SINGAPORE - Property and infrastructure group Lendlease on Thursday (May 14) announced the appointment of Gan Chong Min as its Singapore-based managing director for investment management, Asia.

Mr Gan joins the Australia-based group's Singapore leadership team and reports directly to Ng Hsueh Ling, managing director for Singapore and chief investment officer for Asia.

In his new role, Mr Gan will drive global stakeholder management and the overall performance of Lendlease's assets at Paya Lebar Quarter, Jem, Parkway Parade and Setia City Mall under its various real estate private-equity funds and joint ventures.

He replaces Kelvin Chow, who has taken on a new role as the chief executive officer of Singapore-listed Lendlease Global Commercial Reit.

Mr Gan is an industry veteran, whose last held post as the Shanghai-based managing director of fund management at CapitaLand saw him undertake end-to-end responsibility in the formulation and execution of the group's fund strategy as well as its institutional investor relations across Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East.

He also led a team of senior executives managing four large private-equity real estate funds with a portfolio of nine Raffles City-branded mixed-use commercial assets comprising retail malls, international grade A offices, hotels, serviced residences and residential apartments.

Said Mr Ng: "With a track record of managing high-value real estate funds and large-scale integrated mixed-use assets, Chong Min is well suited to lead our regional investment management business in its next phase of growth. His addition to our Asia investment management team and Singapore leadership team will no doubt be a key driver to the continued delivery of good outcomes to Lendlease and our investors."

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Lendlease names Singapore industry veteran to head Asia investment management business - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - Application for the Direct School Admission (DSA) exercise for admission to secondary schools and junior colleges in 2021 will open on Tuesday (May 12), with the selection process moving online in the light of the Covid-19 situation.

In total, 146 secondary schools and 20 junior colleges (JCs) are participating this year in DSA, which gives students the opportunity to get into a secondary school or JC based on their achievements and talents, in addition to their academic performance.

The DSA scheme recognises talent in non-academic areas such as sports and the arts, and grants Primary 6 pupils places in secondary schools before they sit the Primary School Leaving Examination.

To ensure the safety of all students and school personnel in view of the coronavirus pandemic, DSA schools will not hold any physical trials or face-to-face interviews as part of their selection process, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) in a statement on Monday.

Instead, the interviews and selection process for shortlisted DSA candidates will be conducted via electronic modes (e-modes) at the applicants' primary school for secondary school DSA applications, and at the applicants' secondary school for JC applications.

This ensures there is no intermingling of students across schools, and that safe distancing measures are adhered to.

Students will be provided with access to video-conferencing capability, as well as standardised and suitable venues and equipment to ensure fairness in the selection process.

The DSA schools will use e-modeswhich the students are already familiar withso as to avoid creating additional workload for the students.

This includes conducting interviews through video conference and performance tasks, where the students may be asked to perform tasks, such as simple pencil sketches or musical performances, so as to demonstrate their attributes and potential in a specific talent area.

The format and task will depend on the student's area of talentas well as the school's selection criteria.

Ms Lo Yen Nie, principal of Haig Girls School, said the primary school will ensure that there are rooms for students to do their e-interviews and school personnel present to provide them with technical assistance if required.

Other forms of support also include the loan of musical instruments for audition purposes, if needed.

In addition, mock interviews, which are usually conducted by the school to help its students boost their confidence when speaking about their talents, will be moved virtually this year to ensure that they continue to receive the same level of support for their applications.

MOE recognises that there may be limitations in assessing students via e-modes for certain talent areas, such as team sports, but it reassures students that schools will adopt a holistic approach towards selection.

In addition to the interviews and selection via e-modes, schools will also consider other factors such as the student's co-curricular activity (CCA) records and their past achievements.

DSA schools may also seek additional inputs from the student's current school.

Principal of Raffles Institution (RI) Frederick Yeo said that 15 out of 21 of its selected talent areas are sports such as hockey, judo and track and field.

As such, students whose talents lie in sports would have to demonstrate their relevant skills set through the video interview, in lieu of physical trials.

In order to assess students holistically, he added that they will also be assessed for soft skills such as confidence and resilience which can be teased out from the way in which they share their experiences.

RI will be liaising closely with primary schools to schedule interview slots for the shortlisted applicants.

