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The Guggenheim Museum in New York City Stan Honda / AFP via Getty Images

Every work of art that hangs on a museum wall has a story behind it, and that story isnt always pretty. Museums around the world are grappling with legacies of theft, violence and colonialism in their collections. In New York, a new law aims to confront the painful legacy of the Holocaust: The states museums are now required to acknowledge if a work of art was stolen by the Nazi regime.

Governor Kathy Hochul signed the law on August 10 as part of a legislative package aimed at honoring and supporting Holocaust survivors. Beginning immediately, museums will need to prominently place a placard or other signage acknowledging Nazi-looted art. Hochul signed two other bills as well: One requires schools to provide high-quality Holocaust education, and another requires the states Department of Financial Services to publish a list of banks that waive fees for Holocaust reparation payments.

As New Yorkers, we are united in our solemn commitment to Holocaust survivors: We will never forget, says Hochul in astatement. These are individuals who have endured unspeakable tragedy but nonetheless have persevered to build lives of meaning and purpose right here in New York. We owe it to them, their families, and the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust to honor their memories and ensure future generations understand the horrors of this era.

The Nazis looted some 600,000 artworks from Jews during World War II. Though the Holocausts atrocities occurred many decades ago, their legacy still reverberates in the lives of survivors and their familiesmany of whom are still not in possession of what was once theirs. The Louvre, for example, holds around 1,700 Nazi-looted works of art.

Advocates for Holocaust survivors have long been calling on art institutions to do better. In 2018, the Louvre opened an exhibition of art stolen by Nazis, claiming that the goal was to find the works rightful owners. But restitution scholar Marc Masurovsky told the Washington Posts James McAuley that these efforts were far too little, far too late. The museum, he said, should be more proactive about identifying the rightful owners of the works in its collectionsa vital step in restitution that museums around the world struggle with.

Uncovering the provenance of a piece can be slow work that sometimes never reaches resolution, wrote Jackie Mansky for Smithsonian magazine in 2017. Thats especially the case when art is swept up in war or political instability.

In 1998, 44 countries signed the Washington Principles, a set of international guidelines for returning Nazi-looted art; since then, countries like Austria and Germany have returned tens of thousands of stolen items, as Stuart E. Eizenstat, who spearheaded the agreement, noted in a Washington Post opinion piece in 2019.

And in recent years, some restitution battles have made headway. French museums returned 15 works of Nazi-looted art to Jewish families earlier this year.Just a few months ago, the London-based Commission for Looted Art in Europe managed to return a 1683 painting to a 101-year-old Dutch woman named Charlotte Bischoff van Heemskerck. And in April, the United States Supreme Court unanimously sided with the Cassirer family, which was seeking to obtain a Nazi-looted painting from a Spanish museum.

But along with wins, there have been losses. As Suzanna Sherry reported in April for SCOTUSblog, though the Supreme Court sided with the Cassirer family, they still may not obtain the painting any time soonor ever. On a longer timeline, as Eizenstat wrote, Russia and a handful of other European nations that supported the Washington Principles have largely ignored or barely implemented them.

The New York legislation does not address restitution, which has been an issue in the state. In 2009, after settling for an undisclosed amount, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) and the Guggenheim kept two Picasso paintings that historian J. H. Schoeps had claimed were rightfully his, Christine Kearney reported for Reuters. A different Picasso was at the center of a legal battle between the family of Paul and Alice Leffmann and the Metropolitan Museum of Art; in 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a previous decision siding with the Met.

New Yorks new law also doesnt acknowledge art that was stolen outside of Europe, Elizabeth Shwe points out in Gothamist. The governors office did not respond to Gothamists inquiries about art stolen from non-European countries.

So far, per Gothamist, the Met, the Whitney Museum of American Art, MoMa, the Guggenheim and the Brooklyn Museum have not released information on how they plan to comply with the new laws requirements.

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Was That Painting Stolen by Nazis? New York Museums Are Now Required to Tell You - Smithsonian Magazine

There are unique play structures and play equipment with colorful and textured pathways to create a wheelchair and sensory-enriched accessible playground.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. Sacramento's Southside Parkgot a makeover today that is out of this world.

It is National Painting Week and Jonnie and Friends Reach for the Stars partnered with Sherwin-Williams and the City of Sacramento to give Southside Park's playground a much-needed fresh coat of paint.

