Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Trees are an important part of any landscape, but its important to do your research before planting anything. Beasley recommends that homeowners particularly look out for any trees with leaves or flowers that might create a mess in the yard.

Some trees just tend to be messier than others, he said. Constant leaf rain is not something that will positively attract a potential homebuyer. When fall comes, they will just know it will give them a hard time.

Trees to stay away from include oak, female Ginkgo biloba, sweet gum, locust tree and Eastern white pine. These messy trees can decrease your curb appeal, and removal can set you back a hefty sum, depending on the trees size, Beasley said. Instead, choose an alternative tree, like an Eastern red cedar, crepe myrtle or Colorado blue spruce.

Save Money: 30 Ways To Upgrade Your Home Without Blowing Your Budget

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20 Home Renovations That Will Hurt Your Home's Value - GOBankingRates

Overseeing the gardens of a city museum is a somewhat atypical post in the gardening world, but a fantastic one (as head gardener at Londons Garden Museum, I should know). Horticulture is combined with history, education and storytelling, which inform plant choices, design and presentation. Errol Fernandes, head of horticulture at south Londons Horniman Museum and Gardens, which houses the collection of the 19th-century tea trader Frederick John Horniman says conversations with visitors regularly stray beyond gardening into the realms of art, collections and curation.

Fernandes, who took on the role last spring, oversees 16 acres of tropical, medicinal and rockery plantings, mature trees and large areas of parkland grass. He draws inspiration not only from his horticultural studies and experience, but a background in art and curation (he initially studied fine art, painting and photography). A painters eye, therefore, informs his approach to planting and garden maintenance.

We meet on a gloriously bright, late-autumn morning in the museums award-winning Grasslands Garden, designed by plantsman and Olympic Park landscape designer James Hitchmough to reflect North American and South African native prairies. Fernandes is busy editing the garden in preparation for winter. Traditionally, perennials are cut back entirely to ground level in autumn, or in early spring ahead of new shoots. However, Fernandes argues that, with considered editing, these gardens can be enjoyed throughout the winter.

Though we keep as much in place for wildlife as possible, were also cutting away bits that are letting down the picture, he says, indicating a section recently worked on: an array of shimmering ornamental grasses and perennials that have lignified (grown woody), glowing gold, silver and maroon-pink. In the past, these beds were left until February, but were recognising that there is a balance between naturalistic planting looking intended and looking unkempt. I think its really important to step back and observe.

Describing his approach to composition, Fernandes uses terms more common in photography and painting: apical points, triangular repetition, aspiring towards a sense of balance. Were all very used to pointing our camera at things and I encourage my team to do the same to imagine the viewfinder and assess whats spoiling that image. Has a plant collapsed? Is there something theres too much of? You want the plants to be able to jostle together but not outcompete each other, so close attention to what is happening on the ground is important, too.

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He sees the autumn into winter period as a time of adjustments, where he might chop back a plant if its flopping too much and let others die back gradually to prolong interest. I think the contemporary horticulturist looks at structure and form in a different way. We are looking at seed heads, sepia tones. We often talk about how a plant dies does it die gracefully? Thats really important here.

In the Grassland Garden, tall seeding plumes of goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) and wild quinine (Parthenium integrifolium) contrast with the darker tones of echinacea and false indigo (Baptisia australis); the sharp outline of the tall sea holly (Eryngium yuccifolium) sits against feathery bluestem grass (Schizachyrium scoparium) all perennials with fantastic winter attributes. Its important to have species that provide contrast, says Fernandes, and a good range of textures, too, from soft to rigid and spiky.

Before turning to professional gardening, Fernandes worked in fashion editorial then in outreach roles at the Tate and the V&A, before doing an MA in art psychotherapy. Being introduced to horticultural therapy inspired him to retrain as a gardener, studying at Capel Manor College in Enfield, on the edge of north London.

The course offered Fernandes a sense of belonging: It felt like, finally, this was where I needed to be. This is what my passion is. After graduating, however, he was surprised at how hard it was to secure a horticultural traineeship. I attended interview after interview. Many national, leading horticultural institutions repeatedly fed back that it had been between me and an equally strong candidate; my college tutor was scratching his head saying: Why arent they giving it to you? It just felt odd that it was such a struggle.

He eventually landed a traineeship at the esteemed Chelsea Physic Garden and went on to work at Kenwood House on Hampstead Heath before joining the Horniman. However, his experiences have led him to question a lack of diversity in horticulture (he is a British-born Asian of British immigrant parents from Africa). Fernandes grew up with an interest in it his mother was a florist. But I couldnt imagine myself in that profession; I didnt see anybody like me a person of colour within it.

This is a complex issue, he says, and deeply rooted. My mum used to take us to various houses and gardens, and sometimes wed get quite a frosty reception. We knew what it was about, though my mum tried to shield us. I think the industry, and society as a whole, often find it difficult to imagine people from diverse backgrounds working in horticulture, particularly in higher-level positions. In a strange way Ive had to fight through my own bias to be here.

