Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Alexandra Clough|Palm Beach Daily News

A department store that closed inWest Palm Beach is being replaced by a luxury rental apartment complex, not another retailer.

The site of a former office building on the Intracoastal Waterway in Boca Ratonis being transformed into a luxurycondominium, where units cost millions of dollars each. And the owner of a Boynton Beachshopping center, where a large tenant shut down during the coronavirus pandemic,is working on a plan to turn part of the developmentinto multi-family housing.

The nearly year-long coronavirus pandemic decimated the county's tourism and hospitality industries, but it hasn't hurt the county's dominant real estate industry.

In fact, the pandemic has fueled strongdemand for the new homes and apartments slated for completion during the next two years, and beyond, as investors and builders snap up any piece of land they can find to build more housing.

The market for new homes and apartments in Palm Beach Countyalready was robustprior to the pandemic. That's because the county is a popular destination for people moving here to escapecold weather and high taxes in the Northeastand Midwest.

But the pandemic created even more interest inthe Palm Beach County homes, especially from wealthy residentsfleeing crowded, urban cities outside the county and state.

"It's a lot easier to socially distance when you can pull into your driveway and walk into your home, rather than get into a dense elevator," said West Palm Beach housing analyst Brad Hunter.

In addition, the acceptance of work-from-home arrangements means people can live where they want, a trendHunter said is "here to stay."

For builders of new homes and apartments, the pandemic has turned housing projection on its head, forcing experts to rethink demand.

Job growth used to be a majortool by which developers decided where to build, said StevePatterson,president of Related Development, an arm of Miami-basedRelated Group,builder of numerous apartment and condominiums in South Florida.

But with the pandemic, "domestic migration from the northern states has played a huge factor," especially since many people moving still canwork from their homes,Patterson said.

That's not to say Palm Beach County'shousing developments are being built now simply because of the pandemic."The decision (to build) was made years ago," Patterson said. "It's a very time-consuming process."

But this prior planning means homebuilders not only have skillon their side, they alsohaveluck, thanks to the unexpected pandemic-fueled demand for residences.

Thecrop of new homes comes at a difficulttime for many existingPalm Beach County residents.

Some people living in housesor apartments face the prospect of homelessness because they cannot pay mortgages or rents, communityleaders say. The pandemic has slammed hotels, restaurants and retailers, leading to job losses, or slashed wages or hours.

Rental eviction moratoriums in placewill expire either at year-end or early in2021, depending on federal efforts to craft another coronavirus relief package. When rental moratoriums end, renterswill be responsible for months of back rent, which many people will not be able to pay.

Some home builders, including GL Homes, already have given money to homeless services' agencies such as The Lord's Place to help keep people from winding up on the streets.

"We are gearing up for 2021, which is going to be a year of helping people stay in their homes," said Diana Stanley, chief executive of The Lord's Place. "We've got to do everything in our power to keep them housed."

Stanley said she understands the demand for new housing. Butshe also worries the county does not have enough affordable housing, although there is some small progress on this front.

Housing Trust Group, one of the nations largest developers of affordable homes, just brokeground on Flagler Station, a new $33 million affordable apartment complexin West Palm Beach.

Apartmentsat Flagler Station will be set aside for residents who earn at or below 30%, 60%, 70% and 80% of area media income,with rents ranging from $393 to $1,689. The 94-unit property is scheduled for completion in February 2022.

Still, for many out-of-towners moving to Palm Beach County for the first time, housing is cheap compared to the high prices paid for houses or apartments in states such as New York, Massachusetts or Illinois, Patterson said.

That's a boost forRelated Group, which is building four rental apartment complexes in Palm Beach County.Theseprojects alone will add 1,405 new apartments to the county during the next two years.

Related is building the second apartment phase of Water Tower Commons, a mixed-use project in Lantana.

Manor at Lantana started construction in September and will feature 348 units, ranging in rent from$2,100 to$3,200 a month, when the project is finished in November 2021. Related previously builtTown Lantana, a 360-unit apartment complex at Water Tower Commons that was finished in December 2019.

Related also is building Manor Broken Sound in Boca Ratonon land in a business park just east of Interstate 95.

The 297-apartment complex, which began construction in July, is expected to be completed in November 2021. Rents will range from$2,000 to $4,000 per month.

Meanwhile, construction is expected to start in 2021 on two high-profile West Palm Beach rental communities.

One is Icon, a two-tower, 399-unit luxury apartment complexat Marina Village, a housingcommunity planned on North Flagler Drive along the Intracoastal.Marina Village isa joint venture withRybovich and has been years in the making. Construction on Icon will starton Jan 6.

When completed in October 2022, the upscale Icon apartmentswill rent for$2,200 a monthfor a small one-bedroom unitto a whopping $10,000 a month for a large penthouse.

The other Related Group project starting construction in West Palm Beach next yearis 575 Rosemary Square. Theluxury apartment complex is being built onthe closed Macy's department store site at Rosemary Square, formerly CityPlace.

This comingMarch, construction will beginon 361 apartments, with rental rates ranging from $1,750 for a studio to more than $5,000 for a large, three-bedroom unit. The project is expected to be completed in December 2022.

Patterson said both West Palm Beachapartment complexescould one day be converted to condominiums, which aren't in vogue right now.

But small, boutique condos are, especially if they are near or on the water.

Wealthy buyers want water views, low-density buildingsand plenty of luxury touches, developers say. This has led to the construction of severalsmall coastal condominiums,where units cost millions of dollarseach.

Despite the hefty price tags, people are buying these pricey condos.

In Delray Beach, there's Ocean Delray, a 19-unit boutique condominium being built on the ocean. Prices range from $5.7 million to $9 million for theunits, and the project is 50% sold out, said John Farina, president of U.S. Construction, one of the project's developers.

Buyers are coming from Chicago, the Northeast and even California, Farina said. The work-from-home trend is so prevalent now, Farina said, OceanDelray's design has been changed to feature an office for every unit.

Units range in size from 3,000 to 4,400 square feet. Completion is set for the second quarter of 2021.

Meanwhile, U.S. Construction plans to start first-quarter 2021 construction of another luxuryDelray Beach condominium on the beach, on the site of the former Delray South Shore Club.

This condo project, dubbed 1625 Ocean, will feature only 14 units. Sales startin January, with units selling for between $3.5 million to $6.8 million, Farina said.

At the south end of the county, in Boca Raton, construction has begun on the Boca Beach Club, a waterfront boutique ultra-luxury condominium.

The Intracoastal Waterway property, on the site of a former real estate sales center, features 32 units, of which 26 already are sold, meaning the condominium already is 81 percent pre-sold.

Prices range from $3.5 million to just under $8 million for the condominiums, which will be completed toward the end of2022.

Inigo Ardid, co-president of developer Key International, said Boca Beach Club buyers like the project's waterfront locationand limited number of units. Manybuyers are New Yorkerswho came to Florida during the pandemic and don't want to return to dense residential buildings in the Big Apple, whererestaurants and theaters are closed, Ardid said.

