to forging on and providing the best possible facilities for youth.

The WLBA is a 501c3 non-profit organization run by nine board members who maintain Dodge Park through in-kind and monetary donations. Almost all labor for improvements is provided by the board.

LeVan Excavating of Logan County is placing turf on the field. The company is donating this upgrade.

-

On March 23, ground will be broken at Lions Park for the splashpad, scheduled to have a grand opening on May 23. This project is being accomplished through donations and grants.

John Buckenroth assists in folding a section of turf as it is glued in place on Tuesday in West Liberty.

Gloves and scissors are the main tools for installing this new-fangled turf in West Liberty.

Workers from LeVans Excavating and Keepers Turf use turf glue to secure seams of turf to the dirt below during the process on Tuesday.

No matter how modern the field, theres still no place like home.

West Liberty installs synthetic turf field

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Roll out the green carpet - Urbana Daily Citizen

Whether you're looking to put your home on the market this spring or sell further down the road, there are many home improvements you can do on your own to add value to your home. A well-informed homeowner will keep track of all remodels and updates over the years, and will also be aware of the projects that can provide the best return on investment.

Even if your plans to put your home on the market are derailed by the coronavirus pandemic, the added time you're spending at home means you can take on some updates as do-it-yourself projects.

The average return at resale for home improvement projects is 63.7% of a project's cost if the home is sold within a year, according to Remodeling Magazine's 2020 annual Cost vs. Value Report. Here are a few relatively easy do-it-yourself projects that you can check off your list for cheap and add value to your home:

-- Deep clean and declutter.

-- Paint the interior.

-- Spruce up your yard.

-- Add lighting.

-- Refresh your bathroom.

-- Overhaul your closet.

-- Refinish or paint your cabinets.

-- Replace your floors.

-- Update kitchen appliances.

-- Remove popcorn ceilings.

[See: 10 Home Renovations Under $5,000.]

Deep Clean and Declutter

First impressions count when selling your home. Make the interior of your home shine from floor to ceiling by taking the time to spruce up your space. Pick up personal items and store them away. Wipe down counters, baseboards and all areas inside and outside of the house. Remove smudge marks on all windows, doors and mirrors. Deep cleaning and decluttering your home is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to keep your home looking its best while getting ready to sell. More importantly, it helps make life easier. Dan DiClerico, smart home strategist and home expert for HomeAdvisor, based in Brooklyn, New York, explains that decluttering and getting your home in order room by room will help decrease your stress level, especially if you're battling anxiety as you spend more time at home.

Paint the Interior

A fresh coat of paint can go a long way when it come to buyer impressions. Painting your home's interior is one of the most cost-effective improvements you can do, as newly painted rooms will add value by providing a clean and updated look. "It is more time-consuming if you really want to do the job right," DiClerico says. Make sure to properly clean and prep surfaces, tape edges and doorways and apply a couple coats to make the new paint look consistent. Stick to neutral colors when choosing your paint so it will appeal to a large number of people.

Spruce Up Your Yard

Any yardwork that improves the curb appeal of your home will benefit you in the long term, and you'll be more inclined to spend time in the space if you give it more love. Now is a great time to plant a vegetable garden or replace old, dead plants with new plants that will thrive, says Abeer Sweis, an architect and design partner for architecture firm SweisKloss in Santa Monica, California. If you're looking to make landscaping changes that appeal to more homebuyers, choose low-maintenance landscaping, such as beds of mulch or drought-tolerant plants.

Add Lighting

Brighten up your home without breaking the bank by simply opening windows, cleaning skylights and removing outdated curtains that may be blocking natural light. Have old lighting fixtures hanging from your ceiling? Get rid of any eyesores by updating your lighting with an eye-catching chandelier or a modern ceiling fan.

Refresh Your Bathroom

Outdated and boring bathroom fixtures can really take away from the room's style and feel. Giving your bathroom a quick refresh is a great DIY project to prep for selling your home. Upgrade fixtures, such as knobs and pulls, and check for leaky faucets or poor drainage. "You just need a screwdriver to be able to replace (knobs or pulls) with a similar type of hardware," Sweis says.

