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A Massachusetts construction workers love of black licorice wound up costing him his life. Eating a bag and a half every day for a few weeks threw his nutrients out of whack and caused the 54-year-old mans heart to stop, doctors reported Wednesday.

Even a small amount of licorice you eat can increase your blood pressure a little bit, said Dr. Neel Butala, a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital who described the case in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The problem is glycyrrhizic acid, found in black licorice and in many other foods and dietary supplements containing licorice root extract. It can cause dangerously low potassium and imbalances in other minerals called electrolytes.

Eating as little as 2 ounces of black licorice a day for two weeks could cause a heart rhythm problem, especially for folks over 40, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns.

Its more than licorice sticks. It could be jelly beans, licorice teas, a lot of things over the counter. Even some beers, like Belgian beers, have this compound in it, as do some chewing tobaccos, said Dr. Robert Eckel, a University of Colorado cardiologist and former American Heart Association president. He had no role in the Massachusetts mans care.

The death was clearly an extreme case. The man had switched from red, fruit-flavored twists to the black licorice version of the candy a few weeks before his death last year. He collapsed while having lunch at a fast-food restaurant. Doctors found he had dangerously low potassium, which led to heart rhythm and other problems. Emergency responders did CPR and he revived but died the next day.

The FDA permits up to 3.1 percent of a foods content to have glycyrrhizic acid, but many candies and other licorice products dont reveal how much of it is contained per ounce, Butala said. Doctors have reported the case to the FDA in hope of raising attention to the risk.

Jeff Beckman, a spokesman for the Hershey Company, which makes the popular Twizzlers licorice twists, said in an email that all of our products are safe to eat and formulated in full compliance with FDA regulations, and that all foods, including candy, should be enjoyed in moderation.

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Massachusetts construction worker dies from eating too much black licorice - Press Herald

The developer of the proposed Clocktower Inn of Powell says he remains committed to bringing the project to fruition, but construction has been postponed indefinitely amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hotel and convention center was originally supposed to break ground in 2019 and, pre-pandemic, was set for a groundbreaking in August or September. But as Powell enters the fall, the site in the Gateway West business park remains empty and undeveloped.

Were sort of in a wait and see, said Billings hotelier Steve Wahrlich, who is spearheading the development.

We are still anxious to do the project, Wahrlich added in a Thursday interview, but Im not going to do it without knowing were going to have business through and through.

According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association, a hospitality lobbying organization, 67% of hotels report theyre not going to be able to survive more than six more months at current occupancy rates, and half are under threat of foreclosure due to the pandemic.

Obviously the world has changed since COVID, to say the least, Wahrlich said.

He added that, if the project would have been on schedule and currently operational, it would have been as severely strained as other lodging establishments.

The State of Wyoming has appropriated $2.62 million in support of the approximately $10 million Clocktower Inn project, which is a private-public partnership between the City of Powell and Wahrlich. Under the terms of the grant agreement, the city would own a conference center attached to a 75-room hotel, which would be owned and operated by Wahrlich.

The Powell Economic Partnership was involved in helping Wahrlich secure funding from the state and remains an advocate for the project. Rebekah Burns, PEP executive director, said support for the project has not waivered from any of the project stakeholders.

Wahrlich is committed to the Clocktower Inn of Powell. The City of Powell is committed to the project. The investors are committed, and PEP is committed. The Wyoming Business Council is patient and supportive, Burns said.

Burns said the project is paramount for Powells growth and prosperity and would provide a ripple effect for our retailers, restaurants and attractions.

The state funding, awarded in 2018, is not tied to any deadlines meaning the project could theoretically be delayed indefinitely and not lose the state funding.

We dont have hard and fast rules for timelines, said Amy Quick, northwest regional director for the Wyoming Business Council (WBC), which made the $2.6 million grant.

Quick said these kinds of projects require flexibility in timing. The WBC could pull the funding if there was some indication that the project was being abandoned, but Quick said Wahrlich remains committed.

Since the funding was obligated in the states previous biennium, it remains untouched by the current cuts sweeping through state budgets in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

They are, in our mind, funds that are already spent, Quick said.

The facilitys liquor license, however, could potentially be in jeopardy.

Councilors awarded the citys final retail liquor license to the Clocktower Inn of Powell in December 2018 after Wahrlich said the license was needed to help make the project viable. Owners of the Lovell-based gym Club Dauntless had also applied for the license for a planned golf simulator and sports bar, which was to be built next to a gym. In a split, 4-2 vote, the council decided to grant the license to the Clocktower Inn, over concerns that denying the license would jeopardize the project; Club Dauntless went on to open a standalone gym in December.

