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GALLIPOLIS Gallipolis City Commission met this week, discussing improvements at the municipal pool, the bird issue and road repairs.

Commissioners met for their regular meeting on Tuesday. In attendance were Commissioners Cody Caldwell, Tony Gallagher, Mike Fulks, Mike Brown, Beau Sang, City Manager Led Lozier, City Clerk Annette Landers and City Solicitor Brynn Noe.

Lozier reported the remaining balance of money from the Ohio Department of Nature Resources (ODNR) NatureWorks Grant used at the Gallipolis Public Use Area and City Park has been moved to Haskins Park and Pool through a capital bill passed this summer.

The grant award was for $52,144 which was re-appropriated to the city with ODNR taking a two percent administrative fee, leaving the balance at approximately $52,100.

The money will be used for improvements at the pool such as purchasing sand filters, pumps, possible roof repair, door replacement and mitigating the bird issue at the pool. The grant money may not pay for all the improvements, with a final total on those improvements still being calculated. Lozier plans on returning the grant packet to ODNR before the end of the year so the city can begin work before the upcoming swim season in 2021.

As for the bird issue, Lozier said the city has been in touch with ODNR and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding dealing with the buzzards which congregate near the Haskins Park area and municipal pool. Lozier said he recently counted at least 110 of the birds who arent just roosting but cause destruction.

The birds are protected and require consultation with ODNR and USDA in regards to mitigation strategies. Sang brought up resident complaints he had received concerning the birds at a previous commissioner meeting.

Commissioners passed a motion for Lozier to proceed in mitigating the bird issue due to health/safety/nuisance issues at the community pool area. Lozier plans to update commissioners at the next meeting on any guidance from ODNR and USDA.

Lozier also reported on the road repair work along Ohio 588, saying a retaining wall was in place, along with backfill, and a new road culvert was installed Tuesday. Paving is planned for this Friday, weather permitting, with road striping next week. The road is scheduled to be opened on Dec. 1.

The top side or upper part of the 588 project is complete with the road paved, drainage ditches in place, etc. The completion deadline of Nov. 14 was reached, which was significant in regards to funding. By hitting that deadline, the repair work for the project was paid for through a federal grant the city received.

Lozier also reported work is ongoing on Chillicothe Road, which has included repair of a road slip. The road is not yet ready for travel. A new road culvert was to be delivered Wednesday and placed this week. A section of sewer line is also being replaced this week among other repairs. No completion date has been announced, yet.

Paving and striping in town is nearly complete, Lozier added. Also, four speed bumps have been placed in the Public Use Area near City Park.

Lozier told commissioners decorating was continuing at City Park by the volunteers with Gallipolis In Lights. He said he didnt know the time regarding when the lights would go on but stated it should be soon. Lozier reminded the group was not advertising when the lights will be turned on. The group will provide a video of the park lighting for the public to view at home because the in-person park lighting was canceled this year due to concerns over a large crowd and COVID-19.

Fulks stated hes hearing multiple complaints regarding some city streets, mentioning the state of Vine Street as well as Second Avenue. Fulks suggested a meeting with representatives from both Columbia Gas and R&R Pipeline with Brown agreeing. Brown added he would like to see company executives at the meeting. Lozier said hed coordinate the requested meeting.

In other business, the following ordinances were passed:

Approved employee health insurance coverage, which saw a 2.21 percent increase in major medical and drug coverage, though there was no increase in dental coverage. Landers said this 2.21 increase was the smallest increase the city has seen in years. This was a second reading of the ordinance.

Approved a one-time bonus for volunteer firefighters of $100. This bonus is for firefighters who are not city employees already receiving a bonus. A list of 25 firefighters will receive the bonus.

Approved a one-time bonus/clothing allowance for city employees based upon full time and part time employment with full-time employees receiving $300 and part-time employees receiving $100.

Approved letter of agreement with Dr. Jeanne Ingles, FNP-BC for health care services for city employees and elected/appointed officials.

Approved pursuing the state capital award for the city pool improvement project.

Approved an agreement with the state auditors office for a compilation report at a cost of $7,700.

Accepted an annual community reinvestment check from Volunteer Energy, which the city partners with regarding its gas aggregation program, for $3,675.

Commission meetings are scheduled for 6 p.m., Dec. 1 and Dec. 8.

