A summer of 2017 preview for Delaware's beaches. Wochit

Dogfish head Brewings & Eats had a sneak peak opening on Wednesday, May 17, 2017 in downtown Rehoboth Beach, DE.(Photo: Staff Photo by Megan Raymond)Buy Photo

When it came time to decide on a theme for this week's super-sized summer preview edition of 55 Hours, it only took a few moment to decide: what's new at the beach.

Ever since vacationers left last summer, beach towns have been busily preparing a slew of new offerings that are ready for Summer '17's kick-off.

And we took notice.

Everything from eateries (Dogfish Head, Big Chill Beach Club, Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls, Rosenfeld's Jewish Deli) and entertainment spots (Hudson Fields, Lefty's Alley and Eats) will be ready for you and your flippy floppies.

And what timing. These 90-degree days make it feel like summer is already here, even though we actually have a full month to go.

So whether you're at the beach with your family, college buds or your partner for a weekend getaway, here are 35 new things at beach to check out in between slices of Nicola Pizza and buckets of Thrasher Fries.

FOOD

SURF BAGEL The parking lot of the popular Lewes area bagel shop should be easier to navigate this summer. The bagel-makers have opened a new second location, Surf Bagel A.M (18675 Del. 1, near Rehoboth Beach). It's at the former home of K&H Hot Bagels in the Midway Shopping Center and the same New York-style bagels live there. Contact: surfbagel.com.

COOTER BROWN'S TWISTED SOUTHERN KITCHEN AND BOURBON BAR Goodbye Hooters, hello Cooter's! In place of the busty chain that lived high above Rehoboth Avenue at First Street Station (70 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach) comes plenty of Southern flair with a menu filled with goodies like Texas Frito Pie and a Pulled Pig Cuban sandwich. Contact: cooterbrownstwisted.com.

This will be the first summer for Egg, which opened in Rehoboth Beach this past winter.(Photo: Megan Raymond/The (Salisbury, Md.) Daily Times)

EGG RESTAURANT Egg lovers who don't care if their huevos come on the plate runny, hard-boiled or scrambled have been chatting up the downtown Rehoboth Beach eatery (510 Rehoboth Ave.) near the traffic circle that owner Missi Moore opened in November. Open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., it takes over the former McQuay's Market location. Oh, and we can't wait to try the sriracha bacon candy. Contact: (302) 227-EGGS or visit http://www.eggrehoboth.com.

BIG CHILL BEACH CLUB With a 200-person rooftop deck at the Indian River Inlet with sweeping 360-degree views, Big Chill Beach Club (27099 Del. 1, near Bethany Beach) is one of the most anticipated openings of the summer. Owners are aiming for a Memorial Day weekend opening. Contact: bigchillbeachclub.com.

MORE ON BIG CHILL: 360-degree views at beach's newest waterfront bar

GILLIGAN'S GETS A NEW LOOK The boat has sailed on the old decor at Gilligan's Waterfront Restaurant and Bar in Lewes at 134 Market St. The old site was demolished and a new building has been constructed in its place. It includes a main dining room, with a fireplace, overlooking the Lewes-Rehoboth canal as well as a deck with outdoor seating. A second room can be used for private functions. Contact: Gilligan's Waterfront Restaurant and Bar Facebook page.

AGAVE REOPENING? The extremely popular Mexican Second Street eatery in Lewes has been closed for months due to renovation and expansion plans. Will it be open by Memorial Day? A phone message says it should reopen in May. We peeked into the window this week, and it doesn't look anywhere near ready. The last Facebook update on April 2 read: "Any sort of bad weather or even a small chance of bad weather deters some of the contractors from working." Holy guacamole! Please, hurry. We're missing those delish fish tacos and margaritas. Contact: (302) 645-1232.

INDIGO RESTAURANT What is likely the only Indian restaurant in Sussex County is opening soon at 44 Rehoboth Ave. It takes over the spot formerly occupied by The Dough Roller. Indigo owner Raghu Kumar says his family already operates India's, a well-received Indian restaurant founded by his father Suraj Kumar that's been based in Annapolis, Maryland, since 1992. The family has been searching for a second restaurant location for some time and fell in love with Rehoboth.

KAISY'S DELIGHTS & TASTY TREATS We are intrigued with this preppy pink-and-green business, run by owners from Nice, France, which has locations on Rehoboth Beach's Rehoboth Avenue and a new shop on Savannah Road in Lewes. They offer kaiserschmarrn, a kind of chopped-up pancake, along with breakfast sandwiches, goulash soups and latkes. Contact: kaisysdelights.com.

Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls is a new business on Rehoboth Avenue in Rehoboth Beach.(Photo: Patricia Talorico/The News Journal)

MASON'S FAMOUS LOBSTER ROLLS New Englands hand-held heirloom food is having a heyday like no other seafood sandwich. For shellfish fans, the shop at 67 Rehoboth Ave., next to Nicola Pizza, is worth a stop. We loved the $14.99 classic lobster roll featuring tail and claw meat bundled onto a crisp, toasted, buttery roll smeared lightly with mayonnaise. Bigger appetites should get the $20.99 roll with 1 1/4 pounds of lobster. Contact: masonslobster.com.

NEW DOGFISH HEAD BREWINGS & EATS Out with the old, in with the new. After 22 years, Dogfish Head has said goodbye to its original building and built a contemporary, hip brewpub on the site of the old parking lot on Rehoboth Avenue. Look for better seating, a much-improved sound system for live music, more collaboration with other brewers and a greater emphasis on food. Bloody Beer, a limited Bloody Mary influenced brew, will be unveiled in early June. Contact: dogfish.com.

MORE ON DOGFISH: New pub an homage to past, present, future

ROSENFELD'S JEWISH DELI The continuous lines since the April opening of this eatery say it all: Delaware has been hankering for a good Jewish deli. Owner Warren Rosenfeld has duplicated his successful Ocean City, Maryland operation to a site at 18949 Del. 1 near Rehoboth Beach and is now offering Rehoboth visitors a traditional, kosher-style deli. It's open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Contact: rosenfeldsjewishdeli.com. Read more on page

THE PIG & PUBLICAN Good brews, cocktails and wine and food that pairs well with them has long been the mantra of owners Doug and Lisa Frampton. They've brought that same winning concept to their latest restaurant at 516 E. Savannah Rd. in Lewes. The pub, just over the canal bridge, is in the shops of the Beacon Hotel. They've closed their Pig + Fish restaurant in Rehoboth. Contact: http://www.pigandpublican.com.

BLUECOAST SEAFOOD GRILL & RAW BAR The 10th restaurant for the SoDel Concepts hospitality group is a repeat of its flagship restaurant in north Bethany Beach. The new Bluecoast in Gateway Shopping Center, Rehoboth, will be 4,500-square-feet inside, 2,500-square-feet outside and can accommodate 250 guests. The large outdoor gathering area will feature fire pits, a bar and an acoustic stage. Contact: bluecoastrehoboth.com.

We take a look at some of the new restaurants and upgrades coming to the Delaware resorts this summer. Patricia Talorico/The News Journal/WOCHIT

SALTED VINES VINEYARD & WINERY The former Fenwick Wine Cellars has left its 6-year-old Fenwick Island home and owners Adrian and Jess Mobilia have relocated to a 26-acre farm at 32512 Blackwater Road in Frankford. They've planted merlot and cabernet sauvignon and now have an expansive tasting room and outdoor patio. Tastings are $10. Contact: (302) 436-1500 or http://www.fenwickwinecellars.com.

THE VINEYARD WINE BAR AND BISTRO The popular Havre de Grace, Maryland, restaurant is opening a Rehoboth location in what had formerly been the home of Espuma restaurant at 28 Wilmington Ave., near First Street. The restaurant, open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., will offer a variety of wines and small plates. Contact: Vineyard Wine Bar Facebook page.