In November, Wahrlich asked the council to renew the Clocktower Inns unused license and councilors agreed to do so. At the hearing, Wahrlich said the project was delayed as a result of him having to buy a restaurant associated with his Clocktower Inn in Billings, after the previous restaurant owners retired. At a February PEP meeting, Wahrlich said a general contractor had been selected for the project and theyd be breaking ground this summer, but the COVID-19 pandemic followed weeks later.

City Clerk Tiffany Brando said the Wyoming Liquor Division has said they would prefer the city not renew the Clocktower Inns license so Powell doesnt have non-operational licenses for extended periods. That would make the liquor license available to any eligible business that applies. State law allows the council to renew the license due to extraordinary circumstances meaning the council has the option to extend it. However, Wahrlich said Thursday that he planned to meet with Club Dauntless and indicated he might not pursue another extension.

Being a good steward of the community, I dont want to hold things up, Wahrlich said.

Hes considering the possibility that, with establishments closing due to the pandemic and the hotel on hold, he can wait for another license to become available.

The Powell City Council is set to consider the renewal of all of the citys liquor licenses at its Nov. 16 meeting.

Excerpt from:
New hotel and convention center put on hold amid pandemic - Powell Tribune

The coronavirus pandemic has forced millions of the worlds poorest children to halt their educations and go to work to help support their families, as schools have closed and parents incomes have fallen or vanished.

The children do work that is arduous, dirty and often dangerous: hauling bricks or gravel, scavenging for recyclables, begging or chopping weeds on plantations. Much of their employment is illegal.

It is a catastrophic shift for some of the worlds most vulnerable people, undoing years of gains for education and against child labor, and undermining their prospects of climbing out of poverty. Countless promising students have had their educations cut short, and it remains unclear when schools will reopen. But even when they do, many of the children are unlikely to go back to the classroom.

Here are some key findings of a New York Times report on conditions for these poor children.

Former pupils have been forced into heavy manual labor on construction or demolition sites, picking through garbage, doing sex work, mining for sand or working in factories making cigarettes or fireworks.

The jobs carry risks of injury, or worse, and the hazards are especially acute for children more so when they lack protective equipment, or even shoes. In the Indian city of Tumakuru, an 11-year-old boy, Rahul, set out barefoot with his father on a recent morning to scavenge for recyclables at a waste dump.

India has the worlds largest school-age population and the fastest-growing number of coronavirus cases. The countrys laws prohibit anyone under 14 from working in most circumstances, but its poverty means that it had a large market in illegal child labor even before the pandemic.

With the problem growing and the government disrupted by the virus, enforcement is even less able to keep up.

The rise in child labor also compounds other threats to children resulting from the global recession. Hunger now threatens far more people in many parts of the world than it did a year ago. There have also been increases in forced marriages, teenage pregnancy and child trafficking.

Millions of children are unlikely to return to school.

The longer children stay out of school, and the more desperate their family circumstances, the less likely they are to go back. The United Nations estimates that 24 million children have dropped out for good because of the pandemic.

With school closings around the world affecting well over one billion children, many of them can continue to learn online or at home. But hundreds of millions come from the poorest families, with no access to computers, the internet or tutors.

It grows harder to return to school as the children age and their families become dependent on their earnings and no one knows yet if that dependence will last for months or years.

I fear that even if school reopens, I will have to keep doing this, because of the familys debt, said Mumtaz, a 12-year-old boy in Bihar State in India, who now works carrying heavy loads of gravel.

Reluctant parents say the only alternative to putting their children to work is for the families to go hungry.

With hundreds of millions of people worldwide out of work, the law of supply and demand makes for some cruel math. Struggling businesses take advantage of the glut of labor, driving down wages for those who still have jobs.

As families grow poorer, children enter the work force, magnifying the labor surplus. And unscrupulous employers flout labor laws, hiring children who often work for pennies.

A labor contractor in West Bengal in India said parents had asked him to find work for children as young as 8, who looked like they were being prepared to be thrown into a fire.

Around the world, poverty had been declining for decades, particularly in Asia, allowing more and more children to remain in school. The pandemic has reversed those trends.

Many of the students forced from the classroom and into work were doing well academically, fueling dreams of better futures. Those dreams are now in peril.

Rahul, the 11-year-old boy in Tumakuru, wants to be a doctor, and his teacher says he is bright enough to attain that goal. But the longer he is out of school, the more remote it becomes.

The focus in India and many other countries has been on reopening businesses to restart the economy, but childrens advocates say it is shortsighted to open bars, restaurants and transit systems while keeping schools closed.