2020 Ohio Valley Publishing, all rights reserved.

Gallipolis City Commission is looking into mitigating the buzzard issue in the Haskins Park area, expressing concerns the protected birds are destructive to city property as well as a nuisance, posing health and safety issues. (Courtesy)

Buzzards congregate in the Haskins Park area of Gallipolis and the municipal pool. (Courtesy)

Beth Sergent is editor of Ohio Valley Publishing.

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Gallipolis City Commission discusses the pool, 'the bird issue' and road repairs - Gallipolis Daily Tribune

Lets talk about the true meaning of Karens, shall we? Once just a name, Karen has since become a slang term. When people refer to a Karen and not just someone named Karen, they are talking about someone, usually a white middle-aged woman, who is perceived as entitled or demanding beyond the scope of what is really appropriate or needed for the situation.

In addition, sometimes Karens can be racist or obnoxious, always rude to sales staff and demanding to speak to a manager about why they cant use their expired coupon. With the rise of the term Karen, people have been using that name to refer to real life white women who are caught behaving badly (usually in very racist ways) on camera, thus feeding into the meme.

Of course, this makes actual IRL Karens pretty upset by being called out on their behavior in such a way. They even say that being called a Karen is a slur, which no. So what are some of these real life Karens that have given the meme the meaning that it now has? Here are a couple of examples.

Around June 2020, a clip went viral of Lisa Alexander or San Francisco Karen. In it, she demanded to know if James Juanillo, who was stenciling a Black Lives Matter on the sidewalk in front of his home, was defacing private property. She even lied to him, saying that she knows the person who lives there. Juanillo, a person of color, told them to call the police if they felt he was breaking the law.

Alexander and her partner did, but the police recognized him as the resident of the home. Now, as many know, this was probably the best way possible it could have gone. Otherwise, it could have resulted in injury or death if he was not recognized. Alexander and her partner, however, faced major consequences for being outed as a Karen. Her skincare business was boycotted and her partner lost his job.

But this, again, demonstrates classic Karen behavior of privilege and entitlement along with calling the cops when they dont get what they want.

Perhaps the most well-known Karen that will be named on the list, Amy Cooper was the one who elevated the discussions about the dangers associated when Black people are falsely accused. Amy Cooper called the police on Christian Cooper, who only asked that she leash her dog in the park, which is the law. She even invoked his race in the call, which really wasnt needed.

Amy Cooper was fired from her job and temporarily lost custody of her dog. She was also charged with filing a false report, which could lead to a year sentence in jail. What wasnt shown on the video was that she made a second call saying that Christian Cooper assaulted her. Which is such a yikes behavior that we really cant say how much of a yikes that is.

According to senior prosecutor Joan Illuzzi, who put Harvey Weinstein in prison, theyre working out a plea deal for Amy Cooper to avoid jail time. She would, however, have to own up to her actions in court and attend a program to educate her on how harmful her actions were.

Now, weve given a couple of very famous examples of two Karens in action. But there are also the Karens that you have to deal with in everyday life. The most prevalent of these are the Karens who dont wear a dang mask when out in public even though were in the middle of a global pandemic and its proven that the masks help. Most of them get around this by claiming a medical condition.

But, really, there are face shields or something. If these people cant do a common courtesy of stopping the spread of a virus without a vaccine by masking, then they dont deserve service. Many places are turning away those without a mask on. But still, you see someone out in public pitching a fit about wearing your mask . . . the only thing you can really think is what a Karen.

Read more here:
The true meaning of Karen: These kinds of women created the meme - Film Daily

Construction of the $12-million Tranquille Road sewer main project is wrapping up for the season, but the project will extend into next year, due to pandemic-related delays.

City of Kamloops capital projects manager Darren Crundwell said the project was initially anticipated to be one year in length. However, at the onset of the pandemic, which arrived at the beginning of construction season, council put a pause on planned projects yet to start in order to reevaluate its budget.

Crundwell said the project was originally scheduled to start in March, but began in May. As a result of the lost time, work will now carry over into 2021.

Council actually put everything on hold, Crundwell said. If it wasnt a project we hadnt already started, like West Victoria Street that we were committed to, it was put on hold.

Crundwell said the project is now halfway complete. Work is done from Southill Street to Singh Street. As of Monday, Nov. 23, Tranquille Road will reopen to traffic, though some temporary lane closures and speed restrictions will occur to complete the centre median and Goodwin Avenue retaining wall.

The project scope primarily consists of replacing the sewer main, a one-metre in diameter pipe carrying sewage for the entire North Shore. In addition, improvements were made between Southill Street and Desmond Street and at the Desmond Street-Tranquille Road intersection. A new multi-use pathway was constructed on the south side of Tranquille between Southill and Desmond and a new bus bay pull-out was also constructed in the area.