But there are encouraging signs, he says. He recently met three young students of African and Afro-Caribbean descent at a Horniman gardening study day: I asked each of them about their journey into horticulture. It felt like a profound shift. Fernandess enthusiasm for making horticulture more inclusive and diverse is well suited to the Horniman, which is endeavouring to engage new audiences within its south London community.

Right now, his creative energy is turning to fresh projects in the garden plans for 2022 include planting a micro-forest to provide a green buffer between the gardens and the busy, polluting South Circular road; and an educational border filled with drought-tolerant plants. Reducing mowing to increase biodiversity is a priority roughly an acre of lawn is given over to long grass and mown paths as is a more sustainable approach to planting, with plans to replace the traditional annual bedding in the historic Sunken Garden with longer-term schemes.

Bedding is so wasteful, he says. The constant intervention that it requires has a negative effect on the health of the soil. So weve been thinking more carefully about what we plant now, including more perennial bulbs tulips, narcissus and hyacinth that can stay in the ground for two to three years.

Fernandes is also keen to deepen the link with the museums internal displays. Its extensive musical instrument collection is reflected through plantings such as bottle gourd (from which percussion instruments are made) and Arundo donax (used for woodwind reeds). Fernandes is now looking to interpret the taxidermy bird collection, with illustrative, informative new planting.

Gardening must continue to address issues such as sustainability and waste, and the challenge of our changing climate. But artistic vision can inspire change, too: there seems to be an increasing crossover between art and gardening, championed in recent years by galleries such as the Hepworth in Wakefield and Hauser & Wirth in Somerset (and before that Derek Jarmans Prospect Cottage in Kent). For me, gardening is an artistic, creative process, says Fernandes. I entered into it for love, and then passion got ignited.

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Ways of seeding: the designer changing the way we look at gardening - The Guardian

This would be a fascinating final-four showdown for Barty against another Roland Garros champion, last years victor Barbora Krejcikova. Theres a little bit of a pattern here Krejcikova, fresh off her Paris heroics, was one of the players the world No.1 beat at Wimbledon a few weeks later as Barty went on to accomplish a childhood dream by triumphing on the London grass. The right-handed Krejcikova has been making strong inroads in the womens game in recent times, her season-ending world No.5 coming off a ranking of 65 one year earlier.

MADISON KEYSAGE: 26COUNTRY: United StatesRANKING: 51SEEDING: n/aHEAD TO HEAD: Barty 2, Keys 1

Madison Keys used her big-hitting game to put the heat on Paula Badosa in the fourth round.Credit:Getty Images

This, too, would be a semi-final clash with plenty of appeal as American Keys has a wealth of experience at the majors that belies her current ranking. An Australian Open semi-finalist seven years ago, Keys has also gone deep at Roland Garros (2018 semi-finals), Wimbledon (2015 quarter-final) and on home turf at the US Open (2017 finalist). In some ways, of the three different players who could attempt to stop Barty from reaching Saturday nights final, Keys could be the most dangerous.

One of the following players will have the world No.1 in their sights if she wins through to Saturday nights title showdown.

DANIELLE COLLINSAGE: 28COUNTRY: United StatesRANKING: 30SEED: 27HEAD TO HEAD: Barty 3, Collins 1Made the semi-final of the Australian Open in 2019 and is a ferocious competitor who claimed titles on Italian clay and American hard courts last year. Her trainer and partner is Tom Couch, the son of the late AFL Brownlow Medallist and Geelong champion Paul Couch. Beat Elise Mertens in three sets on Monday to make the quarters.

ALIZE CORNETAGE: 32COUNTRY: FranceRANKING: 61SEED: N/AHEAD TO HEAD: Barty 1, Cornet 1.The veteran showed her resilience with a come-from-behind win over 29th seed Tamara Zidansek in scorching heat to make the fourth round, and provided one of the upsets of the Open when she toppled dual grand slam winner Simona Halep on Monday.

IGA SWIATEKCOUNTRY: PolandAGE: 20RANKING: 9SEED: 7HEAD TO HEAD: Barty 2, Swiatek 0The 2020 French Open champion plays an aggressive style of tennis and hadnt dropped a set leading into the fourth round clash with Sorana Cirstea. Cirstea took the first set of their clash on Monday night but Swiatek fought back to take the victory and keep her title hopes alive.

KAIA KANEPICOUNTRY: EstoniaAGE: 36RANKING: 115SEED: N/AHEAD TO HEAD: Barty 1, Kanepi 0The Estonian veteran knocked out Australian wildcard Madison Inglis in the third round. She backed that up with a victory over Aryna Sabalenka on Monday night. Sabalenka, the world No.2, has been battling a dreadful case of the serving yips recently and is yet to make a grand slam final. But a fascinating rivalry had developed between Sabalenka and Barty and Kanepis upset win takes the Belarusian off the board.

