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Tour Caroline Manzo's OCD Kitchen

Sunday sauce is the stuff of legends among The Real Housewives of New Jersey crew. And in some recent Instagram postsfrom RHONJ alum Caroline Manzo and her daughter, Manzo'd with Children's Lauren Manzo Scalia, we got to see exactly how the sauce gets made.

On the day before the big event, Caroline shared a snap of boxes of tomatoes lining her countertop. (There were also a few long hot peppers in the mixbecause as Melissa Gorga has shown us no Sunday sauce is complete withoutthem.)

"Tomorrow is tomato day - get ready," Caroline wrote. Tagging Lauren and a few other sauce accomplices, she added: "Time to bring the little old Italian grandma out In all of us!"

Throughout the next day, Lauren shared snippets of the jarring progress on Instagram Stories. In one snap, her mother stood atop a ladder to stir one of three giant sauce pans with an equally huge spoon. The following video showed a kitchen crew of at least four people chopping up tomatoes Albie Manzo joined in there and Lauren later showed Caroline using some professional-grade equipment to juice the stewed tomatoes.

And finally, Caroline shared a snap of thesauce gang gathered together in the kitchen, with rows of jars in front of them. "Just finished 13 hours of canning - tomatoes- beets - potatoes/string beans - eggplant - eggplant caponata- peppers," she wrote. And if the group's beaming smiles didn't give it away, she added,"So much fun and great memories for all."

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This Is What 13 Hours of Sauce-Making Looks Like at the Manzo House - Bravo

DOVER Neighbors jumped into action to try to help a woman who was severely burned after her mobile home went up in flames Wednesday morning.

It was absolutely terrifying, said Gary Storms, who ran over to the home at 14 Polly Ann Park and ripped off his shirt to cover the injured woman after she escaped.

The fire, which broke out shortly before 8:30 a.m., is being investigated by Dover fire and police along with assistance from the state Fire Marshals Office.

Deputy Fire Chief Michael McShane said police and the fire marshals office joined the investigation because of the injuries.

Neighbors identified the woman as Lehana Anderson, who is listed as the property owner, according to the city assessors office.

Anderson was able to get out before firefighters arrived, but was rushed to a local hospital and later transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where she was listed in fair condition Wednesday afternoon, a hospital spokesperson said.

McShane said a man in another mobile home next door also suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was brought to the hospital, he said.

A firefighter also suffered a minor injury, McShane said.

Andersons home was destroyed while mobile homes on either side of her residence also sustained exterior damage.

Because of the heat and how labor intensive it was because we had three structures to contend with, I went to a second alarm to get additional personnel here to help, McShane said.

Neighbor Bill Wildes, whose home was damaged, said he was in his living room when the fire broke out.

I heard this pop sound and hissing sound. I looked out my bedroom window and thats when I saw it engulfed, he said.

Wildes ran outside and banged on the door.

Storms also rushed over after hearing what he described as a boom. He said he tried to see if Anderson was home and at one point pushed in her air conditioner, but there was no response and thought she wasnt there.

Moments later, he said she came out of the house and was suffering from burns.

I put my shirt over her and I walked her back to my house. She was bewildered and in shock, he said.

Fire investigators remained at the home for several hours as they searched for clues. The cause of the fire had not been determined by late afternoon, officials said.

Continued here:
Neighbors jump in to help woman burned in Dover mobile home fire - The Union Leader

Here are all the reported non-deadly shootings Toledo Police responded to over the weekend.

TOLEDO, Ohio Toledo Police were once again kept busy with a plethora of shootings over the weekend, two of them turning deadly.

The other weekend shootings are listed in the order they were reported to police:

Aug. 14

Police were notified of a shooting around 7 p.m. at the Weiler Homes apartment complex on the 1100 block of Sisson in east Toledo.

It was discovered that a 26-year-old male was taken to the hospital by private vehicle with a non-life threatening gunshot wound.

Police say the apartment building was also hit by gunfire.

Another shooting was reported the same day around 8:30 p.m. at a mobile home in the 3000 block of Nebraska in west Toledo.

A woman told police she was sitting inside her mobile home when she heard gunshots outside. Shortly after, she saw a bullet fragment fall off the ceiling and onto the floor.

The third shooting police responded to on Friday was at a home on the 500 block of Platt in east Toledo around 10:23 p.m.

Police went to the home to find a 66-year-old victim suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Police say his injury is non-life threatening.