We did everything we could because we were essentially ripping up the whole road, Crundwell said. We did make improvements to pedestrian safety, traffic safety improvements, landscaping improvements. But the majority of the project, and the reason why we were in the ground, was to replace the sewer main.

Crundwell said crews adjusted to COVID-19 work procedures and no outbreaks have occurred on a city project to date. Historically and culturally significant archeological discoveries were made, including a few arrow heads. Crundwell said no delays occurred from the finds. He expects additional discovery to be made during construction next year.

Work is expected to resume in the spring and is anticipated to conclude next fall.

Go here to read the rest:
Tranquille Road to reopen to traffic on Nov. 23 - Kamloops This Week

Published: 11/24/2020 2:33:14 PM

HADLEY Hadleys fifth annual Celebration of Lights in 2021 could take place at a time when life in the United States is back to normal and the COVID-19 pandemic is history.

But this years fourth edition, held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and put on by the Edward Hopkins Educational Foundation, will be a different event than in the past, even as the gazebo next to Hopkins Academy, built in 2014 for the 350th anniversary of the school, and a tree planted in memory of Peter Wanczykare lit for the holiday season.

We all agreed we needed to continue it and not drop it, said Kathy Tudryn, president of the foundations board.

So while a switch will be flicked to have the lights turned on, and retired Hopkins band director Eddie Forman will lead his fellow board members in a handful of seasonal songs, the public is being discouraged from gathering.

Instead of community participation, people will only be permitted to drive through the schools lot between 5 and 6 p.m. Saturday to make donations to two charities, Shriners Hospitals for Children and Baystate Childrens Hospital.

Using their boots, Hadley firefighters will be collecting these donations in the drive-thru format. Checks can be made out to the Hadley Volunteer Firemens Association. People can also send checks in the mail to the public safety complex at 15 East St., Hadley, MA01035.

Tudryn said the event is expected to be recorded by Hadley Media and will be broadcast at 8 p.m. Saturday and will also be available on Hadley Medias YouTube channel.

Read more:
Hadley's Hopkins gazebo holiday lighting subdued this year - GazetteNET

WILMINGTONLast fall, as Randy Evans of Walking Tall Wilmington was setting up morning breakfast with some of his unsheltered friends at the downtown Riverwalk Visitors Information Center also referred to as the gazebo Jamie Lee Curtis stopped by for a chat. She was in town filming Halloween Kills, and mentioned walking by the gazebo every morning, and seeing him share a meal with others.

She took a picture with Evans and posted it to her social media, writing Food is love. Friendship is love. . . Just one human being, feeding another. Perfect.

The post generated a lot of traction. It helped Walking Tall fund more meals and highlighted downtown Wilmingtons Riverwalk.

Fast forward one year later, and the gazebo, located at the foot of Market and Water streets, is now wrapped in fencing as it undergoes $300,000 in renovations from the City of Wilmington.

On Sept. 14 deputy city manager Thom Moton presented plans to council to raze half of the 80s-era visitors center, leaving only the bathroom portion, to open up the viewshed of the Cape Fear River. Also installed will be new light fixtures that cure blind spots and shadows, plus cameras to be manned by either the Wilmington Police Department or Wilmington Downtown Inc. ambassadors, or a combination of both.

Security has become a hot topic among downtown visitors, citizens and business owners when talking about the gazebo. According to the city, police have received complaints at least once a month for illicit behaviors taking place in the vicinity.

However, not every encounter results in a report or a call to 911, according to the citys spokesperson, Jennifer Dandron. WPD and New Hanover County Sheriffs Office have a joint downtown taskforce, so sometimes officers will already be in the area when an issue arises and are able to de-escalate the situation without generating a report or resulting in an arrest/citation.

Between October 2019 and 2020, police have cited 19 charges near the center, consisting of larceny, damage to personal property, disorderly conduct and indecent exposure, among other activities. It cant be confirmed all charges are directly associated with the gazebo, according to an email chain between police planner Barry Coburn and Dylan Lee, who works in communications in the city managers office.

Dont know if all of these involve the homeless exactly, plus this is within the general area of the shelter [so] it is difficult to say all occurred precisely at the shelter, Coburn wrote.

Public urination is one, Evans confirmed during an interview. The gazebo gave me access to the unsheltered community; it was the primer to gain their trust and hear their stories. But if someone is breaking the law, its a hard stop.

