They say first impressions are everything. From nailing a job interview to rubbing elbows at a cocktail party, first impressions make an impactand your home is no exception. Dont believe it? Consider the significance of curb appeal. Regardless of whether or not youre selling your house, everyone wants a home that turns heads and fetches compliments.

Not only does curb appeal increase the value of your house, but its a reflection of the people who live there, says Michael G. Davis. As owner, designer and project manager of Milwaukee landscape group Emerald Gardens, Davis is well aware of the value of curbside charm. The front of a home shows a bit of what its like inside. It offers a hint about the personality of the family that lives there.

Looking to up your curb-appeal game? Doing so doesnt necessarily mean monopolizing your time or breaking the bank. There are lots of easy ideas that spruce things up a bit.

Look at the front of your house and determine what can quickly be removed, fixed or hidden. Pull weeds from the walkway, adjust the crooked shutter, stash the garden hose in a decorative pot and tell the kids to put away their bikes (again).

Davis also suggests creating a budget as this helps prioritize tasks. For instance, if you cant afford to paint the house right now, power wash it instead. Budget your time, too, he adds. You can do more in the front yard if you have time to tend to it.

An easy way to achieve an eye-fetching landscape comes in the form of symmetry. Balancing key elements gives the eye a place to rest. If you have a large picture window, frame it with arborvitaes or flowering clematis perennials. Try setting identical planters on opposite sides of your entryway.

Planters are the perfect way to spruce up the front of a home, Davis explains. Best of all, they can be changed with the seasons. Switch out the flowers for plants that tolerate frost such as mums or kale grasses in late summer or early fall. Thats also a great time to plant trees and woody bushes, the designer says. During winter, plan which flowers and delicate plants youll buy in spring to keep your curbside appeal intact all year long.

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When it comes to curb appeal, the entryway is key. Always accentuate the front door, Davis suggests, not the driveway or garage. Painting the front door in a unique color anchors the entryway while adding a touch of whimsy. Citrus colors are hot right now, while blues and greens complement colors found in shade gardens. Light pinks and corals work well with Lannon stone and Cream City brick.

Dress up your front porch with a bench or rocking chairs, adding matching pillows and an outdoor rug for texture. A new welcome mat, updated light fixtures and a bold address plate also make for easy improvements.

Milwaukee is loaded with homes that feature inspiring details. Illuminate columns, arches and gables so your home shines well into the wee hours. Its easy with todays solar-powered LED options. Pay attention to the style of the house, Davis notes. With a Victorian, use the light to enhance the details of the architecture. You can have a bit more fun with a ranch or a saltbox.

A little goes a long way when it comes to curb appeal. Mulch the front gardens, trim the bushes and edge the sidewalk. Add a few extras such as a decorative lantern on a shepherds hook, a front-door wreath or an interesting piece of yard art. Simply try not to overdo it, Davis says. If you add too much, the front yard loses appeal because nothing is special. Think cute and clean, not crazy and cluttered, and your curb appeal will go through the roof.

To learn more about Michael G. Davis design and landscape company, visit the Emerald Gardens page on Facebook or email Michael at emeraldgardensmgd@gmail.com.

Mark Hagen is an award-winning gardener, former caterer and Milwaukee lover. His work has appeared in Birds & Blooms and Home and Your Family magazines.

To read more articles by Mark Hagen, click here.

Mark Hagen is an award-winning gardener, former caterer and Milwaukee lover. His work has appeared in Birds & Blooms and Home and Your Family magazines.

Aug. 19, 2020

9:33 a.m.

Continued here:
Amp Up Your Abode with Easy Curb Appeal - Shepherd Express

The Lexus Design Awards are one of the worlds most uniquely structured design competition formats. Targeted around embracing new ideas that create a positive impact on the world, the Lexus Design Awards pride themselves on being a journey, rather than a process. This journey involves thousands of entries from around the world, 6 chosen finalists, 4 world-class design mentors, 4 elite judges, and a process that aims at nurturing and evolving the 6 design entries. The mentors, chosen for their expertise in their individual fields, guide participants through an intense 2-day Mentoring Workshop in New York City followed by one-on-one online sessions bringing their concept to its full potential. Lexus helps fund the production and prototyping expenses for all 6 finalist entries (to the tune of 3 million Yen), and a panel of elite judges choose a Grand Prix winner which will be announced on September 1st. This process is unique to the Lexus Design Award. Its mentoring system helps designers get critical exposure to the industry while getting the undivided attention of 4 industry-leading mentors. Yanko Design had the opportunity to speak to one of them Joe Doucet, of the Brooklyn-based design studio Joe Doucet x Partners.

After exchanging pleasantries and asking each other how we were coping with the pandemic, we spoke in detail about the Lexus Design Award 2020, Joes involvement as a mentor, and what I expected would be a simple 20-30 minute interview went into nearly an 80-minute long conversation on the design profession, Joes approach to designing and mentoring, on awards in general, designer ethics, and whether AI could threaten the creative profession (short answer: Yes, AI can definitely replace designers. The ones that survive will be the ones that embrace AI as a tool to empower their design abilities). Here are a few excerpts from our conversation.

Yanko Design: Hey Joe! Weve been long-time fans of your work (we even recently featured a futuristic face-shield you designed), but for the people who arent familiar with your work, do let our readers know a bit about you and what you do.

Joe Doucet: Hey! Thanks for this opportunity. Im Joe Doucet, designer and founder of Joe Doucet x Partners, a design studio based out of Brooklyn, New York. Were an award-winning design studio that handles a wide variety of projects spanning different categories. We pride ourselves in diving deep into understanding the product, the solution, and all ends of the process. JDxP works on a gamut of design solutions internally as well as in a consultary capacity for outside clients. We recently designed a luxury face shield that had the good fortune of being featured on your platform! A lot of companies have expressed interest in the design since the publication and were actually working on a product launch pretty soon! Im also a mentor for the Lexus Design Awards, providing guidance to the finalists and helping them evolve their concepts and turn them into truly world-class design solutions.

YD: That sounds pretty cool! How did this mentorship opportunity materialize? Whats the mentorship process like?

