Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

SALISBURY A public hearing will be held during the Rowan County Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday regarding plans to create a consolidated human services agency.

The move would give the board of commissioners and the county manager more authority over both the Health Department and the Department of Veterans Services.

All were doing is bringing the Health Department and Veterans Services consolidated underneath the county managers purview, County Commissioner Judy Klusman said.

The move to explore consolidating human service agencies came after a request from Vice Chairman Jim Greene, who expressed concern months ago about a lack of communication between commissioners and the Environmental Health Department, which is housed under the Health Department.

At a meeting in September, County Manager Aaron Church presented commissioners with several plans to consolidate human service agencies.

Currently, the Health Department is governed primarily by the Board of Health, of which Klusman is a current member. Under the proposed new structure, the Health Department and Department of Veterans Services would be combined and would be under the direct control of a newly-created position: human services director.

The human services director would be appointed by and report directly to Church. Klusman said that the new position would likely be filled by a current county employee.

Even though the Board of Health would lose governing power under the potential change in structure, Klusman said that the board would still be an integral part of the process and would continue to advise the Board of Commissioners and Church on health-related matters.

Klusman said that more details about the consolidation will be ironed out after the public hearing and commissioners will likely take action on the proposal at its second meeting in January.

The Rowan County Board of Commissioners meeting will take place on Monday at 3 p.m. in the J. Newton Cohen Sr. Room on the second floor of the Rowan County Administration Building. The meeting can be joined virtually at https://bit.ly/rowanboc0104 with password 010421 or by phone at: 602-753-0140, 720-928-9299, 213-338-8477.

In other meeting business:

A public hearing will be held regarding Eric Dixon Sr. and Leona F. Dixons property at the 8200 block of Statesville Boulevard. On behalf of Rowan Clearing Partners LLC, Mitch Wilson is requesting a rezoning of the property from rural residential to commercial, business and industrial to allow the placement of Gupton Land Clearings company office, workshop and storage area.

A public hearing will be held regarding a request from Nengtou Vue for the rezoning of approximately 21.07 acres of his 68.9-acre parcel located at 5900 block of Wildwood Road from manufactured home park to rural agricultural.

A public hearing will be held to consider a request from Steinman Storage to amend its existing 7.78 acre-conditional zoning district, which is currently zoned commercial, business and industrial. Steinman Storage wishes to add two additional storage buildings totaling 22,000 square-feet and additional outdoor storage behind its existing structures. The property is located at 4290 Long Ferry Road.

Commissioners will consider authorizing County Manager Aaron Church to sign the application for approval of engineering plans to build a chemical booster station. The chemical booster station is set to be installed on Long Ferry Road and will improve lead levels in the drinking water for residents in the northeastern part of the county. Hazen and Sawyer is the engineering firm that is being contracted to build the booster station.

The Board of Commissioners will consider scheduling a public hearing for Jan. 19 to consider a request from the countys animal services staff to create an ordinance prohibiting feeding animal carcasses to domestic animals in public view.

Commissioners will consider awarding a bid to J.D. Goodrum, a Cornelius-based general contractor, for the construction phase of the glideslope replacement project at the Mid-Carolina Regional Airport. The project was approved and a grant was awarded by the North Carolina Department of Transportation in 2018. The project will cost $491,001.28.

Commissioners will receive an update on Coronavirus Relief Funds spending and will consider approving the CRF expenditure report to be filed with the state by Jan. 8.

The board will consider a request to grant an easement to Duke Energy for the installation and required servicing of utility equipment associated with the proposed construction project to build a dog wing at the Rowan County Animal Services Facility.

Go here to see the original:
Public hearing on consolidation of human services to be held during commissioners meeting - Salisbury Post - Salisbury Post

Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: 2021/01 Winter

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

For 125 years, the historic Episcopal Church of the Incarnation has been watching over Main Street, delighting passerbyes with its Carpenter Gothic architecture and lovely garden spaces.

But over the years as the beloved structure was enlarged and buildings added, the presentation of the building to Main Street had become confusing multiple staircases distracted from an open and welcoming space and the Church lacked a central front door to welcome visitors and friends.

And as the Church and the community grew and attendance swelled, the need to expand the capacity of the Sanctuary became more pressing.

Three years ago, Reverend Bentley Manning and the Vestry at Incarnation identified the need to enhance the facility and expand the seating in the sanctuary. Then, in 2018 a parish family offered a generous donation for the development of a master plan resulting in a capital campaign, entitled Glorious Vision with a $6,000,000 goal. An Architectural Committee appointed by the Vestry, began work on a unified plan.

The scope of the project is three-fold:

To illuminate the vision of God given in Christ through the beauty of worship where our hearts are lifted heavenward with the configuration of architectural elements to create a more sacred atmosphere, literally opening our doors to the community with the creation of a formal entry into the Sanctuary, adding windows to the new entry and the rear of the Sanctuary, allowing the worship space to be washed in light. At the same time, painters, blacksmiths and wood carvers are working to fill the Sanctuary with beauty.