The man told police he heard gunshots from outside the home when he was hit by a bullet that came through the window. Police found a shell casing outside the home.

Aug. 15

Saturday's first shooting was reported just after midnight in the 2300 block of Maplewood in central Toledo.

Police say the shooting stemmed from a domestic violence incident. The victim told police she got into an altercation with 29-year-old Ricky Luster Jr. and fled from him in her vehicle.

She told police Luster shot at her vehicle while she was driving away, and police say at least two shots hit the vehicle. The woman was taken to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries, but police said it did not appear that she was hit by gunfire.

Luster fled the scene before police arrived; a warrant is out for his arrest.

Saturday's second non-deadly shooting happened in west Toledo around 5:30 a.m. in the 1700 block of Evansdale.

Upon arrival, police discovered it was a possible domestic situation, with a 25-year-old being taken to the hospital with a possible life-threatening injury after being shot at least once.

The third shooting was reported around 1:03 p.m. in an alley between Thayer and Prouty in south Toledo.

Police say an 18-year-old male was shot in the arm and was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Witnesses say the victim was in the alley with an unknown man, who pulled out a handgun and shot the 18-year-old.

Aug. 16

Around 4:35 p.m., police were sent to the hospital to talk to a man who walked in with a gunshot wound.

The man told police he was on Delaware when he was shot, but does not know who shot him. The victim's injuries are non-life threatening.

A police unit was out on Delaware and Trenton for a shots fired call just prior to this one coming in

See the rest here:
TPD kept busy with multiple shootings over the weekend - WTOL

When Vermont students start the next school year in four weeks, many wont have full access to the internet they need for remote learning.

The COVID crisis has shined a bright light on the state's big broadband inequities as school officials and parents weigh the options of online and in-person classes.

Andre Souligny is one of many parents whod like to keep his kids at home this fall. But he doesnt think its possible with the extremely slow internet connection at their home in rural Roxbury.

If we had really good internet, it would make a big difference in sort of the possibilities and the stress level, he said. You know, we would probably immediately choose to do remote learning, because it would be safer, safer than going to school.

Soulignys family tested it out this spring. But with two children needing to do their school work online, his partner at home working remotely, a third child home from college all tried to use an internet connection thats about 25 times slower than the federal definition of broadband.

Like he said, it got stressful.

It causes tension in our family. Weve always got to be navigating, like 'Whos online, whos offline, turn off your stuff,'" he said. I mean, Im just concerned that we cant probably manage a whole school year remotely. Based on our experience, over the internet, its next to impossible.

"I'm just concerned that we can't probably manage a whole school year remotely. Based on our experience, over the internet, it's next to impossible." Andre Souligny, Roxbury parent

Their situation is not unique. According to the state's Department of Public Service, about 70,000 addresses lack access to service that meets the federal definition of broadband. That number does not include people who cant afford the service. And how many of those 70,000 households have school-age children is also not clear.

Jay Nichols, the executive director of the Vermont Principals Association, told lawmakers recently the problem became glaringly obvious when schools closed and kids struggled to get online.

It hasn't gotten a lot better, it may be a little bit better, but the last time I talked to anybody that was in the know, [they] said 50% of our kids still do not have the level of broadband connectivity they really need to be able to do the remote learning we're talking about across the state, he said.

Jen Botzojorns can tell you whats its like in her part of rural Vermont. Shes superintendent of the Kingdom East Supervisory Union, a sprawling, seven-town school district that spans Caledonia and Essex counties.

More from VPR: Did Your Zoom Video Freeze Again? COVID-19 Crisis Highlights Internet Inadequacies

The connectivity varies from town to town, she said. In some towns, everybody has connectivity except maybe one or two students, but then about 30% [of] its poor quality, and it doesnt work very well. In other towns, you have 40% who dont have good connectivity, or 50%.

Botzojorns said this causes grave inequities in education. Students and families with high speed internet can attend parent-teachers conferences online, have one-on-one sessions with teachers and not lose a minute waiting for a page to load or a video to start.

Those struggling with reading or math, for example, may need intensive instruction thats not possible remotely without a good connection. Botzojorns said in a crisis, people in poverty suffer the most, and that's true now as well.

Our biggest issue is, we are public schools we serve every child, and that is the dream of America, right? You get your education and then you can become anything, she said. And then suddenly a huge percentage of children arent able to access it. And that to me is the opposite of what we want to be doing for our schools.