The selection period for the DSA secondary schools is from July 1 to Sept 14, while the period for DSA junior colleges is from June 29 to Sept 4.

Education Minister Ong Ye Kungsaid last week that the DSA scheme will try to take in as many students as it did last year. It had 3,500 students who successfully applied to secondary schools through DSA last year.

Housewife Diane Wee, 45, whose 12-year-old daughter is studying at St Hildas Primary School, will be applying for DSA to Tanjong Katong Girls School through sailing.

She is not worried about this years application going online as her two older children had gone through the same process. I will remind my daughter to relax and be herself when the time comes to prepare for the interview, which is a few months down the road.

Cedar Girls Secondary School student Althea Lim, 16, will use her strong academic results in subjects such as literature and history to apply to Hwa Chong Institutions Humanities Programme, and she prepared her portfolio of documents almost a month ago.

Im glad that the applications have shifted online in view of the Covid-19 situation, as this ensures that peoples health, safety and convenience are prioritised, she said.

More:
Coronavirus: Direct School Admission exercise to open on May 12, with selection process going virtual - The Straits Times

Bathroom remodel cost

Bathroom contractor pricing varies widely depending on the type and complexity of the bathroom remodeling project. Budgets are also impacted by complications, changing orders and increases in project scope, so homeowners need to completely understand pricing before any work begins.

Bathroom remodelers work on specific project deadlines, but their work speed is impacted by several factors.

Bathroom remodelers have different levels of expertise. General contractors and specialty contractors provide homeowners with different levels of service. When comparing brands like Bath Fitter vs. Re-Bath, its important to understand if they can do the type of remodel you need.

Most bathroom remodeling services can create any style of new bathroom, but some specialize in certain distinct styles. For example, some contractors might focus on modern designs, while others are experts on historical restorations.

Most states require licensing for bath remodeling general contractors, subcontractors, designers and other specialists. Avoid hiring unlicensed contractors.

Bathroom remodelers carry commercial or contractor insurance to cover any accidents and problems that may occur during the remodeling project.

To avoid any mistakes or misunderstandings, stay in communication with your bathroom remodeling contractor throughout the duration of the remodeling project.

Read the rest here:
Best Bathroom Remodeling Contractors | ConsumerAffairs

Renovations of any kind are a daunting process. But when it comes to the batha space that needs to be both hyper-functional and serene, practical and, ideally, a little bit luxethe stakes somehow seem higher. There are a million decisions to be made along the way, from mirror to groutand the price tag can be surprising. What to know before you begin? Take our advice:

When youre functioning as the general contractoror even working with a general contractoryou have to spell out every part of the plan, and never assume everyone is up to speed, say the mother-daughter team behind Matriarchy Build inHow to Avoid Rookie Remodeling Mistakes. Someone we know had a contractor demo the wrong bath, they add.

Think of renovations like surgery: to avoid getting the wrong knee replaced, make surethen make sure again, then again, then one final timethat the proper knee (or bathroom) is marked and agreed upon.

Think you can remodel your bathroom head to toe for a couple thousand dollars? We hate to tell you: the average cost of a bathroom remodel was $11,364 in 2016, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). A basic, low-grade renovation with less expensive materials or smaller swaps could run from $1,500 to $5,000, while a top-of-the-line, tip-to-toe renovation could run up to $23,000.

NKBA estimates that, broken down, most of this cost comes from fixtures and plumbing (about 29 percent), followed by counters and surfaces (21 percent), labor (20 percent), and cabinetry and hardware (16 percent). Keep in mind: they advise that, all told, your bathroom project should cost no more than 5 to 10 percent of your homes value.

You may be tempted to upgrade your bathroom with a dramatic freestanding bath. But it might not be the most practical choice going forward, particularly if youre petite, hate cleaning, have an old rickety house, like to take long baths, or take more showers than baths. Read more about the merits of built-in baths (and showers) versus freestanding options in10 Things Nobody Tells You About Clawfoot Bathtubs, as well as inRemodeling 101: Romance in the Bath: Built-In vs. Freestanding Bathtubs.

