Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Nashville Tennessean Published 5:00 a.m. CT Aug. 24, 2020

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5641 Cloverland Park Drive, Brentwood 37027

Year built: 2002

Square feet: 3,735

Price: $599,000

Description: Four-bedroom, four-bathroom brick home is on one level with full walk-out basement. Home has lower level office, open floor plan, storage areas in unfinished portion of basement.Home has screened deck and patio.

5641 Cloverland Park Drive, Brentwood 37027(Photo: Homes.com)

More photos:https://www.homes.com/property/5641-cloverland-park-dr-brentwood-tn-37027/id-600027828587/

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5468 Old Hwy. 96, Franklin 37064

Year built: 2006

Square feet: 2,000

Price: $599,000

Description: Three-bedroom, two-bathroom home is on 1.3 acres and less than 1.5 miles to downtown Leipers Fork. Home has new kitchen, both bathrooms, new hardwood floors on main floor, new carpet upstairs, new deck. Master bedroom is downstairs, and two bedrooms are upstairs. Home has French drain and encapsulated crawlspace.

5468 Old Hwy. 96, Franklin 37064(Photo: Homes.com)

More photos:https://www.homes.com/property/5468-old-96-franklin-tn-37064/id-1000081680759/

1006 Harwick Drive, Franklin 37067

Year built: 2004

Square feet: 4,169

Price: $599,000

Description: Four-bedroom, four-bathroom brick home in Providence subdivision has open floor plan, new roof and gutters, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances and new light fixtures. Home has screened patio and fence in back.

1006 Harwick Drive, Franklin 37067(Photo: Homes.com)

More photos:https://www.homes.com/property/1006-harwick-dr-franklin-tn-37067/id-600029298811/

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Homes: What $599,000 can buy in Williamson County - Tennessean

There are many options for remodeling your home, from a light remodel such as painting and new flooring, to a major remodel that adds living space. Since the home is the largest investment most people will ever make, it is smart to know where to spend your money. And, since the kitchen is the heart of the home, its no surprise that the kitchen is just the place to begin.

The REALTOR ranking of interior projects most likely to add value lists these top three items:

So, a kitchen remodel, from total to partial, accounts for two of the top three ways to add value to your home!

According to Remodeling Magazines 2019 Cost vs. Value report, homeowners recoup approximately 60% to 80% of their costs on a kitchen remodel upon resale. In a hot real estate market like we currently have in Middle Tennessee, you may see an even higher return as long as the remodel is tasteful and on-trend.

If you are considering a partial remodel, dont make the mistake of adding new appliances or countertops to low quality cabinets. Its like putting lipstick on a pig, and you know what they say about that! Just as your home has a foundation for the structure to be built on, the cabinetry is the foundation of your kitchen. Dont scrimp and throw good money after bad by updating everything but old, low quality cabinetry. This will not add value to your home. A potential buyer can even be turned off by the thought of having to rip out new counters placed on old cabinetry.

If your existing cabinetry is high quality and you like the layout, you might suffice with a refresh of new hardware and countertops. Along with painting the walls, these items could yield good results, adding potential value.

We find many older kitchens are low on function and aesthetics. So, a complete remodel would not only yield the highest return on resale, but can also become an investment in the enjoyment of your home. This is really the main motivation to remodel a kitchen in the first place!

Contact Frenchs Cabinet Gallery, LLC to begin the process. Call now to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced designers: 615-371-8385.

Have a question for Frenchs Cabinet Gallery,LLC? Fill out the form below:

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Adding Value To Your Home Through A Kitchen Remodel - rutherfordsource.com

Bidens White House and his Cabinet would likely lean on his connections from the Obama administration, including institutionalists who are palatable to centrist Democrats. But in the same way Biden shifted left on policy in recent months in response to the pandemic, he is also taking advice from the progressive wing of the party.

Interviews with more than a dozen Democrats familiar with his transition process describe an effort by his campaign to assemble a center-left amalgamation of personnel designed to prioritize speed over ideology in responding to the coronavirus and the resulting economic ruin. Think Susan Rice, but also Elizabeth Warren. Pete Buttigieg, but also Karen Bass.

I think those [ideological] distinctions are going to be a little hard to draw in this administration, said Matt Bennett, whose center-left group Third Way, like others, is developing lists of candidates to propose to Bidens advisers for sub-Cabinet and other roles.

One Democratic strategist familiar with Bidens work to form a government said, Does it mean that the chief of staff wont be [longtime Biden advisers] Ron Klain or Steve Ricchetti or something? No, but it does mean youre going to see some unusual suspects in the government, I think.

Among those advising Biden on the transition are centrist-minded establishment figures such as Tony Blinken, the former deputy national security adviser in the Obama-Biden White House, and Lawrence Summers, the ex-Treasury secretary and bane of progressives who said last week that he will not go into the administration. Ricchetti, Bidens former chief of staff, is a former lobbyist.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is widely viewed as a potential Treasury secretary in a Biden administration. | Samuel Corum/Getty Images

But Biden is also taking economic advice from Warren, Democrats familiar with the campaign say. She is widely viewed as a potential Treasury secretary in a Biden administration. It did not go unnoticed when Biden in April called corporate America greedy as hell. He has also proposed raising the corporate tax rate.

