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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Sunday that theres room for compromise when it comes to the lapsed $600 weekly unemployment payment that Democrats have said they want to see reinstated in a new stimulus package, while calling a memorandum President Donald Trump signed Saturday authorizing $400 weekly payments unconstitutional slop.

U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) participates in a news conference August 7, 2020 ... [+] on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Pelosi indicated on CNNs State of the Union that coming down from the $600 number might be something Democrats are willing to negotiate.

When host Dana Bash asked, Are Republicans right when they say that you will not come off of your $600 number, you will not come off of other figures, Pelosi responded, No, thats why were in a stalemate.

Continued $600 weekly federal unemployment payments are something Democrats had consistently said must be included in the next stimulus package.

Republicans are proposing $200 a week payments through the end of the year, instead, arguing that the $600 payments are far too generous and disincentivize Americans from returning to work.

But last week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he was prepared to support a coronavirus stimulus bill that continued the $600 weekly payments, with talks between Republicans and Democrats failing to show progress.

Trump threw a massive curveball in negotiations on Saturday when he bypassed Congress and signed an executive order and three memoranda to provide pandemic aid, including one that would provide payments of $400 a week to unemployed workers through the end of the year, a legally questionable move that is likely to be challenged by Democrats in court.

Of course theres room for compromise, but you have to see the entire package, Pelosi said.

The $600 weekly unemployment payments have been a major lifeline for millions of American workers since the U.S. economy was thrown into disarray by coronavirus. Those unemployment payments passed nearly unanimously through Congress as part of the CARES Act back in March, but the federal benefits, which came in addition to state unemployment payments, expired at the end of July. The $400 weekly payments Trump is attempting to institute would be only 75%-funded by the federal government, leaving the rest to the states, which have seen revenues crash during the pandemic.

Many questions remain unanswered about both whether Trump has the legal authority to enact the executive actions and where the money will come from to fund them. In addition to the $400 a week payments, Trump also extended forbearance on federal student loan repayments through the end of the year and ordered the Treasury to implement a controversial payroll tax freeze for most American workers, which members of Congress hadnt even been considering during negotiations. Pelosi on Fox News Sunday called the presidents actions unconstitutional slop, the same phrasing Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) used to describe the executive order.

Pelosi: 'Of course there's room for compromise' on $600-per-week unemployment benefit (The Hill)

Second Stimulus Check Passage Delayed Again By $600 Unemployment Extension Clash (Forbes)

GOP $200 Unemployment Plan Will Mean Massive Homelessness And A Deep Recession (Forbes)

McConnell: Im Prepared To Support A Coronavirus Stimulus Bill That Includes $600 Unemployment Checks (Forbes)

$600 Unemployment Check Cut To $300 Under Trump Executive OrdersStates Asked To Add $100 (Forbes)

Dems Slam Trumps Executive Actions, Biden Calls Payroll Tax Cut A Reckless War On Social Security' (Forbes)

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Pelosi Softens Stance On $600 A Week Unemployment Checks, Says Theres Room To Negotiate - Forbes

2020 has been an unusual year for sports. When humanity was struck with a global pandemic that disrupted and uprooted millions of lives, a return to normalcy and stability seemed out of reach, even for the realm of pro sports. But despite the upheaval, the UFC has managed to stay relevant and has produced exciting fights all year.

Coming out of the gates hot with a thrilling clash between Jon Jones and Dominick Reyes in the beginning of February, to debatably the fight of the year between Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk in early March, the UFC continued to generate excellent fights despite all the setbacks from COVID (ESPN). Whether it was the jaw-dropping bout between Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson in the beginning of May, to the fierce battle between Dan Hooker and Dustin Poirier, to a fight island showdown in Abu Dhabi featuring Max Holloway versus Alexander Volkanovski and Kamaru Usman versus Jorge Masvidal, 2020 has been a legendary year for the UFC; and believe it or not, its far from over.

With the highly anticipated heavyweight title fight between Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic less than a week away and the Khabib/Gaethje showdown already set for October, Dana White continued to build upon this exciting year by recently announcing that middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will be defending his belt against Paulo Costa come September 19th (ESPN). But outside of these three bouts, theres still plenty of big fights to be had before the year is up. With a handful of cards still yet to be announced or even filled, Dana White has a lot of room to work with and its only a matter of time before more big fights will be scheduled.