Dont think you can install a few lights and call it a day: because bathrooms are sometimes small and/or dark and filled with mirrors (which complicates how light bounces around), lighting requires careful thought and placement. The simplest way to light a bath is a single diffuse light in the center of the ceiling. Have a bathroom thats already pretty bright? A pair of wall sconces should be sufficient. Thinking about ceiling-inset downlights? Place with care: avoid installing directly over light-colored countertops (since those will reflect the lights), and place close to the wall over a vanity to maximize light when looking in the mirror. And if you spend a lot of time applying makeup, consider vertical fluorescent light fixtures on either side of the mirror. For more pro tips, seeRemodeling 101: How to Install Flattering Lighting in the Bathroom.

You dont want to get to the end of a renovation and realize youve forgotten to consider the outlets. Think of these outlet errors: you have to plug your hairdryer in across the room, and cant see yourself in the mirror from there. Or, youd like to keep your electric toothbrush charging at all times, but neglected to install an outlet in the medicine cabinet. Or, you share your bathroom with your spouse, but only installed an outlet on one side of the vanity. To avoid these mistakes, readRemodeling 101: Where to Locate Electrical Outlets, Bath Edition.

Forget the endless stacks of tile samples your contractor will show you: you need only remember a few key varieties. The types of tile that are particularly hardy, long-wearing, and timeless in the bathin shower stalls, on floors, and on wallsare porcelain, glass, natural stone, cement, and, of course, subway tile (a type of ceramic tile so popular were counting it in its own category). The options become a lot simpler once you whittle down to these time-tested options; then choose a color and a shape and go from there.

(Need help sourcing subway tile? See7 Favorite Architect-Approved Sources for Subway Tile. And read more about timeless tile options inRemodeling 101: A Guide to the Only 7 Types of Tile You Need to Know.)

Grout may be an afterthought in the scheme of your whole remodel: its a small, andas Meredith points out in Remodeling 101: How to Choose the Right Tile Groutunsexy element of the bath. But, she adds, its hugely important: It seals out dirt and water, compensates for small size differences between individual tiles, and firms up the structural integrity of an installation.

How to choose the right grout for your bath? Answer this series of questions: Do you want the grout to stand out, or blend into the tile? Is the grout in a high splash zone, or a fairly dry place? (If itll be getting wet a lot, as in a shower stall, opt for synthetic grout; go for cementitious grout everywhere else). Will dirty grout drive you crazy? (If so, avoid white.)

See more considerations inRemodeling 101: How to Choose the Right Tile Grout; then learn how to keep it looking new inEverything You Always Wanted to Know About Grout and Caulk (but Were Afraid to Ask).

Toilets are not one size fits all: if you have a small space, consider a petite toilet (see 10 Easy Pieces: Compact Toilets). Or, opt for a traditional or modern floor-standing toilet, water-conserving toilet, or wall-mounted toilet.

So much of creating a bathroom that feels both serene and well-functioning comes down to good storage. Be sure to look for storage opportunitieseven small, simple oneswhen drawing up your plans, to make them feel integrated and not added-on. For example, architect Malcolm Davis says: I like to place a couple of tall shallow cabinets hidden in a stud bay. You dont need deep shelf storage; a shallow shelf can store a lot. I like to put a recess in the shower and I try and integrate towel bars to feel built in. Read more about his tips inExpert Advice: 10 Essential Tips for Designing the Bathroom, and see 10 Things Nobody Tells You About Bathroom Storage over on The Organized Home.

Maybe youve moved into a new house and cant stand the tile in the bathroom, but dont have the budget to replace it completely. Or maybe youre renting andcant remodel (if you want your security deposit back, that is). The good news is you might not have to demo everything and start fresh. If its the tile you want to upgrade, consider tile refinishing, like blogger Athena Calderone did inBefore/After: A Perfectionists $1,000 Bathroom Overhaul in Brooklyn. Or swap out a few basic fixtures (lights, faucets) for a big impact, as inExpert Advice: 10 Tips for Transforming a Rental Bath.

More inside intel on remodeling projects and materials, large and small:

Continued here:
10 Things Nobody Tells You About Renovating Your Bathroom

Tom Acitelli -- Boston.com correspondent and Christopher Gavin --- Boston.com staff

May 12, 2020 10:39 am

Windson Honorato is the owner and operations manager for Tewksbury-based JC General Contracting & Cleaning. Honorato said his firm has been taking as many precautions as possible on home improvement jobs since the pandemic hit, including using personal protective equipment such as glasses, masks, and gloves and cleaning spaces and tools regularly.