Overhaul Your Closet

If your version of decluttering quickly turned into piling items inside your closet, you might want to consider a new closet organizer system. Brands like EasyClosets and ELFA allow you to custom design your new closet based on the measurements and what you want to store there. All the materials and instructions can be shipped directly to your home for a DIY project. "It's a project that will take you more than a day but helps you do some of those things you've wanted to do (in your house) but never touched," Sweis says.

Story continues

[See: The Best Time of Year for Every Home Improvement Project]

Refinish or Paint Your Cabinets

If you're looking to employ more skill than painting interior walls requires, consider taking on the project of sanding and either staining or painting your kitchen cabinets. "This is a fantastic way to completely transform the look and feel of a kitchen, but it's very time-consuming," DiClerico says. The project is best done by removing your cabinets from the wall, then patiently sanding away the existing finish before going through the process of applying a new stain or paint.

Replace Your Floors

Homebuyers prefer hard flooring options over wall-to-wall carpeting. While the idea of removing carpeting and refinishing wood floors on your own can seem like a daunting task, this DIY project can be done on a budget with the proper tools. Be ready to take the time to remove the existing carpet or other floor material, as well as prepare the space and install new flooring. But new wood floors, or even high-quality vinyl or tile floors, can deliver a significant return on investment and help your home sell faster. "I might say think twice about (a project this size) in normal circumstances, but longer-term projects like this can be done while you're home now," DiClerico says.

Update Kitchen Appliances

The kitchen is the part of the home that gets the greatest return when updated. While this is a more expensive option, upgrading your kitchen appliances like the dishwasher, microwave and stove can increase the value of your home. Consider choosing stainless steel when updating your kitchen, as this style is popular among buyers.

[Read: 5 Tips for Tackling Home Renovations With YouTube]

Remove Popcorn Ceilings

Popcorn ceilings may not make or break a deal, but they tend to date and devalue a house, causing potential buyers to look the other way. You can remove your popcorn ceiling yourself with the proper equipment, but if you have an older home, check if it contains asbestos. If your popcorn ceiling does have asbestos, you'll want to wait until it's easier to be away from the house while a professional carefully removes it.

More From US News & World Report

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10 DIY Projects That Add Value to Your Home - Yahoo Finance

From the outside, Justin and Charlie Salisburys Fifties terrace home in west London doesnt stand out.

But as soon as you step inside their front door, into a tiny but brightly painted kitchen, along a wood-clad hallway and into a light-filled lounge packed with art and colourful prints, it is obvious that this is a home stuffed withpersonality.

The Salisburys have experience of doing up places. They are the hoteliers behind the hip boutique hotel chain, Artist Residence, which is known for its stand-out style and as an antidote to bland hotel rooms.

The couple started their chain, which will soon number five hotels, in 2008, by accident rather than design. When they were both students at Leeds University, Justins mother, who ran a guesthouse in Brighton, was badly injured in an accident.

Justin left his accountancy degree to look after the business and, realising that the rooms needed refurbishing, put out an advert asking local artists to decorate the rooms in return for board. It was the start of a brilliant hotel proposition, and one that set the tone for future properties, as well as their own home.

They bought their current house five years ago and called in builders for a four-month renovation. They soon realised Charlie was pregnant; when she came back from hospital with baby Blake, now four, the builders were still there for a couple more weeks. I was pretty desperate for them to leave, says Charlie.

The inside hasnt been knocked around too much. The largest job was moving the kitchen from the back of the property, in the conservatory, to the front of the house in what was an office-cum-spare bedroom. It really bothered me where it was, Charlie says. It was very cold in winter and it made the living room quite dark. Moving it to the front of the house has enabled us to open up the space.

They painted the cabinets which Justin designed and got built at a fraction of the cost of a designer kitchen a dark bluey-green, and the walls were cream. But I decided we needed more colour, Justin says. So I came home one day and painted the walls pink.

In an ideal world they would have upgraded the PVC conservatory installed by the previous owners with glass, but budget and time constraints forced them to be resourceful. We had loads of wood cladding in storage, so I just decided to use that, Justin says. (Charlie notes archly that her husband is a hoarder.) The effect is warm and rustic, with houseplants hung at different levels. Its much more characterful than a modern renovation.

