'Aidan Avocado' has a new 'pit.'

Feb. 5 was a day of firsts for Aidan Moles.

The 2-year-old had spent all of his 946 days of existence that's two birthdays, three Thanksgivings and three Christmases within the groundsof the University of Iowa's Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City, where he had undergone more than 70 COVID-19 tests, 16 operating room visits, 306 radiologic procedures and one long-awaited kidney transplant.

Typical childhood experiences such as trips to the supermarket, outdoor adventures and day care had been replaced by play mats in his room and stroller rides and gait trainer walksthrough the hospital corridors.His only views of the world outside had been what he could see from the hospital's campus.

But on Feb. 5, Aidan ventured out of the hospital and, for the first time in his life, felt the chilly winter air on his cheeks before takinghis firstcar ride, during which he watched the passing landscape from his car seatbefore dozing off to sleep.

About an hour and a half after leaving the hospital, his mother, Aron Donaldson, was finally able to introduce her sonto their Fort Madison home.

"At first, he was a little apprehensive," Donaldson told The Hawk Eye as Aidanpracticed pulling himself up on living room furniture. "He kind of had a little spot in the living room; he didn't venture far from there."

Donaldson had spent the months preceding Aidan's homecoming preparing his nautical-themed bedroom, but due to the toddler's health conditions, the mother and son have set up camp in the living room.

"I'm worried I'm not going to hear everything" if we're in different rooms," Donaldson said.

The living room and the nest of blankets Donaldson had laid out for him theresuitAidan just fine.He is, after all, used to one-room living. He has yet to venture into other parts of his home, thoughhe has been eyeing the kitchen.

"He kind of kept his little nest and, slowly, he just kind of spread his wings and now he's trying to get into everything," Donaldson said with a laugh.

"He's eating my furniture," she said. "He's wanting to go in the kitchen, but he hasn't really gone out of the living room yet, but he is acting like a toddler for sure."

In addition to testing out his new environment, Aidan's favorite pastimes include watching videos "They finally had to limit his screen time," Donaldson said with a laughof the staff at the children's hospital who have become like family to herand Aidan over the past 2 years as well as being read toand playing with toys, especially his avocado guitar.

Donaldson gave Aidan the guitar as a Christmas gift while he was still in the hospital. He loved it so much thatshe and music therapistKirsten Nelson began to come up with a song. Nelson passed it along to children's songwriterAlastair Moock, who polished it up and added to the lyrics to compose "Aidan Avocado."

"It's about Aidan needing a pit, meaning kidney. When Aidan started getting mobile, he alligator-rolled all the time," Donaldson explained. "It's about living on an island in the sea, rolling around and not a care in the world."

When Aidan's medical team threw him a going-away partyearlier this month, Moock appeared via Zoom to play and sing the song for Aidan, but with a twist.

Moock "sang it for him, but he changed the words around a little bit saying, 'Now he has his pit,'" Donaldson said.

Aidan was born seven weeks ahead of schedule, on July 5, 2018, weighing just 4 pounds, 10 ounces. Neither of his kidneys was working, and he was in end-stage renal disease, requiring dialysis at birth.

"He was born with what's called dysplastic kidneys, so the kidneys just didn't work well early on," said Dr. Lyndsay Harshman,director of the hospital's pediatric kidney transplant program.

Aidan's kidneys hadn't formed properly as babies grow in utero, their kidneys help to form the amniotic fluid that helps to form their lungs, "so it's pretty common that babies with neonatal kidney disease also have cardiac and lung issues," Harshman said.

Thatwas true for Aidan. In addition to renal disease, the newborn also suffered from pulmonary hypertension, meaning the blood vessels coming off his heart toward his lungs were constricted to the point they did not allow adequate blood flow and circulation of oxygen, meaning Aidan also needed long-term support from a ventilator and long-term medications to help decrease the pressure in his heart and lungs.

"Aidan is one of the most complicated kids we've had in a while here because of the cardiac concerns and the ventilator requirements and things," Harshman said.

He spent most of the first year of his life in intensive care, on a ventilator and sedated for several months.

Donaldson, who is Aidan's biological grandmother, was there at every turn, spending any time off from her job at International Eyecare with Aidan while working with the Department of Human Services to adopt him after it became clear his biologicalparents were not prepared to care for him.

"I think he needed me, I needed him, and we just had a good bond, and I knew that I just wanted to take care of him," Donaldson said. "He's such a fighter."

Aidan's condition gradually improved to the point where his heart and lung status were better controlled, as was his dialysis. Then it was on to the inpatient floor.

"Once we were able to get him out of the ICU literally after a year of his life and up to the inpatient floors, that's wherehe started to begin to have more developmental progress," Harshman said. "Because when kids are sick their whole first year of life, they forgo those baby milestones, so he had a lot of catching up to do: learning how to roll over, how to sitall of those things."

Once Aidan's medical team felt his heart and lungs were strong and stable enough to undergo a kidney transplant, he was put on the transplant donor list.

The lifesaving kidney came in November from a deceased donor.

Donaldson had been told to expect Aidan to flourish after his transplant, but she was surprised by how quickly his development took off.

"It was within days," Donaldson said. "It was amazing."

Even Aidan's medical team was surprised by Aidan's progress.

"None of us really expected it, and all of us were cautiously concerned that he would have a rocky course post-transplant and he surprised all of us," Harshman said. "After his transplant, it was really just unbelievable. The kid was standing up more in the crib in the ICU after his transplant within days, and we were like, 'Excuse me? Who is this child?'"

Within a week of getting his transplant, his need for a ventilator, which he was still using at night and occasionally during the day, dropped significantly. Within a month, he no longer needed it at all.

Three months later, he was ready to go home.

"When a family is going through such sadness from losing a loved one and they make that decision to donate their loved one's organs or honor that loved one's decision to donate organs, the impact it has can't even be quantified, especially for kids, because they get a chance at life that they wouldn't have had otherwise," Harshman said.

The next six months will be especially critical for Aidan due to the risks that his body might rejecthis new kidney, as well as an increased risk of infection caused by his anti-rejection medications. Harshman hopes his new kidney will last for at least the next 20 years.

"A transplant's not a cure,"she said."It's the bridge to the next transplant."

In the meantime, Donaldson says she's looking forward to warmer weather, so that she and Aidan will be able to enjoy more firsts, including those that can take place only outside, like afirst stroller ride through the park.

You can register to become an organ, eye and tissue donor at the Iowa Donor Network website.

Youalso can mark "yes" authorizing organ donationwhen you get your drivers license renewed or whengetting a hunting, fishing or fur-harvesting license.

By registering, you authorize your organs, eyesand tissues to be donated at the time of your death. If a donated organ, eyeor tissue cannot be used for transplant, an effort will be made to use the donation for research, the website says.

The website saysthe Iowa organ waiting list as of Dec. 1 had485 Iowansawaiting kidneys;heart, 24; lungs, 10; liver, 40; andkidney/pancreas, 6.