However, the lingering question that has yet to be answered, is which fights should the UFC set up before the end of 2020? Heres my top five must-see fights before the year concludes:

#5 Kamaru Usman vs Gilbert Burns: After a clinical victory against Masvidal in July, Usman virtually looks untouchable in his division. After taking out Tyron Woodley to get the belt, Usman pounded Colby Covington and dominated Masvidal, leaving pretty much no one left to fight besides Gilbert Burns. Initially scheduled to fight each other in July (before Burns was diagnosed with the coronavirus), Burns remains to be the most dangerous contender left for Usman to check off his list and is one of the most underrated challengers hes yet to face. Coming off a 6-fight winning streak, Burns is strong wrestler with knockout power that flattened veteran Demian Maia earlier in March (ESPN). Ever since hes moved up from 155 to 170, Burns has adapted extremely well and has proven how deadly he can be with the strength hes put on. Although Usman just fought, this is a big fight White might want to reschedule at the end of the year. We all know Usman and Burns will face each other at some point; its just a matter of when.

#4 Tony Ferguson vs Dustin Poirier: Yes, it cant be said enough! This fight speaks for itself in every which way possible. With Tony Ferguson sitting at third in the lightweight rankings and Dustin Poirier in second, this fight would decide who is worthier for the next title shot, something both fighters have been longing to reclaim (UFC). If you thought the Poirier/Hooker fight was good, this clash has the potential to be much better, considering that both fighters are two of the best strikers in the UFC. Whats unique about this fight is that surprisingly, its never happened before, presenting a very new and unfamiliar challenge for both Ferguson and Poirier. Whether Dana White will schedule this fight prior to Gaethjes and Khabibs showdown in October, is still uncertain. But theres no reason why it cant happen. And ending the year with a fight between Poirier and Ferguson, would cap off an incredible 2020 for the UFC.

#3 Petr Yan vs Marlon Moraes: If you had the opportunity to watch Petr Yan fight in UFC 251 when he took on Jose Aldo, you can understand why this young Russian fighter is the new champion of the bantamweight division. Over the course of almost five full rounds, Yan gradually increased the pace and pressure against Aldo, hammering down power shots with precision and authority that led to a brutal KO/TKO finish (ESPN). Although Aldo is certainly an elite fighter, hes not in his prime anymore and is currently sitting outside of the top five in the division (UFC). Marlon Moraes on the other hand, is one of the best fighters in the bantamweight division and is the number one contender as well. Coming off a victory against Jose Aldo last December, Moraes is eager to get his redemption after losing badly to Henry Cejudo roughly a year ago (ESPN). In addition, theres really no one else for Moraes to fight outside of Cody Garbrandt, who has recently been scheduled to fight the flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in November (ESPN). I wouldnt expect this matchup to be announced soon, but everyone saw just what kind of fighter Yan is. And setting him up with the most dangerous opponent in his division, would make for an electrifying showdown. If theres one big bantamweight fight that White should schedule before the end of the year, it has to be this one.

#2 Jon Jones vs Thiago Santos: The first time this fight happened, it was nearly impossible not to cringe at the gimpy effort from Thiago Santos after he suffered ACL, MCL, PCL, and Meniscus injuries against Jon Jones that night. In addition, what made it more frustrating is that before his knee blew out, Santos was putting together a good fight. And for it to end like that, was simply disappointing and calls for a rematch. After Jones scraped by with a controversial unanimous decision victory against Reyes in his previous fight, its unlikely a rematch between the two of them would happen this year. But at 36 years-old and with over a year of rest, its time for Santos to get back into the octagon and fulfill his legacy before he fades out of his prime. Dont forget, Santos is still listed as the #2 contender in the light-heavyweight division under the UFC rankings; and a rematch against Jones this year, is only fitting.

#1 Zabit Magomedsharipov vs Brian Ortega: Thats your number one fight?! Absolutely! We just saw the rematch between Volkanovski and Holloway; so any fight relating to those two gentlemen, could be out of reach for the remainder of the year. But on the contrary, Zabit Magomedsharipov and Brian Ortega havent fought in a very long time (Zabits last fight was in November and Ortegas was in December of 2018). Ortega, who came off a brutal loss to Holloway, is in dire need of a bounce back victory. Moreover, Zabit is one of the deadliest strikers in the division right now, which grants Ortega a great opportunity to prepare himself for a title shot against Holloway or Volkanovski if the time comes. Dont forget that Ortega has been a sitting duck at the #2 overall position in his divisional rankings for far too long now (UFC). And if youre going to own that position, then you have to step up and take on the big fights that come with it, and Zabit is a suitable opponent for Ortegas return. Although Zabit recently called out Volkanovski for the belt, the only two, notable fighters hes defeated in his division consist of Calvin Kattar and Jeremy Stephens, which doesnt speak much volume for a title contender (ESPN). However, a victory against Ortega would place Zabit immediately into the title shot position hes looking for, and thats an opportunity he should embrace since its unclear if Volkanovski will want to return to the octagon this year. When all is said and done, this matchup is number one on my list because it has everything to be a thrilling showdown, that at the same time, contains so much at stake for both fighters. And if the UFC could set this up, the fans would be in store for a special treat.

