Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

By ARDEN BASTIA

As parents, teachers, and students prepare for a new school year, Superintendent Lynn Dambruch and Assistant Superintendent William McCaffrey shared details on the 2021-2022 school year ahead of the school committee meeting on Wednesday.

The districts reopening plans were slated to be presented at the school committee meeting at Warwick Veterans Middle School Wednesday night.

Dambruch and McCaffrey touched upon mask requirements, quarantine protocols, transportation, building repairs, curriculum updates, and more, all with the goal of keeping students in the classroom five days a week.

Damrbuch and McCaffrey must provide the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) with the districts reopening plans by August 27. The district-wide plans will be available on the school departments website at that time. Each Warwick school must provide an individual reopening plan that covers specific logistics and layouts like arrival and dismissal routines, said McCaffrey. Parents and students will be alerted to these plans on Friday, and will also be available on the school departments website and individual schools website.

The first day of school for students in kindergarten through grade 5 and for students in grade 9 is Wednesday, Sept. 1. All students, including those in pre-k, will start on Thursday, Sept. 2. Staff professional development will be held on August 30 and 31.

Cathy Bonang, secretary to the Superintendent, shared in a brief interview on Monday that approximately 8,500 students are registered for this school year.

Bonang said that school enrollment is typically high in the beginning of the year, but will drop as the year continues. Bonang also noted that this years enrollment numbers are lower than in years past.

Per an executive order from Gov. Dan McKee, facemasks will be required for all students, teachers, and staff in Warwick schools.

McCaffrey said administration will continue to comply with the executive order, and well reevaluate should that order go away.

Students at elementary schools and the Warwick Area Career and Tech Center will stay in stable pods, while students at the middle and high schools will change classes throughout the day.

Just like last year, free breakfast and lunch will continue to be provided for all students.

Last year, we had the strictest quarantine suggested by the CDC and the Department of Health, said Dambruch.

This year, however, students and faculty who test positive or are a close contact only need to quarantine for 7 days. If a PCR test comes back negative, they are allowed to return to school on day 8, according to Dambruch. Otherwise, students and teachers will continue to quarantine until a PCR tests returns negative.

Were still promoting hand sanitizer and hand washing, and distancing in hallways, said McCaffrey.

According to a presentation from RIDE and the Rhode Island Department of Health available on the RIDOH website, students or family members who refuse to get tested if told theyre a close contact will be treated as if they have a positive case of COVID. The individual will have to isolate for 10 days along with household contacts. School contacts should be tested upon learning they are a close contact, and then get tested again 5 to 10 days after contact exposure, but dont need to quarantine.

According to the presentation, a K-12 student exposed to another K-12 student infected with COVID does not need to quarantine if the exposure occurred in a stable pod in the classroom, both the exposed close contact student and the infected student wore facemasks at all times, and at least three feet of physical distance was maintained at all times during exposure. This exception doesnt apply to teachers, staff, or other adults in the indoor classroom setting.

McCaffrey said Warwick Schools applied for an Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) grant from the CDC that would allow one full-time school nurse and one part-time school nurse to be hired by the district.

The $400,000 grant based on $50 per student in the district will allow one nurse to staff the Toll Gate campus full-time, and a part-time nurse to visit different schools to take random COVID test samples from students whos parents gave previous permission.

School nurses will be utilizing BinaxNOW rapid tests to collect random samples, and to test students who show symptoms during the school day. Symptomatic students will be required to get a PCR test as well.

If a teacher or secondary student is vaccinated, they do not need to quarantine unless they are symptomatic, according to McCaffrey.

This definitely motivates the ones who havent been vaccinated, said Dambruch.

The vaccine is highly recommended for teachers and staff, said Dambruch, but at this time we are not requiring it.

Per the CDC, when multiple stable pods are together, for example in the auditorium or cafeteria, students must remain six feet apart. In stable pods in the classroom, students can be anywhere from zero to three feet apart.

McCaffrey said that schools like Pilgrim, Warwick Vets, Winman, and Toll Gate will utilize outdoor courtyard spaces as much as possible during class and lunchtime.

At the elementary level, were trying to see how many students we can fit in the cafeteria, so it may start out as a hybrid model with classes taking turns to eat in the cafeteria or their classroom, said McCaffrey. The distance is imperative because students wont wear masks when they eat.

To better assess the gaps in student learning from the previous year, Dambruch said diagnostic testing for all students would take place in September.

The idea is that these tests will give teachers an idea of where to guide instruction and give insight to where a student falls or what strengths and skills they might have, she said.

Students in elementary and middle school students will take the iReady test, and high school students will take the STAR test.

The curriculum office has analyzed data from last year and students seem to be above average in many areas, which is great concerning COVID last year, said Dambruch. This year, were focusing on acceleration, not remediation.

Warwick Schools received a second federal grant from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) that allows for a math interventionist and reading specialist in every school.

Previously, those positions were part-time and specialists were divided between schools, said Dambruch, adding that these specialists along with small group instruction in the classroom, can help students make up the gaps in learning.

She also mentioned that some funds from the ESSER grant had been put aside to develop after school enrichment programs to provide extra help to students.

While distance learning wont be offered this school year, technology will still play an important role in the classroom.

