County museum moving ahead with $6.4M building project — Detroit Lakes Online

«Though 2019 isn’t a traditional bonding year, there was a proposal for funding the museum that Sen. Kent Eken and Rep. Paul Marquart submitted during the session,» Mitchell said. «It will be proposed again in 2020, which is a bonding year… there are no guarantees, but we have good support for it.»

Toward that end, Mitchell and other museum backers spent a day at the State Capitol this past spring, meeting with legislators including the chairs of both the Senate and House bonding committees and policy advisors for Gov. Tim Walz. The meetings went well, she added.

«The Senate bonding committee will begin touring proposed projects around the state later this summer, and we’re hopeful they’ll make a stop here at the museum,» Mitchell said.

In the meantime, however, the museum has quietly started ramping up its building campaign, after putting it on the back burner in 2018 due to a plethora of other local projects on the horizon.

After securing pledges from Becker County as well as the other communities within the county’s borders, Mitchell went to the Detroit Lakes City Council this past spring, and secured a $500,000 commitment from them in April. Currently, the museum is in the «private ask» portion of the building campaign, she said.

«We’ve been working toward a new facility for several years,» she said, «and what was perhaps more of a vision or dream for the future is now a definite need.

«We have a lot of water issues, structural issues, and there have been a few instances where we’ve lost original documents or artifacts due to water damage and mold.»

As the need for a new facility has gradually become more urgent, the plans for that facility have also evolved from a single story, stand-alone building near the Holmes Theatre to a two-story facility that attaches directly onto the theater, with a joint lobby, gift shop and ticket office.

«In the process of fundraising, it became clear that the museum needed to grow its audience,» Mitchell said. «It wasn’t that people didn’t support the museum… the general population just didn’t have a strong relationship with it.»

That led the board to what Mitchell calls a «visioning process,» where they called in a consultant from the Minnesota State Historical Society to find out more about what the 400-plus other museums across the state were doing to stay viable, as well as what they could do to expand their audience base.

Mitchell was sitting at a county board meeting one day, waiting to give them an update on the museum project, when inspiration struck.

«The county seal on the wall behind the commissioners caught my attention,» she said. The seal includes the words «industry, agriculture, forestry and tourism,» which represent the four economic pillars upon which the county was built.

«It occurred to me that three of those were very science-based,» she said.

From there, she began to develop the idea of adding the disciplines of science and child-based programming to the museum, which had previously been focused mainly on preserving history.

«I brought that idea back to David Grabitske (the Minnesota Historical Society consultant), and the two of us developed it and presented to the museum’s board of directors with a plan to add a science discipline to our mission and along with that, a focus on children.»

After all, Mitchell added, «our children are the future patrons of this museum.»

The board agreed to let Mitchell and her staff do a «test run» of the concept with a traveling exhibit that was scheduled to make a stop at the Becker County Museum that spring.

Titled «Water/Ways,» the exhibit focused on all things water and water quality led to local partnerships with more than a dozen agencies and nonprofits, including the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Becker Soil & Water Conservation District, to name a few.

«We cleared out as much space in our lower level as we could, and transformed it to offer hands-on, interactive activities targeting our youth,» Mitchell said, while the upper level housed the sprawling «Water/Ways» exhibit itself.

«The end result was, we had more people at the museum in the six weeks the exhibit was housed here than we’d had in entire years prior to that,» Mitchell said. «We had school groups coming in by the busload… and we were getting all grade levels, K-12.»

In other words, it was a huge success.

«Very shortly after that, we officially adopted the science and children’s disciplines as part of our focus, along with, of course, history,» Mitchell said, adding that it is the latter which will continue to be the main focus of the museum’s mission.

«We have been expanding our programming immensely,» said Mitchell, noting that such additions as summer youth camps for robotics, art and science, as well as «Stories & Stones» cemetery walks for all ages, have proved immensely popular, frequently selling out all available slots.

«It’s all about education, for all ages,» Mitchell said.

As the ideas for a new museum building began to evolve, they also invited their geographic neighbors, the Detroit Lakes Community & Cultural Center (of which the Holmes Theatre is a part) and the Chamber of Commerce, to take part in the discussions, along with city and county officials.

That’s where the idea of physically attaching the museum onto the theater began to develop, and took flight.

«We began to look at what spaces could be multi-purposed,» Mitchell said. «A rooftop garden could be used for an outdoor yoga or art class, or we could use it as an outdoor classroom for one of the museum’s science activities, or a place for people to come enjoy a cup of coffee.»

A small coffee shop was added to the plans, with a drive-through to entice an existing coffee retailer to rent the space as an adjunct to their business.

«Every space in this proposed new facility has been thought through, to develop multi-purpose areas that meet our current needs, but also provide flexibility for the future,» Mtichell said.

For instance, the point where the museum would attach onto the theater was developed into a joint lobby, box office and gift shop, with the idea that the two entities could more easily share staff and resources.

