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'NBA 2K18' Wishlist: 30 New Additions That Would Make The Best ... - Forbes
On Friday in Richmond, the Jamestown girls swimming team will try to win its fourth consecutive state championship.
No doubt, the target will be squarely on the Eagles' backs, while Jamestown's boys will also enter the meet as reigning champion.
Both Jamestown teams won 4A East Region championships on Friday as the Eagles boys narrowly held off Hanover thanks in part to a dramatic victory by the 400 free relay team featuring freshmen Austin Smith and Matt Williams and seniors Corey Shideler and Taylor Watson.
"Literally the whole building was roaring," Jamestown coach Molly Sandling said. "Everyone I could see was jumping up and down trying to give our boys that extra bit of fight and energy to out-touch Hanover."
The same group won the 200 free relay and Sandling said Smith. Williams and freshman Jacob Vereb have been vital in filling a void that last year's talented group of seniors left.
Jamestown returned its top two girls swimmers this season in senior Joelle Vereb and junior Abby Larson, but also benefitted from a new crop of swimmers.
Freshmen Kailey Carvajal, Kylie Johnson, Kaitlyn Pegram, Shea Buirski, and Katrina Early each will swim in individual events Friday and Carvajal, Johnson and Pegram on relays.
The 200 medley group featuring Vereb, Larson, Ashley Adams, and Carter Roehrle smashed a school record last week by 3 seconds with a mark of 1:49.12 to edge Lafayette's Grace Olsen, Colby Hurt, Sofia Long, and Olivia Nice (1:49.62), who set a school record of their own.
The performance of those freshmen, mixed with underclassmen like Kathryn Burrows and the upperclassmen veterans led by Vereb and Larson should make Jamestown tough to top again.
"I would say the Jamestown girls are probably the heavy favorites on the girls side," Lafayette coach Harold Baker said. "The guys side is probably going to be much more up in the air. There will be some teams out west and Hanover almost beat Jamestown at the regional. So the guys meet will be more up in the air."
Lafayette's boys and girls both finished third in the regional and Baker expects a top-five finish at states for both, at least. "Hopefully at states, who knows, maybe we can even go higher," he said, "because states kind of washes away some of the teams' depth."
Lafayette sophomore Chris Kostelni was the only local individual boys winner on Friday, taking the 500 free.
Kostelni and his fellow underclassmen have been the stars for the Rams this season on both the boys and girls sides.
Kostelni was fourth in the 200 free at states last year and eighth in the 500 free.
"Looking at last year's times compared to what I've done," Kostelni said. "I have a good shot at maybe getting close to (first). But if I don't, fine, I still have two more years."
Vereb, a Virginia Tech recruit, was the top individual girls performer on Friday, winning the 100 backstroke and the 100 breaststroke while Larson took the 50 free and finished second in the 100 free.
Vereb and Larson each took four gold medals back from the state meet a season ago.
"Joelle and Abby continue to be leaders for this team," Sandling said. "Joelle has really stepped into the role of captain, looking out for the other girls, always on deck by my side during meets, watching what everyone is doing, and supporting the younger girls."
A pair of freshmen girls won region titles for Lafayette as Long took the 100 fly title and Hurt set a school record in the 200 IM at 2:05.72.
A virus making the rounds across town has impacted multiple local swimmers. One of them is Lafayette freshman Sam Long, who swam the region meet with a short recovery from a 103-degree fever. He will be one of many underclassmen to keep an eye on Friday as Jamestown and Lafayette each figure prominently in the race for overall, individual and relay state titles.
Whaley wins twice at region meet
Warhill's girls finished third Friday in the 3A East Region girls meet and the Lions' boys were fifth.
The 200 medley girls relay team featuring Faith Tyranski, Shelby Watson, Morgan Whaley, and Kate Watkins (1:52.20) ultimately finished second to Riverside High, but still set a school record.
Whaley is the only Lion that will enter Saturday's 3A meet in Richmond as a reigning champion, having won last year's 100 fly as a sophomore. She claimed region titles this season in the 100 fly and 100 backstroke.
Warhill's individual boys state qualifiers are Noah Frerichs, Garret Niemerski, Julian Ruiz, Ari Semper and Tyler Tobler. Frerichs and Semper, both freshmen, have been key additions for the Lions.
Joining Whaley, Tyranski, Watkins and Watson at states for the girls will be Gwyneth Martin, Zoe Rippel, Megan Welch and Lucy Wiatrowski.
An injury will keep Megan Watkins, who swam on relay teams last year at states, out of commission on Saturday.
Lynch leads Bruton boys in 2A East
Bruton's girls finished third in the 2A East Region meet and the Panthers' boys were fourth.