The theme of Southside Park's playground is "Universal Universe," and many rides, swings and structures revolve around the solar system theme. There are unique play structures and play equipment with colorful and textured pathways to create a wheelchair and sensory-enriched accessible playground.

Since 2011, Sherwin-Williams has partnered with community organizations around the country through its National Painting Week Program. Also, since 2019, Jonnie and Friends Reach for the Stars has worked rain or shine to restore the playground at Southside Park.

Now today, employees from Sherwin-Williams and volunteers from Jonnie and Friends repainted an interior part of the playground and touched up walkway graphics, adding bright colors to a once dull sidewalk.

"Today was a symbolic day," said Marc Laver, founder of Jonnie and Friends Reach for the Stars. "This is the collaboration to bring in more special kids and all kids to unite."

Laver was inspired to "reach for the stars" when his son, Jonnie, who struggled with meningitis complications, could not play in the park in his wheelchair when he was younger. Once he and his son came to that realization, the Laver family became advocates for adding accessible play features to the playground.

"Every child regardless of their abilities deserves to have fun and deserves a safe place to play," Laver said. "'Universal Universe' gave my son and his friends exactly that."

After his son passed away, Laver dedicated his time and energy into the community, not only making the playground accessible in memory of his own son but for other kids who deal with the same accessibility struggles.

Since it started, National Painting Week has completed more than 15,000 projects using more than 35,000 gallons of donated paint.

The future plans of Jonnie and Friends include raising private donations for more sensory-enhanced features that kids of all abilities can benefit from, partnering with the community, and developing trainings and workshops to support integrated play.

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Southside Park gets fresh coat of paint for National Painting Week - ABC10.com KXTV

FARMINGTON Nearly every evening, Carlton Rollins can be found selling paintings, sitting next to his car in downtown Farmington.

Rollins, 73, is a big numbers guy: he estimates that since the 1970s hes sold over 5,000, perhaps 6,000 paintings and over 2,000 rock paintings; he can clock in at up to 24 paintings and 50 rock paintings a day, he said.

Rollins hails from Harpswell, where he taught himself how to paint when he was around 10 years old. He quickly discovered art was a wonderful way to form connections and cope with the hardships of life.

In 1974, he moved to Franklin County to study art and English at the University of Maine at Farmington.

In the nearly five decades that have followed, Rollins has spent his time writing poetry and painting canvases, rocks and murals across the county in particular at his home in New Sharon and out of his car in downtown Farmington.

Rollins said his artwork has reached all 50 states, 30 countries and five continents. Hes sold to locals, Mainers, travelers and exchange students. His artwork has also sat on the walls of galleries in New York City and Farmington.

From my dooryard in New Sharon, Ive reached the world,' Rollins said he likes to say.

Hes especially proud of those figures because his favorite part of being an artist is sharing things with other people.

I love that they get uplifted, find some happiness in the poetry and art that I make, he said. I love being out in public, meeting people.

Thats one of the reasons why Rollins moved his gallery to downtown Farmington, where he can reach more people, he said.

From 5-7 p.m. most weekdays, Rollins sets up shop along the sidewalk downtown. He lays out many of his paintings atop the windshields and roof of his car, with more placed on the ground certainly a refined system.

Rollins backseat is filled with boxes of paint, other art supplies and countless more paintings many of which are works in progress.

One woman said to me, you got a whole art studio in your car!' Rollins exclaimed.

His artwork focuses on a variety of subjects whatever comes in my head, he said. He describes his artistic style as surreal impressionism.

Sometimes, he paints abstracts and landscapes, sometimes flowers, sometimes figures.

Back again to the numbers, Rollins said hes painted over 400 paintings of Clearwater Lake in Industry, 30 of Smalls Falls near Rangeley and 24 of Mt. Blue all in high demand from his clientele.

Lately, though, his favorite thing to paint is puffins and lighthouses.

However Rollins is happy to paint whatever people like which is why Clearwater Lake can be found in the many paintings for sale around his car.

Painting is in some ways a means to an end for Rollins particularly with recent rising costs of living. But Rollins said that the connection with others might sometimes come first.

He recalled a day when a group of elderly women were admiring his paintings but expressed they couldnt afford them. Rollins said it was a simple decision to give some of his paintings away to the group.