"A huge percentage of children aren't able to access [education]. And that to me is the opposite of what we want to be doing with our schools." Jen Botzojorns, Kingdom East School District superintendent

One of the district's seventh grade teachers, Sophie Branson Gill, said she saw the problem this spring when she tried to teach remotely. She spoke via Zoom at a meeting convened by Congressman Peter Welch on rural broadband issues.

How can we offer those opportunities if our students cant access them? she asked. How do we engage them in their learning if we cant reach them? And how do we create connections without a connection?

Branson Gill recalled one family saying weve run out of internet and their student couldn't participate until they could afford to add more data to their plan.

To first tackle the cost question, the Department of Public Service will use $2 million in federal COVID relief funds to offer up to $3,000 apiece to help consumers pay for line extensions to their home.

Clay Purvis, director of the department's telecommunications division, said the money is for people who have internet service near them, but cant afford to extend the line to their house.

A big broadband expansion project is probably not going to touch them, he said. And we have addresses like that all over the place.

But you also need to build out the lines. A separate department program using $12 million dollars in federal COVID money will help internet service providers extend service to underserved areas. Providers can seek grants of up to $4 million apiece.

"A big broadband expansion project is probably not going to touch them. And we have addresses like that all over the place." Clay Purvis, Department of Public Service

ECFiber, based in South Royalton, has asked for $1.2 million to target mobile homes and mobile home parks. These are traditionally under-served because all utility lines are buried, so installation costs are high according to Chris Recchia, ECFibers managing director.

This is a really, probably once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to try and get these folks connected in a good way, he said.

More from VPR: Vermont Legislature Eyes ECFiber As Model For Community-Based Broadband Build-Out

ECFiber serves 22 towns in central Vermont and the Upper Valley and will roll out service this year to more. The fiber optic service is a product of Vermonts first communications union district, an organization of towns that band together to provide internet.

If ECFiber wins the grant and if all the park owners approve, ECFiber could expand service to 13 mobile home parks in six towns. Recchia says that should cover about 411 units, with an estimated 250 children.

Obviously, people are suffering and struggling, and this is a really good way to get lower-income people who otherwise wouldnt be able to afford this stellar internet, he said.

"It is not the virus that caused this need. It has always been there." Chris Recchia, ECFiber

Similar communication union districts have sprung up all over the state. The pandemic has obviously made their work even more vital. But Recchia said U.S. society as a whole could have tackled the digital divide a lot sooner, with aggressive federal funding similar to rural electrification in the 1930s.

It is not the virus that caused this need. It has always been there," he said. "And we are doing something that we could have done, and could do anyway, if we wished to put our collective brains together and into making life better for people all across the board. We have that ability.

More from VPR: Utilities, Internet Providers Team Up To Potentially Bid For Federal Broadband Aid

But the federal money the state will dispense this summer and fall has a strict deadline attached: It must be used on projects that can completed by the end of the calendar year.

Yet students need internet by the time schools start Sept. 8. Just how many more families will be served by then is very much an open question.

Have questions, comments or tips?Send us a messageor get in touch with reporter John Dillon@VPRDillon.

We've closed our comments. Read about ways toget in touch here.

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Schools Start In Four Weeks. The State Is Scrambling To Set Up Broadband For Students - Vermont Public Radio

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Deposit Defender (http://www.depositdefenderapp.com/) recently announced the launch of its unique app that helps protect the security deposits of renters who move into new rental properties, while also helping landlords prepare those new rental spaces. Developed by experienced property managers, Deposit Defender uses a series of comprehensive checklist and photo-taking protocols that accurately document the condition of a rental property before renters move in. This information can then be shared, uploaded and stored in a secure database to help ensure a timely return of rental deposits in the future. The tool is also a convenient way for landlords to inspect and document a wide variety of rental properties, all in a single app. Deposit Defender is available for download via the AppStore and Google Play.

Deposit Defender: Photo-Documentation Made Easy

Deposit Defender guides new renters and landlords step-by-step through the documentation process, telling them what they should be photographing and why, using convenient checklists, while prompting users to take pictures that are secured with date and time stamps. Using the app is easy:

For the latest app developments or helpful tips for renters, go online. Or follow Deposit Defender via social media: Facebook.

