ARLINGTON -- All the worlds a stage, including a porch in rural Reno County.

This particular front porch stage belongs to Delmar and Suzanne Miller, and its where theyll be hosting performances of "Romeo and Juliet" this weekend.

Shakespeare on the Porch will present the play at 7 p.m. Oct. 16-18 at 19308 W. Castleton Road, Arlington.

This free, outdoor, family-friendly performance will be staged with plenty of room for social distancing. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and plan to stay for popcorn and fellowship after the show.

A cultural moment

"Romeo and Juliet" was one of the first plays the group produced, precisely because it is one most children understand, Miller said.

Its also particularly important during this cultural moment, she explained.

"Were doing it now because theres two groups of people who are 100% identical in social standing, upbringing, every way, and theyve decided to hate each other," Miller said. "It brings destruction on their entire families."

"Theres a kind of deep discourtesy thats a poison and it needs to stop," she said.

The text of "Romeo and Juliet" is kept the same - no edits to take it easy on young actors - but there are a few abbreviations to keep the plays run time around 100 minutes.

The cast includes 25 children raging from preschool to high school students - some home schooled, others from area schools.

Socially distanced

Theres 18 mph breezes forecast for performance nights, which is good for carrying away any aspirators, Miller said.

"There will be plenty of fresh air," she said. Audience members are encouraged to follow Reno County protocol of wearing masks. Actors will not be masked.

New this year is the option to view the live stream of the production, rather than attend in person. The stream will be available on the Arlington Classical Theater YouTube channel.

14 years on the porch

The annual fall production of "Shakespeare on the Porch" began in 2006. Theyve produced a classic play each fall ever since.

The idea stemmed from tragedy -- after Millers daughter passed away, the family sat with grief for a while. But wanting to do something to liven their world, she thought her home-schooled children and friends should do a production of Shakespeares "Julius Caesar."

The first performance took place on the familys large front porch. Little children wore pillow cases for costumes.

At the time, the Millers had three children - Katie, Betsy, and Charlie.

Since then, their cast of children has grown to include Lucy Rose, Kip, and Jack. All but the oldest have roles in this years production -- Katie is off at college.

Coming together

Children practiced their sword fighting outside the family home on an idyllic fall day for other cast members to arrive for a dress rehearsal.

They appear to work hard honing their skills - memorizing lines, practicing inflection.

"The most common compliment I hear is that the kids sounds like they know what theyre saying," Miller laughed.

Shakespeares plays were intended to be watched, not read - and they're much more interesting live onstage.

Painted sheets hang on the porch to simulate a brick wall. Quilts hung along the side create a back stage area. Brooder lights from a chicken house are used instead of a spotlight.

Parents are in charge of their childs costume, and families chip in to complete set pieces.

"It means a lot of talents can come together," Miller said.

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Shakespeare on the Porch brings the Bard to life Oct. 16-18 - The Hutchinson News

A Lincoln Park woman notified police after the packages she had delivered to her house arrived, and then disappeared when she let them on the porch as part of a sanitizing process she does in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a police report, the woman ordered a pair of kids Converse shoes, Nike shoes and three plushy stuffed animals.

All three packages arrived at her house on Mill Street, but the woman told police she usually leaves packages sitting on her porch for a couple of days because of the virus, and then she sanitizes them when she believes it is safe.

She last saw the packages on the porch on Sept. 18, but they were gone by about 10 a.m. the following day.

The woman told police she does not have cameras at her house.

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Lincoln Park woman leaves packages on porch as part of COVID-19 sanitizing; all are stolen - Southgate News Herald

Package theft is a big issue that has affected 30 percent of Americans. Here are some tips to get your items safely delivered in time for the holidays 10Best.com

MIDDLETOWN - An unidentified woman in an orthopedic walking boot on her left foot and clutching a cigarette in her left hand is wanted for porch piracy in the Oak Hill section of the township, according to police on Thursday.

The incident occurred on an early morning hour several weeks ago and was caught on a home surveillance video camera, police said.

Undelivered: Amazon delivery contractor stole Keansburg, Metuchen packages: Cops

The trusted place to find the best home service providers. Find local pros.

The video shows a woman coming up to the porch of the house in the rather unusual state for a thief, police observed.