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The Rise of Child Labor in the Coronavirus Pandemic - The New York Times

The Glass Fire erupted on September 27 and has moved rapidly across northern Napa Valley, burning structures at some of the regions most celebrated wineries. The Chronicles wine critic Esther Mobley is on the ground and talking to locals this week to track how vineyards and wineries have fared. Already, destruction to the local wine industry far exceeds that of the 2017 fires, when six wineries saw structures damaged or destroyed.

Heres a list of the wineries that have been confirmed to have sustained damage so far. Well be updating the list as we learn more. There are also wineries rumored to be destroyed but are OK, including Chardonnay favorite Rombauer Vineyards. See which ones survived here.

Behrens Family Winery: This boutique winery on Spring Mountain lost two buildings, including its main winery that burned to the ground. Others, like the tasting room, are OK.

Burgess Cellars: The barrel warehouse and the original winery built in the 1880s have both burned, confirms CEO Carlton McCoy. The tasting room and house remain intact.

Castello di Amorosa: A farmhouse at this favorite tourist destination was lost. It contained all of the companys wine inventory, said vice president Jim Sullivan, though the castle itself an ambitious construction modeled on a medieval castle survived.

Chateau Boswell: The main building, built from hand-quarried stone, was destroyed late Sunday night. Only the stone facade remains; a collection of wines dating back to 1979 was destroyed.

Fairwinds Estate Winery: Buildings appear to have been leveled, but the winery owner did not respond to requests for comment.

Hourglass Winery: The winery facility and a 162-year-old guest house were demolished, owner Jeff Smith said. An underground cave containing barrels of aging wine likely survived.

Hunnicutt Wines: A house on the property used for offices and the winerys crushpad, which includes much of its winemaking equipment, were devastated, though the winery building itself is OK, said owner Justin Stephens.

Newton Vineyard: This winery, owned by luxury conglomerate Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton, has been significantly impacted by the Glass Fire, confirmed general manager Jean-Baptiste Rivail.

Sherwin Family Vineyards: This Spring Mountain winery, which Steve and Linda Sherwin started in 1996, has burned, according to an email from the company.

Spring Mountain Vineyard: The vineyard managers home on the property was destroyed, and the vineyard itself experienced serious damage, confirms vice president of sales and marketing Dermot Whelan. Two other buildings, including an 1873 La Perla winery, were also lost. But the main winery and the historic Miravelle Mansion in part known for its appearance on 80s drama Falcon Crest were spared.

Sterling Vineyards: The main winery appeared safe, but Chronicle photographs show that equipment on the outdoor crushpad was charred, and another building may have sustained some damage.

Tofanelli Vineyards: A 120-year-old barn and a family home, which was not currently occupied by residents, burned.

Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com

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A running list of Napa Valley wineries that have been damaged or destroyed in the 2020 Glass Fire - San Francisco Chronicle

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) The Grand Rapids area started off 2020 strong, with dozens of developments planned to open within a year. Then the perfect storm hit, throwing the market into chaos.

A lot has changed in the six months since Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered widespread shutdowns of businesses to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Scroll down to find out how 20 projects have fared since then.

>>DESKTOP USERS ONLY: Click on the flags in the map below to jump to each business featured in the story. (Map not supported on mobile versions of website.)

The coming soon banner has disappeared from the guardrail outside Ambiance GR Kitchen & Lounge, but the promise is still there.

Team Ambiance says it has invested $1 million gutting a 5,043-square-foot space in the Ledyard Building at the corner of Pearl Street and Ottawa Avenue and transforming it into an open modern lounge space with a wraparound banquette.

Demolition at the former Raggs to Riches site began in June 2019. Problems uncovered in the historic building created delays, pushing back the anticipated opening date by months. Then the pandemic set in and a riot erupted downtown, causing minor damage to the business.

In an Aug. 26 update posted on Facebook, the owners of Ambiance GR Kitchen & Lounge said the project is 90% complete.

We plan on opening Ambiance Kitchen & Lounge when it is safe & advantageous for restaurants, bars & events/nightlife to operate at a lucrative capacity again & when we are able to serve our beautiful community in the way you deserve, Team Ambiance stated in the post.

The owners say when work is complete, Ambiance GR will be the only Black-owned full service bar and restaurant in downtown Grand Rapids.

The answer to calls for a brick-and-mortar version of the El Caribe food truck, Art Caribbean Fusion Cuisine opened July 10 after months of delays.

Owner Gilma De La Cruz says that at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the health department temporarily halted all restaurant inspections. The pandemic also posed challenges in creating the menu she wanted because of food prices and securing the hand sanitizer dispensers the restaurant needed.