Weve also asked teachers to set up Google Classrooms everyday for students who are absent to take part in anytime learning, said Dambruch, who was so happy to share that the district is 1:1 with technology, meaning every student in the district has access to a Chromebook.

Additionally, each classroom in the district now has a Promethean Board, an interactive, touch screen whiteboard that allows teachers to project images from a laptop to engage students in multi-sensory learning.

At the School Committee meeting on Aug. 10, School Committee members voted to amend the approved walking distances for students.

With the new policy, students in kindergarten through grade 5 must be farther than .75 miles to receive transportation. Middle school students must be farther than 1.75 miles, and high school students must be farther than 2 miles to be eligible for transportation.

With 63 buses in the fleet, transportation will be provided to all schools.

Facemasks and seating charts will be required on all buses.

Were so happy to have a regular bus schedule and get our buses up and running, said McCaffrey.

For a complete bus schedule, visit the Warwick School Department website.

Student athletes on buses will also be required to wear masks and maintain a seating chart.

At sporting events and games, masks are option for coaches, spectators, and players if the event is outdoors, but masks are required for all if the event in indoors.

In the event of an athletic team outbreak, RIDE, RIDOH, and the Rhode Island Interscholastic League will handle all quarantine protocols and testing information.

Some schools can also expect new faces among the administration.

Joseph Coffey, formerly principal at Holliman Elementary School, is now the principal at Warwick Veterans Middle School. He replaces Adam Heywood who will now serve as the principal of Winman Middle School. Michelle Devine has been appointed as the new assistant principal of teaching and learning at Vets. She was previously a music teacher at Vets.

Kim Cabana has been appointed the new principal at Holliman Elementary School. Cabana joins Warwick Public Schools from Providence, where she worked as a reading coach before becoming vice principal of Veazie Street Elementary School.

Park Elementary School also has a new principal, Dan Sylvestre, who originally hails from Plymouth, MA.

Longtime Warwick substitute Frank Galligan will fill the principal position at Warwick Neck Elementary School. He was previously the long-term sub for Norwood Elementary principal Dr. Sabrina Antonelli while she was on maternity leave.

On Monday, the Beacon received a report that mold had been found at Sherman Elementary School.

The email included a screenshot of an email from Sherman Principal Charlee McElroy to staff and faculty.

According to the email, McElroy and school secretary Kathy Wickham were in the building when the mold was discovered and were asked to leave immediately. A professional abatement team has been hired to remove the mold, however, the timeline on the project is unknown.

The team will be working days, nights and weekend to accomplish this task and hopefully it will be done soon, McElroy wrote.

However, as of now, no teachers or administrators are allowed in the building, making preparations for the first day of school difficult. We cannot even enter the building to get things, because they tell me it can stir up the mold spores, wrote McElroy.

At the time of publication, Dambruch and McCaffrey did not anticipate the mold delaying the start of school.

However, Dambruch did point out that there were unfinished projects at Robertson, Oakland Beach, Greenwood, and Sherman Elementary Schools, as well as the WELC and Career and Tech Center.

We have many projects going on at the schools, and its difficult to get into every school right now, she said, adding that building repairs will continue into the fall.

Were willing to open schools on weekends and staff custodians at night, said Dambruch. Were going to be very accommodating to teachers who need extra time to start working in their classrooms.

Dambruch said the projects may possibly delay the start of school by a few days for students in those buildings but have not made a call for sure until an updated timeline is presented by Steve Gothberg, director of construction and capital projects, and Kevin Oliver facilities maintenance and operations manager. Neither Gothberg nor Oliver could be reached by the time of publication, but did present the timelines at the School Committee meeting on Wednesday night.

Read this article:
Schools to open with lots of rules - Warwick Beacon

Local SERVPRO disaster mitigation specialist urges Emporia-area residents to create a disaster management and recovery plan before the unexpected happens

EMPORIA - September is National Preparedness Month, part of the ongoing "Ready"1 initiative of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). According to FEMA's "Are You Ready"2 guide, the first step in effective disaster preparedness is to understand your specific risks - first by identifying the hazards that could possibly affect you and then by evaluating your actual vulnerability to those sources of danger.

"Once you understand your risks, you can effectively plan to mitigate them by decreasing your vulnerability and then manage their consequences quickly and effectively if the worst does happen," says disaster mitigation specialist John Baldwin of SERVPRO of Emporia/South Boston - VA. "Of course, individual home or business owners' risks vary depending on their location, but regardless of where you live or work, FEMA's guide has some basic steps that everyone can take to prepare for the unexpected."

Create a family communication and shelter plan.

Sign up for emergency alerts, including FEMA alerts3.

Build your savings if possible and keep a small emergency fund of cash on-hand at home.

Create an Emergency Financial First Aid Kit4: Gather and safeguard critical documents like deeds, medical information, insurance policies, and a list of your household belongings.

Create an emergency kit5 with basic tools and enough food and water to last 72 hours and keep the contents fresh and up to date.