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The players who could stop Ashleigh Barty from reaching the womens final - The Age

Gardening season has been put to bed for winter, but you may still have questions. For answers, turn to Ask an Expert, an online question-and-answer tool from Oregon State Universitys Extension Service. OSU Extension faculty and Master Gardeners reply to queries within two business days, usually less. To ask a question, simply go to the OSU Extension website, type it in, and include the county where you live. Here are some questions asked by other gardeners. Whats yours?

Q: We have a previously very healthy hybrid maple (Acer saccharinum x rubrum) that appears to have developed a black weep and crack on the trunk.

We planted it in 2009 as a balled-and-burlaped nursery stock tree, and it has thrived until a year ago. (The trunk went from 2-inch diameter to about 15-inch diameter in 12 years.)

The weep developed after we had a professional pruning a little over a year ago. From what I can find on the internet (photos), it appears to be phytophthora fungal infection.

Is it possible to restore the trees health, or will the rot result in a potentially structurally unsafe tree over time? What should we look for in an arborist? I know you probably cannot point us to specific companies, but if you can give us a tip, thatd be really helpful. Multnomah County

A: Argh, that doesnt look good. But it may not be the end of the tree. Phytophthora is probably a pretty good guess, but there are several other possibilities. Here is a link to the PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook re: maple and phytophthora diseases.

This includes both cultural and chemical solutions, although chemical methods are generally protectants, there are phosphonate fungicides that appear to slow the phyphthora down.

First you may want to look at the drainage situation around the tree. Does it appear compacted and perhaps there is standing water a lot of the time? This can facilitate phytophthora. Is there any way to improve the drainage issue if you think it may be a problem?

Regarding arborists, you may want to try a consulting arborist one that can do diagnosis and recommend treatments, but wont be the one to do the treatments, so they are not likely to recommend things that arent absolutely needed.

Here is the PNW ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) website with a find an arborist page, with a directory.

In the directory, the arborists will note whether they are consulting arborists or not. Dave Shaw, OSU Extension forestry specialist

Apple treeOSU Extension Service

Q: I just noticed this as I started pruning my Liberty apple tree. What is it and how should I deal with it? The entire branch is nonproductive perhaps I should cut it back to the trunk?

A: This is likely apple anthracnose canker. Infection generally occurs during fall rains and first appears as a small, circular red spot on the bark; new cankers are most visible when the bark is moist. The discoloration extends into the tissue as far as the sapwood, which contains the functioning vascular tissue.

Disease management relies heavily on pruning out the cankers to remove the inoculum source. Stems or trees that are heavily infected with cankers should be removed from the orchard and burned. The mainstay of apple canker control is pruning out the cankers. If the canker pathogen is a fungus, prune off the cankers in early summer. After that, spray the area with a Bordeaux mixture or approved fixed copper materials. Since fungal cankers only attack apple trees suffering from drought or other cultural stress, you may be able to prevent these cankers by taking excellent care of the trees. Chris Rusch, OSU Extension Master Gardener

How is this conifer doing?OSU Extension Service

Q: Im not sure what the correct name is of this conifer. It looks nice on the outside, but underneath there is a lot of dry leaves. Last year it was the same. Is that normal? Should I do anything? Multnomah County

A: Actually, the conifer is in excellent condition. And thats in spite of the direct heat from it receives from both the west and the south; the limited rooting area; and the heat reflected from paving on two sides! The dense growth is simply shading out some of the interior growth, a normal occurrence. Such shade is not a problem and that sort of dead growth may be removed whenever it is seen, The only thing you need to do is to remove each brown branch at its source, but dont cut the brown off in such a way that leafless stubs remain. With conifers, bare branches dont re-sprout. Jean Natter, OSU Extension Master Gardener diagnostician

There are many azalea hybrids. This one is fragrant.OSU Extension Service

Q: Can you please tell me what type of plant this extremely fragrant, yellow-flowering bush is called? Linn County

A: This is an azalea (Rhododendron species). There are many azalea hybrids, so what species it is exactly is unclear. However, Rhododendron luteum would be a good guess as it is both yellow and perfumed. James Mickley, OSU Extension Herbarium curator and instructor

Either seeds or seedlings can be planted in a straw bale garden. Oregonian file photo. Marv Bondarowicz/staff

Q: Can I set straw bales up in February for the rain to soak them then fertilize two weeks prior to planting in April? Lane County

A: That will usually work. Often in the first year the first planting is done in a trench in the bale with fertilizer. Adding fertilizer now will also help prepare the bed. The straw breakdown creates some heat from composting once temps reach into the mid-50-60s. Pat Patterson, OSU Extension horticulturist, retired

ClematisOSU Extension Service

Q: The photo Ive attached show a clematis vine on an L-shaped trellis (I dont recall the plant variety). I have another, too. They were planted about two years ago and never bloomed very well (probably due to my lack of care!)

They began blooming this year in early to mid-April. The best blooming plant faces south (but my house is about 25 feet away) and only has growth at the base and at the top (no growth in the middle). The other struggling plant faces west, but is shaded in the afternoon by another wing of my house, but it has absolutely no growth from the base to the top, and is only flowering at the top.