Unearthing the character in their hotels is usually easy in the period properties they find and do up their latest, which is due to open this year in Bristol, is a converted boot factory and Georgian townhouse.

We strip things back and let the features shine, Charlie says. But in our home, it was different. There werent many features here to start with, apart from a rather modern brick wall in the dining room that we did expose and paint.

To add personality to the house, they had to layer it up with accessories, textiles, and most importantly for the couple, art. There is a Connor Brothers print in the living room, fox and rabbit prints above the sofa by Dave White, a piece by Pure Evil in their bedroom, and work by Stephen Anthony Davids that Charlie says looks like our cat, as well as a neon sign by Andy Doig which is a feature in every one of their hotels. We couldnt have a neon sign and it not be by Andy, Charlie adds.

Buying art, they say, is about finding a personal connection. But even more simply than that, start with what you like. It doesnt need to be expensive along with the prints and original pieces that they have built up in their personal collection are also eBay finds that fill the walls, such as a large American flag that Justin says he just fancied.

The layered approach extends to the floors, too. While the downstairs has hardwood flooring that they inherited with the house, they have added colourful, textured rugs, layering them in places. Rugs are so important for making your home feel comfortable because youre often barefoot a lot of the time, Charlie says.

On the stairs, landing and bedrooms they have opted for carpets for warmth and sound prevention, choosing bold patterns from spots to check.

Their home is full of decoration, such as in the living room, where jazzy cushions sit on a zig-zag white couch from Anthropologie. It doesnt matter if the patterns clash, Charlie says, but I think you have to be careful with the colours. So, the sofa and the cushions both have white undertones, and thats why it works. Otherwise, it might be too overpowering.

Another way theyve added texture to their modern house is by changing the internal doors to reclaimed ones. The living room didnt actually have a door to begin with, and as much as I like the open-plan look, I do think its nice to have zones, Charlie says. They added a door and frame from the reclamation company English Salvage. Meanwhile, their en suite has a sliding door, which as well as being a design staple in some of their hotels, helps to maximise the small available space.

Their son Blake has added his own touch. Weve accumulated so many toys, Justin says, despairingly. Its not something we had to consider before. Compromises to personal style have had to be made as hes grown. We had a beautiful mini bar cabinet in the conservatory before, which we loved, but now weve had to turn it into a toy cupboard, Charlie says. Meanwhile Justin added a fabric skirt to an open-fronted sideboard in the dining room to hide yet more playthings.

Nothing is ever permanent for them: pieces of art are moved, and furniture might end up in a hotel or vice versa. We were trying to find a table for our Cornwall hotel, looked at our own dining room table and realised that it would make a good fit, Charlie says. The luxe red mohair sofa in their conservatory used to be in their London hotel lounge until they decided it was too big.

They find it hard to pin down their style, because, they say, nothing is too over-thought. If we like it, we just get it or do it, Charlie says. A lot of that comes from having learned about design as we went along we tried things out and if they didnt work, wetried again. We dont tend to overthink things.

artistresidence.co.uk

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How to turn a very normal home into an arty hangout with bags of personality - Telegraph.co.uk

A street so dark its an accident waiting to happen may soon be lit up thanks to Tiverton Town Council.

The Council has agreed to support resident Audrey Joyners campaign to install two new streetlights where she lives on Hillcrest. The Town Council will ask Devon County Council Highways whose responsibility it is to look after the roads to install the lights.

Concerns over the nearby Tiverton Ambulance Station were also raised, due to emergency vehicles using the road.

A motion put forward by Councillor Irene Hill, which was subsequently passed, means the Council has agreed to contribute 2,500 towards the costs of installing additional lighting.

Speaking at a Tiverton Town Council meeting on Monday, March 9, Ms Joyner, who has lived on the street for seven years, said: The entry road has no lights at all, and there are up to 15 parked cars there most days. Cars are swinging around from Belmont Road, and ambulances are coming in the opposite direction.

With no streetlights, the road is completely dark. People have to get out of their cars and across the road to the pavement as there is none on the car parking side. If youre coming from town, walking or cycling, you have to cross the road in darkness to get into Hillcrest.