In addition to the planning tools and checklists provided by FEMA, businesses like SERVPRO that specialize in disaster mitigation and restoration offer free tools that make disaster recovery easier. The free SERVPRO READY app6 allows home and business owners to store essential contact and property information electronically where it can be accessed in seconds with a mobile device. Local business owners who designate SERVPRO of Emporia/South Boston - VA as their disaster mitigation and restoration provider benefit from a no-cost assessment of their facility along with help completing a comprehensive Emergency READY Profile (ERP) to be stored in the READY app.

"The uncomfortable truth is that no amount of preparedness will prevent disasters from striking, but preparedness can help disaster victims survive and then recover," says Baldwin. "When disaster strikes, sometimes it's difficult to even know where to start picking up the pieces. Having critical documents and details at your fingertips helps, but so does having access to professionals who know how to help you return to normal, 'Like it never even happened.' The disaster remediation specialists at SERVPRO of Emporia/South Boston - VA know what to do when you don't know which way to turn. We're here to help when you need us."

For more information on SERVPRO of Emporia/South Boston - VA, please contact John Baldwin at (434) 262-6792 jbaldwin@servprobath.com. For more information on SERVPRO and the SERVPRO Emergency READY Program, please visit https://ready.servpro.com.

1 https://www.ready.gov/calendar

2 https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/are-you-ready-guide.pdf

3 https://www.fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-app-text-messages

4 https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/ready_emergency-financial-first-aid-toolkit.pdf

5 https://www.ready.gov/kit

6 https://ready.servpro.com/home/mobileapp

About SERVPRO

For more than 50 years, SERVPRO has been a trusted leader in fire and water cleanup and restoration services, mold mitigation, and biohazard and pathogen remediation. SERVPRO's professional services network of more than 1,900 individually owned and operated franchises spans the United States and Canada, responding to property damage emergencies large and small from million-square-foot commercial facilities to individual homes. When disaster strikes, homeowners, business owners, and major insurance companies alike rely on SERVPRO to make it "Like it never even happened."

See the article here:
FEMA's National Preparedness Month Spotlights the Importance of Understanding and Managing Risk - Brunswicktimes Gazette

Exposure to mold could result in long-term health issues, experts sayVideo / 2 hours ago

New distribution point to allow community members to share food with those in needVideo / 2 hours ago

Car safety tips during extreme heatVideo / 3 hours ago

City councilors: Eversource owes Springfield millions in taxes, interest chargesVideo / 3 hours ago

Rachel's Table, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts partner to help communityVideo / 3 hours ago

Overnight Video ForecastWeather / 3 hours ago

Officials to discuss possible mask mandate for West Springfield as Big E fair nearsVideo / 3 hours ago

Its official, masks will me worn at MA schools this fallVideo / 7 hours ago

Tapestry in Greenfield setting up hotline to properly discard sharpsVideo / 7 hours ago

Springfield man arrested on multiple charges; AR-15, 3 pistols seized during traffic stopVideo / 3 hours ago

Schools COVID-19 safety protocol requires wearing masks this fallVideo / 7 hours ago

Back to school haircuts and supplies giveaway at Rebecca Johnson School in SpringfieldVideo / 7 hours ago

View original post here:
Juarez mayor-elect talks business, tourism and migration with El Paso counterparts - WWLP.com

Breadcrumb Trail Links

DNSSAB spokesperson says actions taken to address concerns

Author of the article:

Mary McDonald thought living in social housing would protect her from slum lords, but after struggling with amouldissue in her townhouse on McNamara Street she isnt so sure.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

The mother of two says she would leave, but has no place to go and the affordability of renting has forced her to live with the situation.

It shouldnt be this hard to live in a healthy clean environment, she told The Nugget Monday.

I love my home, but I hate to walk inside. This isnt fair. Just because we live in social housing doesnt mean we should be treated less of a person.

McDonald said in April she started to notice a smell coming from underneath the sink in the kitchen.

She pulled everything out and bleached it to try and eliminate the stench. She continued to do this for days hoping it would provide her family with some relief.

But nothing worked.

A few weeks later the smell had worsened, so she called the maintenance department with the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board(DNSSAB).

They changed one of the pipes below the sink, but the mildew smell didnt go away. I just couldnt find out where this was coming from.

McDonald said it wasnt until her taps wouldnt turn offlast week that the source of the stench was found.

The plumber came into my unit and was underneath the sink when he told me I was going to thank him for what he found.

She said she was confused and thought theremay have beenan issue with the plumbing or faucets, but when the countertop was pulled out the evidence was right in front of her.

Underneath the entire countertop was black. My cutlery drawer was exposed to this and every time we opened the drawer it rubbed against themould, McDonald said.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

They came to take the countertop out and they were wearing hazmat suits, yet were sitting watching them on the couch a few feet away.

McDonald said she sent pictures to housing to alert them of the situation.

I wasnt angry, rather I was in shock. My son has a major allergy tomouldand I have been giving him shots to deal with this.

The mother contacted a doctor to alert him of the situation and to get some advice.

I was told my son needs to be removed from the home right away and not return until themouldis completely gone, McDonald said.

She said no solutions were provided andshehasno choice but to stay in the home with her son.

The way I was treated isnt right. Im trying to better myself.

Marianne Zadra, communications and executive coordinator for DNSSAB, said in the last10days, various actions have been taken to address the concern and repair any damage.

