COLUMBUS – Officials have announced three additional concerts to be a part of the Ohio State Fair Concert Series powered by AEP Ohio’s Smart Grid.

Additions just announced are that Willie Nelson, Ice Cube, and Lakeside / ConFunkShun will be performing in the WCOL Celeste Center. The 12-day Ohio State Fair will feature a diverse selection of entertainment that appeals to many Ohioans and out-of-state fairgoers, including Christian, country, R&B, classic rock, funk, and comedy.

Tickets for shows announced today go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. Fans who sign up to receive Ohio State Fair enewsletters can get access to a presale starting this Wednesday at 10 a.m., ending at 11:59 p.m.

Each concert ticket purchased in advance includes admission to the Fair, giving music lovers and comedy fans the opportunity to enjoy all facets of the Ohio State Fair before attending a show. All concerts take place in the indoor, air-conditioned WCOL Celeste Center. Tickets will be available for purchase at ticketmaster.com/OhioStateFair at the dates listed below.

The Ohio State Fair Concert Series powered by AEP Ohio’s Smart Grid shows announced to date include these events that tickets are already on sale for:

Toby Keith with special guest Alex Miller July 28 at 7 p.m. $60, $75; Foreigner – The Greatest Hits, July 29 at 7:30 p.m.; $40, $50; Nelly with special guest Breland, July 30 7 p.m. $35, $45; and Dru Hill / Raheem DeVaughn, July 31 at 7:30 p.m. $30. 

Other concerts set include: Zach Williams, with special guest We the Kingdom, Aug. 1, at 7 p.m. tickets are $30; Scotty McCreery, Aug. 2 at 7:30 p.m., tickets, $30; and Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Aug. 3, 2022, at 7 p.m., tickets, $45, $55.

For those concerts just announced here are the details:

Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Willie Nelson with special guest Noah Guthrie

Tickets go on sale Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m.

Tickets go on sale Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m.

One additional paid concert, as well as free events held in the WCOL Celeste Center are yet to be announced.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com/OhioStateFair. Concert tickets purchased before arriving at the Fair include Fair admission. Unless otherwise noted, there is a limit of eight tickets per person, per show on the first day of sale. Please note that Ticketmaster no longer offers retail outlets or phone centers. The Ohio State Fair plans to follow applicable state and local protocols related to the spread of COVID-19.

With big-name entertainment, educational activities, hundreds of exhibits and one of the largest junior livestock shows in the nation, the 2022 Ohio State Fair will run July 27 – Aug. 7. For more information, visit ohiostatefair.com, call 1-888-OHO-EXPO or 1-614-644-FAIR.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

This spring, Pratt launches its 2022 edition of Research Open House (ROH), organized by the Office of Research and Strategic Partnerships in the Provost’s Office. This marks five years of welcoming the public to discover the groundbreaking research being conducted by students, faculty, staff, and alumni from across disciplines. Since debuting in 2018, ROH has showcased the breadth and depth of research at Pratt, from sustainability to the preservation of heritage, often involving collaboration beyond campus with local industry, government groups, and other educational institutions.

“On the fifth year anniversary of Research Open House, we’re thrilled to look back on five years of celebrating research, while looking forward to the bright future of our community, especially as construction continues at the Research Yard, our new dedicated research facility located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard,” said Allison Druin, associate provost for research and strategic partnerships. “We couldn’t be more proud of the work accomplished by our faculty, staff, students, and alumni or more excited for the possibilities ahead.”

Five Years of Impactful Research

ROH offers a window into the interdisciplinary research ecosystem at Pratt. Previous years have featured hundreds of diverse projects, and many have grown and evolved. To celebrate five years of ROH, here are five research projects at Pratt that continue to have an impact.

Created by Ariane Lourie Harrison, visiting associate professor in Graduate Architecture and Urban Design (GAUD), the Pollinators Pavilion started in 2018 as a field station and educational tool that is both a habitat and monitoring station for solitary bees. A prototype was installed in the Hudson Valley, and last summer, a slice of a pavilion was erected on Governors Island. Later this year, a “hempcrete” version of the Pollinators Pavilion will be built in partnership with the Bee Conservancy on Governors Island. The project has enhanced its support of biodiversity through artificial intelligence (AI) in its data collection. Developed from databases at the American Museum of Natural History, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences Center for Pollinator Research and Frost Entomological Museum at Penn State, and iNaturalist, the project’s AI model offers a no-kill method for preliminary insect identification of a family rather than species. More data and monitoring this year are increasing the accuracy of this AI model.

