Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

SLC Arts and SUNY Potsdams Madstop Records invites bands from SUNY Potsdam and the local area to submit a music demo for consideration to compete in the 2020 Ives Park Concert Series Battle of the Bands during the LoKo Arts Festival.

The deadline to apply is March 22. After submissions are reviewed by a jury, bands will be notified of the status of their participation by March 27. A limited number of spots will be reserved for SUNY Potsdam students.

Selected bands will play a set no longer than 30 minutes in duration. At the end of the competition, judges consisting of SUNY Potsdam students and community members, will select the top two bands.

The audience will also have a chance to vote on a Peoples Choice to select a third winner.

The winning bands will be featured in their own show in the 2020 Ives Park Concert Series and be compensated $500 for their performance. The Ives Park Concert Series takes place on Saturdays in August and September. Winners get to choose the weekend they perform.

For more information and to apply, visit http://www.slcartscouncil.org/calls-for-musicians.

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Acts needed for Battle of the Bands in Potsdam - North Country Now

The Jaffrey St. Patricks Day Parade is ready to turn the streets of town green for a third time on Sunday. The parade steps off at 2 p.m. in front of St. Patrick Parish, and the parade will move east along Main Street to Jaffreys downtown.

There will be six marching bands, four parades floats and an Irish dancing presentation by Jaffrey Grade School students.

The police and fire departments of Jaffrey will also be part of the parade. The Flying Irish Dancers of Ashby, Mass., will perform at the gazebo on the Jaffrey Park common.

For the first time, the Knights of Columbus will carry on their shoulders the official 3-foot statue of parade namesake, Saint Patrick. The parades Grand Marshall is Jimmy Quinn, of Donegals, who has been grand marshal since the first parade.

The town and surrounding communities have given resounding support for the parade.

More than 50 sponsors signed on to sponsor this years parade, including, WKNE radio, the official media sponsor.

The parade organizers are offering a $100 prize for both Best Float and Best Store Window. Local area restaurants (The Monadnock Inn, Monadnock Country Cafe, Sunflowers Caf, Cafe 532, Jaffrey American Legion, Emmas 321) have joined the fun, adding traditional Irish menu items to their menus.

Before and during the parade the Park Theatre will be selling hot dogs with toppings, sodas, chips and hot coffee at a Main Street booth in the alley between the new there and the Sunflowers Caf building. The 99 Restaurant & Pub and Coca-Cola donated food and beverages.

To help set the mood for the weekend, the Kelly Girls, a Celtic band, will perform at the American Legion, 20 Webster St. at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $20.

Chef Mike Gallagher will be serving traditional Irish favorites corned beff and cabbage and bangers and mash. Each entree is $10. There also will be a cash bar.

In addition, a screening of Riverdance Irish dance troupe in performance at the 3Arena in Dublin will be screened at the Jaffrey Womens Club, 33 Main St., at 3 p.m. Sunday, right after the parade. Tickets are $10 to $15.

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Jaffrey turns the town green for its third annual St. Patrick's Day festival - The Union Leader

Local Girl Scout Troop 5327, along with the citys urban forestry staff, will co-host a tree seedling giveaway from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 14 at the Holcomb Gazebo near the Gary Hampton softball fields, located at 2900 N. Salem Road.

The Cookies, Trees and Bees event will also collect materials for the construction of insect hotels to be placed in Fayetteville parks. The troop will also be selling Girl Scout cookies during the event.

Seedling giveawayThe troop will give away 200 native tree seedlings (limit two per person), including redbud, bald cypress, deciduous holly, and northern red oak species. An urban forester will be on hand to answer any planting questions and inquiries about the tree species, according to a news release.

Insect hotel materials collectionMaterials needed include untreated scrap lumber, bamboo pieces, unvarnished slats, and other construction materials that can be used to build temporary nesting structures for insects, especially pollinators like bees, beetles, and ladybugs.

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Girl Scouts to co-host tree giveaway and materials collection for 'insect hotels' - Fayetteville Flyer

Absecon

Clothing/linens drive: Enphront Veterans Services, Atlantic City, sponsored by American Legion Auxiliary Unit 28 is collecting gently-used mens suits and new twin-size bedding. Donations may be dropped off from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays through March 25 at American Legion Post 28 Hall, 560 New Jersey Ave. For information, call 609-618-1250.

Atlantic City

Boardwalk Committee meeting rescheduled: Residents, civic associations, Boardwalk businesses and other groups are invited to meet 9:30 a.m. on the revised date of April 8 when the committee reconvenes for its first meeting of the year to discuss community improvement ideas. The group meets in Room 150, Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, 2301 Boardwalk. Light refreshments will be served. For information, call 609-335-4932.

Bridgeton

Teen Tuesdays: Ages 12 to 18 are invited to join the teen library council from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays to discuss library programs and future activities at the Free Public Library, 150 E. Commerce St. New members are welcome. For information, call 856-451-2620.

Brigantine

Prescription drug drop box: Residents may bring their old and unused medications to the Police Department and dispose them at the new drop box in the lobby at 1417 W. Brigantine Ave.

Buena Vista Township

Historical Society meets: The Buena Historical Society meets 7:30 p.m. third Wednesdays at Town Hall, 890 Harding Highway/Route 40. The group covers the history of Buena Vista Township and Buena Borough. Meetings are free to attend and open to the public. Refreshments are served. For more information, call Debra Casazza at 856-466-4654.

Egg Harbor Township

Childrens Easter Egg Hunt: Children ages 2-10 years are invited to participate in the free annual Easter Egg Hunt from noon to 1 p.m. April 5 at Greentree Church, 125 Schoolhouse Road. The event will be held rain or shine. Children should bring a basket to collect eggs. All children are welcome, but must be accompanied by a parent or adult. For information, call the church office at 609-927-3838 or visit greentree.org.

Estell Manor

Volunteers needed: The city seeks residents interested in helping with Sustainable Jersey programs and special events in the community. To volunteer, call the Municipal Clerks Office at 609-476-2692.