«It’s a partnership,» she said. «We’re working together, to ultimately provide more for our community.»

Mitchell said that the museum board and staff are eyeing a mid-summer 2020 groundbreaking for the new facility, with full occupation in 2021 — the sesquicentennial of both the founding of the City of Detroit Lakes, and the organization of Becker County.

source https://www.dl-online.com/news/traffic-and-construction/4626583-county-museum-moving-ahead-64m-building-project

Storms of complaints grow over Martinsville Lofts aparments — Martinsville Bulletin

Before the city helps The Landmark Group build senior apartments on the former American of Martinsville factory site, it first should fix alleged problems at its Martinsville Lofts apartment complex, tenants and at least one city council member are saying.

Shuna Ingram, who has lived in Martinsville Lofts for seven years, is taking the lead among tenants in getting issues addressed. Written complaints she has made to the management company since January 2018 have not been heeded, she said.

Landmark began taking actions on improvements to the building just days after Ingram spoke about the situation on Tuesday at a meeting of the Martinsville City Council.

“We talked about it beforehand, and there wasn’t much excitement from anyone in city hall to help these people,” Martinsville City Council Member Danny Turner said in a telephone interview the day after that meeting.

“We are in a situation where Landmark wants to build” and wants the city’s assistance to ease the way, Turner said. “It’s our job to help folks that want to be helped. I have no problem leaning on Landmark” to take care of its current apartment building while a second potential apartment building is in the works.

Martinsville Lofts is a complex of 60 units at 900 Rives Road in a refurbished building that once was the Martinsville Novelty Corp. This complex is one of about 60 Landmark owns and manages across nine Southern states, including 11 in Virginia. Landmark’s website says it manages more than 4,000 units.

Ingram held a meeting for residents on June 1. Turner and about half a dozen tenants attended. Tenants at the meeting talked about being sick often and mold in the building, Ingram and Turner said. Some molds are toxic and can cause serious respiratory ailments.

Problems Ingram described to city council included overgrown landscape plants, blocked parking, junked cars on the property, repairs not made and standing water inside buildings after rains.

Vehicles have been broken into, and security cameras on the property do not record, she said. The main entry door’s key code was disabled. A common area alarm rings for entire weekends, and no one can turn it off.

She said she pays $7,000 a year (in rent) “and we can’t get the grass mowed or bulbs replaced” in the common areas, she said.

“We want them to maintain the property before they consider other property in the city,” Ingram said.

Ingram said she is otherwise healthy but has had respiratory problems during the past two years, including three times with pneumonia, which she attributes to mold in the building.

The eviction process was started on her for a supposed failure to pay rent, even though she had proof of payment, she said. Later, she said, she learned from other tenants that the complex’s rent payment box had been stolen, and instead of working to resolve the matter, the company just started evictions on the tenants who said they had put payments into that box.

She said she left work early one day for a scheduled appointment with Landmark management to present proof of payment, but no one from Landmark showed up.

Opportunities to act

City Attorney Eric Monday said at the meeting that some of her complaints fall under the city’s rental inspection ordinance, such as structural, mold, water leaks, overgrown landscaping and old cars. Other matters would be civil cases.

City Inspector Kris Bridges said during the meeting that, according to the Virginia Landlord Tenant act, a tenant has to notify the landlord of complaints in writing, after which the city can “do inspections and cite violations as they exist.”

If the landlord does not repair the problems, the city can take the company to court. Tenants still would be required to pay rent, but, if allowed by the court, they could pay rent to an escrow account rather than to the landlord, while the case is pending.

Ingram asked if the tenants could act together, and Bridges replied that each tenant would have to act independently.

There was some talk about other agencies through which tenants should make complaints, including the Virginia Development Housing Authority, which oversees the Section 8 subsidy program. Bridges said all complaints by Section 8 tenants (which Ingram is not) have to go through VDHA first, which “has a lot more authority” than the city.

He told Ingram that she had to notify the city in writing, and she said she already had notified city inspector Mark Price, and she would forward to Bridges the emails she had sent to Price.

After the meeting, Ingram provided the Bulletin with copies of emails among her, city officials and the property management company.

An email dated March 7 from Tammy Davis, a city permits technician, confirms receipt of photographs of alleged damages in the apartments building and wrote that she would forward the pictures to the city’s building official.

Landmark’s response

Terra Fullerton, a Landmark regional property manager based in Charlotte, N.C., was at the city council meeting. After the meeting, she gave her contact information and that of Andrew Hudson of Landmark Group. Calls from the Bulletin to both of them in the following days were not answered, and messages drew no response.

When asked just after the city council meeting had concluded what the official protocol was for notifying management about problems in the apartments, Fullerton said she did not know and would have to look it up.