Guerilla Science at the 2018 Figment Festival on Governors Island

The Pollinators Pavilion also collaborated with another research project at Pratt—Guerilla Science—on a 2021 communicating climate science course on Governors Island for scientists and creative professionals. Guerilla Science is expanding ideas around research using public engagement with art, music, and play to involve people in STEM ideas. Led by Mark Rosin, associate professor of math and science, the project offers unexpected experiences with science, from interventions at cultural festivals to hands-on workshops. Each of these has approached knowledge sharing in a participatory way.

Kingston high school students participating in the Pratt Creative Xchange in 2019

In Kingston, New York, the Pratt Creative Xchange has involved area designers and makers in an internship program for local students. Kingston was selected based on research into its manufacturing history and its current community of artisans. From May 2018 to May 2019, its team, which included an interdisciplinary group of Pratt faculty and students, worked with Kingston students in a learning and exhibition space. They provided hands-on experience with making to empower the high school students to pursue creative careers. The Pratt Creative Xchange is looking ahead to more opportunities in Kingston or other cities and towns to further promote the possibilities for creative career paths.

Image from “Preserving Activism Beyond and Between Pratt’s Gates”

“Preserving Activism Beyond and Between Pratt’s Gates” initiated in 2019 engages with archival research and oral histories to examine Pratt’s relationship to the social movements that shaped the school and its community from its 1887 founding to the present. This has included connecting Pratt’s Black student activists of the 1970s to those on campus today and sharing a legacy of activism through an online resource. This spring, the project, which involves faculty, students, and staff from the School of Art, School of Design, School of Architecture, and Pratt Libraries, is collaborating with the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership on an installation in Myrtle Avenue storefronts.

Manufacturing with Made in NYC

In the 2020 ROH, the Pratt Center for Community Development showcased its initiative Made in NYC which supports local manufacturers and makers by connecting them with marketing and branding resources, community networking, and skills-building opportunities. Beyond their work in the local manufacturing sector, the Pratt Center advocates for affordable and healthy living environments. Since 2009, the Pratt Center has used research to promote the reduction of energy consumption and costs, improvement of indoor air quality, and preservation of affordable housing through partnerships with community-based groups. This year, the Pratt Center and community partners Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, IMPACCT Brooklyn, and Kinetic Communities Consulting were selected to receive $1,942,500 for an Affordable Small Home Sustainability Initiative to preserve affordable housing for 600 Brooklyn residents.

Exploring What’s New in 2022

Work with Street Lab from “Multigenerational Active Streets” led by Hannah Berkin-Harper

This year, ROH will share more of these innovative projects. They include a tool kit by Robert Adrianne Gomez, MS City and Regional Planning ’21, that lets a community design its streets through collaborative design, as well as a multigenerational active streets project for Jackson Heights by Hannah Berkin-Harper, visiting assistant professor of industrial design, in partnership with the nonprofit Street Lab.

They highlight the range of design work at Pratt, such as a project by Amanda Huynh, assistant professor of industrial design, encouraging children to come together through physical prototyping, even in a time of virtual learning. Selin Miskavi, BID ’22, designed an adaptive cutting board for cooks who have less mobility or strength in one hand.

“New Art Materials for a New World” led by Eleonora Del Federico

Other projects apply inventive techniques to conservation and art history, such as Professor of Math and Science Eleonora Del Federico’s investigation into early 20th century paintings through X-ray and infrared technology. Some projects are using technology to reevaluate existing forms. Jonathan Scelsa, associate professor of undergraduate architecture, is rethinking bricks and masonry as things that could be robotically-formed and act as biological habitats.

All the 2022 ROH projects are available to view online, offering another year of forward-thinking research to explore. The event includes the third annual People’s Choice Award which visitors can vote on through April 15. The winners and other ROH awards are planned to be announced the week of April 19.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Published April 5th, 2022 at 1:59 pm, Last Updated April 5th, 2022 at 2:45 pm

Two vetoes, toking it up, plastic bags and a packed council chamber greeted the Albuquerque City Council as they gathered for a marathon meeting on April 4.

