When you're a reality star, your life is in the spotlight and it takes a team of people to make it all look effortless. Between the long hours of shooting and multiple promotional appearances, who will manage your schedule, clean your home, or take care of your kids? That's why many Real Housewives have household staff. For instance, Dorit Kemsley of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills told E! News, "Currently, my staff includes Peggy, who's baby nurse, Neila, Jagger's main nanny, and then I've got a few nannies for Jagger and Phoenix to fill in three full-time housekeepers, and Tiffany, who's my husband's assistant."

One reasonably priced live-in nanny in New York City is said to cost $37,076 per year, but some charge well over $100,000. Personal assistants reportedly can make up to $150,000, while an executive housekeeper can make up to $100,000 (via Business Insider).

In many cases, having a household staff looks like it's worth the money, but other times, not so much. RHOBH's Carlton Gebbia, for example, was sued by one of her ex-housekeepers, who claimed Gebbia not only accused her of stealing, but swung a bat at her. Yet on the flip side, Natalie Puche did so well at her gig as assistant to Heather Dubrow of RHOBHthat she eventually became Dubrow's executive director and podcast co-host.

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Here's how much it really costs to be a Real Housewife - Nicki Swift

Last month, a BuildFax report stated that the housing construction slowdown may be easing up. Based on both single-family housing authorizations and remodel activity from September to October, it appears that this forecast held up.

At the time of the October report, BuildFaxs COO, Jonathan Kanarek, stated, If housing continues showing the promise of growth, or even a leveling off, this activity has the potential to stimulate the larger economy.

A month later, the company reports growth. According to the BuildFaxs report released on Monday, single-family housing authorizations increased by 0.24% from September to October 2019. This marked a 2.33% increase year over year the first year-over-year bump since September of 2018.

Last November, housing activity experienced the first instance of blanket declines since 2011, when the economy was still recovering from the 2008 recession, said Jonathan Kanarek, managing director of Buildfax. Almost a year following Novembers declines, were now seeing blanket increases.

In light of the recent upswing in housing activity, its likely the 2019 housing slide was a stabilization of a white-hot market, he said. This is, of course, further bolstered by a strengthening economy that recently experienced interest rate cuts, steady wage growth, and a reversion in the yield curve.

The blanket increase Kanarek noted also applies to activity within the existing housing supply. BuildFax refers to existing housing maintenance as a gauge of consumer confidence. Since the beginning of September, the company has been reporting increases in that index. The trend continues as existing maintenance volume and spending gained 6.08% and 12.67% year over year, respectively. According to BuildFax, maintenance activity has now increased for more than a full quarter.

Additionally, remodel volume and spenda subset of maintenance that includes renovations, additions, and alterationsincreased 6.83% and 9.18%, respectively, the report states. Year-over-year remodeling activity has started to outpace maintenance activity, increasing at a faster rate since June. This suggests homeowner project size and scope have likely been higher over the past few months.

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BuildFax: New construction, remodeling see increased activity - HousingWire

ISG and DeLeers Construction Inc. will handle design and construction for the buildout of 4,800 square feet at the WaterMark building in Green Bay, Foxconn said.(Photo: File/Press-Gazette Media)

Foxconnn Technology Group said Monday it has chosen a design firm to remodel part of the Green Bay building it bought last year, and where Foxconn has said it will locate one of what it has called its innovation centers.

ISG and DeLeers Construction Inc. will handle design and construction for the buildout of 4,800 square feet at the WaterMark building along the Fox River, Foxconn said.

The firm said the building will house Foxconn events, including tech talks and recruitment drives, and be a space for community engagement.

The remodeling will involve a relatively small part of the 75,000-square-foot, six-story structure.

Read or Share this story: https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/2019/11/25/foxconn-chooses-firms-remodel-part-firms-green-bay-building/4298608002/

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Foxconn chooses firms to remodel a small part of the firm's Green Bay building - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Portland interior designer Angela Todd is a believer in bold colors and entrancing patterns, even in a historic building that just happens to be her home.