MUG & SPOON COMPANY Premium coffee and "wild milkshakes" are promised at a new Rehoboth business coming soon inside the Schell Brothers' gallery known as the Coffee House at 18 Rehoboth Ave. Coffee served comes from Brandywine Coffee Roasters, the Wilmington-based business owned by BrewHaHa! founder Alisa Lippincott Morkides. Contact: mugandspoonco.com.

FUEGO-TO-GO Rob Cruz, owner of the Fuego Food Truck, has wheeled into a permanent location at North First Street near Rehoboth Avenue. He has taken over the spot formerly occupied by Otto's Sandwich Shop. The business opened in March and features a variety of tacos served on flour, corn and crunchy tortillas. Delivery is available in and around Rehoboth. The eatery has no liquor license, but it serves until 3 a.m. daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Contact: (302) 227-8226.

The Blue Hen located in Rehoboth Beach. Monday, March 27, 2017.(Photo: Staff Photo by Megan Raymond)

THE BLUE HEN RESTAURANTOne of the most popular Rehoboth eateries is easily Henlopen City Oyster House on Wilmington Avenue. Now, operators Chris Bisaha and Joe Baker have opened a sister restaurant down the street at 33 Wilmington Ave. Much more land than sea, Blue Hen, a block from the boardwalk, concentrates on dishes with heirloom beef and pork and charcuterie that includes specialty cheeses. Contact:www.thebluehenrehoboth.com.

LA FABLE RESTAURANT French restaurants are about as rare in Delaware as a summer day without humidity. La Fable is a Rehoboth brasserie at 26 Baltimore Ave. that has taken over the old Mixx space. Owner Megan Kee, formerly of the now-closed Bramble & Brine, serves "traditional French cuisine with a bohemian Parisian street cafe flair." Reservations are recommended. Contact: http://www.bonjourfable.com.

G CASK & KITCHEN Lula Brazil at 234 Rehoboth Ave. closed its doors on Jan. 1. Popping up in its place is G Cask & Kitchen which is calling itself "a premier place for dinner, drinks and live DJs." The menu hasn't yet been posted on the website, but the grand opening is set for May 19. According to its Facebook page, it will offer "modern American cuisine with some exciting fusion flavors." They'll have vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Contact: grehoboth.com.

COASTAL RESTAURANT WEEK From June 4 to June 9, more than 60 beach restaurants will participate in this restaurant week, which features $25-$45 prix fixe meals. Contact: restaurantweekde.com.

TRENDS

GETTING JUICED The juice bar wars could be heating up this summer. Rehoboth has been seeing an influx of places serving freshly-squeezed juice. The Juicebox on Second Street now has vegan dishes, raw kombucha, cold brew, wheatgrass and local honey. Other places in town include Twist Juice Bar, Dreamer Juice, Juice Fresh and Greenman Juice Bar.

ENTERTAINMENT

FREEMAN STAGE No, it's not the new prescription in your glasses. There is a newer, much larger 40-by-40-foot stage to see acts like Gary Clark Jr., Chicago, Trombone Shorty, The Wallflowers and Jay Leno this summer at Freeman (31750 Lake View Dr, near Selbyville). Contact: freemanstage.org.

Jay Leno will be the first comedian to perform at the Freeman Stage at Bayside near Selbyville, which enters its 10th season.(Photo: ODD ANDERSEN/Getty Images)

ANALOG-A-GO-GO After escaping north to New Castle County's Bellevue State Park last year, this beer and music festival will return to Dogfish Head's Milton and Rehoboth Beach locations on Nov. 4. Acts have not yet been announced. Contact: analogagogo.com.

SUPERFLIP 360 The newest ride at Rehoboth Beach's Funland (6 Delaware Ave.) does it all -- it flips, dips, tips and spins. If you want to see Funland upside-down, try this bad boy. Contact: funlandrehoboth.com.

LEFTY'S ALLEY & EATS After opening in December, this bowling alley (36450 Plaza Drive, near Lewes) has proven to be more than just strikes and gutters. The "eats" part of the entertainment spot is done right, run by the same local group behind Crooked Hammock Brewery, Big Chill Beach Club and more. Contact: iloveleftys.com.

MORE ON LEFTY'S: Lefty's boasts fun for kids, tasty treats for grown-ups

THE RUSTY RUDDERThere's now another reason why you need to wear sunglasses when outside at the Rudder (113 Dickinson St, Dewey Beach): reflection from the new deck. The bayside deck and outdoor bars were replaced, along with the stage. Contact:rustyrudderdewey.com.

RUNNING OF THE BULLUsually held around Fourth of July weekend, this goofy tradition of bull fights and beers at The Starbaord (2009 Del. 1, Dewey Beach) has been moved up to June 24. The change was made so it lands on a less congested weekend. Contact:thestarboard.com.

HUDSON FIELDS The team that brings a steady stream of national acts coming to Dewey Beach's Bottle & Cork have a new 4,000 outdoor music venue (30045 Eagle Crest Rd, near Milton) with acts like Cole Swindell and Fitz and the Tantrums coming up. Opening: June 1. Contact: hudsonfields.com.

MORE ON HUDSON FIELDS: New venue draws headliners to Sussex

In this file photo, the Starboard hosted their 20th Anniversary of the Running of the Bull on Saturday, July 9, at the bar on Coastal Highway. For the first, time the bar will host a Kentucky Derby party on May 6, 2017.(Photo: Chuck Snyder photo)

MOVIES AT MIDWAY Sussex County will get its first really big screen when Movies at Midway (18585 Del. 1, near Rehoboth Beach) completes construction of The Cube, a new theater boasting a 58-by-24 screen. Opening: Fall. Contact: moviesatmidway.com.

FIT

PLAY OUTSIDE The state has launched a new website, Play Outside, which features an interactive map of the state, allowing users to easily find parks and trails or facilities such as boat ramps or playgrounds. Contact: de.gov/playoutside.

SEA CYCLE INDOOR This indoor cycling studio at 34410 Tenley Court Unit No. 3 in Lewes, behind Matt's Fish Camp on Coastal Highway (Del. 1), opened in April. It offers 45-minute, full-body workouts that are more enhanced than regular spin classes. Bikes can be reserved online. Classes are co-ed. Prices vary; a single class is $18. The studio also has barre fitness classes. Contact: http://www.seacycleindoor.com.

CONNECTOR TRAIL The first phase of a 17-mile cycling connector trail stretching from Lewes to Georgetown is now open. Now you can get on your bike and ride from Gills Neck Road to Savannah Road on a trail that connects downtown Lewes with the two major trails within Cape Henlopen State Park. Opened: October. Contact: destateparks.com.

SHOPPING

PET WANTS The new Rehoboth gourmet pet food store and supply company at 146 Rehoboth Ave., owned by Chad Miller, offers proprietary, slow-cooked dog and cat food made in small batches. It sells a variety of food blends for dogs and cats as well as healing salve, calming balm, anti-itch spray and paw wax. Free delivery is available in Rehoboth, Dewey Beach, Henlopen Acres, Lewes, Milton, Harbeson, Oak Orchard, and Millsboro. Contact: (302) 569-9080 or petwantsrehobothbeach.com.

TORY BURCH OUTLET Fans of the upscale accessories & clothing company rejoice: Delaware is one of only 11 states to have an outlet store, according to its website. Where: 35016 Midway Outlet Drive, Suite 327, Rehoboth Beach. Contact: 302-645-8259.

Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico. Contact Ryan Cormier of The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier), Twitter (@ryancormier) and Instagram (@ryancormier).