And progressives have been heartened by the composition of his transition team. Headed by former Sen. Ted Kaufman, a longtime Biden adviser and Bidens successor in the Senate, it includes Julie Siegel, who has been a top Warren adviser, and Gautam Raghavan, chief of staff to Rep. Pramila Jayapal, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

"I think this is about getting seasoned people that are really qualified to do the job. People with experience, people that are smart as hell and people that reflect America," Kaufman said in an interview. A lot of this isnt about ideology or anything else. Its totally about what do you do with the incredible hollowing out that Trump has done ... so many of the agencies just are empty, the career people have left.

"Youre going to be walking into a very difficult situation, and a lot of its going to be blocking and tackling.

One name often mentioned as a potential secretary of State is Rice, who was Obamas national security adviser and made Biden's short list for vice president. Blinken is often mentioned as a potential national security adviser.

Tony Blinken is often mentioned as a potential pick for national security adviser. | Getty Images

Warrens potential selection for Treasury could depend in part on the balance of the Senate after the November election. If she steps down, her states Republican governor, Charlie Baker, would appoint her replacement a Republican, presumably until a special election. But there are workarounds.

A veteran Democratic strategist close to Bidens transition team said that if Warren wants a post, she is definitely in the Cabinet. And even if she isnt, she's likely to influence Bidens thinking.

Elsewhere in the Cabinet, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who endorsed Biden in early January and served on his vice presidential selection committee, is a likely candidate for transportation or Housing and Urban Development, among other possible positions. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), another finalist for vice president, could be secretary of HUD or Health and Human Services.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham comes up a lot in Cabinet talks, according to one former Biden adviser who remains in contact with Biden campaign officials. Buttigieg, the former South Bend, Ind., mayor and presidential contender, is seen as a likely choice for ambassador to the United Nations or secretary of Veterans Affairs. And Jared Bernstein, a longtime economic adviser to Biden, is frequently mentioned as a potential chair of Bidens Council of Economic Advisors. Bernstein was among the administration veterans and academics who gave Biden and Harris an economic briefing last week.

Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg is seen as a likely choice for ambassador to the United Nations or secretary of Veterans Affairs. | Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Discussing the kind of leaders he wants to surround himself with at an event in April, Biden said his job is to bring the Mayor Petes of the world into this administration and even if they don't come in, their ideas come into this administration.

He has left open the possibility of including a Republican in the Cabinet and is considering adding a climate-focused position.

I think he will govern like [Bill] Clinton in terms of consensus-building, but he will be surrounded by a lot of Obama people, said former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who served in the Clinton administration as energy secretary and ambassador to the U.N. I believe he will have a free reign for six months, and then if there isnt major, positive change, you know, the fractures in the party will start showing.

The health and economic wreckage from the pandemic has changed Bidens outlook on the presidency and his preparations for a potential administration. Seeing the immediate, post-Trump era in more transformational terms than he did before, he has adopted a more expansive legislative agenda, including more robust college affordability, bankruptcy and Social Security plans. He has significantly expanded his proposal to address climate change, proposing to spend $2 trillion over four years on a suite of programs.

Bidens advisers are preparing for the opening months of his administration almost as a rescue mission, with contingencies to address the coronavirus based on how severe it remains and on whether a vaccine is available.

Rep. Karen Bass could be secretary of HUD or Health and Human Services. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Between Covid-19, what Trumps done and the economy, this is going to be a totally different transition because of that. Its just going to be very, very difficult," Kaufman said.

However, he added, When [Biden] shows up on the first day, hes not going to need to be told where the Situation Room is. Hes been in the Situation Room for hundreds of hours. So hes going to come in as the most experienced and qualified person in terms of federal experience of anybody in the history of the country.

The prospects of Bidens legislative agenda would rest heavily on whether Democrats win the Senate. Just as Biden is preparing to populate the executive branch, he is laying groundwork to move legislation. Biden speaks with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and their staffs are in regular contact.

Last month, Biden signaled an openness to ending the 60-vote filibuster rule, a practice President Barack Obama recently called a Jim Crow relic.

The filibuster is gone, said Harry Reid, the influential former Senate majority leader and a friend of Biden. Its not a question of if, its a question of when its going to go Next year at this time, it will be gone.

The filibuster is gone."

Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

When asked what changed Bidens thinking about the filibuster, Reid said, I dont know. I talked to him and Ricchetti about it. Maybe that helped a little bit. I think, just basically, pragmatism if hes going to get anything done as president, [the filibuster] has got to go.

Biden campaign advisers say he considers his Build Back Better agenda a package that can get broad buy-in, not a legislative starting point. Jake Sullivan, a former top State Department official and a senior adviser to Biden, said that as he formulates his legislative agenda, Biden is being attentive to how you construct a bold, integrated agenda that can also attract a big tent coalition of support.

And Stef Feldman, the Biden campaigns policy director, said that in addition to Biden's legislative experience, he "also knows how to move the levers of government in the executive branch.