Generosity is important in all aspects of my life, he said.

A downpour begins but Rollins not leaving anytime soon; his paintings are all waterproof.

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Meet the Farmington man who sells his paintings next to his car downtown - Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel

The GAF Cool Community Project recently finished a task that saw it paint 1 million square feet (92,903 square meters) of roads, playgrounds, and parking lots in the Los Angeles, California, neighborhood of Pacoima.

Although the group invited artists to paint some murals on the ground, the need for roads not being distracting means that, for the most part, drivers might not notice a change in color. They may well feel the effects of the paint, though, according to Fast Company.

Thats because the paint used is made by Streetbond, a subsidiary of GAF, and is called Invisible Shade. It promises to reflect sunlight off the streets and, hopefully, cool the community down.

Read Also: There Are 8 Parking Spots For Every Car In America, So Cities Reconsider Their Rules

The paint is being used to combat something called the urban heat island effect, in which cities become hotter than nearby rural areas. The phenomenon happens as a result of a number of factors, including the lack of trees to provide shade, the heat of human activity, and more.

One of the culprits behind the effect, though, is the vast quantities of concrete and asphalt in cities, which absorb and trap the heat, making cities feel hotter. Its a widely felt phenomenon and has led to cities like New York painting the roofs of their buildings a reflective white in order to help push out some of the heat.

The Invisible Shade paint being used for this project, though, is even cleverer. The manufacturer says that it not only reflects light in the visible spectrum, but light in the infrared spectrum, too, which is where the majority of the suns heat comes from.

Reflective paint, no matter how clever, wont solve global warming, but it can make cities feel more livable. The results of this project are just anecdotal, but so far, the paint appears to have contributed to cooling the surface of painted areas in Pacoima by 10 to 12 degrees. The company will now spend the next two years studying the effects of the paint more closely to see how successful it is.

The ultimate goal is not just to lower the ambient temperature of the community but to see how it impacts the livelihoods of people in the community, says Jeff Terry, vice president of corporate social responsibility and sustainability at GAF.

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LA Covers 1 Million Square Feet Of Roads Will Special Paint To Cool The City Down - CarScoops

Richard Schloss has been painting in Santa Barbara for 50 years.

Now hes completed another creative endeavor one 20 years in the making.

Mr. Schloss has released his first book, Painting in the Light. Mr. Schlosss book is a treatise on the way people perceive light and atmosphere and how he has painted it.

The unique thing about his book is that it is a scientific analysis from an artists perspective. It is more aesthetic than technical. His book is 160 pages long and contains more than 150 paintings.

I have been painting for 50 years in Santa Barbara. Ive never written anything except college papers, Mr. Schloss told the News-Press.

In the 1990s, one of his counselors challenged him to try something different. Youve been painting for a long time, said his counselor. So Mr. Schloss tried different styles of painting.

Mr. Schloss then had the idea of writing a book. For Mr. Schloss, his book was an idea of self-expression, a sort of a completion for me, a synopsis of what I have done.

I have taken an interest in light and the way light works and how we paint it, he said. The book is about how I approach painting the light, and how artists paint light.

During COVID-19, I started writing, and then it sort of came together. Initially it was about expressing myself and how I paint and what interests me in painting. It turned into a book so I started putting it together as a book with about 150 paintings, said Mr. Schloss.

When Mr. Schloss finished his book, he sent it to a publisher in Wisconsin. His book is based on a series of nine teaching workshops in the early 2000s. I did nine little studies representing different lighting situations as an illustration. When I wrote the book I used those nine paintings as the basis of the book, said Mr. Schloss.

The News-Press asked Mr. Schloss what he wanted readers to take from the book, and he cited a comment by local author and art critic, Richard Payatt: It is fascinating. The text is marvelous. I have learned Richard Schlosss views on light and color, and probably wont ever look at landscapes the same again. I am about halfway through the book, and the images are lovely.

The News-Press asked Mr. Schloss how he hoped his book would influence other artists: I didnt intend for it to be for artists. Artists develop on their own and have their own unique way of expressing themselves.