Ms Joyner added that she became aware of the hazards in the road soon after moving due to falling on the uneven pavement. She said her son also tripped on the curb and banged his head badly.

For five years, I moaned to myself every time I walked along the road, she said. I thought that perhaps the new Perriman Square development might give some light, but it doesnt at all.

Of all the roads in Tiverton which need the lights, this one does, and I tried to do something about it.

Ms Joyner added that two years ago, a petition was signed, and Devon County Council (DCC) had agreed to install lights via councillors locality budget. However, DCC, Colin Slade, explained that there was never an application put forward to and therefore money could not have been paid.

Ms Joyner said that at the time, Wester Power Distribution had quoted that the total cost would be 6,000 to bring the road up to an acceptable standard.

Cllr Hill, who put forward the motion added: Im aware that lighting is a responsibility of DCC, but there are two good reasons why we should consider a contribution towards this.

First of all, its quite clear that there is a need to improve the lighting in Hillcrest. I have been told there was a project set up to put in two extra lights as the lighting was not up to standard and they were going to bring it up to the same level that it should be.

Also, if you look at Perriman Square next door, there are eight lights in the space of about 400m, which is amazing. Hillcrest has virtually none.

There is an accident waiting to happen there, the ambulance station is at the end, and there is one light at the end of the road, but it doesnt highlight anything and give a lot of aurae. Ambulances, however careful they are, can, and do, go down that road quickly. I think its a real danger for children and for elderly people who live there.

The other reason is that Audrey Joyner got in contact with me last year, and I found out that this had come through and come to the Town Council in May 2018, when we asked if DCC was intending to install street lighting at Hillcrest following a petition with 2100 emails calling for it.

We were told funding would be provided, but that there would be a shortfall which would need to come from another source, possibly Tiverton Town Council.

Councillor Wally Burke explained that previously Belmont Hospital had a big light on the end of the building illuminating the road.

Once it was altered that light went and there was no light left there whatsoever, he said.

Councillor Tom Lindus said the Town Council needed to be hounding DCC to get this sorted.

He said: They should be doing this, its something that they should have done years ago. If anything, I think we should be writing, or communicating with DCC and find out exactly where they stand on this and what theyre going to do. This might have been something they have forgotten about and pushed under the carpet.

Although its been going on for a while, were still talking about 2,300, and we dont know where its going.

If it is just the fact they need that little extra in their budget, then maybe that can be discussed again. Its not our responsibility, and lots of other people could now say the same. If we give 2,300 for this one, can we not spend 5k to go up Bakers Hill where I live, so I dont fall over when Im drunk in the middle of the dark? It is a different scenario, but I do feel that DCC should take on their responsibilities.

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Street so dark it's "an accident waiting to happen" may soon see the light - Devon Live

Each week, we search New York City for the most exciting, and thought-provoking, shows, screenings, and events. In light of the global health situation, we are currently highlighting events and exhibitions available digitally. See our picks from around the world below. (Times are all EST unless otherwise noted.)

Barbara Hammer, Still from Schizy (1968). Courtesy of Company.

1. In Company With: Barbara Hammer Streaming Videos at Vimeo

As part of a new virtual viewing initiative, Company Gallery is launching a series called In Company With, where digital performances, readings, and screenings are available on Instagram live with gallery artists. Kicking off the project is an archive of the late, great queer artist Barbara Hammers films, ready for your viewing pleasure on Vimeo.

Price: Free; those so moved are asked to donate to Queer I Art, which helps to fund the Barbara Hammer Lesbian Experimental Film Grant.Time: Open daily, at all times

Caroline Goldstein

Staying With the Trouble: Prompts for Practice at A.I.R. Gallery. Image courtesy of A.I.R. Gallery.

2. Staying With the Trouble: Prompts for Practice at A.I.R. Gallery

Brookylns A.I.R. Gallery, which has championed women artists since 1972, has devised a raft of new online programming in the spirit of intimacy without proximity. That kicks off tonight with Staying With the Trouble, a six-week prompt-based art project led by artistAlison Owen, a former A.I.R. fellow. Shell share prompts every other night in the hopes of inspiring new works of art, literature, or music. Interested parties are encouraged to spend the evening ruminating on the prompt, and to use it as a jumping-off point for the next days studio practicehowever they see fit, be it for new projects or for a new direction for existing work. Share the results on social media under #stayingwiththetrouble or #AIRpromptsforpractice2020 to be included in the official project archive.

