Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Halloween 4K Collection [UHD, Scream Factory]

What is it? Closure in 4K as the the last three films in the original Halloween run come to UHD.

Why see it? The late Halloween films, before Rob Zombies reboot and the Blumhouse sequel trilogy, are considered low points by many as they carry the desperate stench unique to some 90s horror titles. Theyre a mix of mythologies, one carries over plot lines from earlier films while another brings back Jamie Lee Curtis for a final face off against Michael Myers. The arguable highlight for the films is less about the Halloween content and more about some familiar faces, but Scream Factorys new 4K UHD box set makes the case for revisiting them all over again.

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) attempts to wrap up the cult angle introduced in the previous film (1989s The Revenge of Michael Myers) by expanding on it in pretty bold ways. Unfortunately, the studio trimmed most of the subplot from the theatrical release resulting in a movie that doesnt make a lick of sense. The producers cut, also given the 4K scan treatment here and presented on its own disc, addresses that issue by adding much of the footage back in. Its still a bit messy at times, and director Joe Chappelles attempts at style are distracting at best, but the scripts attempt at something new is somewhat refreshing even if the franchise scares have grown cold.

Halloween: H20 (1998) is something of a dry run for the eventual David Gordon Green blockbuster as it brings back Jamie Lee Curtis for a direct sequel to 1981s Halloween II. Shes a headmistress at a private school now, still suffering with PTSD from her terrible night twenty years earlier, and she even has a son (Josh Hartnett)! Michael returns, naturally, while just a handful of people are left at the school over the Halloween weekend, and the slaughter ensues. Michelle Williams, LL Cool J, Adam Arkin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Janet Leigh are along for the ride, but they dont all make it to the end credits. Its a perfectly competent slasher, thanks in large part to director Steve Miner, and earned big at the box office despite featuring a lazy-looking Michael.

Last, and arguably least, is 2002s Halloween: Resurrection which posits that Lauries triumphant beheading of Michael at the end of the previous film was actually the murder of an innocent man. This is some Bobby in the shower on Dallas-level bullshit. Once Laurie is tossed to her death, the films main plot kicks in with college kids live-streaming a visit to the Myers house with the expected results. The camera footage is grainy as hell, the jumpscares are abundant and poor, and it makes you miss the days when the franchise would take risky left turns with satanic cults and bloodline shenanigans.

All three films in the Halloween 4K Collection come in their own case and hard slip, all fitting snugly into a box-set slipcase, and Scream Factory has continued the theme and format with their new cover art too. Its a slick affair all around, and the label also earns points for keeping the extras on the Blu-rays allowing the films to take full advantage of the UHDs bitrate.

[Extras: New 4K scans, commentaries, interviews, featurettes, deleted scenes]

What is it? An epic adaptation of the classic vampire novel.

Why see it? Francis Ford Coppolas blockbuster tale of horror is beloved by many, but Im continually left straddling a line with the film. Its undeniably gorgeous with stellar work in its production design, cinematography, and special effects but the damn thing is also so damn stagey in its execution. It never feels as if its unfolding in a real world, and the stilted performances of two of its leads dont help. We love Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves, but theyre not quite selling the characters, period, or love story. The criticisms, though, are outweighed the sheer ferocity of the films visuals. Every scene gives us some beauty to stare at in awe, and the UHD takes full advantage of that delivering some truly beautiful shots and sequences.

[Extras: Dolby Atmos/Vision, commentaries, deleted scenes, featurettes]

What is it? A teen discovers a vampire has moved in next door.

Why see it? Tom Hollands mid 80s classic has gotten both a sequel and a remake, but neither can touch the infectious charm and fun of the original. Funny, sexy, creepy Fright Night has it all, and it holds up remarkably well on rewatch too. Roddy McDowall is just aces as the befuddled horror TV host roped into the adventure, and Chris Sarandon thrills as the vamp with a taste for young women and sweaters. Holland infuses the Rear Window-like plot with warmth and humor throughout, and the films special effects are as effective as they are endearing. Sonys new UHD offers up a fantastic picture, and the extras (on the Blu-ray disc) include some great new additions.

[Extras: Dolby Atmos/Vision, 35th anniversary script read, featurettes, commentaries, documentary, interviews]

What is it? Grief and shock lead a woman into a lush adventure.

Why see it? Julio Medems tale of sex, discovery, and wonder meshes various themes and tones into its magical realist tapestry. The plot takes some hard turns which might threaten to lose viewers, but the narrative isnt the most important thing here. Instead, its Paz Vegas journey through her past choices and relationships on a beautiful island that make for a mesmerizing watch. Theres real beauty here, beyond the much talked about high degree of sexuality and nudity, as Lucias realizations about the important things in this world come to light. The films been out of print on Blu-ray for some time and is well worth picking up.

[Extras: Featurettes, interviews, video essay]

What is it? A visit to the Medieval Dead!

Why see it? The Evil Dead films arent really my jam, inexplicably, outside of the remake (which rocks), but this third entry has some fun with its medieval setting. Bruce Campbell is especially fun bantering with the dimwits, and Sam Raimi ramps up his stop-motion antics and practical effect showcases while slathering it all in slapstick humor. Scream Factorys new release ports over all the previous extras, and its an extensive offering ensuring that fans have plenty of material to dig through in addition to the three cuts of the film.