It seems as though we cant protect ourselves enough, Honorato said via e-mail in early May. Well get phone calls almost every week from colleagues or friends in the business saying that they caught the virus or someone in their company did. Keeping the crew and the clients safe has never been a bigger priority, and its also never been so hard.

Still contractors have continued to take on home renovation and remodeling projects during the pandemic, but not without extensive precautions aimed at protecting their workers and clients and limiting their legal liability.

The City of Boston allows residential construction projects in dwellings with no more than three units, and the statehas issued guidelines encouraging social distancing and local authorities oversight of such projects.

On May 5, officials said the city will incrementally expand the categories of allowed construction projects in the coming weeks.

On May 18, essential construction may resume for permitted projects for hospitals and public schools, roads and utilities, and open-air and outdoor work that have filed a COVID-19 safety plan and are positioned to carry it out. Work on larger developments with safety plans will be allowed to recommence on May 26.

The precautionary steps contractors and subcontractors are taking are a necessary part of salvaging whatever business remains. As with so much else in the region, the pandemic disrupted the home improvement work that had flowed so steadily in a hot real estate market.

Spending on remodeling within the regions owner-occupied housing stock is projected to decline 1.1 percent overall through the end of 2020, according to the Remodeling Futures Program at Harvards Joint Center for Housing Studies. Thats due entirely to the pandemic; the center had predicted an increase in remodeling spending regionally by the same percentage before the novel coronavirus hit.

The workload has dropped dramatically, according to Ray Yehoshua, owner of Boston-based Bay State Refinishing and Remodeling. He said customers have asked to postpone jobs either because of changes in their personal finances, coronavirus concerns, or both.

Yehoshua said the precautions his firm takes now are aimed at easing those concerns and landing jobs and that those steps not only include personal protection equipment and social distancing on-site, but estimates via video when possible.

That is one of the main goals for contractors and subcontractors doing in-house work now: minimizing contact. Who can cross or climb where and when, and when should jobs start and wrap on a given day?

These are the things that people are thinking about in trying to minimize contact, said Glenn Kingsbury, executive manager ofthe Boston chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association, which includes more than 100 member firms. He said what little work there is for the associations members comes from smaller projects, as a lot of work on larger ones has ceased due to pandemic-related construction moratoriums.

Protecting themselves from legal action is also a factor.

Contractors have always been legally liable for things such as health and safety on the job, not the property owners, said David Fine, a partner at Mirick OConnell, a law firm with offices in Boston. The pandemic has heightened that responsibility.

The liability they face is more of the same, but its all exacerbated, Fine said.

It is easier to take precautions with some projects than others, the contractors said. Larger rooms as opposed to smaller ones bathrooms, for example make it easier to maintain that social distance. And basement work is even easier, because contact with clients is less likely.

Really, though, its a constant challenge, they said.

On-site, keeping away from one another is quite impossible because many tasks have to be done in twos, Honorato said.

In the end, though, its that falloff in business that may be the main threat to Boston-area contractors (and a boon to homeowners looking for a deal down the road). Honorato said that hes been asked to quote quite a few projects in the past few weeks, including residential elevator installations and basement and bathroom remodels but doing them is a different matter.

Well most likely reach a season where few people have the money to start and finish a construction project, so the companies that can hang on long enough until those opportunities come will get a chance to bid the job, Honorato said. With the demand so low, the prices will have to drop quite a bit to a point of little to no profit, so well be working to hopefully keep the company alive until the economy starts to rise again.

Subscribe to the Globes free real estate newsletter our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design atpages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter@globehomes.

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Hurting, contractors are implementing coronavirus measures to protect their clients and themselves - Home Improvement, New Developments - Boston.com

Dublin, May 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "COVID-19 Economic Impact Report: Cabinets" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The US cabinets industry is facing a number of challenges as it deals with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. How has the macroeconomic environment changed and what does it mean for the cabinets industry going forward?