Price: FreeTime:Prompts will be posted 6 p.m. every other day

Sarah Cascone

Yali Romagoza, The Mistress of Loneliness (Chapter 1: The Departure)(2019), video still. Courtesy of the Immigrant Artist Biennial.

3. Apart, Together: The Immigrant Artist Biennial Zoom Series 1. The Emergency Exposes Your Status and Our Shared Vulnerability from the EFA Project Space

New Yorks Immigrant Artist Biennialis meant to be a response to intensifying anti-immigrant sentiment, offering a platform of cultural exchange. The central exhibition, Here, Together!, was supposed to open March 18 at the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts project space on West 39th Street. Instead, the NYFA-sponsored event is staging a roundtable discussion on Zoom, moderated by curator Katya Grokhovsky and Dylan Gauthier and featuring artists Esperanza Corts,Bahareh Khoshooee,Daniela Kostova,Levan Mindiashvili,Qinza Najm,Anna Parisi,daaPo reo, andYali Romagoza.The meeting ID is 378 427 830, and you can call in at +1 646-876-9923. The multi-venue exhibition is being postponed in lieu of a series of online talks, workshops, and other programming that will allow immigrant artists to share their thoughts on identity, the meaning of home, and the challenges of being an immigrant cultural worker today.

Price: FreeTime: 7 p.m.9 p.m.

Sarah Cascone

Louise Bourgeois in her home on West 20th Street, New York, 2000. Photo Jean-Franois Jaussaud.

4. Louise Bourgeois: Drawings 19472007 at Hauser & Wirth

After decades of staging museum-scale exhibitions across three continents, the mega-gallery Hauser & Wirth will mark another milestone this week: On Wednesday, it will open its first online-only exhibition, a survey of drawings by Louise Bourgeois, spanning 1947 to 2007, three years before the artists death. Thats a pretty ambitious topic to take up for a show thats only on computer screens and smart phones, and it promises to be a large-scale investigation into an overlooked part of the artists practice. Though shes best known as a sculptor and installation artist, the gallery points out that, for Bourgeois, drawing was a necessary tool to record and exorcise her memories and emotions. Put together by longtime Bourgeois assistant Jerry Gorovoywho is now the head of the late artists estate, the Easton Foundationthe exhibition is part of Dispatches, the cyberspace-based slate of programming the gallery is putting together while the world is quarantined. Look for more Hauser & Wirth programming to be rolled out on the information superhighway in the coming weeks.

Price:FreeTime:Open daily, at all times

Nate Freeman

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INTRODUCING GWA LIVE! Due to the current situation, I want to do more than just #StillOnShow and bring you live interviews with some of the most exciting artists around the world, starting with Jordan Casteel (@JordanMCasteel) On Wednesday 25 March at 6pm GMT / 7pm Paris / 2pm EST, I will be going LIVE with Jordan on @thegreatwomenartists for the first installment of GWA LIVES, and I want to hear YOUR questions for the brilliant painter Based in New York, and born in Denver, Colorado, Jordan Casteel is a figurative painter whose focus centres in community engagement, painting from her own photographs of those she encounters. Posing her subjects within their natural environments, her nearly life-size portraits and cropped subway compositions chronicle personal observations of the human experience To honour Jordan's temporarily closed exhibition "Within Reach" at @NewMuseum, we are going to be talking about the show as well as her interest in portraiture. BUT we also want to hear from you, so please write your questions below and we can ask Jordan on Wednesday! SEE YOU THEN

A post shared by Katy Hessel (@thegreatwomenartists) on Mar 23, 2020 at 12:09pm PDT

5. GWA Live: Jordan Casteel hosted by the Great Women Artists

Art historian Katy Hessels Instagram account @thegreatwomenartistscelebrates the work of female visual artists. Her latest feature, launching this week as a digital alternative to shuttered galleries and museums, is a series of live artist interviews. Shes starting with Jordan Casteel, who currently has a show at New Yorks New Museum of her nearly life-size portraits of African American subjects. Hessel is inviting her followers to submit questions for the painter ahead of the interview on Wednesday.