Folsom

Free rabies clinic: Residents may bring their pets from 9 to 11 a.m. March 21 to the borough garage at 1461 Backline Road. A previous proof of vaccination is requested. For more information, call Patti Gatto at Borough Hall at 609-561-3178 or visit folsomborough.com.

Galloway Township

Democratic Club meeting: The Galloway Port Republic Democratic Club meets 7 p.m. third Tuesdays at the Atlantic County Library branch at 306 E. Jimmie Leeds Road. New members are welcome. For information, call 609-652-9559.

Longport

Art at the library: The Public Library at 2305 Atlantic Ave. hosts exhibits of local artists. Any artist wishing to display work should call 609-487-7403 or visit library@longport- publiclibrary.org.

Lower Township

Safe exchange zone established: The Lower Township Police Department has established a safe exchange zone in the front police parking lot of the Public Safety Building in the Airport Complex at 1389 Langley Road in the Erma section. There are two parking spots, located in front of the visitor lot. The parking spots have posted signs and are painted yellow. The marked area is video recorded by security cameras. The zone has been set up as a courtesy to and for the protection of residents involved in online transactions, such as a Craigs List. For more information, visit lowertownshippolice.com.

Margate

Concerned Citizens meeting: All citizens are invited to the next meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Public Library, 8100 Atlantic Ave.

Mays Landing

Republican Club meets: The Hamilton Township Republican Club meets 6:30 p.m. third Wednesdays at Cousin Marios Italian Restaurant and Pizzaria, 5401 Harding Highway. New members are welcome. For more information, visit Facebook.com/HTGOP.

Middle Township

American Legion recruitment campaign: Thurston Elmer Wood American Legion Post 198 seeks new members. Membership is open to anyone who served during a time of active military conflict. Membership is also available in the Sons of the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary. For more information, email adjutant198@gmail.com.

Millville

Poetry workshops: Local author and poet R.G. Evans facilitates poetry nights from 6:30 to 8 p.m. third Wednesdays at the Public Library, 210 Buck St. Ages 18 and older are welcome. The event is free to attend. For information, call 856-825-7087.

Northfield

FDU offers scholarships to area teachers: Northfield area teachers are invited by Fairleigh Dickinson Universitys Center for Dyslexia Studies to apply for full-tuition scholarships leading to a nationally accredited Orton-Gillingham Teacher Certificate in multisensory reading instruction. Twelve scholarships are available for fall 2020. The scholarships cover the cost of the 12-credit graduate-level program. Credits also can be applied toward a full masters degree. Participants take all classes and complete their required practicum at the Childrens Dyslexia Center in Northfield. For information, call Grace Hottinger at 201-692-2816 or email dyslexia@fdu.edu.

Ocean City

Colony Club fashion show: The Colony Club, a womens civic organization, will hold a fashion show luncheon and scholarship fundraiser from 11:30 to 3 p.m. March 28 at Greate Bay Country Club, 901 Somers Point Mays Landing Road, Somers Point. The show will feature fashions from Tah Dah, raffle baskets, a 50/50, door prizes, jewelry grab bags and more. The seated luncheon will offer a cash bar. Tickets are $40. For information, call 609-247-1332.

Pleasantville

NAACP meeting: The local branch of the NAACP meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. third Thursdays of the month at the Atlantic County Library, 33 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. The public is invited. Its free to attend and new members are welcome. For information, call 609-415-0275 or visit MLPNAACP.org.

Sea Isle City

Free rabies clinic: The Municipal Clerks Office will host a free rabies clinic for cats and dogs from 10 to 11 a.m. March 21 inside the former public school building at 4501 Park Road. Visitors are asked to use the north Park Road entrance. The clinic is open to all local residents, visitors and members of surrounding communities. Dog licenses also will be on sale during the clinic for any dog that resides in the city. For more information, call 609-263-4461, ext. 1216.

Stafford Township

Southern Regional Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony: The 31st annual High School Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. March 28 at Calloways Restaurant, Route 9, Staffordville. Tickets are $20 advance, $25 at the door. Appetizers and a buffet are included; there will be a cash bar. RSVP by March 20 to Sue Spaschak at sspaschak@srsd.net or call 609-597-9481, ext. 4319.

Vineland

Business meet and greet: Main Street Vineland will sponsor its next Mix, Mingle & Meet event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Vegans Are Us, 636 E. Landis Ave. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Main Street Vineland office at 856-794-8653 or visit TheAve.biz.

West Cape May

Community Shred Day: The borough will host a free Community Shred Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday May 9 at Borough Hall parking lot at 732 Broadway. Services are provided by ProShred Security. The event is also open to residents outside the community.

Woodbine

Free tree seedlings available to residents: Woodbines Sustainable Jersey Green Team will again distribute tree seedlings as part of the New Jersey Tree Recovery Campaign. Residents are invited to come from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 28 to the gazebo on the bikepath at Washington and DeHirsch avenue. The seedlings are available on a first come, first serve basis, with an initial offering of five trees per resident. Several varieties will be available. For information, call 609-861-2153.

Galloway Township

Democratic Club meeting: The Galloway Port Republic Democratic Club meets 7 p.m. third Tuesdays at the Atlantic County Library branch at 306 E. Jimmie Leeds Road. New members are welcome. For information, call 609-652-9559.

Longport

Art at the library: The Public Library at 2305 Atlantic Ave. hosts exhibits of local artists. Any artist wishing to display work should call 609-487-7403 or visit library@longportpubliclibrary.org.

Lower Township

Safe exchange zone established: The Lower Township Police Department has established a safe exchange zone in the front police parking lot of the Public Safety Building in the Airport Complex at 1389 Langley Road in the Erma section. There are two parking spots, located in front of the visitor lot. The parking spots have posted signs and are painted yellow. The marked area is video recorded by security cameras. The zone has been set up as a courtesy to and for the protection of residents involved in online transactions, such as a Craigs List. For more information, visit lowertownshippolice.com.