I dont want to tell people how to paint because it ruins their uniqueness. I wouldnt want to formulate an artist and tell them how to work, but I like the idea of an artist looking at it and seeing something different, he said. I look at the light and the space of the view. Where is the light coming from and how does the atmosphere affect it? Instead of drawing where you paint, you start with an abstract creation of light and dark, defining the space and then finding the objects in the space.

Mr. Schloss was born in 1953 in Fort Worth Texas, but worked and showed in Santa Barbara since 1972. He completed a master of fine arts in painting in 1979 and a bachelors in Italian in 1981. He initially explored many different styles and mediums, but focused on painting outside in the landscape in 1976, which he continued to do exclusively until the mid 80s. Today, he continues to paint en plein air on small paintings, but does most of his work in the studio on large paintings.

In 1980, he spent a year painting in Europe on an award-winning scholarship. In 1992, he was chosen to paint the diorama backgrounds for the Cartwright Interactions Hall of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. He has done numerous commissions for public spaces, including Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara Historical Museum and The Palo Alto Medical Foundation.

In 2015, he was offered a large, one-man show at the Museum of Ventura County. His work is included in four museums in the central California area: the Santa Barbara Historical Society, Ridley Tree Museum, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Ventura County.

Mr. Schloss is the only known living artist in Santa Barbara whose paintings are found in four museums, and he has been a member of Santa Barbaras Oak Group since its inception in 1986.

Mr. Schloss explained how his career influenced the writing of his book.

I think everyone should write a book because everyone knows something, he said. When you write, you crystallize in your mind what you are good at and what you know. When you write a book, actually having to write it down in a concrete way that makes sense crystalizes what you know.

Mr. Schloss explained that his book was never meant to be a financial endeavor.

It was something I wanted to do.

email: kzhender@newspress.com

FYIRichard Schloss will sign his book, Painting in the Light, at these Santa Barbara locations: 6-8 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Santa Barbara Fine Art Gallery 1321 State St. (next to the Arlington Theatre). 4-6 p.m. Aug. 28: Book Den, 15 East Anapamu St.6-7:30 p.m. Sept. 7 at Chaucers Books, 3321 State St.His book is available for sale at the Santa Barbara Fine Art Gallery, Book Den, Chaucers Books and santabarbarafineart.com/product-page/painting-the-light-by-richard-schloss-book.

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Painting in the Light - Santa Barbara News-Press

When he came into the NHL, Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid was already a household name and potentially even the second Wayne Gretzky. And since then, hes taken the NHL by storm. He is not only the top center in the league, but arguably the best in the world. And, its possible that a 1645 painting could have predicted that McDavid would exist right?

Either way, Twitter user @marria19 pointed out that at El Museo del Prado in Madrid, theres a painting that is a spitting image of McDavid. And looking at it, it flat out is.

This is the Portrait of Francisco Lezcano, or the Nio de Vallecas, painted by artist Diego Velquez. Lezcano was a jester in the court of Spains Philip IV. Since 1819, the portrait has been in the museum.

Last season, McDavid led the NHL with 123 points through 80 games, marking his fifth 100-point campaign over the last six seasons. The 25-year-old also led Edmonton to the Western Conference Final.

In his monumental career, McDavid has accumulated 697 points (239 goals, 458 assists) in 487 career games in orange and white.

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This 1645 Painting Is A Spitting Image Of Connor McDavid -- And It's Almost Scary - Washington Hockey Now