A total of eight boys and seven girls swimmers will represent Bruton in the 2A championships, scheduled for Wednesday in Christiansburg.
The highlights for the Bruton boys in regionals were Evan Lynch's titles in the 200 and 500 free races while John Morrow took second in the 100 free.
For the girls, Jenny Schuster posted second-place finishes in both the 200 and 500 free.
Schuster also swam the 200 and 400 free relays that each finished second and also included Caroline Helwig, Gina Lynch and Mallory Downey.
Select results, 4A East Region meet
Boys
200-yard medley relay: 4. Jamestown (Zach Clevinger, Nicky Zhang, Julian Montes Martinez, Brett Harlow) 1:44.33; 5. Lafayette (Chris Kostelni, Flynn Crisci, Sam Long, Henry Gaston) 1:44.39
200 free: 3. Chris Kostelni, Lafayette 1:47.53; 4. Corey Shideler, Jamestown 1:51.29; 7. Finn Sensiba, Lafayette 1:56.18
200 IM: 3. Flynn Crisci, Lafayette 2:03.60; 5. Taylor Watson, Jamestown 2:05.08; 7. Jacob Vereb, Jamestown 2:09.28
50 free: 3. Austin Smith, Jamestown 22.59; 4. Henry Gaston, Lafayette 23.10; 6. Matt Williams 23.37; 7. Aiden Francis, Jamestown 23.50
100 fly: 4. Taylor Watson, Jamestown 55.42; 7. Nicky Zhang, Jamestown 56.49; 8. Julian Montes Martinez, Jamestown 56.77
100 free: 3. Corey Shideler, Jamestown 49.92; 4. Austin Smith, Jamestown 50.05; 8. Matt Williams, Jamestown 52.00
500 free: 1. Chris Kostelni, Lafayette 4:44.11; 6. Drummond Poole, Lafayette 5:24.11; 8. Finn Sensiba, Lafayette 5:25.43
200 free relay: 1. Jamestown (Austin Smith, Matt Williams, Corey Shideler, Taylor Watson); 5. Lafayette (Henry Gaston, Matthew Rice, Ethan Detweiler, Finn Sensiba) 1:35.30
100 back: 5. Zach Clevinger, Jamestown 58.73; 7. Julian Montes Martinez, Jamestown 1:00.27; 8. Sam Long, Lafayette 1:00.98
100 breaststroke: 4. Flynn Crisci, Lafayette 1:02.32; 5. Nicky Zhang, Jamestown 1:02.74; 7. Henry Gaston, Lafayette 1:04.35
400 free relay: 1. Jamestown (Austin Smith, Matt Williams, Corey Shideler, Taylor Watson) 3:17.91; 3. Lafayette (Chris Kostelni, Sam Long, Flynn Crisci, Finn Sensiba).
Girls
200 medley relay: 1. Jamestown (Joelle Vereb, Ashley Adams, Carter Roehrle, Abby Larson) 1:49.12; 2. Lafayette (Grace Olsen, Colby Hurt, Sofia Long, Olivia Nice) 1:49.62.
200 free: 4. Kylie Johnson, Jamestown 1:58.86; 5. Kathryn Burrows, Jamestown 1:59.70; 6. Kailey Carvajal 1:59.99
200 IM: 1. Colby Hurt, Lafayette 2:05.72; 5. Carter Catherine Roehrle, Jamestown 2:16.32; 7. Shea Buirski, Jamestown 2:20.72
50 free: 1. Abby Larson, Jamestown 24.26; 6. Kelly Schisa, Lafayette 25.81; 7. Olivia Nice, Lafayette 26.01
100 butterfly: 1. Sofia Long, Lafayette 58.12; 2. Carter Roehrle, Jamestown 1:00.86; 4. Kaitlyn Pegram, Jamestown 1:02.38; 6. Ashley King, Lafayette 1:03.99
100 free: 2. Abby Larson, Jamestown 52.67; 3. Grace Olsen, Lafayette 53.78; 6. Kailey Carvajal 55.64; 8. Kelly Schisa, Lafayette 56.63
500 free: 1. Colby Hurt, Lafayette 5:05.28; 4. Kathryn Burrows, Jamestown 5:16.12; 5. Kylie Johnson, Jamestown 5:19.06; 8. Carissa Hardy, Jamestown 5:34.16
200 free relay: 1. Jamestown (Joelle Vereb, Kaitlyn Pegram, Carter Roehrle, Abby Larson); 3. Lafayette (1. Emma Freiling, Olivia Nice, Ashley King, Kelly Schisa) 1:45.87
100 backstroke: 1. Joelle Vereb, Jamestown 57.55; 4. Grace Olsen, Lafayette 1:00.45; 5. Sofia Long, Lafayette 1:01.61; 8. Nikki Tyler, Jamestown 1:04.53.
