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New Richmond building set to house behavioral health clinic, adult day program

RICHMOND, Va. — This building has been in the making for many years. It’s finally open.

The Pioneer Hall on the Faison Center Campus in Richmond will house a behavioral health clinic and the adult day program.

The adult day program will help adults with autism learn and practice everyday skills like washing and folding clothes, making food, and cleaning up.

The Edmunds, have been a part of researching, supporting, and helping the Faison Center expand its services and its buildings.

This is the fifth and final building of the campus and Paul and Debbie Edmunds are honored that the “Paige Edmunds Clubhouse” is named after their daughter.

Debbie says the “world-class school” helps those on the spectrum live a normal life.

“It’s always nice in the morning when she wakes up and she’s happy because she gets to go to school. She comes here and she spends her day and she’s happy she gets to go out and do stuff. She likes volunteering. She likes to go exercise with them, all good healthy things for her. And she comes home at the end of the day, and she’s had a full day just like any other adult,” she said.

Earlier this year, CBS 6 Anchor GeNienne Samuels introduced you to Ben Ratner. Ben is a Faison Center student with severe autism who is now a part of the adult day program with Paige.

GeNienne caught up with Ben’s parents, Todd and Sarah Ratner who appreciate the attention and dedication the Faison Center staff gives to adults with autism.

“Most people now understand the importance of early intervention. There are so many success stories of kids who aren’t talking at two or three and by the time they get to elementary school, they are doing great. And I’m so thankful

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By Dawn J. Larkin, ago

Ohio House to consider bill to allow communities to permit guns in buildings with courtrooms

When state lawmakers return from the Thanksgiving break, the House could take up a bill that further expands gun rights in Ohio, by allowing people to carry weapons into buildings that have courtrooms in them, but not when court is in session. The bill passed a House committee and is on its way to the floor.

Rep. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon), one of the bill’s two sponsors, said state law already allows municipalities to vote to allow concealed carry in their buildings.

“Our larger cities have distinct courthouses and city halls,” Mathews said. “However, in many of our smaller communities, good stewardship of taxpayer dollars often means a single multi-purpose city or village hall. This city hall may house the tax department, the electric department, council chambers, and a room that is sometimes a courtroom.”

The bill would allow concealed carry weapons in those buildings with courtrooms when court is not in session, if a community passed legislation to permit that.

But opponents have said courtrooms are emotionally charged places, so guns should be far away from them. And Ann Morhan of Moms Demand Action told the House committee hearing the bill it’s part of a continuing trend that worries her.

“It would appear that this House Bill 272 is just another attempt by Republican legislators to continue to pepper the state with guns,” Morhan said. “It is a solution in search of a problem.”

Right after that bill passed along party lines, another Republican-backed bill was approved that ensures federal gun control laws can’t be enforced and would allow Ohioans to sue. Supporters say it would make Ohio a so-called “Second Amendment sanctuary state”, as nearly 20 other states are. That bill is opposed by law enforcement and prosecutors who say it will make it harder to work with federal

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By Dawn J. Larkin, ago

House saved when fire claims shed and garage – Park Rapids Enterprise

A woodshed fire that spread to destroy an attached garage came within a beat of involving a home on Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 22 in Hubbard County.

According to Park Rapids Fire Department Assistant Chief Ben Cumber, firefighters were paged at 1:02 p.m. to a woodshed on fire in Henrietta Township, and were on scene at 1:06 p.m.

“If that ain’t impressive,” he commented on the four-minute response time.

Cumber said after the call was paged out, an officer on scene issued an update as the fire had extended into the home’s attached garage. When the first engine arrived, firefighters found heavy fire in the garage’s attic.

“After knockdown was done and overhaul began, we found that the fire had burned its way through the firewall into the house,” he said, “but we were able to stop it before any damage took place.”

Cumber said the garage was totaled, but the house was relatively undamaged.

The house’s residents were present when firefighters arrived on scene, he said, but no one was injured.

Asked about an ignition source, Cumber suggested it may have been a chimney fire in the woodshed, pending a formal investigation.

Cumber counted Park Rapids Fire Department apparatus and one Nevis Fire truck on scene, and approximately 30 personnel between the two departments. He estimated they used about 2,000 of water to put out the fire.

The scene was cleared at 2:36 p.m., he said.

“I’ve got to give our guys credit,” said Cumber. “One more minute and that fire would have been in the house. So, due to the response of our guys and help from Nevis Fire it was (stopped). We were literally a minute away from huge trouble, so good job to everybody.”

Also on scene were personnel with North Memorial Ambulance and

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By Dawn J. Larkin, ago

Frostburg lamppost baskets take on decorated look | Community

FROSTBURG — The House and Garden Club of Frostburg has begun filling lamppost baskets with greenery decorated with lights and bows, maintaining 62 of them to brighten up the city streets.