Tucked away in a discrete warehouse off Oleander Drive, a husband-and-wife duo makes and packages a product sought after by DIYers around the world.Saltwash is a powdered trademarked formula that can be added to paint to create a weathered look on furniture and other items. The secret recipe which includes sea salt, the only ingredient disclosed is crafted and poured into cans for distribution in the Wilmington warehouse by Jamie and Carol Hunter.Jamie and I do everything, said co-owner Carol Hunter. We have an auger that we mix all the ingredients in with specific ratios. We fill each can by hand. We package everything, and we ship it out all over the world.In 2010, the couple was spending time at art markets selling products from their joint home decor line, Saltwater Salvage Designs. Before creating Saltwash, they would scope out historic homes set for demolition to salvage pieces to be incorporated into new designs, seeking out a particular weathered, rustic look. Eventually, interest in purchasing this type of wood piqued, and finding it became more expensive and difficult, Carol Hunter said. Plus, continued exposure to lead-based paint had the couple thinking twice.Once we kind of got a little weary of that, we thought, Weve got to figure this out or weve got to do something else, she said.Sanding down painted wood wasnt creating the same effect the couple had previously hunted for. What we were missing was all those layers of paint and all that texture that really authentic look, she said. We needed to replicate and figure out how to get that look.The Hunters toyed with formulas in their garage and began using a version of what later became Saltwash to recreate an antique feel. Pieces for their dcor line crafted using this formula attracted attention at markets, Carol Hunter said. People were blown away, she said. So we thought, Lets package this.Using taped-on labels drawn by Jamies cousin, the couple filled cans with their Saltwash recipe and placed them on a small corner booth at a market. A Rosie the Riveter-esque pinup logo with a signature turquoise blue caught plenty of eyes.The next market, our art was in the back corner and all the Saltwash was in the front, she said. We realized thats where we needed to put our focus into because it was getting a lot of interest and gaining traction fairly quickly.With their priorities shifted, the Hunters quickly moved to submit applications to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. They were eligible for a patent, but because doing so required disclosing the full recipe, they opted to seek only a trademark, granted in 2016.Early on, competitors even reached out under false pretenses, acting as a customer asking about the formulation to check for allergy concerns, Carol Hunter said. People were on our heels We knew to stay ahead. To try to keep up with these big companies, we needed to move fast.During their first year, Jamie Hunter said they hand-filled 400 cans. After purchasing a machine to help fill the cans, the couple sold 10,000 by their third year.We experienced our highest growth rates during those first three years, he said.Growth continues at an organic pace; online arts and crafts creators with large followings regularly share videos using the product. One of the original sharks from Shark Tank partnered with the team in 2017, and HSN featured the product in a segment in 2020.With support from the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Saltwash landed a distributor in Ireland, which helped spur its growth in Europe. That first year we grew from selling to nobody to being in 50 stores, Carol Hunter said. Today, she said Saltwash is sold in about 200 stores in the U.S. and roughly 200 internationally. About half of all sales come from retailers and half are direct-to-consumer from the brands online shop.One of her favorite qualities about the product is how easy it is for beginning crafters to use, Carol Hunter said. It doesnt take somebody whos really experienced to use the product, and you dont have to be somebody whos always painting and always crafting and DIYing, she said. It can be very satisfying.SALTWASH

2605 1/2 Oleander Drive,28403

Number of employees:

Year founded: 2013

Top local officials: Carol and Jamie Hunter, co-owners and founders

Company description: Saltwash is a manufacturer of a paint additive that creates an authentic aged effect. The paint additive explores various faux effects weathered, rusty, vintage applied to furniture and various surfaces.

Products made locally: The original product, Saltwashs powdered paint additive, is made and packaged in the Oleander Drive warehouse. Saltwash offers various sizes, kits and accessories.

Product distribution: Carol Hunter: We have distributors set up in Europe, in Australia, Dominican Republic, New Zealand we have a lot of distribution.

What made the company decide to make its goods locally? Hunter: When youre starting out small and youre a small family business, it was cheapest for us to work right out of our garage ... Eventually we grew out of the garage and we expanded, we started doing sales worldwide basically, and so we looked for bigger workshops. Its so nice to be able to work in Wilmington Were fortunate to be able to make it work here.

Whats your target market? Hunter: Furniture flippers, a lot of DIYers, crafters, furniture painters using it to create different faux effects. Anything along that creative market outlet for anybody. Its easy to use so it takes some of the guesswork out of it.

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MADE: Paint additive becomes salty success - Greater Wilmington Business Journal

This week at Crooked Tree Arts Center in Traverse City, weve been putting on Paint Grand Traverse, our plein air (outdoor) painting festival and competition. Now in our fifth year, Paint Grand Traverse features outstanding artists from across the country. They come to Traverse City to paint, sell artwork, and compete for major awards. The week also features events for spectators, students, art collectors, and kids and families. The mission of Paint Grand Traverse is to celebrate the beauty of our region, and to make fine art fun and accessible to all.

The term plein air is French, and translates to in open air. Plein air artists work outside in natural light to capture the mood and atmosphere of a scene. While the practice of making art from life goes back millenia, the plein air movement really took off in the early 1800s. Developments in pre-mixed oil paints and portable easels collided with the French Impressionists interest in depicting light and natural, candid scenes. Today, plein air painting enjoys enduring popularity with artists and art lovers around the world. Paint Grand Traverse is a relatively new entrant among national plein air events, but it is quickly becoming a bucket list festival for professional plein air painters and art collectors alike.