[Extras: New 4K restoration of theatrical cut, directors/international cuts, Dolby Vision/HDR, documentary, commentary, deleted scenes, interviews, featurettes]

What is it? The survivors of the first are off to college, and a new killer has joined them.

Why see it? Wes Cravens second entry in his Scream franchise is a favorite for many, but it remains the one I like least. There are numerous issues with its characters and narrative, but the deal breaker is the killer reveal at the end. The character in question is never believable as the killer, and the performance itself is oddly over the top leaving the reveal a bit of a flat line. Still, there are some fun beats here, and for fans of the film, this new UHD is a massive upgrade from the current Blu-ray release as it cleans up obvious issues and offers a sharp presentation.

[Extras: Dolby Atmos/Vision, commentary, outtakes, deleted scenes, music videos, featurette]

What is it? A ground slug/worm causes havoc in a small town garage.

Why see it? Well, someone saw Tremors, liked Tremors, and decided to remake Tremors with a few bucks and a misunderstanding of what makes Tremors so endlessly great. I kid, but while the setup here seems promising with poisonous, underground worms causing havoc, it quickly drops us into a dark garage for way too much of the time. We never get real thrills and instead watch as minor threats are dragged out.

[Extras: None]

Also out this week:

Bel Air Season One, DC League of Super Pets, Dead for a Dollar, Into the Deep, Night of the Living Dead [UHD, Criterion Collection], Picard Season Two, Plague Zombie: American Invasion, Watcher, Winning Time

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Scream Factory Brings the Last Three Halloween Films to 4K UHD - Film School Rejects

Recently, Porsche claimed to have increased the Taycan Cross Turismos range by a significant amount with a new software update. To put that claim to the test, Harrys Garage took the car out for a drive in his latest video, as well as gave it somewhat of a mini review in the process.

This new update supposedly unlocks around an extra 15 percent of range, which amounts to around 30-40 extra miles (48-64 km). On top of the Taycan 4S Cross Turismos original EPA range figure of 215 miles (346 km), the updated model should be able to achieve around 250 miles (402 km). However, in Harrys real-world testing with the car Range mode, that figure was actually more like 270 miles (435 km), which is quite a significant jump.

Read More: Porsches Roof Tent Will Let You Drive And Sleep In A Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo

See Also: Can You Actually Go Off-Roading In The Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo?

As another part of his tests, Harry also decided to take the Cross Turismo beyond the asphalt to see if its minor off-road additions make it any different than the standard Taycan. Putting it in gravel mode does raise the ride height a bit and alter the traction control profile, but it wont be conquering Moab anytime soon.

Where the Cross Turismo really shone in Harrys tests was in its ability to find traction in seemingly impossible situations. As part of his mini off-road excursion, Harry took the wagon up a set of steep, slippery grass hill, and the car was able to manage it effortlessly thanks to its clever traction control.

As far as driving impressions are concerned, theres nothing to be said about the Taycan that hasnt already been said. Being an EV, it naturally has ludicrous acceleration and a low center of gravity from the heavy battery in the floor. Being a Porsche, it has the sharp steering and stellar dynamics weve come to expect from the German manufacturer.

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Porsches Updated Taycan Cross Turismo Is Better Than Ever - CarScoops

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For some, a body of water or a soaring mountain range makes for a good view. For interior designer Jessica Hansen, it was simply the ability to look out into the distance that sold her on her hillside Oregon home back in 2018. The Portland fog can feel so claustrophobic, so being able to see out really helped, says Hansen, the founder of Tandem Design. Naturally, once her Vladimir Kagan sofa finally arrived (she bought the vintage piece from a seller in Florida who was kind enough to stow it in a storage unit for a year as her renovations took place), there was only one spot to put it: smack-dab in front of the extra-long window overlooking the backyard.

The U-shaped sectional is unsurprisingly the center of life in Hansens house: Its where she entertains friends and where her two sons, Walter (9) and Otis (7), curl up with a book after school. I dont know what the original upholstery is, but Ive gotten mud out of it, blood out of it, dog pee she says with a laugh.

Because the circa-1961 house is perched on a slope, it looks small and unassuming from the street, when in reality it spans 3,548 square feet. It took a few major structural updates to get the interior looking as spacious as that, though. The house was actually very dark. It had lots of rooms, she recalls. Hansen took down a wall that originally divided the living and dining spaces and extended the pitched ceiling. Where there was once just a window over the kitchen sink, there is now a series of five sliding door panels (the designer stole part of the nearby garage to give herself enough wiggle room for the indoor-outdoor feature). The arrangement allows for ultimate flexibility: Hansen can crack open just one or unfurl them all. The Faye Toogood seating on the adjacent deck features custom tie-dyed cushions, courtesy of Hansens intern, Addie.

Not sticking an island in the middle of the kitchen or uprooting the floor plan was a decision made withwhat else?the views in mind. Every way you face, youre either looking outside or youre looking into the rest of the house, Hansen points out. To maximize the cupboard layout, she had her cabinetmaker add six drawers to the corners (though you can barely tell theyre there because they blend in with the fluted paneling). There was just dead space, so I wanted to use it for the things we dont need very often. One of them is my junk drawer, says the designer. Other additions she swears by: a hidden pull-out trash can, a wine refrigerator, and tall upper cabinet doors that hide her small appliances.