About Deposit Defender LLC

Deposit Defender is a unique new app that allows renters and landlords to itemize and photo-document rental properties before renters move in: safeguarding security deposits and delivering peace of mind. The app was co-created by Jeff and Angie Durbin. Jeff is the owner of Durbin's Carpet Care, with over 30 years' carpet cleaning and business management experience. Angie has been a property manager for over 20 years, and is the owner of D&M Realty and Management in San Diego. Learn more at: http://www.DepositDefenderApp.com.

Media Contact:

Angie Durbin, CEOPhone: (619) 253--8890Email: [emailprotected]

SOURCE Deposit Defender LLC

http://www.depositdefenderapp.com

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New 'Deposit Defender' App Allows Renters to Easily Photo-Document Rental Property Inspections, Helping Them Safeguard Valuable Security Deposits from...

"I am extremely overwhelmed with gratitude for the support of Perdue Farms in response to the tornado that severely impacted our county," said Ron Wesson, chairman of the Bertie County Board of Commissioners. "The joint support of Perdue and the Albemarle Area United Way for our neighbors who have lost so much is a wonderful example of how committed partners can truly make a difference."

"We sincerely appreciate Perdue Farms' rapid response and support for the Food Bank and our partner agencies in Bertie County," said Liz Reasoner, executive director of Food Bank of the Albemarle. "Perdue's donation of 45,000 pounds of protein will provide meals to those in need today, and in the weeks and months to come."

The Franklin P. and Arthur W Perdue Foundation, the company's charitable giving arm, donated $10,000 to the Albemarle Area United Way in support of the relief efforts.

"On behalf of a grateful community, we can't thank Perdue enough for responding in a significant way to the devastation we experienced as a result of tornadoes spun out of Tropical Storm Isaias," said Bill Blake, executive director of the Albemarle United Way. "We're inspired by Perdue's charitable philosophy and hope this generous gift motivates others to join the cause."

On Tuesday, August 4, the twister ripped through a mobile home community near Windsor, N.C., killing two, injuring dozens and leaving many families homeless in Bertie County, home to Perdue Farms' operations that employee more than 3,700 associates.

"The losses endured by so many, including some of our associates and their families, are heartbreaking," said Frank Koekoek, director of Perdue operations in Lewiston. "Our thoughts remain with all those affected by the storm. We hope our company's support will bring some level of relief and comfort to our neighbors."

About the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue FoundationThe Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms, was established in 1957 by company founder Arthur W. Perdue and is funded through the estates of Arthur W. Perdue and Frank Perdue. As part of our belief in supporting the communities where and with whom we do business, the Foundation provides grants on behalf of Perdue Farms in communities where large numbers of our associates live and work. At Perdue Farms, we believe in responsible food and agriculture.

About Perdue FarmsWe're a fourth-generation, family owned, U.S. food and agriculture company. Through our belief in responsible food and agriculture, we are empowering consumers, customers and farmers through trusted choices in products and services.

The PERDUE brand is the number-one brand of fresh chicken in the U.S., and the company is the leader in organic chicken in the U.S., and Perdue AgriBusiness is an international agricultural products and services company. Now in our centennial year, our path forward is about getting better, not just bigger. We never use drugs for growth promotion in raising poultry and livestock, and we are actively advancing our animal welfare programs. Our brands are leaders in no-antibiotics-ever chicken, turkey and pork, and in USDA-certified organic chicken. Learn more at corporate.perduefarms.com.

SOURCE Perdue Farms

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Perdue Farms Delivers $10,000 and 45,000 Pounds Of Protein To Support Bertie County, NC Tornado Relief Efforts - PRNewswire

Keene State College plans to cut 15 faculty positions over the next year, while adding seven new ones, President Melinda Treadwell announced Friday.

The moves are part of the college's multi-year effort to balance its budget and adjust to a smaller student body as enrollment has declined.

The ConVal Regional High School Class of 2020 had a graduation ceremony Saturday evening, which was live-streamed online for those who could not make it.

The graduates spoke bluntly about the challenges the world presents them, and their duty to work toward solving problems like human rights abuses and climate change.

Most students in the Monadnock Region will return to classrooms in the fall, at least for a few days a week.

When they are in school, students and staff will be required to wear masks in almost all situations.

Keene State's commencement will be held virtually after all, though the college had planned to have an in-person ceremony this fall.

The Class of 2020 will be honored during an online graduation Oct. 3.

The largest number of COVID-19 infections in the state has been among 20-somethings.