Margate

Concerned Citizens meeting: All citizens are invited to the next meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Public Library, 8100 Atlantic Ave.

Mays Landing

Republican Club meets: The Hamilton Township Republican Club meets 6:30 p.m. third Wednesdays at Cousin Marios Italian Restaurant and Pizzaria, 5401 Harding Highway. New members are welcome. For more information, visit Facebook.com/HTGOP.

Middle Township

American Legion recruitment campaign: Thurston Elmer Wood American Legion Post 198 seeks new members. Membership is open to anyone who served during a time of active military conflict. Membership is also available in the Sons of the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary. For more information, email adjutant198@gmail.com.

Millville

Poetry workshops: Local author and poet R.G. Evans facilitates poetry nights from 6:30 to 8 p.m. third Wednesdays at the Public Library, 210 Buck St. Ages 18 and older are welcome. The event is free to attend. For information, call 856-825-7087.

Northfield

FDU offers scholarships to area teachers: Northfield area teachers are invited by Fairleigh Dickinson Universitys Center for Dyslexia Studies to apply for full-tuition scholarships leading to a nationally accredited Orton-Gillingham Teacher Certificate in multisensory reading instruction. Twelve scholarships are available for fall 2020. The scholarships cover the cost of the 12-credit graduate-level program. Credits also can be applied toward a full masters degree. Participants take all classes and complete their required practicum at the Childrens Dyslexia Center in Northfield. For information, call Grace Hottinger at 201-692-2816 or email dyslexia@fdu.edu.

Ocean City

Colony Club fashion show: The Colony Club, a womens civic organization, will hold a fashion show luncheon and scholarship fundraiser from 11:30 to 3 p.m. March 28 at Greate Bay Country Club, 901 Somers Point Mays Landing Road, Somers Point. The show will feature fashions from Tah Dah, raffle baskets, a 50/50, door prizes, jewelry grab bags and more. The seated luncheon will offer a cash bar. Tickets are $40. For information, call 609-247-1332.

Pleasantville

NAACP meeting: The local branch of the NAACP meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. third Thursdays of the month at the Atlantic County Library, 33 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. The public is invited. Its free to attend and new members are welcome. For information, call 609-415-0275 or visit MLPNAACP.org.

Sea Isle City

Free rabies clinic: The Municipal Clerks Office will host a free rabies clinic for cats and dogs from 10 to 11 a.m. March 21 inside the former public school building at 4501 Park Road. Visitors are asked to use the north Park Road entrance. The clinic is open to all local residents, visitors and members of surrounding communities. Dog licenses also will be on sale during the clinic for any dog that resides in the city. For more information, call 609-263-4461, ext. 1216.

Stafford Township

Southern Regional Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony: The 31st annual High School Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. March 28 at Calloways Restaurant, Route 9, Staffordville. Tickets are $20 advance, $25 at the door. Appetizers and a buffet are included; there will be a cash bar. RSVP by March 20 to Sue Spaschak at sspaschak@srsd.net or call 609-597-9481, ext. 4319.

Vineland

Business meet and greet: Main Street Vineland will sponsor its next Mix, Mingle & Meet event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Vegans Are Us, 636 E. Landis Ave. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Main Street Vineland office at 856-794-8653 or visit TheAve.biz.

West Cape May

Community Shred Day: The borough will host a free Community Shred Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday May 9 at Borough Hall parking lot at 732 Broadway. Services are provided by ProShred Security. The event is also open to residents outside the community.

Woodbine

Free tree seedlings available to residents: Woodbines Sustainable Jersey Green Team will again distribute tree seedlings as part of the New Jersey Tree Recovery Campaign. Residents are invited to come from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 28 to the gazebo on the bikepath at Washington and DeHirsch avenue. The seedlings are available on a first come, first serve basis, with an initial offering of five trees per resident. Several varieties will be available. For information, call 609-861-2153. ved=2ahUKEwim6qnyqo7oAh}{div class=Z1hOCe}{div class=zloOqf PZPZlf data-dtype=d3ifr data-local-attribute=d3adr data-ved=2ahUKEwim6qnyqo7oAhWSmuAKHaX9DbUQghwoADAQegQIHBAB}Democratic Club meeting: The Galloway Port Republic Democratic Club meets 7 p.m. third Tuesdays at the Atlantic County Library branch at 306 E. Jimmie Leeds Road. New members are welcome. For information, call 609-652-9559.{/div}{/div}{/div}{/div}{/div}{a}Longport{/a}

Art at the library: The Public Library at 2305 Atlantic Ave. hosts exhibits of local artists. Any artist wishing to display work should call 609-487-7403 or visit library@longportpubliclibrary.org.

Lower Township

Safe exchange zone established: The Lower Township Police Department has established a safe exchange zone in the front police parking lot of the Public Safety Building in the Airport Complex at 1389 Langley Road in the Erma section. There are two parking spots, located in front of the visitor lot. The parking spots have posted signs and are painted yellow. The marked area is video recorded by security cameras. The zone has been set up as a courtesy to and for the protection of residents involved in online transactions, such as a Craigs List. For more information, visit lowertownshippolice.com.

Margate

Concerned Citizens meeting: All citizens are invited to the next meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Public Library, 8100 Atlantic Ave.

Mays Landing

Republican Club meets: The Hamilton Township Republican Club meets 6:30 p.m. third Wednesdays at Cousin Marios Italian Restaurant and Pizzaria, 5401 Harding Highway. New members are welcome. For more information, visit Facebook.com/HTGOP.

Middle Township

American Legion recruitment campaign: Thurston Elmer Wood American Legion Post 198 seeks new members. Membership is open to anyone who served during a time of active military conflict. Membership is also available in the Sons of the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary. For more information, email adjutant198@gmail.com.