To Tax or Not to Tax?

A couple of tax bills were on the table. Both failed.

The first was Councilor Dan Lewis’ bill to cut 1/8 of the 3/8 of 1% gross receipts tax that was passed in 2018; at that time, it stipulated that 60% goes to public safety. City folks say that, while the public safety requirement has expired, the majority of the tax goes to the city’s public safety needs. The tax is expected to take in about $79 million by the next fiscal year. Councilor Lewis wanted to lower the tax to ¼ of 1%. If you do the math that saves about 10 cents for every $100 dollars or an estimated $26 million dollars that won’t go towards helping solve the complex public safety issues.

Councilor Lewis was on the offensive and accused the Mayor’s administration of spreading lies about the repealing of the bill. But the city’s Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Rael was not going to let it go unchecked and asked for civility even when the Councilors and the Mayor and his administration didn’t agree. Councilor Lewis said, “We were swimming in cash.” City finance folks made a presentation about the tax. In the end, the other eight Councilors disagreed and the repeal went down with only Councilor Lewis voting to cut the needed tax.

The second bill kept the tax intact but clearly dedicated 60% of the revenue to public safety and 40% to the city’s affordable housing. This should have passed but it didn’t, on a 5 – 4 vote.

Paper, Plastic or Bring Your Own

More than a handful of Councilors chose to ignore the numerous pleas by all ages to keep the plastic bag ban. The numerous and passionate public comments fell on some deaf ears as the Council voted 6 – 3 to keep the polluting bags flying around our city.

The ban was passed in 2019 after months of public input and debate. Mayor Tim Keller suspended the ban for over a year during the COVID-19 shut-down due to pandemic concerns, then brought it back after the pandemic eased. Councilor Brook Bassan, who sponsored the repeal, said she has not been bribed or paid off by lobbyists. 

Sherman McCorkle from the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce said the ban on plastic bags was a burden on businesses. Most of the public disagreed, “We can say no to plastic bags,” said one speaker. Another reminded the Council that it was not the Mayor that brought forth the plastic bag ban in the first place, it was the citizens that petitioned for it. Another said that on a windy day the plastic bag show is particularly bad on the west end of Central. Councilor Klarissa Peña took offense to this reference and said she was proud of her district because the residents there keep the plastic bags picked up so there is not a plastic bag problem in her district. Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn said she wanted to recognize the youth that have worked on making the city’s environment better and that stepped up for public comment. One 11-year old spoke eloquently and has been trying to enlighten us about the plastic bag problem since she was eight years old. Another youth said that plastic bags are like dirty socks being left all around the living room. Councilors Isaac Benton, Pat Davis and Fiebelkorn did the visionary thing and voted to keep plastic shopping bags out of our trees but it was to no avail as the other six basically said to bring on the plastic. Maybe some retailers will step up and say “No” on their own to handing out plastic bags. Consumers can say “No” by carrying reusable bags.

Vaccine or Not Veto?

With zero debate, the mayor’s veto of a bill did not have the support needed to override. It needed six votes and the 5-4 vote meant the veto stands. The bill said the city could not require its employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine. It was a weird defensive measure since the city had never made such a requirement. Councilors in favor of overriding the veto said that city employees should have peace of mind that there would never be such a requirement to get vaccinated against a fast-spreading deadly disease. All of this was a waste of the public’s time and money in order for a faction of the Council to posture about freedom of choice since there was no requirement in the first place.

Cannabis Cafes To Come

Happy days are here, as Councilor Benton said. Councilors gave the green light to creating smoking lounges where folks can sit and have a cup of joe and a joint. As Councilor Fiebelkorn said, inhaling cannabis products in public spaces is still illegal. This includes within vehicles. The bill at hand only addresses the city’s Clean Indoor Air Act. Folks can toke or nibble up at home. This bill allows businesses to apply for conditional use permits for indoor smoking areas. 

Quickies

A memorial urging the City Council to ask the U.S. Federal Government to support the United Nations Treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons, reaffirming the state and Albuquerque as nuclear weapons-free zones. Willard Hunter and other members of Veterans for Peace Albuquerque spoke in support of the memorial and said there were 40 U.S. cities and many countries that have passed this memorial. The Council did not agree and it failed. Seems the Council doesn’t want to piss off the local military bases and national laboratories as they are huge contributors to the economy.