The plants get about six hours of sun. I dont know if I should prune it, and if so how much and when? What would cause the bare portions of the stems? I have not fertilized it. Washington County

A: Some clematis literally jump out of the ground the spring after they are planted whereas others slog along, takingseveral years to gear up. Those available with their rootball wrapped in plastic are often sluggish. Except for the bare stems, yours currently look fine.

I doubt theres anything to be concerned about as long as the bare portions didnt have leaf spots or other problems. Clematis growing in clay-based soil seldom need additional fertilizer, but may do well with a boost after they are pruned.

Clematis thrive with annual pruning, with the timing varying according to the group the clematis belongs to. In general, a useful guideline is after bloom. A practice that works well with large-flowered spring-bloomers such as yours is to cut back the stems to about 12 inches, then wait for the abundant new growth that will support next years flowers.

You can fertilize after pruning to help the clematis put on new growth. If it has a second bloom later in the year, dont prune again. A second bloom is likely to be less showy than the first. Youll find lots of clematis info, with the bulk of the basics on the first several pages, here: A Clematis for Every Garden

-- Jean Natter, OSU Extension Master Gardener diagnostician

Shiny geranium (Oregon State University)LC-

Q: My yard is mostly shady. It was invaded by shiny geranium (Geranium lucidum) about two years ago. We can keep it out of the raised flower beds pretty well but the lawn is awful. Weve tried heat killing it with black plastic (reused) tarps. It works, but they just re-invade. We dont want to use Roundup. We are not physically capable of hoeing them myself anymore and the yard guy is understandably reluctant to keep fighting such a tedious battle. What other options are there? Clackamas County

A: Shiny Geranium is an aggressive and tenacious invasive weed. It sets so many seeds that areas with the plants develop a heavy seed bank in the soil. There are details offered in some resources Ill share, yet the basics are control it twice a year, cover the seeds with deep mulch to inhibit germination and establish plants to cover or inhibit the geraniums growth.

In the lawn your strategy could include regular mowing to reduce seeding and keeping the turf very healthy. This means appropriate fertilization, mowing, watering and rejuvenation when the grass thins.

Healthy lawns require sunshine, though. Is there a way to get more sun to the area? Alternatively, other plantings might be a solution. Or regular organic mulch application?

Heres a prior answer about shiny geranium options.This Oregonian article has Extension Service information. And,thisposting from King County in Washington is fairly detailed. Learninghow and wherethe plant grows is useful when needing to disrupt it. Jacki Dougan, OS Extension Master Gardener

Read more from the original source:
Ask an expert: There may be help for this maple with possible root rot - OregonLive

Clapham Common will welcome a large butterfly meadow in the coming months as part of a new environmental initiative.

The project is being primarily funded by Wild Clapham, a charity organisation set up by The Clapham Society and Friends of Clapham Common, with the aim of increasing biodiversity on the Common as well as bringing the local community closer to its growing wildlife population.

Already, Wild Clapham has completed a number of projects throughout the Common, planting 72 trees in 2021 and introducing large areas of scrubland with indigenous shrubs that provide an ideal habitat for bees and butterflies.

The significance of their new conservation project lies in the reality that 76% of the UKs resident and regular migrant species of butterfly are currently in decline due to shifting patterns of climate and weather, as well as deterioration and destruction of habitat.

This is of great concern, not just for the butterfly species itself, but for the state of the environment as a whole, as butterflies are important indicators of more general biodiversity issues.

Adrian Darley, a member of the Wild Clapham committee who also runs a volunteer group for the wildlife area on the Common said: Ive lived locally for about 30 years and looking back on that period, Clapham Common was always great if you wanted to kick a football around, but really very low in biodiversity terms.

For the most part, the Common is made up of amenity grassland with either flat grass or tree trunks covering around 80% of its surface, meaning it offers little for the surrounding wildlife.

The conservation project will involve removing around six inches of topsoil, before seeding the ground which will result in the growth of wildflowers.

According to Darley, this new project will also positively impact the local community in terms of mental health:

Since the beginning of the pandemic more people have been working from home and, as a result of this, are keen to spend their free time in the fresh air.

This butterfly conservation project were working on will provide a dual benefit: not only will it improve biodiversity in Clapham Common, the increase in wildlife will also be more interesting and enjoyable for people to look at.

Gareth James, a member of Friends of Clapham Common, who also sits on the Wild Clapham committee said:

The butterfly meadow will take a year or two to establish, but once it is up and running it will be really educational for both children, as well as grown-ups, to experience, and it will really help our declining butterfly and moth species.

Lambeth Council have given their support for the project to go ahead and work will begin in March on the meadow which is to be located on the north edge of Windmill Drive.

Image credit: Wikimedia commons

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Butterfly conservation project planned for Clapham Common - South West Londoner

With a series of impressive wins to start the season, Alex de Minaur's motto to stay positive in 2022 is already paying off.

Melbourne, Australia , 20 January 2022 | Darren Parkin

Alex de Minaur is hoping his early season momentum rolls on as he shoots for a return to the worlds top 20 this year.