Also in the county: Rumson jewelry store owner faces additional charges of theft, 11 more victims step forward

Do you know this woman? The Middletown Township Police Department needs your help in identifying her.(Photo: Courtesy of Middletown Township Police Department)

Anyone with information pertaining to the identity of this woman is asked to contact Middletown Township Police Officer John Walsifer at 732-615-2120.

Additionally, with increased online shopping ahead of the holidays, and an anticipated increase in deliveries, the Middletown Police reminds the community that it is important to take proactive measures to ensure the safety of their homes, vehicles, and packages, said Deputy Police Chief Paul J. Bailey, a department spokesman.

Residents should ensure their homes are secured, Bailey said. This can be done by closing garage doors, making sure all exterior doors are locked. The use of home alarm systems and motion-sensing lighting are also effective crime prevention measures. People are urged to lock their vehicles when not in use and remove the keys or key fobs. When items are being delivered to the home, please bring them in as soon as possible or ask a neighbor to bring them in if you are away. Last, the public is asked to be alert and immediately report any suspicious activity to the police.

Erik Larsen: 732-682-9359 or elarsen@gannettnj.com

Read or Share this story: https://www.app.com/story/news/local/red-bank-middletown-area/2020/10/15/middletown-porch-pirate-orthopedic-walking-boot-sought-package-theft/3670564001/

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Middletown: Porch pirate in orthopedic walking boot sought in package theft - Asbury Park Press

If you think low premiums and high payouts are the only two things to consider when shopping for insurance coverage for your family, there's a lot you should know about Farmers Union Insurance. That's why Stacy Mongar, a Financial and Insurance Resource Specialist and Cam Lux, an agent with Farmers Union Insurance are here to tell you about the advantages of Farmers Union Insurance coverage and the difference it can make for you and your family when you need it most.

You can find out more about how Farmers Union Insurance can help you by visiting their website at FUIagency.com. Or call 605-212-1581. All Farmers Union Agent Offices are open across the state, but please call ahead to schedule your appointment. You can also reach a Farmers Union agent by email. Farmers Union wants you to know that they are still continuing to service customers as needed in person, by phone, or online.

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Sioux Falls Jazz and Blues goes back to their roots with Front Porch Concerts - KELOLAND.com

If youve read the front page of this weeks edition, you know that we have released my first book, On the Porch, a collection of the best columns that have appeared in this space over the years. If youre worried about another toilet paper shortage, do we have a deal for you!

Contributing writer Steve Reece of Smarr played a big part in making the book happen. I had narrowed the 1,800 columns I had written over the past 20 years down to about 200. But I sometimes have a hard time making those tough final cuts. Steve had no such qualms. He eliminated mediocre columns like a machete man, and got it down to a manageable number that wouldnt require my publisher, Amazon, to cut down the Amazon forest to print the thing. During the publishing process, Steve had some questions about the book. I thought I might share them and my answers.

Q. Youve written a weekly column for like 20 years. Why did you wait until now to publish a book?

A. Are you calling me lazy Steve? Youre fired. No seriously, I have wanted to publish a book of my columns for some time. I finally got the ball rolling last summer when our intern, Bailey Storey, began taking them off the newspaper pages in our computer server and copying them into a folder. That meant the editing process could begin. But of course it didnt. Then you (Steve) started working for us in March and helped select the best columns. Then COVID-19 struck. We never missed a day of work during the shutdown, but we did have some down time. That allowed me to work on it. Former Macon Telegraph columnist Ed Grisamore and Macon author Rick Maier, both veterans of the book publishing process, were indispensable in giving advice. My dear mother, as only mothers do, had saved a few of her favorite columns from previous newspaper stints where I had served. Further, unlike you, it takes me 20 years to come up with enough good material to publish a book. Im sure itll only take you about 19 years.

Q. Whats your favorite column that youve written?

A. Well I always enjoy taking local politicians to task. When I was publisher of the Sylvania Telephone, the county commissioners threatened to pull all the legal ads out of the newspaper if I didnt toe the line and make them look better. I was 25 years old and a little rattled. But my first newspaper boss, Dink NeSmith, backed me all the way. He encouraged me to write a front-page column in response. So I did. I wrote that if we had to choose between our integrity and the revenue from their handful of legal ads, we would select our integrity every time. The response from our readers was incredible. We were overrun with letters to the editor slamming commissioners for trying to bully the press.