This report looks at how the expected impact of the pandemic on the current macroeconomic environment in the US compares to other major events since 2000, including the bursting of technology bubble and 9/11 terrorist attack, and the 2007-2009 Great Recession. It also provides a historical view of industry sales since 2000, a look at how the industry is being currently impacted, and estimates for sales through 2024.

Product types include kitchen, bathroom, and those installed in other parts of a structure (e.g., store fixture and laundry and mudroom cabinets).

Cabinet markets include new residential, residential remodeling, new commercial, commercial remodeling, and nonconstruction (such as transportation and recreational vehicles).

Materials used in the construction of cabinets include lumber, engineered wood, metal, plastic, glass, and other materials.

Construction methods of cabinets include stock, semicustom, and custom.

Key Topics Covered:

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xipo8z

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

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COVID-19 Economic Impact Report on the United States Cabinets Industry - Yahoo Finance UK

The front faade of an aged and historic structure on Water Avenue, beside the Selma Interpretive Center, collapsed recently, despite the city having paid an unlicensed contractor more than $130,000 to work on the structure, according to financial documents provided to the Selma City Council by Selma Mayor Darrio Melton.

Contractors taking on jobs over $50,000 must be licensed with the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors (ALBGC) and, according to ALBGC Investigator Rusty Mascari, the contractor paid for the work on Water Avenue has been called before the board on two occasions for working on projects without a license.

In April 2018, the unlicensed contractor was paid $88,000 for the demolition of the structure at 1119 Water Ave in two payments one for $38,000 on April 13, 2018 and another for $50,000 later in the month.

Additionally, the contractor was paid an additional $50,000 in July 2018 for stabilizing the front faade on the building.

According to the ALCGCs website, it is against the law for an entity to be hired for such work without a license and any contract becomes null and void if undertaken by an unlicensed business, which means that the city will have no recourse if the work is done improperly.

According to Mascari, the contractor that took on the Water Avenue project has never been licensed with the board and the city can be fined up to $5,000 for each instance in which his services were utilized.

Additionally, commercial properties being demolished are required to file a notice with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) at least 10 days before demolition work begins so that an asbestos inspection can take place.

According to ADEMs Don Barrion, no such notice has been received by the department regarding the property on Water Avenue.

Selma City Council President Corey Bowie said any jobs of $50,000 or more are supposed to be brought before the council and bid out, though the council voted in 2017 to require all payments of $5,000 or more to come before the council.

In October 2018, a year after that vote, the council voted to require that all payments come before the council for approval.

Though Bowie does not recall the council signing off on any of the contractors projects, Councilwoman Miah Jackson said that at least one job was bid out and the contractor was awarded the job.

Jackson said that the council asked Selma Planning and Development Department Director Henry Thompson if the contractor had all of the appropriate paperwork, such as the proper licenses and insurance, and was assured that he did.

Afterward, Jackson contacted the ALBGC to verify that the contractor had the proper licenses and was told that he did not Jackson then informed the council and Thompson that the contractor did not have the proper licenses

But the work on Water Avenue is only a glimpse at the work that this unlicensed contractor has been hired to perform over the years, which comes close to $400,000 between November 2016 and November 2018.

The following payments, dictated in the citys general ledger, do not represent all of the payments the contractor received over the two-year period:

In December 2016, the contractor received two payments of $4,850 $9,700 total to clean and repair bike areas. The same month, the contractor was paid $2,125 for painting city hall and the mayors office;

In January 2017, the contractor was paid $5,000 for fixing a leak at Memorial Stadium;

In February 2017, the contractor received two payments of $5,500 only two weeks apart for installing oversized doors with locks at the Selma Welcome Center. That same month, the contractor was paid $2,250 to install a cabinet, sink and faucets and paint walls, as well as $2,500 to paint two offices;

In April 2017, the contractor received two payments of $8,950, each for welcome center equipment, and $3,180 to replace a thermostat at city hall;

In August 2017, the contractor received another $5,000 for welcome center repairs and services, bringing the total received for work at the Selma Welcome Center to at least $24,000; On August 30, 2017, the contract received at least two payments for HVAC repair work at the Selma Interpretive Center, one for $5,750 and another for $11,500. A month later, $13,000 was paid for emergency repairs at the Selma Interpretive Center;

Other significant payments made to the contractor include $13,175 in July 2018 for unspecified building repairs, $10,000 for rook work at the Selma Welcome Center in August 2018 and, one month later, $33,600 for a roof on the Selma Welcome Center.