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The UFC Has Room To Schedule Some Big Fights; But What Matchups Are A Must See Before The Year Is Up? - Empire Sports Media

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GREENVILLE When it comes to aircraft firefighting and rescue operations, the stakes are enormous.That's why it's so vital to provide instructional programs to promote and ensure safety.

One of the most promising and comprehensive training centers in the Midwest and beyond is based in the Fox Cities.

The new Fox Valley Technical College Airport Rescue and Firefighting training facility, a partnership with the Appleton International Airport, began booking trainees in June. It is locatedjust north of the FVTC public safety training center.

"It is a big deal," said Abe Weber, director of the Appleton airport. "You can get a plethora of training in one environment to prepare for the worst-case scenario."

The operation, headed by FVTC instructor Ben Sokol, is a $10-plus million facility that was financed with federal and state grants. It's billed as the only one of its kind in the Midwest and it offers an exhaustive list of protocols that provide a wealth of specialized aircraft rescue and firefighting instruction.

The training, which is required by the FAA for live firefighting,also offers instruction for new airport firefighters, fire truck drivers and operators of airport firefighting apparatus, municipal firefighters who assist airport firefighters, and first responders.

The training field provides hands-on training scenarios on a Boeing 777 and aCessna Skyhawktraining prop.They areseton a spill-fire areaof 96 individually controlled fire zones.

The props are designed to provide realistic situations in which trainees learn proper techniques to approach and attack aircraft fires.

"There's a lot of different aspects to this," Sokol said. "There could be a fuel spill or there could bea large fire under fuselage, wheel well firesor small fires inside the aircraft.

"These things don't happen often, but we need to be prepared for it, Sokol said.

RELATED:Gulfstream opens its new service center at Appleton International Airport, expects to create 200 jobs

RELATED:Appleton International Airport gets $10.4 million to build fire and rescue training center

RELATED:FVTC pays airport $131,000 to use land

Adjunct professor and Grand Chute firefighter Jeremy Hanson remotely lights an engine fire on a simulated Boeing 777 during a training session at the ATW ARFF Training Center located at Fox Valley Technical Colleges Public Safety Training Center on Thursday, July 16, 2020, in Greenville, Wis. The ATW ARFF Training Center is used for aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) training.Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin(Photo: USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

If a problem develops on an aircraftwhen it's coming in to land, an emergency would be declared and the rescue crew would respond when it is safely on the ground, he said.

"It is high stress," Sokol said. "It's a specialized form of firefighting, learning how to drive on airfield."

There is one traditionalclassroom and one classroom in theapparatus bay. In addition, there is asecond-floor control room. Instructors operate the props from there.

From the control room, Sokol can simulate fires on the Boeing 777, along with otherpotential problems on the aircraft.

"We can remove doors, cockpit controls and go through the 777. (Trainees)need to know the aircraft inside and out," he said.

"There are noactual fires, but there ishands-on training. We can create small to massive fuel fires, and ... smaller fires outside."

There also is a class for drivers and operators of firefighting equipment and apparatus. "We do everything from learning how to drive on streets to settingup apparatus," Sokol said.

"If there is an aircraft emergency, (crews) must adhere to instructions onunderstanding an airfield, aircraft hazards, how many people on are board, and how they will get off."

Sokol said the training program has drawn considerable interest from departments in Wisconsin and Illinois, and he expects the numbers to expand. He also has heard from departments as far away as Arizona.

The program was developed after a similar trainingfacility in Duluth, Minnesota, was closed.We picked upthe ball, and were running with it. Sokol said.

Weber, the Appleton International Airport director, said the early results are promising.

It's pointing to a very successful operation, he said, adding that it has been an important addition to Appleton International.

"Were a smaller airport," Weber said. "When we have an emergency here, we rely on mutual aid from nearby communities. Now, we can introduce those who respond to structural fires to approaching airliners."

Andy Thompson can be reached at 920-996-7270 or by email at awthompson@postcrescent.com.