Boca Beach Club isonly four stories, but it sitson two acres of land. Units are large, about 4,750 square feet, with another 4,500 square feet of terraces.Boca Beach House is so spread out, "It feels like 32 homes, instead of 32 condos," Ardid said.

Meanwhile, in the heart of downtown Boca, construction also has begun on Royal Palm Residences, a 48-unit condominium next to the Boca Raton Resort & Club and featuringIntracoastal Waterway views.Prices range from $1.9 million to $4.3 million.

Sales began in January, just before the pandemic set in. As the months rolled by, so did sales, and now 19 unitshave sold, including to buyersmoving from the Northeast, said Todd Richardson, vice president of sales for developer Group P6. Some potential buyers are even exploring combining units, Richardson added.Completion of Royal Palm Residencesis set for 2022.

It's not just southern Palm Beach County that is seeing construction of small upscalecondos, however.

In Tequesta, at the county's northern edge, developers just broke ground on SeaGlass Jupiter Island, a boutique luxury condominium featuring only21 units.

Since sales launched in May, developers have logged an undisclosed number of pre-construction sales, ranging in price from $5.9 million to more than $10 million. Each unit features ocean-to-Intracoastal views, as well as private terraces with summer kitchens.

The project,being developed by FontainebleauDevelopment and Perko Development Partners, is expected to be completed in the fall of 2022.

Companies that build single-family homes also are busy building more houses, especially large houses, because people working from homewant more space.

"There's demand for bigger houses, home gyms and pools. There's a huge surge in people wanting their own pools," said Brent Baker, president of PulteGroup's Southeast region.

The pool trend reflects frustration by people who live in places where the community pool closed for months due to the pandemic, Baker said.

To meet demand, PulteGroup is working on projects throughout South Florida and the Treasure Coast, in a range of prices.

In Palm Beach County, the company plans to build80 single-family homes starting in the high $500,000s on a former golf course in Delray Beach, in the Sherwood Forest community. The project would mark the fifth time Pulte has turned a golf course into a housing community.

Meanwhile, the company will build more than 400homes in Avenir, a massive housing development in Palm Beach Gardens. Home prices will range from the high $500,000s to the mid-$800,000s, and model homes will be ready by next summer.

Builders such asPulte are snapping up any land they can find for homes.

Recently, Pulte bought a 31-acre site in Lake Worth Beach,at State Road 441 south of Lake Worth Road,for a new community dubbed Windsong Estates. The communitywill feature 93 single-family homes, with prices starting in the low $500,000s.

In addition, PulteGroup also just bought two development sites in Martin County.

One site, a 215-acre site dubbed Bridgewater, is just over the line from Palm Beach. The propertywill feature 107 homes on lots ranging from 1to 5acres. The properties are big enough to build the main house and also"casitas," or small guest houses. Prices will start at $1 million.

Another site, a 13-acre parcel in Stuart, will feature 80 townhomes priced from the low $300,000s.

Baker said PulteGroup can't build and sell homes fast enough. "This past November was our best sales month over, across the board" in all home prices, Baker said.

That's no surprise to Mike Pappas, president of The Keyes Company real estate brokerage.Pappas said the pandemic accelerated the trend of people migrating to Florida when they retire.

"They decided, 'I was going to come to Florida two years from now, but I'm moving now,'" Pappas said.

GL Homes also continues to buildand sellhomes at its many communities in Palm Beach County, which range from 55-and-up enclaves to luxury single-family homes.

Jill DiDonna, GL Homes senior vice president of sales and marketing, said the company's Boca Raton luxury single-family home communities, Boca Bridges and Lotus, with average priceswell above $1 million, have experienced double-digit sales growth in 2020 compared to last year.

And unlike previous years, "where we captureextremely high concentrations of buyers from the Northeast, this yearGLHomeshas seen homebuyers from all over the country relocating" to South Florida, DiDonna said.

Demand for new home construction is keeping localconstruction companies busy.

West Palm Beach-based Kast Construction is building the Manor Broken Soundand Manor at Lantana apartment complexes for Related Group.Kast also is buildingthe luxurious Ocean Delray condominium in Delray Beach, saidDave DeMay, Kast senior vice president.

In the coming year, Kast also will resume work on a massive apartment, hotel and office complex: One West Palm, a 30-story, twin-tower mixed-use project in downtown West Palm Beach that halted construction earlier this year but soon will resume work.

Meanwhile, in Boynton Beach, the owner of the Catalina Centre is talking to Boynton Beach city officials about transforming part of the shopping center into an apartment building that could featureup to 300 units.

The idea was in the works before the pandemic, saidRandy Tulepan, vice president of Roberts Equities, which owns the center.

"But then the pandemic hit and knocked 24 Hour fitness out, and that accelerated things," Tulepansaid, referring to the Chapter 11 filing of the national gym, which has closed many of its locations. 24 Fitness was the shopping center's largest tenant, with 50,000 square feet.

It seems everyone wants a piece of the housing pie in Palm Beach County, and it's not just new residences that are in demand.

Even an old apartment complex in Lake Worth Beach was a recent hot commodity.

TheFloridian, a 60-unit apartment complexon Congress Avenue across from John Prince Park, is a sturdy but plain apartment complex built in 1964. Despite theproperty's age, The Floridian just traded for $6 million, up nearly $2 million from just five years ago, said Ryan Nee, regional manager of Marcus & Millichap, a commercial real estate brokerage.

The property generated several written offers and ended up with a cash buyer, Neesaid.

The seller is a New Jersey resident who wants tobuy another Palm Beach County property. The buyer is a local resident who wants to own rental property.

Judging by the demand for rental properties, Nee added, it's not just people moving to South Florida from other parts of the country.

"Investors are looking to move money here, too," he said.

Continue reading here:
Slate of new apartments and houses coming to the county as demand surges due to pandemic moves - Palm Beach Post

Vasu Ganti had been considering upgrading his familys Los Gatos, Calif., home to include a multipurpose space long before the pandemic. We were always thinking of decluttering and creating a space where I could play music loudly without disturbing others, he said. Recent events, though, compelled Mr. Ganti to act with greater urgency, he said.

Mr. Ganti, an engineering manager, and his family found the solution they were looking for in a luxury shed. Located on their property but apart from the main home, it creates separation and privacy. Mr. Ganti is just one of many shed converts who has looked to the secondary structure not as a quick fix-it but an expansion of their home.

These sheds arent prefabricated buildings, delivered from home improvement stores and rigged with lighting, but are customized structures that boast air conditioning, wallpaper, chandeliers, decking, and more. They come with hefty price tags, but also with fewer headaches than renovations. Flexibility and short construction timelines, some builders say, make these structures desirable to homeowners who want more space without committing to a full construction project.

Shed companies say demand is rising. Mike Koenig, president and co-founder of Studio Shed, in Louisville, Colo., said his company more than doubled the number of sheds they sold in each month of August through October 2020 compared with sales in those months last year. kitHAUS, a Los Angeles-based company, has seen a 30% to 40% increase in sales since the pandemic began, said co-founder Tom Sandonato. The kitHAUS sheds cost anywhere from $30,000 to $150,000.

Michelle Hart, the CEO and founder of Cross Dot Digital Creative + PR Agency in Bend, Ore., installed a 13-foot by 9-foot kitHAUS shed on her property in June. I knew in mid-March that the pandemic was going to have a real effect on my marketing agency, she said. To keep her business afloat and to trim overhead, Ms. Hart opted to shift her business from a leased office to a home office. Ms.

Link:
You Cant Find These Luxury Sheds at Home Depot - The Wall Street Journal

While COVID-proofing is a term said somewhat wistfully, it hasnt stopped architects and home builders from accelerating healthy-living trends that were already growing in popularity before the pandemic. Enhanced water- and air-filtration systems and a general push toward sustainability are increasingly basic expectations in both the single-family and multifamily home sector.

These healthy-living trends particularly in the realm of air filtration are on track to be a new standard of post-pandemic home building.

Its certainly something we hear about with people spending so much more time in their homes and thinking about it in a different way as a safe haven from germs and disease and, in particular, air quality and air filtration and virus filtration, said Abbe Will, a research associate and associate project director of the Remodeling Futures Program at Harvard Universitys Graduate School of Design. All of that is suggesting this is a part of the market that is likely growing and almost certainly will have some kind of boost from the pandemic.

Architects like Alani approach air filtration in dense apartment and condo buildings with a focus on mechanical systems, especially nine months into a pandemic in which potential renters and buyers are suddenly just as focused on air quality as they are amenity space.

There is also a return to operable windows, even in downtown high-rises where developers have shied away from installing them in recent years to save money.

I was against them in the past. Theyre more expensive, and zoning limited how little they could actually open, said Michael Procopio, vice president of development at Procopio Cos., a real estate development firm. Now I would never think about building a 350-unit building unless it had operable windows.

There are ways to abide by zoning and still deliver fresh air to residents seeking more ventilation, both during and after the pandemic. Juliet balconies are very shallow and basically enable full-length windows with the protection of a railing in taller buildings. Alani expects the trend to grow in the coming years, even with budget-minded developers in a costly construction environment such as Boston.

There had been resistance [to installing working windows] due to cost increases, she added. Its not huge, but everyone was after the last dollar because of rising construction costs. But I think moving forward, providing residents with more than the four-inch operability of one window in a room is a huge benefit. I think people will be more conscious of it.

Multifamily developers are also reworking the layouts of apartment and condo buildings, particularly in amenity areas and delivery drop-off points. Amenity areas that once housed communal eating areas and workspaces are getting compartmentalized to offer more private offices.

Weve always been big proponents of coworking and essentially mini WeWorks in our buildings, Procopio said. Now its a lot of little nooks, and it feels like an airport lounge. Its cozy.

Procopios development team also has installed enhanced high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration systems on elevator cabs to provide better ventilation in such a confined space. Residents can open main entrances to a Procopio building or summon an elevator remotely via a smartphone app at developments like Ironwood Apartments in Lynn. While this technology was offered pre-pandemic, Procopio said, he expects it to become more standard practice in light of a year of social distancing and other precautionary measures.

The CBT design team moved toward a secure porch-like delivery area at Watermark Central, an apartment building in Central Square. Deliveries are left in a secure vestibule thats visible to the concierge but doesnt require a delivery person coming into the building.

New filtration technologies or retroactive build-outs may initially cost more, but developers and architects expect prices to come down the more these features become new building standards.

This year, there would have been a cost impact because we were all scrambling, Alani said. But moving forward, this is how we will do buildings, and we will incorporate it into a system of decisions and not tack it on as we have this year.

Single-family homes are a different arena. While they dont have the same issues of shared air-filtration systems as a condo building, an individual home can still run the risk of bacterial spread. One of the ways Cindy Stumpo, CEO of C. Stumpo Development, tackles this is by zoning off the air-filtration systems of the bedrooms in the luxury homes she builds. Typically, air filtration is controlled on different levels of a house.

With the Stumpo method, someone quarantining in their bedroom wouldnt have to worry about contaminated air particles seeping into the rest of the house.

If the parents are in their bedroom sneezing and coughing, the kids arent going to get it in their rooms because I separately zone off, Stumpo said. If from the beginning you zone off, you can stop germs from spreading through your own home. But if youre not isolating and going to go into the family room or kitchen, its going to spread.

Experts interviewed for this story recognize there could be an opportunistic cottage industry of pandemic-related home materials born from the public health crisis. But all stressed the importance of the basics: air filtration. Items like HEPA filters or allergen-pleated MERV 15 (minimum efficiency reporting value) air filters provide viable ways to combat airborne bacterial spread. The cost of a basic air infiltration depends on the size of your home.

Ultraviolet lights are even available for residential air systems and can eliminate germs and viruses. While there is debate on how effective some cleaning materials and sanitizers work in combating an airborne virus, Stumpo installs in-duct UV-air germ lamp systems in the homes she builds. The purification system uses UV light and ions to destroy particulate, microbial, and gas pollutants on surfaces, as well as in the air of a home. The systems, from brands like Field Controls or Reme Halo, typically cost less than $500.

This is the only product that is not a gimmick, Stumpo said. I am actually designing seven new homes in Brookline, and Im making sure we are getting everything we can in these homes right at the beginning.

No matter how advanced the air-filtration systems get in one of her homes the pricier ones are about $5 million and higher in tony neighborhoods of Brookline and Newton Stumpo said they still require some level of attention to get the maximum benefit.

Some people dont remember to change the filters, she added with a laugh while noting she sends a twice-a-year reminder e-mail to all her clients. They forget. I dont care how smart they are.

Cameron Sperance can be reached at camsperance@gmail.com. Subscribe to the Globes free real estate newsletter our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @globehomes.

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The COVID-proofed home drop://Pandemic-fueled design is more than just a second office and a gym - The Boston Globe

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture keeps records offood safety inspectionsat restaurants and food vendors.

Berks County is divided into three jurisdictions: Reading, Muhlenberg Township and the rest of the county. Reading and Muhlenberg Township have their own inspectors and the rest of the county is inspected by Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture inspectors.

The results will be posted every other week. All food vendors are inspected at least once a year. Other inspections can be triggered by a change of owner, a follow up if a facility had been out of compliance or by a complaint filed with the PDA.

View any vendor'slast inspection reportonline. Click on the PDF version of the inspection report for all details.

If a food provider is labeled out of compliance, that means it has one or more violations that require a return visit by an inspector. The establishment is given time to fix the problem(s) and remains open for business.

Complaints can be filed onlinewith the PDA.

Below are the results of inspections conducted between Dec. 16 and Dec. 29, 2020, that were filed in the state database as of Dec. 31, 2020, at 4 p.m.

They include the inspector's comments on violations.

Cristina's Family Restaurant, 500 Hoch Road, Blandon , Dec. 29: three violations. Wall walk-in cooler is split open at freezer side causing exposed wall material that must be repaired and cleaned. Owner had leak repaired and will finish wall. Observed several boxes of food stored directly on the floor in walk-in freezer area, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required. Observed mold'/dirt build up around door frames and gasket area of doors of the bain maries in kitchen and an accumulation of old dried grease residue and food debris under cook line, grills and fryer, and reach-in cooler area.

Dollar General Store #13791, 825 Park Road, Blandon , Dec. 29: one violation. Rear delivery door located in the storage room area of the food facility has a large gap at the bottom and does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals.

Friendly Restaurant #7676, 3024a Penn Ave., West Lawn , Dec. 29: no violations.

Margherita's Pizzeria, 3600 Kutztown Road, Laureldale , Dec. 29: five violations. Observed ice machine equipment, in kitchen area, with an accumulation of dust, dirt, limescale debris on ledge above ice bin door and around sides on non-food contact surfaces. Air vent above basement pizza dough table is hanging loose exposing duct work and must be repaired. Meatballs, a food which was cooled, was only reheated to 110 F for hot holding and not 165F for 15 seconds as required. Corrected. Loose, torn rubber door gaskets observed on the freezer drawer cooling unit on the cook line. Observed several boxes of food stored directly on the floor in basement freezer walk-in area, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required.

Universal Mart/Sunoco, 3500 Kutztown Road, Laureldale , Dec. 29: no violations.

Fleetwood Fire Social Quarters, Franklin & Washington, Fleetwood , Dec. 24: no violations.

Chicken Supreme, 410 Penn Ave., West Reading , Dec. 23: one violation. Working container (spray bottle) in front area, used for storing chemicals, cleaners taken from bulk supplies, was not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected.

Hot Mess Express Commissary, 118 Skyline Drive, Reading , Dec. 23: no violations.

Hot Mess Express Mff4 (Xmm-8214), 118 Skyline Drive, Reading , Dec. 23: no violations.

New York Bagelry, 2720 Penn Ave., West Lawn , Dec. 23: four violations. Steel legs supporting warewashing equipment, in the sink area, are not smooth, non-absorbent, corrosion resistant. Heavily rusted legs under warewashing sink/table area. Cream cheese storage refrigerator has a heavy build up of old food debris in bottom of vent area. Observed deeply scored and creviced cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. Vent pipe and hood over bagel pot has a heavy dust/dirt build up. Walk-in cooler has a build up of mold on walls and piping and also a dirt build up on floor under racks. Out of compliance.

Rite Aid #0290, 500 E Lancaster Ave., Shillington , Dec. 23: no violations.

Tony's Al Taglio, 449 Penn Ave. Rear, West Reading , Dec. 23: two violations. One set of lights is not shielded or shatterproof in the back area. Working container (spray bottle) in back area, used for storing chemicals, cleaners taken from bulk supplies, was not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected.

Wyomissing Restaurant & Bakery, 1245 Penn Ave., Wyomissing , Dec. 23: no violations.

Beansie's Cafe-mff3 Znm8829, 2957 Grandview Blvd., Reading , Dec. 22: no violations.

Domino's Pizza, 1350 Pottsville Pike, Shoemakersville , Dec. 22: one violation. The food facility does not have the original certificate for the certified food employee posted in public view.

Dunkin Donuts Baskin Robbins, 1 Cheltenham Drive, Wyomissing , Dec. 22: four violations. There is an accumulation of dust/dirt on the fan cover in the small under counter refrigerator at the front counter. Thermometers for ensuring proper temperature of equipment are not available or readily accessible in two of the small under counter refrigerators - at the front counter and near the back area. Paper towel dispenser empty at the handwash sink in the back area. Corrected. Soap was not available at the handwash sink in the back area. Corrected.

Grube's Dairy, 233 Main St. , Shoemakersville , Dec. 22: no violations.

Let's Taco Bout It Mexican Grill, 616 Penn Ave., West Reading , Dec. 22: three violations. Working container (spray bottle) in front area, used for storing chemicals, cleaners taken from bulk supplies, was not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected. One set of lights is not shielded or shatterproof in the back kitchen area. Thermometer for ensuring proper temperature of equipment is not available or readily accessible in the small under counter refrigerator in the front area. Corrected.

Pizza Hut #037139, 4207 Perkiomen Ave., Reading , Dec. 22: two violations. The wall at the 3-compartment sink and the outside of the dishwasher have an accumulation of dirt and old food debris. Plumbing system not maintained in good repair - observed water leaking at the handwash sink in the front area.

Rite Aid #0467, 525 Penn Ave., West Reading , Dec. 22: no violations.

Boston Market #3605, 140 Wilderness Trail, Hamburg , Dec. 21: six violations. Food facility is using plastic wrap and bottle to repair the plumbing drain system under the 3 bay sink, which is not an approved material. Soda fountain hoses and hot water heater overflow have drain hoses/lines that are down in drain basins and do not have an air gap and could create a backflow hazard. The floor / wall juncture in rear door area is not coved and closed to 1/32 inch. Broken floor tile at door and missing coving tile at door area. Loose rubber door gaskets observed on the front bain marie cooling unit and a gap at bottom of walk in freezer door causing ice build up around bottom of door. Plumbing system not maintained in good repair - observed warewashing sink drain line leaking under the sink. Rear door located in the storage room area of the food facility has a gap at the side and does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals.

Hassler's Filling Station, 3200 Conrad Weiser Parkway , Womelsdorf , Dec. 21: no violations.

Masa Hibachi & Sushi, 2733 Papermill Road, Wyomissing , Dec. 21: one violation. Observed an accumulation of old food debris/dirt on the floor under the dry storage shelves at the end of the cooking line.

McDonalds #05917, 3400 Conrad Weiser Parkway , Womelsdorf , Dec. 21: three violations. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. Ice coffee blender has an old splash residue build up around upper ring of mixer area and ice dispensing chute area. Front counter milk refrigerator has a condensate water build up on bottom and also wire racks in refrigerator have chipping peeling paint falling into refrigerator. Current frozen dessert test results were not available for review. Last test located was 3/5/20.

Outback Steakhouse #3919, 1101 Woodland Road, Wyomissing , Dec. 21: one violation. Observed an accumulation of dirt and old food debris along the edges of the floor throughout the kitchen and dry storage room.

Reading Liederkranz, 143 Spook Lane PO Box 4338 , Reading , Dec. 21: no violations.

Redner's Quick Shoppe #28, 6719 Bernville Road, Bernville , Dec. 21: no violations.

Ruby Tuesday #2946, 1665 State Hill Road, Wyomissing , Dec. 21: one violation. Some light bulbs in the kitchen area have the protective plastic tubing, but are missing the end caps.

Taco Bell #28527, 1199 A Berkshire Blvd., Wyomissing , Dec. 21: no violations.

Schuylkill Valley Elementary School, 62 Ashley Way , Leesport , Dec. 18: no violations.

Schuylkill Valley High School, 929 Lake Shore Drive, Leesport , Dec. 18: no violations.

Schuylkill Valley Middle School, 114 Ontelaunee Drive, Leesport , Dec. 18: no violations.

Koziar's Christmas Village, 782 Christmas Village Road, Bernville , Dec. 16: no violations.

Schaylor Brewing Company, 2390 Lancaster Ave., Reading , Dec. 16: four violations. Loose/torn rubber door gaskets observed on the kitchen bain marie cooling unit. Observed reach in beer refrigerator at bar and kitchen bain marie equipment with an accumulation of mold dirt, food residue, debris around door gaskets and door frames a non-food contact surfaces. Also floor in front of stand up freezer in kitchen has wet food debris residue build up. Plastic utensils used for cooking are chipped and misshapen and are not durable under normal use in the food facility. Corrected. Observed food stored in bar reach in with mixers, where it is subject to splash from ponding of condensate water on bottom of refrigerator.

Wawa Food Market #147, 2709 N. Meridian Blvd., Wyomissing , Dec. 16: no violations.

8899 Chinese Restaurant, 2605 Kutztown Road, Dec. 26: one violation. Shelled eggs (unpasteurized) were stored above RTE foods. Corrected on inspection and moved to lowest shelf.

Alebrije Mexican Restaurant, 3225 N. Fifth Street Highway, Dec. 26: one violation. Food in the cook's reach-in refrigerator stored open with no covering. Corrected on inspection.

New Happy Garden, 4447C N. Fifth Street Highway, Dec. 26: two violations.Container of raw chicken stored above a container of RTE food in walk-in refrigerator; corrected immediately. Food dispensing utensil in all bulk food containers observed stored in the food and not with handle above the top of the food and the container. Observed in-use knives and /or cleavers stored between table edges or between tables, an area not easily cleanable & sanitized.

Holy Guardian Angels Regional School, 3125 Kutztown Road, Dec. 21: no violations.

Jersey Mike's Sub Shop, 3225 N. Fifth Street Highway, Dec. 18: one violation. Wall behind the bain marie, has a hole with loose receptacle case, and is in need of repair.

Route 61 Diner, 3455 Pottsville Pike, Dec. 18: three violations. Marinara sauce was held at 129.5 F, in the cook's area, rather than 135F or above as required. Corrected on inspection. Pans/equipment not stored inverted or covered. Clean food equipment stored while wet, and not draining and/or air-drying.

Emily Mini Market, 349 N. 13th St., Dec. 21: no violations.

La Union Mini Market 372087, 1004 Hampden Blvd., Dec. 21: no violations.

Loncheria Dona Tere, 800 N. 13th St., Dec. 21: 11 violations. Torn rubber door gaskets observed on the bain marie in the kitchen area. No sign or poster posted at the handwash sink in the kitchen area to remind food employees to wash their hands. Paper towel dispenser empty at the handwash sink in the kitchen area. Personal items were observed in the counter and kitchen area, and not stored in dressing rooms or identified storage area as required. The Person in Charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility as evidenced by this non-compliant inspection. Food storage containers, in the cooler area, are not labeled with the common name of the food. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. Handwash sink in the kitchen is not operable. Food found to be uncovered in the walk-in cooler appearing discolored and dried out. Gloves were not available for employee use. General unsanitary conditions exist on all food contact surfaces. Entire facility not cleaned at a frequency to prevent the build up of dirt and dust. Out of compliance.

Nino And Sons Pizza, 301 N. 13th St., Dec. 21: no violations.

Shomper's Exxon A5210140, 1014 N. 13th St., Dec. 21: no violations.

11th & Marion Mini Store, 1101 Marion St., Dec. 18: no violations.

A Plus Mini Market A5208420, 844 N. 13th St., Dec. 18: one violation. The handwash sink does not have single use towels, continuous towels, or air drying device.

Singh Market, 928 N. 13th St., Dec. 18: no violations.

Turkey Hill #54 A5204250, 425 N. 13th St., Dec. 18: one violation. Several containers of milk in the cooler for sale to the public past the sell-by date.

The following reports for the period of Dec. 2 to Dec. 15, 2020, were added to the state's database after Dec. 17 and did not appearinthe previous Berks food safety report.

CVS #05065, 8565 Allentown Pike, Blandon , Dec. 15: one violation. All customer reach-in refrigerators and freezer in front area of the food facility is extremely dirty, dusty, and in need of cleaning. Exterior front vents and door gasket areas have heavy dust & dirt build up.

Dunkin Donuts #355023, 2 Penn Ave., Robesonia , Dec. 15: one violation. Observed bags of ice food stored directly on the floor in freezer area, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required. Observed shelf of various food stored in walk-in cooler area, where it is subject to splash from condensate water dripping off of pipe above shelf.

Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins, 8448 Allentown Pike, Blandon , Dec. 15: three violations. Flooring in walk in cooler at freezer door is buckled and must be repaired. The food facility does not have the original certificate for the certified food employee posted in public view. The food facility does not maintain Food Employee Certification records as required.

Family Dollar Store #11484, 1 W. Penn Ave., Wernersville , Dec. 15: no violations.

Giant Food Store #6446, 4655 Perkiomen Ave., Reading , Dec. 15: four violations. Some of the sprayer nozzles in the produce display area were not clean to sight and touch. Corrected. Two handwash sinks in the deli area do not have single use towels. Corrected. Spray bottle of water in the bakery area is not labeled to identify the contents. Corrected. Condenser fan covers in the deli and dairy walk-in coolers have an accumulation of dust/dirt.

Hissho Sushi @ Giant #6446, 4655 Perkiomen Ave., Reading , Dec. 15: no violations.

Klinger's On Carsonia, 721 Carsonia Ave., Reading , Dec. 15: no violations.

Sunoco Robesonia, 159 W. Penn Ave., Robesonia , Dec. 15: two violations. Food Facility has packaged premade sandwich foods which is not labeled properly as required. Food Facility Person in Charge not able to provide documentation that premade sandwich foods are from an approved source. Sandwiches disposed of.

Friendly Restaurant #7675, 400 N. Park Road, Wyomissing , Dec. 14: two violations. Food Facility has packaged premade sandwich foods which is not labeled properly as required. Food Facility Person in Charge not able to provide documentation that premade sandwich foods are from an approved source. Sandwiches disposed of.

Giant Food #6050, 2641 Shillington Road, Sinking Spring , Dec. 14: six violations. Loose caulking observed hanging from the underside of the produce ice machine where the ice drops into bins. A temperature measuring device for monitoring the mechanical sanitizing water temperatures is not available. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. Bottom of broccoli storage case has a sludge/stagnant water build up and top shelf has a slime build up along front of shelf. Mops are not being hung to air dry. Stagnant ponding of water and debris/trash build up behind ice machine in the produce prep room. Produce and bakery walk in cooler fan area of the food facility is extremely dirty, dusty, and in need of cleaning. Food facility has no record or knowledge of the last draining, cleaning and sanitizing the water reservoir, including tubing and nozzles, for the produce fogger.

Little Caesars, 3580 Penn Ave., Sinking Spring , Dec. 14: one violation. Spray hose for warewashing sink is leaking at the top. New faucet on site to repair today. Also hand sink in rear has a loose hot water faucet that is broke and also on site for repair today.

Plaza Azteca Wyomissing, 955 Woodland Road, Wyomissing , Dec. 14: three violations. Small scoop being stored in the ice bin at the kitchen soda unit with handle buried beneath the ice. Corrected. Food items were held at 48 (shrimp) and 50 (mixed vegetables) F, in two of the bain marie units at the cooking line, rather than 41F or below as required. Items were removed from the walk-in cooler and placed in these units this morning around 10 am. Items will be disposed of before 2 pm. The manager called for service on these units and a service technician will be arriving today. Units may not be used until they can hold foods at proper temperature. A working container of cleaner was stored on a tray with spice containers in the kitchen area. Corrected.

Subway #10484, 2677 Shillington Road, Sinking Spring , Dec. 14: three violations. Wall around mop sink area has a mold/soil build up and bottom of sink has dirt/soil accumulation. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. Soda fountain has a mold residue build up next to the ice chute dispensing area. The floor / wall juncture in mop sink area is not coved and closed to 1/32 inch. Missing coving tile at rear doorway next to mop sink.

Tasker's Beer Barn, 6520 Perkiomen Ave., Birdsboro , Dec. 14: no violations.

Tokyo Hibachi & Bar, 960 Woodland Road, Wyomissing , Dec. 14: no violations.

Cushion Peak Rod & Gun Club, 180 Vinemont Road, Reinholds , Dec. 11: no violations.

Dairy Queen #10296, 4399 Penn Ave., Sinking Spring , Dec. 11: three violations. Plastic utensils used for cooking are deformed/ripped and misshapen and are not durable under normal use in the food facility. Corrected. The floor / wall juncture in hand sink area is not coved and closed to 1/32 inch. Loose coving tile below hand sink. Old date labels and label residue on clean containers on dishrack and food containers in reach in refrigerator.

Dunkin Donuts, 3818 Penn Ave., Sinking Spring , Dec. 11: one violation. Ceiling vent, ceiling tiles around vent, wall at sandwich station, and hood vent area of the food facility is extremely dirty, dusty, and in need of cleaning.

Family Dollar Store #28494, 3564 Penn Ave., Sinking Spring , Dec. 11: no violations.

Fiore Ristorante Italiano Bar & Pizzeria, 401 Main St., Shoemakersville , Dec. 11: one violation. The food facility does not have the original certificate for the certified food employee posted in public view.

Moss Wines, 510 Bertolet Mill Road, Oley , Dec. 11: no violations.

Stokesay Castle, 141 Stokesay Castle Lane, Reading , Dec. 11: one violation. Loose rubber door gaskets observed on the True refrigeration unit at the left end of the cooking line.

Stopper's, 6421 Perkiomen Ave., Birdsboro , Dec. 11: no violations.

Sweet Beginnings, 43 E. Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown , Dec. 11: two violations. Observed several boxes of food stored directly on the floor in freezer area, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required. Facility does not have a current frozen dessert test for soft serve machines.

Dairy Queen #13176, 820 Kenhorst Plaza, Kenhorst , Dec. 10: two violations. Observed several boxes of food stored directly on the floor in freezer area, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required. Facility does not have a current frozen dessert test for soft serve machines.

New York Bagelry, 150 Kenhorst Plaza, Shillington , Dec. 10: seven violations. Observed heavy dust and dirt build up on underside of top level of bagel mold conveyor belt above food area of bottom belt and must be cleaned more frequently. Working containers hanging on food shelf area, used for storing *chemicals, cleaners* taken from bulk supplies, were not marked with the common name of the chemical. Discarded. A working container of *cleaner / sanitizer* was stored above or on the same shelf with food, equipment, and/or single service articles in the bagel shelf area. Corrected. Single-use plastic containers without a handle are being used as scoops in cornmeal, flour etc. Observed heavy food product residue build up on inside of containers with cinnamon sugar for bagels. Containers should be changed out more frequently. Also bagel table cutting board is deeply grooved and must be replaced. Observed plastic bins in bagel mixing area, with an accumulation of dust, dirt, food residue, debris on non-food contact surfaces. Handles of flour, cornstarch bins full of old crumbs and food product. Threshold of walk In freezer is lifted up allowing a build up of food product to get underneath.

No. 1 Chinese Restaurant, 160 Kenhorst Plaza, Shillington , Dec. 10: no violations.

Screpesi Sandwich Shop, 1365 Alleghenyville Road, Mohnton , Dec. 10: no violations.

Swatty Creek Farm, 7725 Lancaster Ave., Myerstown , Dec. 03: one violation. Labels for honey do not contain the original source. (Not from this facility).

5th Street Diner, 5340 Allentown Pike, Dec. 12: five violations. Food dispensing utensil in panko/bread crumbs observed stored in the food and not with handle above the top of the food. Corrected on inspection. Silver three-door reach-in refrigerator was 40.8 degrees F. Upon opening door, temperature rose to >45 degrees F., and did not activate compressor until temperature rose to 47.0 degrees F, at which point it activated and dropped to <41 degrees F. Requires attention to confirm compressor activation at lower temperature. Food placed into another cooler, until corrected/replaced (per owner plan). Commercially processed ready-to-eat food, located in the walk-in refrigerator and held more than 48 hours, is not being marked with the date it was opened. Food employee observed storing clean food equipment while wet, and not allowing time for draining and/or air-drying. Cook's refrigerator gaskets soiled.

A Plus Sunoco 344155, 719 Spring St., Dec. 15: one violation. No sign or poster posted at the handwash sink to remind food employees to wash their hands. The handwash sink does not have single use towels, continuous towels, or air drying device.

Eli's Corner, 146 Oley St., Dec. 15: four violations. Filters are missing from the ventilation hood. Sanitizer tablets were not available st the 3 compartment sink. No sign or poster posted at the handwash sink in the to remind food employees to wash their hands. The handwash sink in the area does not have single use towels, continuous towels, or air drying device. The handwash sink was blocked and not accessible at all times for employee use.

Rocky's Pizza 66604450, 445 Spring St., Dec. 15: no violations.

Turkey Hill #120 66605010, 501 Spring St., Dec. 15: one violation. Two containers of milk were in the cooler for sale to the public past the sell- by date.

Excerpt from:
Berks food safety inspections December 16 to December 29, 2020: Two places were out of compliance, one for general unsanitary conditions - Reading...

The Telegraph

Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, who hasnt been seen in public for several weeks after criticising Chinas financial regulatory system, has now disappeared as a judge on a TV talent show that he created. Mr Ma was absent from the final of The Apprentice-style Africas Business Heroes, a show that offers budding African entrepreneurs the chance to compete for a share of US$1.5 million (1.1 million) in prize money. Mr Ma was originally due to be part of the panel that judged contestants business ideas. But he was replaced as a judge by an executive from Alibaba, the ecommerce company that he founded, in the November final. His photograph has also been taken down from the judging webpage and he was left out of a promotional video, according to the Financial Times, which also reported that broadcast of the final has been delayed until the spring. The paper cited a spokesperson for Alibaba as saying that Mr Ma could no longer be part of the judging panel due to a schedule conflict. One of Chinas most successful entrepreneurs, Mr Ma appears to have fallen foul of its leaders after he criticised the countrys regulators and its state-owned banks in late October. In a speech in Shanghai, he called for reform of the regulatory system, which he said was stifling innovation. About a week later, the Shanghai Stock Exchange ordered a US$37 billion initial public offering of Ant Group, a financial technology firm co-founded by Mr Ma, to be suspended. Mr Ma reportedly hasnt been seen in public since then. In late December, Chinese authorities announced an investigation into Alibaba for suspected monopolistic behaviour, and ordered Ant Group to restructure its operations to meet regulatory guidelines. Chinese authorities are trying to tighten oversight of the countrys financial sector, but are also seen as wanting to rein in the huge influence of private tech giants. Mr Ma is a popular figure in China, and one of the countrys best-known businesspeople abroad. Formerly an English teacher, he founded Alibaba in 1999, which became Chinas biggest online ecommerce company. He stepped down as the companys chairman in 2019, but is still one of its largest shareholders.

Continue reading here:
How to get the COVID-19 vaccine if you're facing trouble - Yahoo News

On New Years Day 2014, the New York City mayor, Bill de Blasio, entered office promising to end the tale of two cities with a progressive agenda that he said would address the economic and social inequalities that threaten to unravel the city we love.

But seven years and a global pandemic later, campaigning to decide the Democrats successor is heating up, and the next mayor looks set to inherit a city where experts say those disparities are not only on the rise, but are in a state of crisis.

In the wake of coronavirus, which to date has killed more than 25,000 people in the city, New York faces an unemployment rate of 12.1% almost double that of the US overall the threat of mass evictions, surging gun violence and burglary, a multibillion-dollar funding gap and an exodus of more than 300,000 residents.

This is undoubtedly the toughest situation any mayor has had to face, said Kathryn Wylde, the president and CEO of business group the Partnership for New York City. 9/11 was difficult, but it was contained to one geographic area of the city.

While she said the health implications of Covid-19 were becoming better understood, the economic impact is only just unfolding. So nobody really knows the consequences there, thats still a moving target and an increasing number.

And yet despite the unprecedented challenges, there is no shortage of people vying to become the next mayor. So far, 32 candidates have filed paperwork to participate in the 2021 race, according to the citys Campaign Finance Board (CFB).

It is a diverse field that includes several former members of the De Blasio administration, a member of Barack Obamas White House cabinet and a former New York police officer. The former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang has filed paperwork and is reportedly preparing to launch a run in early or mid-January.

De Blasios term does not officially end until 31 December 2021. But with less than six months to go until the Democratic primaries on 22 June which, due to the left-leaning politics of the city, will probably decide the winner of Novembers election candidates will not have long to make their case.

With industries including retail, tourism, restaurants, culture and entertainment suffering, and a third of the citys 240,000 small businesses predicted not to reopen, the citys economic recovery is likely to take centre stage.

Jonathan Bowles, the executive director of the Center for an Urban Future said the city was on the verge of a potential fiscal catastrophe if it did not get the help it needs from the federal government, which could lead to major cuts in subways, sanitation and parks.

Although the $900bn stimulus bill passed by Congress in December included some funding for public transport, it did not include aid for state and local governments, and New Yorks Metropolitan Transportation Authority still faces an $8bn deficit.

Even as the city is losing all sorts of revenue, tax revenue, the needs for the safety net are growing. People are going hungry, theyre standing in line for soup kitchens, there are more people becoming homeless, so these are massive issues that are facing the city, said Bowles.

At the same time, the way that the pandemic has changed the economy, with people working from home, it creates all sorts of risks that some people will move out of New York or people that have moved temporarily may not come back.

The next mayor needs to prioritise building back more inclusively, he said, because too few New Yorkers got ahead during the boom times of the last decade and a lot of those disparities, those racial and ethnic disparities, have been accelerated in this pandemic.

Other issues likely to be on the incoming mayors immediate priorities are education, social and racial justice and crime.

The first thing is jobs, schools, crime. Thats it. You get any one of those working, youll be better than the current mayor, said Mitchell Moss, an NYU professor of urban policy and planning. De Blasio, he said, had clearly checked out and lost the trust of teachers, police, parents and his own staff.

While his successes include implementing free prekindergarten for all, the mayor has faced criticism of his leadership including his handling of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests following the police killing of George Floyd and his failed 2020 presidential run. He has also been known to publicly bicker with the New York governor, Andrew Cuomo.

Bill Neidhardt, a spokesman for the mayor, said: Mayor de Blasio just made the single largest move in decades to integrate public schools on the same day as committing to over 20 new NYPD reforms If someone doesnt believe that work is important or urgent, then Im not sure what to tell them.

At the moment, Moss said, it is a wide open race. As well as campaigning during a pandemic, candidates will also be faced with educating voters on a new ranked-choice voting system, which critics argue has not been sufficiently explained to voters.

They will also need to convince New Yorkers to come out to vote. In 2013, De Blasio won the Democratic mayoral primary in which only registered Democrats can vote with the votes of only about 3% of all New Yorkers.

Among the frontrunners so far are the city comptroller, Scott Stringer; the Brooklyn borough president, Eric Adams; the lawyer and civil rights activist Maya Wiley; Obamas housing secretary and the budget director Shaun Donovan; the ex-sanitation commissioner Kathryn Garcia; the former non-profit executive Dianne Morales and the former Citigroup vice-chairman Ray McGuire, who launched his campaign with a video narrated by Spike Lee.

Adams, 60, was a New York City police department (NYPD) officer for 22 years and in 2013 was elected Brooklyns first Black borough president. He decided to join NYPD after he was beaten by police when he was 15 because he wanted to change it from within.

I know New York City, Ive had some challenging times, Ive overcome them and now we need a mayor that can overcome and help people overcome the challenging times that theyre facing, he said.

He does not believe in defunding the police, but says police spending could be improved to move from being reactionary to crime and become proactive.

He wants to improve relations between New Yorkers and its police force by hiring more officers from the city and would also have a zero tolerance approach to abusive police officers.

He called for ranked choice voting to be postponed because he said the city has failed to educate voters on the new system which in effect will disenfranchise voters.

Stringer, 60, who has been city comptroller since 2013, said if he became mayor he would turn the page on the last eight years.

His first order of business, he said, would be to close our budget gap and get to work on kickstarting the economy in a just and equitable way.

Donovan, 54, said his experience with crises, budget handling and relationships with the Biden administration from his time at the White House would serve him well as mayor. He added: Building back has to begin with repairing our civic fabric and repairing our quality of life.

He plans to focus on equity and to appoint the citys first chief equity officer and make New York the leading equity city in the world.

If Wiley, 55, who was a top counsel to De Blasio and has worked as a legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, becomes mayor she would be the first woman and only the second Black person in the role.

She said New York needs to learn from the citys previous crises where the city recovered but did not fix its underlying problems.

For every single time we have had crises in this city, we have recovered we just havent recovered everyone.

Instead, she said, the city should invest its budget fairly and justly and in ways that preserve its diversity.

She said coronavirus has created a historic humanitarian crisis in the city and the subsequent loss of life has caused unspeakable trauma.

We are traumatised as a city, we are afraid, we have lost. And thats why we need a leadership that actually calls us together to pull on our strengths, to pull us together.

View post:
The race to replace Bill de Blasio: Who will be New York City's next mayor? - The Guardian

The Telegraph

Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, who hasnt been seen in public for several weeks after criticising Chinas financial regulatory system, has now disappeared as a judge on a TV talent show that he created. Mr Ma was absent from the final of The Apprentice-style Africas Business Heroes, a show that offers budding African entrepreneurs the chance to compete for a share of US$1.5 million (1.1 million) in prize money. Mr Ma was originally due to be part of the panel that judged contestants business ideas. But he was replaced as a judge by an executive from Alibaba, the ecommerce company that he founded, in the November final. His photograph has also been taken down from the judging webpage and he was left out of a promotional video, according to the Financial Times, which also reported that broadcast of the final has been delayed until the spring. The paper cited a spokesperson for Alibaba as saying that Mr Ma could no longer be part of the judging panel due to a schedule conflict. One of Chinas most successful entrepreneurs, Mr Ma appears to have fallen foul of its leaders after he criticised the countrys regulators and its state-owned banks in late October. In a speech in Shanghai, he called for reform of the regulatory system, which he said was stifling innovation. About a week later, the Shanghai Stock Exchange ordered a US$37 billion initial public offering of Ant Group, a financial technology firm co-founded by Mr Ma, to be suspended. Mr Ma reportedly hasnt been seen in public since then. In late December, Chinese authorities announced an investigation into Alibaba for suspected monopolistic behaviour, and ordered Ant Group to restructure its operations to meet regulatory guidelines. Chinese authorities are trying to tighten oversight of the countrys financial sector, but are also seen as wanting to rein in the huge influence of private tech giants. Mr Ma is a popular figure in China, and one of the countrys best-known businesspeople abroad. Formerly an English teacher, he founded Alibaba in 1999, which became Chinas biggest online ecommerce company. He stepped down as the companys chairman in 2019, but is still one of its largest shareholders.

See the original post here:
Remembering the lives lost to COVID-19 in 2020 - Yahoo News

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has admitted that he is nervous about revellers kissing lots of people at potential New Years Eve celebrations.

The Cabinet is expected to meet this Wednesday afternoon to discuss implementing a full Level 5 lockdown.

Pubs and restaurants were forced to shut their doors on December 24 as the Government confirmed Level 5 restrictions with some modifications.

Household visits fell to just one other household from December 26 but will cease completely from January 1.

The Cabinet is expected to discuss closing non-essential retail and gyms at their emergency meeting this afternoon. It has also been suggested that 5km travel restrictions may be reimplemented.

Speaking to Newstalks The Hard Shoulder, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly admitted that the Government is worried about the climbing number of COVID-19 cases.

The Fianna Fail TD for Wicklow said that, in particular, he is worried about people becoming overly amorous at potential New Years Eve celebrations.

He told Newstalk that there was no question that increased socialisation over the last number of weeks has led to increased COVID-19 case figures.

Minister Donnelly went onto say there should be no kissing lots of people on New Years Eve.

He noted that the emergency Cabinet meeting was called to discuss both the increasing case figures and the concerning number of hospitalisations over the last week.

He explained: It is in response to two things. One is the very serious and ongoing rise in cases.

The second is linked to a very big increase in hospitalisations.

We will be meeting to consider new measures. Its an unscheduled Cabinet meeting and we are meeting specifically in the context of the NPHET advice which is to move to full Level 5 and indeed the rise in cases and hospitalisations.

But suffice to say the purpose of the meeting is to look at the measures and see are there more changes required given the situation were facing.

Stephen Donnellys comments come as Ireland recorded its highest ever COVID-19 case count.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) confirmed an additional 1,546 COVID-19 cases. There were also another nine deaths linked to the virus.

There were 409 people in hospital with the virus on Tuesday evening.

See the original post:
Stephen Donnelly says kissing lots of people on New Years Eve is not allowed - Extra.ie

Kitchen Cabinet Services Market 2020-2025 report offers a comprehensive valuation of the marketplace. The report examines factors influencing growth of the market along with detailing of the key trends, drivers, restraints, regional trends, and opportunities. Moreover, Reports Intellect provides a competitive landscape to the companies and their strategic developments. Each segment is examined carefully by articulating in sales, revenue and market size in order to understand the potential of growth and scope.

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Research Report and Overview on Kitchen Cabinet Services Market, 2020-2025 - The Monitor

A "toxic and unprecedented level of scenarios" have emerged as a result of the increase in COVID-19 cases, according to the CEO of the HSE.

Positivity rates for tests on some days are reaching as high as 20%, including on tests carried out yesterday.

It comes as the Cabinet is gathering to consider reintroducing level five restrictions, which would close non-essential retail and gyms.

The unscheduled meeting is taking place this afternoon due to the soaring rates of coronavirus in Ireland.

1,546 new caseswere confirmed yesterday while 454 patients are currently in hospital today with the virus following 59 further hospitalisations in the last 24 hours.

The head of the HSE Paul Reid says the scale of which the virus is transmitting is worrying.

He told a HSE briefing this afternoon that most of his worst concerns about the capacity of the health system which had been outlined before Christmas "have certainly been realised".

Mr Reid said: "There's what I describe as an unprecedented and toxic combination of potential scenarios [which] have literally been realised and have emerged.

"That's a combination of a massively high level and rapidly growing daily cases."

Added to this is high levels of positivity which "we haven't seen in such a long time" and "extreme" numbers of close contacts.

Speaking at the same briefing, Dr Colm Henry, the Chief Clinical Officer at the HSE saidthe R-number of COVID-19 transmission in Ireland is now at 1.8.

Mr Reid said the HSE were extremely concerned about the number of hospitalisations, particularly in the past 48 to 72 hours.

He made an "urgent and serious call to the public" over the "alarming and high-risk situation" with the virus at the moment.

Transmission levels in the community are very worrying, he added, and so he called on "everybody to take immediate actions" over withdrawing from any planned activities involving meeting people in the coming days.

The average positively rate over the past seven days has been at around 10%, but on some days, including yesterday, that hit 20%.

Demand for community testing has also increased by 100% in the last few weeks, he said.

On the roll-out of the vaccination programme, which began yesterday, Mr Reid said the "immediate focus" in the coming days would be on healthcare workers.

Additional reporting by Andrew Lowth

Link:
HSE's worst concerns over COVID-19 have been realised, chief says - Newstalk