Brown, who would likely become chairman of the Senate banking committee if Democrats win the Senate, said it is not Biden "moving to the left," but "Biden, and all of us around him, recognizing this is going to be a very consequential presidency."

The fear among some progressives is that Bidens relationships and penchant for compromise may serve to water down the Democratic agenda. Larry Cohen, the former Communications Workers of America president who now chairs the Bernie Sanders-aligned group Our Revolution, said the inclusion of progressives on Bidens transition team is the reason Im hopeful about a Biden administration.

Invoking Bidens frequent references to FDR, Robert Reich, the Clinton-era Labor secretary, recalled that Roosevelt initially was certainly not thought of as somebody on the left. At first, he placed trust in the nations financial institutions, pursuing a working relationship with both populists and business interests early in his administration.

It was only after businesses balked and the relationship deteriorated that Roosevelt changed course.

Then and now, Reich sad, America was ready and willing and eager to try almost anything.

The country will get behind Joe Biden, I think, in very powerful and important ways, Reich said, adding that Biden has the opportunity to be a transformative president Its almost entirely a function of the times.

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Biden is already forming a government. Here's what his Cabinet could look like. - POLITICO

NOTICE OF INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) IFB #20-006 NVMHI Fire Alarm Replacement DBHDS PC No.: 720-10880-28-08 DEB Permit Code: 720-A9720-003 Sealed bids are invited for the construction of NVMHI Fire Alarm Replacement at 3302 Gallows Road in Falls Church, VA. The project is generally described as a 100% complete fire alarm system replacement throughout the building including but not limited to associated uninterruptible power supply and surge protection systems, equipment racks, enclosures, wiring, cables, devices, and programming. All conduits and components of the fire alarm system to be recessed unless otherwise noted. All locations where existing devices are removed and not replaced shall be patched and painted to match existing. The facility is a 24/7/365 mental health facility. All access shall be approved by the Owner beforehand. Contractor to follow the facility's procedures for health, fire evacuation, COVID-19 testing, storage areas, and Contractor parking. All work areas shall be approved by the Owner each day. The Contractor is responsible for protecting equipment and materials at all times. Any work area shall be cleaned prior to leaving the area at any time. The Contractor shall take direction from the security officers and staff during events. Sealed bids will be received at the Office of Architectural and Engineering Services, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), Commonwealth of Virginia, 1220 Bank Street, 7th Floor, Jefferson Building, Richmond, VA 23219. The deadline for submitting bids is 2:00 P.M. sharp, as determined by the Bid Officer, on September 8th, 2020. The bids will be opened publicly and read aloud beginning at 2:00 P.M., on September 9th, 2020, at the same location. A Bid Bond is required. eVA Vendor Registration: The bidder or offeror shall be a registered vendor in eVA. Procedures for submitting a bid, claiming an error, withdrawal of bids and other pertinent information are contained in the Instructions to Bidders, which is part of the Invitation for Bids. Withdrawal due to error in bid shall be permitted in accord with Section 9 of the Instructions to Bidders and 2.2-4330, Code of Virginia. The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids. A pre-bid conference will be held at the NVMHI at 2:00 P.M., on August 27th, 2020. Attendance is mandatory for those submitting a bid. Bidders are asked to meet outside at the main visitor's entrance. To maintain social distancing, the meeting will either be held outside or in the NVMHI gym. All participants are asked to show up wearing adequate Personal Protection Equipment (masks). The contract shall be awarded on a lump sum basis as follows: The Total Base Bid Amount including any properly submitted and received bid modifications plus such successive Additive Bid Items as the Owner in its discretion decides to award in the manner set forth in Paragraph 12 of the Instructions to Bidders. 'Notice of Award' or 'Notice of Intent to Award' will be posted on eVA, Virginia Department of General Services' central electronic procurement website, at https://eva.virginia.gov. Contractor registration is required in accordance with Section 54.1-1103 of the Code of Virginia. See the Invitation for Bids for additional qualification requirements. Under Executive Order 20, July 22, 2014, Cabinet Secretaries and all executive branch agencies are directed to continue and advance the following on a race and gender neutral basis: Exceed a target goal of 42% of discretionary spending with small businesses certified by DSBSD Drawings, Specifications and Invitation for Bid documents are available in electronic format and will be obtained by contacting Cole & Denny Architects. Louis Barbieri (lbarbieri@coleanddenny.com) or Brett Weiglein (bweiglein@coleanddenny.com) will be the contacts for the electronic files and will coordinate the distribution to all requesting contractors.

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VIRGINA DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES NOTICE OF INVITATION FOR BIDS: TEXTURIZING KITCHEN MODIFICATIONS, PIEDMONT...

N.W.T. MLAs sat Monday in an emergency session of the legislature after a cabinet minister was stripped of her portfolios in a surprise shuffle last week.

Katrina Nokleby, formerly minister of infrastructure and of industry, tourism, and investment, will face a vote Wednesday on whether she should remain in cabinet.

Premier Caroline Cochrane sought the unanimous consent of the assembly to fast-track discussion of a motion to remove Nokleby from cabinet, but was stymied by Nokleby's single vote against.