JD: The people at Lexus Design Award were kind enough to approach me. Whats really unique about the Lexus Design Awards is the fact that you get to be mentored by a group of designers, rather than just having a jury panel look at your design and pass judgment on it. Ive participated in my fair share of awards and been a jury on a few of them too, and theres a mechanical process that isnt true for LDA. The Lexus Design Award really embraces the idea of growing and nurturing designs that have the ability to impact the world. It all ties into the way Lexus values the power of design. The process starts with evaluating designs based on the kind of impact their underlying ideas have. These designs become a part of the finalists, and each final entry is individually coached by a set of mentors who help designers evolve their concepts into a proper, fleshed-out design solution. Finalists get the benefit of interacting with leaders in their field (Im honored to be a part of this roster too), and having their evolved work then judged by stalwarts like John Maeda, Paola Antonelli, Jeanne Gang, and Simon Humphries. Given that only a few designs make it to the Grand Prix Selection round, the judges really spend a lot of time understanding and scrutinizing the designs before evaluating them.

YD: Not many people know this, but you switched from being a graphic designer to a multidisciplinary designer. What sort of expertise do you bring to the table when it comes to mentorship? Are the mentors selected based on a set of criteria?

JD: Haha! Im surprised you know about me being a graphic design graduate! Well, ever since we started JDxP, Ive always involved myself in every aspect of the process, so I dont really limit myself just to one discipline. In fact, my area of expertise as a mentor for the Lexus Design Award is innovation. The Lexus team carefully curates their mentors to cover most aspects of the design world, so finalists get a different perspective from each mentor, and that way theres never really a clash of advice or of interest. Each mentor provides their own facet of advice and growth so the process is truly holistic. There isnt any other award program that approaches the judging process with this unique perspective. Lexus even provides financial assistance to help turn the concepts into proper prototypes. In the end, designers dont just win an award, they really learn a lot along the way.

YD: Does that mean a lot of the participants are design learners, students, or young designers? In this process of mentoring do their designs often change drastically?

JD: Oh yes, the award program sees a healthy set of entries from design students and young designers in general. A lot of young designers find the mentorship angle really lucrative, and its a great way to take your design concept and incubate it. Besides, the competition doesnt levy an entry fee and Lexus sponsors production and prototyping costs for the finalists, making it a great accelerator for design ideas. When were selecting the finalists, we usually look at the designs impact rather than just superficially analyzing the design. This helps us decide which design entries have true potential to live up to the award brief so yes, a lot of times the designs go through a dramatic makeover. Sometimes theyre purely conceptual, so in the process of making them real, the design does have to evolve and change. In the end, we retain the designs intent and impact, but help evolve the solution into something better.

YD: A lot of designs we see (even some finalists of this years award) exist as concepts that ignore real-world constraints but hold promise in a much more feasible future. Is it important to only design products/services that can be realized in the immediate future? What are your thoughts on conceptual designs?

JD: This is something I hold dear to my heart. I truly believe concepts are a window into the future and there really is no future without concepts, so I definitely believe in the power of creating something that doesnt or cant exist. Its what drives innovation! Concepts are a very important segment of the automotive industry too. Car companies use concepts as a tool to test features and gauge the markets response towards them. Those concepts never see the light of day, but their role in the design process is extremely important. In fact, concepts are one of the reasons I love Yanko Design so much too because I believe you were probably the first blog to focus so heavily on concepts that showed promise. Its remarkable that you guys still have such a heavy focus on conceptual designs. I disagree with the people who claim that designs should be rooted in reality because thats a very one-dimensional way of approaching anything. When we see an award entry thats conceptual, we always measure its impact and intent. The design goes through iterations thereafter.

YD: The Guiding Principle for Lexus Design Award is Designing for a better tomorrow. What are your thoughts on it? Is it a complicated process, navigating sustainability and making designs future-friendly?

JD: Its perhaps the single most important call-to-action for every designer today. We as designers often dont have that clarity thats needed when were designing products that will enter the world and probably stay there for years or even centuries to come. Its not about making better things, its about making things better. In fact, there was a study that was conducted close to 12-13 years ago that said 70-80% of the environmental impact of a product is determined in its design phase, so we as designers really have a responsibility to really think ahead about every aspect of what we make, how it affects people emotionally, how it affects production lines, what its afterlife is, what happens when it breaks, what happens when it needs to be replaced oh it definitely is complicated to navigate, but that should never be a reason to overlook it.

YD: I couldnt agree more. Im reading Ruined by Design by Mike Monteiro and he mentioned how design is one of the most impactful professions without an ethical code. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, they all have a code of conduct. Even crime is more organized than design is! How do you navigate this responsibility in the professional world when a client needs something that goes against your beliefs?

JD: We refuse. If theres a client thats dead set on asking for a product that they know has a net negative impact on the world, and theyre fine with it, we dont take them up. Eventually, it means one less bad product in this world, and thats a good thing.

YD: Getting back to the Lexus Design Awards The process of designing/mentoring obviously leads to a valuable exchange of ideas and information. Is there anything youve learned from your fellow mentors or from the 6 finalists?

JD: Oh absolutely! Im always thrilled to see the kind of problems these designers are trying to solve. This young crop of designers has such a unique life-perspective too, its always great to interact with them to see their fresh take on the problems theyre looking at solving. Its no secret that the younger generation is also more focused on sustainability and impact because it has consequences that will affect them in their lifetime, so thats amazing too. I often find that they end up inspiring me too!

YD: Are there any design values that the Lexus organization brings to the table in this competition?

JD: I think the awards theme speaks to this. Designing for a better tomorrow I believe is a value thats inherent to Lexus, and thats why theyre so incredibly invested in this new award format, where they bring mentors and judges to uplift designs and designers rather than just simply reward them. In their own way, theyre pushing for a better tomorrow too and for such a massive multibillion-dollar company to embrace this agenda of nurturing good design and dedicate time, money, resources, and efforts towards it each year, its truly remarkable.

YD: Alright, Joe! This was wonderful! Im honestly quite pumped to see that theres a massive multibillion-dollar company out there thats so invested in redeeming the design profession and actually doing something for the greater good! I hope our readers will be inspired enough to send in their designs too in the future! To wrap this interview up If you had to explain your design process/mantra in a few words, what would they be?

JD: This was really great! Thanks for reaching out, its an honor to play my part as a mentor of the Lexus Design Awards. As for my design mantra, its something Ive said earlier. Its not about making better things, its about making things better!