To Invite: By modifying the interior of our Sanctuary so that we may accommodate more persons in worship, adding 70 to 80 seats to avoid the need for overflow spaces, making the entire campus ADA compliant, and updating lamps and windows for more energy efficiency because caring for creation is important to us. A new spire holding four cast iron bells will be erected as a beacon of Gods Sanctuary and welcome and a call to worship.

To inspire: We will share this vision of God in our ministries, our outreach, our educational offerings, and through lives transformed by Christ.

Reverend Manning recognizes that, Now more than ever, theres a need to be together in community and in worship and fellowship; something we perhaps once took for granted.

He is grateful for the timing that has allowed this project to be undertaken and expressed his thank you to Highlanders and visitors for their grace and fortitude during the construction.

While work is under way the original chapel remains open. For more information or to contribute, visit gloriousvision.org.

Read more:
Glorious Vision: The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation | Highlands NC - The Laurel Magazine of Highlands NC and Cashiers NC

LAURENS. S.C. Regan Freeman had spent more than a year organizing a project to tell the story of a Black South Carolina pastor who reached out to Ku Klux Klan members who wanted him dead because of his race.

Freeman thought he knew the story well. Then came a tweet that led to two gray storage tubs of some of the most racist newspapers, flyers, posters, photographs and other material he had ever seen.

That brought Rev. David Kennedy's struggles as well as his patience, love and caring for all men even those with evil in their hearts into sharper focus for Freeman, who is working to turn what was once a store filled with racist merchandise into a diversity center and museum on racial reconciliation.

Courtesy The Echo Project

Freeman was born three months after the Redneck Shop and World's Only Klan Museum, adorned with Confederate flags and a swastika on a back wall, opened in 1996 in Laurens. He has raised more than $300,000 to renovate the historic Echo Theater, which was a segregated movie theater before housing the shop and a large meeting hall where dozens of hooded Klan members met in the back.

Freeman wants to collect the stories of Black people around Laurens whose ancestors struggled through slavery and segregation and maybe take on other projects like putting up historical markers at the site of each of the more than 150 known lynchings of Black people in the state.

There are so many stories out there that haven't been told or we haven't told completely," Freeman said.

And that led him to those gray plastic tubs.

In October, he replied to a tweet by a woman who now owns the land where Redneck Shop owner John Howard lived letting the Southern Poverty Law Center know she had a ton of his stuff.

The woman didn't respond, so Freeman drove up himself and after a unannounced visit, some negotiation and $500, he had decades of stuff marking Howard's racist life.

There are negatives of cross burnings. Posters of Adolph Hitler. A Klan Rally Instructions manual. A flyer called A Boat Ticket To Africa with horribly offensive Black caricatures and stereotypes. A business card Klan members would leave to intimidate Black families that said this was a social visit and don't make the next visit a business call."

This stuff isn't from 100 years ago. Some of it is maybe from the last decade or two," Freeman said. I think it is important to see it and see how deep this hate goes so you can see why we need to fight so hard to change."

Freeman plans to have historians at the University of South Carolina help him look through the items with an eye toward preservation and display the ones that best tell a story in exhibits at the theater.

A Klan member named Michael Burden, who was once considering killing Kennedy, sold the theater to the pastor in 1997 after Kennedy helped him out when he and Howard had a falling out. But Burden's deal let Howard keep leasing the theater for the Redneck Shop. Kennedy finally won a 15-year court fight and shut the shop down. The story became the movie Burden released earlier this year.

Now Freeman is leading the project to turn the old theater into Kennedy's dream of a community center where racial reconciliation and harmony is at the forefront.

We're hoping The Echo Project will become a place where every race could be respected a place where diversity is not only just talked about, but is celebrated through action," Kennedy said.

Freeman grew up in nearby Clinton, and while at the University of South Carolina, felt pulled to talk to Kennedy about his work. Kennedy asked him to lead the project and Freeman gave up a law firm job for his new calling.

This is a chance to tell a great story, Freeman said.

An architect and construction firm have been chosen, with work starting soon, and Freeman plans to relaunch the Echo Projects website to expand its reach.

To be a part of a project that can use architecture and inflict change at the same time is huge for me," MOA Architecture Founder Michael Allen said.

The first bit of work for the companies? Scraping off a Confederate flag sticker on the marquee for decades and replacing it with the project's name and website.

It needs to be the opposite of a dilapidated old building that stands as a shrine to hatred," said David Walker, manager for the project for Sodexos Construction and Infrastructure Services.

___

Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP.

Go here to see the original:
Work Begins To Turn SC Racist Store Into Racial Harmony Site - WFAE

In his closing remarks during the October 2019 Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Russell M. Nelson invited members of the church to prepare for 2020.

Nelson said: General conference next April will be different from any previous conference... I hope that every member and every family will prepare for a unique conference that will commemorate the very foundation of the restored gospel.