An email from Bridges that Ingram provided to the Bulletin stated that city inspector Price had received Ingram’s email of May 20 about the problems, but the city inspectors had been busy with other things plus were told Ingram would be moving out, so the city did not “move forward with investigations of your issues specifically.”

Bridges’ email stated that Landmark is addressing the issues identified and that he had pointed out to the company the EPA’s guidelines for mold and his “expectations of them in dealing with mold.”

Ingram also provided to the Bulletin a copy of an email from City Manager Leon Towarnicki that states that Landmark is attempting to be responsive to the mold concerns and that the best course of action would be to wait for results of the related testing.

Notices to residents

On Wednesday, the day after the city council meeting, the Lofts’ management distributed papers to tenants: a “Mold and Mildew Addendum;” a notice of a residents’ meeting at 6 p.m. June 27; a contact sheet listing names and contact information of three managers with 336 area codes and one local telephone number for a community manager, with “TBD” listed in that name column.

Ingram said she is concerned that the «Mold and Mildew Addendum» seems to put the responsibility for mold and mildew on tenants. The document lists 12 situations that residents must report to management. They include “visible or suspected mold,” “plant watering overflows,” “loose, missing or falling grout or caulk” and “leaky faucets, plumbing, pet urine accidents.”

If tenants do not report those conditions, “Resident(s) can be held responsible for property damage to the dwelling and any health problems that may result,” the addendum states.

Another notice by Landmark, dated Friday, states that a residents’ meeting, facilitated by Landmark COO Blair Maas and Fullerton, would be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

A notice by Landmark to tenants dated Wednesday states the company plans to have a new manager in place by the end of the month; a 100% unit inspection was just completed and work orders will be created for “any issues” found in an apartment; and a new landscaping company should be hired by the end of the month.

Work to the building’s exterior, including masonry repairs, exterior painting and awning repairs and replacements is planned, the letter states. The letter also specifies that tenants who need work done to an apartment must fill out a work order that is available in the leasing office.

$42,000 and no action

Tenant Natasha Jones forwarded to the Bulletin an email she had sent to Lofts management in December, requesting repairs to, or replacement of, a refrigerator, stove, cracked tiles in kitchen and bathroom and replacement of rippled carpet infested with bedbugs, none of which has been addressed to date, she wrote by text.

“If you think about it, I have paid well over $42,000 to your company to live here, so why shouldn’t I get the repairs requested and new appliances?” she wrote to the company in December.

Jones stated by text message on Friday that “the roof has been leaking on and off” since she has lived there, and electronics and furniture have been damaged by water.

“Now they are starting to address the issue of the mold/mildew that are on my walls and bathroom floor,” Jones wrote.

Turner: We should take this seriously

Thursday a landscaping crew on the grounds of the complex was trimming bushes, shrubs and ornamental grasses.

Friday morning a shrill alarm was sounding on the first floor. It had gone off all night, said Ingram, who captured the sound in video on her phone and shared it. “Just imagine how the tenants feel on the first floor,” she said.

“The least the city could do is advocate on their behalf,” Turner said of the tenants. “I was shocked as I went around to city offices and their reactions weren’t as I thought they should be.

“When somebody says mold, we should take that seriously.”

The complaints have been made for a couple of years “and not corrected. City officials say, ‘It’s the first time I’ve heard of it,’ but it’s not the first time I’ve heard of it,” he said.

source https://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/news/local/storms-of-complaints-grow-over-martinsville-lofts-aparments/article_52989bad-bccc-5d76-8df9-45802a99168e.html

Clemson peanut specialist warns South Carolina growers to be on the lookout for diseases — Clemson Newsstand

BLACKVILLE – Hot, dry weather is causing issues for South Carolina peanut production and Clemson Extension peanut specialist Dan Anco warns farmers to be on the lookout for a host of diseases that could impact yields.

Aspergillus crown rot shows up as black sooty spores at the crown of dead plants
Image Credit: Clemson Public Service and Agriculture

One disease is Aspergillus crown rot.

“This disease shows up as black sooty spores at the crown of dead plants,” Anco said. “It is difficult to treat once it is seen in a field. The best thing to do is plant good-quality treated seed.”

In-furrow products such as Abound (azoxystrobin) can help, but once dead plants are visible, it is too late to add an in-furrow product. The hot and dry conditions that encourage Aspergillus crown rot also promote the appearance of lesser cornstalk borers, a worm that can create openings where Aspergillus can enter plants.

Anco also warns against underground diseases, such as white mold. White mold damage may not be visible until peanuts are inverted, or pulled out of the ground and flipped, so they can dry. Using a 40- to 45-day application of the fungicide tebuconazole will help curb white mold growth.

White mold damage may not be visible until peanuts are inverted, or pulled out of the ground and flipped so that they can dry.
Image Credit: Clemson Public Service and Agriculture

Early leaf spot and late leaf spot have also been found in a few places but are not out of control.