Click Here to Know More About the Lexus Design Award 2020 Finalists competing for the Grand Prix that will be announced on September 1st, 2020.

Think of the Feltscape as an isolation chamber that imitates the feeling of being within a womb. Designed by UK-based Thophile Peju & Salvatore Cicero, the Feltscape is a breathing cloud made of felt and recycled bio-plastic with an innovative robotic fabrication process. Equipped with sensors and kinetic mechanisms, the Feltscape can sense a users breathing patterns, allowing the isolation chambers smart membrane to react to its users breath. Creating a perfect atmosphere for reflection, meditation, and an escape from the immediate world, Feltscape provides a cocoon-like isolation experience that helps slowly and surely calm people down. Its organic design reflects inspiration from cocoons too!

The Pursewit is uniquely positioned to help the visually impaired not just be independent, but also develop vocational skills that help them make a living. Designed by Pakistan-based designer, Aqsa Ajmal, after her friend lost her vision in an accident, the Pursewit makes sewing more accessible with a design thats built around ease-of-use with an approach thats immediately intuitive and with a relatively shallow learning curve. The design scales the form of the sewing machine down, making it less cumbersome while also being simpler and safer. Ajmal hopes that the Pursewit will go beyond just helping the visually impaired be more independent by sewing or fixing their clothes, by also allowing them to take on a skill set that helps them earn a daily wage and be financially independent too.

Biocraft attempts at transforming mundane objects into living ones that interact with the environment. Originally named Bio.Scales, the Biocraft is a revolutionary material that combines natural biopolymers with emerging technology to create a new material that possesses capabilities like being able to extract CO2 from the air, rid the ambient environment of pollutants, or even disseminate nutrients into the atmosphere. Created by Paul and Garrett Sutherlin Santo from Los Angeles, Biocraft hopes to eventually replace materials like thermoplastics, eventually creating regular products that dont just exist to solve a problem, but rather serve a higher purpose by being living entities that have a positive impact on human health and the environment.

Akin to having a fire-extinguisher mounted on the walls of buildings, Flash Pak by Yaokun Wu of China aims at providing flood-prone areas with instant access to life-jackets. Designed to be attached to lamp-poles in areas susceptible to flash floods, the FlashPak sits in its protective housing at regular times, but in the event of a flood, naturally rises to the surface thanks to the life-jackets innate buoyancy. Floods, now an unfortunately common by-product of climate change, displaces millions each year, resulting in thousands of deaths annually. Solutions like the Flash Pak can turn a lamp-post (or any regular post) into a potential life-saving zone, giving people instant access to life-saving jackets during times of need. New jackets can easily be placed back in their housing once the flood subsides, and the Flash Paks automatic deployment during a flash flood makes it an incredibly effective, life-changing solution.

A quirky example of biomimicry, the L.I.C.K. by Irina Samoilova from Russia is a portable body cleaner that takes inspiration from the way felines clean themselves. The L.I.C.K. is modeled on a cats tongue, with a soft cleaning surface with unique papillae that helps people who are unable to have a bath to clean themselves. Designed for people with no immediate access to water, or with injuries/bandages/casts that require being kept away from water, the L.I.C.K. provides a unique tactile experience that helps keep the body clean. Designed to work just the way a cats tongue does, the L.I.C.K. can simply be run across the body while its specially designed papillae and U-shaped cavities help lift dirt off the body (while feeling great to the touch too!)

What if architecture, like software, could be open-sourced so that people can collectively develop something better together? The Open Source Communities, a Grand Prix finalist from Kenya-based BellTower, hopes to create universally available open-source home-design plans that can be used to design communities in developing and underdeveloped countries. These open-sourced homes can help provide a safe and secure haven for people in developing areas, while helping designers leverage the power of open-source planning to effectively allocate resources, allowing communities to even be sustainable, energy-efficient, and eco-friendly by design!

Click Here to Know More About the Lexus Design Award 2020 Finalists competing for the Grand Prix that will be announced on September 1st, 2020.

Excerpt from:
Exclusive Interview with Joe Doucet: Designer + Mentor of the Lexus Design Awards 2020 - Yanko Design