He was referring to the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Joseph Smiths First Vision wherein he testifies he saw God, the Father and Jesus Christ, his Son.

While Nelson said he had no notion that a worldwide pandemic would add to the unique conference, but it most certainly did. And, for the LDS Church, it was a unique year.

While the world has become familiar with people and activities being quarantined, closed or postponed, 2020 was anything but paused for the LDS Church.

Rather than slowed or halted, many of the church activities were accelerated.

New branding

In order for us to get through the pandemic and other chaos is the world, Nelson said members needed to pause and understand how an individual, personally hears their maker.

A new initiative by the church to help members recognize how they receive personal revelation, how they #HearHim, was introduced during the April Conference. Members were invited to take time to listen and develop a closer relationship with deity in 2020.

The April General Conference, for the first time, was held remotely, via several media platforms, due to COVID-19 restrictions. The Conference Center was closed and leadership meetings postponed.

With the worldwide pandemic still rampant in October, the fall Semiannual General Conference was also held remotely.

After mid-March The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, Orchestra at Temple Square and other performing groups were put on hiatus and prerecorded music by the choir was used for meetings and celebrations including the First Presidencys 2020 Christmas Devotional in December and the weekly broadcasts of Music and the spoken word.

Nelson also introduced a new symbol or logo for the church. This new symbol, a drawing of the Christus statue in an enclosed archway, is a continuation of the effort Nelson felt inspired to initiate in August 2018 to focus on the Churchs divinely revealed name.

Since that time, he said, the churchs leaders, departments, related entities, main website, members and many others now use the correct name of the Church.

We have gone to these extraordinary efforts because when we remove the Lords name from the name of His Church, we inadvertently remove Him as the central focus of our worship and our lives, Nelson said.

In-home church

The focus of worship for the church started changing in January 2019 when the church instigated a new home centered, church supported study program titled Come Follow Me.

Weekly worship in chapels came to a temporary halt in March, but the faiths culture of home-centered gospel study helped Latter-day Saints more easily adapt to worship and scripture study from home.

By summer, LDS Wards and Stakes were able to meet on a limited basis with portions of the meetings being available to watch at home via Zoom and by other media support.

That still continues as of the end of 2020.

It was the sacred ordinance of the Sacrament that became a major focal point for members of the church as they were able to have priesthood holders, either in the family or church representatives, provide the service in their homes. The experiences shared show members have developed a great appreciation for the Sacrament and what it represents in their lives.

Humanitarian aid

In January, with a global pandemic at her doorstep, Sister Sharon Eubank, director of Latter-day Saint Charities, and first counselor of the General Relief Society Presidency and her team started planning on how they could respond to basically everyones needs.

This is the first time responding to a global event, Eubank said. Everybody in the whole world is being affected.

Typically, Latter-day Saint Charities responds to individual disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, typhoons and volcanoes.

Never have those charities had to respond to the entire world at once, and Eubank said they had to look at the issue with a whole new set of eyes.

Perhaps the biggest question for Eubank was: How do you respond to, organize and assign and direct a global event from your living room? She has been required to work from home for the most part.

Eubank said there are 20 members of her team at church headquarters in Salt Lake City and they meet daily.

We are looking at technology to see what we can do, Eubank said. Its forcing us to do things in different ways.

Throughout the world, the church is divided into areas with General Authority Seventies over each area. They also have teams representing Latter-day Saint Charities that work with those leaders in each area of the world and report to Eubank.

Were giving 147% or more, Eubank said. There is nothing more pressing.

Throughout 2020, the LDS Church has donated cash and commodities to support more than 1,000 COVID-19 relief efforts around the globe this includes partnerships with Convoy of Hope, Feeding America, Partnership with Native Americans, the Salvation Army, the United Way and the World Food Programme.

Food donations also increased and were distributed nationwide in the United States. The church also responded to many natural disasters around the world, including wildfires in the western United States, hurricanes in the southern United States and Central America, and typhoons in the Philippines.

Part of the miracle that made all of this happen was the volunteer service by members rendered in all the locations and in activities such as making five million face masks and the canning the bumper crop of vegetables and fruit that gave the church a surplus of products in their storehouses and the ability to share more.

Temples

Perhaps one of, if not the hardest thing Nelson said he had to do was shut down 162 temples. These are considered the most important buildings in the church, they are called The House of the Lord.

Temples closed for a few months before a cautious and careful phased reopening began in May around the world. Temples are still in a phased reopening and are still unable to completely open as of Dec. 30.

Even with temples closed, temple work continued, not only with members doing family history, but with 21 temple groundbreaking ceremonies including one in September for the new Orem temple.

Nelson also announced the future construction of 14 more temples including new houses of the Lord in the United Arab Emirates and in Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China.

Adjustments to the temple ceremonies and temple clothing were also announced.

On Jan. 1, the Salt Lake Temple began a 4-year renovation, restoration and seismic fitting. The St. George Temple was already in process. The church announced it would be upgrading all of its legacy temples including Manti and Logan Temples in the future.