100 breaststroke: 1. Joelle Vereb, Jamestown 1:07.20; 3. Emma Freiling, Lafayette 1:10.23; 6. Katrina Early, Jamestown 1:13.04; 8. Ashley Adams, Jamestown 1:13.16.
400 free relay: 1. Lafayette (Grace Olsen, Emma Freiling, Colby Hurt, Sofia Long) 3:41.20; 3. Jamestown (Kaitlyn Pegram, Kylie Johnson, Kathryn Burrows, Kailey Carvajal) 3:46.83.
Holtzman can be reached by phone at 757-298-5830.
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Jamestown boys and girls look to repeat as 4A swimming champions - Virginia Gazette
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP >> In a 4-1 vote, the Newtown Township Zoning Hearing Board on Feb. 2 granted Pickering Manor the zoning relief it needs for a major building expansion project at its Lincoln Avenue campus.
In granting the relief, the zoning board members added a number of conditions based upon a visit they made to the site and comments and concerns raised by the community over parking lot screening, location and screening of the trash dumpster, exterior lighting and the visibility of rooftop mechanical systems.
When we made our site visit, our visual observation, more or less, confirmed and supported those issues, said zoning board member Sean Ward.
Ward motioned to grant relief subject to the following conditions: All parking - both existing and proposed - shall be screened from adjoining residential uses (screening must be a minimum of four feet and may be landscaping or possibly decorative screening and fencing where natural screening is impractical); all trash dumpsters shall be contained in enclosures and not visible from the street; all parking lot and exterior lighting shall be pointed downward so not to affect adjoining residential areas; all rooftop mechanical systems, existing and proposed, be screened from view; all stormwater systems comply with existing township codes and ordinances and be contained on site and not exceed any runoff that now exists; and that an internal sidewalk proposed along the northern side of the property on Frost Lane be connected to the existing sidewalk on Lincoln Avenue.
Member Brandon Wind voted against approval, raising concern about existing stormwater water runoff, an issue raised by residents on Frost Lane and Chancellor Street during the hearing in January.
The skilled and assisted living facility, nestled in a residential neighborhood between Chancellor Street, Frost Lane and Lincoln Avenue on the border of Newtown Borough, is seeking township zoning and land development approvals to expand the footprint of its facilities by 37,533 square feet, including a new two story building, a new front entrance with a porte-cochere, 12 new parking spaces and the future expansion of three of its five independent living, age-restricted cottages from one to two bedroom units.
Before the zoning board, Pickering asked for and received variance relief for parking (289 required; 120 proposed); a porte-cochere and a cottage within the permitted front yard and side yard setbacks; expansion of a nonconforming use (54.7 percent proposed where the maximum is 25 percent); and impervious surface coverage (35 percent permitted where 59.1 percent is proposed). A below ground stormwater storage facility is proposed to address stormwater runoff.
The next step for Pickering will be to seek land development approvals from the township. Plans will be reviewed by township planners before being sent to the township supervisors for action.
Michelle Knobloch, the executive director and nursing home administrator at Pickering, said the expansion is needed to keep the not-for-profit, community-run facility competitive in the constantly changing healthcare marketplace.
Our history is truly the reason why were here. That history is a legacy and a vision that we hope to take into the future, said Knobloch, referring to its beginnings more than a half century ago.
The facility opened in 1963 thanks to the generosity of Henry Russell Pickering who bequeathed his home on Lincoln Avenue and a sum of money for the creation of a retirement center to serve the older citizens of Newtown and vicinity.
Knobloch said the addition would be built on the north field where the towns egg hunt has been held for years and will house a new 15 room unit solely dedicated to rehabilitation services on its upper level and a new personal care/assisted living 15 room unit on the lower level.
The first floor personal care unit will be built around a central community area with kitchen, dining room, living and activity space that will open out to a hardscaped outdoor garden patio area with outdoor tables and barbecue grill.
The second floor will be the mirror image of the first floor, but will be built around short term rehabilitative services with a separate entrance, dining and activity space.
The new addition and the existing facility would be connected by a linking corridor that will house a common therapy area and a new main entrance/lobby area with an outside porte-cochere facing Lincoln Avenue.
Part of what were trying to do with this plan is to provide security and safety to our residents and our staff in a much more controlled way by having one main entrance, said Knobloch. That front lobby will feed all four areas of care.
Changes are also planned for the existing facility, said Knobloch.
The existing skilled unit, which now houses 47 residents in long term care, short term rehab and hospice, will be reduced to 32 rooms and be rededicated to long term care and hospice.