Alas, my wife, wisely, notes that people enjoy humorous columns more than political ones. So I have tried to steer away from politics in recent years. One of my columns that got the biggest response recently told a story many can relate to: Getting my Corona haircut from my father in law. He butchered me with delight. I got a lot of response, and thats what makes it fun, when people enjoy a column and can relate to it. I wrote one three years ago about when goats took over our office that people still ask me about. And yes, all of these are in the book.

Q. How do you go about writing a column?

A. Desperately and with great panic. Newspaper people are terrific procrastinators and I am one of the best. So I usually put it off until were going to press at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays. Its the last white space we fill in the Reporter every week. Now some weeks, if I am being a good boy, Ill write it on Monday night. I always enjoy life more when I do that. But of course thats rare.

Finally, Steve, I want to say how overwhelmed I am by the readers of the Reporter. Due to their support, the Reporters newspaper subscriptions are up 20 percent this year. Theres probably not a newspaper in America that can say that. Theres a special bond between this newspaper and our readers. I treasure it, and this book is an outgrowth of that. Whether you enjoy reading or are struggling with insomnia, I hope many of you will get a copy of On the Porch.

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ON THE PORCH: Doing it by the book - Monroe County Reporter

We're not sure what the context of this was, but considering all of the nonsense that is being peddled out into the world by people who still refuse to wear facemasks in public during a deadly pandemic and who don't think LGBTQ+ people deserve any rights, this viral video of a woman proudly proclaiming her support of so many progressive causes is a small breath of fresh air that we so desperately need in this whirlwind of a year we've been having.

@ashleyann1510

No caption needed ##fyp ##foryou ##xyzbca ##corona ##election2020mood

original sound - Ashley_Sarro

"Black lives do f**king matter. Science is real. Love is love, b*tch! Gay Pride!" an unnamed woman can be heard screaming from her porch, a glorious moment that was captured in a TikTok video that was posted by user@ashleyann1510earlier this month.

"Womens rights is human rights. And the virus is not a hoax. Coronavirus!" the woman in the video, which has 2.3 million views at the time of writing, then concluded.

"No caption needed,"@ashleyann1510 wrote about her viral video, even hashtagging#election2020mood.

Word of advice: In a world full of loud, angry racists and selfish science deniers, be more like this Porch Queen.

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This TikTok of a Woman Screaming 'Gay Pride!' From Her Porch Is a Mood - Pride.com

It's impossible to be across all the new music out each Friday. 2020 has proven that, even in the face of hundreds of crises, there's little that can stop artists the world over from releasing hits week-in, week-out. Luckily, PAPER is here to help you out: each week, we round up 10 of our favorite new songs from artists emerging and established to soundtrack your life. From the surreal to the sublime, these songs cover every corner of the music world. The only criteria: they all have to absolutely rip.

CupcakKe "Elephant"

The high-octane "Elephant" is vintage CupcakKe goofy, raunchy and relentless. It's been a while between albums for the usually prolific Chicagoan, but when the loosies are this good, who cares?

Romy "Lifetime"

Romy Madley Croft's star turns on Jamie xx's In Colour and The xx's I See You were proof that the once-reclusive indie musician had legitimate pop chops. "Lifetime" puts Romy front and center over a glossy, vintage beat, and the result recalls vintage Robyn.

Denzel Curry "Live From The Abyss"

Denzel Curry's abrasive, political new single picks up where his beloved cover of "Bulls On Parade" left off, finding the Floridian surveying the state of America with a vicious, unrelenting eye.

cookii "little (Lonelyspeck Remix)"

Lonelyspeck's take on the excellent new cookii single is less genre-agnostic as it is genre-obsessed; for their "little" remix, they cycle through bouncy hyperpop, sweeping nu-metal, and trap before settling on a heart-racing d'n'b coda. At the song's heart remains cookii's simple, classic songwriting.

Junglepussy "Main Attraction"

Hype for Jp4 is at peak levels with the release of "Main Attraction," a hypnotic, hallucinatory new spin on Junglepussy's sound.