Adrianna Boris JackYou may have seen Adrianna on the LSC stage as Philia in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, or around town as Rizzo in Grease at Mariemont and Footlighters. Other favorite roles have included Julia in The Wedding Singer, Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest, and the Witch in Into the Woods. Thanks to Micheal and the whole team at LSC for bringing us together for this project!Carissa Griffith-Sloan Foley ArtistCarissa is no stranger to the LSC stage. She has appeared onstage in a number of LSC productions including The Drowsy Chaperone(u/s Drowsy),White Christmas (Martha), Young Frankenstein (Frau Blucher), and many others. Another favorite role was Grempkin in Peter and the Starcatcherat Footlighters. Carissa would like to thank her husband, John, for always being her favorite scene partner, and everyone involved with putting this production together.David Taylor Composer, PianoDavid is a keyboard player who enjoys the challenge of creating great sounds and performing. He has performed for many community theatre companies and high school drama productions in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas including several CMT productions. Favorite shows he has performed in and created the sounds for include The Producers, Young Frankenstein, The Toxic Avenger, Seussical the Musical, Big Fish, and Shrek. By day, David is a Financial Analyst for Coesia managing the forecasts and budgets for all of the North America, Mexico, and South America regions. Jacqlyn Schott AlgernonTheres magic in the number three and Jacqlyn couldnt be more elated to return to Lovelands stage for the third time as a part of such a fun trio! Three of her favorite past credits include Spider (James and the Giant Peach), Caroline Bramble (Enchanted April), and directing Ordinary Days. This fall, Jacqlyn will be reprising the role of director for Little Shop of Horrorsand hopes youre already planning on return visits to LSC so you too can be a star! As always, she thanks her loved ones for their never-ending support.Jill Gornet Lane/MerrimanJill is excited to be co-producing Gypsy, which is one of her favorite musicals. She was co-producer for Bugsy Malone, Jr., Dont Drink the Water and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Jill won an Orchid as the producer of The Drowsy Chaperone. She was last seen on-stage at LSC in Memphis (Clara/ensemble), White Christmas (quintet/ensemble), Will Rogers Follies (quartet) and Fiddler on the Roof (Rifke/ensemble). Retired from USPS, she sings with Sharonville Chorus at retirement/assisted living homes. Jill would like to thank her family and friends for their love and support.John Sloan GwendolenJohn is back once more at Loveland Stage Company. He has appeared in too many LSC shows to list them all, but favorites include: Young Frankenstein (Igor), Oklahoma! (Jud Fry), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Ching-Ho), and The Producers. He last appeared in The Drowsy Chaperone(Gangster #1) which was directed by his lovely wife, Carissa, and has directed the recent LSC productions of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum andDont Drink the Water. Thanks to Micheal for this opportunity. Enjoy the show and thank you for supporting the arts!Joshua Marcus Miss PrismThis is Joshuas first performance with Loveland Radio, but has previously been seen on stage in, The Drowsy Chaperone (George) and Cole, An Entertainment (Performer). He is excited to be a part of another amazing Loveland production. Joshua would like to thank his wife, Leah, and his children, Hanna and Samuel, for their love, support.Melinda Murray-Hubbard ChausibleMelinda is glad to be back once again with LSC after performances in Cole, An Entertainment andThe Drowsy Chaperone. She has also recently been seen as Sponge in Barts BardsJames and the Giant Peach,and was a costume assistant for the LSC production ofBugsy Malone, Jr. Dr. Hubbard is always up for something new, and this show fits the bill! She thanks her incredible family for supporting her and the amazing folks at LSC for this opportunity. Ya gotta get a gimmick!Thomas Cavano Lady BracknellTom has been involved with community theater in the Cincinnati area for over 30 years. He first performed with LSC in 2008 (The King and I). Since then, he has performed in numerous LSC productions, directed three award-winning shows (Spelling Bee, The Producers, and Young Frankenstein), co-produced many shows, the most recent being Memphis, and has taken an active role in off stage work including set construction, design, decor and stage crew.Vincent Eldridge CecilyVincent has thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this genderswapped version of The Importance of Being Earnest. He has been seen on stage as Gangster #2 in The Drowsy Chaperone at LSC, as part of the Octet in Sweeney Todd with Queen City Productions, as was in the Gender Bender last October with Mason Community Players. When hes not on stage, he enjoys learning the art of lighting and was the lighting designer for The Little Mermaid and Sorry, Wrong Number/The Hitch-Hiker. Outside of theatre he spends his free time painting and trying his best at woodworking. Hed like to give a shout out to the rest of the cast, the crew, and the director for making this a wonderfully fun experience!Bob Kessler Tech DirectorBob works as both a Director of Photography in the regional video community, and as an artist at Kessler Studios, a Loveland-based stained glass and mosaic firm. Bob has served as the Lighting Chair for the Loveland Stage Company since 2013, and has volunteered as Lighting Director on many plays at LSC: Cole: An Entertainment, Memphis, 9 to 5, Jekyll & Hyde, Fiddler On The Roof, I Remember Mama, Oklahoma!, and The Producers.Charlie Rader Camera OperatorDave Bauer Audio DirectorThe webmaster of LSCs award-winning website, Dave brings a lifetime of passion for all things music, sound and photography. By day, Dave works in schools in Southwest Ohio maintaining computer systems and making sure teachers have the technology they need. By nights and weekends, Dave is the owner of Technology Concierge Services and is the sound designer for two local bands. This is Daves first involvement in an LSC production.Greg Smith Lighting DesignAn Orchid award-winning Lighting Designer, Set Designer and Producer, Greg always enjoys doing lighting design for a musical at LSC. The opportunities for creativity are endless when working with such a talented cast and crew. Micheal Harris-Kiser DirectorMicheal is a multiple award-winning director, actor, and set designer. Studying acting at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Micheal has pursued his passion for theatre in various fields. He is co-founder of Stage and Steel in Pittsburgh, PA. He has performed with many groups throughout the city. His set designs have graced many a stage. He serves as secretary for the LSC board, as well as secretary for The Greater Cincinnati ACT board. He is extremely happy to bring this great musical to you.Nancy Hartman-Downing Camera OperatorNancy has been Owner/President of Cleveland Specialties Company since 1986, which designs and manufactures paperboard and plastic packaging products for the food and dairy industry. Her experience is in administration, sales, accounting and computer technology. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Baldwin-Wallace College. She currently serves as President for Loveland Womans Club. Nancy has been involved with LSC since 2006 doing fundraising, photography, publicity, ticket sales, program ad sales, as well as serving on the Board of Directors as Treasurer. She enjoys working with such a talented group and looks forward to continuing her involvement into the future.

More here:
Act 3 of the Importance of being Earnest - Loveland Magazine

Kitchen wallpaper ideas might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to a quick kitchen update, but we are here to change your mind about that. Wallpaper, much like paint, is actually such an easy way to add colour and pattern to your space, plus it can be super affordable too! You just have to be careful about where you hang it, avoid places that will get wet like behind a sink or areas where you cook, but apart from that there are no rules!

Keep scrolling to get inspired and for more inspiring kitchen ideas head over to our huge feature you will find plenty more looks to copy over there.

(Image credit: Farrow & Ball)

When your kitchen is predominantly white and sleek to boot, choosing a wallpaper is actually a dream. Why? Because a white kitchen is a blank canvas and therefore pretty much anything goes. What we love about this kitchen is that the chosen wallpaper Gable by Farrow & Ball shows village and farmhouse scenes which at first thought may not match due to being quite trad, yet the stylised design works really well in this modern kitchen.

(Image credit: Miss Print)

The inspiration for this Skylark wallpaper design from Miss Print is a birds eye view of our landscape. The lines represent the abstract shapes and patterns that can be found in our cities and the countryside that we know and love so much. The simplicity of the design and colour makes it ideal for a kitchen, especially one with contemporary units and accessories.

(Image credit: Little Green)

Although this Pomegranate Bazaar design by Little Greene is Baroque, the original was uncovered by the National Trust hiding beneath wall-hung tapestries in Wales. This particular colourway has a hint of seventies design to it. The cheerful colours mean you can have fun matching units and accessories to create a cohesive scheme throughout the kitchen and it looks fab with rustic wood too!