"This is certainly not just a New Hampshire thing. It's happening here in Tennessee and all over the country," said Dr. William Schaffner, professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University.

Members of the Tanglewood Estates mobile home community in Keene will pay an additional $15 in monthly rental fees to the resident-owned cooperative association that manages the park, starting in November.

The increase, which a quorum of the co-op's members approved Saturday, will finance an overhaul of the park's sewer system.

Cedarcrest Center for Children with Disabilities in Keene announced Tuesday that a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19.

The employee, who has not been at the Maple Avenue facility since Aug. 2, had not been feeling well and was tested for the viral disease this past weekend, according to spokeswoman Patty Farmer.

Gov. Chris Sununu announced Tuesday that he has instituted a mask mandate for "scheduled gatherings" of 100 or more people.

The new requirement, which went into effect immediately via emergency order, is geared toward large, public events, such as the upcoming Laconia Bike Week, and an upcoming religious gathering in New Ipswich.

Hannah Grimes Marketplace in Keene is temporarily closed for in-store shopping while one of its employees is tested for COVID-19, the Main Street boutique announced Tuesday on its Facebook page.

The store will continue to sell its artisanal items, which include locally produced home decor, food and jewelry, through socially distanced means.

Keene officials have concerns about the future of the city's commercial tax base and what it might mean for residential taxpayers.

During a teleconference Wednesday with U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H., leaders from several Granite State municipalities addressed some of the issues their communities are facing in the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The town of Swanzey is continuing to look at alternative polling places after concerns were raised about the current voting location.

The selectboard on Wednesday instructed Town Moderator Bruce Tatro, along with other town officials, to visit potential alternative voting sites to determine whether they could accommodate Swanzey's Election Day needs.

Due to the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Valley Regional Healthcare will not reopen its Charlestown clinic.

Valley Regional opened the Main Street clinic after Labor Day last year.

Gov. Chris Sununu laid out the process by which communities will be notified if a COVID-19 case is discovered in a school and how districts should proceed.

The governor said Thursday that students or faculty members who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to stay home and isolate until at least 10 days after the onset of symptoms and until after they've been feeling better for at least 24 hours.

Keene Housing received nearly $200,000 in federal funding this week that the organization plans to channel into efforts to protect the health and welfare of its residents and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The money comes from a $1.25 billion program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that was created as part of the CARES Act.

With less than an hour of debate, fall sports and other extracurricular activities got the green light from the Monadnock Regional School Board Thursday night.

Monadnock administrators will be determining a feasible preseason start date.

Read the rest here:
Last week in The Sentinel | Local News | sentinelsource.com - The Keene Sentinel

EDITOR'S NOTE: This column is by Seth Effron, opinion editor for Capitol Broadcasting Company. Dennis Rogers, a columnist for the News & Observer of Raleigh more more than 30 years, died Saturday. He was 77 years old.

I knew Dennis Rogers before Dennis Rogers was a clich. He spent better than 30 years at Raleighs News & Observer writing columns that documented the life and times of people and places mostly in eastern North Carolina.

But his first full-time reporting job was in Fayetteville. Dennis was among the original staffers that launched The Fayetteville Times 47 years ago this July (In 1990 The Times was merged with its sister newspaper The Fayetteville Observer). I joined The Times right out of school, 11 months later.

Dennis was fresh out of college though he had life experience that far exceeded most of the reporting staff. Hed spent eight years in the Army including service in Vietnam after which he got a journalism degree from UNC-Chapel Hill.

The new paper had a small and mostly young staff. There was a lot of undeveloped talent and Dennis was the writer much of the staff looked to. It wasnt just how he wrote but it was his approach to reporting that influenced those around him. His approach to news to tell stories, describe events, profile people was aimed at connecting with readers. Dennis didnt write as if his words were being handed down from on high. He wasnt looking to impress community leaders or big-shot office holders.

Dennis wanted EVERY person who picked up The Fayetteville Times and read his reporting, to feel as if he were talking directly to them, in ways that connected with their lives and experiences.

Among his beats, was covering the military service most specifically Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base. They were, and remain, the towns biggest business. Particularly in the years during the Vietnam War, the military installations and the people who were stationed on them influenced nearly every aspect of life.

The afternoon newspaper, the long-established Fayetteville Observer, covered Fort Bragg and the soldiers, as a corporate entity. What was the latest official pronouncement, what was being pushed by the public information operation that was the news on the military that dominated in the Observer.