Previously, one half of the massive fireplace that bisects the living and dining areas was covered in thin bricks. Hansen decided to wrap it fully in stone like the other side, but finding a match to the ones that had been unearthed more than 50 years ago proved to be a challenge. The masonry person was like, This is never going to happen; you should just pick a new material, she recalls. But in a quarry in Colorado, she discovered an option that looked similar enoughshe could pull this off. In order to make the whole thing appear authentic, Hansen took bits of stone from the original side and sprinkled them on the new wall.

The designer was met with nos once again when she began scouring her local stone yards for slabs of colorful marble, but her persistence led her to uncover a blush option for her primary bathroom vanity (the piece was a remnant from a hotel project 10 years ago). When Hansen discovered a slab of pink and green marble for her guest bathroom in the depths of another yard, the shop let her take it home for a mere $600. They were so excited to see somebody buy it, shares the designer. Despite his nerves, Hansens fabricator was able to seamlessly cut it into two solid pieces, making delicate holes for the tub and the arched shelving nook.

It took quite a few more tries to get Hansens bed right. When she first ordered the custom piece from a design firm she has long admired, it arrived smaller than expected. She had to wait for the company to sell the queen-size version to a new buyer before building her a king from scratch once more. But when that one arrived, she noticed the headboard had been damaged in shippingand the replacement part didnt align with her current bed-frame system. Thankfully, the brand swiftly solved the problem by hiring a local furniture maker to come out and tweak it. It was worth the wait, says Hansen. Its so sturdy. The dog and my kids are all on it. Its held up great.

Hansens boys have begun to tap into their own creativity, too. The designer wasnt a fan of the barn door in Walters bedroom (it came with the house), but her 9-year-old was adamant about keeping it so he could treat it like a canvas. We love stickers! she jokes. Otis prefers to apply his collection to his wall-mounted IKEA desk. Of course, what big brother is into, little brother is into, adds Hansen.

The designer introduced a part of her own youth to the home in the basement: Above the piano is a self-portrait she painted when she was 20. I had given it to my mom because I didnt think I wanted it anymore, but recently I was like, you know what, I want that back, she shares. Its all about perspective.

The rest is here:
Even on Gloomy Days, a U-Shaped Kitchen Promises Good Views in This Portland Home - Domino

Setting VLANs

If your WAN uplink is on a trunk port, choose VLAN tagging > Use VLAN tagging and enter the appropriate value for VLAN ID for your network.

You can toggle the LAN4 port between LAN and Internet, through Uplink configuration under the Local status tab.

PPPoE authentication may be required if you are connecting MX device to a DSL circuit. You need to know your authentication option and credentials (supplied by your ISP) in order to complete these steps.

These settings take effect if the MX device has to fall back to using HTTP to contact the Cloud Controller. By default, web proxy is disabled. To enable web proxy, do the following:

To apply all configuration settings to the appliance, be sure to click Save Settings at the bottom of the page.

Configuring physical link settings

To configure physical link settings on the Ethernet ports, click Local status > Ethernet configuration. You can enable half duplex, full duplex, and autonegotiation, as well as set 10- or 100-Mbps data rates.

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MX64 Installation Guide - Cisco Meraki

Installing and replacing electrical outlets is a quick and easy way to upgrade your home and bring it into the modern era. Whether youre hoping to upgrade to USB outlets or simply add a new location in your kitchen, we can help you plan for your project.

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Expect to pay around $125 to $175 to replace or install a standard outlet. The national average can run anywhere from $100 to $500 per outlet depending on the complexity of the job. Read on to learn more about the factors youll need to consider for your project.

Depending on what type of outlet you are hoping to install or replace, the cost for the outlet itself can be as low as $3 for a standard 120V outlet to $50 or more for smart outlets. The type of outlet also determines the cost of labor, as some require a bit more time to install than others. Read on for more information about the cost of different types of outlets.

The most common type of outlet is a 120V outlet. These outlets are the least expensive to replace, usually $3 to $5 for the outlet itself. If you want to, you can also opt for 120V outlets with integrated USB ports. These will be a bit more expensive, around $15 to $25 each, but wont cost any more to install. Expect to pay around $175 per new 120V outlet that you install and around $125 for each one you replace.

Higher voltage outlets are used for large appliances that require a higher amperage than a typical appliance, think dryers, refrigerators, large AC units, cooking ranges, etc. Nowadays, electricians will usually install 250V outlets to accommodate more appliances, but you can still have 220V and 240V outlets installed if you prefer. These outlets will generally cost $10 to $20 for the receptacle, totaling $300 or so to install.

One of the cost factors that comes with adding higher voltage outlets is that a new circuit is usually needed on your electrical panel and new wiring usually needs to be run. If youre simply replacing an existing high voltage outlet, however, the cost is comparable to replacing a 120V.

Although not as common, homes built before 1968 will often have 2-prong outlets rather than 3-prong outlets, which are required by code these days. A 2-prong outlet has a hot wire and a neutral wire, but a 3-prong outlet also has a ground wire. These outlets are necessary for small appliances and any tech with metal parts and are designed to ground any unused power and protect you from electrocution.