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Fort Madison toddler was hospitalized the first 946 days of his life. Then a kidney transplant opened his world. - Burlington Hawk Eye

Spencer Durham|The Daily Telegram

ADRIAN A 2,500-square-foot addition to the Salvation Army's thrift store in Adrian will allow for all donations to be stored safely inside.

Construction began late last summer on a storage and receiving facility. It is attached to the back of the thrift store. The space allows for storing and sorting donations. There's also enough room for the Salvation Army to keep its emergency disaster vehicle inside, safe from the elements.

Salvation Army staff, the Adrian Area Chamber of Commerce and community members were on hand Wednesday morning for a brief dedication ceremony.

"We have been eagerly awaiting this property," said Capt. Jacob Tripp.

Tripp and his wife, Melinda, lead the local Salvation Army, acting as both pastors and administrators. They started this past July.

Additional space had been discussed for years. Longtime volunteers remember when they first heard about the idea years ago.

Tripp said they finally received enough community support and funding to build the $750,000 addition.

"In the long run, it's going to change how the store can operate," he said.

The addition comes at a good time. Despite thrift store sales being down, donations have remained steady. The Salvation Army is now accepting furniture, which will require more space.

The organization is already making use of its new addition, storing bales of clothes. Gone are the days of bales of clothes wrapped in blue tarps were stored outside. This would inevitably lead to some clothes being ruined.

"We can make sure everything can be saved," Tripp said. "This space is really going to help us."

The organization has a machine that packs clothes not sold in the store into large bales. These are then sold to other organizations and developing countries. A semitruck load can fetch $12,000.

"We have been selling good products on the floor and back here," said Tim Schroeder, store consultant.

More storage space for more donations means more revenue for the Salvation Army.

"This is a way to help us do what we do and help us do more in the community," Tripp said.

Donations can be made between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.Monday through Friday at the thrift store, 247 W. Church St., Adrian.

The store accepts a wide range of items, including clothes, belts, furniture and hats. Items must still be useable.

For more information, call 517-263-3650.

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Adrian Salvation Army adds storage space to thrift store - The Daily Telegram

Editors note: This article has been updated to reflect the correct date of this event

Set to take place virtually through the Chamberlain Student Center Game Room, Rowan University will be hosting its second annual Extra Life Gaming Marathon Saturday, March 20.

A collaboration between the Rowan Gaming Club and the Rowan Honors Extra Life Organization, this virtual event will strive to bring the Rowan community together, in an effort to raise money for local branches of the Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals.

Due to COVID-19 safety precautions and limitations, the event will go on for eight hours this year, rather than the usual 24.

The virtual event will be livestreamed through Twitch, an interactive platform designed for the live viewing and broadcasting of video games. In the days leading up to the gaming marathon, as well as throughout the night of the event, students will be able to interact with the Game Room, ask questions and view the events full itinerary through their Discord link.

Links to both the Twitch and Discord will be provided to students through the events ProfLink page. Ambre McKenna, the assistant director of service areas and inclusion initiatives, discussed how students can get involved.

There are a variety of ways that if individuals are interested in playing, that they can reach out and be featured on our stream For example, well be doing a Jackbox Party-Pack hour, she said. Well have Jackbox playing, so, really, you dont have to be in person to play. Individuals can play virtually with us, if they want to.

The Gaming Club will also be hosting their signature tournament of intensive Chutes and Ladders, in addition to a number of other gaming classics throughout the night. From Call of Duty to Tetris, this event is dedicated to providing all students with a variety of gaming choices, regardless of your previous experience or gaming skill.

McKenna hopes to emphasize how passionately Rowan feels for the Extra Life Organization, as well as her excitement toward the Rowan communitys opportunity to once again take part in this charitable event.

Now more than ever I think our charitable organizations need our support, McKenna said. It was important to us not to give up this opportunity to support them, even though we recognize that it is more challenging in this environment. Certainly, more than ever, children need additional resources so we want to do what we can.

The Extra Life Organization has worked diligently to raise money for ill and injured children since 2008, raising over $70 million worldwide in the last 13 years. During last years marathon, Rowan was able to raise over $4,000 in donations, an achievement that has brought hope and confidence for this years donation goal of $2,500.

Last year was inspiring when we set our goal, we set a goal of $3,000, and not only did we meet that, but to exceed it by almost $1,500 was incredible. So, to know that we could have that impact just made us want to work even harder this year, McKenna said.

For those looking to donate during the event, all donations can be made online through the universitys official Extra Life donation link, which will also be available through the events ProfLink page.

For comments/questions about this story, email features@thewhitonline.com or tweet @TheWhitOnline.

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Game Room and Gaming Club Partner in Hosting Their Second Annual Extra Life Gaming Marathon - The Whit Online

[co-author: Joanne Saint Louis, Diversity Program Manager]

A podcast from JAMS in celebration of Black History Month, featuring diversity program manager Joanne Saint Louis, and neutrals Otis McGee and Rebekah Ratliff.

In this new podcast from JAMS, neutrals Otis McGee and Rebekah Ratliff and diversity program manager Joanne Saint Louis discuss why increasing diversity in ADR is critical for legal and business communities and the steps JAMS is taking to ensure its own panel is representative of the attorneys and clients that use its ADR services. Otis and Rebekah then discuss the important role diverse neutrals play in ADR and how ADR increases access to justice.

Moderator: [00:00:00] Welcome to this JAMS podcast, where we are celebrating Black History Month with a conversation around diversity in the field of alternative dispute resolution and access to justice. Our guests are three JAMS professionals: Rebekah Ratliff, a former commercial insurance claims professional; now mediator, arbitrator and neutral case analyst specializing in complex insurance disputes based in Atlanta; Otis McGee, a former trial lawyer, who's now an arbitrator, mediator and special master based in San Francisco; and Joanne Saint Louis, a diversity program manager based in Atlanta.

Thank you all so much for your time. Joanne, let me start with you. How would you characterize the progress that the field of ADR has made in bringing more diversity to its ranks in recent years?

Joanne Saint Louis: [00:01:00] I would say if I had to choose one word to characterize that I would say "evident." We are definitely seeing progress made, but it is not enough.

We have seen throughout the years, there have been several initiatives, as well as discussions, that have been made to be able to help increase diversity within the law firms. And we still are not where we need to be within the legal profession, which then makes it even harder to achieve the diversity that we want to see within the dispute resolution. So yes, we've made progress, but we still have a long ways to go.

Moderator: [00:01:30] Okay. And then let's just spell out why is it so crucial to build a diverse pipeline of ADR professionals?

Joanne Saint Louis: [00:01:37] Well, it's definitely important to build a diverse pipeline as well as panels in ADR, because you want the ADR community to represent the population of which we serve. So it's very important that the demographics that we have within the professionals that are handling these cases, as well as neutrals that are overseeing these matters, represent the clients which they serve. I will definitely say that it's important to plant the seed, it's important to have diverse practices that are handling these cases. At some point, these practitioners will become the neutrals that are placed on different panels overseeing these matters, so it's important to make sure that we're continuing the discussion.