Millville

Poetry workshops: Local author and poet R.G. Evans facilitates poetry nights from 6:30 to 8 p.m. third Wednesdays at the Public Library, 210 Buck St. Ages 18 and older are welcome. The event is free to attend. For information, call 856-825-7087.

Northfield

FDU offers scholarships to area teachers: Northfield area teachers are invited by Fairleigh Dickinson Universitys Center for Dyslexia Studies to apply for full-tuition scholarships leading to a nationally accredited Orton-Gillingham Teacher Certificate in multisensory reading instruction. Twelve scholarships are available for fall 2020. The scholarships cover the cost of the 12-credit graduate-level program. Credits also can be applied toward a full masters degree. Participants take all classes and complete their required practicum at the Childrens Dyslexia Center in Northfield. For information, call Grace Hottinger at 201-692-2816 or email dyslexia@fdu.edu.

Ocean City

Colony Club fashion show: The Colony Club, a womens civic organization, will hold a fashion show luncheon and scholarship fundraiser from 11:30 to 3 p.m. March 28 at Greate Bay Country Club, 901 Somers Point Mays Landing Road, Somers Point. The show will feature fashions from Tah Dah, raffle baskets, a 50/50, door prizes, jewelry grab bags and more. The seated luncheon will offer a cash bar. Tickets are $40. For information, call 609-247-1332.

Pleasantville

NAACP meeting: The local branch of the NAACP meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. third Thursdays of the month at the Atlantic County Library, 33 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. The public is invited. Its free to attend and new members are welcome. For information, call 609-415-0275 or visit MLPNAACP.org.

Sea Isle City

Free rabies clinic: The Municipal Clerks Office will host a free rabies clinic for cats and dogs from 10 to 11 a.m. March 21 inside the former public school building at 4501 Park Road. Visitors are asked to use the north Park Road entrance. The clinic is open to all local residents, visitors and members of surrounding communities. Dog licenses also will be on sale during the clinic for any dog that resides in the city. For more information, call 609-263-4461, ext. 1216.

Stafford Township

Southern Regional Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony: The 31st annual High School Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. March 28 at Calloways Restaurant, Route 9, Staffordville. Tickets are $20 advance, $25 at the door. Appetizers and a buffet are included; there will be a cash bar. RSVP by March 20 to Sue Spaschak at sspaschak@srsd.net or call 609-597-9481, ext. 4319.

{a}Vineland {/a}

Business meet and greet: Main Street Vineland will sponsor its next Mix, Mingle & Meet event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Vegans Are Us, 636 E. Landis Ave. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Main Street Vineland office at 856-794-8653 or visit TheAve.biz.

West Cape May{div class=detail-content}{div class=detail-item}Community Shred Day: The borough will host a free Community Shred Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday May 9 at Borough Hall parking lot at 732 Broadway. Services are provided by ProShred Security. The event is also open to residents outside the community.{/div}{/div}Woodbine

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In your town - Press of Atlantic City

A rare opportunity to own a unique, custom-built ranch-style home on almost 10 sprawling acres of privacy and paradise close to IL border! This quality built home boasts almost 3,000 finished sq ft of living space, with 3 spacious bedrooms, 3 baths, open concept living/dining/kitchen area, 3-seasons room overlooking the countryside, walk-out lower level, huge recreational area, plenty of storage space, and huge 2.5+ heated garage. Outdoors is a magnificent pole barn, with tack room, 4 stalls, and fenced-in pasture space, complete with wash area for your horses! The back acreage is currently being farmed for hay! This is the home in the country you've been waiting for, with a little bit of something for everyone! Home has upgrades throughout - zoned heating, HHE furnace and HWH, central system prewired for audio w/speakers in each room, whole house generator, 2x6 quality construction, water filtration system w/RO, water softner, 99% LED lighting, and so much more!

View Listing

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27 of the Most Expensive Homes for Sale in Northwest Indiana - nwitimes.com

Its been a long week, and we know, its only Tuesday. Not to worryweve got you covered. Stay in the know with BOHs weekly news digest, including business headlines, launches and events, recommended reading and more.

BUSINESS NEWS

Art Van Furniture has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, reported Furniture Today. The Warren, Michiganbased company previously announced it would liquidate all stores. The company has between $100 million and $500 million in assets.

In light of COVID-19 news, High Point Market plans to forge onbut it looks like Chinese buyers will likely not attend, reports the Greensboro News & Record. High Point Market Authority president and CEO Tom Conley says that to date, no one from China has registered for the event, coming at a time where companies worldwide are issuing bans on business travel altogether.

The new coronavirus has also been having an effect on the stock market. On Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 2,000 points in the biggest single-day drop in a decadea result of not only COVID-19 worries, but a war over oil prices between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The market has rebounded slightly today, but home brand stocks have taken a hit. RH is trading at $143 per share, well off its high of $250 in February; Wayfair slid to its lowest price in three years; and Knoll is currently trading at a five-year low.

OPENINGS, AUCTIONS AND EVENTS

The New York Kips Bay Decorator Show House will be postponed due to uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus outbreak. According to a spokesperson, the goal to reschedule the New York event for the summerideally June, but no firm date has been announced. The change in date will also mean a change in venue. According to a source, the committee will have to find a new location to hold the showhouse.

In light of worries about the coronavirus, The Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS will postpone its fundraising event, DIFFA By Design. Originally scheduled for March 26 to 28, the event will now be held July 9 to 11 at Center 415. Public health is at the center of DIFFAs mission. Our hearts go out to all of those who have been affected by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. In light of widespread concerns, including those within the HIV/AIDS community who may be particularly vulnerable, we will always prioritize health and safety. By postponing DIFFA By Design, we aim to honor both the communities affected by HIV/AIDS as well as the broader public who may harbor concerns about attending events during this time, said Dawn Roberson, executive director, in a statement.

The Venice Architecture Biennale announced new dates last week as a result of the precautionary measures being taken worldwide. The show, curated by Hashim Sarkis, will run from August 29 until November 29.

