You probably know the rough outlines of this debacle: “Officials in Flint, Michigan, were looking for a cheaper source of water when they stopped piping in water from the city of Detroit in 2014 and switched to using the Flint River. But the money-saving move proved disastrous for residents. The water was laden with lead, bacteria and other contaminants, and it took the government more than a year to address the water crisis.” This is how Consumernotice.org, a nonprofit advocacy organization based in Orlando, describes the origin story of a man-made disaster that impacted many of the 98,565 residents of this midwestern city six years ago. (Today, there are 94,867 residents.)

Local Impacts

Tiny converted lodge gets a grand design style makeover in Guiseley

For a stay with a royal touch (with a price to match) and steeped in Bavarian tradition Langham Hotels and Resorts has opened its residence facing the imperial estate of Nymphenburg Palace in Munich.

The two-year restoration of the manor is on the grounds of the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory which has been producing high-quality handmade porcelain since the 1700s.

Naturally, the residence which has four bedrooms, seven bathrooms, three living rooms, dining room, a fully-equipped kitchen, fitness centre, home cinema and wine cellar, features curated pieces from the Nymphenburg workshop.

The Royal Bavarian Spa has a traditional blue-and-white colour scheme with 24-carat gold detailing hand-painted views of royal Bavarian castles such as Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau and

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/embed/M-s5oIzQYF0

I Luv Company, which sells silicone kitchen utensils and idea consumer goods to hypermarkets and home shopping in Korea, is accelerating its entry into the overseas market.

I Luv Company is loved by housewives in their 30s, 40s and 50s, dealing with silicone and novel idea kitchen utensils and daily necessities, as well as safe consumer goods and cost-effective consumer goods.

I Luv Company owns 1 patent and 2 trademark registrations, 1 design, and 1 intellectual property rights, was awarded in the Trademark Design Rights Fair in 2018, and received a commendation from the Shared Growth Committee and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in 2019. 

The main product of I Luv Company is silicone cooking utensils, and what’s special is that it is entirely made of silicone, unlike general cases where only part of the product is made of to lower the mass production cost,

People often underestimate how much they will need to maintain their desired lifestyle in retirement. Most assume their expenses will go down when they’re no longer working, and the kids are out of college. While certain work-related costs, such as commuting, parking, clothing or uniforms, and even that daily latte may cease, other costs for travel, entertainment and healthcare can quickly replace, or outpace, expenses incurred during your working years. That’s why it’s so important to estimate your retirement expenses well before you pull the plug on work.

Determining how much you may need in retirement takes a little work, but it’s much easier if you have a good handle on your current expenses. If you’re not sure what you’re spending now, create a budget. Expenses generally fall into three broad categories:

1. Essential expenses
2. Discretionary expenses
3. One-time expenses

Begin by determining what your necessities are. Ask yourself: “If I

How your space functions and feels matters now more than ever, especially if your new norm is an everything-at-home lifestyle; work, play and living. And, by this point in the pandemic, if your space isn’t optimal, you’ve probably exhausted all the furniture- and room-rearranging options available to you. So naturally, if you own, home improvements aimed at increasing the livability and workability of your space are probably on your mind.

Whether it’s a long-planned or pandemic-induced renovation, here’s how to do the math on it.

Begin with the final market value in mind

Before you start breaking up the concrete in your basement in an effort to level out the floor, you’ll want to compare listings and sale prices of properties that are, and are not, upgraded (for condos and townhouses, too). Some of this information can be found online, and your realtor, if you have one, can fill in

Last year, after an art- and furniture-buying spree, they finally considered the project finished. They ended up with a two-story modern farmhouse that bears little resemblance to the original.

The two, now in their early 50s, live there with their three children, now all teenagers.

The couple paid $839,000 for the 3,500-square-foot, four-bedroom original home on 2 acres, situated not far from Huntington Bay. They then spent the first few years, and some $900,000, to add 1,500 square feet to the house, including the second story, a new kitchen and new bathrooms. Starting in 2016, they spent $100,000 to re-landscape

As much as I love my kitchen workhorses — the giant wooden cutting board, measuring cups, microplane and razor-sharp knives — there’s also a special place in my heart for the smaller extras that I don’t strictly need, but that make cooking (and eating!) smooth as butter.

After singing their praises to (aka pushing them on) my family and friends, I thought I’d share info on these cheap, easy-to-clean favorites with you. They’re all products I actually own and use in real life and that are simple to incorporate into your cooking routine. Most of all, they’re versatile tools you can use daily (I do!), which means they’re not just inexpensive, but also high-value. Here are the tools I never want to be without, and how I use them.

You may be planning for a major kitchen renovation, including new appliances, plumbing, countertops or cabinets. Instead, you may be aiming to spruce up the space with a smaller budget. A kitchen renovation is rarely cheap, but there are ways to save. Here’s what you need to know.

How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost?

Based on online estimates, home improvement resource company HomeAdvisor’s reported national averages for renovation costs and expert insights, here’s how the cost of a major kitchen remodel breaks down:

— Labor: 15% to 25%

— Cabinets: 29%

— Appliances and ventilation: 14%

— Countertops: 10%

— Lighting: 5%

— Floors: 7%

— Fixtures and plumbing: 4%

— Additional finishes and budget cushion: 15% to 20%

According to HomeAdvisor, the national average for a kitchen renovation is $25,291, with a low-end remodel starting around $4,000 and a high-end project reaching $60,000 or more. The disparities between

By Phillip Raub, CEO of Model No.

After months (and months) of confinement, there is a growing trend of city dwellers leaving the likes of New York and San Francisco for less expensive and greener pastures. As urbanites head for smaller markets, the ‘burbs and farms, the one need each of them will have is for more furniture. As a result, the furniture industry is slated to grow by almost 30% by 2027 ($650B).

While traditional industry players will surely benefit from this growth, it also presents an opportunity to radically change an industry that has failed to embrace more automated and sustainable manufacturing processes.

In the same way that you can easily build the car of your dreams or customize a pair of Nike shoes online, customers are looking for a similar method to order a desk for their makeshift office or a kitchen table that doubles as a