It appears that new temples no longer have the iconic Angel Moroni on the temple main spire throughout the world. The focus is not Moroni but on the purpose of the building, to bring all to Christ through sacred covenants.

In October, Nelson announced that Lindon Utah would also get new temple. Its location was announced just before Christmas at 800 East and Center Street.

Missionaries

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most missionaries were called back to their home countries in April, or asked to spend more time in isolation, but missionaries continue to share messages of Jesus Christ online.

Many missionaries whove temporarily returned home from their service due to the COVID-19 pandemic, faced a unique decision this spring.

In a letter from church leadership sent to missionaries on March 31, they learned that they had until Thursday, April 30, to decide between two options for resuming their missions.

The first option was to resume their missions as soon as conditions allow, with their original assignment or a temporary one, the letter says. The second option was to resume their missions during a set time window, within 12 to 18 months.

Those who return as soon as possible would keep their original release-from-service date, while those who return to service within 12 to 18 months would receive a new one.

Similar options were offered to missionaries who had received mission calls or completed online missionary training, the letter read.

Mission assignments, whether original or temporary, would be determined by the churchs Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, according to the letter.

In the meantime, the Provo Missionary Training Centers and other were closed and newly called missionaries were to study and train online at home.

As of the end of 2020, missionaries are still in transition and the Provo MTC is still closed.

Of note

Many other things took place during the year.

Before COVID-19 put a pause on global travel, several Apostles made in-person visits with Latter-day Saints and civic leaders in several places.

Elder David A. Bednar became the first Apostle to visit the African nation of Sudan, Elder Quentin L. Cook visited the Philippines, Elder Ulisses Soares traveled to Costa Rica and Guatemala, and Elder Ronald A. Rasband made a stop in South Africa. Other leaders made visits closer to home. President Dallin H. Oaks spoke to youth around the world in a broadcast originating from Temple Square, President Henry B. Eyring ministered in Idaho, President M. Russell Ballard spoke to students at Brigham Young University, and Elder D. Todd Christofferson visited New York.

The ministry has continued apace during COVID-19. From President Nelsons video message at the beginning of the pandemic to the First Presidencys Christmas devotional, Apostles have shared many digital messages with Latter-day Saints and others around the world.

Elder Bednar spoke at a religious freedom conference and at the G20 Interfaith Forum, according to church information.

The LDS Church made several adjustments and additions to the General Handbook and the handbook itself is now online and available to the public. Recent additions included sections on transgender members, clarifications on the Word of Wisdom, and a variety of other topics.

It was announced that in 2021 the entire handbook would be updated.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2021 the church would have three updated church magazines for adults, teens and children. The Liahona will be a worldwide edition for adults, For the Strength of Youth will be the teen magazine, and the updated Friend will serve children of the Primary.

A surprised music committee continued going through the thousands of hymn and prose entries for a new Hymnbook and Childrens Song Book that was previously announced and was hoping to be completed by the end of the year. That has not been put off with no publication date announced.

Originally posted here:
LDS Church keeps fast pace through pandemic of 2020 - Daily Herald

From reports by EYN staff

In skeletal information reaching us from Garkida, three churches were set ablaze, five people killed, and five people are missing in a Boko Haram attack, reported Zakariya Musa, head of media for Ekklesiyar Yanuwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). Garkida, a town in the Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State in northeast Nigeria, is the site of the founding of EYN and the place where the former Church of the Brethren mission in Nigeria began.

According to church officials the attackers invaded Garkida on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, Musa reported, burning several churches including EYN Ghung, EYN Sangere, and Living Faith Church Garkida. The Living faith Church was rebuilt after the Feb. 21 attack on Garkida when four churches were destroyed in similar attack, he wrote. The church said they spent Christmas Eve in the bush and that some houses were selectively burned. Also burned were road construction facilities on the Biu Road.

In another Christmas Eve attack, Pemi village was stormed by Boko Haram, Musa reported. According to church officials, seven people were killed, an EYN church and many houses were burnt, and one evangelist named Bulus Yakura was abducted. A church official who spoke on the phone from Mbalala in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, who was in the village the following morning on Dec. 25 for assessment, said people have fled Pemi village for their life. Many villagers in the areas of attack abandoned their villages on Christmas Eve after finishing all preparations for Christmas.

At least three more communities along the Biu Road were attacked the day after Christmas, Dec. 26. Musa reported: Three more churches and many houses are destroyed at Tashan Alade, Kirbitu, and Debiro towns. The destroyed churches include churches that were destroyed in 2014, which later were rebuilt by the Borno State Government. The renewed attacks are coming almost on a daily basis in different ways, resulting in killings, kidnapping, destruction of properties.