MLAs will sit again on Tuesday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. But because two-days notice must be given for motions, a vote on Nokleby's future will not be held until Wednesday afternoon.

In the consensus system of government, all 19 MLAs select the members of cabinet, who are then assigned their portfolios by the premier.

Nokleby currently sits with cabinet as a minister without a portfolio, after Cochrane issued a surprise statement Wednesday saying she no longer had "confidence in the minister and her ability to fulfil her responsibilities."

Cochrane last publicly expressed "complete confidence" in Nokleby on May 29.

Few regular MLAs have offered any public statements about the shuffle, and none have granted interviews with media.

The premier has also repeatedly denied CBC's requests for interviews.

Instead, on Friday, Cochrane posted a five-minute video to a Facebook page with600 followers in which she said she was "reluctant" to offer her reasoningout of "respect for conversations held in confidence."

Nokleby's departments have been the subject of intense criticism from Indigenous governments who say the territory's procurement process is broken, and from tourism operators who accuse her department of unreasonable delays.

She has also been accused of taking a combative tone in discussions with fellow MLAs, according to NNSL.

But in the wake of Wednesday's statement, industry leaders have lined up to voice their surprise at the premier's move, telling Cabin Radio they had few issues with Nokleby's performance.

Late Saturday, Frame Lake MLA Kevin O'Reillyjoined the list of MLAs breaking silence over Facebook about the decision.

In a lengthy post, O'Reillycalled the revocation of a minister's appointment an "awkward and uncomfortable process," and said MLAs "collectively have not done a very good job in explaining how the Legislative Assembly actually works."

His post struck a different tone from Yellowknife North MLA Rylund Johnson and Kam Lake MLA Caitlin Cleveland, who criticized the premier for providing little notice of her decision.

The decision "was conveyed in a timely manner ... and there was a meeting to discuss this move," O'Reilly's post reads. "The Premier explained the decision ... and there was an opportunity to ask questions."

"I thank the premier for taking my concerns seriously and taking decisive action," it concludes.

O'Reilly could not be reached for comment.

O'Reilly is one of four Yellowknife MLAs well-positioned to replace Nokleby in cabinet.

Historical convention holds that two cabinet members are drawn from northern ridings, two from southern ridings, and two from Yellowknife.

If convention held, O'Reilly, Cleveland, and Johnson would all be eligible, as well asYellowknife Centre's Julie Green.

Of those four, only Johnson has ruled out a bid for a cabinet seat.

Selecting Nokleby's replacement, should she be voted out, will require more sittings, during which candidates for her seat in cabinet will present their case to MLAs and a winner will be decided in a secret ballot.

According to a release from the assembly, the emergency session is expected to conclude bySept. 1.

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Move to fast-track N.W.T. minister's exit stymied by her single 'nay' vote - CBC.ca

With Gavin Williamson facing no repercussions over the exams algorithm shambles, Alex Andreou argues that the more incompetent a minister is, the more likely they are to do well under this administration

It is supremely ironic for this Government to be so preoccupied with the spectre of unmerited qualifications. For never has a group of such ill-qualified individuals held such high office. Anyone dismissing the dangers of grade inflation needs to look at the current Cabinet as its consequence.

A clear pattern is beginning to form. Whenever there is a major fiasco necessitating a U-turn, three things happen: Boris Johnson disappears, the minister involved stays put, a proxy is blamed. In time, Downing Street will announce that it considers the matter closed.

And so it is with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and the exams scandal.

The convention of individual ministerial responsibility the notion that if things go horribly wrong in your department, on your watch, you walk collapsed long ago. Lord Carrington was the last to do the honourable thing in 1982 (with the possible exception of Estelle Morris in 2002, paradoxically over an A Level marking snafu, much more anodyne than Williamsons). But at least ministers usually have the decency to make a case for why this was an administrative, rather than a policy, mistake.

These ministers are sandbags of incompetence, keeping at bay a rising tide of moral outrage. Why would those at the top kick them over?

Weve had no such explanation from Williamson. Asked again and again by interviewers whether he had offered his resignation or even considered his position, he did a Blackadder-trying-to-avoid-the-order-to-advance impersonation. Sorry, Sir? Bad line. Schnell, schnell, kartoffeln!

What has been more surprising is how poorly the affair was judged politically. It was instantly obvious, from the moment Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon walked into a press conference and told assembled journalists that using an algorithm had been the wrong thing to do, that Downing Streets position was untenable and a U-turn inevitable. This has, after all, been a Government of U-turns three of them within Williamsons brief.

Yet he opted to carry on blithely for days, allowing the wrong grades to be issued, resulting in a university admissions nightmare, before he appeared on our television sets saying how sorry he was, but blaming everyone except himself. The decision to dig his heels in wasnt Ofquals judgement and it wasnt a civil servants advice it was him.

Then there was Williamsons claim that the first he knew of the problems with the algorithm was last weekend. Indisputable evidence emerged that he was warned of precisely the risks which materialised six weeks ago by a top civil servant and had a meeting to discuss them.

So the question becomes: what will it take for Boris Johnson to sack someone?