Here, she transformed an easy-to-ignore foyer into a captivating jewel-box environment with blue and fuchsia hues, aged stained and painted new wood, and a mix of statement-making textiles all while honoring the 1916 Foursquares classic character.

Like many homeowners, Todd had aspirations to improve an underwhelming space, in this case it was her entry.

But four years after she moved in, all she had accomplished with the project was to splash ho-hum yellow paint on the lathe and plaster, which already held layers of wallpaper. This temporary fix only made the potentially dramatic oak floor and the other woodworks time-earned patina fade into the background.

Then, she spontaneously accepted Better Homes & Gardens Fall One Room Challenge in which she and close to 300 other tastemakers across the country were invited to make over a space in six weeks.

The clock was ticking and the public was watching.

If you have ordered custom furniture or worked with a designer in the past, you might realize how crazy this timeline really is, Todd wrote in her informative blog.

In the end, she completed the transformation on time, posted before and after photos, and drew praise from design fans. Followers of @angelatoddstudios on Instagram ballooned.

Her personalized artistic expression, which is full of energy and zest, as she describes it, wraps bright floral Osborne & Little wallpaper from Manolo Walls around window frames made of old-growth timber.

A leopard-print wool runner from Classique Floors covers well-tread stair steps and a new brass chandelier with multicolored gems was inspired by the old brass switch plate and hardware of the wide front door.

Todd sees herself as a steward of her 103-year-old home and shes thankful that much of the labor-intensive and irreplaceable adornments have survived, despite different owners tastes, decades of shifting decorating trends and the desire for modern upgrades.

She accepts that her homes wood stain isnt currently in style, but she worked hard to preserve its distinctive raised grain.

Please think long and hard before you paint stained woodwork, replace wood windows or remove original fixtures and fittings, Todd wrote in her blog. She says older, well-made pieces were built to last and can be repaired and reconditioned for less than the cost of inferior replacements.

She advises her clients who dont like an existing element to consider this: Almost anything can be made fresh and beautiful by changing what surrounds it.

Trends will come and go, but great craftsmanship and quality are timeless, says Todd, who recommends The Old House Guy website as a resource.

Here are interior designer Angela Todds tips to dressing up an entry before holiday guests arrive:

An entry gives guests an instant impression and expectation of their visit. Think first about function, then how to add comfort and establish a mood. The goal is to anticipate guests needs.

--Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.

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A wild, welcoming entry: Remodeling tips for the holidays - OregonLive.com

When Georgetown fans look back upon the 2010s, they wont catch a glimpse of happy March memories or at least many of them.

This was a decade in which Ohio, Virginia Commonwealth and Florida Gulf Coast each became shorthand for something in program lore and none of it is particularly fun for the Hoyas to relive.

Georgetown lost to each of those double-digit seeds in the first half of the 2010s. That was still superior to the back end of the decade; only one NCAA tournament berth in the past five years, a coaching change and a far-from-prominent part of the success of the revamped Big East.

Still, there are some good memories to take out of the past 10 years. Georgetown made the Big East title game in 2010. It dealt Syracuse a 61-39 loss in the latters last regular-season game as a member of the Big East. And it carries some promise into the next decade thanks to a promising sophomore class led by James Akinjo, the 2019 Big East freshman of the...

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The 2010s: A decade of remodeling for Georgetown Hoyas as Patrick Ewing takes over in revamped Big East - The Athletic

Published 12:55pm PST, Friday, November 22, 2019

Man and woman thinking about housing

Man and woman thinking about housing

Photo: Takasuu / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Man and woman thinking about housing

Man and woman thinking about housing

Sound Off: What updates or remodels should sellers undertake if they have the means before putting their house on the market?

Q: What updates or remodels should sellers undertake if they have the means before putting their house on the market?