In a nutshell

Fox Valley Technical College Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting training facility

Classes include:

On the Web

https://www.fvtc.edu/Training-Services/Public-Safety-Training/Aircraft-Rescue-and-Fire-Fighting-ARFF

Andy Thompson can be reached at 920-996-7270 or by email at awthompson@postcrescent.com

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'It is a big deal': Aircraft firefighting training operation at Appleton airport gaining foothold in Midwest and beyond - Post-Crescent

On Friday afternoon, Steelers veteran tight end a Vance McDonald joined in a fan forum call through Steelers Nation Unite. Taking questions from fans over the phone, Vance McDonald mentioned his new teammate in the tight end room, Eric Ebron, on multiple occasions.

McDonald was asked about the addition of Ebron and what its like getting to work together with him and Ben Roethlisberger.

I appreciate what he brings to the tight end position in the league the last seven years that Ive been around, McDonald said of Ebron. Its been really neat to have him here.

One of the things McDonald mentioned was trying to get as much work as possible for Ebron with his new quarterback so they can also establish the necessary connections.

Allowing him to get as much with Ben (Roethlisberger) as possibly can to just build that relationship because hes going to come in and do really big things for the offense this year. Im really excited at the direction were headed again.

Both McDonald and Ebron are coming off disappointing seasons in 2019. McDonald appeared in 14 games for the Steelers and only had 273 receiving yards on 38 receptions. As for Ebron, his 2019 season was cut short due to injury. In only 11 games with the Indianapolis Colts, Ebron had 375 yards on 31 receptions which was exactly half of his 2018 yardage production.

When discussing the upcoming season, MacDonald mentioned what another weapon in the arsenal from the tight end position could mean for him and other receivers on the Steelers.

With the addition of Eric Ebron, McDonald explained, I certainly think that this skill set that he brings to the position itll be really really fun to watch him. And again too, that only helps me, that only helps guys like to JuJu (Smith-Schuster), James Washington, Diontae (Johnson), and so I think its gonna be really fun. Its always fun whenever you add something on offense that you didnt have the year before, not necessarily because you begin hit goals that you wanted, which we did but Im just saying its just always fun to sort of get a new weapon. So with Eric, like I said earlier, it will be fun to see where we head in terms of production on offense.

Bringing back production from the tight end position is something which McDonald seems to wisely embrace. In 2019, the Steelers did not even have as many receiving yards from all of their tight ends as McDonald had himself the previous year. Hopefully with the addition of Ebron, the Steelers can get back to their 2018 form where the tight end position accounted for more than 1,000 receiving yards.

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Vance McDonald discusses the Steelers new weapon in the tight end room - Behind the Steel Curtain

HPT-FromFiles-33-20

Celebration for Kids - - The Caribou Cares About Kids Parade Thursday, Aug. 17 at 6 pm will be one of the many scheduled events for area children during the Caribou Cares About Kids celebration Wednesday through Sunday, Aug. 16-19. Pictured here is Sparky the Fire Dog walking the parade route greeting children along the way. (Ketch 1995)(File photo/1970)

Celebration for Kids - - The Caribou Cares About Kids Parade Thursday, Aug. 17 at 6 pm will be one of the many scheduled events for area children during the Caribou Cares About Kids celebration Wednesday through Sunday, Aug. 16-19. Pictured here is Sparky the Fire Dog walking the parade route greeting children along the way. (Ketch 1995)(File photo/1970)

100 Years Ago - Aug. 18, 1920Addition to business The Houlton Machine and Repair Co., have recently installed a public gasoline tank in front of their place of business on Mechanic Street.

100 Years Ago Aug. 18, 1920

Addition to business The Houlton Machine and Repair Co., have recently installed a public gasoline tank in front of their place of business on Mechanic Street.

Business trip Arthur O. Putnam was in Fort Fairfield Monday on business for the Putnam Hardware Co.

75 Years Ago Aug. 16, 1945

Pay tribute Arthur G. Vose was guest of honor at a farewell dinner in the Silver Room of the Northland Hotel August 9 on the occasion of his retirement as manager of the Houlton area of the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company, after more than 50 years service in its employ. About 65 officials and employees of the company, representing the various departments, who had been associated with him for many years, gathered to pay him homage, coming from several Aroostook towns as well as all over the state and Boston office.

50 Years Ago Aug. 19, 1970

Receives certificate Richard Biegger, executive director of the Houlton Regional Development Corporation, received his certificate of completion from the Industrial Development Institute Friday in ceremonies held at the University of Oklahoma at Norman, Oklahoma.

