Gardeners can be a fussy and opinionated lot, which makes them hard to shop for. As Christmas approaches, here are some gift ideas for the gardener in your life.

Fruit trees. Winter is the best time to plant fruit trees. Because the trees are dormant, their chances of survival and getting well established increase dramatically. Locally, you can source a wonderful variety of interesting and hard-to-find apple and other fruit trees from Vintage Virginia Apples in North Garden (grab a swig of their hard cider while you’re there). Edible Landscaping in Afton has a remarkable selection of unusual edible perennials of all types—perhaps the adventurous gardener would like to try growing Goumi or Medlar this year?

Workshops and events. For the gardener who has everything, why not give the gift of education? Winter is a wonderful time to take a class and dream big for the growing season to come. The Virginia Association for Biological Farming hosts its annual conference (geared towards farmers and gardeners alike) January 31-February 1 in Richmond. Topics on the conference agenda include biodynamic beekeeping, raising small-scale poultry, year-round seed germination, and more—and the group’s popular organic foods festival is not to be missed.

If you’re looking for something more hands-on, head back to Vintage Virginia Apples and check out its workshops, including pruning (February 15), grafting (February 22), and planning and planting the home orchard (March 1). Keep tabs on the Local Food Hub’s website as well, for additional hands-on programs for farmers and gardeners.

Local flavor. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, located in Louisa, is a great resource for the home vegetable gardener. Consider a gift card for the purchase of heirloom and organic seeds, or something from its wide array of gardening books and resources. New this year is Ira Wallace’s book Vegetable Gardening in the Southeast (Timber Press, 2013), a guide to growing successful organic vegetables in our region.

Gift cards can also be purchased for many other seed suppliers—at the top of my list are Fedco Seeds in Maine, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in Missouri, and Hudson Valley Seed Library in New York.

Charitable gifts. Perhaps you’re opting out of material gifts this year—good for you! There are a number of worthy and wonderful non-profit organizations that specialize in food- and garden-related work that would welcome your gift donation on behalf of a friend or family member. Some of my favorites include City Schoolyard Garden, engaging Charlottesville public school students in hands-on garden education; Local Food Hub, working with farmers, institutions, and the public to promote more locally and ecologically grown food; and Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary, promoting the sustainable and biodynamic practice of bee-keeping, and dedicated to protecting honeybees.

Merry Christmas! And may you reap bountiful harvests in 2014.

Gardening columnist Guinevere Higgins is owner of Blue Ridge Backyard Harvest, which provides consultation, design, and installations for home-scale edible gardens. When she’s not gardening, she works in fundraising for the Center for a New American Dream.

A holiday at the Australian town of Port Douglas provided inspiration for Dave and Kay Baldwin’s bright, breezy home overlooking Weiti River.

Kay says they showed pictures of the resort they stayed at to Paul Francis, of Francis Group Architects, so he could design something with that look for the site they bought in 2004.

“I love that resort feel and we tried to capture that Balinese-y flavour,” says Kay.

Dave, who started out as a builder and has moved into property development, oversaw the project with Kay contributing her design ideas.

“Kay’s had input into our business ever since we were married in the form of interior design work and landscaping,” says Dave.

Quality materials such as basalt, porcelain tiles and silver anodised aluminium joinery have been used throughout. Their home sits where the original homestead sat on a farm that has been subdivided. Dave says before they built they flattened the site to create options for installing a swimming pool either on the northern or eastern side of the home.

Dave says new owners could have a pool beyond the covered outdoor entertaining area or use the sloping contour on the eastern side to build an infinity pool that would be backdropped by the estuary.

Dave says they liked this piece of land because of its views and because it had mature trees from the old homestead on it. The Baldwins have removed pines and willows but planted thousands of natives, including manuka, cabbage trees, flaxes and kowhai, to encourage native birds.

The property has access to the estuary, which Dave says is a great spot for kayaking.

In Balinese style, the solid plaster home has been arranged in “pods”, the central one the gable-roofed kitchen/living room. Like the rest of the home this has a light, open feel due to extensive glazing. Doors open from here to a sheltered, north-facing outdoor area covered by electrically operated louvres.

With Kay’s input, the kitchen is a picture of symmetry, clean lines and functionality. “I wanted it streamlined with no handles sticking out,” she says.

Off the living area is a lounge with a double gas fire set in a dark lava stone surround with basalt hearth. The main living area opens to a deck overlooking the estuary and lawns.

The master suite to the west of the main pod has an en suite with a semi-outdoor shower. On the other side of this is a water feature with a volcanic rock sculpture. The main bathroom also looks out to this water feature. Beyond it are two bedrooms with a separate entrance to this wing for late-night arrivals.

Gallery

Past the main entrance, which has another sheltered courtyard and water feature, is a home theatre and office that could be another bedroom. Further down the hall is a full laundry, a guest toilet and Kay’s therapy room where she helps clients with their health and nutrition.