Ninajirachi & Kota Banks "Opus"

Big Vroom Vroom-era Charli vibes from "Opus," the sleek, intense new single from Ninajirachi and Kota Banks' collaborative record. Miles away from previous single "True North," it's a strong display of both artists' versatility.

Mahne Frame & Tohji "SOMETIMES I TRY NOT TO CARE"

Producer and songwriter Mahne Frame links up with hyped Tokyo rapper Tohji on this industrial, almost Crystal Castles-y gem.

Porches "I Miss That"

Arriving just a few months after the already-underrated Ricky Music, "I Miss That" is airy and nostalgic, showcasing a more lowkey and leisurely side of Porches.

Smerz "The favourite"

It's been a minute since we heard from the excellent Norwegian duo Smerz, but they're back with new single "The favourite," a strange, baroque taster of music to come. It's miles away from the abrasive pop of their first two EPs, but is weirdly addictive all the same.

Lykke Li "BRON"

Lykke Li'sLykke Li's "BRON," sung entirely in Swedish, is spectral and airy, finding the indie pop icon returning to the bright, swelling sound her early career was staked on.

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10 New Songs by CupcakKe, Smerz, Porches and Lykke LI - Papermag

Looking for cute small porch ideas? Fall seems to be the time of year that porches come into their own, they are all over Instagram, donned with pumpkins and hay bales. So naturally, we want to get sprucing up our own porches for the grid, even if they are on the tinier side.

We have rounded up our fave small porch decor ideas to inspire you to give your outdoor space a bit of a makeover. And if you are after more fall decor for inside your home too, check out our feature.

No matter how small your porch, you can always squeeze in some fall decor. With a smaller porch, we would say keep things simple, a scattering of small pumpkins and some orange foliage could be all you need to give the space a fall makeover. If you have seating on your porch, switch out the soft furnishings on that too for some more autumnal hues.

Loving this chic and simple small porch, plus the dog makes it even more inviting! The key to this look is the lack of clutter, making the porch feel more spacious. If you want to add seating to a diddy space just pick a chair that's compact, not too fussy and can be styled in lots of different ways throughout the seasons. Mix in some smaller potted plants that aren't going to overwhelm the space, pick a cute doormat that's not too visually heavy and there you go.

It's interior design 101: use lighter colors in a small space, and that can be true of porches too. Using a paler color pallet will disguise the small dimensions of the space, keeping it feeling light and airy. If you want to add a hint of color, stick with muted pastels and add in a few darker colors in your decor for balance and contrast.

If your porch is big enough to cope with a few pieces of furniture, just keep those pieces to a minimum. All you need to make your porch feel like an extension of your lounge is some seating and possibly a small table for perching a coffee. A compact swing seat works well in smaller porches because they are off the floor, allowing light to flow around it so it won't look too bulky. Decorate your porch with light but cozy pillows and throws so even if the space does feel a bit crowded, it just adds to the intimate feel.

If your porch really is just a set of stairs leading up to your front door, greenery is going to be your best bet. Get climbers going up your rails to soften the look and dot an array of potted plants in different sizes on the porch itself. Again, this will disguise the size and make a pretty plain space feel more like an inviting entrance to your home.

Link:
5 simple small porch ideas to make the most of your space - Real Homes

SAGINAW, MI The United Way of Saginaw County has collected 7,000 pairs of shoes during its 2020 Community Shoe Drive and theres still time to donate yours.

The Community Shoe Drive continues through the month of October. United Way officials are collecting donations of new and used shoes of all sizes and types and will pick up your donations directly from your front porch.

These shoes will help many people in many different ways. The shoes in great condition and like-new will be given to those in need in Saginaw County through our partner nonprofit agencies and also directly, said President and CEO Audra Davis. For the shoes that need to be loved a little for a second chance will be sold to a company that empowers small business owners around the world to help them get and stay financially stable.

Proceeds from those sales will support local programs that serve Saginaw County residents, she said.

Through this initiative we are helping to lift Saginaw County residents who live at or below ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed), increasing financial stability through the financial support of programs that offer critical services supporting those in need, Davis said.

So far, the organization has collected about half as many shoes as it did during its last shoe drive three years ago.