Price:FreeTime: 6 p.m. GMT

Sarah Cascone

Film still from Josephine Meckseper, PELLEA[S] (2017). Josephine Meckseper. Courtesy of the artist and Timothy Taylor, London/New York.

After Timothy Taylor Gallery in London closed to the public, putting a premature end to its exhibition ofJosephine Mecksepers videoPELLEA[S], the gallery decided to put the full 42-minute film online for free. For a limited time, you can watch the videowhich debuted at the Whitney Museum in 2018 and was screened last year at the Kitchenfrom the comfort of your couch. An adaptation of Maurice Maeterlincks surreal play Pellas et Mlisande, the film tells the story of a doomed love triangle set in a largely abandoned Washington, DCsound familiar?featuring real footage from Donald Trumps inauguration and the 2017 Womens March.

Price:FreeTime: Open daily, at all times

Julia Halperin

Faustin Linyekula: My Body, My Archive. Performance view. Courtesy of the Tate. Photograph by Oliver Cowling.

7. Faustin Linyekula: My Body, My Archive at Tate Modern

Congolese choreographer and artist Faustin Linyekula was one of the artists scheduled to perform as part of this years recently canceled BMW Tate Live Exhibition. Instead, Linyekula and his performers collaborated with the museum to present a one-off site-specific work performed to a camera in the Tanks, the museums devoted performance space which was formerly used to hold oil when the gallery was a power station. The performance My Body, My Archive is an autobiographical exploration of the millennias of knowledge held within the body as opposed to the relatively brief accounts of written histories. Musicians, performers, and actors join Linyekula to poignantly activate personal and collective memories.

Price: FreeTime: Open daily at all times

Katie White

Nicholas Galanin, The Imaginary Indian (Totem) (2016), Courtesy of Peter Blum Gallery.

8. Nicholas Galanin: Carry a Song / Disrupt an Anthem at Peter Blum Gallery

Available for online viewing is Peter Blums exhibition of Native American artist Nicholas Galanin. Having just shown at the 2019 Whitney Biennale, Galanin is making his solo exhibition debut in cyberspace (although it was intended for Peter Blums New York gallery). To carry the songs of Indigenous people, to carry the songs of the land, is inherently disruptive of the national anthem, the artist says of the exhibition title. In The Imaginary Indian (Totem), a totem is covered in the same floral wallpaper as the wall it hangs on, a metaphor for attempted and forced assimilation between European and Native American cultures.

Price:FreeTime: Open daily, at all times

Cristina Cruz

Jansson Stegner installation view. Courtesy of Almine Rech.

9. Jansson Stegner at Almine Rech

What can I say? Im totally in awe of Jansson Stegners genuinely weird approach to figuration. The people that populate his world come from the uncanny valley of just-distorted-enough to tickle my brain, full of muscular huntresses captured in gloriously active poses. I wish I could stand in front of these in person to fully appreciate Stegners masterful approach to remixing Western painting tropes, but Im very happy to share my computer monitor with these in the meantime.

Price:FreeTime: Open online or by appointment through April 18

Tatiana Berg

Addie Wagenknecht, There Are No Girls on the Internet, 2020. Courtesy of the artist.

10. Addie Wagenknecht: There Are No Girls on the Internet at the Museum of the Moving Image

In November 2019, the Museum of the Moving Image began installing quartets of animated GIFs inside its main elevatorone GIF on each wall, another on the ceilingas part of a series dubbed The Situation Room. Each foursome of GIFS was commissioned from a different artist and set to run for two months, with the GIFs simultaneously being released on GIPHY.

The piece installed just before the museum was forced to temporarily close comes from self-described anti-disciplinary artist Addie Wagenknecht, and it investigates the meme holding that the internet is strictly a mans world. Wagenknecht recorded her search through hundreds of video chats looking for another woman, moving on as soon as her next potential conversation partner was revealed as anyone but. In just a few seconds, each of her four GIFs reinforces the disturbing gender imbalance and fundamental weirdness of the online experience, as the artist is served up a steady stream of dudes lying in bed, dudes wearing only a towel, even dudes serving active military dutyand nothing else except the occasional empty room.