“We both work from home because we have crafted such a beautiful environment,” she says.

Above the attached garage is yet another room.

With one of their two sons living in Australia, Dave and Kay are selling to buy something smaller here and across The Ditch. As Dave says, “We want to have one foot in Aussie and one foot here.”

December 19, 2013

By Pamela Doan

Since tilling the soil at this time of year is out of the question, it’s a good time to plan for spring. Give your favorite gardener a gift that will help them create the landscape or vegetable garden of their dreams. Once the holidays are over, a helpful reference book or beautiful design book can be the inspiration and guidance they need. I asked the Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, a group with diverse experience and backgrounds, for recommendations to create this gift guide.

Master Gardener Robert Madigan recommended Botany for Gardeners Revised Edition by Brian Capon. He said, “It’s an easy read, has clear concepts and is not overly technical or complicated. I think it would be a good choice for gardeners who might not have ever had any formal gardening or horticulture education. This book plugged a lot of small holes in my knowledge about the topic and also gave me a broader insight about how plants work.”

I’m a fan of this book, as well. It’s been a long time since I took biology in high school and this book took me back into the magical world of how life works.

Weeds of the Northeast was the pick by Elizabeth Apgar Triano. With it, you can begin to identify everything growing in your yard and learn how to tell friend from foe. It’s especially useful in the spring when plants are just coming up and you can’t tell a weed from a desirable plant. It can also help you make friends with weeds. Just because you didn’t plant it there, doesn’t mean it’s a nuisance. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to weeds and though a certain plant may not have value for you, it might be important for something else in the eco-system.

Zshawn Sullivan Smith recommended the New York Gardener’s Guide, by Ralph Snodsmith, who hosted the “The Garden Hotline” radio show for 35 years and died in 2010. This book has something for both the beginner and more experienced gardener alike. Filled with tips and good advice, Snodsmith understands the unique features of gardening in our region and can help anyone overcome the challenges.

Dianne Olsen, the Cornell Cooperative Extension Senior Educator in Putnam County, chose a book about landscape design as her top pick. What Perennial Where by Roy Lancaster has, “categories of plants for specific sites, plus plants for specific purposes, like “architectural leaves, and groundcovers.” The book is filled with photos and all the information a gardener needs to create a perennial landscape, including the height, color, light and water requirements, and hardiness of each plant. Your favorite gardener can design a gorgeous flowerbed with this reference book.

Since garden books can also be lovely to look at, I’d add a couple of coffee table books to the list. After visiting Innis free Garden in Millbrook for the first time last summer, I’ve got the photography book Innisfree: An American Garden by Lester Collins, the landscape architect who largely created it, on my wish list. Graceful, peaceful, natural landscaping shaped the nearly 200 acres around a lake into a series of rolling vistas. This is the book to use as a muse for inspiration.

The recently published Private Gardens of the Hudson Valley by Jane Garmey with photographs by John Hall, would make an excellent gift, too. The book documents 26 private gardens in our area, certainly enough to stoke ideas and give any gardener something to aspire to. Since it only covers private gardens, most people won’t have a chance to experience these gardens firsthand and the photos will have to suffice. It’s a rare peek into an off-limits world with the setting our own area with its waterways and mountains. Maybe you’ll want one copy to keep for yourself.

ColaDaily.com is your source for free news and information in Columbia and the Midlands.

They bring your mail each day, teach your child long division and protect your neighborhood. If these people are on your Christmas shopping list but you aren’t sure what to buy, several have offered ideas and hints.

Giving gifts to public servants like police officers, town or city employees and others do come with some regulations. Ethics laws state there must be a $20 limit on gifts, and not all agencies accept monetary presents.

There are still several ways you can say “thank you” to those people who make daily life run smoothly.

Harry Spratlin, South Carolina spokesperson with the U.S. Postal Service, said giving gifts to postal workers is welcome but said the $20 limit should be observed. He discouraged cash gifts and instead suggested baked goods or a small gift card.

“A box of cookies or something of that nature is best,” he said.

Since mail deliverers are used to just retrieving outgoing mail, Spratlin said many miss that an envelope or package is addressed to them. He encouraged people to meet their postal carrier at the mailbox to hand deliver a gift or leave a large note on top of their stack of mail to make the person aware.

“And put your return address on it in case it’s missed,” Spratlin added.

People are also more than welcome to bring a Christmas gift to their local police department, fire station or town hall. Officials suggest something for people to snack on during their shift.

“We accept cookies, cakes any type of food items,” said Lexington Police Department Public Information Officer Lt. Matt Davis. “No money, gift cards or presents are allowed.”

West Columbia City Clerk and Public Information Officer Mardi Valentino said people can make a larger contribution to West Columbia police by way of the West Columbia Police Officers Foundation. Established in 2008, the nonprofit raises funds for departmental needs such as new body armor that the budget cannot provide along with assisting officers who are injured, have a long-term illness or lose possessions in a fire.