In a hotly competitive news environment, Dennis had a different approach and it influenced the way other Fayetteville Times reporters covered other beats.

Dennis, correctly, saw Fort Bragg as a community, not a business. It wasnt just the generals and colonels that mattered.

It was the enlisted soldiers and lower-ranking officers and their families. What was going on in their lives? How did military service and life in the Fayetteville area affect them and their children? What ways beyond the GIs cruising the bars and clubs on Hay Street; the used-car and mobile home lots along Bragg Boulevard; the court docket did these people contribute to the community and what impact did Fayetteville have on their lives.

Dennis had that touch from the beginning. His influence spread to others and became a hallmark of the distinct way The Fayetteville Times covered the news from the city hall and the courthouse to the schools and business community.

So, before Dennis Rogers, became the Dennis Rogers who earned such strong affection from readers of The News & Observer, he was a colleague who helped an entire newspaper frame the way it covered and talked about its community.

It is a legacy for those fortunate enough to have worked with him in the early days of a career that lives on in our work each day.

Capitol Broadcasting Company's Opinion Section seeks a broad range of comments and letters to the editor. Our Comments beside each opinion column offer the opportunity to engage in a dialogue about this article.

In addition, we invite you to write a letter to the editor about this or any other opinion articles. Here are some tips on submissions >> SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR

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SETH EFFRON: From the start Dennis Rogers connected news, communities and people - WRAL.com

CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio -- With so many artists working from home and putting their creative energies to good use, upcoming art exhibitions and audiences are bound to be enlivened with fresh perspectives and a greater emphasis on the shared pathos of living through a pandemic.

On the cusp of its 50th anniversary, Valley Art Center (VAC) is preparing for its 49th annual juried art exhibition, opening Nov. 6 and showcasing the art and artists of the region. The exhibit will be on display through Dec. 16 in the Margaret Bowen Gallery at 155 Bell St.

Artists living in a 250-mile radius of VAC are invited to submit up to three pieces for consideration. A panel of three independent jurors will select works to display from those submitted.

The jurors for this years show include artist and art educator David King, artist and owner of Deep Dive Art Projects & Editions Bellamy Printz; and Michael Weil, photographer and owner of Foothill Galleries.

Categories include textiles, glass and enamel, photography and prints, wood, metal and sculpture, jewelry, painting and drawings, ceramics, and mixed media and other modalities.

Cash prizes totaling $1,000 will be awarded for first, second and third place and best of show. Several community-sponsored awards will be presented, including the Hardy Watercolor Award and the Phyllis Lloyd Memorial Award.

Jurors typically choose about 75 pieces for the exhibit from about 300 to 400 pieces submitted. The venerable exhibit attracts a broad spectrum of artists and styles and is considered to be one of the regions oldest and most prestigious juried shows.

The cost to enter is $15 per piece, and artists may submit up to three pieces. All entries must be for sale. Work shown previously at VAC is not eligible.

From now until Oct. 19, artists may apply digitally using a link on the valleyartcenter.org website and following the instructions there. At least one digital image of each piece is required. Additional images of sculpture and three-dimensional work is advised.

View art now: The Fairmount Center for the Arts invites you to view its 44th annual visual arts exposition through Aug. 27 at the centers facility, located at 8700 Fairmount Blvd. in Russell Township. Or you can see it virtually. Contact fairmountcenter.org.

Safe travels this season: Russell Township police join other area departments in a national campaign to Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Aug. 21 through Sept. 7.

Partnering with the Geauga County Sheriffs Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Russell police will step up efforts to get drunk and impaired drivers off the road, as well as educate the public about the dangers of impaired driving.

Watch for increased patrols and roadblock safety checks in some communities. If you imbibe too much, you can use an app to catch a ride home through NHTDAs SaferRide mobile app, available on Google Play and Apples iTunes, according to a press release issued by Russell police.

The app allows you to call a taxi or a predetermined friend to pick you up. If you see a suspected drunk driver on the road, call 911. If you have a drunken friend about to drive, take the keys away and make arrangements to drive that friend home, advises Sgt. Randy Bialosky.

Contact trafficsafetymarketing.gov.

Alzheimers caregiver programs: The Cleveland chapter of the Alzheimers Association is offering several one-hour free education programs online to help caregivers and family members with patients who have the fatal brain disease.