Art Caribbean Fusion Cuisine showcases food and art from the Dominican Republic, where De La Cruz grew up. He restaurant has been collaborating with House of Wine next door to create food and wine pairings.

Art Caribbean Fusions indoor dining is open at limited capacity. Takeout orders can also be enjoyed in the social zone right outside the business.

The restaurant is located in the deli side of the former Grand Central Market, which closed in January. The other half of Grand Central Market shut down six months later.

El Caribe food truck also continues to operate in the area.

Arvon Brewing Co.s first taproom began welcoming beer loyalists on Feb. 21, but closed about three weeks later under state directives meant to curb the spread of COVID-19.

During the roughly three months the Grand Rapids taproom was closed, Arvon Brewing Co. shifted to selling beer curbside and by delivery.

Co-owner Brett Bristol says the newly expanded Arvon Brewing Co. didnt qualify for much help from resources like the Paycheck Protection Program because funding is based on 2019 finances and staffing, when Arvon Brewing Co. was operating out of a 700-square-foot production facility in Grandville with fewer employees.

Nevertheless, between expanded weekly delivery statewide and sold out releases, Bristol says production has jumped about 50% since March.

All-in-all, we are doing well. Our team is incredibly resilient and like everything else has handled the pandemic with the best attitude and willingness to do whatever it takes to survive and thrive. Our fans are as amazing as they come. We couldnt be more grateful, there is no question that we wouldnt have made it without their support and our awesome team, Brett Bristol wrote to News 8 in late August.

Guests can reserve a seat in the taproom online. Walk-ins are also welcome as capacity restrictions allow. Outdoor patio seating is also available.

The pandemic pushed the opening for Studio Parks $50 million hotel from June to Sept. 8.

COVID-19 also changed how Canopy by Hilton operates. In addition to mandatory mask usage, extra hand sanitizer dispensers and traditional cleaning procedures, the team at Canopy by Hilton sanitizes each hotel room, sealing the door when finished.

The eight-story hotel at the corner of Ionia Avenue and Oakes Street SW took more than two years to build. It includes 155 hotel rooms, a fitness center, a ground-floor restaurant called Portico and Knoop, which owner and operator Lodgco Hospitality says is the largest rooftop restaurant in Grand Rapids.

Guest rooms at the dog-friendly hotel range from $150 to over $300 a night.

This is the 23rd Canopy by Hilton location worldwide and the first of its kind in Michigan. The next closest location is more than 300 miles away in Columbus, Ohio.

The one-room studio located in Grand Rapids Studio Park development opened in early January but was forced to close about three months later under an executive order aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.

Fitness centers were poised to reopen on June 25 after a judge ruled in their favor, but their hopes were dashed by an eleventh-hour ruling from the Michigans appeals court. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer finally cleared the way for reopening on Sept. 9, with restrictions.

Funky Buddha Yoga Hothouse plans to transition from the online and outdoor classes it began holding in July to indoor sessions starting Oct. 1

We are excited to open, but want to insure that we are doing so responsibly, the business added in its Sept. 4 announcement on Facebook.

The yoga studio says when it reopens next month, classes will be limited to 25% capacity, masks must be worn at all times, everyone must practice social distancing and pre-registration is required.

At full capacity, the studio near the corner of Ionia Avenue and Oakes Street SW fits about 50 students.

Owners Nadia and Shatawn Brigham originally hoped to open their wine and jazz bar in April, which is National Jazz Appreciation Month. But the pandemic had other plans.

Construction on GRNoir finally got underway in early August. The owners said if all goes well, the work should be finished in 90 days.

GRNoirs alcohol license request cleared city hurdles and is now in the hands of state regulators for assessment. Co-owner Shatawn Brigham says the team is currently focused on the digital and retail sides of the business.

GRNoir is located at the corner of Division Avenue and Weston Street SE, which sat empty for several years. The new space will host live jazz performances.

The Brighams are focused on providing a meeting space for minority professionals and support for Black winemakers, whom they say account for less than 2% of the industry. Eventually, the owners want to label their own wines.

Our wine offerings will be amazing, and no matter where you find yourself on the spectrum of experience with wine, GRNoir will have just what you need, Shatawn Brigham told News 8.

The dozens of individuals and families at the top of the Inner City Christian Federations waiting list for affordable housing will have to wait a little longer than initially planned to move into this new development.

The $23 million project will transform the former Grand Rapids Christian High School into ICCFs new headquarters, a new campus for Madison Churchs Fulton campus, an early childhood education center, common areas and 41 affordable housing units in southeast Grand Rapids.