The Lexington Police Department has a similar program, Adopt-a-Cop. Cayce citizens can help enhance their community by donating to the Cayce Beautification Foundation, which gathers funds to improve signage, landscaping and other green space projects.

Valentino said a simpler show of appreciation is also a good idea this time of year.

“Even sending a card is great. Let the employees know that you acknowledge what they do is important,” she said.

Many parents also are buying gifts to show their appreciation for those who spend hours with their children each week at school. Teachers agreed they’d enjoy something just for themselves but that they also like to shop for items for their classroom and students.

“We like gift cards to places like Educational Wonderland, Starbucks, Wal-Mart, Chick-fil-A, Office Depot and any school supply donations,” said Stephanie Walker, theater teacher at Saluda River Academy for the Arts.

“Gift cards are great because they’re dispensable and can be spent on anything,” said Andrea Baker, instructor with Seven Oaks Elementary’s Media Magnet program.

Mary Wyatt, Seven Oaks Elementary instructional assistant and public information officer, also suggested iTunes cards and massage certificate to help teachers relax over Christmas break.

“We also like anything hand made by students,” Walker added.

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The “Hippie House” on Sunset Cliffs Blvd at Adair. (Photos by Judi Curry)

Scott Stephens, the owner of the “Hippie House” on Sunset Cliffs and Adair told me today that he has had over 100 people stop and talk to him about the beautiful designs on his wall.

Everyone that has stopped has been enthralled with the designs, the layout, and the landscaping being done. After all, the house has been a rental for years and not in very good condition.

He, along with his significant other Layla, talked over the designs they wanted for their landscaping – native garden; peace poles; murals, etc., and worked with artist Adelaide Marcus in putting their ideas in motion.

Needless to say the final mural is spectacular and reflects the life style of Scott, Layla and his band Liquid Blue.

The landscaping, which is also unusual but beautiful was done by John Noble of Coastal Sage and Clayton Tschudy Eco Designs did the design. All of the plants are strictly California native plants. This corner lot may bring on a lot of discussion, but it was thoughtfully planned out and is eco-friendly.

Scott Stephens.

But, you ask, who are these people? They move into a beautiful neighborhood –  purchase an expensive “fixer-upper” and break the stoic mold of south Ocean Beach. (Actually, the area is called the “Peninsula” area of Sunset Cliffs.)

Scott is the founder, activist, vocalist, hype man of Liquid Blue, a party band based in San Diego, California.

Numerous awards include “Entertainer of the Year” (recently bestowed on the band by both Event Solutions and Biz Bash magazines), “Best Cover Band” at the San Diego Music Awards, “Pop Album of the Year” at the Los Angeles Music Awards and “America’s Best Independent Artist”.

The band has performed sold-out shows all over the world. The 9-minute short film “2010 Promotional Video” features the band live-in-concert on six continents. Scott and his band have performed in over 117 countries. They are well traveled and offer a world perspective in many different areas.

Layla is a disc jockey, currently performing on a Princess Cruise where she can see the same things that Scott can see from his Sunset Cliff windows.

The following is taken from their own website and gives a broader look at their beliefs:

 Liquid Blue was officially designated a “Green Business” by the County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health, Community Health Division on May 22nd, 2009. The band also received a 2nd green certification in 2012 when Grent Point Rating (Build It Green) issued Liquid Blue an Elements Rating.

 Through the power of music, Liquid Blue strives to increase public awareness on issues such as a clean environment, world peace and human rights. We talk about the issues; sing about them and most of all strive to live our lives according to these principles. The band has received recognition from various “socially conscious” organizations.

 The wall may not be to the liking of everyone in the neighborhood but it certainly reflects the individualism of the new owners. Let’s welcome them with smiles and acceptance. It isn’t often that we get to know people that are so aware of the world problems today and have a plan to help fix it.

And if you really want to show your support – the band will be playing at Viejas on the first Friday and Saturday in January beginning at 9:30pm – let’s go hear them!

 

 

SIUE offers tour of Cuba

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Photographers Tour of Cuba is scheduled for March 9-15, 2014. It is the first tour to Cuba available to people in the greater St. Louis area. Travelers will experience a rare opportunity to explore Cuba from a photographer’s perspective. The tour is designed for amateurs, professionals and anyone interested in photography. The group of 24 individuals also will meet with professional Cuban photographers.

A tour guide and translator will lead the group. Highlights will include the Hotel Plaza in Old Havana, exploring Havana and the Morro-Cabanas complex, traveling to Cojimar, Regla and Fototeca (the Cuban photo archives). More information is available at siue.edu/cubatrip.