A difficult end to 2021 appears a distant memory for the young Australian, who has hit the ground running at the start of a new campaign.

The world No.42 backed up some strong ATP Cup performances in a polished first-round display against Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti at Australian Open 2022.

After being challenged early and falling behind, De Minaur took complete control of the match to win 18 of the last 24 games.

A new years resolution to stay positive at all times was a driving factor.

For me, the most important thing was my attitude. You know, that was what won me the match. I was positive throughout the whole night, De Minaur said.

I didnt let anything get in my head, and I just kept on going. I was playing every point for its merit, and eventually things started to go my way and I was able to take control.

Positive vibes only for 2022 is my motto.

In his first-round match, de Minaur was edged by Musetti in short rallies, with the Italian winning 47 points to 42 on rallies of four shots or fewer.

But on the longer points, his work-rate and tenacity stood out. He won 74 points to 42 on rallies of five or more shots.

Im cautious of myself as a competitor, as well. I feel like if Im on top and Im focused and determined and trying to win every point, I can be a very difficult opponent to beat, and especially when Im staying tough, the Australian said.

I had that in the back of my head. I knew I needed to start the sets well and hopefully get that early break so Im just happy with my level all around.

In the lead-up to Wimbledon last year, was a semifinalist at Queens and won a first title on grass in Eastbourne, elevating his ranking to a career-high world No.15.

In the weeks that followed, the 22-year-old contracted COVID, forcing him to miss the Tokyo Olympics. He won just five of his last 17 matches for the remainder of the season, with his ranking dropping to No.42.

> READ: De Minaur off to a winning start at Australian Open 2022

De Minaur began his pre-season training in Alicante, Spain, alongside his golden retriever Enzo,

The strong fitness regime served him well as he started the new year with wins over Matteo Berretini and Ugo Humbert both high-ranked opponents at the ATP Cup in Sydney.

We had a tough group at the ATP Cup, and we were very close to getting through, said De Minaur.

I especially stepped up when I needed to and had quality wins against Berrettini and Humbert.

Humbert is one of the biggest ball strikers, especially in an indoor court and in fact that match was huge for me, because it got me the last seeding for this week, so it gave me a little bit of protection in that sense.

It was a very tough pre-season. Its always good to see things going well so that gives me a lot of confidence.

At 22 years old, De Minaur is still at the start of what should be a long and successful career. He notes the positive influence of Australian players including Sam Stosur in his formative years.

Stosur is playing her final main draw singles event at this years Australian Open, and De Minaur recalls the guidance she provided to him as a young boy in Sydney.

Funnily enough, as a kid I actually hit with Sam maybe once or twice in Sydney, and I can really remember those days, he reflected.

I think we might have hit maybe on hard once and on clay out in Homebush. Shes always been an incredible competitor and role model.

I remember even back then with me being a little kid, a little junior, she was very nice to me.

As a determined De Minaur aims to maintain his good form with a win over Kamil Majchrzak a world No.107 from Poland, at Rod Laver Arena today its clear the positive vibes have rubbed off.

Original post:
Alex de Minaur: Positive vibes only for 2022 | 20 January, 2022 | All News | News and Features | News and Events - Tennis Australia

Act now before damage can spread

Signs of a termite infestation vary depending on the level of damage caused, but all should be taken extremely seriously. During the breeding season, you may be able to see a swarm of termites emerging from a specific site, and you may find small termite wings left behind as they shed their wings when they find a new location for the colony.

Another common sign of termites are brown mud tubes on the interior or exterior of walls. These are known as termite mud leads and are tunnels that they build to protect themselves, as subterranean termites are unable to survive in the open air. This is a sure sign of infestations, and you should call Flick immediately on 1300 270 019. You can also test by knocking on wood around your home, specifically skirting boards and door/window frames. If it sounds hollow or there are sagging floors, this is a major indication of a termite problem.

Think you might have termites in your home? Click HereDo you want to protect your business from costly termite damage? Click Here

Or call 1300 270 019 to book an inspection.

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Termite Pest Control Termite Inspection & Treatment ...

Due to reliably warm and muggy climate, Baton Rouge is where pests and insects can flourish. Local homeowners and businesses routinely fight the presence of ants, spiders, termites, cockroaches, insects, mosquitoes, rodents, earwigs, silverfish, stinging wasps, ticks, bed bugs, and more.

Pests and insects in Baton Rouge regularly discover their direction into homes looking for water and food sources. Their bodies can convey destructive microorganisms which spreads across your homes surfaces and can make you and your friends and family sick. Arrow Pest Control technicians service over 1,500 homes a day for pests in and around the greater Baton Rouge areas.

Warm climate is favorable for mosquitoes in Baton Rouge to duplicate consistently, and female mosquitoes can spread perilous illnesses like Zika or West Nile infections. Private structures are most loved spots for wasps and hornets to construct their homes, and their stings can trigger serious unfavorably susceptible responses in certain individuals. Subterranean and Formosan termites can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your home and typically go undetected until its to late. Get a termite inspection and damage warranty with Arrow to protect your largest investment.