Evans started Walking Tall in 2015. One day he showed up to the gazebo with donuts and coffee after seeing displaced people congregating there. He struck up a conversation and then showed back up the next day and the next and every day since.

Evans already had experience working with people in extreme poverty from his stint at the Hope Center a day center located in the bottom of a church on 5th Avenue, which has since shuttered.

Related: The Hope Center looks to build self-worth among Wilmingtons unsheltered population and it needs your help

The Hope Center helped unsheltered people by providing them lockers during the day, so their personal items didnt have to be carried around. It employed people as hammock makers for $15 an hour and helped them build rsums. It was a place 150 unsheltered community members met to eat together, get haircuts, and safely socialize.

I used to say, I want to work myself out of a job, Evans detailed, but now I know Im not going to eradicate poverty. Im just not on any level. No one is. Its been with us since the beginning of time. Now, my goal is to meet these people where they are in life, and show them dignity and try to help them in a holistic way.

Evans nonprofit goes beyond sharing meals; it provides supplies, like blankets, jackets, clothing, toiletries, and now showers from a newly gifted mobile shower unit. During Covid-19 he upped the meals that he and volunteers make out of a church kitchen before delivering downtown. He used to provide breakfasts and lunches three days a week but since March has been doing five. He also provided masks, sanitizer and helped install hand-washing stations downtown in the spring, amid the initial rise in numbers from novel coronavirus.

I did an event with NC Vote Now and got a lot of people registered, he said of the recent election. On voting day, we drove people to the polls.

A pastor for Jordans Chapel United Methodist Church in Burgaw, Evans will be serving Thanksgiving dinner at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. at St. Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Church. He also hosts a weekly feast gathering at St. Pauls on Saturday a church service Evans started specifically for unsheltered individuals in poverty.

Since the gazebo has been barricaded for renovations, Evans has moved his breakfasts and lunches not even a quarter mile up the Riverwalk, in front of the federal building steps on Water Street. He alternates days and sets up at 3rd near the Chestnut Street library.

Evans found out about the gazebos renovations when Wilmington Downtown Inc.s interim chair, Dane Scalise, called to let him know the city was correcting structural issues.

Dane told me they were just fixing the railing, and the city didnt want me to think they were spiting me, Evans said.

PCD reached out to Scalise about who from the city asked him to call Evans, but Scalise did not respond.

I actually agreed that, yes, structural changes should be made, especially with the railing, Evans continued. I thought to myself, OK, that should take about a week.

A few days later when Walking Tall went to host its normal morning breakfast, volunteers called Evans saying the gazebo was wrapped in fencing and tabletops were being removed.

Thats when I realized this was going to be a longer project, Evans recalled.

The project is slated for completion in spring of 2022.

Evans phoned councilmembers Kevin Spears and Clifford Barnett to express his concerns.

Barnett asked Moton during the September presentation if the city could look at alternative ways to handle challenging behaviors at the gazebo. What are the odds of having a social worker down there to help assuage those behaviors? he questioned.

Moton responded he was looking at funds the city managers office allocates to civic groups to properly address the needs. And we believe some of that could fund social workers and street outreach, Moton added.

Spears went one step further. Are we looking to partner with nonprofits to help people who are disruptive to visitors?

Walking Tall Ministries and Continuum of Care through the Cape Fear Council of Government task force, Moton responded, the latter of which Moton serves on the board.

It came as news to Evans, who said he had never met with anyone about a potential partnership.

I told Kevin, The gazebo is an area where we can do the most good, Evans recalled. If you tear this down, the people are going to go somewhere else and we are going to follow them. So are you going to keep tearing down places across the city wherever we are? Or do you want to create a space to do the most good?

In the presentation, Moton specified a need to rectify the gazebo as a place of loitering.

As a team, when we look at whats happening at the businesses, and we focus on behaviors that matter about socio-economic statuses of people at the Riverfront, we do believe there are certain conditions that create an ecosystem that attracts that behavior: places to congregate and sit for extended periods of time, he said. [The visitors center] was intended to be transactional. It instead becomes a place of encampment.

Its the 800-pound gorilla in the room, councilmember Charlie Rivenbark said during the presentations question-and-answer portion.

He compared Wilmingtons riverfront to beach cities that struggle with attracting tourism.

I dont think they would allow in their city what we allow, Rivenbark said, like the pictures Mr. Shackleford sent us of someone passed out on a sidewalk. Were struggling to get our tourism back up, and you see people spending money at restaurants, but then someones passed out we cant have that. And I dont know what the solution is. I just know theres a problem. That has to be addressed along with everything else.