Prices are based on a Miami departure. Travelers must make their own arrangements to get to Miami for the flight to Havana, which leaves at 1 p.m. March 9. All prices are based on double occupancy: $3,000 for general community members; $2,800 for SIUE alumni basic members or SIUE faculty/staff; and $2,600 for SIUE alumni premium members or SIUE students. A $500 nonrefundable deposit is due Jan. 9 to reserve a spot. Final payment is due Feb. 7. Payment should be made to SIUE Office of Educational Outreach. The trip is restricted to those 18 years old and older. The trip is offered through a partnership between the SIUE Alumni Association and the SIUE Office of Educational Outreach.

Call Cathy McNeese (cmcnees@siue.edu) at 618-650-3208 in the SIUE Office of Educational Outreach or Photographers Tour of Cuba Coordinator C. Otis Sweezey (osweeze@siue.edu) at 618-650-2360.

Blood Center holding drives

The Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center is holding several upcoming blood drives, including: 

• Dec. 20, Scott Credit Union, 12455 Illinois Route 143, Highland, 2-6 p.m.
• Dec. 26, Scott Credit Union, 501 Edwardsville Road, Troy, 1-5 p.m.
• Dec. 27, Scott Credit Union, 1067 Illinois Route 157, Edwardsville, 2-5 p.m.

Visit www.bloodcenter.org.

American Red Cross December blood drives

The American Red Cross is holding the following blood drives in Madison County this December:

• Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2-6 p.m. at Culver’s, 6724 Old Troy Road, Edwardsville.
• Thursday, Dec. 19, 3-7 p.m. at GC Cuisine and Crystal Gardens, 1230 University Drive, Edwardsville.
• Friday, Dec. 20, 1-5 p.m. at Alton Square Mall, 200 Alton Square, Alton.
• Saturday, Dec. 21, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Rivers of Life Christian School and Community Church, 3131 23rd St., Granite City.
• Dec. 26, 2-6 p.m. at Wood River Public Library, 326 E. Ferguson, Wood River.
• Dec. 26, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Alton Memorial Hospital, 1 Memorial Drive, Alton.

MCT announces holiday hours

MCT bus service’s holiday hours are: 

• Dec. 24: normal bus service.
• Dec. 25: no bus service. 
• Dec. 26: normal bus service.
• Dec. 31: normal bus service.
• Jan. 1: no bus service. 
• Jan. 2: normal bus service.

Call 6180797-4636, or e-mail info@mct.org.

Green industry conference announced

The Gateway Green Industry Conference will be held Jan. 14-15 at the Gateway Convention Center, Collinsville. The educational program has a track for sports turf, golf, landscape, arborist, plantscape, parks and recreation as well as green industry. Those who work in lawn care, landscaping, nursery, a garden center, golf course or any other grounds-related industry, can get new ideas and research-based information at the conference. Registration for the two days is $100 or $80 for one day if completed by Jan. 3. The fee includes lunch. Registration fees increase after Jan. 3. There is also a trade show featuring many local businesses that is free to the public.

To obtain a copy of the Gateway Green Industry Conference brochure and registration form, contact U of I Extension office at 618-344-4230 or web.extension.illinois.edu/mms. Online registration is available. 

Pest workshop to be held

University of Illinois Extension’s Madison-Monroe-St. Clair Unit will be offering the Illinois First Detector Invasive Pest Workshop on Thursday, Jan. 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Collinsville Branch office located at 1 Regency Plaza Drive, Suite 200, Collinsville.

This workshop will include sessions devoted to emerging and current oak threats in Illinois. A session will be included on invasive plants introduced as ornamentals, such as burning bush, Bradford pear, and Japanese barberry, along with a discussion on non-invasive alternatives. In-depth training sessions will highlight identification, symptoms, management, and much more. New this year will be a session devoted to how safeguarding and regulation plays a role. 

Cost for the program is $40, which includes on-site lunch and training materials. To register send $40 payable to University of Illinois Extension to 1 Regency Plaza Drive, Suite 200, Collinsville, IL 62234. Online registration or a conference flyer is available at www.extension.illinois.edu/mms. Registration deadline is Jan. 13.

Call Sarah Ruth at 618-344-4230.

Bike Expo in late January

The 2014 Midwest Bicycle Expo and Swap Meet will be 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26, at the Gateway Center, 1 Gateway Drive, Collinsville. Admission is $5; free for children under 10. The exp includes vendors, a bike corral (an area for guests to place their items for sale), and a classic bike show ($5 per entry). Pre-register at trailnet.org to be allowed in a half-hour early at no extra cost. Attendance prizes will be drawn; for every two tires or four tubes brought in for recycling, an extra entry is added for a special drawing. 

This year’s event includes a kids’ corner with a bounce house, an area for test rides, shuttles from the nearby MetroLink station, mini-clinics and fashion shows.