I will also say, it's not just important to see it in the practice area. We need to make sure that we're taking a multifaceted approach in how we discuss diversity in ADR. It's not just to see it on the practice area level. We also need to have these discussions with the clients, the in-house counsel, the outside counsel. These are the individuals that are selecting diverse neutrals. So, it's really important to give them the tools that they need and to really educate them on the importance of the selection process and making sure that we have diverse neutrals that are seated, overseeing these cases.

Moderator: [00:02:48] And I know JAMS is involved in building that pipeline. Can you talk a little bit about what the organization has been up to?

Joanne Saint Louis: [00:02:54] Absolutely. We have, as we discussed, a multi-faceted approach that we are taking on, we have initiatives that we've created, we have created different programs in which that we work with organizations and affinity groups to be able to create that pipeline and plant that seed of the practice of ADR; but also making sure that we're giving them the tools that they need to be successful in this space as well.

The other thing that we're looking to do is to create a fellowship program that will assist with the pipeline and making sure that they get the mentorship and sponsorship that they need in order to be fruitful. Also, we have an outreach committee within our diversity committee that is working with outside counsel and discussing with them initiatives that they have to their disposal, to be able to see an increase of utilization of diverse neutrals.

We have what we call here at JAMS, we've created the Inclusion Clause. Within the Inclusion Clause, we have verbiage that you can place within your contract that states that when you have an arbitration case, that you will consider utilizing a diverse neutral. You also have other initiatives that we really like to educate outside counsel and in-house counsel on, which is the ABA Resolution 105 , which also assists with seeing the increase of the selection process.

Now we always say, if you build it, they will come. Yes, as an arbitral institution, we can always increase diversity within our panel, but it's really important to see them get selected, and that creates the inclusion and the equity aspect that's definitely needed, and we need to be able to see within diversity in ADR.

Moderator: [00:04:21] Well thank you, Joanne. And Rebekah, can you talk about your experience in the ADR field? How did you get involved? And did you perceive any structural barriers?

Rebekah Ratliff: [00:04:29] Yes, my background is in insurance. I am a former commercial complex claims professional of 25 years, almost all 50 states and internationally in a bunch of subject matter areas.

So I handled, as an adjuster, cases in medical malpractice, products liability, auto, trucking, almost anything personal injury, commercial premises liability. So I have experience again in a variety of subject matter areas. But even with that, the structural barriers that I experienced were embedded in the insurance industry. Thirty years ago, there were very few people who looked like me in the commercial claim space.

And so I worked through a lot of microaggressions, and again, we know that microaggressions are generally based on unconscious bias in our industries, and really there's an intersectionality with regard to unconscious bias or implicit bias. But that was just the reality, and you keep your head down and you do your work, and you achieve success in the industry by showing rather than reacting. And so a mentor told me that I was living beneath my skillsets a few years ago and that I should consider mediation given my expertise in case evaluation and negotiation. And so I considered that as an option. And that's the way I got into ADR. I understand dispute resolution from the perspective of the payer, which makes me an effective dispute resolution professional.

Moderator: [00:05:53] Thank you, Rebekah. Otis, can you talk about how your career led you to ADR?

Otis McGee: [00:05:57] Over the 40 plus years that I served as a litigator and trial attorney, I was involved in any number of ADR procedures, mediations, in particular with JAMS. And during a lull in one of those mediations, the person who was serving as a mediator suggested that with my background, as a trial attorney, I might want to consider moving into ADR at some point in my career. So I began looking at potential opportunities 10 or 15 years ago, and gradually as my career as a trial attorney was reaching the point that I was thinking about hanging up on my spurs, I decided to look into ADR and came to JAMS a year and a half or so ago.

Moderator: [00:06:46] And, Otis, what do you think has helped spur on more diversity in the ADR profession?

Otis McGee: [00:06:50] Without a doubt, one of the significant matters that gave rise to a sensitivity to the need for having more diverse panels by ADR providers was the Jay Z litigation. Jay Z,being a rapper - very well-known, very prominent - who had a business of clothing and was in a $200 million dispute with a company that was involved in the production of his clothing line. And when the dispute arose, the company demanded that this dispute be resolved with binding arbitration being provided by one of our competitors, and Jay Z resisted a continuing in the arbitration because that provider only had three minorities, three arbitrators of color, on its panel to handle complex, high exposure, commercial matters. And one of those three had a conflict, so Jay Z refused to go through with that arbitration until that provider came up with a more significant and diverse panel of prospective arbitrators that he could choose from. Jay Z's words were "there's nobody on this panel that looks like me and I don't feel comfortable arbitrating this $200 million dispute with folks that don't look anything like me." So that was in 2018, a case that I think sent shivers, if not a shockwave through the arbitration community of the need to more significantly diversify their panel.

Moderator: [00:08:31] So a case that really brought home the importance of diversity in the ADR professional

Otis McGee: [00:08:36] The diversity in ADR brings to the table, brings to the forefront, individuals who look like the parties in litigation. And as well as the users of litigation, they bring individuals before it, to the table, that can add some degree of comfort to individuals who are going through the process because they want to, many individuals want to see somebody in the room, particularly someone who's involved in a significant aspect of the proceeding who looks like them, who has an appreciation for what they've been going through.

Moderator: [00:09:17] Rebekah, what do you think can be done to increase the visibility of diverse ADR professionals?

Rebekah Ratliff: [00:09:22] Affinity relationships in ADR are a great way to give visibility to diverse neutrals, and Joanne mentioned Resolution 105 -- that's an effort in the American Bar Association, but also the national bar association has a certified list of mediators and arbitrators that are National Bar Association trained. And, so, if every entity is doing their part, then the visibility of diverse neutrals increase.

Moderator: [00:09:50] Otis and Rebekah, as Black ADR professionals, can you both talk about the value of bringing your authentic self to each dispute you handled. Rebekah, I'll start with you.

Rebekah Ratliff: [00:10:00] Trust, we know, is an essential pillar of mediation. And, so, it's important for every mediator to bring their authentic self to mediation, arbitration. That is the only way that you can really relate to the people in the room, and my philosophy has always been, everybody else is already taken, might as well be myself, and I bring my humanness to the room. And the patience that is needed in a hearing is one way to establish trust, in addition to maybe paying a compliment or just establishing something in common.

It's important to understand, and I handled, again, civil tort cases. So, it's important to understand the human condition and be discerning about what people really mean. Sometimes, people don't say what they really mean. They are not able to articulate it sometimes for various reasons. Sometimes emotions are high, so it's important for me to use the skills that I have authentically in order to enable them. And I say all the time, I'm the daughter of a pastor and a nurse, I have a psychology degree, and I was a claims adjuster for 25 years. And so my background demonstrates that I care about people.

Moderator: [00:11:05] And, Otis, what about you? How do you talk about the value of bringing your authentic self to the disputes that you handle?

Otis McGee: [00:11:11] Well, I think that's one of the values that we as diverse neutrals bring to specific situations. We often will read facts and read situations differently based on life experiences that we've each endured.