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35 additions to this summer's beach scene - The News Journal

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Schools Published on Tuesday, 23 May 2017 13:31 Joanne Wallenstein

After months of anticipation, the new district engineers and architects, BBS, unveiled their plans for updates to all district facilities at a three hour meeting on Monday night May 22, 2017. The audience was largely from Greenacres, as the school had previously been the focus of discussion for the next bond offering. However, the administration sought to shift this dialogue to a conversation about equity and parity in the elementary school experience and to provide an assessment and propose update to all district buildings.

To that end, BBS toured all the buildings, spoke to the people who use them and said that they reviewed reports from the prior architects and engineers. The consensus was that all the district buildings have been well maintained and are in good shape. They identified issues that do need to be addressed and assigned priorities to them based on the immediacy of the need, with priority 1A given to those items that pose life/safety issues and are out of compliance with code. They found that 11.6% of the needs that should be addressed are priority 1A and 1B. The chart below indicates their findings. Many of the items are small and can be taken care of by the district.

The ventilation systems at all district schools were found to be out of compliance and fails to provide enough fresh air to the facilities. In some of the buildings the air handlers were disabled and in others they were not working properly. Other than assigning these items a priority the architects provided no data about air quality at any of the schools and indicated that they had not tested it but were told by the district that these tests had been done.

Their findings differed from a 2015 report from engineers that found that many of the building systems at Greenacres School had been extended beyond their useful life and needed to be replaced. For instance, the 2015 report found that all the sanitary piping was in poor condition, while BBS did not flag this system or many others for replacement.

About the sanitary piping, the 2015 report said, "The school did experience the collapse and failure of the main sewer pipe that exits the building a few years ago. This type of failure can be very disruptive and costly to repair in an emergency situation. Given the age of the building and the expected useful life of building materials and systems these types of failures are likely to continue. As a result the long term recommendation is to completely replace all of the original piping and plumbing systems that have not already been updated."

In addition, in 2015 KG&D and their engineers also cited poor ventilation but they claimed that upgrading the current units to provide enough fresh air to meet code was not feasible. The report says, "The amount of fresh air brought into the classrooms is far below current standards. If the same unit types were upgraded to provide the current code compliant amount of fresh air, the system would be quite loud and will have a big impact on noise levels making it difficult for students to hear an instructor. ... These requirements coupled with the age of the existing systems leads to the recommendation to complete replace the building's heating and ventilation system with a hot water system with energy recovery ventilation mechanical cooling and digital controls."

BBS provided a spatial analysis of all district building identifying "spatial conflicts" which they sought to solve by adding a learning commons with food service to four of the five elementary schools. These commons would include new kitchens so that lunch could be served at all elementary schools. At Heathcote, where an additional multi-purpose room is now being built, and there is already a separate auditorium and a gym, the architects proposed the addition of another learning commons with kitchen service to that room.

The audience seemed most perplexed about a proposal at the middle school to close the individual dining rooms in each of the four houses and build a large learning commons/cafeteria in the courtyard at the entry level.

For each of the schools, the architects provided rudimentary floor plans showing proposed additions, interior construction and upgrades to existing classrooms. No dimensions, renderings, elevations or design ideas were presented so it was difficult to know what an upgrade to a classroom might entail. Here is an outline of the proposed new construction:

At Edgewood, the architects proposed the addition of an instrumental music room and an expansion of the existing multi-purpose room so that it could accommodate half the student population for lunch. A new kitchen and toilet rooms would be added on.

At Fox Meadow, a learning commons, kitchen and toilets would be added to the lower level, facing out onto the field and surrounding the courtyard. Architects proposed that this space would have a separate entrance allowing it to be used for community events when school is not in session.

Greenacres would receive the most new space, with the architects proposing additions on both the Huntington Avenue and Putnam Road sides of the school, expanding the building's footprint closer to the roads on both sides.

On Huntington Avenue, the addition is similar to KG&D's option B1, with a two-story addition covering the gym and extending out toward Huntington Avenue. On the first floor that addition would include a learning commons, kitchen and bathrooms, and above that on the second floor there would be four fifth grade classrooms. The current fifth grade classrooms would be converted to an art room and several smaller spaces. Architects proposed moving the art room upstairs due to conditions in the basement and to integrate it into the floor plan of the rest of the school.

On the main floor of Greenacres, the footprint would be expanded out toward Putnam Road for three fourth grade classrooms. On the other side of the hallway there would be a computer room and maker space and three smaller rooms for small group instruction.

Architects said that the new portions of the school would be air conditioned but did not specify if there would be upgrades or replacement of the mechanical systems in the remaining portions of the building.

At Heathcote, a learning commons with kitchen will be added on to the new multi purpose room which is currently under construction at the school. Changes would be made to the office and entry to include security vestibules.

Quaker Ridge, which already has a dedicated cafeteria would not have any new construction, but the lower level music rooms would be reworked to include rooms for support services.

At the middle school the architects found that more rooms were needed for health and language classes and proposed that the individual dining rooms in each of the four houses be closed and converted to classrooms. Instead, students from all four houses and all three grades would eat in a large commons to be built in the courtyard behind the lower entrance to the school. In addition they proposed moving Choice, the middle school's alternative school, into three classrooms opposite the gyms. A security vestibule would be built at the bus entrance to the school and the retaining wall there would be rebuilt.

At the high school, the architects proposed adding architectural features that would make it easier to navigate around the large school and to reconfigure the offices and learning resource rooms.

Both the Board members and community had many questions for the architects. Lee Maude opened with a question about the air quality, asbestos and mold that was reported to be present at Greenacres. The architects replied that they did not observe asbestos or notice any order but they did see dehumidifiers present to mitigate moisture. About the air quality they said, "We understand you did air quality studies and they came up with acceptable results."

Nina Cannon asked a question about long term solutions to the humidity and was told that students would be removed from the lower level of the school and commercial dehumidification was needed. To a question about a space for language instruction, the architects said that one of the special education rooms could be used depending on the number of sections that were needed in fourth and fifth grades.

Art Rublin asked about the cost to build new structures vs. renovate the existing structure. The architect replied that a new building would be "2X the cost of the renovation." The architect added, "Can the body of the building and its bones do what you need to do? I think the existing building is wonderful and can be used. The lower level is the wrong space. We can make a monumental change to that building at half the expense of a new building."

Lee Maude questioned BBS about the size of the classrooms at Greenacres when compared to NYS model classroom sizes. The rudimentary sketches that the architects provided showed no square footage. The architects replied that Greenacres classrooms were not much smaller than classrooms at the other schools, though "some may be a bit smaller than the highest recommendations." They said, "we can get more efficiencies where we need to."

Rublin asked where the kids would be during construction and was told that new construction will be segregated from the existing space and that the kids would be in the building. The architect said, "All construction projects in schools are required to have testing of existing materials. Lead paint removal would be done in the summer." It was estimated that construction would take at least a couple of years including two full summers.

Scott Silberfein questioned the extension of the footprint of the building on both sides when the district had previously been told that the school was maxed out on the property. He asked, "Do we have the right information?" The architect responded, "We are proposing something that is justifiable at the state education department. I won't comment on previous architects. I think it is a justifiable addition."

Community members were also given the chance to comment:

Mary Beth Evans asked the Board to provide data on the investment the district has made in all buildings since 2000. They had provided one for the last ten years. She asked about the role of the building committees and educators. Had they contributed to the discussions with the architects? She questioned the educational vision behind the proposal,asking, "What is the educational philosophy and vision behind the plan? What's educationally appropriate? What about the house system at the middle school? What about 21st century learning, flexible spaces, the breakdown of classroom walks, fluid use of libraries? How does that vision align with the plans in the short and long term?" Referencing surveys that are to go out to parents at each of the schools she continued, "Will residents without kids in the schools have a chance to give input?"