Gardener program accepting applicants

Area lawn and garden enthusiasts can get intensive horticulture training in exchange for volunteer hours through University of Illinois Extension’s Master Gardener program. The training program consists of weekly sessions that run from January through April. Participants get more than 60 hours of in-depth instruction on such topics as soils; botany; insect and disease control; flowers, trees, shrubs and other ornamentals; fruit and vegetable production; turf grass; basic landscaping and a wide range of other topics. An internship of 60 hours of volunteer horticulture-related service completes the training requirements. Some Master Gardeners answer lawn and garden questions from homeowners. Others help design and operate demonstration gardens for the public and some make presentations to local schools and civic groups. The Master Gardener training will be held on Tuesdays, Jan. 7, through April 15, and rotates between Madison and Monroe counties. At all locations, classes run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration for the program is $225, which includes a copy of the Illinois Master Gardener manual.

Call Sarah Ruth at the Madison-Monroe-St. Clair Extension Unit at 618-939-3434 or 618-344-4230; or visit web.extension.illinois.edu/mms.

Volunteers needed to help with taxes

It may not be tax season yet, but the time to sign up to volunteer to help with tax assistance is now. United Way of Greater St. Louis’ tax coalition partners want to pair volunteers with low-income and elderly residents for tax assistance from late January through April 15 at various locations in the region.

Trainings take place during January 2014 at various times and locations in Madison and St. Clair counties. Volunteers must attend one or more certification trainings in order to greet, interview or prepare taxes. Previous tax assistance experience is not required. Registration in advance is required; contact the Gateway EITC Community Coalition at 314-539-4062 or info@gatewayeitc.org; Friendly Community Tax Coalition at 314-691-9500 or visit stlvolunteer.org/VITA. There are various volunteer positions available, with varying degrees of tax knowledge necessary. 

The purpose of the coalitions is to offer free Earned Income Tax Credit preparation and education to low-income residents.

County offers help for energy bills

Madison County has obtained funding through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development to assist low-income county residents with the cost of home energy bills. Applications will be taken through May 31, 2014, or until funds are depleted.

The Madison County Community Development Energy Assistance Office administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and can help residents with the application process.

Call 618-296-6485 to get information about local offices where applications can be filled out.

• 

2014 Cottage Lakefront Living Show at Novi’s Suburban Collection Showplace

We offer vacationers and homeowners the opportunity to explore new ideas and plan for this summer’s family experiences and memories.

Novi, MI (PRWEB) December 18, 2013

The seventh annual Cottage Lakefront Living Show returns to the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi Thursday, Feb. 27 and runs through Sunday, March 2.

“Our preseason event is for anyone who owns or dreams of owning a cottage or lakefront home,” said Mike Wilbraham, show producer of ShowSpan, Inc. “We offer vacationers and homeowners the opportunity to explore new ideas and plan for this summer’s family experiences and memories.”

The Log and Timber Frame Showcase will include how a cabin is put together, floor plans, profiles, roof options, log species, cedar siding, full logs, post and beam and do-it-yourself or contractor built home packages. Builders and contractors will be available for scheduled private consultations through the show’s website.

Cottage Living Stage experts will explain how to set up cottage ownership within a family for sharing and handing down; describe science-based practical application smart gardening designed to be sensitive to the environment, lower the environmental impact and reduce time and money spent on lawns, soil and plants; and explore other ways to enjoy a cottage more.

Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership will provide informal advice and educational materials from Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Michigan Lake Stream Association and other agencies, organizations, contractors and landscape professionals on shoreline construction projects and natural shoreline landscaping that benefit lake ecosystems and protect Michigan’s inland lakes.

Michigan artists at the Cottage Fine Art Show will present Great Lakes and Michigan inland lakes steel silhouettes, Petoskey stone art, rustic and driftwood furniture, copper-enameled garden art, jewelry, wood lake art, hand-carved cottage décor and signage, chainsaw carvings and wildlife oil paintings for sale. Home décor, furnishings, decorative accessories, handcrafted ceramic art tiles and gourmet and specialty appetizers and foods will be available for purchase at the Lakefront Marketplace.

DreamCatcher BoatWorks of Grand Rapids will display custom-built, lightweight, high performance, wood-covered fiberglass crafts and demonstrate handcrafted building techniques on a stand up paddleboard. Michigan Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society, dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of historic boats, will have boats on display.

The Beach, a giant sandbox complete with carving tools, will be ready for creative building of sand sculptures and castles by children and adults. Children will have the opportunity to fish at the Trout Pond fully stocked by Michigan B.A.S.S. Federation Clubs and play in the kid’s activity center at the Cran-Hill Family Zone.

Cottage Living Center will provide the opportunity to relax and work on a community puzzle, put a pin in an oversized Michigan map to show where cottages are located, listen to the 2014 Cottage Favorite Play List music and read or purchase a 2014 Essential Cottage Reading List book. Patrons owning cottages are able to post them on the Cottage for Sale or Rent Board.

The Water Woods Photo Contest Display will allow voting for the best photo that illustrates cottage and lakefront lifestyles.