“The dry weather earlier gave us some latitude with starting fungicide programs maybe a little later,” Anco said. “Maintaining protection and making sure we don’t get behind now will keep things manageable as we get further into the season.”

Growers also should look for burn injuries on their plants. Plant burn from the pesticide Thimet, also known as phorate burn, can show up as a variety of symptoms. These symptoms generally start at the tip of a leaf and can be chlorotic/yellow. Several small round brown/black lesions at the tip of leaves are common. Thimet injury is more symmetrical and different leaflets are commonly affected at the same time. Symptoms can appear near the tips of leaves and can also have wedge or V-shaped appearances. The symmetry is caused by the different plants and leaflets being exposed to the phorate compound in the furrow at the same time.

“Thimet injury can at times look alarming, but it is nothing to worry about and is more of a sign that the Thimet is doing its job,” Anco said.

Thimet injury can look a little like hopperburn or leaf scorch.

Hopperburn is the result of potato leafhoppers feeding on leaves and appears as yellow (no brown) and does not by itself produce lesions inside the chlorotic portion of the injury. Treatment for hopperburn should begin when 15-20 percent of leaflets are affected. Hopperburn usually pops up around June or July and typically starts on field edges, but Anco said he has not seen it yet this year.

Leaf scorch disease commonly creates a small black lesion inside of the larger necrotic area on a leaf. This larger brown/necrotic spot of killed leaf tissue can take on a wedge shape. Anco said most fungicides regularly used for leaf spot control are likely also effective against leaf scorch.

The best window for planting peanuts in South Carolina is May 5-25. Optimal temperature for peanut growth and development is 86 degrees. Many diseases are driven in part by high soil temperatures. In addition, high temperatures can slow plant growth and drought stress reduces flower production and pollination.

Weather information from the Edisto Research and Education Center show the average high temperature for May was 88.8 degrees.

For more information about peanuts and other agronomic crops, visit www.clemson.edu/extension/agronomy/.

source https://newsstand.clemson.edu/mediarelations/clemson-peanut-specialist-warns-south-carolina-growers-to-be-on-the-lookout-for-diseases/

After months of waiting, a Bolivia woman is finally on route to getting legal aid — WWAY NewsChannel 3

BRUNSWICK COUNTY,NC (WWAY) — For 9 months now, we’ve told you stories of families struggling and rebuilding since Hurricane Florence. Friday, Legal Aid is trying to ease that process for Brunswick County residents.

Residents say this has been a long 9 months filled with countless road blocks from being unqualified for assistance to not being able to find assistance.

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But, Legal Aid’s help gave hope to some residents. One Bolivia woman says she can’t afford to pay $23,000 to repair her home. After months of noes, Shirley Johnson got a yes.

“I didn’t see any damage to my house that was out of norm until probably about January,” Johnson said. “I opened up one of my cabinet drawers and it just fell through. I was like ‘Oh Lord, what’s going on here?’”

Johnson said she immediately called her insurance company, after she started noticing storm damage in her Bolivia home. After 3 months of waiting for an answer, she says she was denied.

“I started reaching out to other people trying to figure it out [what to do and] FEMA was shut down by then so there was no help there,” Johnson said. “Without FEMA, you can’t get any of these other programs that helps rebuild your house.”

Johnson says the Legal Aid North Carolina’s clinic in Brunswick County was the blessing she needed.

“It seems like I’m starting to get somewhere now,” Johnson said.

The outreach clinic offered one-on-one meetings with residents affected by Hurricane Florence to discuss damages and other related issues. Managing Attorney Dale Deese says there’s a desperate need for help in southeastern North Carolina.

“[There is] still a lot of damage in a lot of homes and mold is a big problem , especially given the amount of rain we’ve received over the past 9 months,” Deese said.

Being from eastern North Carolina, Deese says the attorneys empathize with the residents.

“Many of us have our own personal experience with Matthew and Florence and so we bring that kind of empathy when we listen to these folks and their stories,” Deese said. “We empathize with them and we know how they’re feeling because they’ve suffered a great loss.”

Deese says some cases can take 2 weeks to reconcile and others can take months. Either way he says this is experience has been a learning opportunity for the legal team and the residents they serve.

Johnson says walking away from the clinic with an attorney assigned to her case gives her some hope.

“I’m [worried about] getting my hopes up too high just because it has been such a long drawn out process, but I’m thankful to God for this little step here,” Johnson said.

source https://www.wwaytv3.com/2019/06/14/after-months-of-waiting-a-bolivia-woman-is-finally-on-route-to-getting-legal-aid/

‘Devastating’: San Joaquin County’s cherry crop labeled a disaster — ABC10.com KXTV

LINDEN, California — Cherry growers were optimistic that their crop this year would be a very good one. But, they knew a series of late season storms could spell disaster. Unfortunately, they were right.

«We got those rains around the 20th of May and it rained for about a week and a half,» said San Joaquin County Ag Commissioner Tim Pelican. «Right now, we’re looking at losses conservatively of at least 50 percent, which is pretty devastating.»