Jennie Robinson from Dobbs Terrace said, "Is there an objective standard for classroom size per child? The classrooms at Greenacres are very small. 21st century classrooms are important. I urge the board to make sure about the class sizes we are talking about."

Ron Shulhof commented, "I did not hear anything about healthy and sustainable buildings. I want to be sure that these ideas are considered and part of your presentations to the district."

Tony Corrigio of Brewster Road was concerned about keeping the children in the school during the renovation. He said, "I will have three kids in Greenacres during the proposed renovation. I am very concerned about the proposal. I thought we would have a full discussion and now we were told that that will cost 2X to build a new school and we're not addressing it. Are we looking at 20 years or 100 years? Greenacres needs the most work. Every wall in there has an inch of lead based paint. The work that will expose the kids. Can we have an independent inspector with the power to shut this down if we see an infraction? Forget the law it's our kids! Let's see the new school and have a fulsome, thoughtful discussion on a new school vs. a renovation."

Mitch Kahn of Brewster Road said, "Does the new school estimate take into account all that has to be done at Greenacres? What about operating costs? Are there efficiencies over the next 10, 20, 50 years? The other architect did not say that a new school costs twice as much this seems disingenuous."

Diane Greenwald of Oak Lane said, "(Tonight) I heard a lot of value to consistency across our district. Consisitency has never been a primary goal. Excellence and innovation has always been a value. We want to look at flexibility, collaboration, interdisciplinary opportunities, light and spaces that promote focus. I am concerned with considering what came before. As a member of the steering committee for the 2014 bond we did come up with priorities we recommended that Greenacres be significantly understood in this bond. What about the facilities master plan that was done in 2014 and how these priorities match up? This might help you determine district priorities. Also, the Heathcote School has unique architectural that needs to be specifically designed. It's a very specific site and cannot just be added on to. At the middle school I am concerned about the house system. Being 13 is hard and the hardest place it is to be a student is lunch. People who know students (in their houses) individually provide support. I hope some of those things are thought out."

Harriet Sobol added, "The Heathcote School is a national treasure; I hope if you do build a new school it will be of that quality. I would support a new school even though I am old."

Lynne Clark was brief, saying, "I thought I would hear whether we were going to consider a new school? Will we?"

Andrew Sereysky, who heads the Greenacres Neighborhood Association said this "caused a ripping apart of the community. I would urge the architect and the board to realize that we need to address renovation vs. new construction. Come to Greenacres Greenacres is the focal point of what's going on. Come prepared to answer questions. Come to the school and make it easy for people to understand the basis of a decision. Open it up so everyone can understand it."

David Schwartz of Oakstwain Road said, "I was hoping to see more options and a cost benefit analysis of renovation vs. a new school for a longer term horizon... a proper financial analysis. We need a chart showing investment in the last 20 years not the last 10 years. What will be the size of the new classrooms?"

Barbara Wenglin commented, "This feels like groundhog day. We have been at this for two years. I find it encouraging that the school is in good shape."

Michael Levine asked, "Your recommendations are not consistent with the recommendations of the previous architects? Why?"

Kyle Shirley of Donellan Road said, "Given the level of community involvement I find it breathtaking that there was no information about a new school and no financial proposal and no willingness to do it! This is a financially sophisticated community. Give us a reasonable, fleshed out, proposal."

Jon Krisbergh of Greenacres Avenue asked, "Why is this going to be less money than the B1 renovation we saw before?"

Lee Maude summed up and said, "Thematically things came back to the question of educational philosophy and equity and how we balance that. What is the concept of the learning commons that came from the administration and the architects? There is a desire to understand the costs and how we apportion that. I think there is a need to understand why we're not looking at an option for a new building at Greenacres. What led to tonight's presentation? We would also like to see the air quality reports."

The administration has set an aggressive timeline to come up with a plan for a December 2017 bond offering. Community forums with the architects are scheduled for the morning and evening of June 20th so that residents can ask questions about the proposed plans.

As they exited the auditorium on Monday night, many had concerns about the proposals. They felt that the materials that were presented were merely sketches and did not provide enough information to make any decisions. Without estimated costs they did not feel that they could weigh the merits of the plans and they also wanted to hear more about the educational rationale behind the addition of learning commons to five schools. Some called for a cost benefit analysis of the renovation versus a new school. The administration may have to provide more detailed plans, renderings, cost estimates and financing plans to get the community behind these ambitious facility plans.

Watch the meeting online here:

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Architects Present Plan to Add Learning Commons to 5 Scarsdale Schools - Scarsdale10583.com

The Washington Redskins ramped things up a bit Tuesday as they held the first of three voluntary practice sessions slated for this week. Wednesday represents the second day of work, and things will wrap up for this week on Thursday.

Below are live updates from The Posts reporters watching the practice at Redskins Park, as well as Mike Joness five key areas to watch while the media gets its first chance to put eyes on the team. Refresh regularly for updates.

Live Updates

Practice is underway, and Kirk Cousins is already getting acclimated with his new receivers, Josh Doctson (who missed almost all of last season with Achilles injuries) and free agent signee Terrelle Pryor, who took over No. 11 from the departed DeSean Jackson.

And there were some reminders about the difference in QB caliber that separates Cousins from others.

Some players, including several recovering from injury, are working in a group away from the field.

The running backs are one of the main groups facing offseason intrigue, which added another element with the absence of Matt Jones, who began the 2016 as the Redskins starter only to be displaced by Rob Kelley. The team added Samaje Perine in the NFL draft.

Another big question for the offseason: How will the defense come together under Greg Manusky and where will the team introduce its rookies, including early draft picks Jonathan Allen and Ryan Anderson? An early look Wednesday had Allen working on the third defensive line unit during 11-on-11 drills. That is not expected to last long, however.

The new coaches are getting acclimated with their players as well, including defensive line coach Jim Tomsula.

And of course OTAs are a time to experiment with some new ideas not all of them good.

FiveAreas to Watch

With the Redskins practicingin this fashion for each of the next three weeks, and then June 13-15 is blocked out for the mandatory three-day minicamp,here are five areas well be monitoring Wednesdayand beyond.

1. The draft picksTop rookie Jonathan Allen and his fellow draft picks received their introduction to life as a Redskin during the rookie minicamp two weeks ago, and this week they take the field along with the veterans for the first time.Allen is expected to start at defensive end. Meanwhile, second-round pick Ryan Anderson will eventually compete with veteran Preston Smith, among others, for the starting left outside linebacker position, and fourth-rounder Samaje Perine will challenge Rob Kelley for time at running back.These position battles wont start right away, however. First, the rookies have much to learn. This week will help indicate just how much.

[With careers shorter, NFL teams ask: What can rookies do for me now?]

2.Free agent additionsTeam officials worked to upgrade their defense this offseason, adding two new starters in linemen Stacy McGee and Terrell McClain, another potential starter in inside linebacker Zach Brown, and another in safety D.J. Swearinger. Meanwhile, the offense also features a key free agent addition in wide receiver Terrelle Pryor. Wednesday representsour first glimpses at the new piecesas they begin acclimating themselves to their roles.

3. Healthy returnsThe Redskins have a number of veterans coming back from season-ending injuries, and none comes with more intrigue than wide receiver Josh Doctson. The 2016 first-round pick missed all but two games last season because of mysterious Achilles tendon injuries that doctors never found a cause for. But now, hes full go, according to Coach Jay Gruden, and hell fight for a key role alongside Pryor and Jamison Crowder. Meanwhile, 2016 second-round pick Sua Cravens is healthy after missing the final three games with an elbow strain, and he returns in a new role: strong safety. Additionally, outside linebacker Junior Galette attempts a second comeback from a torn Achilles tendon, and safety DeAngelo Hall returns from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Its not clear where exactly Galette, Hall and some of their other teammates stand in their recoveries.