And the existing 22 room personal care unit will be reduced to 21 and be rededicated as a memory and dementia care unit, an area which Knobloch said is already in high demand in the marketplace.
With all the changes and new additions, Knobloch said, Were basically talking about only increasing our resident population by 14 people. More importantly, we are diversifying our services so were able to offer more of what the community and the marketplace competitively is now offering, she said.
According to Knobloch, the Community Welfare Council, which overseas the facility, began a thoughtful and comprehensive look at its facilities six to seven years ago.
Our board realized that as a single site building, we needed to start strategically looking at our future and thats exactly what we did, said Knobloch.
We did it thoughtfully. We hired consultants. We looked at what is in our competitive marketplace and what we needed to do to remain competitive, said Knobloch. The reallocation of space puts Pickering in the best possible position as a single provider site to compete in the marketplace.
Bucks County is rich in terms of these types of services. So in order to sustain ourselves and Mr. Pickerings mission, we need to be more competitive and offer these other services like long term memory care and short term rehab to the people we serve in our community.
Knobloch said in November that Pickering proactively reached out to the neighborhood to brief them on its plans. It also shared its plans with its residents and employees.
During public comment at the January zoning hearing board meeting, a handful of neighbors spoke against the expansion plan, requesting that the board not grant relief to the facility.
They raised concern with stormwater runoff, lighting, the lack of buffering around the perimeter of the property, delivery hours, snow removal and other operational concerns that they say will get worse if zoning relief is granted and the expansion is allowed to move forward.
Edith Gowan, of Chancellor Street, noting that her street takes a lot of stormwater runoff from Pickering, questioned the need for such a large expansion.
Nobody wants them to not progress, but it doesnt have to be huge. Why cant it be smaller? she asked. We need to look at the real needs of a facility that is in a residential neighborhood. We are right there on top of this facility and we get the traffic and we get the dirt.
Another Chancellor Street neighbor, Susan Wiggins, said while Frost Lane and Lincoln Avenue get the money shot views of Pickering, her street bears the brunt of the operation with the noise from trash collection and deliveries, in and out traffic, car headlights and stormwater flooding.
To give you some perspective, when I grew up on Chancellor Street the only place across the street was the main house, she said. Over the years they kept evolving and adding and adding. Now I feel were in the middle of a business district. It is not a residential neighborhood.
Myles Kelleher of Frost Lane in Newtown Borough said he has long been supportive of Pickering, but added that the expansion of a non- conforming use above 25 percent flies in the face of language, logic and the law.
Citing township ordinance, he said a non-conforming use cannot be expanded more than 25 percent. Pickering is seeking a 54.7 percent expansion.
Were obviously aware of that.Thats why were seeking relief, responded Pickerings land development attorney Ed Murphy.
Murphy said many of the concerns raised by residents would be addressed during the land development process.
This is our first step in the process. Fully engineered land development plans have not been prepared ... When we get to that point the issues of traffic, storm water, parking and those types of issues will be worked out, he said. We still have a long way to go yet.
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Newtown Township Zoning Hearing Board grants relief for Pickering Manor expansion project - Bucks Local News
Skokie Park District commissioners approved a bid package at a special meeting Feb. 8 totaling nearly $3.7 million for a major renovation of the Weber Leisure Center.
The approval of the bids allows the Park District to move forward with the project, with construction scheduled to begin in March and be completed in October, said Supt. of Recreation and Facilities Michelle Tuft.
According to Park District officials, the project will include significant interior design changes along with a renovated entrance; an improved Fitness First health club, including a new group exercise studio addition and complete locker room rebuild; new first- and second-floor corridors with renovated office space; a new gym viewing area and track lobby; a new and expanded main staircase; and a new spin room and Pilates studio and more.
Officials estimated the project to cost some $3.5 million. Though the bids came in slightly more than that estimate, officials said the overage can be covered using some park district reserve funds.
The main bid package approved by commissioners covers a wide array of areas that are part of the renovation work. The bids cover work for demolition, concrete, structural steel, masonry, carpentry and drywall, millwork, roofing, sheet metal and wall panels, aluminum glass and glazing, acoustical ceilings, flooring, painting, toilet portions and accessories, lockers, fire protection sprinklers, plumbing, heating and cooling and electrical.
Only one bid regarding ceramic tiling was rejected because it came in higher than expected, Tuft said. That work will be rebid, but it will not drive up the total cost, she said.
Tuft said 17 other items, called alternates, were also put out for bidding as possible additions to the project, but staff recommended only three.
Those were a fire alarm system for the building at $55,974, replacement of the concrete in the entry plaza at $43,639 and new front entry letters for the facility at $13,185.