Arrows home pest control plan in Baton Rouge eliminates the spreading of bugs and assist with preventing future invasions in your home. We offer customers peace of mind and the highest rated termite control protections services in the area. Both baiting and liquid treatments are available to homeowners and well match or beat any competitor quote in the area. Contact your local Arrow Pest Control branch to schedule a free inspection today with no obligations.

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Pest Control Baton Rouge - Arrow Termite & Pest Control ...

CANTON Many Stark County property owners are set to receive their 2022 property tax bills in the mail this week.

Payments for the first half of the year are due by Feb. 23 at the Stark County Treasurer's office. The second half payment is due July 20. The first-half deadline for taxes on manufactured homes are due by March 8.

Property owners who fail to pay on time will be assessedinterest and a state-mandated penalty of 5% of the amount due for up to 10 days after the deadline and 10% of the amount after that.

More: Nearly 1,400 in Stark County file informal appeals of their new property values

More: Stark County housing market boom raising home values: See the change in your area on a map

Stark County Treasurer Alex Zumbar said the county's vendor PPI Graphics was to deliver 198,000 property tax bills to the U.S. Postal Service facilities in Cleveland by Monday.

About 56,000 of those mailings are informational notices to property owners where their mortgage lender has arranged an escrow service to pay property taxes for them. Zumbar said the cost of the mailing, which is required by state law, is roughly $100,000 a year.

Property owners who don't want to wait can check their bills online. They can go to the Stark County Auditor's Real Estate Search and look up their property by name (data format is last name and then first name without a comma), address or parcel number. They then click on the "Go" button on the right side under "Printable Tax Bill" under "Reports." The word "processing" will appear and if the property owner has disabled the browser popup blocker, the tax bill will appear in a separate browser tab.

Zumbar said by law, property owners are legally required to pay their property taxes by the deadline even if they don't receive a bill in the mail.

The county has four methods by which taxpayers can pay their bills without additional cost. He asks taxpayers to write the parcel numbers of the properties they're paying taxes for on all checks and money orders.

They can pay their bill in person by check, money order or cash at the Stark County Treasurer's Office on the second floor of the county office building,110 Central Plaza, Suite 250. Those who do this are asked but not required to wear a mask.

They can submit with their tax bill stub a payment by check and leave it in the dropbox of the lobby, whichis open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

Taxpayers can also sign up in advance for a prepayment program, which involves 10 payments debited from a bank account per year. It's too late to sign up for payments due in 2022. Contact treasurer's employee Rick Reigle at (330) 451-7814, extension 7824 or email him at rlreigle@starkcountyohio.gov.

Taxpayers can also sign up in advance for two payments debited from their bank accounts in February and July. Call Richard Willaman at (330) 451-7814, extension 7819 or email him at rcwillaman@starkcountohio.gov.

Taxpayers can mail their payment and incur the cost of postage. The payment must be postmarked by the deadline. And postal meter postmarks aren't considered valid. The address if mailing prior to the due date is: Stark County Treasurer, P.O. Box 24815, Canton, OH, 44701-4815. If mailing after the due date, mail to: Stark County Treasurer, 110 Central Plaza S, Suite 250, Canton, OH, 44702-1410.

Zumbar said due to the U.S. Postal Service's delivery woes a year ago, some payments mailed by the deadline from out of the county were notreceived until June. Otherswere lost. He said any tax penalties assessed in those situations were reversed.

Taxpayers can also pay by credit card or debit card by phone by calling 1-877-690-3729 and using jurisdiction code 4518. The fee is 2.35%. The payments must be divided into one for each parcel. For the same fee, taxpayers can pay by credit card or debit card online at the Treasurer's website. If taxpayers pay online by electronic check and submittheir routing and account numbers for their bank account, the fee is a flat $1.95.

The last payment option is to submit payment at one of three kiosks. The fees are the same as if paying online. The kiosks are at:

The Stark County Auditor's office last year completed the county's triennial update where county appraisers using computer software updated home values to reflect the housing market. Stark County Auditor Alan Harold told the Stark County commissioners Monday morning that residential property values in the county increased by a median 17 to 18%, reflecting booming demand in 2021 for houses.

With new levies approved by voters in 2020 and 2021 taking effect this year and the higher valuations, Harold said, property tax bills this year are up about an average of 8% from a year ago.

Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP

Excerpt from:
Property tax bills start landing in mailboxes this week - Canton Repository

These days, the presence of cooperatives across the United States is nearly universal. The largest sector is financial cooperatives, better known as credit unions. As of September 30, 2021, the National Credit Union Administration reports that 128.6 million Americans are member-owners of federally insured credit unions, which works out to about 38.6 percent of the nations population.

But the extent of cooperative business activity varies widely across regions and business sectors. Why have cooperatives been more successful in some areas than others? What are the most important ingredients for creating new co-ops? And how does the newest generation of co-ops differ from previous ones?