Landscaping ideas to increase your outdoor living space are incorporated in landscape displays that include wooden cabins, fireplaces, cooking options, patios, decks and garden products. Other exhibits with information and educational materials for those looking to buy, build, rent or maintain cottage and lakefront property include log, timber frame and cedar homes, cottage rental, cottage furnishings, lakefront homebuilders and realtors, lakeshore maintenance, boats and docks, outdoor recreational equipment, non-profit environmental organizations, government agencies, financing and other products and services. Experts throughout the show will provide tips, advice and knowledge on purchasing, renting, planning and maintaining spring, summer and year-round cottage and lakefront living homes.

Suburban Collection Showplace is located at 46100 Grand River Ave. between Novi and Beck Road in Novi, Mich. Show hours are from 3 – 9:30 p.m. Thursday; Noon – 9:30 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10; $4 for children 6-14 and children 5 and under admitted free. Discount coupons for $2 off Thursday or Friday box office adult admission are available at show’s website and participating Wendy’s restaurants. Free crossover admission from the Cottage Lakefront Living Show to Outdoorama. On-site parking is available for a fee. For more information, visit http://www.NoviCottageShow.com, Facebook.com/NoviCottageShow or call (800) 328-6550.

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TO: Reggie McKenzie, general manager, Oakland Raiders

FROM: Grant Cohn

Reggie, as a favor, I want to help you rebuild the Raiders’ roster.

First, let me commend the job you’ve done the past two years tearing down Al Davis’ and Hugh Jackson’s expensive mess. You’ve made the roster cheap and practically talentless – a blank slate.

Now, you have a high draft pick and more than $63 million in cap space. It’s time to start rebuilding, but you haven’t shown the ability to do that yet. So, I’ve put together some ideas and, if you like them, take them and call them your own. This is between you and me.

Before you go hog wild adding players, you need to fire your head coach, Dennis Allen. Your team isn’t improving under him. He’s a bad head coach, a defensive X’s and O’s guy, a conceptual guy, not a teacher or a leader. You’re going to get your franchise quarterback this offseason and you can’t have Allen around to stunt his growth. You need to replace Allen, preferably with a coach who has a background in offense and experience developing young quarterbacks.

You also have to determine what style of offense and defense your new coaching staff wants to run. There is no sense adding players who don’t fit your new coordinators’ systems.

Next, you must understand this is a two-year rebuild, at least. You’re miles behind every other team in your division – the Broncos and Chiefs are for-sure playoff teams and the Chargers might make the playoffs, too. Adding one franchise player will not propel the Raiders into the playoffs next season.

You need at least two offensive linemen, a tight end, a running back, a quarterback (obviously), at least one wide receiver, two cornerbacks, a safety, two linebackers and two or three defensive linemen. You should have traded Darren McFadden earlier this year, but you didn’t. You will get nothing for him when he leaves in free agency.

You’re learning.

You need to add 17 or 18 players to the roster this offseason via free agency and the draft, mostly the draft. If you sign too many players in free agency, you’ll put yourself right back into Salary Cap Hell, so limit yourself to four free agents.

If you can, sign these four: sack specialist Brian Orakpo, cornerback Walter Thurmond III, wide receiver Golden Tate and tight end Greg Olsen.

See, I’m making it easy for you, Reggie.

Don’t waste your cap space by signing a quarterback. Quarterbacks are expensive in free agency. Draft your quarterback like Bill Walsh drafted Joe Montana. That’s the model.

It appears you’re going to have the No. 3 pick in the upcoming draft. I know it’s tempting to use that pick on a quarterback.

Don’t.

No quarterback is worth a top-five pick this year – not Johnny Manziel, not Teddy Bridgewater, not Derek Carr. “Not nobody not no how,” as the Gatekeeper in the Wizard of Oz would say.

You need to trade down, Reggie. Twice. Trade down from No. 3 to No. 8, and then from No. 8 to No. 17, or somewhere around there. By trading down you pick up an extra second and third-round pick, and maybe a high pick in 2015, too.

That’s your move, Reggie. You should have done this last year. I blame myself – I should have contacted you sooner.

After you trade back a second time, you’re going to draft your franchise quarterback, and you’re going to get him in the second round.

The only two quarterbacks you need to think about are Brett Hundley from UCLA and David Fales from San Jose State. Forget everyone else. Hundley or Fales is your guy, whichever one when you choose in the second round. Hundley is more athletic and three years younger than Fales, but Fales is athletic, too, and a more advanced pocket passer than Hundley. Both guys have everything you want from a franchise quarterback.

Circle their names and underline them three times. Watch their film. Go to their schools and meet them and their coaches and their trainers and their teachers. I can pick you up and we can drive to San Jose State and UCLA together, make it a road trip. I’m really familiar with UCLA. I went there.

Reggie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

What do you say?

Grant Cohn writes sports columns and the “Inside the 49ers” blog for the Press Democrat’s website. You can reach him at grantcohn@gmail.com.