Joanna DeMoor-Tannor with Madison Church says several organizations are collaborating on the project and how the space will be used.

Michelle Covington with the ICCF says construction on the development stalled in mid-March for about 45 days until Gov. Gretchen Whitmer deemed it essential work because of the homes it will provide.

Covington says workers are currently adding finishes to the upper floor apartments, dry wall to the third floor and working on the buildings exterior, which includes restoring some elements of the historic fascade. The project also includes adding a parking lot on nearby Morris Street.

Madison Church is expected to announce the early childhood education provider in September.

Covington says the renovations were made possible by a $9.5 million low income housing tax credit, a $1.9 million historic tax credit, about $250,000 from the city of Grand Rapids home fund as well as donations from the community. DeMoor-Tannor says Madison Church has collected about $3 million of the $4.9 million it needs for its portion of the project.

A local developer donated the long-vacant building at 415 Franklin St. SE to Madison Square Church in 2015, which partnered with ICCF to utilize the space.

DeMoor-Tannor says if all goes well, the project should wrap up in February 2021.

Owner David Ringler says the pandemic and consequent shutdowns brought work on the German beer hall to a screeching halt.

Ringler, who also owns Cedar Springs Brewing Company, had hoped to open Ksterer Brauhaus in July or August before the pandemic changed plans. Now hes aiming for a 2021 opening.

Named for German immigrant and late brewery owner Christoph Kusterer, Ksterer Brauhaus will include a three-barrel brewery producing signature Ksterer Bier, Bavarian beers and Cedar Springs brews.

Restaurant owners Elizabeth and Andy Rosario planned to transform the longtime home of J. Gardellas Tavern into a three-floor lounge-style restaurant with a menu focused on Argentinian cuts of meat. Then COVID-19 reached West Michigan and the market changed.

Elizabeth Rosario said the uncertainty for downtown business played a role in their decision to withdraw from the deal.

This was a very tough decision as we were extremely excited about proceeding with this venture, she wrote in June, adding that she hoped for a brighter future for all small businesses.

A representative for the real estate firm working with the current owners of J. Gardellas says the business is in discussions with a new potential buyer of the building, which is one of the oldest storefronts in a historic district of Grand Rapids.

Before COVID-19, developers planned to finish this 87-town house development by late June. Add in the shutdowns and delays prompted by coronavirus, and construction crews are now on track to finish the project by November.

Located just east of Medical Mile in Grand Rapids Michigan Oaks neighborhood, Michigan Meadows features 23 buildings and 6 acres of woods.

Jason Wheeler with Pure Real Estate Management says contractors have completed installing streets, sidewalks, street lights, landscaping, driveways and building about 70 of the upscale units, which cost a minimum of $1,795 a month to rent.

PURE Real Estate Management began leasing the two and three-bedroom town homes shortly after the first building was complete. Wheeler says 60 units are already occupied and the remaining 10 are leased for future remote move-ins, which uses a key lockbox to curb the number of people in the unit on moving day.

The plan to convert three floors of The Morton downtown into extended stay hotel rooms also hit a roadblock during the pandemic. The projects targeted opening date for this year has now been pushed back to 2021.

Once the transformation is complete, 32 of the buildings 85 units will be high-end hotel rooms.

The Mortons owners believe revamping the buildings empty apartments and condominiums into boutique hotel rooms will help eliminate vacancies and make the ground floor commercial space more marketable.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation signed off on the project in December.

First came the craft sodas, then the poke bowls.

High Tide Soda opened in late December but celebrated its official grand opening in February when Pinktail Poke served up its first bowl.

Both businesses are owned by Jeff Butzow, who also operates Fish Lads and Carvers at Downtown Market Grand Rapids.

COVID-19 has trimmed traffic through the Downtown Market, prompting the venue to alter its business hours.

However, the pandemic hasnt changed the grab-and-go business model at Pinktail Poke and High Tide Soda, which is also available for delivery through Uber Eats.

Planet Fitness newest location was supposed to open in late spring, then a hotly contested executive order came down, closing fitness centers for nearly six months. Add to that a roughly two-month pause in construction work because of the pandemic and its still unclear when the gym will open.

PF Michigan Group is leasing a 24,797-square-foot space in the mixed-use development dubbed 234 Market. The building also includes apartments and a smaller commercial space.

Like other Planet Fitness locations, the gym includes cardio and strength machines and the PF Black Card lounge featuring tanning, hydromassage and massage chairs.

Planet Fitness plans to offer special deals on memberships before and around the facilitys grand opening.

People in love with Schaefer Cider Companys line of hard ciders can soon savor one while enjoying views of Fuller Park.