Given key position Leighton W. Dudley, a native of Houlton, has been appointed Deputy Secretary Corrections for the newly created Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. He is the son of Mrs. Mildred J. Dudley of Houlton and the late John Perley Dudley.

25 Years Ago Aug. 16, 1995

Receives donation Portland Glass, on North Street in Houlton, recently donated $623 to the Houlton Humane Society. There for the presentation were employee Bonnie Rairdon, Cathy Surran of the Humane Society, Manager Pat Crowley and employee Roger Rairdon.

Aid to Foundation The annual County Open Charity Golf and Dinner-Raffle was held this past weekend. Paul Forest received a check for $25,000 from Bob Anderson to benefit the Houlton Regional Health Foundation.

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Houlton area From our Files Week of August 10, 2020 - The County

Diversity in Oregon means that in addition to the important conversations people, businesses and government agencies in Eugene and Springfield are having about policing and race, local law enforcement also needs to look at cultural diversity, such as the LGBTQIA community, who often dont feel protected by the police.

Tim Morris, who ran for Eugene City Council earlier this year, says that as someone who identifies as LGBTQIA, he doesnt feel like a lot happens when he contacts the police department for issues such as harassment. I feel like unless theres significant danger to my life, I tend to just not contact the police. I have contacted the police after being harassed and I was basically told, Good luck with that, and hung up on.

According to UCLAs Williams Institute, Oregon has the largest number of individuals who identify as LGBTQIA in the U.S., and many of them live in Eugene. But its hard to say if law enforcement reflects that demographic because as in most other professions, the sexual orientation and gender identity of police officers isnt information that is collected by the departments.

When asked about LGBTQIA representation, the Lane County Sheriffs Office said, We do not collect that information from employees in our organization. The Eugene Police Departments LGBTQIA liaison is Det. Chris White, who said that while he can think of people from command staff to line staff who are a part of the LGBTQIA community, EPD doesnt take a head count, either.

Deputy Chief Stacy Jepson, who identifies as an LGBTQIA employee at EPD, says she can understand why showing the community just how diverse the police department is can help accountability. The more transparent we can be as a police department, the better off we are. I certainly think that showing the community that we demographically represent them is very important.

Jepson returned to her hometown of Eugene last year after 23 years at the Hillsboro Police Department. Jepson says that she has seen the police force culture change significantly since she first started policing in the 90s just as society has. While it took her many years to come out to her coworkers, she says the importance of her different perspective, both as a female and LGBTQIA officer, is very important.

Law enforcement is predominantly a male-run industry so I have that female perspective that is also different, Jepson says. I also come from a different sexual orientation than most of the people I work with, so it gives me a different voice in the room. And a very important one.

Creating a more diverse police force begins with recruiting, which can often be difficult for a field that has discriminated against the LGBTQIA community. Even though transgender people are more likely to be victims of violent crime than non-transgender people, more than 57 percent of respondents to the 2019 U.S. Transgender Survey feel uncomfortable calling the police for help when they need it.

In response to Eugene Weeklys questions, EPDs recruitment team says in a statement, We have implemented removing names, age, sex and race information from our testing process, to reduce potential risk of biases. It says that, events like the Orlando dance club mass shooting make communities more aware of the discrimination and vulnerability of our LGBTQIA community. These incidents are a time when outreach to our local community is critical.

EPDs recruitment team hired a full-time recruitment and background officer in January geared toward diversity, inclusion and equality, according to the statement. It says that EPD partners with minority police associations and that the recruitment team has participated in events including the Women in Public Safety Career Fair, the Eugene Pride Festival, the Eugene Asian Celebration and the Eugene Womens half marathon.

LGBTQIA awareness extends not just to the officers employed but to the policies they enact. For example, the policy on recording information during an arrest states that the information to be recorded should include the race, ethnicity, age and sex of pedestrian or operator of the motor vehicle stopped, based on the observations of the law enforcement officer responsible for reporting the stop.

The policy does not require officers to ask what an individuals pronouns are. When asked, Jepson responds that if officers are collecting information on individuals it needs to be accurate, and that there is room for improvement in those areas.

The LGBTQIA community interacts with police at a high rate because it has been one of the most targeted groups for both violent and non-violent hate crimes in Oregon. Twenty-six percent of all hate crimes in Eugene in 2018 were related to sexual orientation or gender identity.