Over the course of this week, our 36 featured artists have created well over 200 paintings depicting scenes from Leelanau County, Old Mission Peninsula, Traverse City, and Elk Rapids.

Paint Grand Traverse includes several featured painting locations, which are great places for spectators to catch artists at work. Featured locations this week included The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park, Black Star Farms, Dougherty Mission House, Suttons Bay Ciders, Twisted Fish Gallery, Delamar Resort, and more. When the artists werent at one of these locations, they were free to follow their bliss, and seek out their own inspiring views and vistas.

The marquee event of the week is this evenings Collectors Gala. Tonight, we will unveil the juried collection of artwork, and announce our major award winners. Guests will also enjoy creative tasting tables, wine, live music, and have the first opportunity to shop the collection. As of press time, Gala tickets are still available and can be ordered through our website at paintgrandtraverse.com/GALA.

Tomorrow, Saturday, were debuting a new Paint Grand Traverse event, an art-themed Community Block Party.

Its a full day of free, family-friendly art activities at Crooked Tree Arts Center and Hannah Park on Sixth Street.

The day includes a Pint-Sized Paint Out for Kids in the morning, Quick Paint Competition in the afternoon, live music, food, and a street fair. Its also the public premier of the Paint Grand Traverse week artwork in our galleries. We couldnt think of a more perfect way to wrap up our fifth annual event than to throw a party for the friends, neighbors, and visitors who have helped make Paint Grand Traverse a great addition to summer in Traverse City!

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Creatively Centered: Paint Grand Traverse wraps week with gala, block party - Traverse City Record Eagle

Another column about rain gardens? You betcha! After all, whats not to love about a garden that supports the health of the local watershed and wildlife, reduces flooding, and enhances the curb appeal of your home, school, or business?

For those new to the concept, rain gardens are bowl-shaped gardens that take in stormwater runoff from nearby hard surfaces, such as a roof or an asphalt driveway. The plants and soil clean the rainwater by filtering out pollutants. Rain gardens come in many shapes, sizes, and styles, depending on the specifics of your space and your personal gardening style.

This week, were sharing five things you may not know about rain gardens.

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Rain gardens are often dry. Unlike a pond, which holds water throughout the year, rain gardens are designed to temporarily store water until it can be absorbed into the ground.

Ideally, water in a rain garden will drain within 24 to 48 hours of a heavy rain event. During the summer, established rain gardens can go many weeks without water.

The best part? Fewer mosquitoes in your garden!

An average residential rain garden in Peterborough can divert about 1.5 cubic metres of water from the storm sewer system each year. Thats roughly the same volume as 9.5 bathtubs.

Keep in mind that bath water in Peterborough is treated before being returned to the Otonabee River, but roof runoff isnt. Without treatment, runoff carries garbage and pollutants straight into the watershed.

By sending rainwater to a rain garden, you can harness the power of soil and plants to filter pollutants as water soaks into the ground. Imagine the potential for the watershed if more homeowners, schools, and businesses installed rain gardens on their properties. Thats a lot of bathtubs.

Rain gardens also help us adapt to the impacts of climate change, which include more precipitation in shorter amounts of time. They do this by reducing the amount of runoff the municipal stormwater system has to manage during heavy storms.

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Rain gardens provide wonderful entertainment.

As soon as you install one, youll fly out the door at the first hint of rain to watch the bowl fill and recede. Trust me!

You can incorporate trees into your rain garden if your space allows.

Its important to build your rain garden outside the canopy of any existing trees to protect their roots. However, theres no reason why you cant plant a new tree in your rain garden. Planting trees is critical for adapting to climate change, especially since extreme weather events can damage the urban tree canopy.

Some of our favourites include River Birch (Betula nigra), Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis), and Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.). These native trees and large shrubs are well-suited to the variable moisture conditions found in rain gardens and add height and year-round interest.

You can customize your rain garden with many native plants and trees so it becomes uniquely yours.

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Eligible homeowners can receive up to $1,000 from the City of Peterborough to install a rain garden at home. Thats wild!