Because replacing 2-prong outlets usually also means running a ground wire to the locations, the installation or replacement process can be more expensive. Expect to pay about $27 or so per linear foot for the running of new wire if no walls need to be opened. With all that considered, the cost to upgrade to a 3-prong outlet is about $100 to $300 per outlet.

GFCI outlets, or ground fault circuit interrupter outlets, are required in any location where water may be present such as bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and garages. They are pretty easy to spot as they have a reset and test button on the faceplate. Similar to the 3-prong outlets, these are grounded outlets designed to protect against electrocution.

Unlike the standard outlets, a GFCI outlet is designed to monitor current flow and will trip the circuit if it detects any variation in the flow, preventing surges and electrocution. The outlets themselves cost between $7 and $25 and can require a bit more time to add, particularly if a new ground wire needs to be run to the location. Expect to pay $125 to $250 per outlet depending on if youre replacing an existing or adding a new location.

Floor outlets add convenience and are great for large spaces where running cables to the wall may be hazardous or unseemly. These outlets require more robust housing and are designed to be stepped on and exposed to water while you clean your floors. A typical kit runs about $30 to $50.

Installation can be trickier for floor units and is easiest when there is access to the floor from below and wire nearby so that new cables dont have to be pulled to the location. These installations require a bit more finesse and tend to take longer, so expect to pay $175 to $300 to add a floor outlet.

If you have a smart home system, upgrading to smart outlets is a great way to gain more control and keep your electrical bills low. A hardwired smart outlet will typically cost $25 to $50, so expect to pay around $175 to $250 per outlet to have them installed. If you want the benefits of a smart outlet, but dont want to add the cost, there are many plug-in models that run from $15 to $50 that can give you many of the same benefits without the added cost.

In most cases, adding and upgrading outlets is a simple task. If, however, you are hoping to take on a more extensive upgrade project, or require larger repairs, the overall cost can grow quickly.

As we mentioned above, if you are upgrading from a 2-prong to 3-prong outlet or adding a GFCI or 250V outlet, new wiring may need to be run. Even in the case of replacing existing outlets, new wiring may be necessary if the electrician discovers there is a problem with the existing setup. Oftentimes, issues with a faulty outlet imply other problems with the wiring and can require more extensive repairs.

In many cases, snaking new wire is simple to do and will cost about $27 per linear foot, totaling around $500 to $1,200 per project. If more extensive work is deemed necessary, a contractor may need to open up the walls, increasing the cost significantly, anywhere from $3,500 to $8,000 for a full project.

Another common requirement when adding new outlets or appliances is upgrading or replacing your electrical panel. Perhaps you only need to add a circuit, a relatively simple task, but you may also need to upgrade to a larger panel to accommodate the new work. This type of work can cost between $1,200 and $3,000 depending on the upgrades necessary.

If you are adding in a few large appliances in particular, you may find that you need to upgrade the electrical service to your home. This is a pretty big task and will require more coordination with your power company and electrician. The final cost will vary greatly based on your location and your home, but expect to pay several thousand dollars for this work.

While some upgrades and replacements may seem like a simple task, we always recommend hiring a professional when doing any electrical work. An electricians job is to ensure that all of their work is up to code to protect you and your family from hazards like electrical fires and electrocution.

If you are hoping to save on the overall cost of having an electrician come out to do the work, we would recommend bundling as much work as possible. The fewer times an electrician has to come out to do work, the more money you will save in the long run.

That being said, certain smaller projects, such as replacing the cover plates on your outlets, can be done quite easily without the help of an electrician. If you do choose to undertake a project yourself, be sure to consult with a professional beforehand, turn off the power before you begin working and use a voltmeter to double-check that there is no current running.

With the right electrician and a general understanding of the costs, replacing or installing outlets in your home can be a simple and cost effective task.

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How Much Does A New Outlet Installation Cost? - Forbes Advisor

A TikToker has gone viral after posting a story about how her cat got stuck in the drywall that her contractor put up.

Online cat content is usually harmless fun, but a video posted by Ashlin Hadden (@ashlinhadden) has amassed over 71,700 views and garnered plenty of questions from users.

In the clip, Ashlin shows the audience her bathroom, which is being renovated while she was away on a business trip. According to her, the contractors pulled out the bathtub to put in a new shower. However, when she got back home and was looking for her cat she says, I could hear the cat crying from somewhere in here, while gesturing to the new shower wall.

She continues to explain that she had to punch a hole in the wall and as she expected, her cat came out of it. Yes, the stupid ass contractor drywalled my cat into the drywall underneath the bathtub, she says. She claims her cat had been stuck inside the wall for three days when Ashlin realized that it was in there.

However, if Ashlin thought that posting her story to TikTok would garner sympathy, she was wrong. The majority of commenters said that the situation was her fault and that she should have invested in a cat-sitter if she wasnt going to be at home while the contractor was working.In fact, many online sources like the Just Cats Clinic, have suggestions for what to do when you have cats in a home where construction work is happening as they are notorious for finding their way into hard-to-reach spaces.

I have seen this happen before. Its not the contractors fault, its yours, one user said quite plainly.