Not everything is getting canceled. The New York Tabletop Show is still currently scheduled to be held from March 31 to April 3. According to a statement, Rudin Management, the owner of 41 Madison, will reassess the situation as local health officials do.

The International Contemporary Furniture Fair is also still on the calendar, and its benefiting from an influx of academic talent. Thirteen schools will exhibit at ICFF in May in New York. Each will receive 200 square feet of exhibit space; one will be recognized as the best design school by a panel of architects and interior designers. Cornell, Drexel, Kean University, Kendall College of Art & Design, Pratt, Savannah School of Art & Design and Virginia Tech are among those exhibiting.

Chicagos NeoCon trade show has announced its CEU seminar program for this June. It will focus on commercial interior design, including wellness and hospitality, and almost 100 CEU-accredited courses will be available from June 7 to 10. NeoCon may postpone due to the coronavirus, but no plans to do so have been made at this time.

LAUNCHES, COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS

The New York chapter of the International Interior Design Association has launched a new member app, among other new goals for 2020. Huddle!, a new event series for members, includes mixology and aerial yoga in its programming. The 2020 Career Conversations Series geared toward students will kick off soon. And the IIDA is opening a new city center in Syracuse to serve its Central New York members.

A view of the new Oklahoma Contemporary Arts CenterScott McDonald

Online wholesale merchandise platform Faire will introduce two new methods to help boost sales: email campaigns for makers, similar to Mailchimp; and square integration, a point-of-sale app for retailers.

The Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center will open a new building this week in downtown Oklahoma City. The 53,916-square-foot building will have new gallery space, classrooms, studios and a theater.

Gibson Interior Products is opening an installation titled Gibson Gallery with Pop by LaMantia inside its 11,500-square-foot showroom in Manhattan. This is part of its partnership with Northport, New Yorkbased LaMantia Gallery. Featured artists David Hinchliffe, Jaime Kraft and Ruby Mazur will appear at the opening reception on March 25.

Change doesn't have to be scary, according to Domino. The magazine is excited to announce a new vertical and Instagram account, Reno Notebook, which will focus on the subject of renovations.

RECOMMENDED READING

The Cut slices into light therapy and the benefits and claims of all of its photobiomodulation (a real word). Something about the sheer breadth of maladies that light therapy can supposedly treat has the effect of making the whole thing seem too good to be true, writes Melissa Dahl. In a way, light therapy has been a reminder of how often I overlook the basics, how every few days I need to force-feed myself similar reminders about how to be a human.

A wry exploration of the seemingly ubiquitous millennial design style poses the question, Will the shrunken cacti and midcentury sofas ever go away? Molly Fischers poignant commentary prods at the insipid pinkness, tracing the steps of this interior design trend in an article for The Cut.

What would a world without prisons look like, asks The New York Times. Architect Deanna Van Buren has designed civic spaces that serve as alternatives to prisons and jails. In one specific case of a father and son whod both been charged with crimes, for nearly a year, difficult conversations took place in a serene setting with sky-blue walls, pine floors, a communal kitchen and lots of natural light, writes Patricia Leigh Brown. These touches came out of a community design process led by Deanna Van Buren, an architect who has dedicated her career to rethinking the architecture of justice.

CUE THE APPLAUSE

U.S. rug brand Nourison is celebrating its 40th anniversary with the initiative 40 Acts of Kindness, inspiring employees to engage in selfless acts like donating to charity or volunteering.

Vicky Serany of the Cary, North Carolinabased firm Southern Studio Interior Design has been named the Southern Living Designer of the Year. Her award-winning luxury design firm boasts a portfolio of commercial and residential projects, along with multiple designer showhouses.

Homepage image: Scott McDonald

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Kips Bay Decorator Show House postponed, Art Van files for Chapter 11 and more - Business of Home

To the characters in The Boys in the Band, someone like Pete Buttigieg would have been inconceivablea happily out (and married) man who was a serious candidate for the U.S. presidency.

When Boys premiered in 1968one year before the Stonewall riotsa same-sex couple still could be arrested for dancing together, even in a place as purportedly free-thinking as New York Citys Greenwich Village.

Younger actors have to be very, very mindful that theyre not aware of the level of repression of these characters, says Michael Pacas, who is directing the production of the play that will open at Palm Canyon Theatre for four shows on April 30. Back then, you could be arrested for just being in a gay bar, have your name in the paper and be fired. Younger actors enjoy a much more permissive society.

Boys, the story of a group of gay friends who have gathered at a Manhattan apartment for a birthday party, is a drama with flashes of bitter comedy. The birthday boy is Harold, a self-described 32-year-old ugly pockmarked Jew fairy with a wicked wit, a stiletto tongue and an endless well of self-loathing. Many of the characters share Harolds self-loathing to some degree, including Michael, the partys host; Michaels boyfriend, Donald; the promiscuous Larry; and Larrys boyfriend, Hank, who is separated from a woman.

Many of the plays most outrageous (and quotable) lines come from Harold or Emory, an interior decorator whos the campiest of the camp. (Its Emory, via playwright Mart Crowley, who coined the phrase, Who do you have to fuck to get a drink around here?) A film version of Boys came out in 1970, and the play was revived in 2018 in a 50th anniversary edition in an all-star edition with gay actors Jim Parsons, Matt Bomer and Zachary Quinto. That revival, with a slightly updated book, was filmed and will air on Netflix later this year. Its the revival version, with the addition of an intermission, that will be performed at the Palm Canyon Theatre.

Were setting production in 1968, Pacas says. Everyone has a cell phone now, and the landline is a major plot device.

Despite the many changes in LGBT rights since the play was written, Pacas says, it really is sort of a snapshot of gay life.

And not always a positive one, either. Of course, when George and Martha go for each others throats in Edward Albees Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, no one expects their relationship to stand for every heterosexual marriage. But when Michael and Harold declare emotional war on each other, with devastating results, it was seen by some critics as an etched-in-acid portrayal of gay men at a time when mainstream portrayals of gay people still were rare. (Show me a happy homosexual, declares the cynical Michael, and Ill show you a gay corpse.)