Pux Ciders Grand Rapids tasting room was expected to open in the first fiscal quarter before 2020 went off the rails.

Despite delays, the building looks starkly different than it did nine months ago. Outside, the owners have repainted the brick, removed the awning and replaced the ramp with a new concrete front patio. Inside, theyve painted and added drywall, lighting, a bar and other fixtures. The plans also call for a retail area inside.

If all goes well, the Schaefer family plans to open Pux Cider Taphouse next to The Cheese Lady shop in a few weeks.

Developers of this 146-room hotel had set their sights on a Sept. 1 opening. That date came and went with plenty of work still left to do, thanks to pandemic-prompted delays.

In June, the Downtown Development Authority agreed to change its funding support agreement to ease the blow of the Residence Inns roughly $2 million loss from the delayed opening.

Andrew White, general manager for the Residence Inn in downtown Grand Rapids, says construction delays have pushed the opening date for the 13-story hotel to this winter.

The 5,555-square-foot triangular building at the corner of Ionia Avenue SW and Fulton Street will include a ground floor for businesses and a walkway over Louis Street that connects the hotel to an existing parking ramp.

Speciation Artisan Ales opened its first taproom July 31 in Grand Rapids Eastown neighborhood.

The business is set back from Wealthy Street, nestled between buildings. Its white, minimalist walls are set off by a mural of living petoskeys over the bar area. Barrels and brewing equipment line the west wall of the building.

Co-owner Mitch Ermatinger says COVID-19 sped up plans to add a new air exchange to the century-old building. The pandemic also pushed the business to turn its parking lot into a dog-friendly patio to help compensate for half-capacity seating inside.

In mid-August, Speciation Cellars brought back a popular vinyl record-playing event, albeit by reservation only.

The new taprooms drink menu is available online. Outside food is allowed since Speciation Cellars has no kitchen.

Speciation Artisan Ales continues to sell its beer and wine for delivery or curbside pickup a business method that sustained the brewery during the pandemic shutdown.

People itching for Southern fare from the first Tupelo Honey restaurant in the Great Lakes region are finally getting their wish.

Executive chef Eric Gabrynowicz says the restaurant at the corner of Pearl Street and Ottawa Avenue NW was 80% complete with pandemic restrictions set in, temporarily stalling construction and making its planned spring opening impossible.

By early September, crews were putting the finishing touches on Hyatt Places ground-floor restaurant, which includes an indoor beer garden-style dining area, a 24-tap bar and mural paying homage to Grand Rapids Beer City culture.

Outside, Tupelo Honey added patio seating bordered by planters and shaded by umbrellas.

Tupelo Honey took its first table of guests Sept. 22. The restaurant will celebrate its grand opening on Sept. 29. Visitors can expect all the food favorites, including honey dusted fried chicken and shrimp and grits.

With COVID-19 construction delays over, crews are busy transforming the old Tanaz salon into a new tasting room overlooking Rosa Parks Circle.

At full capacity, the 700-square-foot space in McKay Tower will seat up to 25 people. The bar will carry all of Wise Men Distillerys traditional spirits and serve up cocktails with a nod to downtown Grand Rapids culture.

Opening the tasting room was top priority for Wise Men Distillery before the pandemic hit and Amazon came calling for hand sanitizer. The production pivot helped Wise Men Distillery stay afloat when restrictions forced its bar to close.

Wise Men Distillery General Manager Tom Borisch says if all goes well, the downtown Grand Rapids tasting room should open in October.

Amazons first fulfillment center in West Michigan opened March 8, just days before the pandemic officially reached the area.

Weeks later, Amazon announced it was ramping up hiring to keep up with a spike in online orders. The company ultimately hired more than 1,000 employees in West Michigan.

In May, the assistant general manager of the new $150 million Amazon facility tapped Wise Men Distillery to produce much-needed hand sanitizer for his workforce, which had grown to 3,000 employees.

This month, Amazon announced another hiring binge to keep up with surging online shopping. The behemoth company plans to add 100,000 employees worldwide, including more than 1,500 in the Grand Rapids area.

Its months later than initially planned, but pups soon should run free inside the states first indoor off-leash dog park.

Located off West River Drive NE near Jupiter Avenue in Plainfield Township, The Pack will feature TVs and a bar overlooking the open dog play area which will have epoxy flooring. The plans also include Wi-Fi-enabled workspaces for pet owners, a fenced outdoor patio and a kitchen with limited food and beverages, including some alcoholic options.