She saidmouldhas been removed from the countertop and back of the kitchen cabinet. An independent remediation company also was called in to determine if blue mold was present (a concern of the tenant), anditfound there wasnt any and that the home is safe to be in.

Acabinetmakerhas been scheduled to be in the unit today(Monday)to take measurements to order new cabinets to replace the current ones as an extra precaution, Zadra said.

All mold that was visible was removed. An independent contractor reported the unit was safe to live in as a result. Staff went the extra mile and replaced the drywall, lower cabinets and countertop.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

As of Monday, the lower cabinets still hadnt been replaced and the kitchen is unable to be used.

McDonald says this isnt the first timemouldhas appeared in her housing unit. There wasmould underneath her sons bedroom window and through the wall in the bathroom.

According to an email provided by McDonald from Better Homes Insulation Inc. dated Aug. 23., it states the lower cabinet should be removed and disposed, board against exterior wall is wet, drywall behind lower cabinet area should be removed and disposed, insulation and vapour barrier behind cabinet should be removed and disposed and 1/4 inch clear plumbing line under sink may or may not require attention. Certified plumber should provide a better recommendation.

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notificationsyou will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

More here:
Social housing tenant shocked by mould discovery - The North Bay Nugget

Chris Starrs| Athens Banner-Herald

Commerces 10-0 season-opening victory last Friday over Banks County had all kinds of historical implications.

The win was the first in the tenure of new coach Mark Hollars, who came to Commerce after five seasons at North Cobb Christian. The evening also featured the football debut of place-kicker Ivy Tolbert, a soccer standout who kicked anextra point and a 27-yard field goal, the first female football player to put points on the board at Tiger Field at Ray Lamb Stadium.

The victory was also the 630thin the 96-year history of Commerce High School. According to the Georgia High School Football Historians, the Tigers are the 16thwinningest program in state football history. Commerce has also captured two state championships and 18 region titles.

But win No. 630 was the last thing on Hollars mind when Commerce took the field last weekend.

I had a vague idea of it, said Hollars. I knew we were in that ballpark but we were keeping our focus on trying to get better every day and making sure we were fundamentally sound so that when game time came around wed have the chance to win. … Obviously its great for our school and our community to hit that milestone.

Senior fullback Dreylan Martin also knew the team was on the precipice of an historic victory, but getting the 2022 campaign off to a good start against a longtime rival was infinitely more critical.

We were very aware it was a big game, said Martin, a Banner-Herald Terrific 20 selection who ran for 105 yards and a 71-yard touchdown against Banks County. We knew it was a championship game for Banks County and we were focused on being Commerce and doing the things Commerce does, and thats what we did throughout the game. We really werent thinking about (630). We were thinking about going out there and doing our jobs, and the victory would come with that.

Were very excited to say we won and we won the schools 630thgame. And it was big to win coach Hollars first game as head coach of the Tigers. Were just very excited it wasnt the prettiest win, but at the end of the day, a wins a win.

More: Breaking from tradition: Why Commerce football changed its kickoff time

Jeff Prickett, who served as the teams statistician for 45 years before retiring in 2016, said he was pleased but not surprised to see Commerce earn its 630thtriumph.

Its a tradition, said Prickett, who saw his first Commerce game in 1953 when he was 8 years old (and for the record, Prickett said the Tigers defeated Oglethorpe County that night). Commerce is a football-crazy town, just like Jefferson is.

More: How Sammy Brown is handling the recruiting process after dominating Jefferson debut

Having seen 669 Commerce games (he missed missed 12 games from 1970 to 2016), Prickett said he believes a key component of the Tigers success has been its consistency in coaching. In the last 54 years, Commerce has had but five head football coaches Ray Lamb (1967-1988), Steve Savage (1989-2010), Marvin Justice (2011-2012), Michael Brown (2013-2020) and Hollars.

Weve developed a tradition of winning, primarily because our coaches stay here so long, said Prickett, who also noted that Fridays tussle was the first time Commerce kicked off at home at 7:30 p.m. for a regular-season game since 1977. Coach Lamb was here 22 years, coach Savage was here 22 years and coach Brown was here eight years. And we had coaches before them with tenures of five or six years or more.

Some schools are basketball schools. Some schools are baseball schools. Commerce is pretty good in a lot of sports, but we have been very good in wrestling and in football. When you have coaching longevity, it tends to build that kind of rapport with players and parents. We hardly ever had a Division I prospect but our coaches have had the ability to mold great teams. Its something the community thrives on.

Like Prickett, the 5-foot-9, 170-pound Martin (who rushed for 858 yards and a dozen touchdowns in 2020) grew up watching Commerce Tigers football and dreamed of the day hed don the black and gold.

My first Commerce game was when I was 7 years old and in my first year playing rec football and Commerce was playing Jefferson at home, said Martin, whose uncle Trey Martin played linebacker on Commerces 2000 state championship team. I had to be there; my parents brought me and I just fell in love with the experience. Ever since then, Ive wanted to play on Friday nights just like those guys were doing when I was young and watching.

My uncle is always in my ear, telling me how special Commerce football is. Its an honor for me and the team to be part of the 630thwin. Its amazing to say we were the team that won the 630thgame and its quite an accomplishment by the brotherhood.