Almost directly in front of the visitors center is Michaels on the Waterfront. The new restaurant opened in the midst of Covid-19 and has seen an upswing in clientele since the first phase of the visitors center renovation began.

The construction on the gazebo has had a positive effect on Michaels, owner Michael Lavigna said. We have seen a rise in walk-in traffic, as people have been more willing to linger near Water Street and the front of our restaurant because of the fence.

The high-profile area of the Riverwalk has been through its fair share of general wear and tear over three decades. Originally constructed in the mid-80s, the center has served as a welcoming spot for tourists and locals, with restrooms, tables and seating available for public use.

Moton told council during the presentation the visitors center had reached functional obsolescence.

It was built when the Wilmington population tipped 55,000; today, its reached 123,000. The gazebos increased use, and the numerous storms and environmental impacts the river has had on the structure, has taken its toll.

Its time to incorporate design principals that strengthen the sense of safety and provide more security, Moton explained on Sept. 14.

In addition to installing cameras and lighting, the new structure will be painted to match the historic district, and include improved landscaping and pedestrian art and/or historic signage. Moton floated the idea of gates being installed to close off the center at night, as a means to keep people from sleeping there.

Its not lost on me the amount of people who have complained about us being at the gazebo, Evans clarified. Ive received those complaints, too Ive also received threats from downtown business owners for doing what I do. But what gets me is the language of calling these people a public safety matter.

Evans is referring to another part of Motons presentation, where he noted, Residents and business owners are saying, I dont want to call the police again I want you, the city, to do something about these recurring public safety complaints.

Its not illegal to be poor, Evans said. Words create worlds. We have power to affect people, and using terms like public safety issue when describing a group of people can project to some that being in poverty is a crime. That seems to be the projection to my community.

Its a tough spot for the city to be in: to balance the needs of the Riverwalk as a structure, which in turn helps drive tourism; to keep citizens safe; to keep business owners happy; and to keep in mind the aftereffects all these decisions have in this case on the unsheltered community.

This balancing act isnt lost on the city, either. Dandron responded on Motons and the citys behalf that no one is in violation of the law for having little to no income or a home. She also explained that was not the message the city was trying to convey.

The city would like to make clear it is not a crime to be unhoused or spend time on the Riverwalk, she wrote in an email, and no laws prevent someone from being in a public space due to housing status. However, there are ordinances relating to blocking sidewalks, littering, and obeying park hours, in addition to laws against criminal behaviors.

Evans agrees anyone breaking the law should be held accountable, but he also thinks the issues with the displaced community go beyond unlawfulness. He interprets perception and tourism as seemingly more concerning.

The city doesnt want this to be perceived as having riff-raff downtown, Evans said. Yet, you can go downtown after the bars let out any weekend night and see public urination, too.

According to Evans, city leaders asked to meet with him via Zoom a few weeks after Motons presentation, after he spoke with councilmembers Spears and Barnett. In the meeting, the officials reapproached the idea of opening another day center. While Evans isnt opposed to a day center, he is opposed to one with pre-entry stipulations.

People often call me the pastor of last resort because I create space for people who have been banned everywhere else, he said. Id want the same from a day center: an opportunity to help everyone, no matter what.

Evans runs Walking Tall on private donations only and grants that dont come from any government funding. He didnt apply for funds provided by the CARES Act in the midst of the pandemic because he doesnt agree with high barriers that sometimes come with federal money (i.e. required drug testing or refusing help to folks who have violent felonies).

The problem with these grants is, you tend to have vacuums where youre sucking people in, throwing them around, spitting them out and sucking them in again, Evans said.

He pointed to the debacle with Hurricane Florence as an event that shook his faith, specifically with local shelters. Many people he drove to shelters ahead of the storm were denied entry because they didnt have an ID. Evans took matters into his own hands and put up 35 people in his home.

In 2019 N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein recognized Evans efforts with the Dogwood Award, given to community leaders who vow to keep people safe, happy and healthy.

When Hurricane Dorian rolled around, Evans said he was impressed with how New Hanover County learned from the previous storm and accepted the homeless community in the shelters.

They tried to be better about lowering those barriers, he said. And it was great. I give them credit where its due. I dont want barriers; I want boundaries meaning we have a mutual understanding with the people we serve. Im open to partnerships but only with the right people.