More here:
Growing Grand Rapids and beyond: How COVID-19 hit 20 projects in 2020 - WOODTV.com

life-style, life,

As summers become hotter, and weather events become more unpredictable, Australians need to change the way they keep homes cool. Installing insulation is one of the most valuable investments as it will keep homes cool in summer and warm in winter helping to save money on energy bills. Insulation creates a barrier that resists the transfer of heat energy coming in and out of the home through the floor, walls and ceiling, known as the "R-value." The higher the "R-value" the more effective the insulation. Earthwool insulation is also sustainable made using up to 80 per cent recycled glass, providing inherent thermal, acoustic and fire performance. Importantly, the insulation is made with ECOSE Technology, which is a renewable, bio-based binding material with no added formaldehyde or petro-based chemicals. Keeping the home cool is the most important benefit of insulation. A council initiative in Birdsville, Queensland, where summer temperatures regularly soar to 40 degrees, put Earthwool insulation to the test. The following year the average participating homes in Birdsville saved more than 20 per cent on energy bills and were less reliant on cooling appliances. While installing insulation is often undertaken by professionals, the super soft, low-itch qualities of Earthwool make it a suitable product for capable DIYers. Earthwool Ceiling insulation can be a good place to start, coming in a range of R-values to suit different energy requirements. It's available in pre-cut rectangles at either 430mm or 580mm widths to suit most ceiling joist centres. Knauf Insulation technical product manager, Guy Manthel, offers the following advice: For more information go to http://www.earthwool.com.au.

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/hAYf5uV8h5f2xWYCvhVdDZ/9b9ba1b0-bd53-4632-b030-ba1418b3b4db.jpg/r5_219_2394_1569_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg

September 30 2020 - 9:30AM

As summers become hotter, and weather events become more unpredictable, Australians need to change the way they keep homes cool.

Installing insulation is one of the most valuable investments as it will keep homes cool in summer and warm in winter helping to save money on energy bills.

Insulation creates a barrier that resists the transfer of heat energy coming in and out of the home through the floor, walls and ceiling, known as the "R-value."

The higher the "R-value" the more effective the insulation. Earthwool insulation is also sustainable made using up to 80 per cent recycled glass, providing inherent thermal, acoustic and fire performance. Importantly, the insulation is made with ECOSE Technology, which is a renewable, bio-based binding material with no added formaldehyde or petro-based chemicals.

Keeping the home cool is the most important benefit of insulation. A council initiative in Birdsville, Queensland, where summer temperatures regularly soar to 40 degrees, put Earthwool insulation to the test. The following year the average participating homes in Birdsville saved more than 20 per cent on energy bills and were less reliant on cooling appliances.

While installing insulation is often undertaken by professionals, the super soft, low-itch qualities of Earthwool make it a suitable product for capable DIYers. Earthwool Ceiling insulation can be a good place to start, coming in a range of R-values to suit different energy requirements. It's available in pre-cut rectangles at either 430mm or 580mm widths to suit most ceiling joist centres.

Knauf Insulation technical product manager, Guy Manthel, offers the following advice:

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Prepare the home for every summer to come with insulation - The Canberra Times

Youngsters visiting the Fairbanks Childrens Museum will be able to scramble as high as the ceiling after a newly-designed giant climbing exhibit is installed.

Its like an indoor treehouse, said museum director Meredith Maple-Gitter. It is going to be a super exciting project.

The exhibit was made possible by a $75,000 donation from Usibelli Coal Mine in 2018. A $7,500 grant from the Alaska State Museum Grant-in-Aid program paid for design of the exhibit.

Lots of museums in the Lower 48 have exhibits very similar to this, Maple-Gitter said. We see them when we visit other museums.

Former museum director Brenda Riley got the ball rolling back in 2018.

She started working with a guy named Leon Smith, Maples said. He designs playground equipment down in Portland.

An added benefit Smith is from Fairbanks originally and now operates Puddletown Playworks in Portland, Ore. He specializes in creating play environments for children.

The delay in installation of the project was caused by the uncertainty, for a period of time, of whether the museum would stay at its current location or move to a new spot. Once the decision was made to remain at 302 Cushman St., Suite 101, the climbing project moved forward.

The climbing exhibit yet to be named will be 18-feet wide and 181/2-feet tall.

Its two stories high and extends into the ceiling a little bit, Maple-Gitter said.

The structure will be made out of locally-sourced wood - spruce logs from Fairbanks. The exhibit includes a little log cabin playhouse and a nest made out of willows that serves as a small sensory room. Rope netting is in place for easy climbing, including a spiral net climb. The exhibit also includes spiral stairs, a spruce post forest and a tree traverse with a net floor.

Theres lots of room for kids to play underneath the structure, which helps to limit its footprint, Maple-Gitter added.