In 2017, Pelican said the cherry crop was valued at $185 million. This year he values it at $90 million, but that figure could worsen as the losses are still being tallied.

The rain wreaked havoc with the fruit, which can absorb moisture from the rainwater because of the fruit’s thin skin. Once water gets trapped inside, it can cause the cherry to pop and split leading to mold and a worthless commodity. Growers say damaged cherries are unmarketable.

Bad cherries

Because of the spring rain, cherry crops in the Central Valley were ruined.

ABC10

«The storms we got and that cool weather hit at absolutely the worst time that it could possibly hit,» added Pelican.

While not all cherries were destroyed, growers say it is not worth picking the good fruit so in many cases the fruit is left on the tree. Pelican said the devastation is all across the county, even spreading to other counties that grow cherries.

«Usually, when we’ve done disasters it’s been somewhere around 1 to 1.5 tons per acre and this year we’re looking at maybe as low as .6 or .7 tons per acre,» Pelican explained.

Pelican told ABC10 the county will apply for a crop disaster next week with the state Office of Emergency Services (OES). He also plans to send a letter to the USDA’s Farm Service Agency as well. He said that will make low interest or no interest loans available to affected growers. Growers have crop insurance, but it doesn’t cover everything, he added.

Continue the conversation with Kurt on Facebook.

WATCH MORE: California cherry growers bracing for disaster as rainy weather moves in

source https://www.abc10.com/mobile/article/news/local/california/devastating-san-joaquin-countys-cherry-crop-labeled-a-disaster/103-da8adabd-9317-49c5-af78-2c816c1d6503

Displaced renters: It could take months for some to find housing — Dayton Daily News

Renters displaced by the Memorial Day tornadoes could wait up to eight months before local officials can identify available housing.

“In Trotwood and Harrison Twp. area, (it) will be difficult to try and find and replace the amount of housing that’s going to be needed for the people displaced,” Cherish Cronmiller, the chief executive of Miami Valley Community Action Partnership, told the Dayton Daily News. “It’s just not feasible.”

Montgomery County saw four tornadoes touch down on the late evening of May 27 causing major damage in several communities including Brookville, Butler Twp., Clayton, Dayton, Harrison Twp., Riverside, Trotwood and Vandalia.

Five Montgomery County apartment complexes were heavily damaged, including Woodland Hills Apartments (with up to 480 units sustaining damage), Westbrooke Village Apartments (up to about 150 units affected), and River’s Edge Apartments.

A preliminary assessment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency found 942 homes and buildings in 10 Ohio counties that were “either destroyed or significantly damaged” and 837 more homes and buildings that suffered “minor damage or were slightly affected.

Displaced renters and homeowners can seek assistance from the nonprofit Miami Valley Community Action Partnership, an organization that is working on relocating renters and homeowners displaced by the tornado outbreak.

Cronmiller said her organization’s primary focus is on relocation.

MVCAP has created a map of available rentals in the Dayton area with information on rent prices, included utilities and the size of the unit.

The organization has been screening landlords before adding them to the list.

“If they’re not interested in renting to disaster victims, we don’t add them to the list,” Cronmiller said. “We want landlords that are willing to work with these individuals.”

She said that this might take some negotiating because many people were displaced from more affordable apartments. She said she hopes her organization can negotiate down rent prices for those who were displaced.

MVCAP has Section 8 vouchers in Darke, Preble and Greene counties, but many people might not be able to relocate.

Cronmiller said that in the event that displaced individuals can’t afford even reduced rental rates, MVCAP will have to consider providing monetary supplements, which would come from donations.

Most people would prefer to stay in the communities that they were displaced from, Cronmiller said, but she worries about the possibility of every person being able to return.

Cronmiller said the organization has outreach plans over the coming weeks.

“We’ll go to the shelter, we’ll sit with those individuals and talk about what’s affordable, [ask] ‘where do you want to be at, where can you go,’ and then if we need to [we’ll be] contacting those landlords and saying ‘how much can you work with us?’”

Cronmiller doesn’t expect this phase of the recovery to be done any time soon.

“We know that realistically we’re looking at upwards of at least eight months to get everybody housed,” she said.

Apartment residents asked to vacate by Friday

The Dayton City Commission on Wednesday criticized the department of housing inspection for how it ordered residents to vacate their tornado-damaged homes.

Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley said the letters residents received seemed harshly written, which was an inappropriate tone.

“It seemed really hateful, and these folks have been through a lot, so I think we need to be a little more cognizant of how we are delivering messages like this,” Whaley said.

On Tuesday, city staff posted orange vacate orders and letters on the doors of some residential units on Kelly Avenue in Old North Dayton. The area was one of the hardest hit parts of the city.

At the request of the Red Cross, Dayton inspectors went out and evaluated some housing units that were damaged by the tornado and determined they were unsafe and lacked utilities, said Todd Kinskey, the planning and community development director.