I often dont feel safe in Eugene. Theres people that drive by and scream slurs at me. Theres certain parts of the city Im just not welcome in, Morris says. And a part of the reason for that is a lack of safety from the police department.

Additionally, six of the 10 hate crimes involving physical violence in 2018 were motivated by the sexual orientation of the victim, according to the city of Eugenes 2018 Hate and Bias Report. The percentage of physical violence cases motivated by the sexual orientation of the victims more than doubled in comparison to 2017, the report says.

Jepson says the challenges that come with identifying as LGBTQIA have still affected her and others, both in the workplace and society. I know several male gay officers that really have struggled to come out and share who they are and be open about who they are. I worked with one for a very, very long time that I knew he was gay but no one else did and he was really reticent to share that. So I think that still exists and theres still room for growth in that area.

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The Blue in the Rainbow - Eugene Weekly

The reinvigorated condo community in Monmouth County is now sold out of Building 4 and Building 5 is selling fast.

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (PRWEB) August 13, 2020

The temperature and sales pace for new homes are both heating up at Nobility Crest in Ocean Township! The 55+ luxury condominium community recently announced that the first building, Building 4, is now sold out and Building 5 is selling fast. To learn more or to schedule your one-on-one or virtual appointment, call 732-361-4982 or visit NobilityCrest55.com. All in-person appointments will follow all state-mandated guidelines to guarantee the safety of staff and future residents.

Residents at Nobility Crest are reaping the benefits of the $1M redesign and renovation of their pool and amenity area. With a beach-entry pool, sundeck, shaded pergolas, barbeque areas, fire pit and more, owners are having the time of their lives. "This community offers the carefree lifestyle our savvy buyers have worked for," said Robert Adinolfi, Chief Operating Officer at Renaissance Properties. "It's the perfect combination of luxurious, thoughtfully-designed living space and exciting on-site and off-site amenities that draws people to Nobility Crest and continues to delight them year after year."

Take advantage of all the wonderful onsite amenities that Nobility Crest has to offer. The community showcases a low-maintenance lifestyle with access to a 4,300 sq. ft. Lifestyle Center with a fitness center, business center, lounge, library, large multi- purpose room, media room, billiard and card rooms. Each new building will also add either a club room with billiards, a fitness room or an all-purpose room. For those with furry friends, a new dog park will also be constructed onsite.

In addition to ample on-site amenities, the Jersey Shore location of Nobility Crest put owners at the center of it all. Nearby shopping includes everything from groceries at Shop Rite just 1.3 miles away to incredible deals on world-famous designer goods at the Jersey Shore Premium Outlets less than three miles away. Need some beach therapy? Make a quick left onto Route 66 and you'll be at the Asbury Park Beach and Boardwalk in under four miles. Your family and guests will also appreciate the easy access from both Route 18 and the Garden Parkway when they come by to see your fabulous new home.

"It's such a point of pride among the residents to have their on-site oasis away from it all' along with the added comfort of knowing that most everything they need is just a short trip away," said Adinolfi. "Nobility Crest checks all the boxes: luxury, lifestyle and location and savvy buyers are taking note."

On the heels of the sellout of Building 4, Nobility Crest, from Renaissance Properties and Blue Star Group, opened its second new building, the fifth of six total buildings that will ultimately complete the 198-unit Nobility Crest. This new building features one- and two-bedroom home designs including some new model types priced from the low $300s.

All homes highlight open living spaces, spacious master suites, and appealing, designer-selected finishes. In addition, each home comes with an assigned parking spot and storage space in a secure, well-lit enclosed garage that enjoys elevator access to and from each floor.

Nobility Crest is located at 7 Centre Street in Ocean Township. Take Route 66 to Cedar Village Boulevard and make a left on Centre Street. To learn more, visit NobilityCrest55.com or email nobilitycrestinfo@renaprop.com. The Sales Center is now open, schedule an appointment from 11am to 6pm daily. To learn more, please call 732-361-4982.

About Renaissance Properties

Since its creation nearly 30 years ago, Renaissance Properties has evolved from a small real estate brokerage company to a multi-faceted real estate development firm and home builder with over 1,000 new homes and nearly 800,000 square feet of commercial space to its credit. The dedicated team at Renaissance Properties works tirelessly to ensure quality, integrity and customer satisfaction in all its endeavors. With distinctive designs and accommodating layouts, new home buyers and tenants alike are delighted with the product offered by Renaissance Properties. To learn more, visit RenaissanceProp.com.