And if I can give you an example related to a mediation that I handled fairly recently, it was an employment dispute that arose from the termination of a long-term employee by the owner of the company who was an elderly African-American woman, a very accomplished woman, who was very proud of her achievements and the support that she provided in the form of scholarships, for example, to the members of the minority community. And she had heard from other employees that one of her long-term employees, the plaintiff in this action, had been saying things that were detrimental to the company, detrimental to her as the owner, and spreading rumors that the owner of the company hadn't been doing, as donors were expecting in terms of the handling of donations for scholarships. So the owner of the company, this elderly woman, terminated the employee and following some very contentious litigation, the company prevailed in the litigation. Thereafter, the owner of the company sued the former employee for malicious prosecution and the employee turned around and filed a anti SLAPP action against the owner of the company. So, there was all this litigation taking place. All of it was being funded by the parties. There was no insurance involved. So the owner of the company, as well as this former employee has spent all of this money in a fight with each other. When I got the mediation, I had a pre-mediation meeting with the parties, and I learned during that pre-mediation meeting that neither side had ever sat down with the other to find out what their particular story was.

So I did something unusual in that case, and that was to get the attorneys to agree that I could talk to the parties without having the attorneys present. And in the course of doing so, I learned that everything that led to the termination was information that the owner of the company had received secondhand. None of it was information that she had any firsthand knowledge about . And as a result of sorting through the issues that gave rise to this termination, I was able to get the parties to agree, to dismiss the matter for a waiver of costs as to each claim, and they left the arbitration shaking hands and making friends again, as they had been during the long term of the employment relationship between the two of them.

So I think I read that situation differently than others. Basically, it was kind of a, he- said- she said spat and we were able to get it resolved with a waiver of costs.

Moderator: [00:14:24] And also just additionally, how do you leverage, Otis, language and culture to help parties find resolution? In addition to being able to read the room?

Otis McGee: [00:14:32] Well, being able to pick up on nuances, with being able to pick up on jargon and different language that you won't necessarily find when you pick up Webster's dictionary, you won't find out how terms are being used, but they are sometimes occasionally used some vernacular between the parties and it's helpful to be able to understand the meaning of that terminology and different mannerisms of parties that don't become apparent. It's not something that you necessarily picked up in law school or in the course of a litigation practice over the years.

Moderator: [00:15:11] And, Rebekah, how do you go about building trust in the ADR process with frankly, some people who have generally viewed our justice system with skepticism and cynicism?

Rebekah Ratliff: [00:15:20] The ADR process is just that, it's a process. And so, you have to use patience and active listening skills. In order to determine what the interests are in the room. And sometimes as I mentioned a little earlier, finding a common thread without self-disclosure, because people, when they're telling you their problems, they don't want to hear about yours. They don't want you to tell them yours too. And so it's important to listen and to understand what really the interests are, and also be creative in crafting ways to convey accurate messaging to the other room.

But you can express a desire to understand. What happens in our community, what we know is, litigation is not a trusted process. ADR mitigates the inequality in the litigation system. It's less stress, it's less cost, less time. And so one of the things that we have to do is educate our communities about the benefits of resolving cases and moving on with their lives in ADR, or at least mediation you control the outcome. Mediation is self determining, and what better way to be heard and make your own decisions about what resolution looks like. And arbitration, it's not as formal as trial and you can present your information in a less intimidating situation than trial. And so it really, I think, comes down to education.

Moderator: [00:16:42] And, Otis, how do you see the benefits of ADR?

Otis McGee: [00:16:45] ADR can bring a number of things to the forefront. One is certainty. By going to an ADR organization, parties can select the individuals who are going to be the decision-makers in their cases. They can do so in a more expeditious fashion because the court says everybody's recognized. Particularly with COVID, you can't get cases resolved as quickly and expeditiously as you can through the ADR process. You can't do so in the court system with any expectation that a particular person is going to be the decision-maker on the case, whereas you can do that in the ADR process. So the certainty, the expeditious nature of it, because of the calendars and availability of neutrals in an ADR organization, may be much more predictable than they are in the court system, which is now getting a tremendous backlog of matters having, in large part, been impacted upon by COVID for the last year.

Moderator: [00:17:54] What makes you hopeful that ADR can continue to live up to its promise to bring more access to justice? Rebekah?

Rebekah Ratliff: [00:18:01] Otis just said it, as a matter of fact, I was thinking it as he was saying it. COVID-19 has forced us into the option of ADR. It's a good thing for us, and it's unfortunate that people are in dispute, but since they are, and there's inaccessibility to the court system. Disputes will continue to arise from issues derivative of COVID 19 and what I call the overlapping pandemics- world-wide epidemics like the housing crisis and weather events, the economic downturn, civil unrest. There are different issues that will give rise to ADR cases, and we will facilitate those compromises.

Moderator: [00:18:37] And, Otis, are you hopeful that ADR can bring more justice to more people?

Otis McGee: [00:18:42] I absolutely do, I believe that's the case. And I think that among the things that we as ADR neutrals have learned over the course of the last year was the efficiencies that can be gained by the use of the virtual process. I mean, for the last year, the vast share of the work that I've done, both in mediations and in arbitrations has been in a virtual mechanism. And aware as I had reservations and many clients had reservations early on in this process, as we've become more and more familiar with Zoom and other technologies, we've found that it's a mechanism that even when we return to a more normal workplace, I think we fully expect to use those virtual technologies, because they are so efficient and in many respects, economical that we intend to continue using them. I handled a very large arbitration that went on for over a month with witnesses and parties all over the country, and we were able to handle that in a very efficient manner by doing so in Zoom, and I certainly intend to continue using that process when we return to a normal workplace.

Moderator: [00:20:02] The return to normal, that's a hopeful way to end this. Thank you, both Rebekah and Otis. And thank you, Joanne, for a great conversation.

You've been listening to a special podcast from JAMS, the world largest private alternative dispute resolution provider. Our guests have been: Rebekah Ratliff, mediator, arbitrator, and neutral case analyst specializing in complex insurance disputes based in Atlanta; Otis McGee, arbitrator, mediator, and special master based in San Francisco; and Joanne Saint Louis, diversity program manager based in Atlanta.

Thank you for listening to this podcast from JAMS.

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[PODCAST] Diversity in ADR and Creating Access to Justice - JD Supra

Kelly Byer|The Repository

There's no storefront for Outlaw Burger. No dining room for Monster Mac. No servers at Crave Burger.

The menu items for all three restaurants are made in the kitchen of Crave in downtown Akron. The upscale eatery partners with Nextbite, a company with a dozen delivery-only brands, in a setup commonly referred to as a virtual or ghost kitchen.

"None of these brands have an actual brick-and-mortar," Crave's General Manager Jeff Kucko said.

The business models and terms might differ from one place to the next, but the common thread is a restaurant without a physical location and a menu designed for delivery through third-party apps,such as DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats.

Some restaurants have partnered with delivery-focused companies to serve their virtual brands, other restaurants are working with brands developed by their parent companies, and then there are commercial or shared kitchen spaces available for restaurants to rent.

Crave's arrangement keeps Nextbite's more "affordable" brands one of which coincidentally included the name "Crave" separate while keeping existing kitchen staff busy and rotating food, thereby making it fresher for customers. Crave also makes 45% to 50% of the profits.