More: How Oconee County's Zeb Noland went from grad assistant to suiting up for South Carolina

Hollars took the honor concept one step further.

It's an honor to lead this program. Im so thankful that coach Lamb comes around every week and coach Savage comes around and weve got guys here that help you understand the tradition and the culture, he said. Ive got four coaches on my staff that played here and have been here for a long time.

We have a sign in the locker room that was here long before I got here and it basically challenges us to give our all for Commerce every day, and you dont want to let those guys down. I dont want to let coach Lamb or coach Savage down. When you take this job it comes with responsibility and you work hard to maintain the standard that was set before you get here.

The celebration of win No. 630 was brief as everybody went back to work Monday to begin plotting win No. 631, which might have as the Tigers were scheduled to travelto Blairsville before Union County (0-1) called the matchup off due to COVID-related issues within the school. Commerce first played Union County in 1979 and hold a 14-0 all-time mark against the Panthers.

We enjoyed the win on Saturday and Sunday and on Monday its back to work and back to the drawing board to getting better and preparing for the next opponent, said Martin.

At this time of year the emphasis has to be on improvement, said Hollars. Good teams get better each week, but especially early in the year, we have to get better every single day right now. Our emphasis is on ourselves and how we can get better. If we do that, then every Friday night we have a chance. Theres plenty for us to clean up and improve upon and thankfully were healthy.

Read the original:
'A tradition of winning': The history behind Commerce football's milestone victory - Online Athens

Exposure to mold could result in long-term health issues, experts sayVideo / 2 hours ago

New distribution point to allow community members to share food with those in needVideo / 2 hours ago

Car safety tips during extreme heatVideo / 3 hours ago

City councilors: Eversource owes Springfield millions in taxes, interest chargesVideo / 3 hours ago

Rachel's Table, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts partner to help communityVideo / 3 hours ago

Overnight Video ForecastWeather / 3 hours ago

Officials to discuss possible mask mandate for West Springfield as Big E fair nearsVideo / 3 hours ago

Its official, masks will me worn at MA schools this fallVideo / 7 hours ago

Tapestry in Greenfield setting up hotline to properly discard sharpsVideo / 7 hours ago

Springfield man arrested on multiple charges; AR-15, 3 pistols seized during traffic stopVideo / 3 hours ago

Schools COVID-19 safety protocol requires wearing masks this fallVideo / 7 hours ago

Back to school haircuts and supplies giveaway at Rebecca Johnson School in SpringfieldVideo / 7 hours ago

Go here to see the original:
College students begin to move in, check traffic delays before traveling in the area - WWLP.com

In the early spring, when I have become totally disenchanted with winter and wonder if spring will ever arrive, I look out to my wooded back yard of brown leaves, bare limbed trees and see the tiniest green tops of Bracken ferns. Its time to celebrate! Soon I know my dull brown wooded yard will be filled with the fresh green of spring ferns. As I prepared this article I realized I didnt know much about this lovely plant or ferns in general. I will share with you what I have learned.

Ferns are an ancient plant. Fossils from 145 to 180 million years ago show ferns similar to the ones we see in our landscape today. Ferns do not have seeds or flowers. According to Larry Hodgson in Making the Most of Shade, Ferns dont bloom-ever! They are considered primitive plants, having evolved back with the first land animals, and are only a few notches above mosses on the evolutionary scale.

Ferns are made up of roots, stems and leaves. The leaves are many segmented and are feathery in appearance. The stems are called rhizomes and they grow horizontally at or just below soil level. New shoots may emerge from rhizomes. Some ferns reproduce by spores that look like tiny dots on the underside of the leaves. These are the genetic bases for new plants and they are called sori. Other ferns have spores on stiff brown fronds that grow up from the center of the plant. Ferns have roots with a specialized vascular system of xylem, a tissue that allows the plant to absorb water and phloem, a tissue that allows the absorption of nutrients.

Ferns are the quintessential shade plant. If you have a shade garden you soon learn that you are not going to have a garden filled with bright color and so you learn to appreciate attractive foliage and the various shades of the color green. Ferns have some of the loveliest foliage and come in all shades of green. Exceptions to the green foliage are the Painted and Autumn ferns, more about them later. When it comes to degrees of shade, ferns will live in the deepest shade to some sunlight in northern climates if kept very moist.

Ferns are a woodland plant and prefer soil with average fertility, humus rich, acidic and moist. According to Grow Earth Friendly of Spring Lake, Mich., ferns are sensitive to herbicides and weed control is best if nonchemical (get in your garden and pull those weeds or mulch, mulch, mulch). Most ferns are damaged when treated with low quality inorganic chemical fertilizers. They do however respond well to an early spring application of slow release fertilizer or a fall top dressing of leaf mold. Ferns need little maintenance. Wintergreen types may need some clean up in the spring. The deciduous types die back in the winter and their fronds are best allowed to rot and return nutrients to the soil.

Ferns are the perfect companion plant for Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Astilbe, Heuchera, Hostas, Bunnera and other ferns. Ferns can be used as an accent plant to draw attention to other plants or garden structures, as a ground cover contributing to a soft graceful texture in the landscape and as container plants combined with Ajuga, Ranunculus, Veronica and Vinca. When deciding how to use your ferns its good to know that some ferns grow in a clump forming fashion with leaves or fronds originating from the center or outside edge of the mound. There are other types of ferns that spread by their underground stems (remember rhizomes) to form thick colonies.