These were some of the questions that my colleagues at the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives and I sought to address in a recent report titled Collective Action in Rural Communities. In that report, we identified 945 cooperatives that were formed between 2011 and 2019, including 195 in rural communities and 750 in urban areas.

The findings are intriguing, including rapid growth of worker cooperatives and the emergence of sector-specific development strategies. There has been considerable innovation in the field of food co-op development. Additionally, the use of cooperative land ownership has provided increased economic security for tens of thousands of families living in manufactured housing (mobile home) communities. The demographics of who creates co-ops has also shifted. Increasingly, co-ops are being used by people in communities of colorespecially Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communitiesas tools for community wealth building and economic development.

Before delving further into what is new, it is helpful to understand some of the waves of co-op development that have preceded our own. One of these waves involved the development of rural electric cooperatives, which today provide power to over 40 million Americans. Back in the 1930s, however, only one out of every ten rural households enjoyed the benefits of electricity, even as electric power was already nearly universally available in cities. Children did their schoolwork by the light of kerosene lamps at kitchen tables, household chores were accomplished by hand or horse, and food had to be preserved to last the entire year. In 1935, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt established the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), which provided loans and assistance to groups of farmers who wanted to build and own their own electrical distribution systems. The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 established a lending agency to finance this effort. Farmers, familiar with the cooperative model, quickly established rural electric cooperatives to take advantage of the program. The REA provided ongoing organizational support to these cooperatives, which contributed to the overall success of the program. By 1953, more than 90 percent of rural homes had access to electricity, which brought profound changes to rural life and agricultural practices.

The story of rural electrification exemplifies the power of cooperative actionwhat is possible when a group of people work collectively to meet a shared need. Many of the countrys largest and most prominent cooperative sectors have equally impressive origin stories rooted in a combination of social upheaval, government intervention, coordinated support, and personal gumption. Credit unions are another example of a successful systematic public and private intervention to create new opportunities for consumers to access credit. The concept of cooperative credit gained popularity during the 1920s, and a national association was formed to organize credit unions, promote state-level authorizing legislation, and eventually win passage of the Federal Credit Union Act in 1934 (Moody & Fite 1971). Today, as noted above, the nations 5,000-plus credit unions collectively have 128.6 million members.

Large numbers of farmer-owned grain and dairy cooperatives were organized and sustained with the support of social movement organizations like the Grange, in response to critical market failures. Beginning in the 1840s, farmers formed dairy cooperatives to process cheese and butter, and to market fluid milk in urban areas. By 1909, there were more than 2,700 dairy cooperatives. During the same period, farmers organized cooperatives to build thousands of elevators to store and market grain (Schneiberg et al. 2008). Today, dairy cooperatives handle approximately 85 percent of the total milk marketed in the United States, and in 2020, agricultural cooperatives as a whole employed over 185,000 workers, with revenues exceeding $200 billion.

Consumer cooperativessuch as credit unions, rural utilities, and mutual insurers (e.g., Nationwide)are by far the largest segment of cooperatives, with over 90 percent of US cooperatives identifying as consumer owned. Consumer co-ops remain a common form for cooperatives started between 2011 and 2019, but their share is declining, while the share of worker co-ops is rising. This can be seen over the course of the decade since we conducted two surveys. In the first survey, which covered the period from 2011-2016, 40 percent of newly incorporated cooperatives were consumer owned, which was more than any other single category. By contrast, in the second survey period of 2016-2019, worker co-ops were the single most common type of cooperative, constituting 47 percent of the new co-ops. That is an extraordinary figure, given that only one percent of US co-ops formed before 2010 are worker co-ops.

This trend, nonetheless, is not surprising, as it fits well with the historical pattern of development highlighted above. Cooperatives typically emerge when peoples needs are not being met by the marketand it would be hard to argue that late-stage capitalism is meeting the needs of most workers in America. From wage stagnation and the emergence of the gig economy to retiring business owners, employee ownership has been identified as a solution to many of our socioeconomic ills.

It is also important to note that the overall growth of worker cooperatives is not at all unrelated to the growing popularity of co-ops in Black communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color. According to the 2015 State of the Sector report by the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives and the Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI), Two-thirds of worker cooperatives in 2015 were less than 15 years old and 39 percent were less than five years old. Almost 70 percent of all employees are female, about 60 percent are non-white and [Latinxs] are the largest plurality of any race (43 percent). And that trend has continuedaccording to the 2019 State of the Sector report, The racial demographics of worker owners continue to show a majority of people of color, with a concentration of Latinx workers. Of the 450-plus worker cooperatives in the US, approximately 38 percent of the membership is Latinx. And according to UWCCs 2020 study Latinx Co-op Power, approximately three-quarters of the Latinx cooperatives incorporated between 2014 and 2019 are worker-owned.

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The jump in worker co-ops as a percentage of total cooperatives incorporated between our two survey periods was particularly notable in Colorado, a state better known for rural electric and farmer-owned cooperatives. While there are regions with much higher concentrations of worker cooperatives and more developed cooperative development ecosystems, the timing of Colorados growth in worker ownership is interesting in that it coincides with the states shift to an ecosystem approach to increasing employee ownership.