Even as city leaders continued bringing up the idea of opening another day center and who to work with of whom Evans suggested Vigilant Hope, Med North and Physicians Alliance Evans said he remains weary. Mainly, he points to having spent years building trust with a community of people who dont easily open themselves to more vulnerability.

We cant look at a day center as a means to an end, Evans said. Poverty isnt going away. We need to incorporate these people into the community. They have dreams and aspirations. Theyre more than addiction and mental illness. Our goals at Walking Tall are to create space and access to feel loved and cared for and not alone, to build self-respect. Identity is who you are; dignity is what youre worth. How can you create worth if you dont know who you are? We create ways for people to learn who they are and discover their worth. And thats more than a can of high-sodium soup or busted up garbanzo beans that have been in someones pantry for five years. Thats more than hand-me-down pants and a handful of change.

Moton noted in his presentation it takes more than just a city to address these issues none of which are quick fixes. The needs are pretty substantial, he said. Homelessness equals mental health, social services, housing. Its more than the city its everyone coming together.

It appears Moton is moving forward on that concept. In an email to the mayor and councilmembers on Nov. 18, he informed them the Tri-County Continuum of Care, which makes up an alliance of service providers, local government agencies and other public interests, created a new governance system to serve the unsheltered population. The continuum provides around $1 million in federal, state, and local funds for emergency services and housing to those in need. He also noted he wanted to obtain data to better understand this population in Wilmington.

Councilmember Rivenbark asked to be kept abreast of Motons progress in a response. Too many times the meetings take place and all the boxes get checked, and it doesnt translate to relief or problem-solving on the street level, he wrote. I think some sort of day/night care program should be at the top of their to-do list.

Evans suggests the best way for city council and all politicians, for that matter to understand this community is to actually reach out and ask what they need. To stop assuming.

They can start with, What do you like about Wilmington and what keeps you here? he said. Or, How can you contribute to make it better?

The approach can be as simple as sharing a meal and conversation, much like Evans did for the first time at the gazebo years ago.

The Riverwalk is supposed to be for everyone, so they have said, Evans noted. Well, right now, it doesnt feel welcoming to my community.

Have ideas, tips, comments and/or grumbles? Email Shea Carver at shea@localdailymedia.com

Read the rest here:
Deep Dive: Riverwalk renovations highlight need to address downtown unsheltered population - Port City Daily

WAUSAU, Wis. (WAOW) -- The gazebo at Big Bull Falls Park is a place some without a house call home. It's built on pillars that mean more than you may know.

"Amian was one of the best dudes I think we have ever known," Roberta told me as she pointed to his name, written on a pillar of the gazebo.

"Then there's Richie," she said. "He's the one that went brain dead in my lap."

Roberta has found a family in those who gather at the gazebo, "they were my brothers, my family, my dad." It made their deaths that much more difficult for her.

As we head into the winter, falling temperatures mean she may have to grieve for yet another family member.

Sandi Kelch works to keep that from happening.

"I have very generous friends," she puts it modestly.

In 2019, Sandi began by assessing needs in the community: coats, boots, hand-warmers. Then, she asked her Facebook friends to donate what they could.

With a click, her posts became a platform, snowballing into the Marathon County Community Outreach Task Force. It's a crowd-sourcing Facebook Group with an administrative board at the wheel.

The group now has over 800 members with a common mission; to support and assist the most vulnerable members of our community.

"I have family members that if it wasn't for us and our family being around, they would be on the street," said Administrative Board Member Curt Deininger.

"Nobody wants to stay outside longer than ten minutes, now imagine if you had to stay outside your entire life," explained Member Kaytee Hietpas. "What do you need to survive these elements?"

That's the question they ask vulnerable people like Roberta, when they go out in the community every Friday.

Standing in 30 degree weather, Roberta told me, "this ain't nothing, wait till February, January when it is negative 30 with 40 mph winds. What keeps us warm is what that group gives us."

The ongoing pandemic has closed a lot of places people like Roberta use to stay warm during the day.

Luckily, the task force may soon have a new alternative.

Someone recently donated a coach bus to the group. They hope to have it running and warm somewhere in Wausau this winter. Though donations are still needed to make that happen.

Read more from the original source:
New group looks to help the most vulnerable in Marathon County - WAOW

Samaria Rice posted a loving Facebook message on Sunday honoring the life of her 12-year-old son, who was shot and killed six years ago by a police officer in Cleveland who mistook his toy gun for a real one.

How I Honor my Son and his Siblings on this day, she wrote. This is so difficult but they keep me going.

In a thoughtfulstatement, Rice wrote that it never gets easy.