[Jordan Reed, Trent Williams absent from Redskins first voluntary workouts]

4.Kirk CousinsDespite the lack of a long-term deal, Kirk Cousins remains committed to leading this team. He has held workouts with his receivers away from Redskins Park, and now that offseason practices have begun, the goal is to position himself to have another career year. There will be challenges. The entire offensive line returns, but gone are top receiving threats Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson. Well see how Cousins and his revamped supporting cast look, and how much work they have ahead of them.

5. Revamped coaching staffGone is Sean McVay, who directed productive offensive attacks the last two years, and Joe Barry, whose defense struggled mightily the last two campaigns. (McVay is now head coach of the L.A. Rams, and he took Barry with him to coach the linebackers and serve as assistant head coach). Gruden promoted quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh to offensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach Greg Manusky to defensive coordinator. Despite new pieces on offense, schemes arent expected to change drastically, and Gruden will handle play-calling duties. However, Manusky will change the approach of the defense and make it tougher.Along with the coordinators, the Redskins also have some other new assistants including defensive line coach, quarterbacks coach, defensive backs coach, assistant offensive line coach, outside linebackers coach and quality control assistants. Itll be an adjustment period for everyone, but Gruden has confidence that the changes will spark improvement.

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Live from Redskins OTAs: Kirk Cousins works with new targets; Jonathan Allen starts on third defense - Washington Post

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A quick look at what's to come at Mile of Music in 2017. Photos: USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. Wochit

Clockwise from top left: Bradford Loomis, Sam Trump, Johanna Samuels and Austin Lucas.(Photo: Photos courtesy of Mile of Music)

APPLETON - With another round of artist additions, the lineup for the fifth annual Mile of Musicnow stands at 115.

The latest batch of 35 performers includes 18 newcomers and 17 acts returning for at least a second time.

By the time the Aug. 3-6 festival comes around, the lineup is expected to feature more than 225 artists. They'll play upwards of 1,000 sets in about 70 venues in downtown Appleton.

Here are the just-announced 18 newcomers:

And the returning guests:

Of the 115 announced artists so far, 27 states and three countries are represented.

The remainder of the lineup will be rolled out in the weeks and months leading up to opening day. Same goes for specifics on the First Songs concert, the Mile Jam tribute show and the performance schedule.

For more on what's to come at Mile 5, check out our story from the April event announcing the first 50 performers and other details.

Shane Nyman: 920-996-7223, snyman@postcrescent.com or on Twitter @shanenyman

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Here are 35 more acts playing Mile of Music - Appleton Post Crescent

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

House Whisperer listens in Deutschtown Pittsburgh Post-Gazette By that time, the house had two rear additions, Mr. Waraks believes. Structurally, it was fairly solid when his partner bought the three-bedroom, ... the three bedrooms, which range in size from 15 by 10 feet to 24 by 13 feet. The second-floor ceilings ...

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House Whisperer listens in Deutschtown - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

At their regular meeting on Monday, May 22, the Carroll City Council will be reviewing the new fireworks bill, Senate File 489 that was recently signed into law by Gov. Branstad, and opening discussions on how the city will provide oversight of sales and use. In addition to that, City Manager, Mike Pogge-Weaver, says council members will get their first look at the work done by the Carroll Library Steering Committee on the proposed Carroll City Library expansion in the Farner Government Building and the renovation of Commercial Savings Bank into a new City Hall.

The citys contract with OPN architects for drawings to be produced for a referendum campaign included one exterior and one interior rendering and floor plans of the new library space as well as floor plans only for the city offices in the Commercial Savings Bank building. Vice President of Commercial Savings Bank, Ryan Milligan, attended the latest Steering Committee meeting and asked OPN architects, Danielle Hermann and Joe Feldmann, if they were open to producing more detailed drawings of the city offices in the bank building.

Pogge-Weaver adds that it is not as easy to decide how to show the interior of what will be mainly office space.

Milligan says he believes more visual representations of what work is being estimated could be invaluable in helping the community come to fully understand that a bond referendum is really for two projects, not just a library. Pogge-Weaver says they are working on developing communication on that very topic.

Other agenda items include plans and specifications for downtown streetscape eight, final plats for the Danzer and Northridge fourth addition subdivisions, streetlight additions for Timber Creek East subdivision plat five and a possible discussion on the monument signage on Highway 30 east if the documents are received in time to be included in the meeting. The Carroll City Council meeting will begin at 5:15 p.m. in the second-story council chambers at City Hall. The OPN renderings are included below.

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City Gets First Look At Proposed Carroll Public Library And New City Hall - 1380 KCIM

When the blue passport books arrive at Connecticut's farm wineries each May, wine lovers begin crisscrossing the state, sipping and swirling chardonnay, cabernet franc and ros in tasting rooms from Sherman to Stonington.

Thirty-seven wineries are participating in the 2017 Passport to Connecticut Farm Wineries program, sponsored by the Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council and the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. Between now and Nov. 5, winery visitors will vie to collect as many stamps in their passports as possible for a chance to win big-ticket prizes, including a two-week trip to Benalmadena Costa, Spain. (Participants must at least visit 16 of the represented wineries to be eligible.)

This season, we're providing a guide to what you'll find at these Connecticut wine destinations: signature vintages and special releases, live entertainment, gourmet food options, and a few surprises (wine slushies, anyone?) We will feature a different winery every two weeks.

East Granby's Brignole Vineyards is one of the newer additions to Connecticut's farm winery scene, marking its first anniversary this June.

Winemaking started as a hobby for the Brignole family and evolved into a full-service operation, says owner Tim Brignole, whose four adult children are all involved in the business. Now visitors arrive to find a palatial, California-style tasting room featuring granite bar countertops, ample seating, a cozy fireplace and a large outdoor deck overlooking rows of vines.

FEATURED AND NOTEWORTHY WINES: The winery's top seller is Sunset, a special select red blend of Barbera and Vincent grapes, that Brignole describes as "very comparable to a big cabernet." He likens the White Tip Heron, made from 100 percent Cayuga grapes, to a pinot grigio-style dry white. Estate-grown wines include the Red Tail house red, the Red Dragon vintner's reserve, and Crossbred red blend.

This season, Brignole welcomes several new wines: White Birches; Sweet George moscato, 2017 Red Tail (made from 100 percent Chambourcin grapes); a Marquette Rose and two red and white zinfandels: Red Stone and Lady Lucy. Wine labels feature colorful, nature-themed photographs from the winery property.

Brignole has also made its mark with specialty sangrias, in rotating, seasonal flavors like peach strawberry, apple pear, cucumber watermelon and rosemary cran-apple. In the warm weather, Brignole turns on its slush machines, churning its wine and juice into frosty, refreshing coolers.

WINE PRICING: Wines by the glass are $7 to $9; bottles are $22 to $36. Tastings range from $10 for three whites and two ross to $18 for all 10 wines. Sangria is $9 and wine slushes are $12. Pricing may be subject to change with the addition of new wines.

FOOD OPTIONS: Brignole offers a spread of wine-friendly snacks from its kitchen: charcuterie and cheese ($7 each or $25-35 for boards), panini ($9 to $13), flatbreads ($13 to $18) and quick bites ($9 to $15) like hummus, artichoke dip, prosciutto arugula wraps and pancetta-wrapped dates stuffed with blue cheese. Guests are also welcome to bring their own food, but no outside beverages are allowed.