In a separate email Yuguda Z. Mdurvwa, who heads up EYNs Disaster Relief Ministry, reported that the EYN Dzur church on the outskirts of Garkida also was burned in the Christmas Eve attack. He added that drugs were looted from the Garkida General Hospital and other stores and food stuffs were looted. In addition to the five people who were killed, many sustained injuries, he wrote, and people slept in the mountains without celebrating Christmas.

Our hope is that Christ was born to save us from all these pains and give us peace, Mdurvwa wrote. Apart from the above insecurity, COVID-19 is surging in the second wave, Nigeria is recording above 1,000 per day. Despite our troubles, God is our comforter and our source of help.

Continue reading here:
EYN churches are attacked, at least 12 people are killed, a pastor/evangelist is among those abducted in violence on the day before and the day after...

Genna Contino|Herald-Journal

Though COVID-19 changed a lot of our original 2020 plans, one thing that continued to shine through the year was development in Spartanburg.

"Spartanburg is exploding, particularly downtown," County Councilman David Britt told the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. "This is the first time in 25 years, you've had apartments being built downtown."

Downtown revitalization: Spartanburg prides itself on a thriving downtown. But how did it get to where it is today?

As we head into 2021, many downtown apartments, multi-use, and government buildings will continue construction or finish up in the new year. Here's the latest on those projects.

1. County courthouse and city/county municipal complex

If you've driven down Daniel Morgan Avenue lately, you've probably seen the bigcrane and progress on the SpartanburgCounty courthouse project. The parking deck and nearby central energy plant will be completed by June 30, 2021, Britt said.

After the courthouse is complete, a new joint city/county municipal building will be built as part of the same project funded by a penny sales tax.

Britt said the courthouse and new municipal complex will be a good"adrenaline spurt for downtown merchants. It'll make it so much more walkable for our associates at the county and in the city. And it will be a big complex."

"The courthouse, when it's complete, it will be as big as the Montgomery Building."

Impact study: Joint Spartanburg courthouse, municipal complex project to bring nearly 2k jobs

2. Liberty Street Apartments

Construction is underway at the Liberty Street Apartments at 215 E. Daniel Morgan Ave. behind the downtown Spartanburg Marriott.

Developer Peter Collins of Tampa, Florida-based Forge Capital Partners said they're about 30 days behind schedule due to COVID-19 related issues and needing to excavate some old city infrastructure they found underground at the site.

"When you get a site as old as that, you know, some of that stuff is bound to happen, but there was quite a bit that we had to deal with there," Collins told the Herald-Journal.

Initial report: 200-unit downtown Spartanburg apartment complex eyes spring 2021 opening

3. Kennedy Street Apartments

In early December, 132 downtown Spartanburg apartments planned for the corner of Kennedy, Union, and Advent streets received preliminary Design Review Board approval in early December.

We can probably expect to see the apartment plans return to the Design Review Board in early 2021 for final approval, as developers are hoping for a late April or early May groundbreaking for the project. The project received mostly positive feedback from the Design Review Board members.

Read more: 132 downtown Spartanburg apartment units receive preliminary Design Review Board approval

4. Northside projects

The Northside Development Group has several projects in the works to keep an eye out for in 2021.

Dive deeper: Here's the latest on Northside Development Group's projects

5. Highland Transformation Plan

The Highland Transformation Plan was approved unanimously by the Spartanburg City Council on Nov. 23. The first project that the Highland Neighborhood will see pre-development of in the first year is the Cammie Claggett project.

"This project is a mixed-use area that creates a transition from SouthDaniel Morgan Avenue into the neighborhood through Highland Avenue," the transformation plan reads. "It will create a welcoming gateway into the community while providing a diversity of housing options for new and existing residents."

Urban renewal: Several Black communities were bulldozed in the '70s. Some want the city to apologize

6. The Danmor

The Danmor is a residential building planned for South Daniel Morgan Avenue that received preliminary approval from the city's Design Review Board in August.

August report: The Danmor moves from mixed-use to all residential

7. Former Mary H. Wright Elementary

The former Mary H. Wright Elementary School received final approval from the city councilfor arezoning and development agreement with Montgomery Development Group to transform the school into 53 apartment units, 11 of the units being workforce housing.

Opponents of the project can point to what happened in the past on the south side as reasons to be wary. In the 1970s, many Black-owned businesses and homes here were razed and lost forever with federal money intended for urban renewal.

But others are excited about the change. The $11 million redevelopment plan would be the largest investment in Spartanburg's south side in more than a decade.

Dive deeper: Addressing fears of gentrification, City Council approves Mary H. Wright apartments

8. Bon Haven apartments

The Bon Haven apartments on Spartanburg's north side are in the framing process and are expected to be completed by late summer of 2021, according to Mark Stuermann,the executive vice president of development at Arlington Properties, the project's developer.

"Were very pleased with the construction schedule," Stuermann told the Spartanburg Herald-Journal in October.

October report: Bon Haven apartments in Spartanburg on track for summer 2021 opening

9. Robert Smalls apartments

Robert Smalls at Midtowne Heights, the townhomes in which Norris Ridge residents are expected to relocate, are set to break ground in 2021.