I was ready to say dont blame the contractor but thats been said already! said another, referring to the many comments siding with the contractor over the woman and her drywalled cat.

Viewers with construction experience also weighed in. I dont usually do animal checks when I do drywall so. one user said.

Another echoed the same, saying Yeah checking for your cat isnt something we do

One user even asked Ashlin directly, Do you really think he did it on purpose? Cats are stealthy little creatures. I seriously doubt he knew the cat was in there. Ashlin replied to the comment, noting that she didnt think the contractor left her cat in the drywall on purpose. But, she continued, I do think that if you are going to leave a hole over night that they should have at least covered it.

However, viewers were so unanimous in their message that Ashlin defended herself in the pinned comment of the video. 1. I wasnt told they would be cutting a hole. 2. Yes they knew about the cat. 3. Yes I shut the bedroom AND bathroom doors before leaving, she wrote.

Ashlin also replied to one user who commented, Everyone agrees its your fault. Not the contractor, with a video captioned MY FAULT, responding to all the criticism.

In the second video, which received only 5,156 views, Ashlin reiterates that the contractor knew about her cats being in the house when he was putting up the drywall. She also states that she wasnt aware they would be cutting a hole in that particular place in the wall and that she had been told the job would only take one day.

The comments for the second video were a little less harsh, with many viewers saying that it was an accident and nobodys fault. However, many people reiterated that Ashlin should have got a pet sitter to watch the cats since they are notorious for hiding in small, dark spaces.

The Daily Dot reached out to Ashlin via Instagram direct message.

Update 2:44pm CT Oct. 7: In an Instagram direct message exchange with the Daily Dot, Ashlin explained that her viral video reminded her how quickly viewers will jump to conclusions.

I have played around with TikTok before a little but never get more than a few views, she said. This viral video reminded me very quickly how quickly people jump in to judge without knowing the whole story AND how important it is to tell the whole story in the first TikTok.

She added that she didnt explain the full story in the first video, which led her to receive a lot of hate from viewers.

My phone was going crazy and wow people were rude she wrote. The whole story is: I hired a contractor to replace my bathtub. They didnt get the job done before I left on a business trip. The contractor knew I had cats. The job was in the master bathroom. I shut the master bathroom door and shut the master bedroom door.

Ashlin noted that this is normally what she does when she goes away for just a few days, which allows her cats to roam the rest of the house, excluding the master bathroom and bedroom. Along with an automatic food feeder, water bowl, and self-cleaning litter box, she believed her cats would be perfectly fine.

I was not told the contractor would be cutting a hole in the closet to get to the plumbing, the TikToker recalled. They didnt get the job done again on time so they left for the night. They obviously didnt cover the hole, left the bathroom door open, and the bedroom door open. So I guess the cat got in the hole at some point. When they came back the next day, they patched up the hole and texted me that they would come back to paint when I got home.

However, when she returned home three days later, Ashlin said she couldnt find her cat. She posted a later video showing her searching for her cat after she got home. Hearing his meows, she realized he was trapped in the wall.

I freak out and go to the neighbors house for a drywall saw, she says. Try to cut it out but the cat was whining so bad that I just punched the wall in.

Ashlin said she called the contractor about the incident, and they apologized and offered to repair the drywall.

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I could hear the cat crying from somewhere in here: Woman says cat was stuck in wall for 3 days after contractor put new drywall up - The Daily Dot

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Norma Izaguirre still has trouble sleeping. For months, she felt like she was being trailed, certain that the man who she says raped and repeatedly sexually assaulted her at work would follow through on his threats to hurt her and her family after she reported the abuse.

Her anxiety has eased since Diego Medina, 30, who faces charges of felony rape and sexual assault in Dakota County, left town and went back to Mexico. But shes still scared he could come back.

Izaguirre says Medina helped her get a job at Absolute Drywall, a company with a checkered past of labor violations and currently under investigation by state regulators for wage theft, as the Reformer first reported in May.

The two met in a Minneapolis restaurant and struck up a conversation that eventually turned to work. Izaguirre told him she cleaned houses, but work had largely dried up in the pandemic and she was struggling to make money.

Medina told her Absolute Drywall needed workers for a major contract: sheetrocking hundreds of apartments at Viking Lakes, a sprawling multi-use development the Wilf family owners of the Minnesota Vikings built around the teams new headquarters and training facility in Eagan.

Izaguirre was hired to clean up after the other workers finished hauling out garbage and sweeping up dust. It was one of the lowest-paying jobs on the site and at times degrading, like when she had to clean urine from bathtubs and pick up urine-filed bottles left by workers with nowhere else to relieve themselves.

The job promised more than she made cleaning houses $18 an hour although like many of her coworkers, she says she was rarely paid for all the hours she worked. Izaguirre has filed a complaint with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry for thousands of dollars in wage theft, along with about two dozen others who worked on the Viking Lakes project.

Several months after she started, Medina started making sexual advances, Izaguirre said.

He wanted to hug me, wanted to touch me, Izaguirre said in Spanish through an interpreter. I didnt like that. I wanted to work.

Izaguirre said Medina would seek her out on the job while she tried to avoid him. One day on the Viking Lakes project, Izaguirre said she was bending over to clean out a bathtub when Medina came up behind her and pressed himself against her. She says she spun around and told him not to touch her.