In 2007, bank branches seemed destined for a bright new future, full of techno wonders that would delight, inspire and make a trip to the teller window as breezy as a Jetson family jaunt in the aerocar with the top down.

After all, it was an era that encouraged bankers to dream. The U.S. economy was full-speed ahead, and profits were fat and quarterly, thanks to the conceit that every American, no matter how feckless, needed to have a mortgage.

While the mortgage bankers were getting all the attention, and bonuses, the folks in charge of the retail side turned their attention to the humble branch. What was needed was deposits, to satisfy all the loan requests. One strategy, said Tony Plath, a banking professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, was to compete with other banks based on the amenities offered in branches, where most people opened new accounts.

Many proposals made the rounds to amp up the headline factor. Waterfalls started appearing in some branches, along with fancy outdoor landscaping, coffee bars and Internet kiosks.

Push the fast-forward button from 2007 and things are much different. The financial crash of 2008 — mostly caused by bank speculation in the future cash flows of home mortgages extended to people with fictitious incomes and poor credit records — eliminated bank expansion plans and capital expenditures.

Ideas that seemed fabulous at the time were terminated as reinforcing the idea that banks made so much money in the lush years that they could waste some of it on trifles.

“The waterfalls, coffee bars and popcorn machines went out the window,” Plath said. “Things would never be the same for bank branches.”

Branches continued to be magnets for deposits, and still are to some degree, he said, but that is waning.

U.S. banks have closed about 800 branches in the past six months. Huge national chains such as Bank of America and Citigroup have been the leaders, as they struggle to get expenses in order after years of losses, TARP paybacks and bad loans.

Overall, U.S. banks have been dropping about 1,000 branches a year for the past few years; the total now stands at about 96,000.

It is a bit different in Nebraska. There were about 1,000 branches in 2004, and there were about 1,100 at last count, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. It is the same with many other states with low populations and only a few large cities, such as Iowa, Missouri and South Dakota.

Nebraska banks didn’t suffer as much during the recession, and the state has many one-branch banks.

“We are still building branches,” said Rolland Johannsen, head of First National Bank of Omaha’s retail banking group. “They are mostly on a fill-in basis” or covering a geographic area that has achieved unexpected growth. First National still plans to provide amenities such as coffee bars and wireless Internet access.

And Johannsen doesn’t think branches are done for. “I have been in banking for 35 years, and for 35 years I have been hearing about the end of the branch.”

If there is a trend working against the bank branch, it can be found in cyberspace, in mobile and Internet apps. Internet banking at the dawn of the 21st century got one generation used to not having to visit branches. Now another generation has come of age in an era of mobile banking via smartphone and tablet.

Consultants at professional services firm Accenture said in an analysis last month that bank customer surveys found a 50 percent increase in mobile banking activity over the 12-month period; double- and triple-digit growth in online sales of traditional banking products amid falling sales in branches; and a strong trend of customers looking for suppliers other than their main bank for new financial services.

Most sobering for retail bankers, according to the Accenture analysis, is the growth in sales of those things that people once considered so confidential, important and complicated that only a long visit in a bank office would suffice:

Sales of mortgages via the Internet increased 75 percent while sales at branches fell 16 percent.

Online sales of auto loans nearly doubled while branch sales dropped nearly 10 percent.

Online sales also increased in checking, savings, personal and home equity loans and money market funds.

All of which is good for banks. Such sales require fewer people, less expense, more profit, more revenue from a standardized platform, and what manufacturers call throughput. Nationally, some of the largest banks have been responding as if such developments will take root.

Whether they’ll replace branches, however, still is an open question to some. None of the previous technologies supposedly wielding the executioner’s sword — the Touch Tone telephone, the ATM, the computer — significantly dented the branch count, First National’s Johannsen said.

“Customers found these technologies useful and convenient, and they relied on them to a degree, but they in no way replaced the branch; people just added these to their normal banking behavior,” he said. “Mobile may be different. We will have to wait and see.”

Bruce Paitz, a vice president at Lincoln-based Pinnacle Bank, recognizes the mixed message banks sometimes send with their investments in mobile and Internet banking which, at their core, are to encourage people to avoid the expensive-to-maintain branches.

“Here we go and invest all this money in the branch network, then we go and invest all this money in applications whose message is ‘avoid the branch network,’ ” Paitz said. “But the fact is, customers are embracing these technologies faster than could have been imagined.”

Things are moving fast indeed. Already deep into mobile and Internet banking, next on the block for Pinnacle, Paitz said, is tablet-computer banking. That comes in recognition of the mini-computers many people are carrying around, with screens bigger than a smartphone but more compact than a notebook. And each remote technology — mobile phone, Internet, tablet — requires its own software package, as the screens and displays of each device differ.

If remote technologies such as tablets don’t reduce branch visits, banks are at least hoping they can handle branch traffic in a fraction of the space — space which of course requires lighting, heating, cooling, insuring and securing.