The orange notices say that people are not allowed to be on the properties and violators will be prosecuted.

Residents were provided with information about available resources and potential housing options, and notices were posted to deter people from staying in unsafe conditions, Kinskey said.

Vacate notices were posted to properties that had clear and severe structural or safety issues and violations and properties that inspectors couldn’t fully access and evaluate because they were not able to connect with tenants and owners, said Shauna Hill, division manager for planning and community development.

City staff will work with residents if they need more time to vacate or if their properties need small repairs to be habitable, Hill said.

But the vacate orders were issued solely because the properties are not safe for people to be inside, like dangerous structural issues, she said.

Hill said housing inspection visited the Kelly Avenue area on Wednesday to try to make contact with residents they were not able to connect with the day before. She said she believed some notices would be cancelled if inspectors were able to get a closer look at some properties and find out if they were in acceptable condition.

Getting legal help

Robyn Traywick, a staff attorney for Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, said many people don’t know what to do to in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

“People are really traumatized and they just don’t have the energy to be fighting these battles right now,” Traywick said. “I don’t know how many folks have broken down in tears.”

ABLE has been at community centers to provide legal information and education for people who might need assistance.

Traywick said most people have sought ABLE’s legal help over housing issues, whether that be trouble with landlords or insurance companies.

“A lot of people don’t know if they need legal assistance,” she said.

The organization is handing out information sheets on housing rights, insurance and several other disaster recovery topics.

If your home is still standing but needs repairs in order for it to be livable, the service provides a blank notice of landlord’s breach of obligation form for tenants to fill out.

The form clearly notifies a landlord of the issues and gives them 30 days to correct it. It also states that if the conditions are not fixed, then the tenant has the right to deposit rent checks in escrow or to terminate the rental agreement.

“[Landlords] are responsible for making sure I can live in the place,” Traywick said. “A leaking roof is not livable. Black mold is not livable.”

Traywick said that clear communication and documentation is critical when dealing with any kind of contractual relationships.

She suggests that tenants keep track of what officials they have talked to and what they talked about and to keep any kind of official documents a tenant gives or receives.

Traywick said that a majority of renters and homeowners that she has talked to don’t have insurance on their homes. She doesn’t foresee many homeowners being able to rebuild.

“The majority of people that I’ve talked with are people who work, or are self employed,” Traywick said. “It’s really hit them hard. They’ve lost their jobs. Their cars got destroyed. They only had liability [insurance] and now they can’t get to work, so now they’ve been fired.

She said the community needs both long and short term solutions for this recovery.

“This is going to change the fabric of our community in many ways,” Traywick said.

Renters are overwhelmed

The fabric change is a concern for Rev. Chris Hall of the Trotwood Missional Community.

As the city condemned some apartment buildings and left others alone despite damage, Hall said affected Trotwood renters became overwhelmed.

“People were just stuck in place, they didn’t know what to do,” Hall said.

Others were dispersed around the Dayton area, temporarily moving in with children or parents. He said that those who were able to quickly move from their damaged or destroyed homes had more housing options to choose from, and that now people don’t have many places to go.

Hall said he doesn’t think many who were displaced in Trotwood will have the financial ability to move back to the community.

“The city of Trotwood just lost a bunch of families who might not come back,” Hall said.

In a letter to President Donald Trump, Gov. Mike DeWine pointed out the struggle facing renters in Trotwood.

Only 51% of housing in Trotwood is owner-occupied, DeWine said.

“This leaves a large chunk of the population dependent on rental units,” DeWine said. “Damage assessments from the Trotwood area reveal this rental population was hard hit by the Memorial Day tornadoes.”

For Dayton-area renters who were able to stay in their homes like Virginia Doran, whose home sustained roof and siding damage, waiting for a landlord to issue repairs can take time.

“We’re probably looking at weeks, months, maybe more,” she said.

Her concern is over the gradual effects – water damage or mold – that a leaky roof can cause.

In other areas, vacate notices are still being issued. On Tuesday, the city posted vacate notices at a housing complex on Kelly Avenue in Old North Dayton. Tenants were ordered to vacate the premises by Friday.

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How to help

Dayton Foodbank

You can volunteer Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Corporate and school groups are always welcome, as well.

To schedule a volunteer shift at The Foodbank, please contact Sean Mitchell at (937) 461-0265 x 27 or email SMitchell@thefoodbankdayton.org. Because the Foodbank is a warehouse,you must be at least 14 years old to volunteer and be accompanied by an adult. We ask that all volunteers wear closed-toe shoes for safety.

Harrison Twp. Fire Station 2400 Turner Road

Show up to volunteer anytime between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday; noon and 6 p.m. on Sunday. They need help unloading and sorting donations as well as talking to people as they pull up to pick up donations and assessing their needs then bringing whatever they need to their car and loading it up. Call or text Amanda at (309) 370-8741 and she will supply you with a specific location that needs your help.