In addition to the subsidy, you get to enjoy all the secondary benefits that rain gardens offer, such as butterfly visits and the envy of your neighbours. Plus, GreenUP is partnering with the City of Peterborough to provide applicants with consultation visits and customized advice.

The application process begins with an eligibility assessment. Once youre pre-approved, you will receive resources and support to design your own unique garden. Additionally, applicants can take advantage of up to two site visits by GreenUP staff during the design and installation process.

One of these visits is required and must take place during construction. The other visit can be used at a time of the applicants choosing, for additional advice on garden design, application support, maintenance or plant selection.

The subsidy covers the costs of plants, soil, mulch, rock, and other non-equipment expenses incurred while building a rain garden. The subsidy can also be used to hire a landscape contractor for design and/or construction, if desired.

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Its not too late to reap the benefits of a rain garden and receive a subsidy this year. For more information about the Rain Garden Subsidy program, visit http://www.peterborough.ca/raingarden, or direct questions to Hayley Goodchild at hayley.goodchild@greenup.on.ca or 705-748-3238 ext. 213.

GreenUP can help you source plants suitable for your rain garden. Visit the Ecology Park and speak to our staff in the Native Plant & Tree Nursery during our hours of operation, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sunday.

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Peterborough GreenUP shares five things you may not know about rain gardens - kawarthaNOW.com

Bay City celebrates a 60-year sisterhood with Ansbach, Germany this year.

Like most sisters, the two have had their ups and downs. This year, though, the cities revived the relationship. The celebration includes a re-named bridge in Ansbach, a new piece of public art in Bay City, and international visitors for each community.

Earlier this summer, a delegation from Bay City visited Ansbach, Germany. The Germans will visit Bay City in mid-September. (Photo courtesy of Bay City government)A sister city relationship is a broad-based, long-term partnership between two communities in two countries. A relationship is officially recognized after the highest elected or appointed official from both communities sign off on an agreement to become sister cities. Learn more about sister cities on the Sister Cities International website.

Bay Citys partnership with Ansbach, Germany began in 1961, largely spawned by immigration of Germans to our area in the 1800 and 1900s as well as the strong German heritage of the towns surrounding areas.

Throughout the years, the relationship has ebbed and flowed. There were points when we feared the partnership might end, but now both towns are determined to re-connect.

Bay City Manager Dana Muscott poses with her Ansbach, Germany counterpart, Thomas Deffner. (Photo courtesy of Bay City government)In early July, a group from Bay City traveled to Ansbach to participate in the official celebration of our sister city connection. The group included representatives from Bay City government, Saginaw Valley State University and its Gerstacker Fellowship Program as well as Bay City Public Schools. A group from Germany plans to visit Bay City Sept. 15-18.

City Manager Dana Muscott, who made the trip to Germany, says the group toured the town, participated in formal ceremonies, and learned about German culture. As part of its 60-year celebrations, Ansbach dedicated one of its walking bridges to our town and named it Bay City Bridge.

The 60th anniversary of the relationship was in 2021, but COVID-19 delayed celebrations. The pandemic didnt stop efforts to re-kindle the connection, though.

The visitors from Bay City attracted the attention of local media in Ansbach. (Photo courtesy of Bay City government)During COVID, we were checking in on each other, checking to see how they were handling it and how it was affecting their city. Things like that made it easy to tell that there was a bond forming between us, Muscott says.

The three other Bay City representatives included 5th Ward Commissioner Rachelle Hilliker and Monte Oswald and Walter Hagen from the Deutsch Amerikanischer National Kongress (DANK Club).

Their German hosts made sure the visitors experienced both the formalities of governmental procedure as well as the relaxed nature of the German culture.Muscott says she loved visiting the sister city.

During the visit, Ansbach named one of their bridges for Bay City. (Photo courtesy of Bay City government)Im smiling from ear to ear, she says. It was a trip of a lifetime. Im very grateful to have had the opportunity to represent the city of Bay City and celebrate this re-connection.

For pictures from the trip visit the Bay City Government Facebook page.

A flag hangs in the Ansbach business district commemorating the relationship. (Photo courtesy of Bay City government)The trip was only the beginning of the 60th anniversary celebrations. In mid-September, a delegation from Ansbach will travel to Bay City to tour our town.