"We did this to hopefully tap into some of the University of Akron market, the younger people especially," he said.

Before the pandemic, the "destination restaurant" catered to workers out for lunch on weekdays and event-goers on weekends. Kucko said Crave now is considering its own secondary brand to meet the demand for a variety of local options with the convenience of delivery.

In the nearly two months Crave has worked with Nextbite, delivery orders have accounted for about 7% to 10% of sales. Kucko said that amounts to about 4% of the restaurant's profit each month.

"This keeps a little more money coming in," he said.

The delivery-only concept is not new but experienced a boost in popularity as customers shifted to delivery over dine-in this past year. Virtual restaurant companies such as Nextbite and Reef Kitchens expanded their locations and brands.

Nextbite reported an increase from three virtual brands to 12 and from a few markets to sites in 40 states this past year. Reef, which calls its sites "neighborhood kitchens," added partnerships with Nathan's Famous and BurgerFi to its offerings in 2020.

Virtual Dining Concepts (VDC) is another growing venture founded in 2019 by Robert Earl, chairman of Earl Enterprises the parent company of Bravo Italian Kitchen and several other traditional restaurants. VDC's delivery-only Wing Squad, MrBeast Burger and Mariah's Cookies operate from the Belden Village location.

The virtual company, which already has a series of celebrity brands, also is in the midst of a nationwide soft launch for Guy Fieri's Flavortown Kitchen, according to a company spokesperson.

It was among this month's new local offerings on the DoorDash delivery app, which also featured Tender Shack (connected to Carrabbas Italian Grill parent company Bloomin' Brands Inc.), Conviction Chicken (connected to TGI Friday's parent company) and The Burger Den (connected to Denny's).

Chuck E. Cheese and its secondary brand for delivery made news last spring and drew social media attention to the practice when a customer shared the realization that Pasqually's Pizza and Wings was not a new, local option.

Brian Bailey, president and CEO of the Ichor Restaurant Group, said virtual brands are more than a name change.

"It's new food," he said. "It's different offerings."

Bailey started Street Craft, a modern Mexican restaurant, in early 2019 "out of the back" of an Old Carolina Barbecue Co. A small, secondary kitchen already existed to serve 1899 Indoor Golf, and he thought the restaurant's smoked meats wouldbe suited totacos.

"It didn't take off," he said.

Virtual kitchens and delivery appswere more popular in big cities.Bailey saiddelivery drivers would be confused when they arrived at Old Carolina and some customers became upset when they saw food online not available for pickup.

That operation ended about a month before the pandemic hit. Then the state shuttered restaurant dining rooms as part of its response to COVID-19 and takeout or delivery were the only options.

The Ichor Restaurant Group tried again in early May with PJ's Legendary Hot Chicken, which began out of Smokethe Burger Joint in Jackson Township. It has since expanded to Old Carolina restaurants in Rocky River and Strongsville.

Bailey said he refers to PJ's as a "ghost kitchen" or part of the "food court in the sky."

"I don't think the industry has settled on any one term," he said.

The model for PJ's involves large signs for delivery drivers and food that can be ordered via delivery apps for pickup or from a separate menu at Smoke and Old Carolina. The kitchen staff use available ingredients, with the addition of mac 'n cheese and "authentic Nashville" oil for the chicken, and existing equipment, with the addition of a few tabletop warmers, for the new menu items.

Bailey said PJ's sales have increased the restaurant group's revenue by 10%.

The Ichor Restaurant Group plans to launch its second ghost kitchen, Shmack 'n Cheese, by the end of March.

"And another one could be coming soon after," Bailey said.

Shmack's gourmet mac 'n cheese bowls will build upon the side dish from PJ's with burger toppings, such as bacon and vegetables. Bailey said potential menu items might include tomato-basil-mozzarella bowls, Mediterranean bowls and Nashville hot chicken bowls.

The Ichor group also is investing in new online ordering technology. Bailey expects restaurants to build smaller dining rooms in the future and focus on "ease of pickup" instead.

Kuko predicted that Crave's delivery-only options also would continue well into the future. He expects delivery orders to decrease when the pandemic subsides but still be stronger than before.

"I think there's been innovation and evolution with things, and I think customer habits have kind of evolved to that," he said.

Julie Carpinelli, associate manager of the Tri-County Restaurant Association that serves Stark, Carroll and Tuscarawas counties, said she had little knowledge or involvement in virtual endeavors by members but supports anything that aids area restaurants.

"I like the creativity," she said. "I like that they're trying to survive in a really difficult world right now for restaurateurs."

Virtual kitchens and corresponding restaurants

See more here:
New to the menu during COVID-19: Virtual eateries - Akron Beacon Journal

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (the "Company" or "Sunstone") (NYSE: SHO), the owner of Long-Term Relevant Real Estate in the hospitality sector, today announced the sale of the 502-room Renaissance Los Angeles Airport for a gross sale price of $91.5 million, or approximately $182,300 per key. The sale price represents a 12.2x multiple on 2019 Hotel Adjusted EBITDAre and a 6.8% capitalization rate on 2019 Hotel Net Operating Income. The disposition of the hotel furthers the Company's strategy of concentrating its portfolio into Long-Term Relevant Real Estate and further enhances the Company's liquidity.

John Arabia, President and CEO, stated, "We are pleased to announce the sale of the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport at an attractive valuation compared to pre-COVID levels. The completed sale further concentrates our portfolio into Long-Term Relevant Real Estate and increases our already considerable liquidity. Our Company is well positioned to navigate the current environment and to capitalize on opportunities as they arise."

About Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.

Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. is a lodging real estate investment trust ("REIT") that as of the date of this release has interests in 18 hotels comprised of 9,495 rooms. Sunstone's business is to acquire, own, asset manage and renovate or reposition hotels considered to be Long-Term Relevant Real Estate, the majority of which are operated under nationally recognized brands, such as Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt. For further information, please visit Sunstone's website at http://www.sunstonehotels.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We present the following non-GAAP financial measures, both of which are defined below, that we believe are useful to investors as key supplemental measures of our operating performance: hotel adjusted EBITDAre; and hotel net operating income. These measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance in accordance with GAAP. In addition, our calculation of these measures may not be comparable to other companies that do not define such terms exactly the same as the Company. These non-GAAP measures are used in addition to and in conjunction with results presented in accordance with GAAP. They should not be considered as alternatives to net income (loss), cash flow from operations, or any other operating performance measure prescribed by GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures reflect additional ways of viewing our operations that we believe, when viewed with our GAAP results and the reconciliations to the corresponding GAAP financial measures, provide a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting our business than could be obtained absent this disclosure. We strongly encourage investors to review our financial information in its entirety and not to rely on a single financial measure.