Toys needed

Toy donations for children affected by the Memorial Day tornadoes are being accepted by Dayton Inspires, a grassroots community alliance. They will deliver toys, popsicles and ice cream on Monday, June 17 to shelters housing families displaced by the violent weather.

Toy donations can be delivered to these locations:

Hopeland Church, 6025 Miller Lane, Monday – Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Catapult Creative, in the lobby at 10 N. Ludlow, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Heart Mercantile, 438 E. Fifth St., Monday – Sunday from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Toys can be dropped off in the alley behind the building.

American Legion hall, 27 S. Meadow Drive, Trotwood, 3-5 p.m. June 13. There will be a cookout as well. Toys can be dropped off anytime before then.

Pippin’s Market

At 5440 Olive Road in Trotwood they are collecting and distributing donations for tornado victims. they are open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3-7 p.m. and Saturdays 12-4 p.m.

We will need volunteers to be scheduled in advance for all dates. If you would like to volunteer, please message their Facebook page to sign up We are looking for 10 volunteers for each day.

Northridge Foodbank

The Northridge foodbank, 2131 Timber Lane, is in need of volunteers.

Help is needed sorting and distributing food M-F noon — 6pm. It is not required to stay all day, work however many hours you can.

Support offered to those affected by tornadoes in Beavercreek

In the wake of the Memorial Day tornadoes, Dayton-area and Beavercreek residents are rebuilding physically and emotionally.

“It is natural for disaster survivors to feel angry, stressed, guilty, or helpless,” said Greta Mayer, chief executive officer of the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Clark, Greene & Madison Counties (MHRB). “But oftentimes, symptoms of distress may be less obvious. Having trouble sleeping, being more irritable than usual, or experiencing nightmares also are signs of distress.”

Information, self-help resources, and companionship will be provided for those affected by the tornadoes this week at Beavercreek Community Library, 3618 Dayton Xenia Rd.

Trained companions for emotional support will be available today, June 13 from 3 to 7 p.m. and June 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Additional days and times will be added as needed.

Hour-long educational information sessions also will be offered by Ohio Crisis Response Team today, June 13 at 5:30 and June 15 at 11 a.m.

Topics include: crisis reactions, long-term stress you may have or experience because of the tornadoes, and helpful coping mechanisms.

Disaster Recovery: Housing Rights

Can I get out of my lease if my home is destroyed?

If you cannot live in your rented homeor apartment because it was destroyed by a tornado, you can cancel the lease.

• You must give your landlord written notice that you are canceling your lease and keep a copy for your records.

• You must vacate (leave)the rental home or apartment as quickly as possible and return the keys to your landlord.

• Once you vacate and return the keys, you lose any right to personal property remaining in the rental homeor apartment.

• You are NOT responsible to pay the landlord rent that accrued after you gave notice, vacated the rental home or apartmentand returned the keys.

For more information on housing, visit http://bit.ly/2ZoEdFj or call (937) 341-5000

Source: Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE) or Legal Aid of Western Ohio

source https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/could-take-months-for-displaced-renters-find-housing/H8WPETdb1Oiuc2HT9GY01I/

Parents voice concern about Shell Beach Elementary building conditions — KSBY San Luis Obispo News

The Lucia Mar Unified School District is responding to concerns from parents of students at Shell Beach Elementary, who fear mold may be growing in their classrooms after heavy rains damaged the roof of at least one building.

“Personally, I’m working on transferring my daughter to a different school to protect her health,” said mother Natalie Beller at a school board meeting Tuesday night.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Beller voiced her concern about the potential for mold in her daughter’s classrooms.

Beller said her daughter has a mold allergy.

“The fiberglass insulation was exposed and a black substance that looked like mold was covering the insulation,” Beller said.

Cindy Naber, the district’s executive director of facilities, recognizes that inclement weather did damage some school structures.

“With the record rainfall we had last season, there’s some roofs that need to be… there was water damage, so we’re doing roof repairs,” Naber said.

Those repairs are set to begin this summer while students are away.

But Naber said a recent inspection of the property revealed no mold.

Parents, though, note the portion of the report that says the inspector did not look above the ceiling tiles as part of what the report calls a “limited inspection.”

A more thorough inspection, Naber said, will be completed when the roof and gutters are repaired over the summer.

The potential for mold is not the only issue on parents’ minds.

“Portable classrooms sitting in dirt, backfilling against the portables, broken rain gutters, and leaking roofs,” Beller said.

Naber said the health and safety of students is a top priority and contended that these issues will be addressed with funds obtained through a bond passed in 2016.

“We are doing this in phases and work is happening at all the schools and the portable building will all be replaced,” Naber said.