There are many kinds of ferns that are native to Michigan or can be successfully grown here. Some are perennials and will survive the winter either as wintergreen or deciduous, others are annuals and will only survive if brought inside. If you love ferns you will be happy to know our local nurseries are well stocked and are happy to help you select the fern of your dreams. Some of my favorites are the Brilliance Autumn Fern; the early fronds are a brilliant golden orange turning to green as they mature. A local favorite is the Ostrich fern, a classic fern with stately vase shaped form. It has stiff brown spores carrying fronds that form in late summer and last throughout the winter. It is considered an aggressive spreader, so beware! Well behaved and tidy ferns are the Painted and Lady Ferns. Japanese Painted ferns form clumps of dark green fronds with silvery or reddish metallic sheen. They die back in the winter and are slow to emerge in the spring. The early fronds of the Japanese Painted ferns are black and tiny and are easily disregarded when doing spring clean up or planting. One gardening expert suggests placing a marker by these ferns so when spring comes you dont accidentally plant or mulch over them. Ferns will make a beautiful addition to your shade garden. Take some time and explore the varieties that love our Oceana County shady gardens.

Now that I have finished writing this article I am going to pop some popcorn and sit down to watch one of my favorite movies, A New Leaf (1971). Starring Walter Matthau (Henry) and Elaine May (Henrietta), the movie is about a middle-aged playboy, Henry, who finds himself penniless and his quest to find and marry a rich woman. In his search he meets and marries a frumpy botany teacher, Henrietta, who happens to be an heir to a fortune. Her discovery of a new species of fern gives a delightful twist to this romantic comedy.

Oh, one more thing, that lovely Bracken fern that I like so well, I find its considered a weed in the gardening world. Oops!

Read more:
Life on the Shady Side: Ferns | News | shorelinemedia.net - shorelinemedia.net

Check out my colleague's Diamond Dazzle Stik review to get more deets.

Promising review: "I used to drop my rings in a bit of watered down Windex, let them soak, then scrub with a soft toothbrush, rinse, and dry. That process took about 15 minutes, and even then my rings, and particularly the stones, were not flawless looking afterwards. I thought it did the job. ENTER DIAMOND DAZZLE STICK! I bought this after reading a BuzzFeed list and now I literally I sound like an infomercial talking about this thing. Its incredible. First you dispense a little product, and you dont even have to take your ring off!!! Then you scrub for approximately three seconds, rinse, and BAM!!!! Holy sparkles, Batman. My precious stones have never looked better. Even rings that looked pretty good before, I couldnt believe how sparkly they were after this. Consider me a lifetime customer." Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $6.99.

Original post:
If Basically *Everything* Bothers You, These 35 Products Are Here To Help - BuzzFeed

I bought one of The best juicer After whipping some refreshing juices for friends and family, its time to clean the kitchen appliances. So where do you start? Cleaning these kitchen appliances thoroughly can seem like a daunting task, but its important to know how to clean your juicer for your own health.

according to Food and Drug AdministrationWhen using fruits and vegetables in a juicer, bacteria from the outside of the produce can be transferred to the drink. It is imperative to wash the fresh produce before starting the juicer and wash your hands before and after preparing the fruits and vegetables-a thorough cleaning of the juicer after use will also help reduce the spread of bacteria.

Even fresh fruits and vegetables can grow mold in the refrigerator if left unattended for long periods of time, so do not leave debris on the juicer. Otherwise, you will scoop up a pile of stinky moldy fruit the next time you want to use it. Face it, no one wants the job.

Since juicers have many parts, it is important to completely disassemble all the components involved in the juicer process-if you are using a centrifugal juicer, be careful as it has a sharp blade for cutting fruits and vegetables. please.

If you plan to put everything in the dishwasher, check the user manual first. Not all juicers come with dishwasher washable parts. When removing the mesh strainer from the dishwasher, be sure to inspect it thoroughly to make sure that all fruit and vegetable fibers are completely removed.

If the juicers manual states that the parts need to be washed by hand, start with warm soapy water in the sink. Many juicers come with brushes to help with the cleaning process. This is especially useful for mesh strainers and filters. These are usually the most clogged areas, so be careful not to damage or bend them and scrub them thoroughly. Of shape. Brushes are also the safest way to clean sharp blades and clear clogging, keeping your hands away from the danger zone.

Clean all other parts with a soft cloth or sponge as much as possible. You may need to flush the unnaturally shaped parts with water to wash away the debris.

Rinse well so that no bubbles or soap remain in the parts. Otherwise, the next time you use it, you may end up with a juice that tastes like dishwashing liquid.

Want to get the best juicer right now? Check out these deals for some of the best on the market.

If you are not using pulp in another recipe, empty the pulp in the compost box or trash can and rinse the container thoroughly. You may have used a juice jug to store the fresh juice in the fridge, but when its empty, wash it well, put it back in the juicer, and dont look for it the next time you set up the juicer.