We adjust a hotel's EBITDAre as defined by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts ("NAREIT"), in its September 2017 white paper "Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization for Real Estate." We make adjustments to a hotel's EBITDAre when evaluating our performance because we believe that the exclusion of certain additional items provides useful information to investors regarding our operating performance, and that the presentation of hotel adjusted EBITDAre, when combined with the primary GAAP presentation of a hotel's net income, is beneficial to an investor's complete understanding of our operating performance. In addition, we use hotel adjusted EBITDAre as a measure in determining the value of hotel acquisitions and dispositions. A complete description of items we adjust from EBITDAre can be found in our most recent reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, and Form 8-K. Copies of these reports are available on our website at http://www.sunstonehotels.com and through the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System ("EDGAR") at http://www.sec.gov. Specifically, we adjusted the full year 2019 EBITDAre generated by the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport by a $9,000 prior year property tax credit.

We present hotel net operating income as hotel adjusted EBITDAre excluding a furniture, fixtures and equipment ("FF&E") reserve equal to 4.0% of the hotel's total revenue for the period. The ownership and maintenance of a hotel is capital intensive, and actual capital requirements for a given period may vary substantially from this reserve amount. We believe that the presentation of hotel net operating income, when combined with the primary GAAP presentation of a hotel's net income, is beneficial to an investor in understanding the potential capital expenditures that may be necessary to maintain a hotel during the period.

For Additional Information:Bryan GigliaSunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.(949) 382-3036

Aaron ReyesSunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.(949) 382-3018

Hotel Adjusted EBITDAre Reconciliation (In thousands)

Renaissance Los Angeles Airport

Total

Revenues

Net

Income

Plus:

Depreciation and

Other Adjustments

Equals:

Hotel Adjusted

EBITDAre

Less:

FF&E

Reserve

Equals:

Hotel Net

Operating Income

Full Year 2019

$

32,081

$

3,331

$

4,196

$

7,527

$

(1,283)

$

6,244

EBITDAre Multiple / Cap Rate (1)

12.2x

6.8%

(1) EBITDAre Multiple reflects gross sale price divided by Hotel Adjusted EBITDAre. Cap Rate reflects Hotel Net Operating Income (after an assumed FF&E Reserve equal to 4% of Total Revenues) divided by gross sale price.

SOURCE Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.

http://www.sunstonehotels.com

Read the original:
Sunstone Hotel Investors Announces The Sale Of The 502-Room Renaissance Los Angeles Airport For $91.5 Million - PRNewswire

Danae Milbrandt|Montevideo American-News

Luther Haven is in the process of securing financing for an ambitious building project that will not only update the skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, but will change the entire look and feel of the building.

According to Justin Hughes, administrator of Luther Haven, the project will happen in phases and is set to begin in early 2021 and last approximately three years. According to Hughes, the architect for the project is HGA, and the construction manager is McGough.

Construction documents have been completed, and in the coming weeks we will be working with McGough on the bidding process and selecting contractors, said Hughes. Our goal is to keep the project as local as possible, and we are excited to start our project soon!

Luther Haven is currently a 90-bed nursing and rehabilitation facility, with 86 private rooms with private bathrooms, and two double rooms with a shared bathroom. The facility has been in operation for 57 years, with the original building dating back to 1962, and with additions from 1973, 1974, and 1991. Connected to Luther Haven is the Copper Glen Assisted Living facility.

After the original portion of Luther Haven was constructed in 1962, sequential constructs were added, and utilities stemming from the original 1962 building were added on to, again and again.

The capacity of the original utilities was never intended for the size of the building that it has now grown to, which leads to various problems, Hughes explained. The existing infrastructure and the space available for utilities are not capable of supporting the upgrades needed to bring the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems up to modern standards. As such, a new addition is planned to contain a new utility plant that can support the building, both the needs today and the flexibility the future demands.

Additionally, the existing portion of the building to remain is planned to be extensively renovated, so all systems throughout the building will be cohesive.

Many of the residents of Luther Haven were born and raised in Montevideo, and as such there is a deep sense of community, and a dedication by its staff to serve its community and their families.

Luther Haven would like to make an investment in their facility so that their community can continue to live and be cared for in their hometown. They see this as vitally important when so many residents have family and friends from the community that regularly visit and volunteer at the care center. This project will allow Luther Haven to elevate their standard of care and continue offering long-term care, short-term care, rehabilitation services, and assisted-living services, said Hughes.

The new building is set to be organized around a new community center with a covered entry-canopy, a lobby, reception area, large-gathering group space, an activities room, conference rooms, a bistro, salon and barber, an exam room, therapy, and administrative offices.

The new entry and overall building layout are designed to have a stronger presence from the street and more intuitive wayfinding, Hughes said. He continued, explaining that the current entrance in the existing building is unsubstantial and difficult to find.

The new building will also include a neighborhood of 40 residents on either side of the community center, which will be divided into groups of 20. In addition, each household will have its own dedicated staff, so stronger relationships between residents and staff can evolve.

Hughes said, Each neighborhood has all the necessary programs for daily functions, including living rooms, dining rooms, tub rooms, soiled and clean utility areas, clean supplies and linens, a nursing station, medication room, and staff and visitor restrooms.

According to Hughes, the household model represents a significant shift in the care model for Luther Haven, with a culture change that will empower both residents and staff to have more choice and greater satisfaction in their space.

This starts at the resident rooms, he said. All resident rooms but one will be private rooms, with private bathrooms. The double room will be a split double room with a partition between the two residents. Overall the rooms will be over 100 square feet larger in size than existing rooms so that residents so residents have a safe and private place that is their own.

Bathrooms will also be configured with direct access and visibility from the resident bed, so the residents are better able to use the restroom independently.

Another amenity offered by the renovations include spaces within the rooms and alcoves outside the residents doors that will give them opportunities to personalize their space with their belongings. Nurse servers at each room will have space for supplies, medications, and soiled linens, putting necessary supplies where staff can access them to reduce step-counts and allow more face-to-face interaction with the residents. In addition, there will also be two overnight guest suites that will be able to be used by family members.

Another improvement made by the renovation will be common areas within the household that have been designed to a scale more like home, explained Hughes. They arent overly large and overwhelming as in the current layout. Open activity kitchens will be used for serving, and will allow residents to interact and help with meal preparation. The kitchens double as activity space, so that in-between meals, residents and their family can bake. Finishes and lighting throughout the building were also selected to have a residential appearance to further support the household model.

Each neighborhood in the model will have a designated entrance that will establish a hierarchy of public to private space, from the main entry at the community center, the neighborhood entries, and the household common areas, to the resident room.

Residents can feel more ownership over a space that is theirs, and staff can effectively monitor who is coming and going, said Hughes.

He continued, adding that the building is designed to have a stronger connection to the outdoors so that residents have access to both views and natural lighting, and each neighborhood will have an enclosed patio space that residents can freely and safely go to whenever they please.

They are located so that staff can easily monitor the residents through both visibility and technology.

An entry canopy and porch space at the main entry are a place to gather and see who is coming and going, he continued, while the back courtyard off the community center has a garden and walking paths.

When the project was initially proposed, staff, residents, and community members were involved in the early stages of planning to establish goals that would guide the design of a new, reformed care center. The goals establish benchmarks that aided in the decision-making process, and include:

Increased resident satisfaction: providing more access to natural light and creating universal spaces and equipment so that care is consistent throughout the building, in addition to providing private bathrooms, increasing resident safety, and providing consistency in care.