City representatives have since stated that the contractor is no longer being employed by the city.

The mayors office could not be reached for comment.

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Contractor paid over $130K for work on collapsed building - The Selma TimesJournal - Selma Times-Journal

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The COVID-19 pandemic continues to drive unemployment higher in Illinois.

SPRINGFIELD The U.S. saw nearly 3 million more unemployment claims the week ending May 9, including another 72,993 in Illinois, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The 2.98 million claims nationwide in the week pushed the jobless claims in the first two months of the novel coronavirus pandemic to more than 36 million. The unprecedented number of claims made for a national unemployment rate of 15.7% the week ending May 2.

In Illinois, the number of new claims on the week was 1,483 fewer than the week prior. The number of new claims each week has gone down since a peak of 201,041 during the week of April 4. The Illinois Department of Employment Security said in a news release it has now processed 1,076,461 claims for regular unemployment benefits from March 1 through May 9.

Continued claims reached 756,441 in the state last week, which was the final period before contractors and self-employed persons were able to file for special federal pandemic unemployment assistance in Illinois.

While the number of initial claims for regular benefits has plateaued in the last two weeks, IDES will experience an increase in overall claims processed when the federal pandemic unemployment assistance claims data becomes available Thursday, May 21, according to the departments news release.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said this week more than 50,000 applications had been filed through the states new pandemic unemployment assistance system since Monday.

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State reports 73,000 unemployment claims in final week before new portal went live - The Southern

A research report on the Global Building Finishing Contractors Market offers a detailed analysis about the market share, size, trends, and growth prospects. In addition, the report contains market volume with an accurate estimation offered in the report. The data offered in this report is gathered based on the latest industry news, trends, as well as opportunities. Moreover, the report comprises a complete market analysis and provider landscape with the help of SWOT analysis of the major service providers. This research report provides an extensive evaluation of the Building Finishing Contractors Market. The Global Building Finishing Contractors Market report is designed through the detailed qualitative insights, verifiable projections, and historical data about the Building Finishing Contractors Market size.

This study covers following key players:APiPerformance ContractingCleveland ConstructionIrex Corp Of Lancaster

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Global Building Finishing Contractors Market Expected to reach highest CAGR by 2025: APi, Performance Contracting, Cleveland Construction, Irex Corp...

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Chris Baranowski, owner of Rolling Paws Mobile Grooming Spa stands for a portrait in Wilkes-Barre Twp. Friday, May 15, 2020. Sean McKeag / Staff Photographer

SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Chris Baranowski, owner of Rolling Paws, a mobile dog grooming business, applied three times for an exemption from Gov. Tom Wolfs coronavirus shutdown order.

Chris Baranowski comes in contact with virtually no humans during her workday just dogs so she cant understand why she wasnt granted a waiver to continue to operate her business during the coronavirus shutdown.

She doesnt have an office or storefront people visit that could be contaminated. As a mobile dog groomer, she comes to them in a pickup truck pulling her grooming trailer. Its just her and the dog inside.

Ive been curbside the four years Ive been open. I have no human contact unless the person is eldery. I go in, grab the dog or meet the person at the doorway and take the dog back to the enclosed trailer. I take the dog back to the door and go to my next appointment, Baranowski, 36, said.

Baranowskis truck, which hasnt stopped from the moment she started Rolling Paws Mobile Grooming Spa four years ago, has been idle for nearly two months outside her Wilkes-Barre Twp. home. She applied for an exemption three times, but her requests for a waiver were denied each time.

Rolling Paws is one of hundreds of businesses in Luzerne County that were denied an exemption to continue to operate during the coronavirus shutdown.

Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses to shutter during the lockdown. However, last Friday he announced 6,060 exemptions statewide out of 42,000 requests.

Many of the businesses in Luzerne County denied exemptions are construction companies, real estate firms, salons, and vaping shops.

Most are small, locally owned businesses, but even a national chain, like the Barnes and Noble book store, was denied an exemption.