The climbing wall, currently at the museum, will be incorporated into the structure.

Before this, the newest exhibit was the child-version of a veterinarian clinic, which debuted last year.

There was so much excitement over that, Maple-Gitter said. It really pushed us forward because we knew we had funding on deck. Seeing our community engage in something totally fresh and new made us eager to actually make this happen.

Building will begin in early December and covid-permitting, with safety measures in place, the museum plans to reopen in January 2021.

The museum closed its doors on March 13, due to the coronavirus. It also paused all family memberships, so families can pick right up where they left off in January 2021.

Its the right time, she said. Its going to be really exciting.

Reach columnist/community editor Kris Capps at kcapps@newsminer.com. Follow her on Twitter @FDNMKris.

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New climbing exhibit to be installed at children's museum; museum plans to reopen its doors in January 2021 - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Los Gatos Town Plaza Park, which holds a regular farmers market as well as outdoor concerts and plays, is two blocks away, while the highly ranked Los Gatos High School is about half a mile away. Downtown San Jose is a 20-minute drive, and San Francisco is about an hour north.

Size: 2,525 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,182

Indoors: A white picket fence separates the front yard from the street. Like many Victorian houses, this one was originally painted in bright colors and trimmed with gold leaf; a previous owner painted the facade white with black trim.

The front door opens into the main living room, which has windows facing the front and side of the house, refinished hardwood floors and original crown moldings. A wall originally separated this space from the parlor, which has a separate entrance, but the current owners shifted the floor plan so the rooms face each other.

A doorway in the main living room leads to a dining room with intricate crown molding, slate-gray wainscoting and gray-and-white botanical wallpaper. Beyond the dining room is an airy kitchen with a pressed-metal ceiling, a silver-and-red-enamel range and a center island.

A winding staircase leads from the kitchen down to the lower level, where there is a family room with doors out to the backyard. Two guest rooms are on this level, plus two bathrooms (one is a powder room; the other has a claw-foot tub).

Off the parlor is a hall that leads to the kitchen and has a staircase up to the second floor. Turning left at the top of the stairs leads to the primary bedroom, which has a peaked ceiling and windows facing the side and rear of the house. Across the landing are two guest rooms; one is currently in use as a home office, while the other has space for two single beds and a play area. The bedrooms on this level share a bathroom at the end of the hallway. An update by the owners included the installation of a large walk-in shower with glass walls, a black marble-tile floor and a wooden vanity.

Outdoor space: Mature trees are planted along the sidewalk in front of the house, creating shade in the front yard. More line the backyard, which is landscaped in grass. Across from the main house is a guest cottage painted in the deep greens and bright pinks of the Victorian era. Inside are a bedroom and a bathroom, plus a small kitchen with a pressed-metal ceiling. The driveway has space for two cars, and additional street parking permits can be bought from the city.

Taxes: $35,820 (estimated)

Contact: Matthew Paulo, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, 408-396-9875; mattpaulo.cbintouch.com

For weekly email updates on residential real estate news, sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @nytrealestate.

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$3 Million Homes for Sale in California - The New York Times

For 60 years now, a tropical forest has lived in St. Louis, capped off by a botanical bubble that serves as a beacon for the Missouri Botanical Garden.

A thousand guests gathered on Oct. 1, 1960, for the dedication ceremony of the Climatron, the worlds first geodesic greenhouse.

"Our life will remain endurable and desirable only so long as we remain in contact with nature," Detlev W. Bronk, president of the National Academy of Science, told the crowd.

The 70-foot tall dome, 175 feet in diameter, covers more than half an acre with 2,425 panels of heat-strengthened glass. It has no interior support or columns that go floor to ceiling. With an average temperature of 64 degrees at night and 85 degrees during the day, its favorite year-round attraction. LED lights were installed in the Climatron in 2018 for the nighttime event Flora Borealis, and now the beacon can beckon in a rainbow of colors. It will be glowing Wednesday and Thursday night this week for the 60th.

The Climatron closed for three months this spring and summer as staffers worked inside to make it navigable during the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened in August.

As the weather cools during its birthday week, visitors will once again seek out the Climatron for an escape to the tropics, right here in St. Louis.

Excerpt from:
Happy birthday to the Climatron! Take a look through 60 years of pictures. - STLtoday.com

This post is part of a series sponsored by The Detection Group.

Gravity is not your friend when it comes to leaking water. Water always seeks the lowest point in nature, and in commercial structures, notes Laurie Conner, President & CEO of The Detection Group.

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Gravity is NOT Your Friend. But the Chase for Water Leaks is Over! - Claims Journal