People have two takes on the show, Pacas says. One is: But its such a negative portrayal of gay men! Another is: Oh, thats such a fun show; this is what life really was like in 1968.

Pacas says the latter attitude brings its own challenge, particularly for those audience members who come for the campy dialogue.

We also have to communicate to those who want to quote the lines with the characters that theres a lot of internal and external homophobia mixed with the humor, he says.

Pacas grew up in Baton Rouge, La.

I came from a ratherlets just put it, Southern Baptist upbringing, he says. Back then, it was quite brave of you even to go to a gay bar. People were taking down the license plates of the people inside and trying to make trouble.

He later moved to Chicago, where he met his husband, and the two moved to Palm Springs after visiting one weekend.

If people think this play is a negative view of gay men, he adds, its my job, and the actors job, to make it empathetic. We still have that same old bugaboo of hating ourselves.

Thats not the only challenge in staging a 1960s period piece in 2020 Palm Springs.

This show is a stage managers nightmare, Pacas says. People are onstage the whole time, moving around, eating food, drinking, eating birthday cake. And I need to talk to the actors just in case someone is gluten-free or has allergies.

Unlike back then, he adds with a laugh, we may end up with a vegan birthday cake.

The Boys in the Band will be performed at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 30; 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2; and 2 p.m., Sunday, May 3, at the Palm Canyon Theatre, 538 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. Tickets are $29.50. For tickets or more information, call 760.323.5123, or visit http://www.palmcanyontheatre.org. Kevin Allman is a California-based journalist. Follow him on Twitter: @kevinallman.

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Let's Hear it for the 'Boys': Palm Canyon Theatre Gets Set to Stage a Classic 1968 Gay-Themed Play - Coachella Valley Independent

Colors add charm to everything. Everything looks enchanting when we decorate it with colors. So, colors carry a significant significance in our life. Similarly, when we build a home, we always prefer to select some flamboyant colors for our home because colors add beauty to the home. We always try to decorate our houses with colors that appeal to our eyes. Everyone likes to have eye-capturing views at ones house. We have brought this article for all the people who are looking for a guide on how much a paint project cost. We have some factor that determines the cost of the painting project when hiring commercial painter and decorator.

Exterior painting cost:

Painting the exterior of any building can be a challenging task. It is because the surface is more vulnerable to weather changes, and it should be durable enough to stand by harsh weather. In such circumstances, your paint should be strong enough to bear the weather changes, or else you may have to change your colors after little whiles. If you change your exterior colors after short periods, then it may prove to be more expensive or costly. You, whenever you choose to paint your exterior, must focus on these things that the paint you are going to want must be feasible and durable at the same time.

Moreover, location and size are two other main things that may affect the cost of your paint project. If the size of the area that is to be painted is large enough, then you may have to spend a little more. You must calculate the domain before hiring people to paint your exterior. You must clean the surface that you need to decorate, for it can also affect the cost of your painting. If you dont clean the cover yourself, then you have to hire some people for this job, and it will cost money and increase your cost of the painting project.

Interior painting cost:

And here comes another important part of the painting project! Interior painting is a way more sensitive part of the painting project. The interior of a home or any building is the most observed thing. Everyone notices the paint and other embellishments of the interior of the building. So, the interior of any building or house must be very eye-capturing. All the factors that are involved in affecting the exterior of the build are engaged in the interior of the building. Location, size, type of paint, the complexity of designs or textures, and the number of colors are the leading factors that may affect the cost of the interior painting project. So, it would be best if you did not take these factors for granted.

In addition to the above, you must also not compromise the quality of paint in order to avoid more expenses. If you use substandard colors, you may have to change it more quickly. So, you must choose high quality and durable paints for your building interior because your interior is as important as the exterior of your building.

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Theyre not as inevitably lucrativenor as evilas people think. And with some changes, they can be a win-win for everyone.

Not long ago, I paid a visit to Brooks, a 1,308-acre, mixed-use community in San Antonio, Texas. Brooks used to be the Brooks Air Force Base, the home of the first airplane hangars ever built in the U.S. (One of the originals from 1918, Hangar 9, still exists, carefully preserved.) For decades, Brooks was the place where the Air Force conducted astronaut evaluation and testing.

But in the 1990s, it became clear that the Air Force was, sooner or later, going to close the base, and in 2011, it did. The closure meant the end of 2,000 jobs, mostly in the sciencesjobs that paid well. So the state government created the Brooks Development Authority, a public authority charged with transitioning Brooks to economic self-sufficiency. There was a larger mission as well: Brooks is adjacent to San Antonios zip code 78223, a largely Hispanic area that is one of the poorest neighborhoods in the country. Its poverty rate hovers around 20 percent, and only about 12 percent of its adults over age 25 have a college degree. So creating economic development for its disadvantaged neighbors was a central part of Brooks raison detre. We purposefully pursue employers at both ends of the [skills] spectrum, Leo Gomez, the president and CEO of the authority since 2013, told me. We are trying to create jobs at various levels.

Gomez is having some success. Brooks is now divided into three parcelsone each for mixed-use, office and light industrial development. Where once there were 163 single-family homes and barracks, there are now apartment communities, parks, restaurants and hotels. The light industrial area has several significant factories, including Nissei Plastic Industrial Co., which makes equipment that makes plastic automobile parts, and Cuisine Solutions, a French company that uses sous vide cooking to make food, mostly for retail. You know those Starbucks egg bites? Theyre cooked by a French company at a former military base in San Antonio.