The Council also voted 5 – 4 to rescind a recent policy mandating project labor agreements on city projects over $10 million using workers from at least three crafts that have collective bargaining agreements with labor unions.

The next meeting of the City Council is set for a live, in-person meeting at 5 pm on April 18. Attend in person or watch it at GOV-TV at cabq.gov or on Comcast Cable Channel 16 or on the city’s YouTube channel.

*Disclaimer: Pat Davis is the co-owner of The Paper.

Related

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Credit COVID-19’s affects on construction materials supply chains with Carroll County’s School Board seeking another round of bidding for Carroll County High School renovations and additions following a March 28 meeting at the Governmental Complex. The Carroll County School Board rejected all three bids it received on the project.

Credit COVID-19’s affects on construction materials supply chains with Carroll County’s School Board seeking another round of bidding for Carroll County High School renovations and additions following a March 28 meeting at the Governmental Complex.

Prior to the action rejecting the three bids which the division had received, the board unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the Carroll County Board of Supervisors and the Carroll County EDA to refinance the outstanding debt in the CCHS HVAC and STEM Lab Project with Webster Bank. The County benefits from the refinancing of the outstanding debt for the project with a rate of 2.62% interest. This is a decrease from the current rate of 3.5% and lowers the term of the loan by ten years. The current debt structure through USDA Rural Development had a final payout in 2054.

“This is really just a formality because they (the Supervisors) hold the debt. We have to approve it and so does the EDA in a motion to approve the resolution,” said Finance Manager Tammy Quesenberry.

Board Member “Bob” Martin offered the motion to approve the resolution, which received a second from Board Member Jennifer Sowers.

Prior to this action, the board unanimously approved the proposed 2022-2023 school operational budget, and food service fund, textbook fund, and school debt service budgets with no changes. The total school operating revenue summary for the Fiscal Year 2023 requests level funding locally with revenue and expenditures balancing at $59,543,835, an increase of $13,322,619 over the last fiscal year’s budget.

“We have been talking for months that we were putting the Carroll County High School renovations and additions project out to bid. This is to be funded through round three of CARES money so it is Federal funding….no local money,” explained Quesenberry. “The open bids for this went out when Ukraine went to war, diesel prices went up, inflation rates went up. A horrible time to be doing that. We can’t get contractors or subs (subcontractors) to commit on prices. Everybody was padding their bids…the bids came back higher than expected. After reviewing them with our architect and local contractors, we confirmed this was not the time to accept a project. We ask you to reject these bids.”

She said if rejected, the three vendors returning bids would be notified and the project would be put out to bid again, tentatively set for June 28 so the four-week bid cycle could lead to a bid being accepted in early August. Quesenberry told the board this time frame would be before the deadline to spend the federal funds (which is September of 2024) with the whole project, hopefully, wrapping up then.

“This was probably the worst week we could have opened a bid in,” said Superintendent Dr. Mark Burnette. Quesenberry said further consultation with the architect (from the local firm WM2A Architects) will lead to the project being scaled down a little bit when it goes out to bid this summer to keep it within the budget. The project’s budget for the federally-funded project is around $6.8 million, which includes contingency funding for overages. According to information supplied by the district, the base bids received were in the amounts of $12,115,000; $10,777,000 and $9,892,000.

A Request For Proposal (RFP) was issued on February 4 for project. Pre-bid meetings were held on February 16 and 23. Bids were opened on March 9, with three vendors responding. This proposal included features as follows:

The addition of an auxiliary/standard gym with locker rooms and separate changing facilities, including HVAC to allow for social distancing for physical education classes and indoor athletic team practices

– The addition of four (4) classrooms and a multi-purpose room as well as the renovation of an existing library/media classroom, including HVAC upgrades to accommodate social distancing and pandemic mitigation strategies

– Renovation of the auditorium and band classroom to replace carpeting, upgrade seating to auditorium seating with desk capabilities, and make any HVAC and electrical upgrades to improve indoor air quality.

– The addition of single stall bathroom facilities throughout the proposed building including the addition of a handicap-accessible ramp to make those same facilities accessible at the auditorium and gymnasium to allow for mitigation and social distancing.