"All approved alternates will be funded from the recreation fund, separate from the projected budget," Tuft said.
Park District staff told the board that they likely would come back in the future and ask for approval for three more alternates: replacing light fixtures in the fitness center for energy efficiency, adding wood lockers and benches upstairs in the hallway and installing an audio-video system for the current meeting room that will be used for additional functions in the future.
Late last year, the Park District decided it needed to reconsider the initial Weber Leisure Center project bids because they came in higher than expected.
The rebidding shifted the timetable. The Park District's original plans called for the groundbreaking to occur last October and the project to wrap up in August.
@SKReview_Mike
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Bids approved for Weber Leisure Center renovation project - Chicago Tribune
Gymnastics results(Photo: Matt Colby/Now Media Group)
The Nordy Invitational is a special home meet for the Mukwonago/Kettle Moraine gymnastics team. Longtime coach Harry Nordentofthelped put MKM on the map by winning two WIAA state titles in 1992 and 1994. MKM also finished second in 1993.
MKM was fifth at this year's NordyInvite with a score of 134.15. Kenosha won the title with a 145.1.
"Three of the top scoring teams in the state were present at this invite," MKM coach Tom Werth said. "A lot of highly ranked gymnasts were competing."
Mackenzie Pendleton placed seventh in the all-around (34.1). Pendleton was eighth on beam (8.95) and 10th on floor (8.95).
"She has some very difficult moves in her beam and floor routines that keep her scores right up there with some of the state's top gymnasts," Werth said.
One of MKM's most reliable gymnasts this season,Maddy Krumenacher, took eighth in the all-around with a score of33.925. Krumenacher was ninth on floor (9.0) and 12th on bars (8.5).
"An uncharacteristic fall off the beam kept her off the award stand," Werth said. "Most of the season, she has been solid on that event."
Kelsee Koreschwas the team's top vaulter with a 15th-place finish (8.35). Koreschwas 13th on bars (8.35), tied for 14th on beam (8.5) and finished 18th on floor (8.65).
"One of our most improved varsity gymnasts is Kelsee Koresch, who has continually grown throughout the season," Werth said. "Her hard work and determination throughout the season is paying off."
Ayva Dionne has also worked hard this season and cracked the varsity lineup. Dionne finished 16th on floor with an 8.7 and was 22nd on beam with an 8.025.
"She has added a few new moves to her routines which have helped increase her starting values," Werth said.
MKM was the first team up on vault and didn't stick some of its landings.
"As the meet progressed, the girls steadily improved and found their competitive way," Werth said. "Everyone showed good flow and clean form on the bars.On beam, we had a few falls but finished the meet with some great routines on the floor.The girls really put it together on that event, which ended up being our best showing."
The MKM junior varsity team was fourth (122.5). Waukesha won the meet with a 127.2. Maddie Yager was victorious in the all-around with a score of 30.0.
Yager also placed third onvault (8.1), 15th onbars (7.0) and 12th onbeam (7.85). Tyler Christiansen was eighth onbeam (8.0), 15th onvault (7.65) and 12th onbars with a 7.05.
Natalie Heinz and Jordyn Fixel both tied for third on the floor with scores of 8.3 Fixel also hit one of her best bar routines of the season to place ninth with a 7.4.
On Feb 8, the MKM varsity lost a dual meet to Arrowhead,134.125-132.05.
Emma Jaworski tied for first on vault with a score of 8.5.Krumenacher was second in the all-around, third on vault and third onbars.Pendleton placed second onbeam and floor and was third in the all-around.
"Quite a few of the girls added some more difficult moves to their routines and just need a little time to get comfortable with those additions," Werth said. "This was a good meet to break out these moves so that by tournament time they are comfortable and can focus on hitting the routines they are capable of hitting.I was proud of how many of them competed. Anytime you add a new element to your routine, your focus seems to be on that move and sometimes you let your guard down and miss a couple of moves you normally would hit.The next few practices we will be focusing on lots of routines with everything in so each girl can perform with confidence."
At the JV level, MKM won the meet, 118.75-97.4. Yager had a good day withvictories on vault and bars. Yager was third in the all-around.
"She has been a steady worker for the team and has improved quite a bit over the season," Werth said.
Christiansen won the all-around.
"She has a lot of potential showing clean lines on her form and just needs to work more difficult moves into her routines and she will be strong in the years to come," Werth said.
Natalie Heinz hit a good beam and floor routine and placedsecond in both events.
"Another girl that is moving up throughout the season with some quality routines," Werth said. "Taylor Christensen was third on the beam with an outstanding new move, throwing a back tuck on the beam.Think of flipping a back somersault on the floor and then try it on a balance beam that is only four inches wide.She nailed that move and really got her team cheering."