SPECIAL EVENTS: Brignole's second-floor event space with private entrance, private deck and pergola, is available for weddings, showers, birthday parties and fundraisers with room for 120 guests. There's live music on Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 5 p.m.

TASTING ROOM HOURS: Closed Monday and Tuesday; open Wednesday through Saturday, 1 to 7 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Summer hours may be extended.

Brignole Vineyards is at 103 Hartford Ave., in East Granby. 860-653-9463, brignolevineyards.com, facebook.com/brignolevineyards.

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Brignole Vineyards: From Its Signature Sunset To Seasonal ... - Hartford Courant

How do you fancy living in an 18th-century water tower, built by French prisoners and used as an air raid post, now with three bedrooms and impressive Devon views?

The octagonal home, converted from its industrial and military use seven years ago, has just gone on the market with an asking price of 600,000.

The water tower is situated on the site of the former Royal Naval Hospital, now a secure gated community. And if you really love history, shell and shrapnel scarring can still be seen on the walls from when it was used as an air raid post

During its renovation, which was closely monitored by the local conservation office, the 110ft tower was transformed into a three-bedroom home and retains many of its original features, including the old limestone walls.

Other features include the hand-built oak, double splayed staircase, vaulted and beamed ceiling in the living room and porthole windows.

Even the original lead lined, wooden frame for the water tanks has been retained to give useful and accessible store room space.

On the market with Plymouth estate agents Mansbridge Balment, the property, which is set over three floors, also has an extensive kitchen and dining area, a drawing room with a vaulted glazed and beamed feature ceiling, a garden room with floor to ceiling windows, a study/library and even a sauna.

Chris Mervyn, branch and marketing Manager at Mansbridge Balment's Plymouth city office, said the tower was a unique and highly desirable property, steeped in history and a triumph of 18th century engineering.

"The construction is amazingly precise in terms of the masonry and quoins," he said. "The tower is not out of vertical at any point by more than half a centimetre and it tells its own unique story of how water supplies were first brought to the city of Plymouth.

"Its rich history is also very much in evidence in the top gallery of the tower where you can still see shell and shrapnel scarring on the walls from when it was used as an air raid post during World War II."

There is a master bedroom with ensuite shower room on the first floor, with two further bedrooms on the second floor.

Both floors are accessed via a spiral staircase, which ascends to the top of the tower, where double glazed doors open out onto the turret viewing area.

Outside, the tower offers a lawned garden, as well as a roof garden made up of two terraces finished with artificial grass.

There is also a patio area with hot tub and access to a workshop.

Mr Mervyn added: "The current owners have made countless additional enhancements to the property, including buying additional adjacent land to extend the plot and converting the garage to extend the tower's living accommodation.

"The tower may have stopped supplying water more than 100 years ago, but its future as a highly exceptional and unique residential property is assured."

The water tower is an historic, Grade II* listed building and is thought to date from 1758-1764 and was at the time, one of the first of its type to be constructed.

Under the watchful eye of the local conservation office, the property was painstakingly restored to a high standard throughout seven years ago and converted into a bespoke residence.

Many of the original materials have been retained, with the old limestone walls being in evidence through much of the accommodation, while the original lead lined, wooden water frame for the water tanks has been retained and is below your feet as you wander around the viewing turret at the top of the tower, to sample the breath-taking views that include Drake's Island, Plymouth Sound and Mount Edgcumbe.

In many ways 'matters water' have dominated RNH Stonehouse from the outset and the city well before that. As South West Water come to the end of the most extensive (and expensive) survey of our drains in history following their most welcome recent full adoption of our Georgian system, it is interesting to recall where it all began.

Clean water was the gold of its day, and is how a former mayor Plymouth, Sir Francis Drake, helped to amass his fortune as a land owner, post his world travels, in the days of Elizabeth I and long before the concept of RNH was conceived.

In those days he effectively 'cornered' the first public water supply bringing it off Dartmoor in a leat, or stone ditch, to supply the city which then consisted of three towns, Stonehouse, Plymouth, and Dock (now Devonport).

Of course, like today, this supply was not for free and it was a major engineering undertaking some 400 plus years ago and to provide it thereafter in a sustainable form, ensuring Plymouth's prosperity.

The leat divided into three, and the supply to Stonehouse ran along what is now North Road West over Eldad Hill and then through the Millfields and over to Durnford Street ending in a 'shoot' where washing was permitted. Licensed abstraction could take place up stream of this but no polluting of course and Water bailiffs patrolled constantly to prevent this.

The leat was the main reason for choosing to site RNH midway between the towns and additionally on its own inland half tide creek with a private harbour.

Sometime after the hospital became operational in the early 1760s, complaints were received from the mayor of Stonehouse that the supply was being starved at certain times of day, therefore, the Navy were swiftly obliged to build a reservoir at the highest point of the site, in the form of a water tower, to buffer the demand peaks.

This also provided a head of pressure so that the whole hospital could be supplied through pressured lead pipes.

The single, huge, lead-lined, octagonal tank at the top, with a staircase in the middle, was filled by a continuous leather bucket chain on the west side powered by a donkey walking around a windlass in a manger with a hole in its roof, which is now the drawing room.

Later the donkey was replaced by a steam engine and the buckets it drove and lifted, dipped into and out of the leat which still runs right beneath the house under the oak floor planks in the kitchen.

The leat then goes on through to the main square and under the sundial and in some places a man can walk in its downstream tunnel. Ot was once used as an escape route by press ganged sailors who ended up somewhere near where Princess Yachts is now - and got caught.

The octagonal water tower was built by French prisoners from the Seven Years War and the top gallery of the tower was used as an air raid post in World War II.

The former Royal Naval Hospital was built in 1760 but its main buildings had stood empty since it was hit by a World War Two bomb in 1942.

Intended to be primarily accessible by water with patients landing at Stonehouse Creek, work originally began on the RNH Stonehouse site in 1758.

The design was influential of its time; its pattern of detached wards, arranged so as to minimise spread of infection, foreshadowed the pavilion style of hospital building which was popularised by Florence Nightingale a century later.

The first patients arrived in 1760 and in 1762, more patients were transferred from hospital ship HMS Canterbury and the main hospital buildings were completed.

The hospital housed 1,200 patients in 60 wards, its 10 ward blocks arranged around a courtyard with a central block containing a chapel, dispensary and staff housing.

The hospital went on to serve the Royal Navy for 235 years, providing staff from Trafalgar to the Falklands.

It saw many additions and changes throughout its history of service and the team of surgeons and nurses finally amalgamated with the main hospital at Derriford in Plymouth in March 1995.

The hospital was closed in March 1995 and the Millfields has since been turned into flats and commercial units.

Reporting by plymouthherald

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Do you fancy living in an octagonal 18th century water tower ... - Devon Live

It's time to reflect on the 2017 offseason. There are a few stray veterans left in the free-agent pool, and teams could still execute something unexpected if injuries arise, but organizations have mostly closed their checkbooks and built the rosters they're going to take onto the field in September.

Bill Barnwell takes a division-by-division look at how each NFL team fared this offseason.

AFC East NFC East AFC North: Thursday, May 18 NFC North: Friday, May 19 AFC West: Monday, May 22 NFC West: Tuesday, May 23 AFC South: Wednesday, May 24 NFC South: Thursday, May 25

Of course, we can know only so much right now. This time last year, there was no way anybody knew that the Cowboys had drafted a franchise quarterback. Kyle Shanahan was lucky to survive the offseason in Atlanta as an offensive coordinator, let alone be considering head-coaching roles.

At the same time, we can look at what each team's goals were (or should have been) heading into March and gain a sense of whether they did enough to address those concerns. In most cases, we can also plot what they have to do before hitting Week 1.