The project started in 1996 when the club purchased 16 metal hayrack baskets from a company in England. In recent years, baskets have been made locally by Keith Skidmore, with materials provided by Hunter Douglas and American Woodmark. Garden club members, merchants and other volunteers plant and maintain lamppost baskets with flowers and then pine from May through early spring on Main, Center and Broadway streets. They also plant flowers in five baskets at the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Depot and maintain eight planters at the trailhead below the depot. Team leaders include Susie Bucchino, Carol McKenzie and Rhonda Reed.

Truckloads of pine are donated by several local companies, including Wayne and Glenne Blocker at Earth and Tree, JP Andrick at Andrick Tree Farm and Ed Geis at Bittersweet Acres Tree Farm. The club purchases two boxes of lights and two bows for each basket. Funding comes from a portion of the Frostburg hotel/motel tax revenue and individual donations.

Donations to the project can be made through the Foundation for Frostburg, P.O. Box 765, Frostburg, MD 21532. Download a form at http://foundationforfrostburg.org/give.html and indicate House and Garden Club of Frostburg. The holiday lamppost wreath project has a separate fund at the foundation and contributions can be made on the same form.

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By Dawn J. Larkin, ago

Pinellas County nonprofit raises money to fix fence after hit-and-run

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A crucial fence for the Homeless Empowerment Program was left with thousands of dollars in damage after a driver hit it and took off.

“We’ve put a lot of effort into the garden to make it what it is,” said Maissie Hughes, garden coordinator for the Homeless Empowerment Program. “I think it is really important to be connected to nature and to spend time outside,”

Hughes spends every day in the organization’s garden, getting fruits and vegetables ready to be served to those who are homeless or food insecure.

“We serve just over 400 people a day,” said Ashley Lowery, CEO of the organization.

An important part of the garden is the fence surrounding it.

“In prior years, we’ve had instances of theft and vandalism on the property, specifically around the garden, which is why the fence was installed,” said Lowery.

The fence was damaged over the weekend when the driver hit it and left no information behind.

“I was just like, ‘Whoa.’ It was just so unexpected. I was probably the first person who saw it,” said Hughes.

Lowery said it’s going to cost roughly $5,000 to fix.

“We are going to have to look at the garden operations and see what we can possibly move around to cover that expense,” said Lowery.

Volunteers and clients with The Homeless Empowerment Program said not only is their garden used to feed people who struggle to find food, but it’s also used as a form of therapy.

“Just getting out and getting your hands dirty. It gives you time to reflect and stuff, and it’s something to do with nature. It all works together for the good,” said Jim Rains, a veteran and client with the organization.

Rains volunteers in the garden. He said the garden has

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By Dawn J. Larkin, ago

Learning About Building Never Tasted So Sweet

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) — People learned about buildings the tasty way on Saturday. The Stearns History Museum hosted their Gingerbread Architecture: The Sweet Elements of Design program.

Paul Habstritt, WJON

In the program, participants learn about construction and architecture and then get to apply what they have learned by building gingerbread houses. Director of Exhibits and Curatorial Eric Cheever says people get to do some surprising things:

“They have to fill out a building permit, and they have to get their building permit, and with the building permit, they have to draw a little blueprint of how they want their house to look. So then they have to get that approved by the building inspector and then they choose their materials and we talk a little bit about, alright, so you want to build this, so let’s say a square house, and you have this weird cantilever over the side, well is that going to work in real life? Probably not.”

Paul Habstritt, WJON

Cheever says a lot people take the permit and blueprints pretty seriously. Don’t fret if you missed out, the museum will host another session of the class on December 2nd. The program is sponsored by Cold Spring Bakery and GLT Architects.

Paul Habstritt, WJON

Paul Habstritt, WJON

Paul Habstritt, WJON

Paul Habstritt, WJON

Paul Habstritt, WJON

Paul Habstritt, WJON

READ MORE FROM AUTHOR PAUL HABSTRITT:

 

The Best Royal Frosting For Holiday Cookies

 

What Does AI Think St. Cloud Looks Like at Christmas?

 

How To Make Your Gifts Look Amazing

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By Dawn J. Larkin, ago

Greenhouse specializes in supplying lettuce to surrounding areas year-round

  • Video shows an inside look at Revol Greens’ 16-acre greenhouse in Tehachapi that grows all kinds of lettuce year-round
  • With the greenhouse method, Revol Greens is able to save significant amounts of water compared to traditional field-grown lettuce, averaging about one pint of water per package of lettuce

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

Have you ever wondered where your lettuce comes from? It might be closer than you think. A 16-acre greenhouse owned by Revol Greens grows all different types of lettuce, and, it’s right in your backyard.

Driving down Pellisier Road heading out to Stallion Springs, the large greenhouse may catch your attention.

Romaine, butter lettuce, and other greens are grown here.

“We grow lettuce and greens 365 days a year. We use a hydroponic growing method, which means our plants spend the majority of their time working their way across ponds,” said Revol Greens Director of Marketing, Jessica Dillon.