David Broyles may be reached at 276-779-4013 or on Twitter@CarrollNewsDave

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here

Event returns Sept 15-18, 2022

Fans anticipating the return of Bourbon & Beyond will be treated to an event that will be well worth the wait. Leading independent festival producer Danny Wimmer Presents has pulled out all stops to curate a truly one-of-a-kind weekend unlike any other festival experience – adding a full fourth day for the first time just to fit it all in – to be held September 15-18 at the Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.

Bourbon & Beyond’s incredible headlining talent begins with Jack White and Alanis Morissette Thursday, September 15th; followed by Kings of Leon and Brandi Carlile on Friday, September 16th; Pearl Jam and Greta Van Fleet on Saturday, September 17th; and a very special closing night Sunday, September 18th including Kentucky native Chris Stapleton as well as The Doobie Brothers 50th anniversary celebration featuring Michael McDonald, Pat Simmons, Tom Johnston and John McFee. Many of the headliners are returning to Louisville for the first time in a number of years – Bourbon & Beyond will be Pearl Jam’s first Louisville show since 1994 and only the fourth time they’ve played in Kentucky, while Jack White’s last local appearance was in 2014 and Kings Of Leon haven’t been to town since 2017.

Additional must-see sets across the four-day event will include Father John Misty, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, St. Vincent, NEEDTOBREATHE, The Revivalists, Crowded House, Caamp, Japanese Breakfast, Lukas Nelson & POTR, Courtney Barnett, Cold War Kids, Marcus King, and many more rock, Americana, bluegrass, blues and alt rock artists.

Passes are on sale now for $10 down through April 15th or pay-in-full at BourbonAndBeyond.com. Weekend General Admission passes start at $249.99 and Weekend Mint Experience passes start at $629.99, while a very limited number of Weekend Beyond VIP by Angel’s Envy passes remain, beginning at $1,599.99. For Single Day passes, GA starts at $99.99 plus fees and Mint Experience starts at $219.99. There’s also the option for the Four Roses Four Pack for all four days of Bourbon & Beyond for $959.96. All ticket levels are also subject to additional fees. Layaway options are available for only $10 down through April 15th, with payments amortized through July.

Music fans can also purchase the Exacta Pass, allowing general admission to Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life – held one week later, September 22-25 at the same Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Exposition Center – for just $479.99 plus fees. The Exacta Pass will sell fast as it is only available in an extremely limited capacity.

Bourbon & Beyond VIP passes offer fans the opportunity for the ultimate festival experience. The Mint VIP Experience pass-holders will enter the festival through the express, VIP-Only Entrance lanes, using a commemorative Bourbon & Beyond VIP laminate and wristband, which also provide full access to the Mint VIP area. VIPs will relax in the shaded Mint VIP Lounge, including a dedicated bar, comfortable lounge seating, and live audio/video streams of the main stages. VIPs are offered a viewing area for both main stages, dedicated bars and premium food vendors throughout, a dedicated festival merchandise stand, private locker rentals with charging capabilities (for additional purchase), and air-conditioned, premium restroom facilities.

Weekend Beyond VIP, Presented by Angel’s Envy purchasers will receive the full rock star experience. In addition to VIP area access and the amazing perks outlined above, Weekend Beyond VIPs will have exclusive access to an enclosed, indoor air-conditioned lounge with a private, hosted bar, comfortable seating, and live audio/video streams of the main stages, plus, a bird’s eye view of the main stages from the elevated, shaded viewing platform in addition to a VIP only viewing area in front of both main stages. Pass-holders will enjoy all-inclusive beer, cocktails, and wine at dedicated bars throughout the Beyond VIP by Angel’s Envy area, exclusive ultra-premium, single-barrel bourbon offerings (for additional purchase), plus complimentary hors d’oeuvres and curated bites from chef Anthony Lamas of Louisville’s famed Seviche restaurant. In addition, Beyond VIPs will have access to free Wi-Fi, dedicated locker rentals with charging capabilities (for additional purchase), private, premium restrooms, and a dedicated guest services team. Very few of these passes remain so fans are encouraged to buy now.

Tent and RV camping options are also available and include in and out festival privileges.

[ad_2]

Originally Appeared Here