(Image credit: Elizabeth Ockford)

This stunning Bahama wallpaper from Elizabeth Ockford is so eye catching and therefore will really act as a focal point for your kitchen and will most certainly become the star of the show so to speak. When you choose a wallpaper as busy as this, keep the rest of the scheme simple. You could have white units as shown here, but equally, painted units in a colour pulled from the wallpaper would look as fabulous the green, pink, blue or orange would all work. Team with brass and wood accessories to add depth.

Interior designer, broadcaster and colour expert, Sophie Robinson, adores colour check out her IG feed for oodles of inspo! So when it came to decorating her kitchen, Sophie chose this bright and cheery Rabarber wallpaper. Designed on a dark background, the colours of the floral pattern really sing and it looks eye catching in Sophies country kitchen. The units are painted in Huntsmen Green by Zoffany that matches the wallpaper perfectly, and the dark wood worktop and floor both add a rustic element.

Read the original post:
5 kitchen wallpaper ideas to inspire a quick and easy makeover - Real Homes

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Will Morgan, Architecture Critic

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Extra Space Storage, 145 Corliss Street. PHOTO Will Morgan

The egregious leviathan of Extra Space Storage on Corliss Street best demonstrates the jarring trend towards constructional obesity. The 1,905th facility of the second largest self-storage company in the country is a six-story tall block of aggressive blandness, displacing over 100,000 square feet.

This unwelcome giant is the most prominent landmark as travelers approach Providence on I-95 from the north. Extra Space is illuminated at night, so that the building can be seen from much of the city, competing for attention with our noble State House.

Does the city really need a lot of new storage space on the edge of downtown? While an ugly and intrusive element on the skyline, the Extra Space container might be somewhat less objectionable if placed out on a suburban wasteland.

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Extra Space Storage. To quote Cat Stevens, "Where do the children play? "PHOTO Will Morgan

The construction of new buildings that are outsized for their locations is reaching a crisis point, especially on the East Side. Tall buildings may make sense for a concentrated business district downtown. But as the Fane Tower proposal amply illustrates, the day of stand-alone skyscrapers ought to be thing of the past. The problem is equally acute with smaller size projects that upset the balance between people, amenities, and civic responsibilities as opposed to expansion for its own sake.

The hotel proposed for the corner of Angell and Brook Streets illustrates this.

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Hotel proposed for Angell and Brook Streets. ZDS Architecture & Interiors

No matter how many stylistic adjustments are made, the hostelry's envelope is out of scale with the houses of the neighborhood, not to mention that constructing the hotel will mean razing of three handsome and substantial houses.

Brown is currently riding a building boom that threatens the very neighborhood that makes the school one of the most attractive campuses anywhere. Already in the late 1960s the construction of the skyline-despoiling Sciences Tower was an all-too-obvious indication of Brown's existential conflict of wanting to grow within a constricted College Hill.

The Watson Center, on the other hand, shows how to add needed facilities in three buildings while still maintaining a relatable ambience. The brilliant design of the Engineering Research Center ameliorates its otherwise bulky presence, and its thoughtful siting provides a park-like setback.

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This misleading rendering of the Brown dorms and wellness center suggests un-menacing coziness. William Rawn Associates

The chipping away of the city's premier historic neighborhood continues apace. Remember the half dozen Victorian homes that Brown tore down to make way for their new dormitory and wellness complex? (The university did move two significant mansions to make way for the totally out-of-scale Performing Arts Center, yet some older houses will be destroyed for another dorm on Brook Street).)

The health and residential group designed by the popular but often disappointing campus architect William Rawn is just another behemoth turning the Thayer Street area into an overcrowded urban mlange. What possibly might be acceptable if under-achieving structure on an empty lot near the medical school becomes a real assault when shoehorned into College Hill.

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Brown University dorms and wellness center, under construction, Brook Street. PHOTO Will Morgan

Perhaps the tendency to build according to appetite rather than digestive ability will abate with the coronavirus. Yet the East Side is being made over by a seeming disregard for what really makes a community work. Although not large blocks per se, the new housing at the corners of Angell and Butler, Hope and Wickenden, and Waterman and Wayland are simply too big for their streetscapes, and thus erode a vital townscape.

One of the worst cases of apartment house elephantiasis is being erected at the corner of South Water and Tockwotton Streets. Architect Eric Zuena (designer of the Angell Street hotel and the Homewood Suites downtown) has simply decorated a giant hunk of sellable space with some different surfaces and colors, plus Zuena's signature Mansard roof.

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Apartment block, South Water and Tockwotten Streets. PHOTO Will Morgan

But the real shortcoming of this urban disaster is it size. It is humongous, it dominates the waterfront, and it says nothing positive about Providence. Something that is this much of a hog of prime real estate needs to be better, much better.

To begin with, the skyline could be more distinctive, offering an identifiable silhouette that is more than just a horizontal line. The chintzy, lowest-common-denominator footprint could be broken up and offer more setbacks and terraces. Materials could be upgraded to make this more than just the usual developer's trope.

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What is so special about this chunky, clunky block? Was this design ever actually reviewed? PHOTO Will Morgan

An earlier scheme for this site envisioned by Kite Architects was also out of scale, but at least it was architecturally aspirational, more fitting of a purportedly visually literate city.

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Proposed development at Pike and South Water Streets. COURTESY Kite Architects

Why should we continue to encourage new buildings predicated on enriching development and real estate interests rather than for what they could contribute to the commonweal? These over-scaled intrusive buildings might force us to consider the kind of city we really want.

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The Invasion of the Over-Scaled BuildingsArchitecture Critic Will Morgan - GoLocalProv

The body that represents more than 537 local councils says there has been continuing silence from the Prime Minister's office about whether it can have a role in National Cabinet.

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) had been part of the cabinet's predecessor, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), for 28 years.

COAG was scrapped in March in favour of the National Cabinet, which was formed to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

ALGA president David O'Loughlin said local government should be in the meetings.

"We're not at all happy that we've been left off the list of people at that table," he said.

"We've only been left with an opportunity to speak once a year to the gathering of first ministers and treasurers."

He said while ALGA is on several councils and takes part in ministerial meetings below the National Cabinet level, many of those forums are under review.

He said the nation's councils had been severely impacted by the pandemic, having lost millions in revenue.

"We haven't been given a good reason why it's happened," he said.

"We do run aged care, primary health and public health offices, so there was certainly a strong interface that would have been helpful."