A: Updates or remodels are key to a successful sale. Here are some of my musts for sellers hoping to receive top dollar:

Painting: Repaint the interior with neutral colors, as bold colors can turn off potential buyers. Refresh the exterior paint if needed.

Hardwood floors: Refinishing hardwood floors give them a clean, fresh look. The choice of stain is key, so consult your Realtor or interior designer. Install new hardwood floors if necessary.

Kitchen and Bathrooms: Consider upgrading dated counters with in fashion, durable materials, like quartz. New stainless appliances are helpful, along with new sinks and faucets. Painting exterior cabinets is an extra bonus.

Electrical: Update the thermostat and install or replace light fixtures where needed.

Landscaping: Trim trees, plant new flowers, lay fresh mulch and consider power-washing the driveway, deck or patio.

Cleaning: Clean all exterior and interior windows and fix windows with broken seals. Consider a deep commercial cleaning of all interior spaces.

Staging: A complete, professional staging of the home helps say goodbye to clutter.

David Ayerdi, McGuire Real Estate, 415-794-3212, dayerdi72@gmail.com.

A: Curb appeal is crucial, as buyers often make quick judgements based simply on a homes exterior. Ive worked with buyers who were so turned off by an unkempt exterior they wouldnt even even enter a listing.

Overgrown plants can make a home look rundown, but a well-manicured lawn suggests to prospective buyers that the house is maintained inside as well. Start by cutting the grass, trimming the hedges and clearing away any clutter. Show your lawn a little TLC.

Kitchen and bathrooms can increase the value of a home, but that doesnt mean you have to do a major renovation in these rooms. Do your research first before committing to a project. New countertops or modern appliances may be just the kind of enticement you need to reel in a buyer. Additionally, fresh paint works wonders, especially thoughtfully chosen contemporary hues.

Gail Melad, Compass, 415-425-8775, gail@jessieleesf.com.

A: In the city, its all about the beauty contest. A buyers first impression is key and we only have one chance.

You cant see the forest for the trees, totally applies to busy buyers in our online world of swiping to the next property. A space filled with knickknacks works against you. This is exactly why staging is critical, and the difference is huge.

Not performing simple tweaks (and sometimes not so simple) may prevent getting top dollar. A fresh coat of paint is an effective start. A stager can recommend whether other upgrades are worthwhile, like refinishing floors, installing new cabinets/counters/fixtures, lighting or remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms.

The goal is to maximize a spaces appeal to as wide an audience as possible, because we want buyers to envision themselves living here. The ugly duckling or the white swan, which property do you think will secure a higher offer?

Paul Ybarbo, Sothebys International Realty, 415-640-7281, paul.ybarbo@sothebyshomes.com.

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Sound Off: What updates or remodels should sellers undertake if they have the means before putting their house on the market? - SFGate

CLEVELAND, Ohio Hundreds gathered at the Cleveland Museum of Art on Wednesday to transform five years worth of anger and sorrow over the death of Tamir Rice at the hands of Cleveland police into feelings of love and support for his mother, Samaria Rice.

The three-hour event, Art, Activism and the Legacy of Tamir Rice, highlighted how the killing of a 12-year-old boy carrying a pellet gun outside the Cudell Recreation Center impacted the lives of people in the community and across the world. The event was emceed by Black Lives Matter co-founder Opal Tometi.

In his invocation, Rev. Jawanza Colvin of the Olivet Institutional Baptist Church spoke to a key theme of the evening: a mothers love.

A love that raises a child and dreams of his adventures as a man, but having little idea she wasnt raising a man, she was raising a martyr, Colvin said of Samaria Rice. May her strength become ours and may her passion become our North Star.

Rice and other Mothers of the Movement were seated at the front of the museums Gartner Auditorium, and were a prominent presence in the room. It is the grieving mothers and family members to whom activists and community members defer regarding how to proceed in the face of injustice, according to organizer and artist Amanda King.