As we honor Tamir Rice on his 6th death anniversary. I wanted to show how pain is turned into power, she shared.By loving my children and grandchildren unconditionally. By sharing pictures of the gazebo located in Chicago now at The Arts Bank.

Under this gazebo which was located in Cleveland, Ohio on Nov. 22, 2014, is where my son was assassinated by law enforcement, Rice posted. This is my forever lasting memory of my son, Tamir.

Read More: NFL player releases book about fathers bonding with daughters

Chicago artist Theaster Gates acquired the gazebo in which the young Tamir Rice was shot and killed and had it installed at his Stony Island Arts Bank in 2019.

Gates has said that he ultimately hopes to return the gazebo to the city of Cleveland.

We recognize that because of the history of violent acts against young black males in cities by the police, this gazebo is a national memorial, a national testament,saidGates at the opening of the reconstructed gazebo in June. Its a national call.

Read More: Black Native American descendants fight for recognition

His provocative work was noted by the mother still in mourning.

Thanks to my great friend Theaster Gates and the Rebuild Foundation for always supporting us and understanding our needs unconditionally,wrote Rice. In solidarity, for Tamir Rices 6 anniversary you can donate $6.00 for six years gone too soon to the Tamir Rice Foundation. All proceeds will go to the Tamir Rice Foundation so we can continue to build our Afro-Centric Cultural Center to honor Tamir and support youth in Cleveland.

The painful sixth-year anniversary of Rices shooting death was compounded by the news that 17-year-old Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse was released on $2 million bail Saturday after funds were raised by conservative figures, including Mike Lindell of MyPillow and former child actor Ricky Schroeder.

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Tamir Rices mother pays tribute to son on 6th anniversary of death - TheGrio

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) Several restaurants in Lexington put up tents or expanded existing tents on Friday to try to keep customers while following new orders to stop seating people indoors.

Some people have asked how a tent is different than sitting inside? Rita Kraynak, a manager at Coles 735 Main in Lexington says the restaurants gazebo, which has always been a part of the restaurant, is now semi-enclosed.

The top of our gazebo is actually open. It is enclosed so rain isnt there, but we do have a little roof and overlay on that, Kraynak says.

She also says the tent curtains in the gazebo are unzipped halfway, allowing air to flow.

Kraynak says the restaurant put up its tent in July, unknowingly preparing for the new mandate handed down by the governor this week.

That was probably the best thing that we could have done for us, Kraynak says. Really, people had requested that more than they had inside previous to the shutdown again.

The tent is completely open on one side.

The tent and gazebo both have heaters.

There is a little bit of a draft at your ankles, but I think for what its worth, if youre willing to come out and dine out, it really is quite a cozy environment, Kraynak says. Maybe, just bring an extra jacket or something.

John Corn, out to dinner with his wife Friday night, says he feels safe and appreciates all the effort restaurants have made. He urges everyone to give their support.

Weve been through this once, Corn says. Well make it through again, and wish them all the best of luck.

Kraynak says the restaurant, and others, will need all the support they can get, especially with colder weather around the corner.

Were all in it together, Kraynak says. We will all get through it together.

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How are tents different from indoor seating? One restaurant explains - ABC 36 News - WTVQ

Discussion surrounding whether the 310-unit Laurel Park neighborhood will receive permission to be constructed in the East Fairfax Magisterial District continued during a Tuesday discussion amongst town officials and developers.

Earlier this month, the Town Council delayed voting on a rezoning request that would permit the construction of 135 single-family detached units and 175 attached dwelling units on a 60-acre lot off Laurel Street just south of the High Point subdivision. The matter was sent to a committee consisting of town officials for discussions regarding the developments parking and impact on the school system and traffic.

Stephen Plescow, one of the developers, noted that while the project has been in the works for over a year, the Nov. 24 committee meeting marked the first time it was informally discussed with the Town Council. During a presentation, Plescow specifically wanted to address issues broached earlier this month surrounding traffic, parking, schools and whether the project is generally appropriate for the town.

Regarding the latter, Plescow noted the towns comprehensive plan specifically states that the land should be used for a neo-traditional residential neighborhood. While the comprehensive plan allows for up to 24 homes per acre at the site, he explained that the developers desired something smaller in scale that is compatible with High Point.

Plescow noted that High Point homes have sold out and the proposal would help meet market demands as there is a lack of new housing in Culpeper.

For people that want to move into the area and also people that live here, and particularly people at High Point that want to move up, this provides an opportunity of more housingMove into a house that you can afford, build up your equity as your family grows, move up and buy a bigger house. We think Laurel Park is a great opportunity for people to do that, he said.