In 2012, the Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center (RMEOC) launched with the mission to build a more just and sustainable economy through employee ownership. RMEOC has taken a holistic, ecosystem approach to their cooperative development work. In addition to supporting cooperatives directly, they engage with policymakers, service providers, state leadership, and other stakeholders to strengthen the regions employee ownership ecosystem. The approach has paid off. There has been a recent flourishing of state level policy supporting cooperatives in Colorado including the creation of the Colorado Employee Ownership Commission and a Colorado Employee Ownership Office within the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. The Commission was charged with educating the public on the benefits of employee ownership, establishing a network of technical support for employee ownership conversions, and generating a list of recommendations for removing barriers to the development of employee-owned businesses. The Office supports these initiatives and channels grants, loan guarantees, and technical assistance to worker cooperatives.

Around the same time, Colorados legal environment became friendlier to cooperatives as the state strove to become known as the Delaware of Cooperatives. In 2011, the state adopted a new cooperative statute that allows outside investor-members within certain parameters and is flexible enough to be used by cooperatives in many sectors. And in 2014, a new law firm launched that serves and actively promotes cooperatives and other social enterprise models.

Colorado is one small example of what is possible through an ecosystem approach to cooperative developmentit is also exemplifies a broader national trend. The ecosystem of support for worker cooperatives exploded in the last decade. Two prominent national employee ownership organizations, DAWI and Project Equity, launched in 2013 and 2014, respectively; and in 2012 The Working World, which provides non-extractive financing and technical support to worker cooperatives, added a US-focused loan fund. Additionally, several longstanding cooperative development centers and community economic development organizations added or enhanced programming on worker ownership during this time. Private foundations and municipalities such as New York City; Madison, Wisconsin; Oakland, California; and Minneapolis, Minnesota, began investing in employee ownership to create good jobs and build community wealth. And investment capital is now starting to flowa 2020 study by the Democracy Collaborative identified a dozen new or emerging investment funds focused on supporting employee ownership transitions.

Another notable finding was the effectiveness of sector-specific strategies to scale specific segments of the cooperative economy. In the early 2000s, two national organizations emerged with sector-specific approaches in retail grocery and housing. These organizations served as national leaders that worked closely with local cooperative developers to spread their model, practices, and expertise on the local level. Were now seeing the fruit of their labor.

Food Co-op Initiative (FCI) started in 2005 as Food Cooperative 500, a pilot project launched by leaders from the grocery cooperative community who wanted to test the theory that new food retail cooperatives could open more quickly and successfully if they had appropriate guidance. FCI connects food co-op organizers across the country with a suite of industry-specific resources including organizing tools and best practices, training and technical advice, peer learning opportunities, and seed capital. Since its founding, 157 new retail food cooperatives have opened in the US and nearly 100 additional communities are currently working to open new stores.

ROC USAthe ROC stands for resident-owned communitiesis another example of an organization that has successfully developed cooperatives in a specific sector: manufactured (mobile) home communities. Launched in 2008, ROC USA works in partnership with a formal network of nonprofit affiliates and has a national technical assistance team.It also provides financing through ROC USA Capital, a community development financial institution (CDFI).The technical assistance and financingalong with third-party legal counsel and engineersfacilitate the conversion of manufactured home communities to cooperative ownership. ROC USA is headquartered in New Hampshire where the model was pioneered and market-tested for more than two decades before expanding nationally.In New Hampshire and Vermont alone, approximately 39 new housing cooperatives were formed in the past decade. Today,the network represents nearly 300 co-ops and 20,000 member-owners in 21 states; in the past three years, the network has developed 20 new co-ops a year.

Cooperatives are not a panacea, but they are a time-tested strategy for improving social and economic wellbeing. Cooperatives have the potential to build community wealth, empower workers, and help small businesses thrive in an increasingly competitive world. While cooperative businesses can be challenging to launch, they are a solid long-term investment. Studies from the across the globe have shown that once established, cooperatives last longer than other forms of business and are more resilient during times of crisis. Many of the cooperatives established during earlier waves of cooperative development are still serving their members decades lateras of 2020, 76.5 percent of all agricultural cooperative were more than 50 years old, and 17.5 percent were more than 100 years of age.

As Andrew Crosson explained in a recent NPQ article on Appalachia, an ecosystem approach is required to overcome barriers to shared prosperity and to create an economy that works for all. The same argument applies to the development of strong, networked cooperatives that meet the needs of individuals and communities. Historical examples, as well as the cooperative development success stories of today, demonstrate the power of taking an ecosystem approach to building a resilient cooperative economy. Co-op development trends reflect social and economic trends; they also reflect trends in philanthropy and public investment. This begs two questions: What collective needs must we most urgently address? And what investments can we make today that will usher in the next wave of cooperative development?

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Where Are New Co-ops Emerging? The Changing Map of Co-op Development - Non Profit News - Nonprofit Quarterly