Effective communication strategies will be discussed from 11 a.m. to noon Thursday (Aug. 20). Participants can learn 10 warning signs of Alzheimers disease from 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Aug. 25. Understanding and responding to dementia-related behaviors is the topic from 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27.

These programs are available by telephone or video conference. Pre-registration is required. Register by calling 800-272-3900. The Cleveland chapter provides support to 50,000 people with the disease regionally in five counties.

To post your news and events contact Rusek at jcooperrusek@gmail.com.

Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun.

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What does art created in a pandemic look like: Valley Views - cleveland.com

CHURCH ROCK, N.M. (AP) Louise Johnson, 76, made a plea for help in her cellphone voicemail message.

My name is Louise Johnson. I live in the Superman Canyon (area). I need food and woods.

Earlier this year, when the pandemic hit the Navajo Nation, she found herself unable to leave her home to go to town for groceries and other essentials for fear of being exposed to COVID-19.

Since she recorded the message in late March or April, her family and friends have been delivering goods to her home, a one-bedroom hogan without a bathroom or running water located in a rural area northwest of Church Rock known as Superman Canyon because thats where scenes of the 1978 Superman movie were filmed.

I heard it on the radio. They advised us to do that, Johnson said about the idea of recording a request for help on her voicemail.

She has not deleted the message, despite her brothers request, because the number of Navajo elders dying from COVID-19 continues to increase, and she feels she is still at risk and does not know when the crisis is going to end.

Johnsons needs go beyond food and woods.

She takes sponge baths and uses an outhouse for her necessities. Her biggest challenge is water. Even though her hogan was built about 50 feet away from a waterline, she has not been able to connect the structure to the line because she lacks a bathroom, one of the requirements for the Indian Health Service to connect the home to plumbing.

According to Church Rock Chapter records, Johnson applied for financial assistance through the chapter to build a bathroom in 2018. All 110 Navajo chapters have an annual budget to assist the community with home repairs and bathroom additions.

Morgan said since Johnsons plight was featured in the news earlier this year, the chapter passed an emergency resolution to immediately grant Johnsons request and she was awarded about $3,000 to pay for lumber and other materials to build the bathroom addition. She also told the Gallup Independent that three volunteers, two of whom had construction experience, offered to assist in building the bathroom.

The project is still in the works. Johnson said she visited the chapter recently to find out whats going on and was told not to worry, that its being taken care of, she said.

Morgan said she is working with the Navajo Engineering Construction Co. on getting Johnsons bathroom and plumbing. She said Johnson is one of about 300 families in Church Rock in need of a bathroom.

About 50 to 60% of our families need bathroom additions, Morgan said. The majority of the families need bathroom additions or new bathrooms because their systems are old and their septic tanks collapsed or their bathroom fixtures got depleted. Some of these homes or bathrooms were built back in the day, when bathroom construction was not efficient or they used to cut corners.

The cost to build or replace a bathroom varies, but the chapter typically awards $3,000 per member in need of assistance for lumber and material. Money, however, is limited and awarded based on priority and need.

Rex Kontz, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority deputy manager, told the Independent in May that about 15,000 homes on the Navajo Nation lack running water for different reasons that include the lack of a bathroom or plumbing.

After unofficial inquiry, I understand roughly 50% need plumbing, he said. But some also need an addition to create space for a bathroom or what is referred to as a bathroom addition. ... Some homes may have been pre-plumbed when built and some may be mobile homes that came with plumbing.

Jenny Notah, a spokeswoman for the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, said the agency can provide bathroom plumbing for homes when it is constructing water and sewer facilities at those homes. But the burden lies on others.

Bathroom additions must be built by either the homeowner, the chapter, the Navajo Nation or by others, she said in an email to the Independent. When IHS can fit bathroom plumbing, which usually includes a sink, a toilet, a shower-tub and a hot water heater, in a home without an addition, then we do. However, many older homes and hogans typically do not have room in the existing home for bathroom plumbing. When a bathroom addition is necessary, the IHS typically coordinates with the homeowner and chapter on the need for bathroom additions long before a water/sewer project begins in order to give the homeowners and chapters time to build the necessary bathroom additions.

Notah couldnt say how many homes are on a list of funded projects. Hundreds of others are in need of bathroom additions, she said.

The agency has worked with the Navajo Engineering and Construction Authority to install about 88 homes with plumbing, including toilets, and showers or tubs so far this year, Notah said.

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Thousands of Navajo Nation homes without plumbing amid virus - The Journal