But Medina pushed her into the shower and raped her, according to criminal charges filed by the Dakota County Attorneys Office.

He threatened to hurt her if she told anyone and said no one would believe her, according to charging documents.

Izaguirre did tell someone about the abuse. She says she immediately told Guillermo Huerta, her supervisor, that Medina was bothering her. Huerta told her he would investigate and talk to Medina about it.

Huerta said in an interview through a Spanish interpreter that Izaguirre told him Medina was bothering her outside of work. He said he spoke to Medina, who showed him text messages indicating the two were in a consensual relationship. Huerta said he doesnt have copies of the text messages.

In a six-page response to a complaint Izaguirre filed with state Department of Human Rights, Absolute Drywall called it a consensual relationship turned sour. A lawyer for Absolute Drywall did not respond to questions about the allegations or the criminal charges.

Emails to Lester Bagely, a spokesman for the Minnesota Vikings and MV Ventures, were answered from a generic MV Ventures email address saying the company was unaware of the allegations and had not been contacted by law enforcement. MV Ventures also said it has not been contacted by state authorities about the wage theft complaints workers say they filed last year.

Women working in blue-collar, male-dominated industries are especially vulnerable to sexual harassment and assault. Construction remains the most male-dominated industry even more than mining and manufacturing with just one in 10 workers being women. Women in construction also often work in isolation, heightening the risk for abuse.

Labor advocates say sexual abuse goes largely unchecked in the non-unionized construction sector, where other labor abuses such as wage theft and payroll fraud run rampant and enforcement is rare. Many of the workers are immigrants, which also makes them vulnerable to abuse. When businesses do face consequences, the penalties are seldom severe enough to force a business to change, let alone an industry.

Accurate data on sexual abuse at work is hard to come by, since it so often goes unreported. One frequently cited survey from 1992 found 57% of female construction workers had been touched or asked for sex on the job. Another survey from 2021 found 57% of female construction workers were either sometimes or frequently sexually harassed.

Although union workers arent immune from abuse, they do have a grievance process and are more likely to have advocates to bring their complaints to company owners and law enforcement. The building trades also have their own processes for handling abuse complaints, which, though imperfect, offer a clear avenue to seek redress.

Izaguirre only filed her complaints with police and the state Department of Human Rights after connecting with representatives from the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters.

The carpenters union was investigating working conditions at the Viking Lakes project since union contractors were passed over for the work.

The Vikings have a long relationship with trade unions. The Vikings worked exclusively with union contractors on U.S. Bank Stadium, Omni Viking Lakes Hotel, TCO Performance Center and TCO Eagans medical office building and sports medicine center.

When the company decided to use non-union labor for the apartment buildings at Viking Lakes, the carpenters union warned the lower price tag is usually paid for through labor abuses like wage theft. The union cautioned Vikings executives about Absolute Drywall, pointing to multiple federal and state citations for labor violations, including employing a 14-year-old to work more than 50 hours a week.

When MV Ventures moved forward with Absolute Drywall, the carpenters union asked that labor advocates be allowed on the site to watch for abuse and harassment. MV Ventures declined, according to the union.

At the time she was working for Absolute Drywall, however, Izaguirre was on her own.

After she first reported the abuse, Absolute Drywall didnt have a human resources professional investigate. Instead, they sent Huerta, a male supervisor who Izaguirre and other former Absolute Drywall workers say verbally abused them. Huerta denies it.

Izaguirre said the company would sometimes send Medina and her to separate job sites. But he would still show up and continued to harass and assault her, according to Dakota County charging documents and her human rights complaint.

Once she was cleaning bathtubs at a job site in Roseville when Medina approached her from behind and said he would pay her for sex, according to her Human Rights complaint. Izaguirre said he reached to grab her but she pushed him away and threatened to call the police if he didnt leave her alone.

After that, Izaguirre said Medina groped her again while she was bending down to pick up a piece of scrap drywall, according to the Human Rights complaint. Izaguirre said she sprung up and grabbed a broom to beat him away, but he just walked away laughing.

Another worker for Absolute Drywall, Guillermo Macario-Alcocer, said he witnessed some of the abuse. He said he saw Medina grope her, and he saw Izaguirre push him away.

Macario-Alcocer says he told Medina to leave her alone, and Medina asked if he wanted to have sex with Izaguirre, too.

(I told him) he was crazy and sick, Macario-Alcocer said in an interview in Spanish through an interpreter.

Izaguirre, who has work authorization and has been in the country for 23 years, said she thought about quitting but didnt have a car and needed to keep earning money to pay her bills and help her family.

After reporting the abuse to her supervisor, Izaguirre said she finally brought her complaints to Absolute Drywalls owner, Daniel Ortega. But she says he replied that she was in a consensual sexual relationship with Medina.

I said, That is a lie, Izaguirre said. He didnt believe me.

Izaguirre told police Ortega threatened to fire her if she continued complaining. Soon after, she was. Ortega told her there was no more cleaning work.

In Absolute Drywalls response to Izaguirres complaint with the state Department of Human Rights, Ortega denies that Izaguirre told him about sexual assault at their meeting. He said she just complained that her hours were being cut and Medina had not be fired.