President Donald Trump (left) shakes hands with Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) during a signing event of an executive order to establish the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. Photo by Alex Wong / Getty Images

Still, theres no easy win for Brooks. Economic development is intensely competitive, and Brooks has several hundred acres left to develop. Good news came in 2017, when Congress passed President Trumps tax cut, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. That bill also created opportunity zones, economically disadvantaged areas with a special tax break: Investors who used capital gains to invest in an opportunity zone could avoid paying taxes on those gains for seven years. If you kept your money in the opportunity zone investment for a decade, you wouldnt have to pay any taxes on those gains at all. Advocated by New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, a Democrat, and Republican Senator Tim Scott of North Carolina, the idea was to incentivize investors to put money in disadvantaged neighborhoods, thus creating economic opportunityjobs, basicallyfor lower-income people. Investors would do well, and so would folks in neighborhoods that were not traditionally targets of investment dollars. It was a bipartisan program that both rich people and poor people could support.

In 2018, Texas Governor Greg Abbot designated Brooks an opportunity zoneone of 8,800 opportunity zones approved by the White House that yearand in January 2019 Brooks announced its first opportunity zone investment: the sale of 9.4 acres of land, on which would be built a state of the art, climate-controlled, self-storage facility, to a private investor. Gomez admits that self-storage is not exactly an employment dynamo. Does a storage facility create jobs? he asks. Not really. But that investor wouldnt have done this if it werent an opportunity zone. And storage, he adds hopefully, is a meaningful amenity for the companies and people who now call Brooks their home, so if it makes Brooks a more attractive place for people to live and invest, well, then, thats a good thing.

Gomez has another opportunity zone project in the works, 350,000 square feet of light industrial spec space. Traditional banking has not invested in this part of town, but private investors can do it, he says. Opportunity zone investors are going to be a big part of our success for the next five or more years, until development is complete.

If Leo Gomez sounded a bit defensive, its because opportunity zones have gotten a bad rap in the past few months. Critics have charged that the program gives wealthy investors an enormous tax break with little oversight of where their money is going. All too often, skeptics say, its going into projects that do little to nothing for the people opportunity zones are supposed to help. Last August, reporters Jesse Drucker and Eric Lipton wrote in the New York Times that the Trump administrations signature plan to lift [American cities]has fueled a wave of developments by and built for the wealthiest Americans. Drucker and Lipton characterized opportunity zones as a federal tax break program that was supposed to revitalize impoverished communities but instead enriched the wealthy and politically connected. It didnt help that wealthy, high-profile figures like Anthony Scaramucci, Chris Christie and Jared Kushner were among the first investors. Now opportunity zones have become a political football; Bernie Sanders has promised that, if elected, hell end the program.

Complicating the situation further, the Wall Street Journal reported in October that investors themselves actually seemed to be having their doubts about opportunity zones. Opportunity zone funds had, to date, raised just about 15 percent of their goals. According to reporters Ruth Simon and Peter Grant, The slow start is raising fresh questions about investor appetite for the program and what impact it will have on distressed communities.

After talking with people involved in the opportunity zone spaceand after the December release of final IRS regulations regarding the programI think theres a middle-ground forward. Opportunity zones are a good idea. But they need the right regulations, and probably a different administration to enforce them.

Whats missing right now in a lot of discussions is the bigger picture, Matt McGuire, a senior advisor at CapZone Impact Investments, told me. CapZone is launching an opportunity zone fund, and McGuire comes at the issue from a long record of engagement; hes previously worked at the World Bank, the Commerce Department and the Treasury, and hes an expert in affordable housingnot exactly the type of hedge fund fat cat some associate with the space. If you go back 10 or 15 years in philanthropy, there was a whole push around comprehensive community initiatives, he explains. The big difference with opportunity zones is that instead of directing a grant or using a subsidy or tax credit, youre turning to the private sector and saying, Well make your equity investment more attractive. Go figure out, where are the best places to invest your time and capital?

The question, McGuire says, is not so much whether rich people are benefitting from opportunity zone investments. Its whether theyre benefiting in a way that also helps communities and individualsas opposed to, say, building projects that promote gentrification and displace longtime residents.

John Halpern, founder of real estate investment firm Halpern Real Estate Ventures (HREV), argues that the opportunity zone tax break is particularly important now, some 12 years after the Great Recession. Halperns firm, which opened in 2011, invests in whats known as infill developmentbasically, filling in the blank spots in otherwise developed urban areasin places like southern Manhattan, Brooklyn and Jersey City. HREVs investment premise, Halpern says, was all about coming out of the last recession and focusing on emerging neighborhoodsplaying around the connectivity and the development of that urban core. Which really is very much of the opportunity were seeing in opportunity zones today. The investments were making in opportunity zones are very similar to the type of markets and developments weve been doing over the last 10 years.

Which begs the question: If HREV has been making such investments without the opportunity zone tax breaks, why does it need them now? Halpern argues that, more than a decade after the financial crisis, investing in emerging neighborhoods is getting more difficult to justifyunless theres a tax break. The timing [of the 2017 tax bill] was in our view perfect, because what was happening was, we were getting to the end of the [investment] cycle. It was becoming harder to rationalize the investments that we were making at the beginning of the recovery cycle, when you were able to look at quite a long runway of growth. Its hard to argue now that youre going to have many more years in this growth cycle.

Traditionally, Halpern says, the capital that was available for investors like ourselves was typically five to seven-year money. So youre investing at a point in the cycle where you believe you have five to seven years left in the cycle. You can develop a project and exit it and still be in a strong and favorable market.

A rendering of the Brooks Transit Center, which opened in September 2019. Courtesy of LiveBrooks.com

But, Halpern argues, after a decade-plus of economic growth, that five to seven-year time span isnt looking like such a sure bethe thinks well likely see at least one recession during that time. So opportunity zones help. Investors are now incentivized to hold the investment much longer term11, 12, 13 years. It allows us to look through the cycles with more patient capital. Opportunity zones, Halper concludes, are a really important incentive to keep the momentum going. In other words, as Leo Gomez suggested, opportunity zones are that shot in the arm that can lead investors to say yes when they might not otherwise.