Price:FreeTime:Open daily, at all times

Tim Schneider

Read more:
Editors Picks: 10 Things Not to Miss in the Virtual Art World This Week - artnet News

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With Australian states looking likely to bypass federal government guidelines and head straight to a stage 3 Coronavirus lockdown just in time for the colder months, now is a very good time to start thinking about energy efficiency in the home.

Not only will you have the time to think deeply about this Very Important Subject, but cutting your energy consumption and being smart about how you use electricity in the home remains one of the best ways to reduce your power bills, at a time when every penny counts.

It wont be easy. There will be bored kids to wrangle (Allegedly, all I ever say in my household is shut the door!), constantly inhabited homes to heat (or cool, depending on which state youre in) and all those energy-sucking digital devices working overtime.

But it can be done. And to help make the task easier, we have asked the experts for their top energy saving tips.

Dont take our word for it. As Luke Menzel, the CEO of Australias Energy Efficiency Council says, a few sensible energy efficiency measures can save households a bucketload over winter.

For most homes in colder regions of Australia, heating is by far the biggest slice of the household energy bill pie, he told One Step. And minimising the need for heating all starts with good insulation.

Insulate

Most houses are not well enough insulated for the cold, Menzel notes, which means heaters have to work harder to keep them warm.

Tim Forcey, who was formerly an energy advisor at Melbourne Energy Institute of the University of Melbourne, agrees.

Forcey, who also co-administrates the Facebook group My Efficient Electric Home, ranked checking insulation at number one in his list of top energy saving tips, which he has kindly shared with us on One Step.

Check your attic insulation (if safe to do so!), Forcey says. And if its not up to scratch, it might be time to engage a qualified and certified professional to bring it up to scratch.

Retro-installation of floor insulation is also a possibility, if your house has leaky old floor boards and easy access to under the house. But again, we recommend using a professional to install any sort of insulation in your home.

Draught proof

Good old-fashioned draught-proofing is one of the most cost-effective ways to save energy and feel more comfortable without cranking up the thermostat, says Menzel.

And Forcey also puts this high on his list.

Access some draught-proofing supplies and DIY do what you can that is one idea, he wrote in a FB post earlier this week.

Sure, plenty of more serious stuff is going on I know. But perhaps some of us are looking for a diversion away from Facebook and, as someone said, never let a crisis go to waste.

In the name of good OH&S, One Step doesnt recommend taking on any complex draugt-proofin DIY projects if you arent experienced in these matters, but there are plenty of helpful and easy-to-do tips in the thread under Forceys March 22 post, which could give you a good start.

Rug up

Were not talking about putting on a beanie, scarf and polar fleece, although that too is recommended as an obvious way to stay warm inside the home. What were talking about here is rugging up your home.

Another reason people turn up their thermostats unnecessarily is because their house has lots of cold surfaces, Menzel says.

In fact, the temperature of the surfaces around you can affect your comfort as much as the air temperatures. So, its a good idea to use heavy curtains, install secondary glazing, use rugs on cold floors, and arrange your favourite armchair so its not right next to a cold window.

Making sure your curtains are open during the day can help warm up the house and all the surfaces around you can help warm up the house and all the surfaces, he adds just make sure you close them again at night.

Switch on the air-con!

In autumn, as people think about turning on a gas or electric-resistive heater, use the air con instead! says Forcey.

As he explained in this Conversation article, spending a bit more on a dual-purpose cooling-and-heating device is clearly worth it, with University of Melbourne Energy Institute and Alternative Technology Association, studies showing that using a reverse-cycle air conditioner instead of gas can reduce winter heating costs by up to $A658 a year in a large Melbourne home, or up to $A1,733 per year in a large Canberra home.

Modern air cons can also do a better job than gas heaters of filtering your air and we could all use some good air right now, Forcey said in comments this week to One Step.

But dont forget to clean the filters, he adds. I have visited the homes of even CSIRO scientists and they had no idea there was a (very dirty!) filter in that thing.

Get your temperature settings right

Turning the thermostat too high can also be a huge energy and financial drain, Menzel says.