Increased staff satisfaction: reducing staff travel times by locating supplies and equipment where its needed most, providing quiet charting and MD areas, improving the medication distribution process through the use of nurse servers, and providing places for staff respite so they are able to feel more energized and engaged.

Improved family and visitor experience: creating more space for family visits, increasing the privacy of the chapel, and providing a canopy and automatic doors at the entry for safer drop-offs.

Increased staff efficiency: reducing travel distances and access to equipment, supplies, hospital, and residents so that staff can spend more time building relationships with residents.

Enhancing the Luther Haven brand: designing an exterior that is more prominent from the street, creating a clearer and designated entry point to improve the entry experience, and improving wayfinding and signage.

Additional and improved amenities: providing more community and family spaces, a bistro, walking paths, work areas for staff, and adequate space for all necessary functions of daily life.

Improved access: access to care, access to support, access to public amenities, and access to the community.

Improved resident outcomes and safety: better lighting, better interior finishes, better building organization and improved visibility to residents and nurse stations, as well as creating more staff time with residents.

All in all, it sounds like Luther Haven has much planned for its residents and staff in the coming months that is going to improve both quality of life, as well as interaction and functionality between its employees and those seeking care within the facility.

See the article here:
Luther Haven renovations on the horizon - Monte News

(CNN) When Buddy the Elf said the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear, he clearly hadn't seen the holiday hotel room created in his honor.

Royal Park Hotel in Rochester, Mich., is offering a fully decked-out "Elf" suite for the holiday season. With 2020 being such a hard year, people need a way to celebrate safely said Royal Park Hotel spokesperson Sarah Osbourn.

"We thought it would be a really cool idea, especially with people not feeling safe this year, to offer a holiday experience in a suite for them, so they can still feel safe, still get into the holiday spirit and have something fun to do," Osbourn said.

Festive fun that's safe

The hotel suite offers an alternative to the crowded Christmas festivities that have either been canceled or severely altered this year in Rochester. The town has had to cancel their annual Christmas market, Kris Kringle Market and Caroling in the City.

Proceeds from the hotel suite will go toward funding The Big, Bright Light Show in downtown Rochester, Michigan.

Courtesy Steven Robert Photography/Royal Park Hotel

Guests get a fully immersive experience, including food inspired by Buddy's four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup. Upon arrival, guests will receive maple toasty tarts, chocolate-covered marshmallow snowballs, elf munch, which is a Chex mix with tasty additions including chocolate and marshmallows, and candy canes.

The room itself is filled with movie references from the 2003 Christmas comedy "Elf," which stars Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf. A prominent sign reading: "Santa I know him," hangs over the bed. The room's decor also includes more than 5,000 feet of handmade paper snowflake garland.

The hotel partnered with Maker's Mark, so in addition to a Buddy-themed tree, there's also a tree decorated with Maker's Mark paraphernalia.

One million glittering lights

For the past 15 years, buildings in downtown Rochester have been lit up in more than one million glittering lights. So many lights cost a lot of money to power, said Rochester Downtown Development Authority executive director Kristi Trevarrow, who says fundraising is a huge help.

The light show is also great for small businesses because it attracts visitors to the downtown area. Trevarrow has spoken to some business owners who have said that they make 30% to 40% of their annual revenue when the lights are on.

Although some of the town's holiday events won't be taking place this year, Trevarrow said the light display has not been affected by the pandemic. The lights will be on at various times throughout December and January.

Visitors pack downtown Rochester in 2018 to enjoy the festive lights.

Downtown Rochester

"They're on our main street so many people, for their comfort level, if they choose to not walk around, they can drive through and still enjoy the lights," Trevarrow said.

Osbourn said that the Buddy the Elf hotel room is almost sold out, and Trevarrow is hopeful that this partnership can continue in the future.

For "Elf" fans wishing to celebrate Christmas Buddy-style, the festive hotel room offers a holiday experience filled with plenty of Christmas cheer, paper snowflakes and candy canes for the whole family.

Link:
'Elf' fans can stay in a hotel suite inspired by Buddy the Elf - CNN

Arrests

Jackson County

Martelle Towayne Conner, 50, Seymour, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, $355 bond, 8 p.m. Monday. Bond posted at 4:23 a.m. Tuesday.

Justin R. Burns, 38, Austin, possession of a schedule I, II, III, IV, V controlled substance, no bond, 1:31 p.m. Tuesday.

Fredy Jobany Mejia-Mejia, 30, Seymour, operating a vehicle while never having received a drivers license, 1:08 p.m. Tuesday. Released on his own recognizance, 1:14 p.m. Tuesday.

Seymour

Francisco Daniel Hernandez-Vazquez, 30, Seymour, operating a vehicle while intoxicated-endangerment, blood alcohol content 0.15% or greater, $705 bond, 3:47 a.m. Tuesday.

Anthony Ryan Loudermilk, 35, Seymour, criminal trespassing, $705 bond, 11:54 p.m. Monday.

Darin Keith Speckner, 47, Seymour, driving while suspended with a prior conviction within 10 years, no bond, 3:27 p.m. Monday.

Christopher Lee Tucker, 35, Seymour, possession of methamphetamine, no bond, 8:20 a.m. Monday.

Tyler Stephen Beatty, 46, Seymour, possession of paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, no bond, 7:25 a.m. Monday.

Incidents

Jackson County

Property damage wreck, 2100 block of East County Road 25N, Brownstown, 1:20 a.m. Tuesday.

Theft of items, 8000 block of North County Road 1110E, Seymour, 1:15 a.m. Tuesday.

Gunshot, 4700 block of West Columbus Pike, Freetown, 11:18 p.m. Monday.

Property damage wreck involving a semitrailer, 12200 block of East U.S. 50, Seymour, 6:07 p.m. Monday.

Arrest of a wanted person, 600 block of East Fourth Street, Seymour, 1:05 p.m. Monday.

Property damage wreck, 2200 block of West County Road 600N, Brownstown, 7:43 a.m. Monday.

Property damage wreck involving a vehicle hitting a deer, 1500 block of West County Road 100N, Brownstown, 7:32 a.m. Monday.

Property damage wreck involving a vehicle hitting a deer, 10500 block of North U.S. 31, Seymour, 6:26 a.m. Monday.

Medora

Possible family fight, first block of Perry Street, 6:28 p.m. Monday.

Theft of lights from a John Deere grader, 100 block of East Second Street, 10:33 a.m. Monday.

Seymour

Theft by a woman, Circle K, 719 N. Ewing St., 11:49 p.m. Monday.

Disorderly conduct involving three homeless adults refusing to leave a residence, 200 block of Marley Lane, 7:30 p.m. Monday.

Theft of items by two females, Walmart Supercenter, 1600 E. Tipton St., 7:21 p.m. Monday.

Agency assist request from the Jackson County Sheriffs Department, East Tipton and South Park streets, 6:06 p.m. Monday.

Parking problem involving a tan Nissan sport utility vehicle that has been parked in front of a residence for three days, 500 block of East Second Street, 3:43 p.m. Monday.