In 2017, we collected nearly 13,000 pairs of shoes. We had workplaces organizing shoe collections and public drop sites at local businesses all over the county, Davis said. This year has looked a lot different and we had to get creative. We have been doing porch pickups for those who want to donate their shoes to our drive. We keep our distance and its easy for the donor.

To learn more or to schedule a porch pickup, visit https://bit.ly/UsedShoes.

Davis asked community members to also consider donating to the United Ways annual campaign, noting that every dollar donated supports the work it does in Saginaw. Text GiveUnitedToday to 41444 or visit http://bit.ly/GiveUnitedToday to donate.

Read more on MLive:

United Way of Saginaw County selects 17 programs to receive $650,000

Saginaw County church group hosting drive-thru food giveaway for 300 families

Free virtual workshops set to help Saginaw entrepreneurs write business plans

Free comic books for kids offered at upcoming event in downtown Saginaw

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United Way in Saginaw collects 7,000 pairs of shoes, porch pickup continues this month - mlive.com

Bay Staters were transfixed when stories emerged of the September viral video showing a rogue bear nudge a Greenfield man awake from his poolside nap but local officials say this experience is much more common than one might think.

We have bears in peoples yards and neighborhoods on a daily basis, probably a hundred times or more a day, in our established bear range, said Dave Wattles, a black bear and furbearer biologist for Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

Since the peak of people transitioning to a working-from-home routine due to the coronavirus pandemic, Wattles said human-bear interactions have increased. And as bears continue foraging widely for food in preparation for winter denning, he said its important to know how to coexist with the creatures in an effort to keep them from stumbling through residents yards, screened porches, and properties.

Massachusetts is bear country and it is up to the citizens of Massachusetts to be responsible for coexisting with our wildlife and help keep bears wild, by removing bird feeders, securing garbage in a garage or shed, and cleaning up other food sources, Wattles told Boston.com in an email.

He added that the commonwealths bear population has been consistently growing for the past 50 years. Bear densities have been increasing rapidly in central Mass., the places bears are often found is now expanding East, and bears have even begun inhabiting places in eastern Mass. that they havent in the past 250 years.

Wattles also said there are now resident bears living between Interstate 495 and Route 128. Additionally, there have been more sightings east of the Connecticut River.

Connecticuts Department of Energy and Environmental Protection also reported an increase in interactions between black bears and people throughout 2020, resulting in unprecedented numbers of complaints and requests for assistance.

Wattles said the main reason bears are drawn to local homes is because of the abundance of food people have around.

Bears are driven by food, he said, adding that they mostly eat plant-based foods so they need to gain all the calories they can to survive hibernation. This means when theyre active they search out whatever high calorie foods they can and we readily supply those around our homes.

Yet the main culprits, Wattles said, are bird feeders.

Bird feeders are huge sources of calories and we refill them when theyre empty. Bears love them and cant help it, he said. Unfortunately, every time a bear feeds at a bird feeder it is being trained to come to yards and neighborhoods to find food.

Other tasty snacks for bears could look like pet food, garbage, and sometimes compost.

Theyll take advantage of any easy meal, Wattles said. They also can get into trouble by looking for other foods. Increasingly were having issues with bears breaking into chicken coops and bee hives in peoples backyards.

He said MassWildlife also often fields reports of bears entering screened porches where people have stored bags of bird seed.

This, Wattles noted, is a terrible situation since screened porches provide zero protection from a bear, and the animal can easily smell and access bird seed when its on a porch. This also tends to train bears that local homes can be entered to find food, he said.

People should NEVER store any bird seed, garbage, or other food on a screened porch. It is about the worst thing that can be done, Wattles said.

But thankfully, he added that black bears arent inherently aggressive toward people and in most cases when they pass through yards and neighborhoods, its best to let them be. Injuries are often caused by chance encounters instead, such as someone surprising a bear feeding in a dumpster, or while taking the trash out late at night, or letting the dog outside as a bear snacks from a bird feeder.

This is why we want them using natural areas and not around our homes, Wattles said. The more time a bear spends around our homes the greater the chances of a negative encounter. The only way to reduce the chances of those, is to remove the food sources.

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Bear populations are flourishing in Mass. Heres how to keep them off your porch. - Boston.com