Finally, wipe the juicer base to clean the drips. That way, you wont face sticky confusion the next time you take it out of the cupboard. Use a soft cloth and do not immerse this part in water.

It is important that all parts are completely dry before reassembling the juicer. If the juicer parts are difficult to dry or have sharp blades, air dry and then reassemble.

There are no gray areas here. Clean the juicer after each use. When switching from one type of fruit or vegetable to another, you dont need to clean it unless you really dont want to mix the flavors. But you have to clean it properly at the end of each juicing session and definitely before putting it in the cupboard.

Life is busy and I dont have time to clean my kitchen appliances after each use. So how do you need to work on cleaning juicers that have been used and then left unattended?

After a few hours, when the pulp and fibers in the juicer begin to dry, switch it on and slowly pour water into the feed chute. If the juicer has a drip stop As a matter of course, Prevents the juicer from dripping after most of the juice has been extracted. Keep it closed initially to allow water to collect inside (but not above the maximum filling line). This should loosen everything that has begun to dry. However, if you leave it for more than 2 hours and the inside is very dry, do not turn on the power. The parts may stick together and be damaged when the power is turned on.

Then disassemble all components and soak in a sink filled with warm soapy water for at least 15 minutes. You should now be able to clean up everything using the steps above. However, if you have a hard residue or a prolonged odor, try making a paste with water and baking soda (soda bicarbonate in the UK). Scrape the paste off any remaining stains with a soft brush, or wipe off any odors and leave. 10 minutes before rinsing.

If you dont drink juice very often, or if youre thinking of digging a juicer thats been lost for a long time from behind the cupboard, its a good idea to disassemble it first. Disassemble it and inspect all internal parts to make sure there is no mold inside when not in use. Also, check for mold and mold odors, and if in doubt, clean them thoroughly before resuming use.

Read more:
How to clean a juicer, and why you should definitely do it regularly - Texasnewstoday.com

PLANTATION, Fla. -- With the return of high school football this week, there were marquee matchups all over America, but there was always little doubt where SI All-American would set up shop on Friday night. As soon as Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy and Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage agreed to open the 2021 slate against one another, that was all she wrote.

The game, littered with elite football prospects including eight Preseason SI99 selections in the class of 2022 alone, did not disappoint from a star-power perspective.

Tight in the first half, IMG would pull away in the second behind a massive offensive line and running back duo of Kaytron Allen and Stacy Gage, who combined to blow by the 300-yard mark by night's end in the 35-15 win.

SI All-American digs into evaluation notes on the top prospects participating.

All prospects are in the class of 2022 unless otherwise noted.

1. Allen broke three runs of 50-plus yards, showcasing great vision and burst in addition to the ability to get to top speed in a hurry. The Penn State commitment set the tone with a powerful finish on his first carry, running through Early Little, Jr. to get the IMG offense and his offensive line some extra juice on their initial possession. Allen also impressed as a blocker in blitz pickup, on occasion.

2. Gage (2024) is in the mold of the modern, three-down back with true space savagery with the ball in his hands. The play of the night belonged to him, as he found the end zone following a head-turning spin move against coveted defensive back prospect Deamon Fegan in the alley before finding pay dirt.Not only did the move in space put Gage into perspective, but his patience and vision were also on display. It's part of the reason more than 20 programs have offered the sophomore.

3. DEMarvin Jones, Jr. certainly looks the part, having put on good weight on his 6'5" frame. He flashed off the edge early with a sack and held his own on his side of the field, though he wasn't tested on a consistent basis. Ohio State, Oklahoma, Alabama and Florida State will host Jones for official visits this fall.

4.DBEarl Little, Jr. worked multiple secondary spots throughout the night, including in the slot at nickel, where he says programs in the running for him like Alabama, LSU and Florida have talked about projection him at. Little worked well in coverage and brought physicality to the table, including on the shot he gave IMG QB AJ Duffy along the sidelines. Little played the apex for a pass breakup in the second half, too.

5. OL Tyler Booker anchored the best unit on the field Friday night and he played with authority during his first start at left tackle for the Ascenders. His pass blocking was patient and effective, with a strong punch in protecting Duffy's blindside, but his run blocking created even more attention as he put multiple Heritage defenders in the dirt, including on Allen's final TD run. Booker is committed to Alabama.

6. TE Jaleel Skinner wasn't targeted much in the game, but the nation's top tight end showed off his Kyle Pitts-like frame and fluidity preparing for the game. The South Carolina native, committing in October, truly profiles like a jumbo wide receiver at this time, with a catch radius few nationally can contend with.

7. DB Keon Sabb, a Clemson commitment, worked multiple secondary spots on the evening with success. More of a classic free safety on tape, he showed off some individual cover skills on Friday night that demonstrates how balanced a game and high a floor he has.

8. DB Daylen Everette, another Clemson pledge, didn't see a lot of attention his way and helped to keep a good Heritage wide receiver group at bay without giving up a vertical route. Everette is among the most polished cornerback projections nationally.

9. DB Kamari Wilson didn't finish the game for IMG, as he was ejected for multiple personal foul penalties. His ultra aggression and high energy are strengths to his game but the emotions got the best of the safety projection Friday night. Before that point, though, he was of course strong in run support and captained the communication of the IMG secondary unit as far as we could tell.