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Mr O'Loughlin said the councils will be an important part of economic recovery.

"We're exactly the right level of government to be able to run small scale, local, grassroots employment programs, including training programs to get the nation back on its feet," he said.

"Even with programs such as the building grant, wouldn't it be good if local government had known about it so that our planners could be ready for the influx."

The federal minister responsible for local government, Mark Coulton, said local councils would continue to have contact with the upper levels of government.

But he said it was unlikely they would get a seat in National Cabinet.

"National Cabinet is not just a replacement of COAG," he said.

"It's part of the reform process, and the decision not to have local government there was not only made by the Prime Minister but also by the state premiers."

The reform process is expected to be complete by September.

Mr Coulton said he understood the value of local councils in restarting the economy.

"Half a billion dollars went out the door last month to enable them to undertake projects that will stimulate the economies that have been impacted by COVID-19," the minister said.

"During the drought we made two rounds of $1 million each, as well as the bushfires last summer.

"The Federal Government goes to local government to have that ability to focus on local communities and put the assistance where it's needed most."

Councils themselves have voted to continue the push to be included in National Cabinet talks.

Hilltops Council has written to its local MP for the Riverina and the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack.

The Narromine Shire Council has also resolved to write to several state and federal MPs to express their disappointment that council is not included in National Cabinet.

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Local government wants to be in National Cabinet back in the room where it happens - ABC Local

New Delhi: In a move to further privatise the airports across the country, the Ministry of Civil Aviation will present its proposal before the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. An announcement to this effect was made by Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday. Also Read - International Flight Updates: India Negotiating With 13 Countries to Establish Air Bubbles, Says Aviation Minister Puri

We are going to the Cabinet tomorrow for further airport privatisation. We have got many more airports lined up, dozens of them, and the 100 new airports we will build between now and 2030, Puri said during a webinar on Tuesday. Also Read - Dubai-Kozhikode Plane Crash: Air India Pilot Unions Seek Meeting With Aviation Minister Over Flight Safety

The development comes as the aviation sector has been worst affected by to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also Read - Kerala Air Crash: 'Unhappy' With DGCA Chief's Remarks, Pilot Unions Seek His 'Immediate Replacement' From Post

Puri said that the airports in Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati were cleared for operation, management and development through public-private partnership (PPP) model in February 2019. This happened in the first round of privatisation under the Narendra Modi dispensation.

In September 2019, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had recommended the Civil Aviation Ministry to privatise airports in Amritsar, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Indore, Raipur and Trichy.

The AAI, which works under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, owns and manages more than 100 airports across the country.

Moreover, the Central government had in 2018 decided to privatise the airports in Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Guwahati.

Adani Enterprises had won the rights to run these six airports after a competitive bidding process in February 2019. Adani Enterprises signed the concessionaire agreement with the AAI for three airports Ahmedabad, Mangaluru and Lucknow on February 14, 2020.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Privatisation of Airports: Ministry of Civil Aviation to Present Proposal to Union Cabinet on Wednesday - India.com

Gavin Williamson was accused of repeated incompetence after a day in which both he and the Department for Education apparently contradicted themselves on when GCSE students official results would be released. The exam board later clarified that students would have them by Thursday.

The education secretary also refused to say whether he had offered his resignation to Boris Johnson, after the government was forced into a painful U-turn on Monday in allowing students to use teachers suggested grades, rather than those awarded by a government algorithm based on schools performance history.

While reports suggested that Mr Williamsons offer to resign had been refused by the prime minister, his public comments appeared to lay blame at the feet of civil servants, telling LBC that Ofqual didnt deliver the system that we had been reassured and believed that would be in place.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

It came as headteachers union ASCL called for an urgent independent review of the exams grading fiasco, with general secretary Geoff Barton claiming it was necessary because public confidence has been badly shaken.

Meanwhile, the government faced further criticism for its decision to replace Public Health England (PHE) during a pandemic, with independent health think-tank, the Nuffield Trust, warning of a major misstep.

Health secretary Matt Hancock raised further eyebrows as he unveiled its replacement body, the National Institute for Health Protection, by insisting that one of the big learnings of the coronavirus crisis has been the need for private intervention in the health sector.

Citing the partnership between the government, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and Oxford University in creating a vaccine candidate, he claimed the idea of a divide between the public and private sectors was now for the birds, adding: So my message to everyone in the private sector is join us in the mission.

Read below to see how we reported on the day's events as they unfolded:

Baroness Harding set to head agency replacing Public Health England

Health secretary Matt Hancock is expected to announce the appointment of the Conservative peer Baroness Dido Harding as head of the governments new Institute for Health Protection.

Baroness Harding, the former chief executive of TalkTalk, has been in charge of Englands Test and Trace system since May.

Since then, questions have been raised about the programmes performance and value for money.

After becoming a peer in August 2014, Baroness Harding has been on the Economic Affairs Committee of the Lords since July 2017.

Read more on the story here:

Williamson refuses to say whether he's offered to resign

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has refused to say whether he has offered his resignation to the prime ministerover the A-levels fiasco.

This follows the government's decision on Monday to ditch the controversialalgorithm that was used to standardise A Level and GCSE results.

Asked three times on BBC Breakfast whether he had discussed stepping down from his position with Boris Johnson, Mr Williamson refused to directly address the question.

The education secretary said:Of course, I spoke with the prime minister, explained the situation - the fact that we needed to move to centre assessed grades because it was the fair system and the right system to do."

But my focus is making sure that every student gets the grades they deserve - making sure we deliver the return of all children back to school in September," he added.

The Independent's Ashley Cowburn has more on the story here:

Sajid Javid takes extra role as JP Morgan adviser

The former chancellor, who quit his cabinet position earlier this year, has been appointed as JP Morgans senior adviser on its advisory council for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Although the bank did not give details about Mr Javids salary, it said the position would be paid.

Prior to his career in politics, Mr Javid worked at the bank throughout the 1990s before working at Deutsche Bank.

His new role has been approved by the regulatory Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA).

Shadow minister says education is governments blind spot

Shadow universities minister Emma Hardy has said that education secretary Gavin Williamsons delay in scrapping a controversial algorithm used to standardise exams results has caused a massive headache.