Site prep work is underway and a groundbreaking event is expected to be planned in March or April of 2021.

The future of Norris Ridge: Robert Smalls townhomes set to break ground soon ahead of Norris Ridge relocation

Have a question about a project?Contact Genna at gcontino@shj.com or on Twitter @GennaContino.

Visit link:
'Spartanburg is exploding': 9 development projects to keep an eye on in 2021 - Spartanburg Herald Journal

Small-business survival rates are rather grim. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 20% of small businesses nationwide fail within the first year, while nearly 50% have failed by their fifth year and only one-third of these endeavors are able to survive by their 10th year.

Wallauer Paint & Design is something of an anomaly. In 2021, the family owned and operated business will celebrate its 100th anniversary. According to company President Edward Klein, the secret to this longevity is no secret at all.

It really comes down to having a knowledgeable group of people that know their craft, as well as providing great customer service and relying on the word of mouth that this has to be the go-to place for home improvement locally, he said.

The company was started by paint salesman Clarence Wallauer as a single-store operation in White Plains. Klein noted that Wallauer not only survived the Great Depression, but managed to open a second location in 1935. Wallauer passed the ownership reins to his son-in-law Robert Duncan, who later passed it on to his son, Robert Duncan Jr., who brought it into the fourth generation with his daughters Debbie and Donna co-owning the business.

Today, Wallauer maintains a flagship store in White Plains and has 14 retail operations across Westchester and the Hudson Valley region. Its newest location opened in October in Nanuet when the company acquired the locally owned retailer Paley Paints. Unlike many independent operations that have been forced out of business due to competition from the big box retailers, Wallauer has met the challenge of the XL-sized competition by teaming with a major name in the painting industry.

A big part of our foundation comes off of our relationship with Benjamin Moore, Klein said. Weve been selling Benjamin Moore for the 100 years that weve been in business. Its the most sought-after brand. Theyre a fantastic partner. I worked there for 17 years and the CEO and myself are very, very close.

Klein added that Wallauer was the seventh largest Benjamin Moore dealer in North America and the availability of the brand has given the company a local advantage.

The painting contractors, first and foremost, come to us versus going to Home Depot or Lowes, he said.

Klein also noted that the Wallauer customers have longstanding relationships with the retail store teams, who are more than familiar with the inventory.

We have the true experts, he stated. Id say the average tenure of our employees was probably close to 20 years. Youre not dealing with somebody at minimum wage who maybe doesnt really know about the colors theyre selling youre talking to professionals who could match colors with an eye.

As the company prepares for its 100th year, it is still reeling from an unexpectedly hectic 99th year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Klein noted that with many people moored at home during the pandemic, a new wave of do-it-yourself home improvement projects helped keep Wallauers very busy.

Our consumer side of the business has boomed this year, he said. We added Ace Hardware to many of our stores and they have significantly benefited. A lot of Benjamin Moore and other different dealers did either curbside pickup or delivered, but they werent open for weeks or for a couple of months, but we kept the doors opened in all stores. A lot of people chose to come to us that possibly were going to Home Depot or Lowes because they didnt want to wait on those lines, and so weve added a lot of new customers, coupled with our core base.

Klein also noted that contractors whose work went on hold when the pandemic took root returned to the store in June when businesses began to reopen and stalled projects were suddenly back in motion.

Our painting contractors are a big part of our business, he said. We had a very, very strong year, I would say we had a record year, and thats coming off of a record year last year.

However, Klein admitted that the companys centennial celebrations will not be an immediate priority due to the ongoing public health crisis.

When I look back a year ago, we had all of these great ideas with events and everything else, he said about the 100th anniversary.

Its hard right now to say what we have scheduled as it pertains to events because weve got to get clearly through Covid. When we can, we are going to want to have an event its just a matter of how were going to be able to turn it on.

Read the original post:
Wallauer Paint & Design readies for its 100th anniversary - Westfair Online

Renovation of homes built before 1978 frequently disturbs lead-based paint (LBP) and poses significant health risks, particularly for children. For this reason, companies that perform or subcontract renovation services are required to provide very specific, written LBP warnings and education materials to residents. Failure to comply with these obligations can result in significant penalties for non-compliance. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces these rules on all companies that perform renovations for compensation. This means that retail sellers of renovation products (e.g., windows or woodwork) can face EPA enforcement for noncompliance even where they subcontract installation to third parties.

On Dec. 17, U.S. EPA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a nationwide settlement with Home Depot related to home renovations that occurred between 2013 and 2019. The settlement resolves alleged violations of the EPAs Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule involving renovations performed by Home Depots contractors across the country on homes built before 1978. EPA identified hundreds of instances in which Home Depot failed to contract renovations or repairs with certified contractors, as well as instances in which Home Depot failed to establish, retain, or provide the required documentation to demonstrate compliance with the RRP Rule.