MKM travels to Waukesha West on Feb. 16 for the conference meet.
"Our focus will be on cleaning up our routines and strive to close the gap on that 140 score," Werth said. "We're hopeful to get Malia Christiansen back in the lineup for Thursday's meet. She has been in and out of the lineup this season with a nagging injury.I know it is hard for her to sit and watch her team because she is such a competitor and wants to get back out there.Her presence alone when she is competing helps fire up this team and we have been missing that."
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Mukwonago/Kettle Moraine finishes fifth at Nordy Invite - Lake Country Now
Subscription beauty service Birchbox islaunching a new, pricier tier to its service, offering customers the ability to better customize their monthly box of products, along with other perks. The service, which is onlybeing offered to current subscribers for the time being, is $14 per month, compared with$10 per month for the original subscription.
The launch comes aftera time when Birchbox had been in the press due to itsstruggles withachieving profitability. As Recode reported in August when the startup received a $15 million lifeline from investors in the form of a convertible note, the company had faced numerous challenges over the past year or so. This included a rash of newer competitors like Michelle Phans Ipsyas well aslayoffs. The report also suggested there may have been struggles with customer churn as current subscribers tired of their boxes, and inefficient marketing spend. (Birchbox denies these claims.)
Birchbox hadalso shopped for a potential acquirer last year, The WSJ reported in June, but failed to achievea deal.
The idea with Birchbox is to allow customers to sample beauty products like makeup, hair and skin care items, among other things through amonthly goodie box. Customers arethen encouraged to buy the full-sized items online. But, as Recode noted, only35 percent of Birchboxs revenue camefrom the sale of full-priced products. (That 35 percent figure is still accurate, a Birchbox spokesperson confirmed.)
The company also has a retail store in New York, which contributes to sales.
In total, Birchbox has over1 million subscribers, and 4 million total customers.
As for thenew subscription itself, it appears to be aimed at sendingcustomers more of the products theyre interested in, which would hopefully translate to more online sales.
According to the Birchbox websites description of the new service, the upgraded subscription still includes just five samples, but now allows customers to select which category of products they want to try or they can choose to receive a fix-it box (one focused on an individual issue, like acne, e.g. ) in lieu of the monthly sample box.
Customers can also swap boxes for points to be used while shopping online, receive special discounts and will be fast-tracked to ACE status (Birchboxs VIP rewards program.)
These additions are meant to push Birchboxs best customers to spend more shopping its online store, in an effort to grow its e-commerce sales.
The new service tier is launching in March, the website noted. It will not replace the $10 per month subscription when it arrives, but will be available as the next step up.
A Birchbox spokesperson confirmed the launch via the following statement:
We are always innovating to stay as relevant as possible to our customers; we introduced features like Sample Choice and, more recently, Ship with Box, to allow subscribers to have more control over their monthly experience. With the majority of our traffic coming from mobile, we rearchitected our mobile web design this past fall to make it faster and more seamless for customers to check out on their phones resulting in our most successful holiday season to-date.
We are currently testing additional ways to allow subscribers to get the most out of their subscription. These new features have been in development for awhile and stem directly from customer research were thinking strategically about what our subscribers want more of and how to execute on that in a way that makes sense for our business.
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Birchbox to launch a second, more personalized beauty subscription service - TechCrunch
As you may already know, we have the honour of completing the renovation and addition for the Camrose Womens Shelter Society, and were grateful to be part of this project. A key consideration in this project was to help keep the construction costs for the society as manageable as possible. Our goal was to come up with a plan to help them achieve this.
The addition were doing for the society isnt unlike an addition wed do for a home. There is a general formula to follow to ensure its being done properly and integrated into your current space. Here are the key elements to consider when planning an extension or addition that may help you save on some construction costs.
Foundation
The ability to use the existing structure or foundation of the home makes a significant difference on a budget. If the structure is sound and can be used, it can save money. The key is to ensure an engineer is involved to assess the foundation and ensure it is safe. This is especially important when adding a second story or removing structural walls to open up different areas of the home.
Timing
Most people would think that completing a renovation during the winter period is a mistake, but we saw it as a great opportunity to save money for the Society. In the case with the Womens Shelter, dealing with the snow and cold was better than dealing with the rain because our goal was to save the existing main floor walls and floor.
In many additions, the existing walls and floor are typically demolished, however, we really wanted to save on costs for the society and so we saved the floor and used the existing drywall.