HREV now has three significant opportunity zone projects for which it is providing catalyst capital. One project is on a former manufacturing site in Jersey City, where HREV plans to build some 300 units of multi-family housing. Another is in the RiNo neighborhood of Denver, an up-and-coming neighborhood which, in late 2018, was dubbed Americas most improbably cool neighborhood by GQ magazine. HREV is building office, retail, residential and possibly a hotel at the site, which happens to be near a rail yard. Were going to be creating exactly what the community was looking to achieve, Halpern says, so we think thats a great example at the opportunity zone incentive, at work achieving neighborhood goals.

I asked Halpern if he thought that these projects would create a risk of gentrification, and he pointed out that both those projects were on formerly industrial land. But would office, retail and multi-family housing really help the economically disadvantaged? Helping disadvantaged people is one of the goals [of the opportunity zone program], Halpern replied, but I think the more primary goal is to create economic development in these neighborhoods. That, Halpern says, benefits everyone.

Truth is, the opportunity zone situation is a mixed bag. Some of the projects involved clearly hew more closely to the spirit of the concept than others; but, on the other hand, not all opportunity zones are a windfall for the moneybagged rich at the expense of the disempowered poor.

In any event, if a Democrat takes office in November, the opportunity zone landscape is almost sure to change. The program will probably get greater oversight and transparency, which may help reduce criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. It doesnt help that the current head of the Trump administrations opportunity zone working group is Ben Carson, the lackluster Housing and Urban Development secretary, who recently responded to criticism of opportunity zones by saying, News flashrich people are going to get richer, anyway. Carson, Matt McGuire says diplomatically, is not particularly effective.

There are also two pieces of legislation, sponsored by Democratic congressmen Ron Wyden and James Clyburn, that would reduce the number of opportunity zones and eliminate certain types of projects from qualifying for tax benefits. Clyburns Opportunity Zone Reform Act would prohibit certain kinds of development, including parking lots, stadiums, residential property that doesnt have at least 50 percent affordable housingand self-storage units.

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Every homeowner dreams of having a modern kitchen and bathroom counters, floors, and fixtures. Unless you build your home in the past few years, you might be thinking of changing a few aspects of your home. When you think of renovation, the first question should be, how much does a renovation cost?

Remodeling a bathroom or kitchen, irrespective of the renovation costs for the bathroom or kitchen will enhance its safety, aesthetics, and comfort. You will also increase your homes resale value after a remodel.

The National Kitchen and Bath Association estimated that the average bathroom remodels cost in 2016 was $11,364. About 20 percent of the average cost went to labor. Since then, the costs have gone up with the average now standing at around $15,500.

The costs are dictated by the size of the kitchen and the scope of the remodel. In most cases, a third of bathroom remodeling projects cost more than $30,000, a third cost between $10,000 and $30,000 while a third cost $10,000 or less.

Home Advisor estimates that a 100-square foot kitchen or bathroom remodel will cost between $15,000 and $30,000 depending on the materials and the professionals you hire. You can bring down bathroom remodel costs if you go one step at a time. You will pay about $130 for a square foot.

If you are on a budget, you can start by installing new lighting, new ventilation, then install a vanity, and granite countertops later. This way, you will not shoulder the up-to-30,000 cost all at once. However, if you plan to have large projects such as replacing tiles and tubs, you need to have the contractor do it all at once.

Even when you need to cut costs, you need to consider quality over quantity especially when you factor in the amount of traffic your bathroom gets. It will not make any financial sense if you buy a cheap toilet that starts leaking the moment your bathroom remodel is complete.

To save money and remodel a bathroom with $15,000, shop when your local hardware has offers on materials. You can also shop online during black Fridays.

You can spend $10,000 to remodel a bathroom if you choose low-end materials and forego hiring a designer and instead work with the contractor alone. The cost can also go up to $90,000 if you buy high-end materials and hire all the professionals needed for a successful remodel project including a designer, architect, and contractor. Click to learn more about how to save on costs during a remodeling project.

You need to be ready for inconveniences during a bathroom remodel. Just like you have to have additional cash for renovation basement costs, ensure you have up to 15 percent more money above the estimates for bathroom renovation.

During a bathroom remodel project, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Because the renovation cost per square foot varies from one contractor to the next, ensure you compare costs from different contractors. However, cost should not be the only factor consider the quality of their work, attention to detail, and responsiveness.

Remodeling a kitchen will cost more than remodeling a bathroom. On average, Home Advisor estimates that a bathroom remodels project will cost about $24,965 or about $150 per square foot. As a homeowner, you need to have between $13,000 and $37,000 for a kitchen remodel. The costs are determined by the size of your bathroom, the quality of the materials you choose, and the design you settle on.

Small projects that cost $10,000 or less involve painting surfaces, refacing cabinets, replacing a sink, and installing a tile backsplash. a project that costs $30,000 or more will involve installing custom cabinets, granite counters, high-end appliances, and hardwood floors.

A kitchen is one of the most used rooms in a home. As such, remodeling your kitchen will see the value of your home increase significantly. Remodeling a kitchen can be an expensive affair which also means the project can be expensive.

The National Kitchen and Bath Association estimates that the renovation costs for the kitchen are outlined as follows:

You can look at the cost breakdown above and estimate what your project will cost. However, there are exceptions to these estimates. If, for instance, you will demolish a wall, you might spend more remodeling the wall and other parts around the wall. Talk to your contractor for cost estimates if your project needs more than the estimates above.

You will pay more to remodel your bathroom or kitchen in Los Angeles than you would in New Jersey. Contractors and other professionals charge more in L.A and other major cities than they do in smaller cities and towns.

Besides the location, the materials you choose will have an impact on the overall cost of the renovation. For renovation basement costs, for instance, choosing the contractor with the highest bid and going for high-end materials will see the project cost skyrocket. Lastly, the size of your kitchen or bathroom and the scope of your project will determine how much you spend.

How much does a renovation cost for a bathroom or kitchen remodel? In general, the cost will depend on your neighborhood, the quality of materials you choose, the size of your kitchen or bathroom, and the scope of your project.

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