Plescow said market data shows that supply is drying up in Culpeper as both inventory and the amount of days homes stay on the market have decreased 70% over the last year. Additionally, he noted that active listings have decrease by 33%.

Why is this important? If theres a lack of supply and theres a huge demand, its going to drive prices upSo we need some more housing product to help balance out the market, he said.

While the development would help balance the market, Plescow said it would also generate notable income for the town. For example, sewer, water and electric service fees would amount to $6 million in town revenue. Additionally, he said the development would create a property tax base generating $650,000-plus annually in town and county real estate tax revenue.

The developers would also fund about $1.2 million worth of improvements at the intersection of Laurel Street and Orange Road, including the addition of left turn lanes entering and exiting Laurel Street. Other improvements, Plescow said, would help finish Laurel by widening the road while adding curb, gutter and storm drainage improvements.

Having learned from High Point parking issues, Plescow said the proposed development would have marked parking spaces on just one side of the street. About 200 parking spaces have been added to plans since earlier this month for a total of 1,466, which doubles the amount required by town ordinances. This means there would 4.7 parking spaces per house. Assuming nobody parks in garages, there would be 3.3 parking spaces per house.

During a public hearing earlier this month, some speakers said the developers should contribute to the community in more ways than just building homes. Plescow noted that the developers are offering a $46,500 donation to the Culpeper Police Department. Another $250,000 would be used to provide recreational opportunities in the neighborhood including open playfields, gazebos and walking trails. There would also be a large park on the propertys eastern edge and a series of smaller pocket parks.

In response to concerns that the development would overcrowd schools, Plescow said data from Loudon and Fauquier counties was used to estimate that the neighborhood would generate about 200 students. They would attend Peral Sample Elementary School, Floyd T. Binns Middle School and Eastern View High School.

At the end of Plescows presentation, council member Jamie Clancey expressed concerns regarding those estimates and said the town needs better statistics on how the neighborhood would impact schools. Other council members present agreed that more time is needed to further discuss the matter.

Plescow said the developers do not want to rush the project and are open to suggestions and ideas leading to the best possible outcome.

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Developers of proposed 310-home neighborhood address recently posed issues - Inside NoVA

Samaria Rice published a heartfelt Facebook post to mark the six-year anniversary of her son Tamir Rice's death.

On November 22, 2014, 12-year-old Tamir was shot twice by a white police officer, Timothy Loehmann, while playing with a plastic pellet gun by a recreation center in Cleveland, Ohio. The child died hours later.

In honor of her late son, Samaria founded The Tamir Rice Foundation in 2016 to provide children with "after-school programs in arts and culture," according to the foundation's website.

"As we honor Tamir Rice on his 6th death anniversary, I wanted to show how pain is turned into power: By loving my children and grandchildren unconditionally," Samaria wrote on Facebook on Sunday. She asked for $6 donations to the foundation "so we can continue to build our Afro-Centric Cultural Center to honor Tamir and support youth in Cleveland."

The Afro-Centric Cultural Center is the foundation's core initiative, serving as an "enriching space to keep children safe from unjust harm."

Samaria also shared photos of a gazebo, where she said Tamir "was assassinated by law enforcement."

"This is my forever lasting memory of my son Tamir," she wrote. "Thanks to my great friend Theaster Gates and the Rebuild Foundation for always supporting us and understanding our needs unconditionally. "

Gates, an artist, obtained the gazebo and stored it at his Stony Island Arts Bank museum in Chicago, Illinois, according to The Grio.

"Caring for this gazebo felt like my duty as a Black man," Gates told The Guardian last year.

Samaria has spoken openly about her personal journey mourning her son's death and told USA Today in June that "it's an empty feeling of loss when you don't have your puzzle complete."

"People ask me all the time, 'How are you standing up?'" she told the outlet. "I'm telling them I do know that it's through the grace of God."

Tamir's death sparked nationwide outrage as widely shared video footage of the shooting showed Loehmann shot the child within seconds of arriving at the scene.

After a weekslong trial, a grand jury in December 2015 did not charge Loehmann and his partner Frank Garmback for their actions that resulted in his death. In 2016, Tamir's family was given a $6 million settlement from the city in a federal lawsuit. A year later, Loehmann was terminated from the Cleveland Police Department for reasons unrelated to the shooting.

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Samaria Rice writes heartfelt post to honor her son Tamir - Insider - INSIDER