Consistency is key
When youre building on to an existing structure, its important to unify the materials as much as possible so you dont have a stark contrast between the original and new structures. This means keeping things unified on the interior as well as the exterior as much as possible. Paint colours, flooring, fixtures, siding, stucco, windows all need to be considered when creating your new space. Sourcing materials to match the original structure can become a challenge, especially when dealing with materials that may be discontinued. Part of what a great contractor will do is help you with this consistency in materials or help source the right materials that will match up as closely as possible to the existing structure. In the case of the Womens Shelter, we want to unify the new spaces as much as possible by matching materials rather than having to do a full exterior renovation. Ultimately this saves money while ensuring your addition looks as seamless as possible.
Temperature control
Adding new spaces to an existing structure also means having to account for proper heating of the new space. Using the Womens Shelter as an example, we added 474 square feet to the second storey, which means we added 50 per cent more space to heat. As a result, we needed to add a new furnace in order to heat the space. There can be more complex issues that arise in planning temperature control out in your new space, and how to properly accomplish this from a mechanical standpoint, so its always a good idea to seek out professional help to ensure its being done properly.
The Camrose Womens Shelter Society is a unique renovation, but not a far stretch to what can be completed in your own home. Planning properly and taking advantage of the existing structure and materials can have significant value and save on costs. Hiring a professional to help you chart a course for your addition is a smart move, and can decrease your overall costs if planned and done properly.
Check out some more great ideas at http://www.alairhomes.ca/camrose/blog.
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Planning a cost-effective addition for your home - Camrose Canadian
Monday, February 13, 2017 at 8 a.m.
Who is ready for baseball season to start?
John Royal
Its that most wonderful time of the year. That time when everything is possible. When every team is still in contention for the pennant. Its the start of spring training. Pitchers and catchers are reporting to camp and the time for being jaded and cynical is still far into the future or at least until April.
Baseball starts in February, goes to the end of October and at times feels endless. Its a sport that can be slow to change, and when it does change, those changes are argued about forever witness the seemingly never-ending arguments surrounding the designated hitter and whether the National League will ever fall in line with the rest of organized baseball and stop making the pitcher bat. Traditionalists are still upset about the use of shifts and advanced statistics.
But once an actual game is underway, all of that is forgotten. Baseball then becomes about the perfect placement of the pitch, the sound of the bat connecting with the ball, a third baseman diving to nab a shot down the line. Of course, with the proper use of shifting, theres no need for the third-baseman dive, and the smart batter, aware of the shift, will work to take a walk or lay down a bunt.
Major League Baseball is still experimenting with some ideas as spring training gets underway. The lower minors have been trying out pitch clocks in a way to speed up the game. And now the league is going to have the minors try a new way to handle extra innings. The plan is that once a game hits extras, a runner will be placed on second base to start the inning the thinking being that a runner on base makes it easier to score a run. But some of the great Astros regular season games of all time involve extra innings, such as those Saturday and Sunday games against the Dodgers in 1989 that saw games go 22 and 13 innings on back-to-back days.
None of that would affect the Astros. But there will be some changes at Minute Maid Park. Tals Hill is no more. The centerfield fence has been moved in, there will be new bars and restaurants added in what used to be the hill area, and there will be some additional seating though its doubtful that the average fan will be able to afford those seats.
The team reports to camp on Wednesday at a brand-new location in West Palm Beach, Florida, to a brand-new training facility the team will share with the Washington Nationals. And with the reporting to the brand-new complex comes a deserved sense of optimism that this team is a good team. Its not just good because its spring and the games havent started and every guy looks like a future Hall of Famer or because Sports Illustrated predicted the Astros would win the World Series this season.
This isnt the Astros squad of the final Drayton McLane years. This team hasnt been stripped of talent, the farm system drained by bad drafting. This Astros team is perhaps stocked with more talent in the non-pitching positions than any other team in club history. Jose Altuve, George Springer and Carlos Correa have another year of experience and have continued improving each season. Guys like Alex Bregman and Yulieski Gurriel showed immense promise last season. And the additions to the team of Josh Reddick, Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann shored up the outfield, DH and catching positions.
Not everything is perfect around the Astros, though. The only addition to the starting rotation is Charlie Morton, a so-so pitcher with injury issues. The team is also hoping that Dallas Keuchel will be healthy and return to the form he used to be one of the best pitchers in baseball (and a Cy Young winner), and the team hopes that Lance McCullers can make it through the season without injury and develop into the ace the team believes he can be.
But lets not focus on the imperfections. Its the spring, the games have yet to be played and every team is still in contention. Especially the Houston Astros who are projected to finish the 2017 season with the best record in the American League.
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As Spring Training Begins, Major Leagues Mull New Rule Changes - Houston Press
The Braves are coming off their worst two-season stretch in a quarter-century, but one wouldnt know from the upbeat mood around the team and the expectations among team members on the eve of spring training.