In the company response letter, Ortega did acknowledge receiving a complaint from Izaguirre in July 2021. Ortega said Izaguirre complained of harassing comments but not assault. According to the letter, Ortega confirmed he had Huerta and another employee investigate.

Huerta reported back to Ortega that Izaguirre and Medina had a consensual sexual relationship outside the workplace, and that no one had seen them touching one another in the workplace.

It is plausible that the alleged harassment was in fact consensual moments between intimate partners, the letter states. Izaguirre was, according to coworkers, upset when the relationship ended and she may have re-framed the interactions as nonconsensual after the fact.

The company said in its letter to state investigators that Izaguirre was the one who created a hostile work environment by refusing to do cleanup work and instead demanding other kinds of work. According to the company, Izaguirre was fired because there wasnt any scrapping work that she demanded, not because she reported being sexually assaulted.

Izaguirre said she did tell Ortega she didnt want to clean bathtubs because they were often filled with urine and other excrement.

The letter states that Medina was let go around the same time as Izaguirre and more than 50 other workers in September 2021, after the company finished work on the Viking Lakes project.

After being fired by Absolute Drywall, Izaguirre was jobless for two months but now has work again cleaning houses.

Through filing complaints she hopes to be made whole financially. She could also win a monetary settlement through her discrimination complaint, but Izaguirre says she doesnt want money.

I dont want this to happen to any more women, Izaguirre said. You have to report it, denounce it to the authorities so the same thing doesnt happen again.

Her hope is waning, however.

Izaguirre filed a complaint with the Department of Human Rights nearly five months ago and hasnt seen any progress in the case except the response Absolute Drywalls lawyer sent in August. She says she also hasnt seen anything come of her complaint of wage theft with the state Department of Labor and Industry.

Neither department confirmed ongoing investigations.

Although there is a warrant out for Medinas arrest, its possible hell never be arrested let alone stand trial.

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She reported sexual abuse on the job. The boss told her it was consensual. - Minnesota Reformer

Construction at Routt Countys new Health and Human Services building is progressing as crews work to close up the building before snow hits town.

Despite supply chain challenges that continue to delay the arrival of some products, the project is still slated to finish in March within the buildings $14.1 million price tag.

This project has gone about as close to plan as you could hope for a project of this scale, said Routt County Commissioner Tim Corrigan. Having worked through some really difficult stuff earlier in this project, its pretty gratifying to see us proceed along and getting toward the finish line.

From the outside, the building is starting to more closely resemble a graphic of it that has been sitting in the commissioners hearing room for more than a year. Much of the brickwork is in, exterior siding is going up and windows are slated to be finished later this month.

But Quentin Rockwell, a project manager for Wember Inc. representing the county on the project, said even more work in the last month has been happening inside, including finishing most of the drywall on the buildings main floor. While drywall work overall is lagging behind schedule, Rockwell said he didnt think it would impact the overall project timeline.

The goal over the last few months has been to get the building to dry in, meaning it is complete enough so it can withstand the winter elements. Rockwell said he felt the building was essentially there, though there are still a few things to button up.

We just need to be ready for any kind of additional winter protection that we just know is a risk in the climate that we build in, Rockwell said, referring to needing to temporarily heat the building to complete interior work. Some of these costs are already considered in the current budget, Rockwell said.

The other significant risk on the project is with the supply chain. Rockwell said they are still seeing delays with mechanical equipment, like roof top HVAC units, as well as other information technology, audiovisual and security equipment.

Every project weve worked, were seeing a lot of unique challenges that maybe in years past we havent experienced, Rockwell said. Now, its just kind of the norm.

The cost to install locally produced artwork in the building also is yet to be determined, but as of now, Rockwell said he didnt expect any of this to overwhelm the projects budget.

About a year ago, commissioners learned the cost for the building had jumped about 40% from an earlier estimate of $9.8 million because of increased costs for structural steel, wood and labor.

Since then, the cost has largely held steady and there is still about a 5% contingency left, which amounts to about $610,000 between the county and the general contractor, Calcon Constructors.

The amount of money set aside as a contingency has dropped in the last month, but Rockwell said he wasnt concerned with how much was left at this stage of the project.

I think we just need to be conscious and very aware of how were utilizing our contingency and any risks that we know are out there, Rockwell said. With this level of contingency, I feel that gives us the appropriate amount of money we need to be able to do that.

To reach Dylan Anderson, call 970-871-4247 or email danderson@SteamboatPilot.com.

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Routt County Health and Human Services building project 'as close to plan as you could hope' - Steamboat Pilot & Today

Oct. 7, 2022

Demolition and renewal. When the new super, John, arrived at my Lower Manhattan co-op eight years ago, he quickly impressed shareholders with his talent and initiative and with the red, white and blue Captain America shield that suddenly appeared on his office floor. Until John uncovered it, this 20-inch iron disk with a star in the middle had been hiding in plain sight under layers of gray paint applied at least since 1979, when the Depression-era bank storage building was converted to residential lofts.

New York City attracts people who appreciate its history and yet can hardly wait to knock it down and start over. This cycle of demolition and renewal plays out at our co-op, where shareholders appreciate the beauty and history of the buildings exterior, yet inside our apartments we remove any hint that something existed before us. The exception is John, who enjoys seeking out and restoring items that hold memories of our buildings past. Because of his interest, we now know that the Captain America shield in his office is actually an iron hatch that once allowed for deliveries to the coal room under the floor.