Each degree higher on the thermostat can add 10 per cent to your heating bill. The most efficient thermostat setting is 18 degrees Celsius, but most people find 20 degrees a lot more comfortable setting that can still save plenty of energy and money.

Think space heating

If you dont need to heat your whole house, then zoning (either with ducted heating systems or just closing doors) can also save a lot of energy, says Menzel.

If you do have ducted heating, its a good idea to check the duct work is leak-free and well insulated. This can sometimes be done with thermal imaging cameras, to save crawling around in dark spaces.

Heat yourself and not (just) your home

For those who are home alone, as Dave Southgate explained in this 2017 One Step Off The Grid article, its possible to stay warm inside a house using only ultra-low energy personal heating devices drawing less than 100W, even when room air temperatures are low.

You can also read his detailed report on the subject here. A hot water bottle and a rug on the lap wouldnt t hurt either!

There are a number of ways you can do this. Forcey recommends starting with an appliance audit, to get a clear picture of how much energy each of your electrical appliances use. This thread on the MEEH Facebook page has some good tips and examples.

But there are also some obvious contenders that could be replaced with confidence and without an audit, such as:

Outdated and inefficient lighting

Halogen downlights can be a huge energy waster in the winter as well, says Menzel. Aside from their high energy consumption, these lights need to be kept far away from insulation as a fire safety precaution. So, there is always an uninsulated patch of ceiling surrounding halogen downlights, providing an easy escape route for heat through the ceiling.

To add to that, they run hot. The heat rising from each downlight can also create a chimney effect and suck warm air out of your house, creating draughts, Menzel says. Draughts make you feel cooler, as they strip heat from you constantly prompting you to turn the thermostat up even higher.

The beer fridge

An old, inefficient beer fridge chugging away in the garage all winter long might be racking up avoidable energy bills, says Menzel. Dont panic though, were not asking you to get rid of it altogether.

Turning it off in the cooler months or replacing it with a newer, more efficient model could help save a fair sum of money. That old, inefficient fridge in the garage costs about $300 per year assuming a 15-year-old medium-sized fridge.

Any ageing appliances

Minimum energy standards have meant that appliances have become more and more energy efficient over recent years, says Menzel.

A typical reverse cycle heating/cooling system today is around 30-40 per cent more efficient than one from 15 years ago. This also goes for fridges. So, it can actually pay to replace your old appliances with new, high-star rated models, as the energy cost savings will repay the investment and then some.

The use of plug-in electric resistive heaters should also be avoided. Even oil column heaters arent efficient unless you sit very close! If you are buying a new appliance, look for ones with higher star ratings they may cost a little extra, but the savings will usually be worth it.

Consumers should note that for some products, the star scale rating that measures an appliances energy efficiency has changed over time to accommodate newer higher performing models.

So, if you have an older appliance at home with a 3-star label stars, dont be too complacent as this might only rate 2 stars by todays standards and may not even allowed to be sold under current minimum standard rules, Menzel says.

The number below the stars is a calculation of how much electricity the appliance will use each year under typical operating conditions.

Multiply this number by your electricity tariff to getannual running costs. Note that tariffs can differ significantly between providers as well as different times of the day, so choosing when to use your product can help save you money.

The pool pump

The EEC advises homes with pools to reduce the pump timer duration by up to half in winter as a way to make substantial energy savings.But make sure you check with your local pool or spa specialist to ensure you are still meeting all health requirements, says Menzel.

Like washing hands and other measures of basic hygiene and disease prevention that are coming into their own in the current health crisis, good energy efficiency is something we should all be practising, all the time, and not just in a Covid-29 winter.

And there are plenty more things we could be doing, and advocating for, to embed the efficient use of energy into future everyday life.

The longer-term issue is the quality of Australias building stock, says Menzel.

While new homes in Australia have an average energy efficiency rating of 6.1 stars, our existing homes are mostly rubbish, with an average rating of only 1.7 stars.

Whether its from a cost or a carbon perspective, we need to get on with the job of retrofitting Australias housing stock.

Ideally, this would be one of the first priorities once we emerge from the immediate crisis, to drive economic activity and make our homes more comfortable and cheaper to run.

See the article here:
How to flatten the curve on energy costs during the Covid-19 lockdown - One Step Off The Grid