Woman complaining her stepdaughters mother keeps knocking on their door and wont leave, 1300 block of West Second Street, 3:23 p.m. Monday.

Disorderly conduct involving a fight between a mother and her daughter, 700 block of South Walnut Street, 2:56 p.m. Monday.

Traffic hazard involving a man in a gray Chevrolet Impala blocking traffic, West Sixth Street and Community Drive, 1:17 p.m. Monday.

Unconscious person, 100 block of Stevens Drive, 12:23 p.m. Monday.

Theft, 300 block of Tanger Boulevard, 9:49 a.m. Monday.

Suspicious activity, 1300 block of Jackson Park Place, 7:18 a.m. Monday.

Agency assist request from the Department of Child Services, 600 block of West Fourth Street, 3:04 a.m. Monday.

Suspicious navy blue van, 1700 block of South Walnut Street, 12:14 a.m. Monday.

North Vernon

Dispute in the parking lot of a store, 2200 block of North State Road 7, 8:57 p.m. Monday.

Possible burglary in progress, West College Street area, 8:09 p.m. Monday.

Property damage wreck, 1300 block of North State Street, 7:07 p.m. Monday.

Fraud reported at the police department, 101 N. Madison Ave., 11:25 a.m. Monday.

Jackson Superior Court I

Small claims

Mark E. Cunningham, 8305 W. Base Road, North Vernon, v. Brian Cain, 9829 E. County Road 340N, Seymour, seeking $6,000, filed Dec. 4.

ULFS, 6863 E. County Road 900N, Seymour, v. Troy Campbell and Cassie Linemier, 516 W. Second St., Seymour, seeking possession of premises, $3,574 in unpaid rent and damages to be determined, filed Dec. 2.

State Bank of Medora, 24 E. Main St., Medora, v. Ronald Stevens, 4976 Second St., Freetown, seeking $3,282.88, filed Dec. 2.

Jackson Superior Court II

Dissolutions

Sandra Howard v. Edward Howard, both of 8399 N. U.S. 31, Seymour, married May 12, 2003, separated November 2020, filed Dec. 3.

Katia Elliott, 520 S. Vine St., Seymour, v. Donald J. Elliott, 110 Kerry Hill Drive, Seymour, married Dec. 29, 2010, separated Nov. 10, 2020, filed Dec. 2.

Rhonda Miller v. Gerald L. Miller, both of 3809 E. U.S. 50, Seymour, married Jan. 5, 2018, not yet separated, filed Dec. 2.

Sallie Jacqueline Hare, 11976 E. County Road 1100N, Seymour, v. James Michael Hare Jr., 515 N. Ewing St., Seymour, married Sept. 22, 2007, separated October 2020, filed Dec. 1.

Stephanie Megan Beaty, 610 S. OBrien St., Seymour, v. Anthony Dewayne Beaty, 12850 N. U.S. 31, Edinburgh, married June 1, 1996, separated April 20, 2019, filed Nov. 23.

Noel Lopez, 6246 Northfield Drive, Apt. 236, Seymour, v. Jacob Lopez, 311 C St., Woodland, California, married March 31, 2018, separated Oct. 1, 2020, filed Nov. 2.

Building permits

Jackson County

Casey L. and Misty R. Wischmeier, 745 S. County Road 600E, Seymour, 1,200-square-foot lean-to addition to existing pole building at 745 S. County Road 600E, Seymour, $12,500 estimated cost of construction, issued Nov. 23.

Thomas H. and Janet K. Bolton, 5693 E. County Road 700S, Crothersville, 256-square-foot utility room addition at 5693 E. County Road 700S, Crothersville, $25,000 estimated cost of construction, issued Nov. 20.

Tony and Melanie Peters, 3703 S. State Road 39, Brownstown, 20,000-square-foot building, $400,000 estimated cost of construction, issued Nov. 20.

Ryan and Jamie Grinstead, 6171 N. County Road 100W, Seymour, 2,028-square-foot new home at 6171 N. County Road 100W, $284,000 estimated cost of construction, issued Nov. 16.

Joe Francis, 4827 W. Columbus Pike, Freetown, 3,000-square-foot pole building at 4827 W. Columbus Pike, Freetown, $30,000 estimated cost of construction, issued Nov. 13.

Zachariah Roach, 3966 E. County Road 900N, Seymour, 576-square-foot addition to home at 3966 E. County Road 900N, Seymour, $140,000 estimated cost of construction, issued Nov. 10.

Daniel Jonathan Towriss, 3029 N. County Road 1100W, Norman, four 962-square-foot cabins for recreational use only at 3029 N. County Road 1100W, Norman, $360,000 estimated cost of construction, issued Nov. 9.

Joseph L. and Lindsey Montgomery, 107 E. Harrison Drive, Seymour, 1,793-square-foot new home at 822 W. County Road 600N, Seymour, $345,000 estimated cost of construction, issued Nov. 6.

Glen D. and Ellen M. Prince, 110 W. Howard St., Crothersville, 1,200-square-foot pole building at 101 W. Howard St., Crothersville, $27,000 estimated cost of construction, issued Nov. 5.

Jonathan Paul Allen, 3411 W. Water St., Vallonia, 900-square-foot accessory building, no estimated cost of construction, issued Nov. 2.

Thomas Hackman, 6077 S. State Road 135, Vallonia, 1,092-square-foot pole building at 6087 S. State Road 135, Vallonia, $54,000 estimated cost of construction, issued Nov. 2.

The rest is here:
On the record December 9 - Seymour Tribune

Lamp uses Lamps Plus designs, including a chandelier, ceiling fans, table lamps, sofas and patio furniture, throughout his home.

This Forrest lamp is awesome it looks like a forest tree trunk, perfect for my name, of course. The lamp and the wicker shade are definitely my style, Lamp said. You cant go wrong adding the Forrest lamp to your place.

Ive dreamed of having my own signature shoe, so having a Lamps Plus lamp with my name is right up there. Because a lamp is used almost daily, its crucial. After Ive protected our quarterback and opened holes for running backs with my fellow linemen during an exhausting game, I look forward to joining my girlfriend, Natosha, on our sofa. A properly lit home is everything, Lamp said.

Lamp has been a promotional partner of Lamps Plus since prior to his selection in the 2017 NFL Draft.

About Lamps Plus

Family-owned and operated, Lamps Plus is a leader in the retail lighting industry. Established in 1976 and headquartered in Los Angeles, the company is the nations largest specialty lighting retailer, operating a thriving e-commerce business, along with 36 stores in the western United States. Lamps Plus carries a full range of lighting and home furnishings, including exclusive patented designs and artisan-made customizable shades and lamps that offer comfort and value to help customers love their everyday spaces. To assist consumers, the companys American Lighting Association-trained staff provides expert advice.

The Lamps Plus family of websites includes:

Lamps Plus The nations largest specialty lighting retailer

Lamps Plus Pros Trade pricing for designers and builders

Lamps Plus Hospitality Contract lighting for hotels and resorts

Read the original here:
Introducing the Forrest Sequoia the First Forrest Lamp from NFL Standout Forrest Lamp and Lamps Plus - Furniture Today