Part of the problem is a complete lack of moral authority at the top. How can an administration installed in part by nefarious donations sack Robert Jenrick for doing favours to a donor? How can Johnson fired twice for lying sack anyone for being less than truthful? How can Dominic Cummings who drove up and down the country during lockdown force anyone to resign for breaking the rules?

These ministers are sandbags of incompetence, keeping at bay a rising tide of moral outrage. Why would those at the top kick them over? The tide will only start lapping at their incompetent ankles. They are a serpentine series of dominoes, each frantically supporting the tile ahead, because they know what happens if it falls.

The other part of the problem is that Johnson cannot sack someone for reasons they werent hired. Integrity and competence were never part of the brief when it comes to Williamson, who was fired by Theresa May for leaking information from the National Security Council. Liz Truss, one of the most perplexingly over-promoted choices, has taken to deleting trade meetings from the register, as personal.

Rishi Sunak is much more likely to be squeezed out for being too good than Gavin Williamson, for being unremittingly awful.

Priti Patel was elevated to one of the great offices of state, after being sacked by May, for having a series of unofficial business meetings with Israeli officials and misleading the then Prime Minister about them. When her most senior civil servant left the department over her alleged bullying, nobody batted an eyelid. Even Liam Fox, who quit David Camerons Cabinet in disgrace, is making a comeback as the UKs preferred candidate to take over as head of the World Trade Organisation.

The only incentive to sack a Cabinet member is a genuine belief that a replacement will improve the overall quality of the decision-making group. In a Cabinet of nincompoops, headed by a shyster, sacking one less-than-ideal minister, simply advances the next less-than-ideal minister into the crosshairs. A minister knows full well that they need only wait a couple of days before another minister does something outrageous and they are off the hook.

Three criteria appear relevant for Cabinet eligibility: blind loyalty to the Brexit cause, complete obedience to Cummings, and not being seen as a potential rival to Johnson.

The only prominent Cabinet member forced to resign was the Chancellor Sajid Javid because he had a high profile and wanted to retain a level of independence. On this calculation, Rishi Sunak is much more likely to be squeezed out for being too good than Gavin Williamson, for being unremittingly awful.

Anger and resistance has been built into the calculation. I must have heard surely, Williamson has to go a hundred times over the past week. There is no more surely with this Government. It is Government by trolling. The angrier we get at it, the more convinced it becomes of its success.

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Boris Johnson's Cabinet of No Talents is Doing the Job it was Hired To Do - Byline Times

The Republicans were supposed to be rallying at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, about now, and Gov. Ron DeSantis was going to ensure that schools across the state reopened in response to President Donald Trumps all-caps tweets.

Instead, Trump is expected to give his acceptance speech for the semi-virtual Republican National Convention from the Oval Office. Some official convention proceedings will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina. And DeSantis is battling in court with the Florida teachers union over his reopening mandate.

One thing thats not changing, however, is Trumps steady drumbeat for private school choice a platform that includes his administrations freedom scholarships proposal and a Republican relief bill, the School Choice Now Act, that would provide emergency funding for state-level scholarship organizations. Such policies have proved irresistible to his base, but they havent garnered much support in Congress.

I think they are going to try to really key in on private school scholarships and vouchers and their vision of the choice agenda, said Danny Carlson, the director of policy and advocacy for the National Association of Elementary School Principals. Elections are about a lot of things, but theyre really about getting out your base.

School choice is half of the education section in a proposed second-term agenda Trump unveiled Sunday, along with teach American exceptionalism. Carlson predicted that Trump will likely remind people of the win in the Espinoza case, referring to the U.S. Supreme Courts June decision overturning a Montana rule that excluded religious schools from a tax-credit scholarship program.

The inclusion of Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., on the RNC agenda could suggest the campaign wants to hammer on Trumps push for tax-credit-funded scholarships. Scott is co-sponsoring the school choice bill with Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander. The organizations would provide scholarships for private schools as well as to families that want to homeschool a segment of voters that could be growing because of frustrations over school reopening.

Trump will make daily appearances. To the extent he addresses education, observers dont expect him to stray from his recent positions on reopening schools and increasing private school choice.

Id like to see the money follow the student, Trump said Aug. 12 at his second White House event urging schools to reopen. Were having a hard time with the Democrats. They want the money to follow the union.

The U.S. Department of Education also followed up last week with a webinar titled School Choice During COVID-19 and the Impact on Families as Schools Reopen, which featured a school choice advocate in Ohio, a family participating in the federally funded D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, and the leader of a Christian school in Richmond, Virginia.

Kellyanne Conway, Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump at the Kids First: Getting Americas Children Safely Back to School event. (Official White House Photo by Delano Scott)

State of polarization

There are some signs that pandemic desperation has made some of the administrations core education priorities more palatable to many who would not have embraced them prior to the coronavirus. Families who probably never viewed themselves as potential homeschoolers are among those breaking away from their school districts or teaming up with other families to form homeschool pods.