A grand jury already declined to bring charges against either police officer involved in the shooting. The prosecutor who recommended the grand jury not return indictments has been voted out of office. For those seeking justice for Tamir, there are no more obvious demands from the system. So they turn to Samaria Rice.

It was Rice who, in 2016, contacted Chicago-based artist Theaster Gates and asked for help in finding a new home for the gazebo near where Tamir was shot on Nov. 22, 2014. Some may remember the video of the shooting in which Tamir is seen standing in front of the gazebo as Officer Frank Garmback pulls up in a cruiser and Officer Timothy Loehmann shoots Tamir in less than two seconds.

Gates on Wednesday said he took up the charge to bring the disassembled gazebo to Chicago and rebuild it at the Stony Island Arts Bank. But it didnt get constructed for more than a year.

We had it unbuilt, kind of like half-mast, Gates said. Not wanting to resurrect it for use, but to let the public know that there was this unresolved thing in our midst. And that the object unresolved was similar to a political situation unresolved, a social situation unresolved, a death under-resolved.

Gates, whose work is influenced by his educational background in urban planning and religious studies, compared the reconstruction of the gazebo, and the revitalization of abandoned properties, to biblical resurrections that made people believe.

There are moments when its important that we shine a light on the objects that matter to us, Gates said in an interview with journalist and activist Bakari Kitwana.

When the gazebo comes back to Cleveland at an undetermined date, Gates said he hopes it commemorates Tamirs legacy and serves as a reminder of the system that failed him.

[The gazebo] is a material way of demonstrating Tamirs life, but also, theres something about the resurrection of this object that keeps us believing in the possibility of a regenerative hope of a political process that works, of equity that allows people to be safe, knowing that their children are safe in their neighborhood, Gates said.

Safety was another theme of the event. Artist Michael Rakovitz spoke about his exhibit, A Color Removed, that was inspired by the orange safety tip that had been removed from Tamirs pellet gun, and is often cited as part of the reason why police immediately shot him.

This focus and this blame, that the removal of the orange tip leading to the removal of this person of color, was outrageous, Rakovitz said.

The gallery included orange objects from across Cleveland as well as a video about Aboud Shadi, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy killed by an Israeli sniper in 2015. The video was donated by the Al-Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem where Aboud lived.

And where I visited, only to learn there was also a memorial to Tamir in the refugee camps playground because they immediately saw the connection between Abouds and Tamirs stories, Rakovitz said.

Samaria Rice and architect Sandra Madison said safety will be a cornerstone of the Tamir Rice Afrocentric Cultural Center. The two unveiled floor plans and renderings for the two-story, 99-year-old building at 6117 St. Clair Ave. in Clevelands St. Clair-Superior neighborhood.

Tamir loved the arts, Rice said. His favorite was music.

Thats why the front room of the center will be the music room, accompanied by a dance studio, art studio, stage and classroom for tutoring and lessons on civics and Pan-Africanism, Rice said. Renderings reflect plans to transform the drab interior into vibrant spaces, bursting with colors, the most prominent of which is orange.

The Tamir Rice Foundation hopes to raise $20,000 for the cultural center.

Several artists on Wednesday were inspired by Samaria Rice and other mothers whose children have been killed. Both photographer Sheila Pree Bright and dancer Lexy Lattimore likened Rice to the mother of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955.

Lattimore, before her dance, showed a series of images of Till and his parents, and juxtaposed them with pictures of Tamir and Samaria Rice. As the photo of Emmett turned into a photo of Tamir their similar soft smiles and bright eyes their deaths, 59 years apart, seemed to exist in the same moment.

Tamirs death was also compared to another from 50 years ago in that of 21-year-old Fred Hampton Sr., chairman of the Black Panther Party in Chicago. To the audiences surprise, Fred Hampton Jr., an unbilled speaker, took to the stage to discuss his fathers legacy and how law enforcement continues to terrorize communities.