We'll run division by division over the next two weeks. Let's head to the NFC East, a division that drastically turned things around in 2016 and sent two teams to the postseason for the first time since 2009.

To go directly to your favorite team, click the link below:

Cowboys | Giants | Eagles | Washington

They didn't do anything spectacular and pocketed a bunch of compensatory selections. Given owner Jerry Jones' history, it's always a relief to see the Cowboys have a relatively quiet offseason while avoiding going after players whose names (and salaries) might outstrip their performances. The Cowboys did not consummate their long-standing interest in running back Adrian Peterson, instead allowing the would-be backup to Ezekiel Elliott to head farther south to New Orleans. They re-signed Terrance Williams and Jason Witten in lieu of finding a sexier second weapon in the passing game for quarterback Dak Prescott. They operated like a team in sound shape, which they are.

The Cowboys might very well sign a veteran or two now that the additions won't affect Dallas' standing in the compensatory process. Per the projections at overthecap.com, coach Jason Garrett's team appears set to pocket the maximum of four compensatory picks, including picks in the fourth and sixth rounds to go with a pair of fifth-rounders. If we treat those picks like the average compensatory selections from each of those rounds, the Cowboys are grabbing 6.4 points of draft capital, per Chase Stuart's chart, which is roughly equivalent to the 84th pick in the draft.

They found help for their pass rush. Rod Marinelli has been manufacturing a pass rush out of sheer will the past couple of seasons; the Cowboys sacked Aaron Rodgers three times during their 34-31 loss to the Packers in the playoffs, but it's telling that all three sacks came from defensive backs. At the very least, Dallas needed to try to give Marinelli a pass-rusher with some sort of pedigree to rotate in on the edge, and Jones committed his first-round pick toward an upgrade by drafting Taco Charlton out of Michigan with the 28th selection. Marinelli has a well-earned reputation of getting the most out of defensive linemen who have been anonymous elsewhere within the league; here's his chance to work with a first-round talent. Dallas also spent four draft picks on defensive backs, which will be crucial, given that it lost four of its top six defensive backs from last season's depth chart to free agency.

The Cowboys publicly overplayed their Tony Romo hand. The most likely scenario for the Cowboys and Romo was always that they would end up dumping him after June 1 to spread the $19.6 million cap hit from his release over two seasons, but they turned the negotiations into a farce. Few players have been dangled more publicly in the media than Romo was during February and March, with the Cowboys alternately telling reporters that they would release Romo and insisting that they never had any plans to cut him and would trade him only for a pick. The whole ordeal did nobody any favors.

They didn't draft anybody along the offensive line. The Cowboys possessed the deepest offensive line in football last season, but that depth took a major hit this offseason, when right tackle Doug Free retired and guard Ronald Leary left for the Broncos in free agency. Dallas responded with modest measures. It signed a pair of frustrating players in former Cardinals bust Jonathan Cooper and former Panthers tackle Byron Bell but otherwise left the position untouched. The Cowboys will consider moving left guard La'el Collins to right tackle, but he hasn't been consistent on the interior, and that would open up another hole at Collins' old spot. This wasn't a great draft for offensive linemen, but it probably wouldn't have hurt Dallas to use a mid-round pick on one.

Sign a veteran or two on defense. The Cowboys should be thinking about veteran help, either along the defensive line or in the secondary, particularly at cornerback. They could opt for a big name such as Dwight Freeney, Paul Kruger or Elvis Dumervil to provide competition in camp and push for a meaningful pass-rushing role if he makes the team.

They added weapons for Eli Manning. There were too many moments last season when the Giants were Odell Beckham-or-bust on offense. Some of that could be attributed to a dismal running game, but the Giants needed to upgrade on Victor Cruz and Will Tye in their starting lineup. They pulled off both additions. First, general manager Jerry Reese signed Brandon Marshall to an eminently reasonable two-year deal, with Marshall taking less money to stay in New York after being released by the Jets. On draft night, Reese used his first-round pick on tight end Evan Engram, giving the Giants another excellent athlete to work with in the passing game. Sure, Beckham is still going to create moments of pure magic on his own, but now he and Manning will have more help.

They failed to address a dismal offensive line. For the second season in a row, the Giants' offense was rendered irrelevant at times by a porous offensive line. Inexplicably, for the second year in a row, Reese did close to nothing to address the issue. New York lost another regular in Marshall Newhouse, and the reinforcements Reese brought in are underwhelming. Free-agent signee D.J. Fluker failed at tackle before settling in as a mediocre guard in San Diego, and the first and only draft selection Reese used on a lineman was a sixth-round pick on Adam Bisnowaty. After a season in which the Giants ranked 26th in rushing DVOA and averaged just 3.5 yards per rush attempt, you would think Reese would have put more of an emphasis on re-signing offensive linemen.

They re-signed Jason Pierre-Paul to an exorbitant deal and let Jonathan Hankins leave. While 2016 was arguably JPP's best season as a run-defender and a major upgrade on the player he was during a limited 2015 campaign, Pierre-Paul is now 28 years old and already has back surgery and the effects of that traumatic fireworks disaster on his medical history. It's reasonable for the Giants to want him around, but it seemed irresponsible to throw a staggering $40 million in guarantees at a player with two double-digit-sack campaigns as a pro, especially in a year when the draft was full of edge rushers and defensive linemen.

As for the situation on the interior, it's debatable whether the Giants should have brought Hankins back at the three-year, $27 million rate he picked up from the Colts. Even for the Giants, committing to Hankins would have been devoting too many resources to the defensive line, given that Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison are on all massive deals. It was surprising, though, to see the Giants nominally replace Hankins by drafting Alabama nose tackle Dalvin Tomlinson in the second round. He profiles, essentially, as Harrison: a two-down, interior run-stopper who is limited as a pass-rusher. Having one of those guys is good. But two? Not so much.

Re-sign Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg. As bad as the Giants' offensive line is, it would get significantly worse if Reese were to allow his two best linemen to leave in free agency next offseason. Locking Pugh up before the guard market took a huge leap forward this offseason would have been prudent, given his ability to step outside and play right tackle.

Richburg, who has been overshadowed by the presence of Travis Frederick in the same division, should also attract upper-echelon-center money if he hits the free-agent market after his rookie deal expires this season. The Giants already have $156 million committed to their 2018 cap before signing Pugh or Richburg, and they have to lock up Beckham, who will be a free agent in 2019. Given those factors, they might not have long-term deals for the offense's two competent linemen in their plans.

They're suddenly deep at wide receiver. Eagles fans who grew ill at the sight of Nelson Agholor and Dorial Green-Beckham taking regular reps last season probably won't have to reach for the Pepto-Bismol in 2017. The Eagles bought low on Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, adding a pair of veterans who still have considerable upside. The one-year, $9.5 million deal Jeffery took to rebuild his value in Philadelphia, in particular, is a steal of criminal proportions.

The new additions, along with fourth-round size-speed freak Mack Hollins, should provide QB Carson Wentz opportunities to create big plays downfield. Wentz has the arm strength and instincts to chuck the ball wherever he wants, but he struggled to impress on deeper passes last season, whether because of a lack of suitable weapons or a conservative scheme that coach Doug Pederson installed for him as a rookie. Wentz's average pass traveled just 7.3 yards in the air, which ranked 26th in the league. When Wentz did throw deep (16-plus yards in the air), he was 24th in QBR and 26th in passer rating.

To be fair, 4.3 percent of Wentz's deep passes were dropped in 2016, the seventh-highest rate in the league. His overall drop rate of 5.1 percent ranked fifth-highest. Jeffery has played in only 21 of 32 games the past two seasons, but he has dropped just two of the 188 passes thrown in his direction by the likes of Jay Cutler and Brian Hoyer in that span. At the very least, Jeffery should be a safe pair of hands for his new quarterback.