Recent polling from organizations albeit those that support school choice show increasing interest in homeschooling among Black and Hispanic families. A RealClear Opinion Research survey of more than 600 parents in May showed that almost 41 percent said they would be more likely to homeschool after the lockdowns, with half of Black parents and more than a third of Hispanic parents giving that response. In addition, a June survey from EdChoice and Morning Consult showed that more than 60 percent of 557 parents said they feel somewhat or much more favorable toward homeschooling since the outbreak of the virus.

For families suddenly embracing school choice or homeschooling, his message about funding following students probably resonates, said Rick Hess, an education policy expert at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. In addition, for those parents eager to get their children back in school, Trumps big megaphone on school reopening has offered a counterargument to the unions position that its not safe to return to in-person classes, he said.

If Trump gains some points among minority voters over school choice issues, he might lose their support over the reopening issue. Only a fifth of Black voters support a return to in-person learning for students and teachers before a vaccine is available, according to new polling data from Education Reform Now Advocacy, a project of Democrats for Education Reform.

Trump is out of step with the desires of Black voters and, more importantly, is jeopardizing the health of students and teachers, said Shavar Jeffries, president of the reform group.

Hess added that Trump might have swayed more voters if he had handled the COVID-19 crisis with some veneer of statesmanship, but that hasnt been the publics general perception.

Ultimately, with the nation in a state of polarization, Hess said, Trump supporters are unlikely to change their vote to Democratic nominee Joe Biden even if they agree with keeping learning remote. Likewise, Biden supporters likely wont turn to Trump just because they want their children back in school.

Small, but passionate

For past Republican presidents, education has been more of a bridge issue. That was initially the case with No Child Left Behind under President George W. Bush and continued during the Obama administration with the Every Student Succeeds Act.

But thats clearly not Trumps style, said David Campbell, a political science professor at the University of Notre Dame. The president uses education to appeal to a small, but very passionate group, he said. He added that although the general population might not be as familiar with tax-credit scholarship programs as they are other types of school choice, like vouchers and charter schools, such policies are well-known to the constituents that care.

One problem for Trump, however, is that some of those voters arent particularly happy with his record on school choice either. DeVos and the administration have been unsuccessful in getting significant congressional support for their $5 billion tax-credit proposal. Its also unclear whether the Senate Republicans plan for emergency tax-credit programs in the states will make it into the next pandemic relief package.

We would like them to actually deliver on their early promises for the tax-credit proposals that they have talked about since the last campaign, said Dale McDonald, the director of public policy for the National Catholic Education Association. NCEA will certainly continue to push for assistance to parents to choose schools, but not seeing any major breakthrough just yet.

A battle-hardened DeVos

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos isnt scheduled to make a convention appearance this week, but whether she would join Trump for another four years if he wins is still up for grabs.

Presidential advisor and Catholic school supporter Kellyanne Conway, who is scheduled to speak Wednesday, frequently communicates the administrations priorities regarding education and led much of the discussion at the April 12 school reopening event.

We, as a nation, can philosophically and politically differ on many issues, Conway said, addressing Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. But Ive never, ever heard a very compelling and persuasive, memorable reason why people oppose the kind of school choice that the two of you are fighting for.

Conway announced Sunday that she is leaving the White House at the end of the month.

Some, such as Fordham Institute President Michael Petrilli, dont expect DeVos to hang around for a second term. Jason Botel, who served in the department until 2018 as an assistant secretary, said she might prefer to return to the philanthropic sector and focus on expanding school choice for children in low-income families that way.

But having outlasted so many other members of Trumps cabinet, DeVos is much more battle-hardened now and plays well with the base, Hess said. The people who give to Republican campaigns feel like she has been unfairly slandered and smeared.

Whether she would remain for a second term might be her call, he added.

If Trump wins a second term and DeVos moves on, Botel suggests the administrations efforts to appeal to the religious right will continue. Trump could also choose someone from the higher education sector who is a champion of the faith community.

A DeVos replacement at the department could also take on other initiatives, Botel said, as long as they dont overshadow Trumps primary goal pushing education-related policies that have the support of faith communities.

Originally posted here:
Trump Expected to Stick to Twin Themes of Reopening and Private School Choice at This Week's Republican National Convention - The 74

A year into office, BS Yediyurappa, the Bharatiya Janata Party's only chief minister who is above the 75-year threshold, finds himself at a crossroads.

In the past two months, the party high command has given scant regard to his choice of legislative council and Rajya Sabha candidates, when elections were notified for these.

And now, he has not been able to keep his promise of ministerial berths to leaders who defected from the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) to help him come to power last year. A cabinet reshuffle and expansion has been on the cards for a long time: defectors like MTB Nagaraj and R Shankar who have been made members of legislative council (MLCs) after nearly six months are waiting in the wings to be crowned ministers.

Yet, there have been inordinate delays, amid a buzz that refuses to go away that the 'high command' may not only go for a cabinet reshuffle but may also look at a new CM face who can front the party for the next elections.

Nobody knows whether this buzz is serious or just wishful thinking on the part of other aspirants. But the one thing everyone knows is that, in Karnataka politics, BSY is quite, quite irreplaceable.

"Actually, they have already started looking at it (a potential replacement) for almost six months," says political analyst Harish Ramaswamy. "They also realise they can't replace Yediyurappa unless they have a clear strategy on the ground, for the simple reason that he is a grassroots leader, and he has his roots clearly spread in the Lingayat region."