About Blue Star Group

With over 80 years of combined experience in home building excellence and customer satisfaction, the Blue Star Group, LLC is recognized as one of Staten Island's foremost builders. Since its inception in 1976, Blue Star has received continual acclaim both from homebuyers and respected industry associations. Blue Star's standards are set at the highest levels of home design, building materials and craftsmanship to consistently deliver on its promise of bringing the best value to its deserving customers.

Sales are heating up at Nobility Crest in Ocean Township

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Sales are heating up at Nobility Crest in Ocean Township - Benzinga

An artist's rendering of the American Indian-style luxury tipis being built at the new Camp Bespoke "glamping'' campgrounds in Williamstown, Ky. that will rent for $225 a night.(Photo: Provided)

You wont find any makeshift shelters at the new Camp Bespoke campground openingthis fall in Williamstown, Ky.

The 31-acre site about 40 miles south of Cincinnati specializes in glamping or camping with hotel-like accommodations and amenities, including air conditioning and private bathrooms stocked with scented toiletries.

The $3 million campground is designed to be so plush that campers who so choose could wear a long fur coat of mink, even in the summertime, as Shelia E. chanted in her 1984 smash hit, The Glamorous Life.

Co-Founder and CEO Nicole Brassington said the concept behind Camp Bespoke is to let guests enjoy all that nature has to offer without the grit, grime and inconveniences of traditional camping.

"I'm not a camper, so the thought of going to the bathroom in the middle of the night when it's raining outside, or animals are roaming around just isn't appealing to me,'' Brassington told The Enquirer. "What we offer is still camping, but it's camping with all the accommodations you might have at a hotel, and maybe a little more.''

Nicole Brassington, co-founder and CEO of Camp Bespoke in Williamstown, Ky.(Photo: Provided)

Brassington, a Lexington native,is a pioneer in the camping industry.

She's one of the firstBlack female campground owners in the region, along with herco-founder Misty Smith, and partnersLatasha Reid, and Dr.Angelina Strickland all Black women.

The group, who met while working at the same hospital in Louisville,broke ground and began accepting reservations Wednesday for Camp Bespoke - a name that implies the curated and custom-made experiences guests can enjoy, Brassington said.

The campground will open in two phases, beginning in October with 16 cabins and eight cottages made from repurposed shipping containers with modern architecture and design features, she said.

The first phase will also include a dozen Native American-style luxury tipis ranging from 450 to 530 square feet with enough room to sleep six to eight people, according to the Camp Bespoke website.

The tipis will rent for about $225 a night, on average, Brassington said.

The350-square-foot cabins - designed to accommodate four to sixpeople - will rent for $175 a night, on average, and the cottages will be about half that size and rent for about $150 a night, she said.

The second phase of Camp Bespoke is expected to be completed next spring and will add six cabins with pools,six tipis, as well as aconference center, event pavilion and an outdoor amphitheater.

An artist's rendering of the cabins and cottages made from repurposed shipping containers that campers will be able to rent at Camp Bespoke when it opens in October(Photo: Provided)

No matter what kind of accommodations you choose, you certainly wont be roughing it.

All the cabins, cottages andtipis will have their own heating and air conditioning units,private bathrooms with running water, as well askitchenettes with mini refrigerators, microwaves and coffeemakers.

The campgrounds even offer free Wi-Fi.

All lodging also comes with full bedding, towels and wash cloths.

In addition to the upscale accommodations, Camp Bespoke will offer Kentucky-centric activities, including horseback riding and distillery tours, as well as movie nights and live entertainment.

The campground'soperators have contracted with cleaning and sanitizing company, Ecolab, to ensure the campsites are safe and sanitary during the coronavirus pandemic.

Campers treating themselves to Camp Bespoke's luxury accommodations will also be contributing to several charitable causes in Kentucky.

The campgrounds operators have pledged to donate a percentage of sales for all stays to organizations that uphold standards of fairness and equality across the state.

For example, one dollarfrom every Native American-style tent booked at Camp Bespoke will go directly to the Kentucky Native American Heritage Museum with a yearly minimum donation of $5,000.

In addition, camp operators have pledged to support Black Soil - a nonprofit dedicated to growing market share forblack farmers and producers in Kentucky.

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'Glamping' coming to Williamstown, Ky. with opening of new Camp Bespoke campgrounds this fall - The Cincinnati Enquirer

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Construction workers are extending a portion of the front of Festival Foods at 1200 W. Northland Ave. in Appleton to accommodate a new fresh food area.(Photo: Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

Festival Foods will bring the first Caribou Coffee location to Northeast Wisconsin this fall.