They added more pieces to their defensive line. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz loves to build his units around a strong front four, preferring to get pressure without blitzing. Blessed with one of the league's most promising young defensive lines, Schwartz stayed true to form during his first year in Philly. The Eagles blitzed on only 19 percent of opposing pass plays, the fifth-lowest rate in the league, but they created pressure 30.2 percent of the time, which was the fifth-highest rate last season.

General manager Howie Roseman didn't rest on his line's laurels, though. Philly released veteran Connor Barwin, who didn't take particularly well to the team's new scheme, and allowed nose tackle Bennie Logan to leave. Roseman refreshed his line by swapping third-round picks in a deal for Ravens tackle Tim Jernigan, a useful interior disruptor who will rotate with run-stopper Beau Allen. Chris Long was brought in to serve as the veteran end playing alongside Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham, and the Eagles went further by using their first-round pick on Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett. In a league in which even anonymous pass-rushers are picking up significant sums of money in free agency, the Eagles go four-deep with defensive ends who could be relative bargains in 2017.

Cornerback is a mess, at least in the short term. Cornerback might have been as big a need for the Eagles on defense as wide receiver was for them on offense. With Philadelphia pressing up against the cap heading into the offseason, they weren't able to adequately address their weakness on the defensive side of the ball. The Eagles swapped out Leodis McKelvin, who was often overmatched last season, for the frequently disappointing Patrick Robinson. Dwayne Gratz, who never launched in Jacksonville, was brought into the fold. Roseman then used second- and third-round picks on cornerbacks, but his top selection was cornerback Sidney Jones, who tore his Achilles during Washington's pro day. He is unlikely to make much of an impact this year, which means the Eagles will be relying on their pass rush and a strong set of safeties in Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod to keep their cornerback problems at bay.

They never addressed their need for a bigger back. Reports heading into the offseason suggested that the Eagles would replace Ryan Mathews, a perennial injury risk and one of the few holdovers remaining from Chip Kelly's spending spree. With a deep pool of free-agent backs and a highly regarded crop of rushers available in the draft, it seemed logical for the Eagles to bring in a back to rotate with Darren Sproles and Wendell Smallwood.

The draft has come and gone, and with most of the free agents off the market, the only back the Eagles have added is fourth-round pick Donnel Pumphrey, a 169-pound back whose skill set suggests he'll be the long-term replacement for Sproles. Mathews, who is due to make a base salary of $4 million this year, is still on the roster. And the Eagles didn't bother to go after any of the other backs who might have fit. It was a genuine surprise to see them pass on Jamaal Charles, who played under Pederson in Kansas City and signed a one-year deal for smaller money than Mathews to suit up with the Broncos. They could still target LeGarrette Blount, but otherwise, the Eagles will be hoping that Mathews can stay on the field in 2017.

Make a definitive decision on Jordan Matthews. Nominally the Eagles' top wideout over the past couple of years, Matthews is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is likely to attract plenty of attention in free agency next year. A 6-foot-3 slot receiver, he has flashed at times during his tenure with the team but has yet to take a big leap forward, and the Eagles might prefer to pay Jeffery the eight-figure annual salary Matthews will receive on the market.

With that in mind, the Eagles should make their call on Matthews now. If they feel like Matthews is a big part of their future, they should lock him up, using the leverage of that bargain rookie deal while Matthews is still a year from free agency. If he isn't in their long-term plans, the Eagles are probably better off trading Matthews now than waiting a year. The Eagles would get a compensatory draft pick if Matthews left in free agency, but that pick wouldn't arrive until 2019, and it would come only if the Eagles were to stay out of the free-agent market. Getting a third-round selection for Matthews would lock in what amounts to a top-level comp pick, and it would probably come in the 2018 draft.

Washington massively upgraded its defensive front. Despite firing general manager Scot McCloughan (more on that in a minute), Washington basically conducted much of its offseason as if McCloughan were still in charge. The team generally avoided big splashes in free agency and built a deeper, stronger defensive line. It was 25th in rush defense DVOA and 27th in yards per carry allowed, so you can understand its need for help up front.

Free agency brought Terrell McClain over from the Cowboys, but more notably, the quietly effective Stacy McGee left the Raiders to head East and play nose tackle. While McGee has struggled to stay healthy as a pro, he has been an impact run-defender and beat the far more expensive Dan Williams for a job in Oakland last year.

Washington followed those moves by happily taking Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen when he fell to the 17th pick of the first round. Teams leaked concerns about Allen's shoulders, and there are organizations around the league that believe Alabama products are beat up from the grind of playing under coach Nick Saban, but nobody can argue with Allen's ability or production on the field. This isn't a risk-free proposition -- Washington could be in serious trouble if Allen and McGee struggle to stay on the field -- but the upside is a suddenly effective defensive line imported overnight.

They bought low on a couple of high-upside free agents. For years, owner Daniel Snyder set and reset the top end of the market on free agents, paying premiums to sign disappointments such as Adam Archuleta and Albert Haynesworth. Washington's cap was often bloated, and the team was stuck paying dead money to erase mistakes from years past.

Besides signing Josh Norman last year, Washington mostly avoided those pitfalls under McCloughan. After firing its general manager, it wouldn't have been a surprise to see Washington return to its former largesse. Instead, the team pieced together a coherent plan and gave short-term deals to players with limited but excellent track records. The key additions were Terrelle Pryor and Zach Brown, each of whom played at a Pro Bowl level in relatively new positions last year. Pryor excelled as a wide receiver in Cleveland. Brown was signed off the scrap heap by the Bills after struggling in Tennessee, he moved to inside linebacker, and suddenly he looked like a star. Washington waited out their respective markets and signed both to one-year deals. If Brown and Pryor can reproduce their 2016 form in the NFC East, they'll be bargains.

They fired McCloughan. An embarrassing power struggle played out in the media and led McCloughan to leave town. McCloughan's battle with alcoholism was a matter of public record heading into his time with Washington, and it certainly appears that the organization used his struggle as a pretense to fire him with cause at the first possible opportunity.

Ignore the fact that McCloughan is regarded as an excellent talent evaluator around the league, got rave reviews from players and went 17-14-1 with a team that had gone 7-25 the two seasons before his arrival. Imagine you're a hotshot personnel executive in line for general manager interviews. Why would you want to go work for a team that ran a successful executive out of town and dragged his name through the mud? How would a job with that organization ever be appealing to you, unless you had no other way to become a general manager? It's not a surprise that Washington still hasn't hired a GM and expects to restructure its organization from within.

They punted the Kirk Cousins situation. McCloughan wasn't able to sign Cousins to a long-term deal last offseason, and though that seemed like a prudent move, given Cousins' relative lack of professional success before 2015, Cousins doubled down with another impressive season in 2016. It's clear he's worth big money now, but feeling insulted by Washington's reticence to offer him such a deal last offseason, he seems hesitant to agree to a long-term extension.

After franchising Cousins twice, Washington is 12 months from what could be a franchise-altering offseason. It will be cost-prohibitive to franchise Cousins a third time, and Washington will have to pay a staggering sum to keep him from hitting the free-agent market, where teams such as the 49ers and Browns will be willing to hit new heights to get a franchise quarterback without having to give up multiple draft picks or develop a quarterback. Cousins' leverage -- and the chances that Washington loses its starting quarterback while getting no more than a compensatory third-round pick in return -- grows with each passing day. By this time next year, Washington might have lost the two most important pieces of its organization.

Signing Cousins. It's going to take an exorbitant, Joe Flacco-esque contract, but Washington doesn't have much of a choice.

See the rest here:
Barnwell's offseason report cards on Dallas, NY Giants, Philly, Washington - ESPN