After all, who can forget the drubbing that the BJP suffered when BSY parted ways with it seven years ago and floated his own splinter party?

So the strategy is threefold right now, Ramaswamy says.

"They want an RSS person in the picture. They are also trying to find an alternate Lingayat candidate. Although you have Lingayats in the BJP, you don't have candidates who can replace Yediyurappa in the public space. The third thing they are working on is, if they have a new leader, will he be deep-rooted enough to garner votes for the BJP? There is one set of votes that will go to the BJP anyway. But there is political mobilisation capacity needed to garner more votes to defeat another party that is regionally strong like the JD(S) or has a national stature like the Congress with its formidable leaders like Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar," Ramaswamy says to News18.

There is still another two and a half years to go before Karnataka faces an assembly election, but the BJP has always been known to start and prepare early. So one set of voices within the party feels that it is better to face the next election under a different CM one who can take charge perhaps by the end of 2020, and go on to demonstrate his or her leadership and governance skills in the remaining two years.

There is another set that believes it is better to face the next election under BSY at the helm. But if they win the next election, then it would be better to get in a new 'surprise' face installed as the CM, with Yediyurappa being given a graceful exit as, perhaps, a governor.

"They can continue with him till the next election, so that the party comes back (or stands a good chance of coming back) to power. Everything else is secondary. The party must come back," says a senior minister in the BSY cabinet, adding, "They can then decide the next CM after winning the election based on BSY's popularity." He is a CM aspirant himself.

The problem would, of course, be that BSY would be at the ripe age of 80 by then. The party has, hitherto, prided itself on asking its 75+ leaders to move to the so-called 'margdarshak mandal', which is supposed to be an apex advisory body.

But if they make an exception for a 77-year-old now, would it matter if the age were 78, 79 or 80?

"They are likely to let him complete his term (till 2023), extracting a promise perhaps that he will be at the forefront of the next election campaign and help win it. If they win the election, the possibility of another Lingayat leader close to BSY like Bommai becoming the CM is not ruled out. An alternative option might be to make a Dalit leader like the present deputy CM, Govind Karjol, the CM for half the term and then accommodate a powerful upper caste leader for the remainder of the term (assuming the party comes to power)," says Chandan Gowda, political observer and professor at the Azim Premji University.

These leaders, however, may not be close to the party's national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh. Over the past year, Santhosh has been calling the shots over many issues, be it choice of candidates in various elections or taking on the Opposition on issues like the Bengaluru riots. He has kept a close watch over politics in Karnataka, and is said to be not averse to chief ministerial dreams himself.

But the camp that feels BSY could be replaced earlier, believes that the time may come as early as six months from now.

A Lingayat MLA from north Karnataka has been puzzled over why the cabinet expansion has been put off for over a month now.

The CM had given his word to defectors like MTB Nagaraj and R Shankar to reward them with cabinet berths. Not only this, there has also been considerable lobbying from the 'original' BJP MLAs to be accommodated in a cabinet expansion. Perhaps the expansion plans have been held up because of the high command's calculations on who should be included and who shouldn't and whether they need to have a new leader in, in six months, he feels.

"Maybe it will take another six months. What I feel is, naturally the party will look for a Lingayat face. There is a feeling in Karnataka that the votes are based on caste the Gowda votes are with the JD(S), most of the Lingayat votes are with the BJP, so changing that to a non-Lingayat face will make us lose out our core vote bank. So the party won't take a chance on that," he says, on condition of anonymity.

He adds wryly, "Our high command can take any decision, they are known for it. Only they know what calculations run in their mind."

The party has, in the past, tried to taunt BSY in various ways it installed three deputy CMs without consulting him, it went against his choice in MLC and Rajya Sabha elections, against his choice of state party president. But all this has not deterred Yediyurappa.

"If it had deterred him, he may have done other things (like going against the high command.) But it has not. However, they are pushing him into a situation where he may want out of the race by the next election," points out Ramaswamy. He says the party will probably take this up seriously only about six months before the election.

"Probably one idea that Yediyurappa had earlier was to find a place for his son and he could move away. But they did not agree. With many strategies combined, they have to carefully choose the successor, and give him a graceful exit," he says.

Another political analyst, Prof Sandeep Shastri, says the party has given BSY enough hints even some not-so-subtle ones about the need to change the CM.

The chief minister also realises where the shots are being called whether in appointment of deputy CMs or MPs, the ground is being prepared for a handover.

But the party is also eager that the handover be smooth, Shastri says.

"Who is the ideal replacement, is the million-dollar question. There are a lot of people in the BJP who say, 'Don't put me in the list of contenders.' Because the minute a name is floated, that person would be out of the reckoning. Look at the choice of the President, of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana CMs, at the choice of Tejasvi Surya for Bangalore South Lok Sabha seat. Whenever there is a decision left to the Centre, they believe in an element of surprise," Shastri says.

While surprise is one element that is part of the style of this leadership, the other is that whoever the choice is, must be their choice. Not the media's choice, nor anyone who fancies himself as the next CM or anyone who tries to promote himself.