Its a still-rebuilding team that most have picked to finish fourth or fifth in the National League East, after a 95-loss season in 2015 and a 93-loss, last-place showing in 2016. However, some pundits those who paid attention to the Braves second-half progress and offseason moves think it can be among baseballs most-improved teams.
We are extremely excited for spring training, said Braves general manager John Coppolella, who, along with president of baseball operations John Hart, has steered the franchise overhaul since October 2014. We still have a long way to go, but we are getting closer and closer to where we want to be.
While most in the industry still doubt that the Braves can go from 93 losses to a postseason berth, some can at least see why Braves players and manager Brian Snitker insist theyre aiming high.
When we finished the season you could tell we werent that far off, said Snitker, who took over a 9-28 team on May 17 after Fredi Gonzalezs firing and guided it to a 59-65 record the rest of the way, including 50 wins in the final 97 games.
The Braves did what they did despite getting fewer than six innings most nights from a patchwork starting rotation in the second half. The offense was dramatically improved after the first two months, particularly following a trade for Matt Kemp and the August call-up of rookie shortstop Dansby Swanson.
Coppolella and Hart made fortifying the starting rotation a top offseason priority, and did it by signing former Cy Young Award winners Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey and trading for left-hander Jaime Garcia.
The Braves believe that trio, plus the additions of versatile veteran Sean Rodriguez and former All-Star catcher Kurt Suzuki, will help make their first season at SunTrust Park successful. They also know how important spring training can be, to build on the momentum of late last season.
Here are five things to watch as spring training gets underway, with pitchers and catchers reporting Tuesday. This is a condensed version of a complete story that appears on myAJC.com (usethis link) and in Sundays print version of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The Braves moved quickly in November to sign baseballs oldest starters, Colon and Dickey, and trade for Garcia. All are innings-eaters if healthy, and Colon was an All-Star season at 43, posting a 3.43 ERA in 191 2/3 innings.
Swanson debuted in August and quickly became a fan favorite and a Rookie of the Year candidate for 2017. Hes just one of many top prospects wholl get attention from fans, media and team officials at spring training.
Ender Inciarte emerged as a strong leadoff hitter in 2016, and Kemp gave the Braves a needed presence in the cleanup spot behind Freeman. For 2017, Snitker plans at least one key change involving Swanson moving up to No. 2.
The Braves re-signed Jim Johnson to a two-year extension on the final day of the season and said he would enter spring as closer. But they also said that could change, and several hard-throwing young relievers are on the rise.
Chemistry and camaraderie
It would have been easy for the Braves, after a 9-28 start under Fredi Gonzalez, to have sleep-walked past 100 losses. That they turned it around under Snitker and were competitive for the last 3 1/2 months said plenty about Snitker and about the teams talent and leadership.
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Upbeat Braves look to build on momentum at spring training - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Adam Warren pitched in 29 games for the Chicago Cubs to help the team win the NL Central but could only look from afar when his former teammates won the franchise's first World Series title since 1908.
The 29-year-old right-hander was traded July 25 to the New York Yankees along with three minor leaguers for closer Aroldis Chapman, who played a key role as the Cubs came back from 3-1 Series deficit to defeat the Cleveland Indians.
When the Cubs won Game 7 in Cleveland, Warren was watching on television at his Tampa home and briefly pondered what the on-field celebration would have been like.
"I thought about it for a second, that'd be pretty cool to do," Warren said Thursday after a pre-spring training workout at the Yankees' minor league complex. "I'm a big believer things happen for a reason, and my wife was nine months pregnant. It seemed to work out that we were back home ready to have the baby a week after the World Series."
After dealing Chapman, New York traded reliever Andrew Miller to the Indians. Warren and Miller were teammates on the Yankees in 2015.
"Unique experience for me and my wife," Warren "It was such good baseball. I was rooting for Andrew Miller when he was in the game, and I was rooting for the Cubs because I knew all those guys. Having a little vested interest with the Cubs made it a little bit fun."
Warren was first traded to the Cubs in December 2015 as part of a deal that brought second Starlin Castro to New York. Warren appeared in 147 games for the Yankees from 2012-15 and made 29 relief appearances with them last year.
He went 3-2 with a 5.91 ERA for the Cubs.
"I wish I could have been there, I wish I could win a World Series, and hopefully we'll do that with this team," said Warren, who is competing for the final two rotation spots.
Warren and Chapman, who signed with Yankees as a free agent during the offseason, will have the opportunity to return to Wrigley Field when New York plays a three-game series there from May 5-7.
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After pitching 29 games for Cubs, Adam Warren watched World ... - Chicago Tribune