During a Sat., Sept. 17 public event, representatives from the two cities will sign a formal Sister City agreement and witness the unveiling of a project thats been in the works for over a year.

Walk through Uptown and youll see the beginnings of that project. Just to the north of the Rivers Edge Apartments, workers are prepping a 30-foot circle to be transformed into The Ansbach Platz. The centerpiece of the platz is a new sculpture called Two Cities Connected.

The sculpture features a split globe, with one side representing Ansbach and the other representing Bay City. The two sides will be connected by a bridge, with one side of the bridge representing the Liberty Bridge and the other end mirroring a major bridge in Ansbach, "Fugngerbrcke am Brckencenter." The exterior of each side of the globe will include countries from eachs hemisphere constructed from copper.

The Bay Area Chamber of Commerces Leadership Bay County (LBC) class of 2022 raised the money to design and build the sculpture. The class also facilitated and managed the project.

A group of Bay City Public School students joined the tour earlier this summer. (Photo courtesy of Bay City government)The class worked with the Bay-Arenac ISD Career Center to finalize the design and marketing of the project.

Assistant Principal Kathy Dardas says students and staff from five programs were heavily involved: Engineering/Drafting, Graphics, Marketing, Precision Machining, and Welding.

The students were divided into two groups to propose designs to the LBC group. The students presented ideas, and one design was ultimately finalized using elements from each. Students also remained involved, participating in some of the Zoom calls with the fabrication company, ZENTX.

I'm excited about the involvement that our Career Center students have had on the Ansbach Platz project, Dardas says. In working withleaders, in government, education and our community, they have grown in their skills and made an impact.

One of her goals for the students was for them to understand the importance of community involvement. This goal was certainly met.

She shared a quote from Elise Gourd, a student in the Engineering & Drafting program, describing this project as one of her proudest accomplishments.

Beyond the growth Ive personally made over the duration of this project, I have also taken great pride in being involved in this monumental part of our community, Gourd told Dardas. Celebrating this historic partnership with Ansbach, Germany couldnt be done in a better way, and Im overjoyed with how far weve come as a community to bring this to life.

While the design was a group effort, that pales in comparison to the community effort behind the funding of the monument.

When the LBC class initially estimated the project budget of $100,000, they were concerned that they wouldnt be able to raise the full amount. Brad Tahash, who is in the LBC class, says the number was a little fear-inducing.

'I'm excited about the involvement that our Career Center students have had on the Ansbach Platz project. In working withleaders, in government, education and our community, they have grown in their skills and made an impact.'- Kathy Dardas, Bay-Arenac Career Center Assistant Principal

Companies and individuals alike supported the program, which received a matching donation from Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MDEC).

Following the theme of the rest of the project, the sculptures fabrication and placement has been a group effort.

Brennen Gohr, another LBC class member, is working with fabrication and installation teams to coordinate the statues placement. ZENTX has begun constructing the pieces of the sculpture and several community businesses are helping with the project.

Folks at Bierlein, Spence Brothers, and Clements Electric are offering their services as low cost as possible to support the project. Jerry Somalski from Bay Landscaping has been instrumental in making recommendations for the structural integrity of the circle.

The teams await a written easement to be granted by Consumers Energy, the true owner of the land on which Ansbach Platz will sit. Once that is in hand, installation will begin.

All signs point to the installations conclusion by the end of August.Once thats complete, the priority becomes keeping the relationship between the two cities strong.

The Ansbach Platz was designed to withstand Michigan climate with minimal upkeep, so the monument has what it needs to last.

Events are planned to keep Ansbach visible in Bay City.

The Career Center students and staff are organizing a 5K race on Sun., Sept. 18 at 9 a.m. to raise money for the DANK clubs endowment fund. This fund will help maintain the plaza for years. The hope is to raise $5,000 to receive a $5,000 matching grant from the Bay Area Community Foundation.

Muscotts team also is prioritizing the relationship.

People change in government; we come, and we go. We need to continue to push that we have this relationship with a city on the other side of the pond and we can talk with them about how they run their government. We can bring some of their best practices back here and we can do the same for them. So, I see the relationship as very important going forward and I hope it continues with people in our seats in the future, Muscott says.

See the article here:
Two nations, one family: Bay City celebrates a 60-year partnership with its sister city in Germany - Second Wave Media