EPAs proposed settlement with Home Depot includes a $20.75 million penaltythe largest such penalty to-date under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

Compliance Lessons

Companies in the construction industry and beyond can learn several significant lessons from the Home Depot violations, including the importance of:

Read the original post:
$20 Million TSCA/Lead-Based Paint Penalty: Expensive Reminder to Manage and Audit Contractors Joint Regulatory Liabilities - JD Supra

A 4,000 square feet building right opposite the Dr RN Cooper hospitals canteen in Mumbai was earlier supposed to be used as a hostel. In March, it was converted into an isolation facility for Covid-19 patients. On December 29, work to convert it into a model vaccination centre began.

Over 30 labourers are now working on war footing day and night to prepare the model centre in Cooper hospital. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has asked contractor Eckon to hand over the centre by Monday night.

Cooper hospital, along with seven BMC hospitals, has been selected for the first phase of immunisation of healthcare workers. Mumbai has registered 1.26 lakh heathcare workers for vaccination in the first phase.

On Sunday, the Drug Controller General of India approved emergency restricted use of Serum Institute of Indias Covishield and Bharat Biotechs Covaxin vaccines.

BMC officials said they expect the vaccine roll out to begin soon and have asked contractors to speed up work. On Sunday evening, labourers were busy painting chairs for waiting areas at Cooper hospital, with some setting up beds and some finishing off electrical work.

We began civil work last week and have only a day to finish work. We are not changing the basic infrastructure since it was already being used as an isolation ward, an on site Eckon contractor said. While the K West ward is handling drainage and installation of curtains or partitions, BMCs maintenance department is going to set up signages.

The centre will have a waiting area under a shed at the entrance. The registration will be done in a corridor, which leads into three vaccination rooms. In each room, around five persons can be vaccinated at a time.

An observation room further down the corridor will have several chairs to monitor each vaccinated beneficiary for half an hour. In case of anaphylactic reaction or severe adverse effects, the beneficiary will be transferred to two other rooms that house beds and emergency medical equipment.

Dr Pinakin Gujjar, Dean of Cooper hospital, said a team of specialists from anaesthesia, ENT, chest and general medicine will be available to handle severe adverse effects. We did not have to spend a lot on the centre, we just had to spruce up the existing facility. We are installing water cooler and repairing toilets, said Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani.

BMC currently has selected five storage centres in KEM, Nair, Sion and Cooper hospitals as well as the F South health office where the first batch of vaccine will be stocked. A nodal storage facility is, meanwhile, under construction in Kanjurmarg.

The Cooper hospital vaccination centre can vaccinate 2,000 people a day. Ten teams will be deputed to work in two shifts for the purpose.

With Cooper hospital being the main vaccination centre in western suburbs, BMC is mulling over creating a token system at the registration counter. It is possible that a huge crowd comes at the same time for vaccination. To prevent overcrowding at the verification counter, a token will be issued to beneficiaries to create a waiting list and house them in the waiting area, Kakani said.

Follow this link:
Mumbai: Cooper hospitals model vaccination centre to be ready today - The Indian Express

This Entrepreneur Made Two Million By Mastering The Art Of Membership Sites | Stephanie Burns

What started off as the worst thing to happen in Jennifer Allwoods career eventually turned into the best. Back in 2000, she was laid off from her software development job.

I broke down in tears, says Allwood. Until I realized that I was grieving a job that I actually hated. What she loved was her evening side hustle: using paint to turn the kitchen cabinets of her Kansas City, Missouri, neighbors from drab to fab. It was that December that Allwood decided to trade a pager and pantyhose for paint brushes and overallsfull time.

Allwood had kicked off her painting business making $90K a year from it as a part time venture. By 2014, she was running a thriving interior painting business that brought in multiple six-figure revenue every year. That was enough to support her, her family of five (now six!), and a team of painters. But it was a massive drain on her energy and her time. She was burning the candle at both ends offering in-home painting and design services to clients plus answering business questions by email, one at a time, to every entrepreneur who reached out to her wondering how she was seeing so much success. Something had to change. Thankfully she came upon two perfect solutions for her new problem.

Now, Jennifer Allwood is a business coach to creatives who runs a multi- seven figure a year company. Shes the author of the #1 best-selling book, Fear is Not the Boss of You.

Heres how this business coach to creatives went from being laid off to becoming a multi-millionaire with time to spare. Follow her advice to fast-track yourself to similar success.

This Entrepreneur Made Two Million By Mastering The Art Of Membership Sites | Stephanie Burns

Stephanie Burns: Some people take the leap into entrepreneurship while others get pushed. You were already running a successful business part time when you were laid off. Why not take the leap sooner?

Jennifer Allwood: I was always taught to do responsible adult things: get a good paying job with a matched 401k and paid time off, work hard for a raise every year and then have fun after you retire. I knew I wanted more out of life, but I was too scared to leave that security blanket on my own. Getting laid off was incredibly stressful for a period of time. I remember laying in bed at night with my stomach in knots. But it was the one thing that forced me to evaluate what it was that I really wanted out of my life and gave me the opportunity to go after it.