Again, the man to watch out for is BL Santhosh, Shastri believes.

"I don't think Lingayats have a mass leader of that stature. If you look at how Ramakrishna Hegde emerged as the leader who could bring the Gowdas and Lingayats together, here too, the party may find a Brahmin is the uniting factor whether Santhosh or Pralhad Joshi. Since Yediyurappa is dead against Santhosh, Joshi may emerge as the compromise candidate," he says.

Caste is not the only calculation. The loyalty test is the only test loyalty to the party's core principles and to the Delhi bosses similar to Indira Gandhi's way of functioning, he feels.

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BJP's Karnataka Conundrum: Finding a Successor to BSY, and the Long, Tumultuous Road It Opens - News18

The Coastal Companies, which are comprised of three distinct divisions Coastal Custom Builders, Coastal Land Design, and Island Pools Cape Cod were created by landscape architect, Tim Klink, CEO of The Coastal Companies.

Klink worked in construction while working on his landscape architectural degree in college. It was a marriage of the type of work hed always wanted to do.

I got out of college and I came back to live with my parents, as most people do, and from their basement I started Coastal Land Design, Klink said. We would design projects and subcontract them out. Then we started getting our own crews together and were actually performing the work. We were working for a client, doing a landscape job, when that client approached us and said they wanted to build a spec house, but had no idea who to contact. Ive been around construction my whole life. So I said we can do it for them.

Klink and his team built the spec house from the ground up and the owner was able to sell it right away. The buyers had friends in town who also needed some work done. They wanted a home office added on to their ranch home.

While I did that project, Kink said, I realized theres a balance here between being able to build and being able to landscape and putting it all together. Out of that, a new building division was born.

The Island Pools Cape Cod division of the company was established in 2017. Born out of need of what Klink saw on the Cape. People who wanted to do more with their homes. During this pandemic era, parents feel safer keeping their kids home instead of going to the beach. Having a pool at home offers a resort-like feel to the yard, as well. And working on building a pool or a landscape design allows for plenty of social distancing.

Its minimal contact, Klink said. Youre dealing with the project manager and myself, and were doing everything with apps. Were working outside in your yard, so theres minimal interaction there. You can choose a lot of your materials online, and we can send contracts to you via Docu-sign, so theres a lot we can do a lot with that contactless process.

If theyre working on your home, Klink said that most of these are summer homes, so the owner is not on site anyway.

Thera are a lot of ways now where a client can have a house built, and not even be here, he said. Thats actually happened with a couple of clients we built their homes, but have never met them.

Even with summer soon drawing to a close, you can still make a plan. Fall and winter are great times to renovate.

Youre here, and if you want to look and touch and feel things, you can. Then, after Labor Day, when you go home, thats when we take over. We can work on the project during the fall and winter, and deliver it for you by Memorial Day the following year.

Looking at the demographic of Cape Cod, he said, there has been a real need for an in-house firm that can do everything from designing and building the homes, to creating the landscapes, to building the pools. The Coastal Companies three divisions offer everything you need in one place.

Great indoor projects for the fall and winter include kitchen and bath remodels. When planning for the kitchen and bath, most clients are looking for a whole remodel.

Well be taking the kitchen down to the studs, adding more windows, doing open-shelf concept vs. upper cabinets, and adding more cabinets down below, said Klink. Were usually trying to find a spot for a pantry, too. Typically, when were doing a kitchen remodel, it usually involves opening up the kitchen to the rest of the house. Working with our own designers, we have structural knowledge, so we know if we can structurally do what the client is asking for.

One of the great things about us is that were able to do our own design plans, and were also a dealer for cabinetry. Were a dealer for Prevo cabinetry and Medallion cabinetry. We also have our own custom woodshop, so not only can we use stock cabinetry for most applications, but if we need to custom-build a cabinet, we can, he said. Because its being custom-built in our own shop, were not paying true custom prices, because were not subbing it out.

Allow at least three months before you want to start your project, Klink said. Because of COVID-19, many of the plants who supply materials are at half production right now, so the sooner the better.

To get your estimate on land design, building, or installing an amazing pool, visit buildwithcoastal.com or call 508-240-2114 today.

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The global Sliding Luxury Doors Market is predicted to witness promising growth in the next few years. The rising level of competition among the leading players and the rising focus on the development of new products are likely to offer promising growth opportunities throughout the forecast period. The research study on the global Sliding Luxury Doors Market offers a detailed overview, highlighting the key aspects that are expected to enhance the growth of the market in the near future. The key segmentation and the competitive landscape of the market have also been mentioned at length in the research study.

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The Sliding Luxury Doors Market report helps to identify the main Sliding Luxury Doors Market players. It assists in analyzing Sliding Luxury Doors Markets competitive environment, including company overview, company total revenue, market opportunities, value, production sites and facilities, SWOT analysis, product details. The study also exposes the revenue, market share for each market player included in this Sliding Luxury Doors Market report during 2020-2027.

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Global Sliding Luxury Doors Market 20202027 Impact Of Covid-19, Business Opportunities, Industry Trends, Future Growth Analysis And Challenges -...