Our own Building Museum. While the shield certainly is the most dazzling of his finds, John has collected enough items from the buildings endless renovations to line a shelf in his office that I call the Building Museum. The most recognizable are two empty beer cans Budweiser and Schaefer circa 1960 that were discovered inside a demolished apartment wall, their obsolete pop tops and contents long gone. Next to them is an iron chisel embedded in a piece of stone and cement from the buildings original entry steps that were tossed out during our 2016 lobby renovation. Hanging above the shelf is a beautiful shiny copper orb. John retrieved it and two other leveling floats when we replaced the buildings original wooden water tank in 2019. When John finds the time to restore all three floats to their original luster, perhaps the trio could hang in our lobby as a gleaming industrial version of a Calder mobile.

In the basement sits the buildings original bank vault not a safe, but a vault the size of a New York studio apartment. Its spectacular, with thick steel doors and locking rods the width of foam exercise rollers. Unfortunately, its in our commercial tenants space, and thus out of Johns reach. And yet. When a new standpipe needed to be installed in the basement, two metal rods had to be removed from the vault door to make room. Theyre not much to look at, but theyre the only pieces of the vault John could get for the museum so far.

Succumbing to the inevitable.While I admire Johns appreciation of things past, I, too, eventually chose modernization over preservation. After more than two decades, my husband and I realized that our memory-filled apartment had devolved into a storage space for unused stuff, well-worn furniture and unreliable old appliances. When the children moved out, we started a gut renovation.

Although he was not our super at the time, John would have been pleased that our demolition revealed an artifact not to be appreciated and removed but rather appreciated and left in place. On the perimeter wall behind the Sheetrock were the faded signatures of those who had come before us, including, I hoped, the original builders from 80 years earlier.

My husband and I considered altering our designers drawings so as to expose the old signatures in our new living room. But we learned that just as New Yorkers have to knock it down, builders have to build it up. So when the drywall crew arrived, my family and the workers gathered in front of the old signatures, Sharpies in hand, and signed our names under theirs. Then all the signatures were covered with a sheet of new drywall. Maybe theyll be rediscovered during the next gut renovation.

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At This Manhattan Co-op, the Super Is the In-House Historian - Habitat magazine

Oct. 7Renovations on a Fourth Avenue Northeast building where industry leaders and the Alabama Community College System will design courses to train workers won't be completed until early next year as a block of downtown office space remains vacant.

Work on the state system's Innovation Center probably won't be finished until Feb. 1 and it likely won't be ready for occupancy until March 1, officials said this week. The site is the former Decatur City Schools central office. The other building in the block north of Lee Street and between Fourth Avenue and Cherry Street is the closed former BVBA Compass Bank branch.

Officials had originally hoped to have the Innovation Center finished this past summer.

Blake McAnally, trustee-at-large with the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), said there has been a delay in getting HVAC units for the Innovation Center, slowing construction.

"The air-handling units were scheduled to be shipped (Oct. 6) and we got word this week that they're now being pushed out to Oct. 31 to ship," McAnally said. "Because we can't condition the space yet, there's a lot of work inside that can't take place."

ACCS Vice Chancellor Keith Phillips said architects with Huntsville-based Goodwyn Mills Cawood said they are also waiting on an electrical panel to be delivered, which is currently being upgraded to accommodate the building.

McAnally said most of the electrical and plumbing work on the Innovation Center was finished, but the work cannot continue until they have power and air-conditioning.

"If you can get the air-conditioning in the beginning, then you can start with drywall finishes, trim and paint and things of that nature," McAnally said.

Training programs for industry will be developed at the Innovation Center and taught at various locations around the state.

McAnally said the ACCS currently provides 23 rapid training programs, or Skills for Success courses, which are based on industry needs around the state. Phillips said they began providing the programs nine months ago.

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"If industries in the area come to us and say, 'I need this type of training,' those are the ones we have already packaged and are doing all around the state already," McAnally said.

Phillips said several of the Skills for Success courses are on the "drawing board" and they plan to have them in place once the Innovation Center is complete next year. He said they already have active programs such as training for commercial driver Class A and B credentials and food and beverage courses.

Phillips said the Innovation Center will serve as a headquarters for industry leaders and ACCS officials to work together in a central location designing courses, rather than working in remote locations across the state.

"The focus of this particular Innovation Center is if we wanted to bring business and industry to the table to talk about the training needs and for us to develop Skills for Success courses," Phillips said. "We would openly invite business and industries to come sit down at the table and talk about what occupations they need to hire."

Phillips said industries can tell ACCS officials specific skills they need for positions needing to be filled and the ACCS will assist them in customizing training courses with those skills included. He said they are already working with officials from Birmingham-based companies Dunn Construction and Midsouth Paving to design training courses for their employees.

McAnally said the total project cost for the renovations is $3.28 million with a $5 million project budget.

Huntsville-based Goodwyn Mills Cawood is the architect for this project and Gadsden-based Greer Building Contractors is responsible for construction.

wesley.tomlinson@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438.

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ACCS Innovation Center to be open in February - Yahoo News