10. DE Jihaad Campbell was impossible to miss coming off the edge. He seemingly had multiple sacks and even more near stops behind the line of scrimmage with his first step quickness and bend. Campbell also lined up in space, over the slot receiver, and re-routed with success. Once he fills out his lengthy frame there may not be many knocks on the Clemson commitment's game. Campbell also blocked an extra point in his IMG debut.

11. WR Brandon Inniss (2023) was the most steady passing target for Heritage all night, but it didn't come easy against IMG. Inniss is known for polish and he needed every bit of it to create separation underneath, including on a second-half touchdown to give the Patriots late life. Also strong in the return game and after the catch Friday night, breaking several tackles with burst and power, it was Inniss' toughness that impressed most. The star junior will commit Sunday between Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Florida and Miami and told SIAA his decision has already been made privately.

12. DL James Smith (2023), who only recently transferred from Alabama down to IMG, splashed in his debut on multiple occasions. Even pregame, with so much talent and energy on the field, Smith may have had the most life before kick. He didn't disappoint after, proving stout at the point of attack and quicker than his 290-pound frame may suggest. Smith had at least one tackle for loss and made the play of the night for the IMG defense, all but ending Heritage's late comeback bid with a sack on fourth down. He split a double team with sheer leverage and power en route to smothering the passer.

13. WR Carnell Tate (2023) immediately commanded attention on his first touch, the opening kick, and held onlookers' focus thereafter with big plays. He brought his first touch to about midfield with great vision, speed and grace while navigating tacklers and did so again on his first punt return. Tate brought that all the way back for a score but a late block in the back brought it back. The junior, who runs with a long and steady stride, would find the end zone on a 30-yard post connection with Duffy to put the game out of reach for good. Tate will commit in October and will soon release his group of five finalists.

14. LB Jaeden Kinlock wasn't a prospect we knew much about before kickoff, but he made his presence known all evening long for Heritage. Playing middle linebacker, he proved tough up the middle against the steady IMG rushing attack and flashed as a pass rusher and blitzer, too, coming up with a big sack mid game. The senior, who committed to Harvard this spring, was AHS' best defender to kick off the season.

15. QB AJ Duffy made his first varsity start since 2019, transferring in from California, and the Florida State pledge made plays. He was particularly effective on the move, both as a runner and to extend plays as a passer, showing true comfort navigating on the edge. A few passes sailed on him and a late interception was a true misfire, but when Duffy was right, like on the TD to Tate to all but ice the game, it looked relatively effortless.

16. OL Aliou Bah worked at right guard for IMG and created huge running lanes for Allen and Gage on that side. He is a wide-stanced blocker who can cover a lot of ground in a zone scheme and/or in pass pro, but when he got hands on defenders they didn't move much Friday. Bah can play on a lower plane and clean up some technical aspects of his game, but the frame and power lay a strong foundation for the Florida State commitment.

17. RB Mark Fletcher (2023) got banged up early in the third quarter with what is hopefully a minor injury, but he was the Heritage workhorse prior. The junior has an upright style but it doesn't lessen his power or surprising top-end speed for a bigger back. Fletcher earned many tough yards against a loaded IMG defense and broke scores of tackles a long the way. He is also strong out of the backfield as a pass catcher, rounding out an intriguing game. Droves of offers are already in for the big back.

18. QB Blake Murphy (2023) has made a great stride since his first year as the starting quarterback for Heritage in 2020. He is much more in command of the offense and has more zip on the ball to intermediate levels, but it's how his right arm combined with his athleticism and toughness that impressed Friday. There were at least five occasions in which Murphy looked dead in the water and in line to give up a sack, and he would snap laterally out of it on a dime. His best sample came on his only score of the night, spinning out of a sack-to-be from Campbell before finding Inniss in between a trio of defenders in the fourth quarter.

19. DB Jacolby Spells worked outside almost the entire night and held his own against the stacked IMG roster. He has a fluidity and leverage discipline to his game that many college secondary coaches could work with, along with a feel for when to play aggressive or hold back. Spells is committed to West Virginia.

20. DB Joenel Aguero (2023) worked multiple spots in the IMG secondary and filled in as the signal-caller at safety after Wilson's ejection. The junior has good length and is already filled out and he's armed with a smooth backpedal and foot quickness, but his range was how he flashed brightest late in the game. Aguero thwarted the best scoring attempt for AHS in the game's final minutes, breaking from the hash to the pylon by the time Murphy completed a quick drop in time to dislodge a one-handed attempt from Inniss.

21. DB Damari Brown (2023) made the defensive play of the evening for Heritage, picking off Duffy to create the last bit of momentum the team would have on the night. Pre-snap, Brown lined up inside against Tate with plenty of space given outside the hash, almost daring Duffy to target him. Brown worked back over the top after it was snapped, in time to arrive up the seam just as the ball arrived, and he out-wrestled Tate at the catch point for the pick he nearly took back to the house. More than a dozen offers have come in for the junior, including from Miami, Florida and Georgia.

See the article here:
Takeaways from IMG Academy Football vs. American Heritage to Open the 2021 High School Season - Sports Illustrated