Other artists included poet Kisha Nicole Foster, musician Jasiri X, and E.J. Hill, who installed The University of St. Tamir at Harvard University.

Filmmakers Korstiaan Vandiver and Danielle Lee discussed their film 12, which chronicles the last day of Tamirs life and his mothers fight for justice.

It takes a village to raise a child, Vandiver said. It takes a village to destroy one. And it takes a village it make it right.

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Artists and activists seek to honor Tamir Rices legacy through cultural center, restoration of gazebo - cleveland.com

Three years ago, the Chicago visual artist Theaster Gates acquired the gazebo 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and killed under by a police officer. The object, which Gates describes as sacred, has become the centerpiece of a garden, flowers blooming around the site of pain and tragedy. Gates is quick to say he does not want the gazebo. That it belongs in Cleveland, Ohio, where Tamir lived and died. But the city was set on removing the object now symbolic of the scores of young, unarmed black men killed by our police force from Clevelands Cudell Recreation Center.

Caring for this gazebo felt like my duty as a black man, Gates said. But it should not be in Chicago. Its in Chicago, in some ways, because of the anxiety that mounts when bad things happen [somewhere].

Gates stepped in after Samaria Rice, Tamirs mother, reached out to him personally. Over the years, Samaria and Theaster have developed a special bond. Especially as Samaria has worked with numerous black artists to honor her sons legacy, with the Tamir Rice Afrocentric Cultural Center currently in development.

There were no propagandists on the line with us or a film crew, Gates says of him and Samaria transporting the gazebo from Cleveland to his studio space in Chicago. For the two years the gazebo sat in my studio, there was no major art reporters coming to my studio. Because I didnt ask anyone. We were just trying to be diligent with the hurt that Samaria experienced when she lost her son.

Collecting neglected black cultural objects is a chief focus of Gatess artistic practice. He has curated vintage issues of black-centric magazines Ebony and Jet and archived racist negrobilia, all in the hopes of preserving and displaying the complicated history of race in America.

Gates said: The objects Ive accumulated, I usually have them because someone called me and said, Hey, I need some help. In some cases, Im just a temporary steward and [providing] safekeeping until they find a better home.

Gates spoke to the Guardian from Cleveland, where on Wednesday he appeared at an event centered around arts and activism and linked to the fifth anniversary of Tamirs death, with other artists including EJ Hill, Michael Rakowitz and Cleveland-based Amanda D King, who runs Shooting Without Bullets, a youth arts collective.

Tamirs death has left a permanent mark on the city of Cleveland. After a three-year investigation and numerous protests, the officer who fatally shot Tamir was fired by the Cleveland police department but never faced charges. Tamirs family received $6m from the city in a 2016 settlement. In the wake of Tamirs death, artists across the nation from Ava DuVernay to Michael Rakowitz have explored his politicized death in their works.

When I ask Gates what, if anything, has changed for black people since Tamirs death, the artist is surprisingly positive.

He highlights two exciting occasions: The lynching memorial by Bryan Stevenson in Alabama which is a tangible piece of black history in a place of extremely conservative power. And in Chicago, we have our first black, female, queer leader [Lori Lightfoot], who is asking very hard questions of the police. There are people on the ground who believe everyone has the right to citizenship and humanity. And were working and fighting to make that real.

The artist is hoping to begin talks with Cleveland city officials about returning the gazebo to where it belongs. From our conversation, Gates seems to envision a city-sanctioned and -funded memorial. I want to believe that the city is open to it, he said. I believe Samaria has the right to ask the city to receive this sacred space.

Tamir Rices murder strikes a deep chord with Gates, myself, and every other black man in America because we intimately understand how his death could have been ours. Gates has his own collection of close-calls with police officers. He was 14 and playing a game of football with his friends when a police officer, who assumed a black kid running fast must be up to no good, stopped Gates and raised a gun to his head.