Burns: How were you able to get your business off the ground and running as a busy mom?

Allwood: When I started the painting company, I didnt have kids but I did get pregnant that very first year. Our budget was tight. But tight places often yield big opportunities. I was desperate to not have to go back to a 9 to 5 desk job, so I got scrappy. I visited every designer that I could in person and if I couldnt get them in person, Id call them. By 2014, I had three kids, my husband was working long days in his corporate sales job, and I was feeling like there just wasnt enough return in our bank account for the amount of hours I was working. After taxes, tithing and paying my contractors, there just didnt seem to be anything left. So once again, I got scrappy. I took what I was doing in client homes and started teaching online tutorials of the very same processes to my social media audience. The videos alone brought in six figures in just a years time. As an entrepreneur, if youre feeling like the wheels are about to come off the bus and youre not seeing results, think about what you do well offline or one-to-one and how you can bring it into the online space and make it one-to-many.

This Entrepreneur Made Two Million By Mastering The Art Of Membership Sites | Stephanie Burns

Burns: Its really easy as an entrepreneur to spread yourself thin trying to do all the things. How can we streamline and still be massively successful?

Allwood: Like a lot of women right now, particularly in the age of COVID-19, I realized in my second year of business that I simply did not have enough hours in the day to be a mom, be a wife, run a business and still have energy left for anything else. So I quickly learned how to outsource things that didnt need me. I hired other painters and trained them the way that I wanted the work done. Then, after a couple of years I hired somebody to help me with the emails and administrative tasks. Wanting to control every single thing in your business comes from a place of pride in thinking no one can do it as good as you. I traded my ego for my time back and thats a trade worth making!

Burns: What got you interested in even starting a membership site?

Allwood: After I began selling tutorials online, so many people reached out to me online. They were asking for advice because they watched my social media and saw my business blowing up. At first I didnt want a membership group because I didnt consider myself a teacher. But I knew I could reach more people inside of a paid group than I could through coaching one-on-one. The one-to-one business model works for some, but when you can transition your business to a one-to-many model, you are allowing yourself to scale in a considerable way and create more time for your personal life. Im able to work when I want and Im able to step away and be a mom when my family needs me.

Burns: How did you get your membership site to go from 500k to 2 million in just one year?

Allwood: For a couple of years I ran the membership on an open cart model, meaning people could join at any time for $47 a month. But I felt like we just couldnt make it over this $500k a year hump that I had been trying to surmount for a long time. So at the advice of business coach and membership guru, Stu McLaren, I decided to pivot to a closed cart model where we only accepted new members a few times a year. We told my audience that we would be closing enrollment and in that 10 day period, we added 1,100 new paying members which was the game changer for my business. Oftentimes youll have clients who stall at making a decision and so if you can force them into action, youd be surprised at how many will finally make a move and sign up!

This Entrepreneur Made Two Million By Mastering The Art Of Membership Sites | Stephanie Burns

Burns: How did you work on retaining members in the group?

Allwood: I refined the content that I shared. People will quit a membership when they feel like they cant keep up with the teachings and theyre overwhelmed. Instead of deluging my members with content, I reminded myself that less is more. I also created high touch offers. Sometimes people need a consultant more than group coaching. So for people who werent getting enough out of the membership, I gave them the ability to upgrade to a more intensive and expensive option.

Burns: Are membership sites for everyone? How did you figure out they were for you?

Allwood: In my coaching I teach seven different ways you can make money in the online space, and thats based on where your business currently is, what your skills are and what the business that you want to build looks like. For some people, a membership group doesnt work, and thats okay. I found out they were for me because I love showing up consistently for my clients, and it also provides a consistent income, which I also love. I did one-on-one coaching for quite some time, and it felt so heavy to me. I was drained by so many calls. And oftentimes if youre doing something that feels so heavy, or you literally dread doing it, that can often be a sign for you that its time to pivot.

Burns: Given how much weve all had to pivot this past year, what advice do you have for entrepreneurs on staying profitable and growing to seven figures now?

Allwood: The biggest key to staying profitable is watching what consumers are doing. Years ago when I saw everybody getting onto Facebookbut I realized that not a lot of people were using Facebook for business yetI put my foot on the gas there. Now when you watch peoples buying habits, theyre still using social media but theyre also buying from emails, they also like text marketing. Watch your ideal clients, figure out where they are and what they need, and then get creative to figure out how to meet them where theyre at and deliver what they need in a way that feels good for you.

The second key is to offer your customers a couple of different options. Some people are looking for a closer touch and those people will pay more for more access to you. Dont give your clients a one-size-fits-all solution, but instead think of multiple ways that you can help them while still making sure that its a wise business decision.

See more here:
This Entrepreneur Made Two Million By Mastering The Art Of Membership Sites - Forbes