Her comments come as Labour sought clarity from the government over a range of outstanding issues posed by the U-turn.

Ms Hardy told BBC Breakfast:"His delay in making this decision has meant that more and more places at university have been filled up.

"Many students have gone ahead and accepted their second-place offers or other offers, or in fact got offers that maybe in the past they wouldn't have actually been entitled to, she added.

After accusing the government of lacking leadership and foresight, Ms Hardy said of education:"It's like it's their blind spot."

Tory MP says exam grade fiasco should be massive wake-up call for government

Robert Halfon, the Tory MP and chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee, has said that the governments handling of exam results this year has been a mega-mess and that it should serve as a massive wake-up call.

Mr Halfon told ITV's GMB programme: "This should be a massive wake-up call for the Government.

"This has been a mega-mess and should not have happened and (Education Secretary Gavin Williamson's) got to, I think, learn from this and just make sure these kind of things do not happen in the future, he added.

The Tory MP said that government by computer does not work and that Boris Johnsons government should empathise with thousands of ordinary peoplewho are affected by its decisions.

Labour calls for clarity from Williamson over U-turn

Labour has called on education secretary Gavin Williamson to give clarity to students, parents and universities after the governments U-turn on exam results.

This follows Mr Williamsons announcement on Monday that GCSE and A-level students will receive their predicted grades and that the regulator Ofquals standardising algorithm will be scrapped.

Describing the governments handling of the situation as incompetent, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer wrote in the Daily Mirror: "At a time of national emergency, this is no way to run a country.

"The Tories' incompetence is holding Britain back from recovery, he added.

Shadow education secretary Kate Green has written to Mr Williamson with 15 questions, including when students will receive their new grades.

After saying she welcomed the policy change, Ms Green added: "The delay and chaos accompanying means that students, families, and education providers have no answers to essential questions.

One of the unresolved issues is whether students who have accepted a place at university based on their moderated gradescan change institutions once they receive their predicted grades.

While announcing the policy change on Monday, Mr Williamson apologised for "the distress" last week's results caused to students and their parents.

Kent CountyCouncil says it has reached its capacity to care for asylum-seeking children

The leader of Kent County Council has said that it can no longer safely accommodate more asylum-seeking children after reaching its capacity.

In a statement released by the council, Roger Gough said: "I am deeply disappointed and concerned that, despite our many efforts to avoid this unthinkable situation, it has been necessary to make this announcement today.

"This is a huge challenge for Kent, but a relatively small challenge to solve nationally, and should have been resolved before now, he added.

Mr Gough said the limit had been exceeded despite efforts to work with local authorities and the Home Office.

More than 400 unaccompanied migrant children have arrived in Kent this year, to whomKent County Council has aduty of care.

Scotlands most senior civil servant to be first witness in Salmond inquiry

MSPs will question permanent secretary Leslie Evans as part of an investigation into Holyroods handling of harassment allegations against the former first minister Alex Salmond.

This comes after the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled that the Scottish governments actions over the complaints had been unlawful.

MsEvans, Scotlands most senior civil servant, will be the first witness to come before a committee established last year.

Mr Salmond, who was acquitted of 13 sexual offence charges earlier this year, will speak to the committee at a later date, as will the current first minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Williamson says he has every confidence schools will reopen in September

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has said that he has every confidence students will return to education in September.

Speaking to LBC, the education secretary said: "Anyone who works in education knows that ... the only right thing to do is open the doors to every single school in this country and welcome every single pupil back.

"We're looking forward to welcoming all those nine million children back into school in September and I do not have a moment's doubt, that's what we're going to achieve," he added.

Mr Williamsons remarks came as he faced calls to resign over his handling of exam results, which sparked a national outcry and led the government to scrap an algorithm that had been used to moderate students' grades.

The education secretary was criticised a few months ago after rowing back on a pledgeto have all primary school students back at school before the end of the summer term.

This followedthe closure of schools as part of lockdown restrictions.

Former conservative minister suggests Williamson may go in reshuffle

George Freeman, a former Tory minister, has suggested the education secretary may be forced out of his position in an upcoming reshuffle following the exam results fiasco.

Describing this years exam results as a total shambles, the Conservative MP told Times Radio that Boris Johnson will want to show that his government cares about a generation of young people.

"Ultimately, the Prime Minister is in charge. And I think he will want to take firm control of this and get a grip and show that his government is taking the life chances of a generation of children seriously," the Tory MP said.

"I'm told the Prime Minister's, you know, planning to reshuffle in the autumn and I dare say he wants to take everything into account, he added.

Some MPs have called for Mr Williamsons resignation, including the Labour shadow minister Louise Haigh and the Liberal Democrat leadership contender Layla Moran.

"The point is this government is utterly incompetent. Gavin Williamson must go," Ms Moran told BBC News.

Labour says government planto break up PHE during pandemic is'irresponsible'

Shadow health minister Jonathan Ashworth has strongly condemned the governments decision to replace Public Health England (PHE) during the pandemic, labelling it as risky and irresponsible.

Mr Ashworths comments, which were made in a series of scathing tweets, came as Matt Hancock is set to announce Conservative peerBaroness Dido Harding as the head of the agency replacing PHE.

In one of his Twitter posts, Mr Ashworth accused Boris Johnsons government of trying to shift the blame.

"A structural reorganisation mid-pandemic is time consuming, energy sapping. It's risky indeed irresponsible, he added.

The shadow health minister also asked who will be responsible for priorities including sexual health, obesity and anti smoking, now that PHE was being replaced.

Christina Marriott, chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, said: "We question the timing of an announcement to scrap our national public health agency in the midst of a global pandemic and before any public inquiry has started, let alone reported."

Exam results volte face is latest in series of government U-turns during pandemic

The governments decision to change its exam grades policy is just the latest in a string of reversals it has been forced to makeduring the pandemic, writes Kate Devlin.

On Monday, the government said that students would receive their predicted grades instead of the grades they were awarded last week, which had been moderated by an algorithm.

Boris Johnsons government has been forced to make other U-turns since the start of lockdown, including its policies on free school meals during the summer holidays and on abereavement scheme for the relatives of key workers who have died of Covid-19.

Read more here:

Hancock confirms Public Health England to be scrapped

Health secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed that the government will replace Public Health England, amid warnings that the move is irresponsible during a pandemic.