The owner of a Back Mountain-based plumbing, heating and excavating business said his company is on the list of businesses denied an exemption despite getting conflicting advice from the state.

While he believed his industry was exempt from the beginning, Sean McGrath, owner of R.N. Fitch and Sons in Dallas, said he applied for an exemption to be on the safe side and because someone in the industry told him he might need proof of the exemption to apply for assistance.

After not hearing anything from the state, he filled out the online exemption form again.

The first response he got from the state was an email saying he didnt even need an exemption and could continue work. Then, he got an email days later, saying he must close down.

Its just very confusing. My assumption is you have two different people reading it and one person made a judgement call, McGrath said. In defense of the state, they had so many requests, there was a lot of confusion.

With the conflicting response, McGrath said hes limiting his work to emergency calls and is forced to pass on a lot of work that is now going to other contractors, some who ended up on last weeks exempt list despite being the same exact type of business.

Whats unfortunate is some people are following the rules and some people arent following the rules. We did our best to exercise good judgement. We are trying to do all the right things, McGrath said.

The document listing all the companies denied exemptions even gets confusing, as it notes that businesses are permitted to continue life-sustaining activity regardless of whether it obtained or was denied an exemption.

Efforts to reach officials with the state Department of Economic and Community Development, which processed the exemption requests, were not successful Friday.

Baranowski thinks dog grooming should have been an exception because it could be life-sustaining to the animal.

We see them every four to six weeks. Their hair gets matted. Their nails get long. We clean their ears. We prevent a lot of underlying health issues, Baranowski said. A vet might not see them for a year.

She didnt think the lockdown has been fair to small business owners, while big box stores like Walmart and Home Depot filled with hundreds of people at a time were allowed to remain open.

I have no livelihood. They took it from me. My business, beside my family, is my life. Those dogs I take care of are like my own, Baranowski said.

Contact the writer:

bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2055, @cvbobkal

Local businesses that were denied an exemption

1Singular Sensation Dog Grooming

A) Mericle Construction, Inc. (Mericle) For The Benefit Of Wren Manufacturing, Inc.

A. Pickett Construction, Inc. / Pickett Facilities Maintenance

Action Contracting & Electrical Company LLC

Action Real Estate Affordable Parts And Service

Aggressive Realty & Rentals LLC

Ahlborn Enterprises

Al Dunn Masonry

All 4 Paws

All State Traffic Control Of Pa, Inc.

All Vinyl Sunrooms Inc.

All-in Custom Vapes

All-in Custom Vapes Nanticoke

All-in Custom Vapes Wilkes-barre

Allure Salon Group, LLC

Alluring Vapors

American Asphalt Paving Company

American Eagle

American Pie Title & Tag LLC

Apt Distributing Co.

Arena Supplements

Arthur Funk & Sons

Ashton Enterprise Construction LLC

A Team-Construction

Au Salon

Avenue Auto Tags LLC

B&D Technology LLC

Baby To Be 3d

Back Mountain Floral

Back Mountain Tobacco Inc

Baer & Evans Surveyors

Barkavenue

Barnes & Noble

Barrys Floral Shop

Bathtime Boutique

Beach Fence Company

Bedrock Gardens Landscape Supply And Materials

Beulah Construction LLC

Bob Lasota Construction

Bordentown Driver Training School LLC

DBA Smith & Solomon Commercial Driver Training

Borton Lawson

Brackney Leather

Brenda Reimold, LLC

Brokers Realty Group Limited Dba

Brokersrealty.Com

Bubbles And Biscuits Pet Grooming Salon

Byras Fence Company

Caddie Labars Inc

Canine Castle

Canine Designs

Caramelle Di Capelli Studio

Carmens Flowers And Gifts

Cartridge World Edwardsville

Centurion Abstract, Inc.

Commiso Flooring LLC

Commonwealth Home Inspections

Complete Fitness Equipment

Concrete Alternatives

Conrad Barbershop And Marilyn Klem Beauty Shop

Conversionworx Media

Corcoran Printing

Creative Interior Imagery

Croughns Cuts

D&N Furniture Inc

Dangola Contracting

Dave Ferrey Construction

David R. Balent Construction Co.

Debbies Beauty Salon

DeckerS

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Business owners frustrated by waiver process - News - Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice