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More than 80 million Americans are having difficulty paying their bills during the COVID-19 recession, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey.

This financial insecurity extends to necessary household expenses like utility bills. As a result, many local governments and public utility companies have passed moratoriums on utility shutoffs, so that people can still have running water, electricity, and heat even if they fall behind on payments.

While somes states have been extending their COVID-19 moratoriums as the pandemic stretches on, utility shutoff moratoriums in Florida, Virginia, and other states have ended, leaving millions of working-class people holding the bag. And even if youre fortunate enough to be covered by a moratorium, it doesnt mean youre in the clear it only means your unpaid bills are deferred. This means that you could owe several months worth of water, electric, or gas bills, on top of getting those utilities shut off, when your state moratorium expires.

Heres what you should know about utility moratoriums, how they work, and what private and public programs you can tap into to help pay your bills. Plus, see below for a state-by-state list of public and private programs that can help you manage your utility bills.

A utility moratorium is a temporary suspension of shutoffs, meaning utility companies cant cut your access to electricity, water, gas, or electricity due to non-payment. Utility companies will often enact moratoriums in the winter or summer (depending on where you live) when the weather is too extreme to send out a technician. These moratoriums are either based on fluctuating temperatures or scheduled for certain months throughout the year.

Now state, county, and city governments and private utility companies have enacted utility shutoff moratoriums in response to historic unemployment numbers and COVID-19. Many of these programs have already expired or will expire soon, according to the Wall Street Journal. The National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), which represents state administrators of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), estimates that at the end of October, only 40% of the U.S. population was covered by a COVID-19 moratorium down from 57% in July.

The sheer number of people affected by COVID-19 threatens to overload the existing private and public programs that have alleviated financial struggle over utility bills, says Mark Wolfe, executive director of NEADA. Typically, 6 million households receive public energy assistance every year, but Wolfe expects that number to be much higher due to historic unemployment rates.

Moratoriums work as a band-aid solution for struggling households, but werent designed to solve or alleviate financial hardship. Moratoriums essentially delay payment, says Wolfe. Theyre not a grant.

That presents a problem for people experiencing financial insecurity. Say you lost your job at the beginning of the pandemic and havent been able to find work since. If you live in a place with winter utility moratoriums in place, then you wont be shut off but would accumulate debt along the way. If you dont get another job until the economy recovers, which could be next spring, you could have a years worth of energy bills, Wolfe says. Thats an awful lot of money for low-income families.

You can check if your locality or utility company is subject to a moratorium using these resources:

If youve fallen behind on utility bills or are struggling to make the payments each month, then youre likely eligible for programs available in your state or utility company.

If youre temporarily low income, its very likely youre eligible for assistance even if you dont have a shutoff notice, and even if youre paying your utility bills, Wolfe says. Dont wait until youre falling behind [to apply].

Many utility companies have enacted their own moratoriums on shutoffs in response to COVID-19, and many already have programs that provide assistance to low-income customers.

Check what your utility company has to offer, as they may be able to offer relief, says Jim Chilsen, managing communications director and spokesperson for Citizens Utility Board, a consumer advocacy group representing utility customers across Illinois.

In Illinois, for example, state officials, consumer advocates, and major utility companies such as Peoples Gas and ComEd came to an agreement that allowed families to get the financial assistance they needed with their energy bills no questions asked.

You must call these utilities and let them know youre experiencing financial hardship, and then you can connect to see these consumer protections. All you need to say, Im struggling to pay my bills. No documented proof of hardship is required [in Illinois]. You can connect to the moratorium on disconnection, you can sign up for consumer-friendly payment programs, and also deposits will be waived, Chilsen says.

Keep in mind, though, that not all utilities will recognize your financial situation. Wolfe says that municipal utilities (owned by the government, as opposed to private investor-owned utility companies like Duke Energy and Florida Power & Light Company) and co-ops are often not covered by moratoriums and have been more aggressive in collections during the pandemic. However, its still worth getting on the phone and asking them what assistance theyre able to offer.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federal program that helps low-income families pay their energy bills specifically electric, gas, heating, and propane (water not included). Its a national assistance program administered independently by each state through block grants. Depending on the state, this program may be called LEAP, EAP, or another variant of LIHEAP.

Generally, 6 million households a year receive assistance from LIHEAP, but with the pandemic, Wolfe, whose organization NEADA represents LIHEAP administrators, expects that number to rise dramatically. Now were expecting millions of people, formerly middle class, eligible for assistance, he says.

Qualifications and application processes will differ for each state, but generally, the program helps people pay energy bills, deal with crises that affect heating and cooling in their homes (i.e., storms and natural disasters), make their homes more energy efficient, and repair old or broken heating and cooling systems.

Some states require whats called income and asset tests (which assess whether youre low income by specifying based on how much money you earn or possess) to qualify for LIHEAP. To be approved for the program, you must be low-income and states define this differently, but generally, its measured by how your income compares to the federal poverty level and median household income. Some states require more stringent documentation, such as pay stubs, proof of citizenship, permanent address, and employment statements, to back up the info provided in the application. And some only help with heating or cooling not both.

To apply to LIHEAP, youd need to go to your states local office and find out the qualifications, application process, and how much assistance youre eligible to receive (in the form of a one-time payment). There are three ways to find your local office:

Through the Department of Energy, the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) helps low-income families save money on their utility bills by making their homes more energy efficient. These renovations help conserve fuel through HVAC repairs and replacements, by adding insulation, by replacing refrigerators and lighting, and implementing other energy-saving changes. Generally, they wont repair your roof or fix your plumbing, because of the cost of those repairs.

Similar to LIHEAP, eligibility requirements will differ depending on the state you live in. So depending on where you live, your state may require household income or asset tests to determine if someone is low-income. Weatherization generally benefits homeowners, but renters can qualify if their landlords sign a consent form.

To apply to the Weatherization Assistance Program, contact your local WAP office.

In addition to LIHEAP and WAP, many states offer relief programs intended for low-income families struggling to pay utility bills. Heres a list of additional statewide public and private programs:

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Utility Bill Deferments Are Ending. Heres a State-by-State List of Programs That Can Help - NextAdvisor

By Dan Diehl

The commercial real estate industry endured a year unlike any other in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic left offices empty for months on end, prompting unprecedented scrutiny of filtration, controls, and each buildings ventilation effectiveness. Employees suddenly feared airborne transmission and questioned the safety of air quality and in-person work.

If you are a building owner, youre hearing new concerns from your tenants. Theyre worried about keeping their employees safe, healthy and productive and they want assurances that their office environment is not endangering their workers. In particular, your tenants are expressing pointed concerns about their buildings systems for ensuring indoor air quality (IAQ): What can we know about the air quality being delivered to our space? What IAQ safety strategies are being deployed by our building operator?

These questions are just the beginning and they range beyond COVID-19. The world has truly awakened to the importance of air quality, and its impact on building occupants. Of course, this air quality awareness was already happening the recent COGfx Study showed the impact of green buildings on cognitive function, for example, while the International WELL Building Institutes WELL Certification has emerged as the leading system for examining how the built environment impacts human health. Atop this existing momentum, COVID created a tidal wave of support for healthy buildings, and specifically for the IAQ concept.

Despite the new imperative around IAQ, many in the commercial real estate space remain undecided on whether (and how) to proceed. This is understandable up to a point. After all, who can say what the world will look like on January 1, 2021? Youre probably questioning the ROI from any spending you apply to IAQ improvements. Whether for COVID-related re-occupancy or longer-term IAQ goals, its hard to justify this investment, right?

Wrong. Why? Because of one reality: healthy buildings are here to stay.

Employees WILL return to the office; that much is a certainty. For one thing, most large enterprise organizations prefer their employees to work in-office. Likewise, most employees long for a return to normalcy and that means going to work, not combatting more Zoom fatigue.

COVID-19 is not the sole reason you should want to provide healthy buildings. Instead, this public health crisis serves a prime example for why you implement and maintain healthy buildings over time. One of the longer-term effects of this heightened awareness will be requiring building owners and operators to maintain and communicate healthy building parameters. This could even emerge as a standard lease requirement. As a building owner, this means you must implement holistic management solutions and know you are delivering healthy air to all tenants. The key is measuring, controlling, and communicating IAQ analytics based on multiple parameters and, in real time, directing more air when and where needed.

If youre getting nervous about the investment needed to install these systems, there is some good news. Last March, the U.S. Congress passed the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other provisions, this federal stimulus package delivers tax benefits for facility improvements.

Under the 2020 CARES Act, non-residential property owners may be able to write off up to 100% of qualifying facility improvements costs. The tax savings is realized through a bonus depreciation for certain qualified improvements made to the interior portion of a commercial building. These improvements include the following:

Air Quality as a Service (AQaaS) is another solution increasingly offered and sought after by the marketplace. It allows companies significantly lower upfront expenditures, making it easier and faster to deploy in existing buildings. In many cases, AQaaS solutions deliver sufficient HVAC efficiency gains that help adopting companies cover all or much of the cost of their IAQ improvement investments.

When employees do return to the office, building owners must demonstrate a healthy environment. This means being able to demonstrate to occupants that the solutions chosen for the building are in fact making improvements. Building owners cant just choose a technology that claims to kill COVID or improve air quality, check the box, and walk away.

The IAQ solution should continuously measure air quality parameters: CO2, particles, TVOCs, and dewpoint to ensure effectiveness. Ideally, IAQ analytics should be part of the platform, particularly to communicate IAQ first to operators so they can make necessary corrections. After all, you cant manage and control what you do not accurately measure. Todays smart, healthy buildings are data driven baseline levels and continuous analytics showing where you are and what strategies might need tweaking.

This is an accountability question. How healthy is your building? The answer to that question will determine your success in responding to this opportunity.

Based on what we experienced in the past year, its clear that you have three new realities: healthy buildings are here to stay, the technology exists to accurately measure and manage air quality and, perhaps most importantly, now is the time to act.

Diehl is CEO of Aircuity and has over 25 years of industry expertise across a wide variety of vertical markets and disciplines in commercial and light industrial building markets. Prior to Aircuity he led business development at Lutron Electronics, was a partner for six years with Synergy, and spent 11 years at Johnson Controls, Inc. Diehl earned a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland and has an MBA from Villanova University.

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In Pursuit Of Healthy Indoor Air For Buildings, Tech Tools Will Help - Facility Executive Magazine

Cleaning out the attic: $110 - $160

Before renovation, you'll need to clear out your attic. You'll need to remove your stuff, clean any water damage, damage fromrodent or pest problems, and possibly remove insulation.

You can do this yourself or hire a professional cleaning and insulation service to give your attic the clean slate it needs. The averagecost of a professional attic cleaningranges from $110 to $160.

You will need to install new insulation to make the space habitable. To add attic insulation, expectinstallation to cost between $800 - $3,500, including materials and labor for a professional to add it.

Many homeowners use spray foam insulation in their attics, since it's easy to use in new construction with open and unfinished walls and attic spaces. Expect to pay between $3 to $5 per square foot on average nationwide to have spray foam injected into an existing home.

Not only is proper insulation a key step to finishing your remodel, it can also help decrease your overall heating and air conditioning costs.

Many attics don't have finished floors you would want in a normal living space. You will need toinstall the new floors, and possibly subfloors as well. The cost of adding flooring and subfloors varies based on material.

Hardwood floorscost about $4,000 whilecarpetingcosts less than $2,500. Tile orlaminatefor the new bathroom floor costs between $1,000 to $2,000, depending on the size of the floor.

Installing windows and skylights vary a lot in cost, but the average price toinstall a new window is $500. Adding a dormer window (a roof window that projects slightly from a sloping roof) or skylight can bring natural light into the space. Dormers can also add some much-needed height and change the character of the room, taking away the typical narrow A-line look of most attics.

If your attic doesn't yet have it, you will need walls and dry walls.Drywall installation costsare, on average, between $375 to $1,500 for materials and professional installation roughly $30 and $60 per panel. If you're installing it on the ceiling too, double that amount.

You willneed a carpenterto install walls, which costs about $1,900. For an attic ceiling, that will cost about $1,500. Most attic rooms also need to have basic baseboards added, which start at $1,000 to install.

To complete your conversion of dark, dusty attic to bright, lounge-worthy loft, you'll need lights. Any electrical wiring, which includes new outlets and lights, will add to your costs.Lighting installation costsare $130 to $150, on average.

Electricians typically chargebetween $45 to $120 an hour to run new wires, add new outlets and possibly install lighting and a ceiling fan. The total electrical cost for an attic remodel ranges between $1,300 and $3,000.

The walls are up. The floors are finished. The windows are in. Once the heavy renovations have wrapped up, it's time to put the finishing touches on by painting the walls. You could either DIY this step or hire a professional to paint your walls. The cost to hire aninterior painterranges from $200 to $2,700, on average nationally.

The new room may need to be attached to the existing HVAC system for heating and cooling. HVAC contractors charge on average between $50 to $120 an hour, depending on the work that needs to be done.

If you're adding a bathroom, expect to pay an electrician on average between $50 and $200 an hour to install new pipes and drains for the bathroom as well as a sink, toilet and possibly a shower or bathtub. Not including the fixtures, plumbing costs for an attic renovation range from $1,000 to $1,500.

Read more here:
2020 Cost to Finish an Attic | Remodeling & Renovation ...

rustic attic bedroom that features amazing forest view

We already showed you several cool attic bedrooms but this is the time to show you more. An attic bedroom is usually associated with romance because its perfect to get some privacy. It usually looks quite appealing even though some people think that attic space is unusable.

Turning your attic into a bedroom is a great idea especially for small houses. The space there is usually at a premium. Besides, attic bedroom can be an especially useful addition for growing families. Although designing such room might be challenging. Weve gathered the most beautiful and dreamy attic bedroom designs and tips that might help you with the task.

Here are those things you should consider when creating a bedroom of your dreams:

Below you will find lots of ideas showing how to design a perfect attic bedroom.

gorgeous and moody attic bedroom decorated with lots of rustic elements

all white bedroom beneath the vaulted ceiling

attic bedroom combined with a bathroom

attic bedroom design with whitewashed brick wall

cozy and spacious attic bedroom in rustic style

cozy little attic bedroom suitable for a teenager

Cozy small attic bedroom

dreamy attic bedrrom with clever lights

dreamy loft room design

farmhouse-style attic bedroom

loft bedroom design with lots of creative accesories

minimalist attic bedroom design with super large windows

modern scandinavian inspired attic bedroom design

natural attic bedrrom decor

rustic bohemian attic bedrrom design

smart small attic bedroom design with black ceiling

stylish attic bedroom design with lots of book storage

stylish loft bedroom design full of creative ideas

white attic bedroom with a touch of yellow and a brick wall

exposed wooden beams are one of those things that make attic space so cool

bright colors are perfect for an attic bedroom

Bed

Picture

Continued here:
70 Cool Attic Bedroom Design Ideas - Shelterness

By Bill Primavera

Like most people, Im stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, contemplating the ceiling, floor and walls, along with all they encompass. Other people might be using this downtime to consider upgrades they could be incorporating into their homes, but thank God I live in a relatively new home where no updates are needed.

I bought my condo new just five years ago and only had to add my personal touches, such as adding professional woodworking of fine furniture quality in each room.

Had the pandemic visited us a few years ago when I was living in a 275-year-old farmhouse, it would have been a totally different story. From the time my wife and I moved in more than 40 years ago, until we downsized to our new home, we were in constant updating mode. While we always loved our surroundings, we never quite finished the job.

If we were still living in our old home, I would be going nuts right now, making lists of the remodeling and upgrade work that needed to be done while sidelined by the pandemic. During the entire time I lived there, I was never able to just sit back and relax.

Now, however, with an almost perverse delight, I checked in with HGTV for the first time in years to see what other homeowners were up to in upgrading their homes and how much money they were doling out to get the projects done.

HGTV offered 15 top projects with the biggest returns on investment, but my mind would have exploded to consider all 15. I think a good half-dozen is all my brain can accommodate, even when its strictly for editorial consideration.

Minor Bathroom Remodel

Average return at resale: 102 percent

It costs about $10,500 to replace the tub, tile surrounds, floor, toilet, sink, vanity and fixtures. Remove dated wall coverings and apply a fresh coat of paint. For damaged walls, spray-on texture provides quick coverage. The removal of old shower doors or replacing them with clear glass creates the illusion of space.

Landscaping

Average return at resale: 100 percent

The average homeowner spends about $3,502 for landscaping and $1,465 on a designer, according to the American Nursery Landscape Association. Local garden centers often offer free design services. Sod costs about 30 to 35 cents a square foot, so a 5,000-square-foot yard would cost about $1,500 to sod.

Minor Kitchen Remodel

Average return at resale: 98.5 percent

A minor kitchen remodel averages $14,913 for $14,691 at resale, a recoup rate of 98.5 percent. Do a minor remodel when your kitchen needs a cosmetic update and not a drastically different floor plan. A $15,000 kitchen update covers 30 feet of re-facing for cabinets and drawers, a new wall oven, cooktop, sink and fixtures, laminate countertops and resilient flooring.

Exterior Improvements (including vinyl siding, paint, updated front entry)

Average return at resale: 95.5 percent

The average national cost to replace 1,250 square feet of vinyl siding: $7,239. Average return: $6,914, with a recoup rate of 95.5 percent. A gallon of paint covers 400 square feet of house. Upscale, fiber-cement siding costs $10,393 and returns $10,771 at resale, an even better recoup rate of 103.6 percent.

Attic Bedroom Conversion

Average return at resale: 93.5 percent

The average attic bedroom in a two- or three-bedroom house costs $39,188 and returns $36,649 at resale. Adding attic insulation lowers utility bills, making sure the foil vapor barrier is installed down toward the ceiling to prevent moisture from seeping up. A solar-powered attic fan is an efficient way to save on cooling costs.

Major Bathroom Remodel

Average return at resale: 93.2 percent

A major bathroom remodel involves expanding an existing 5-foot by 7-foot bathroom, relocating and replacing the tub and toilet and adding designer sinks and faucets, a linen closet, lighting, a ceramic tile floor and exhaust fan for $26,052, which brings in $24,286 at resale.

These are just some of the ideas for upgrading the home that pay off best. If youre fully upgraded as I am, the pandemic can offer the welcome excuse to just sit back, relax and gain weight from the lack of physical activity, as Im doing.

Bill Primavera, while a writer and public relations practitioner, is also a realtor associated with William Raveis Real Estate. To engage the talents and services of The Home Guru to market your home for sale, call 914-522-2076.

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The Home Guru: The Top Half-Dozen Home Updates That Pay Off - The Examiner News

San Diego, CA - Pavers are a great way to set an excellent first impression. When done right, pavers can add to the appeal, value, and appearance of a property. The team at Master San Diego Pavers offers the best paving services to residential and commercial property owners in and around the area.

With Master San Diego Pavers, members of the San Diego, California community can rest assured that their homes and businesses will take on a fresh and new look. Master San Diego Pavers has the right team with years of experience installing paver stones as well as the right equipment to make the installation process fast.

The team at Master San Diego Pavers take pride in offering a masterpiece at all times. To that extent, the team focuses on using only the right materials while also offering custom solutions to customers.

Describing the services offered, Master San Diego Pavers representative said: Pavers are a wonderful addition to any home or business. They can add intrigue and fascination to your pool, outdoor kitchen walk-up, patio or driveway! When you decide to go with the best paving company in San Diego, CA you are not making a mistake. We want nothing more than to spruce up your home or business with some brand-new pavers! We are not asking you to spend a whole bunch of money on it either! We want to give you a fair, reasonable price for the installation!

Working with the best San Diego Paving Company, customers will have access to a turn-key solution from the beginning to the end of the installation process. Master San Diego Pavers understands the budget and will make sure that each customer gets the very best services for their budget.

Master San Diego Pavers also understands timing and will make sure that customers get their paver installations within the set timeframe. The company boasts expertise in a wide range of areas including the installation of paver stones for driveways, patios, concrete, and other outdoor spaces.

Customers who are interested in custom designs can rest assured that their wishes will be honored and their imaginations will be brought to life.

Our top-rated paving contractors in San Diego work alongside our design specialists to give you the driveway, back patio, or pool pavers that you want. We can install cobblestone, interlocking pavers, travertine, concrete, asphalt, etc. We are not a one-trick pony, so we can also install a beautiful outdoor kitchen for your commercial or residential property in San Diego. No time to lose, give us a ring! Added the companys representative about their services.

Master San Diego Pavers is located at 1501 India St, San Diego, CA 92101 USA. Give the pavers a ring on (619) 404-0798, send an email to jackthomas445464@gmail.com, or visit their website.

Media ContactCompany Name: Master San Diego PaversContact Person: Victor SanchezEmail: Send EmailPhone: (619) 404-0798Address:1501 India St City: San DiegoState: CACountry: United StatesWebsite: https://paverssandiegoca.com/

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Master San Diego Pavers Offers The Best Paving Solutions For The Best Impressions - Press Release - Digital Journal

Homes reaching 10 stories high on top of a ground floor commercial space will be coming to South Third and Ferry streets.

The Easton Planning Commission on Wednesday night unanimously awarded conditional approval for an 11-story apartment building at 101 S. Third St.

Matador Hospitality LLC owns the property that is the current home to a BB&T branch. The existing bank building will remain, and the developer is subdividing that from the rear of the property where the new project is planned.

There will no longer be driveway access from the banks rear to South Bank Street.

The new building will be accessible from Ferry Street and likely will be given a Ferry Street address from the city, according to Wednesdays planning commission discussion carried virtually via Zoom.

Matador Hospitality principal Garrett Benner said construction could begin in the spring and conservatively take 15 months to complete.

Benner previously said the new building, which he estimates will cost $17 million to build, is planned with 80 apartments comprising 20 studio spaces, 50 one-bedrooms and 10 two-bedroom units.

The first floor will consist of 1,310 square feet of commercial space that is currently being considered for a caf or a restaurant.

Benner said the studios spaces are tentatively priced for yearly leases at $1,100 to $1,300 per month, with one-bedrooms priced at $1,300 to $1,500 per month.

The 11-story, 110-foot-tall building will take up most of the footprint of the lot. There will be no onsite parking but Benner said the city has agreed to enter into a long-term lease that will guarantee adequate parking spaces dedicated to the new building at nearby city-owned parking facilities.

Project engineer David Wilson said Ferry Street will need to be dug into to tie into water lines for the building. Ferry Street eventually will receive new paving on the entirety of the building frontage.

Benner said his company will work with Easton officials to coordinate how to stage traffic on the busy city streets during construction.

We have a lot of experience of doing things in tight quarters, Benner said.

The planners approval comes with conditions including that the developer adhere to comments and concerns of the city engineer, city forester, zoning administrator, fire department and codes department.

Editors note: This article was updated to correct that the property is being subdivided into two parcels as part of the project.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

John Best is a freelance contributor to lehighvalleylive.com. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

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Here are the proposed rents and timeline for the 11-story apartment building OKd in Downtown Easton - lehighvalleylive.com

A Swedish man who was hit by a van and suffered a fatal head injury may have been looking the wrong way as he crossed the road to get into his daughters car, an inquest has heard.

Lars Roland Andersson who was known as Roland was visiting his family in Bourne End from his home in Malm in Sweden back in July when tragedy struck.

The 66-year-old was waiting in the driveway of his daughter Malin Storeys house on Hedsor Road, close to the junction with Ferry Lane, at around 8.50am on July 9, so she could pick him up and take him to her new property in Marlow.

Mrs Storey, who was driving a silver Mercedes, travelled past Flowerland and was heading down to her home and was indicating to turn right into her driveway while she waited for a white Ford Transit that was in the junction to pass.

In a statement read out at an inquest in Mr Anderssons death on Wednesday afternoon, Mrs Storey said: I approached the junction and stopped about two metres from our driveway, which is virtually on the junction. My father way standing waiting.

I saw a white van come from the Bourne End direction. I saw him indicating left to go onto Hedsor Road.

I had stopped to wait for the van but he thought I was waiting for him. My assumption is that he looked left because thats the way they look in Sweden and he walked right out in front of the van.

Mrs Storey watched in horror as her father was hit by the van and flew forward. He had suffered an obvious head injury.

Her statement added: I put him in the recovery position. I screamed at the driver to call an ambulance.

Everyone drives fast on the junction, but it doesnt matter how fast the van was going, my dad stepped out into the road.

He was just trying to be nice to save me trying to go into the driveway. He took a step out and it cost him his life.

Michael McCarthy, who was driving the van, said he was returning to Burnham from Bourne End after dropping his children off at school and was turning into Hedsor Road in the direction of Flowerland when he noticed a man on the pavement and a car on the other side of the road.

He said: The man was looking towards the car. I didnt see any indication that he was going to cross the road. I heard a thud. I stopped almost immediately.

Drivers and passengers from nearby vehicles stopped to help give Mr Andersson, a retired purchasing manager, CPR and South Central Ambulance and the Thames Valley Air Ambulance also attended but he tragically died of his injuries at the scene.

A postmortem found that Mr Andersson had suffered skull, rib and pelvic ring fractures, as well as a brain contusion a severe traumatic injury.

Thames Valley Police collision investigator Adrian White said the driver would have been doing a relatively low speed on the 30mph road and would have been too close to Mr Andersson to have been able to take any avoiding action.

He said: A low speed collision would ordinarily be survivable, but unfortunately the mechanics of the impact meant he sustained a significant head injury.

Malin said her father may have inadvertently looked left as he crossed the road as he would in his native Sweden. For whatever reason, it was an error of judgement and a collision was inevitable.

Senior coroner for Buckinghamshire Crispin Butler said: It certainly seems clear the van was very proximate to Roland when he stepped into the road.

It seems he was just trying to be helpful and cross the road to the vehicle he was going to get into.

The van stopped very, very quickly so speed wasnt the issue here. He just hasnt seen the van. The family have my sympathy here, its utterly tragic what has happened here.

He ruled Mr Andersson died as a result of a road traffic collision.

See the article here:
Swedish man who was hit and killed by van 'may have looked the wrong way as he stepped in road', inquest hears - Buckinhamshire Free Press

Coping with COVID-19 is frazzling enough without experiencing that clicking sound the car makes on a frigid morning or the infuriating sputtering noise as you pump the gas pedal.

So here's a collection of our best winter -- and pandemic -- vehicle care tips, from warding off hibernating critters to the eternal question of how full should the gas tank be.

For starters (no pun intended), if you're working from home and avoiding unnecessary trips, don't let your car stagnate -- it could result in a dead battery or immovable parking brake, auto professionals advise.

Instead, take a drive every few days to refresh the battery. Simply turning the car on and letting it idle in the driveway will probably not be enough, former DuPage County Forest Preserve District fleet manager John Walton advised.

Another good idea is to check the tire pressure before venturing out in cold weather. Tires should be properly inflated to the amount given in the vehicle owner's manual or on the inside vehicle door -- not to the amount shown on the tire, AAA advises. As the average temperature drops, so will tire pressure -- typically by 1 PSI for every 10 degrees.

Also avoid using the parking brake when your car is on hiatus because it could freeze in place or cause the regular brake pads to rust.

"With an automatic transmission, simply place the vehicle in park. If the car has a manual transmission, put it in first or reverse gear and use wheel chocks to help hold the vehicle in place," AAA's Molly Hart said.

One question, for those who remember parents warming up the car in the driveway, is whether to allow the engine to run or to sally forth on a freezing morning.

It comes down to how old your car is, car gurus explained. Vehicles manufactured since the early 1990s are equipped with electronic fuel injection and only need to warm up for a minute or so. Cars made before 1990 should run for at least five minutes.

Another conundrum is whether your gas tank must be brimming in cold weather. The Illinois Department of Transportation recommends keeping it two-thirds full to prevent gas lines from freezing.

Walton noted that gas freezes around minus-40 to minus-58 degrees. "What people think is gas freezing is usually water in the gas line that can freeze and block gas lines. Additives can be used, but I recommend only using additives that are recommended by the vehicle manufacturer," he said.

Then there's unexpected crises as when rodents wintered in Jeanette Greco's college son's car.

A family of squirrels "chewed many wires and we barely got it to our mechanic in time," Greco, of Hawthorn Woods, told us a few years back.

Solutions offered by readers include sticking moth balls or mouse traps under the hood.

Do hybrids need different treatment from regular cars in the extreme cold?

"Most hybrid gasoline/electric cars will operate with the engine and not just a battery in (very) cold weather; as the car warms up the engine may stop and start," said Walton, chairman of the nonprofit Chicago Area Clean Cities organization. But, he advised consulting the owner's manual for specific instructions.

Got a cold weather car care tip or question? Drop an email to mpyke@dailyherald.com.

This may hurt a bit. IDOT crews will be resurfacing Meacham Road between Algonquin Road and Emerson Avenue in Schaumburg and Rolling Meadows starting today through summer 2021. Expect lane closures as workers resurface the pavement, build new shoulders and sidewalk ramps.

Pace has closed indoor spaces at Elgin, Plainfield and Harvey until further notice because of surging COVID-19 cases. The move coincides with tighter state restrictions that were recently announced. Buses will continue to pick up and deliver passengers but Ventra vending machines will not be available.

The Chicago Department of Aviation is seeking vendors to provide rapid and molecular COVID-19 tests for employees and passengers at Midway and O'Hare international airports. Last week, the CDA opened up a drive-up testing site at Midway. The goal is to offer the services before the December holidays. O'Hare will offer a walk-up site before security check-in in the terminal core and a drive-up site in a remote parking lot, officials said. Midway will provide a walk-up site inside the terminal.

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Car care tips for the perfect storm of winter and COVID-19 - Chicago Daily Herald

ALBANY Dougherty Countys alley paving initiative got off the ground this week with a groundbreaking at the intersection of Regina and Red Bud lanes.

That first alley on the list, Poinciana, is located near Radium Springs Elementary School. The Radium Springs area was selected because a group of residents brought their concerns to the Dougherty County Commission in 2017. The residents expressed concerns that alleys in the neighborhood were both a driving hazard and a health hazard, and they presented photos showing large pools of water standing in alleyways behind residences.

This has been a concern for both myself and these residents for some time, District 2 Commissioner Victor Edwards, who appeared with the delegation at the 2017 meeting prior to his election to the board. We are excited to see this project being started, and I know it will improve the life of our residents for years to come.

Edwards lives in the neighborhood where the first project is under way.

The alley-paving projects will be paid for using funds from the transportation special-purpose local-option sales tax approved last year by county voters. The T-SPLOST funds can be used for transportation projects that include roads, streets, road striping and sidewalks.

The penny sales tax is expected to raise $26.4 million over five years. The county plans to use $10 million for road improvements, $7 million for special-purpose trails, $3 million for intersection improvements and $1.4 million for sidewalks. The allocation for alleys totals $3.5 million.

District 6 Commissioner Anthony Jones, who was a proponent of the project when it was brought to the boards attention in 2017, said his constituents in the bordering district also will benefit.

Its exciting to see this project coming to life for these residents, he said. This will provide a safer and healthier pathway in and out of driveways for our residents, and we are thankful that T-SPLOST dollars were approved to make this happen.

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Work starts on $3.5 million alley initiative in Dougherty County - The Albany Herald