Speaking at the Policy Exchange think-tank, Mr Hancock said that Baroness Dido Harding, a Conservative peer who is in change of the test and trace system, will become the new institutes interim head.

The National Institution for Health Protection, which is set to start operating in spring 2021, wil protect the the country from external threats such as infectious diseases, according to the health secretary.

His comments came after Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, condemned the decision in a serious of tweets on Tuesday morning.

In one of the messages, Mr Ashworth wrote: Today well get a structural reorganisation, an attempt at blame shifting, more corrosive privatisation.

Hancock explains new health organisation's mission

Matt Hancock has said that the government is replacing Public Health England with a new organisation called theNational Institution for Health Protection.

In a speech given at thePolicy Exchange think-tank, thehealth secretary claimed the decision would "give ourselves the best chance of beating this virus" and would enable the country to dealwith future external"health threats".

He said: "To give ourselves the best chance of beating this virus and spotting and tackling other external health threats now and in the future, we need to bring together the science and the skill into one coherent whole.

"So, today, I am announcing that we are forming a new organisation, the National Institute for Health Protection," he added.

Mr Hancock did not specify how much funding the public health sector would receive.

Kent County Council to stop taking in new unaccompanied migrant children

Asylum-seeking children who arrive in Dover without other family members will no longer be looked after by Kent County Council.

Instead, the children will remain with the UK Border Force at Dover until another UK local authority has space to safely care for them, according to the council.

This comes one dayafter Roger Gough, the council leader, said that the council had reached its capacity to provide care for migrant children.

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Boris Johnson news live: Gavin Williamson accused of repeated incompetence after day of GCSE results chaos, as government risks major misstep with...

Parliament Hill (Vista Stock Photo)

Following a first-ever move for the Trudeau Government, theMember of Parliament for Parry Sound Muskoka is voicing his concerns about the government temporarily shutting down.

MP Scott Aitchison said proroguing the government basically means resetting all legislation that was in the process of being looked at and committees.

Until September 23rd, Aitchison says all government legislation and committees have ceased to exist until they can be reintroduced.

Effectively, what this means is that they are trying to press the reset button and hope the people will forget about the first part of this government.

This move also releases parliamentary members from their duties until this date as well.

CTV reports that this move was enacted so that the minority government can meet and discuss the eventual recovery from COVID-19.

Aitchison, however, voiced his doubts and linked this total closure to the recent scandals that have arisen like the WE Organization funding and the replacement of the Finance Minister.

He also notes its been a difficult summer for the Federal Liberals.

They went from being very popular in the early days of the COVID-19 situation where they were, I think, reacting fairly well, and now they are tied with the Conservatives who dont have a leader yet. So I think they are concerned about that.

Aitchison speculates the fall out with the previous Finance Minister Bill Morneau wasnt just in relation for the ethical lapses with WE, but also him being the only adult in the room in the cabinet and the only one really with a dissenting voice against the Prime Minister when it came to spending like drunken sailors.

He says with this move, there is a possibility the current Trudeau Government could fall later this year if the party loses a confidence vote which could trigger a general election.

Aitchison adds he is waiting with a fainted breath to see what is going to happen.

Read more here:
MP comments on proroguing government - My Muskoka Now

Instead of gathering along city sidewalks to watch the annual Valleyfest Parade, residents of Spokane Valley will be able to turn their own porches into floats and attractions and Valleyfest will come to them this September.

Valleyfest Executive Director Peggy Doering said organizers have had to constantly adapt to the evolving COVID-19 restrictions and the 31st iteration of the annual festival will be different from what locals remember.

She said organizers were inspired by the Portland Rose Festival this spring, which created a parade in place event where neighborhoods decorated their porches and spruced up their front yard gardens and were placed on a map so the community could drive to neighborhoods and view the porches.

The best way to think of all of these activities is that the festival will be at your home, Doering said.

She said in addition to the map, which would be public, a procession that includes the Valleyfest Royal Court would follow the route and throw candy at participating porches. This event would be the Valleyfest Courts debut. Queen Hayli Sanders and princesses Amy Brown, Hanna Michaelis, Joelle Larson and Kennedie Krieger have not had the chance to attend any events.

Instead of taking place over multiple days, almost all events will occur on Sept. 26.

The porch parade is one of several ideas Doering and other organizers are developing to turn Valleyfest into a virtual event. They plan to borrow another idea from Portland, inviting families to make miniature shoe box floats, which they would photograph and send to Valleyfest organizers. Their miniature floats would be included in a video parade. She said she was also considering a virtual vendor village to allow those who would have had booths at the festival access attendees, a sports day to encourage the community to do sports on their own and possibly a drive-in movie.

Marilyn Clint, CEO of the Rose Parade, said about 400 people participated in the porch parade in Portland and there were about 80,000 views on the map the festival staff created for the parade in place event.

It totally exceeded my expectations for community engagement, she said.

Portland porch parade participants mostly shared examples of their floats on Instagram using variations of the hashtag #porchparade or #paradeinplace. Clint said participants made zoo- and animal-themed porches. Some focused on the theme of the event, roses, but many went far beyond with one neighborhood teaming up to turn the entire area into a float, with each resident adopting a local business, such as a theater or book store, and decorating their porches to celebrate them.

She said other organizations in Portland, such as a cemetery also found creative ways to get involved. Many prominent community members who were pivotal in the Rose Parades history, or the citys history, were buried at the cemetery and their graves were decorated and shared information about them was shared for visitors.

Kathy Hansen, Valleyfest Parade Chair, said she anticipates Spokane Valleys porch parade would function in a similar way, with people signing up to have their porch included in the official map, picking a theme and receiving a sign noting they are on the official route.

She said the parade committee came up with several ideas for themes, including honoring first responders, harvest and people with hearts of gold, which is the theme of Valleyfest every year.

She said people could make up their own themes, as long as they are not a political campaign or some form of commercial advertising.

Hansen said she hopes the miniature parade and the parade in place event will give people something to look forward to, and an activity for families to do together.

Our main objective is to provide some hope and some unity within our community, she said.

This story was clarified on August 14 to reflect that a typical Valleyfest parade does not take place downtown.

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Spokane Valley residents can expect to celebrate 2020 Valleyfest on their porch - The Spokesman-Review