That work is not expected to begin until 2021 and concerned parents argue that’s not soon enough.

source https://ksby.com/news/local-news/2019/06/12/parents-voice-concern-about-shell-beach-elementary-building-conditions

The 4 Most Effective Ways To Prevent Mold In Your Home This Summer — mindbodygreen.com

I always say that the most important thing you can do to avoid mold during the balmy summer season is protect against leaks and reduce humidity.

Hydration may be great for your body, but your home is a different story! Keep the humidity in your house below 50% if possible. (Official guidelines are 55%, but in my experience less than 50% is optimal, with a goal of 45%.) A simple humidity gauge—which usually costs around $10—can let you know if you’re on the right track.

Remember that modern houses are sealed up so tightly that humidity levels can increase after everyday habits like showers and cooking, so you may end up needing a dehumidifier depending on your space. I recommend investing in a high-quality unit that has a larger tank capacity (70 pints, for example). Though a good dehumidifier will cost around $200 to $700, I’ve found that smaller «room size» countertop units are simply not as effective. Be sure to check reviews to make sure that yours is quiet (especially if you’re placing it in the bedroom) and easy to empty.

source https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/how-to-protect-your-house-from-mold-in-the-summer-months

Stockton Springs accepts, Searsport rejects former elementary school property — PenBayPilot.com

STOCKTON SPRINGS and SEARSPORT — The future ownership of the former Stockton Springs Elementary School building was put in the hands of voters in both Stockton Springs and Searsport on June 11.

The elementary school shuttered in April 2017 and mold was discovered in August 2018.

The Regional School Unit 20 school board voted to offer the school to both Stockton Springs and Searsport for $0 at its April 9 meeting.

The June 11 vote was only for residents of both towns to decide if their respective town will accept the building and land.

The vote did not include a decision on future use of the building or land.

Searsport rejected the property 38-55.

Stockton Springs accepted the property 230-57.

The building, according to a presentation from Stockton Springs Town Manager Courtney O’Donnell, includes 23,162 square feet on 9.5 acres with 550 feet of road frontage.

The former school contains a gymnasium, kitchen, classrooms, playground, field and a small shed.

The building’s current tax assessment is $15,27,860 though the assessment will drop more than $1 million due to mold damage and is currently tax exempt.

The land’s current tax assessment is $328,000.

With Stockton Springs accepting the property, they gain control of the property and will determine the property’s future.

Inspections will be required for asbestos and Stockton Springs will need to investigate several long term options, according to O’Donnell’s presentation.

The presentation noted potential options include fixing the building, demolishing the building and retaining the land, demolishing a portion of the building or working with investors and developers.

Fixing the building would include mold remediation, which is expected to cost at least $146,000, based on bids received by the school district on April 8.

The mold remediation would gut the building, remediate all mold but does not include replacing walls, thus additional costs would be incurred to bring the building back to life.

Potential building uses could include a community building or rental space for several business, which the presentation notes is similar to what occurred in Orland.

The total cost estimate to fix the building is $225,000.

If the building was demolished and the land retained, potential usages could include a fire station, community building, trails or additional spacing for community activities.

The cost to demolish the entire building, according to a quote obtained by Stockton Springs, is approximately $50,000 with the total cost estimated to be $50,000 to $80,000, based on asbestos levels and removal of one underground storage tank.

If demolishing a portion of the building and retaining the land, the gymnasium and possibly the kitchen would be retained while the classrooms would be demolished due to extensive mold.

Some mold remediation would be required for the gymnasium and kitchen, according to a report to the school district from Air Quality Management Services, Inc.

Roof repair would be required due to a leak found in the gym and kitchen with damage to the walls and ceiling tiles.

Options for the retained portion include a section of a fire station with add-ons in the future and a community space.

O’Donnell noted the current fire station has problems, the biggest issue being a lack of space and ability to fit newer style trucks, meaning the current fire station will inevitably need to be replaced at some point in the future.

Retaining a portion of the building would require ongoing costs including maintenance, insurance and management.

Costs for retaining only a portion of the building are unknown, according to O’Donnell, since expert opinions and further investigation is required.

O’Donnell also noted there is some preliminary interest from a developer regarding the future of the building.

The cost of this option is also unknown, though insurance would be required in the meantime. Benefits include the potential to retain a portion of the land and would put the property, or at least a portion, back on the tax rolls.

O’Donnell noted other factors for Stockton Springs voters to consider with a yes vote included:

• Debt Consideration: Stockton Springs currently has approximately $75,000 in outstanding debt expected to be paid off in fiscal year 2020.

• Funding: Initial funds for experts and investigation could come from the Stockton Springs general fund, which O’Donnell notes would not negatively impact the fund. For a larger debt, a municipal bond or traditional loan could be obtained, which would require the approval of voters.

• Playground equipment could be relocated or sold.

Reach George Harvey at: sports@penbaypilot.com.

source https://www.penbaypilot.com/article/stockton-springs-accepts-searsport-rejects-former-elementary-school-property/119727