Dillon says within the facility, technology takes the lead during a lot of the process.

“For the most part, our process here is entirely automated, which means that there are no human hands that are touching our plants at any time during the growing process,” Dillon said. “That starts at the very beginning. We use a seeding machine that is all automated.”

By reusing the same 16 acres of greenhouse to plant and harvest lettuce year-round, Dillon says the environmental benefits are significant.

“That’s equivalent to almost 480 acres of field-grown lettuce. We use significantly less water than field-grown lettuce,” Dillon said. “We are on track this year to save over 300 million gallons of water at this facility alone.”

When you think of lettuce, you might not consider there is any type that is not plant-based. Dillon says it all comes down to what’s in the soil.

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By Dawn J. Larkin, ago

Afghanistan Earthquake Claims Over 2,000 Lives, Leaving Hundreds of Houses in Ruins

Kabul (AP): The death toll from strong earthquakes that shook western Afghanistan has risen to over 2,000, a Taliban government spokesman said Sunday. It’s one of the deadliest earthquakes to strike the country in two decades.

A powerful magnitude-6.3 earthquake followed by strong aftershocks killed dozens of people in western Afghanistan on Saturday, the country’s national disaster authority said.

But Abdul Wahid Rayan, spokesman at the Ministry of Information and Culture, said the death toll from the earthquake in Herat is higher than originally reported. About six villages have been destroyed, and hundreds of civilians have been buried under the debris, he said while calling for urgent help.

The United Nations late Saturday gave a preliminary figure of 320 dead, but later said the figure was still being verified. Local authorities gave an estimate of 100 people killed and 500 injured, according to the same update from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The update said 465 houses had been reported destroyed and a further 135 were damaged.

“Partners and local authorities anticipate the number of casualties to increase as search and rescue efforts continue amid reports that some people may be trapped under collapsed buildings,” the U.N. said.

Disaster authority spokesperson Mohammad Abdullah Jan said four villages in the Zenda Jan district in Herat province bore the brunt of the quake and aftershocks.

The United States Geological Survey said the quake’s epicenter was about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Herat city. It was followed by three very strong aftershocks, measuring magnitude 6.3, 5.9 and 5.5, as well as lesser shocks.

At least five strong tremors struck the city around noon, Herat city resident Abdul Shakor Samadi said.

“All people are out of their homes,” Samadi said. “Houses, offices and shops are all empty and there

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By Dawn J. Larkin, ago

Gardening Matters: Memory Lane | Fenceposts

I realized the other day that I have been writing the “Gardening Matters” column for the Headlight Herald every other week for the last 20 years. That’s a lot of print. I have covered topics from azaleas to zinnias and everything in between. Slugs, chipmunks, fungus, tools, native plants, raking leaves and so much more. It has been a great experience and the only thing I like better than gardening is writing about gardening.

I have written under the tutelage of about 10 different editors, all bringing their own creativity to the paper. They have also all been very supportive of me even when my columns seem to run on longer than they were supposed to. Like this one.

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By Dawn J. Larkin, ago

TikTok Video Shows Car Hopping Over Fence on New Driver’s First Day, Stunt Leads to Job Loss

  • TikTok video goes viral as car performs an astonishing leap over a fence, Mzansi left shook
  • The video captures an unforgettable car crash moment that has left Mzansi in disbelief
  • Shocked viewers learn it was the new driver’s first day, and she subsequently lost her job

In a jaw-dropping TikTok video that has taken social media by storm, a car is seen leaping over a fence, leaving Mzansi residents stunned and bewildered.

Car crash, accident, woman, TikTok video, Mzansi
A man shared a video showing an accident his new employee had in one of his cars. Image: @khanyisithole
Source: TikTok

The shocking video was shared by user @khanyisithole, who revealed that it was his new driver’s first day on the job, and the incident ultimately led to her losing her job.

Woman rolls employer’s car on first day on the job

The TikTok video unfolds with a car in an unusual predicament. A car had hopped over a residential fence into someone’s garden… and there didn’t seem to be a road in sight.

Read also

Woman uses plakkies in TikTok trend for luxury cars, Mzansi amused by improvised version of whip unveiling

What makes this video even more astonishing is the context provided by the user, @khanyisithole, who explained that it was the new driver’s first day on the job. Unfortunately, the car’s remarkable fence-jumping stunt led to immediate dismissal.

Take a look:

Mzansi has mixed feelings

The TikTok video has captivated audiences, leaving them in disbelief at the car’s incredible leap. The unexpected twist of the new driver losing her job on her very first day has garnered empathy and concern from viewers.

Read comments:

@CarterE27 said:

“I can’t believe what I just saw! That car has some serious hops.”

@KItumi was shook:

“What a way to start a new job! I hope the driver’s

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By Dawn J. Larkin, ago