The Minneapolis-based Caribou Coffeewill be part ofthe renovation ofFestival Foods'store at 1200W. NorthlandAve. in Appleton.

Festival is extending a portion of the store'sfront wall to accommodate a 2,000-square-foot, food court-style areaof fresh food counters.

BesidesCaribou Coffee, it will include an expandedHissho Sushi counter plusAsian stir-fry and pizza by the slice. Festival's gourmet popcorn stand will return. The area will have seating.

Caribou Coffee is the Minneapolis-based coffee shop chain with 464 US. locations and 2019 sales of $306 million, as estimatedby the foodservice research firm Technomic.

Festival Foods' Northland Avenue store in Appleton will have seating and ready-to-eat food counters, as shown in this rendering.(Photo: Submitted)

This will be Caribous second location inside Festival Foods, said Festivalspokeswoman Sheryl Hanson.

The first is in the chain'sClairemont Avenue store in Eau Claire.

The Tot Spot child drop-off room will not return in the store's renovation plan.

Caribou Coffee will be in Appleton in the fall.(Photo: Submitted)

With the state of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were uncertain on when we would be able to safely reopen the Tot Spot, said Aaron Aspenson, senior director of store planning. Because of this, we re-evaluated the layout of the store and identified an opportunity to adapt.

This is the only Fox Cities Festival Foods branch getting the food court-style addition at this time, Aspensonsaid, but theyre looking at other locations for a future rollout.

Contact reporter Maureen Wallenfang at 920-993-7116 or mwallenfang@postcrescent.com. Followher on Twitter at@wallenfang.

MORE: The Buzz: Fox Valley Restaurant Week canceled

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MORE: The Buzz: Nationwide Travelers closes tour bus business

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The Buzz: Festival Foods brings Caribou Coffee to Appleton in store remodel - Post-Crescent

The Pennant Group of Eagle, ID, pointed to its local leadership model as the reason for a strong second quarter, according to an earnings call Wednesday.

As the industry faced extraordinary challenges from COVID-19, our operating model provided the toolkit for our local leaders to offset many of these headwinds, as evidenced by [senior living] segment revenue increasing 3.7% and occupancy improving 40 basis points, exclusive of communities acquired in the prior 12 months, CEO and President Daniel Walker said. While we recognize the uncertainty caused by COVID-19 and remain focused on operating through the pandemic to the best of our ability, we believe these results reflect a growing strength in our senior living business as our local leaders continue to refine their operations through the principles of our field-driven operating model.

Total senior living occupancy declined 2.2% during the second quarter and another 2% since cases began increasing in states where Pennant has senior living communities. But occupancy was 80.7% for the second quarter, and average revenue per occupied room increased 3.2% over the prior-year quarter.

The Pennant Group experienced potential COVID-19-related revenues losses of $8.1 million since the start of the pandemic. Walker reported 13 residents with active coronavirus cases at six of its 54 senior living communities.

Local leaders effectively adapted to increasingly complex operating conditions, which vary from market to market, Walker said. The pandemic is confirming our long-held view that the senior living community is an important care delivery setting and there is a growing need for senior living operators to prioritize care programs, including infection control, in addition to providing quality of life amenities.

We anticipate the pandemics impact will continue for a period of time, but our local operating model and our clinical strength position us well to address the community demand for robust care and wellness programs in a high quality of life setting.

Walker said there is an inherent upside in senior living communities, given the companys below-market entry prices and operating model that provides the tools for its operators to build significant value over time.

What we are experiencing in our senior living business is part of the cyclical nature of health care, akin to the headwinds we faced when starting our home health and hospice business 10 years ago, Walker said. Our platform represents a unique opportunity for our stakeholders to experience similar long-term value creation with an earnings-producing senior living business at a tie of significant industry disruption.

Chief Financial Officer Jennifer L. Freeman said the company rejected and returned $10 million it received in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provider relief funds.

We believe our operating model and growth strategy enables us to be successful through a challenging operator environment, COVID-19 included, Freeman said. The pandemic presents a new opportunity for resilient operators to be responsive to local needs.

Derek J. Bunker, chief investment officer, executive vice president and secretary, said peaking into a crystal ball over the next 18 months, he sees strong development in the senior living market. He said that the Pennant Group continues to see a lot of senior living opportunities but will remain picky about what we want to explore further.

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Pennant Group says local operating model is the secret to its success - News - McKnight's Senior Living