San Francisco-based Wells Fargo Co., the fourth-largest bank in the nation and second in Nebraska deposit-share, is experimenting with branches as small as 1,000 square feet, or 80 percent smaller than the average of 5,000 square feet, said Kirk Kellner, the company’s regional president overseeing the Cornhusker State.

Such branches have so-called “smart ATMs” capable of taking deposits, dispensing one-dollar and five-dollar bills, and lobby-based bankers equipped with tablet computers, but far fewer tellers and far less back-office space for paperwork and office tasks.

“We are trying those out in Washington, D.C.,” Kellner said. “They very well might end up elsewhere.”

Some of the latest ATMs are even connected via video feed to a customer service center, where a teller appearing on the monitor will assist with questions, deposits, withdrawals and other routine matters.

Plath, the banking professor, said smartphone, tablet, mobile and small branches sum up the future of banking. The full service branch of the past? Forget it, he said; they are nothing but expensive, and not of interest to anyone but people about age 50 and older.

Switching to small branches with nothing but a banker or two to sell loans and investments and a smart ATM hooked up by video link to a customer call center for routine transactions is the new banker dream, he said.

“Believe me, banks say it all the time in their internal meetings, they just don’t say it in the media,” said Plath, who was a banker himself before entering academia. “They don’t want to tick off their older customers.”

Five long-time Hallsville school faculty members plan to retire soon, and the district is celebrating their years of service Wednesday.

“The Hallsville (ISD) will honor five employees who are retiring from the Hallsville schools on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Hallsville High School Cafeteria located at 616 Cal Young Rd.,” said Carol Greer, HISD director of communications. “Collectively the group has given a total of 115 years of service and dedication to the students and staff of HISD. The public is invited to attend.”

The employees are Wayne Deakins, Jan Hopkins, Danny Poindexter, Peggy Johnson and Ruth Yielding. Each has served the district for several years and leave fond memories with their fellow employees.

Deakins worked with HISD for 20 years at several campuses.

“Wayne Deakins has worked with Hallsville Schools for 20 years,” Greer said. “Prior to coming to HISD he worked for Texas Eastman for 30 years. He worked in the area of all our landscaping and campus improvement and beautification of the grounds for the district including five campuses, District Operations Center, Administration Building, Little Cats Pre-K, transportation department, Administration Annex Office Building as well as other properties the HISD owns. Mr. Deakins is a very hard worker who takes extreme pride in all he does. We will certainly miss him at HISD.”

Johnson has worked with HISD for 22 years, helping to serve meals to students from kindergarten to third grade. According to Greer, Johnson often volunteers to help with district activities.

“Peggy Johnson has worked for HISD Food Service for 22 years and in Longview Cafeteria for three,” Greer said. “She is manager of the cafeteria at East Elementary School and serves grades K-3, and staff. Peggy is an outgoing, friendly person who loves children and people. She would help anyone in any way she could. She volunteers in other ways to help the district in all areas.”

Johnson also trained new cafeteria employees.

“Peggy is a great trainer for new cafeteria staff,” said Marci Rutland, HISD director of Chartwells School dining services. “She knows how to do each task and relates well when teaching new food service employees. She is known all over the district for her delicious cinnamon rolls. She may bring them to each campus as a surprise. She always wanted the best presentation of food at a banquet or through the lunch line.”

Also retiring from the district’s food services is Yielding, who has worked at HHS for 27 years.

”Ruth, if I could say two words, it would be; dedicated and hard working,” Rutland said. “She is very creative and willing to try new recipes using different kinds of foods. She is extremely innovative, always working to come up with innovative ideas, when it came to commodities she was creative and experimental, willing to take a chance with new ideas and they worked.

“She would also think of ways to change service to enhance procedures and areas for lines to rotate with a large number of students. She has worked at the high school for 27 years, serving grades nine to 12.”

Greer maintains that Poindexter has been valuable to the continued maintenance of HISD’s various appliances needed to operate schools.

“Danny Poindexter has probably worked on more appliances than any serviceman in town,” she said. “From washing machines, to dish washers, from pencil sharpeners to air conditioners, he knows how to fix them all and has done so for HISD for 18 years.”

Finally, Hopkins has served the district as a teacher for numerous years, and has also worked as a technology specialist to help her fellow teachers in educating Hallsville’s students.

“Jan Hopkins has been such an asset to the district,” said Toni Erickson, instructional technology coordinator. “She was an amazing teacher when she was in the classroom, and has been invaluable as a Technology Specialist helping teachers integrate technology in the classroom, as well as creating multimedia lessons (for) student use. The positive impact that Jan has made on Hallsville ISD will be remembered for years to come.”

The celebration is set for Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. in the HHS cafeteria. For more information, contact HISD at (903) 658-5990.

“The dedication of each one of these employees was appreciated by HISD,” Greer said.