I knew that if I said the wrong thing that I could die, Gates recollected. What do I have in common with Tamir? Im black and Im a threat.

Samaria Rice and her supporters are seeking funding for the creation of the Tamir Rice Afrocentric Cultural Centre, which will be to provide arts, cultural, educational, and civic programs for youth ages 10-19 that celebrate the history and culture of people of African descent in Cleveland.

On Monday 25 November the Guardian-US and Guardian Cities is launching a new series called City Champions, which will report on inspiring people, groups and grassroots initiatives that are transforming lives for the better in cities in the US.

The first installment in the series will focus on Cleveland, Ohio, and will highlight community-based projects that are offering potential solutions to systemic issues including inequality, structural racism, infant mortality and lead poisoning.

For the project, the Guardian has also commissioned art works that are now on display on six billboards in the city, which seek to visualise some of the complex social justice issues affecting lives and communities.

This public art project is in partnership with For Freedoms, a national collective of artists who worked with Amanda King and other local artists Robert Banks, Matt Chasney, Amber N Ford and Noelle Richard as well as young people from Kings art collective, Shooting Without Bullets.

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'My duty as a black man': the artist preserving gazebo where police killed Tamir Rice - The Guardian

Published 1:30pm EST, Friday, November 22, 2019

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green.

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green.

Photo: Christian Abraham.

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green.

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green.

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting is Nov. 29

Milfords annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, Nov. 29, starting at 5:30 p.m., on the Milford Green. This event is sponsored by Trinity Point Wealth.

The City of Milford and the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce are jointly presenting the festivities.

The Festival of Lights begins with a gathering on the green at 5:30, featuring live holiday music at the gazebo by The Milford Concert Band and DJ Shelia.

The Milford Bank also will be hosting its 4th annual Winter Wonderland from 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the banks main office in downtown Milford, on the Green. The event features winter-themed activities for children and adults, including a meet and greet and photos with costumed characters, a train ride, games, prizes, carolers, crafts and more.

The tree lighting kicks off at 6:30 p.m., at the gazebo with the arrival of a firetruck from Milford Firefighters Union IAFF Local 944, carrying Santa. Milford Mayor Ben Blake and Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce representatives will light up the night with the pulling of the switch setting the Milford Green trees alight. Once lit, a line for children to meet Santa will be set up outside the Gazebo.

The event is free and open to the public.

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Milford's annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting is Nov. 29 - New Haven Register

Friday, November 29, 2019 - Milford's Annual Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting will be held on Friday, November 29th at the Milford Green. This popular community event, sponsored by Trinity Point Wealth, begins at 5:30 pm and runs through 7:30 pm.

The City of Milford and the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce are jointly presenting the festivities.

The Festival of Lights starts with a gathering on the green at 5:30 pm featuring live holiday music at the gazebo by The Milford Concert Band and DJ Shelia.

The Milford Bank will be hosting its 4th Annual Winter Wonderland at the Bank's MainOffice (located in Downtown Milford, on the Green) from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

The event will feature various winter-themed activities for children and adults of all ages.

Attendees will be treated to costumed characters for a meet & greet and photos, a train ride, games, prizes, carolers, crafts and more!

The Tree Lighting kicks off at 6:30 pm at the gazebo with the arrival of a firetruck from Milford Firefighters Union IAFF Local 944 carrying jolly ole' Santa Claus.

Milford Mayor Ben Blake and Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce representatives will light up the night with the "pulling of the switch"setting the Milford Green trees alight with beautiful twinkling lights!

Once lit, Santa Clause takes time to sit with all the boys and girls.

A line for children to meet Santa will be set up outside the Gazebo.

Milford's Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting is free to attend.

Residents are encouraged to come downtown to the Milford Green to enjoy the festivities and to get into the holiday spirit!

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2019 Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting - Patch.com