June 30, 2020 Update

This has been a day like few others in my career.  Last evening, a pair of conflicting peaceful protests were scheduled and for the first couple of hours, the protests stayed that way.  While words were exchanged and signs displayed, there was no violence.  That changed in an instant as protesters from one group came into conflict with people trying to drive cars where protesters were standing.  People on both sides of the issue felt threatened, and subsequently, shots rang out and the driver of a vehicle in downtown Provo was struck by the bullet.

This incident has clearly been traumatic for many in our community, regardless of how anyone feels about the substance of the protesters' message.  The Mayor and our staff has spent virtually all day today working with police department leadership and others trying to identify what went wrong and how to avoid such an incident again.

We will keep you posted with updates, including when the shooter or other law-breaking individuals involved in these incidents are in custody.  We are also very cognizant of the safety of our employees and will take all appropriate precautions now and going forward as it relates to our employees and our facilities.

While we should always support the rights of people to peacefully protest, we cannot tolerate lawlessness or violence.  Our community is better than that.

CORONAVIRUS STATS

Nationally, the CDC reports 2,581,229 cases with 126,739 fatalities.
Utah:  22,217 cases; 1,444 hospitalizations; 172 deaths
Utah County:  4,084 cases; 209 hospitalizations; 22 deaths

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Mayor held a press conference with Deputy Chief Geyerman today in regards to the protests last night. Her statement read "Peaceful protests are a fundamental right and often can become an important catalyst for positive change. Criminal acts and violence such as we saw last night in Provo were anything but peaceful and are UNACCEPTABLE. The public safety of our community is a top priority." For the full press conference check it out here.
• Brigham Young University researchers developed a low-cost digital stethoscope that can live stream or record a patient's heartbeat from up to 50 feet away.
• Authorities on Tuesday announced the Knolls Fire in Utah County is now at 31% containment. The fire, which started Sunday, has burned approximately 13,000 acres. 

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

THE MAYOR'S DAY

Today, Mayor Kaufusi:

• Participated in a Covid-19 Economic Recovery meeting
• Held a press conference for local media
• Held an internal meeting about Center Street
• Held multiple meetings on the protests from Monday evening

FUN STUFF

While I'm waiting for your fun Mad Libs, I thought I would share some of our favorite books. These are all good ones that you might want to add to your summer reading list.

Mayor: Leadership in Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Wayne: Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (I read this in both English and French)
Isaac: The Chosen by Chaim Potok
Dixon: 1776 by David McCullough
Nicole: The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Kaye: The Anatomy of Peace by the Arbinger Institute
Amber: East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Wayne

June 29, 2020 Update

Welcome to a new week!  It is certainly a different Independence Day holiday week - no parade and parade route patrolling; no Stadium of Fire; no Freedom Days this year.  But there will be an amazing central Utah Valley fireworks display emanating from three different sites in Provo and Orem at 10:00 p.m. Saturday evening.  More info to follow on this event you can likely enjoy from anywhere in the immediate area.

CORONAVIRUS STATS

Nationally, the CDC reports 2,545,250 cases with 126,369 fatalities.
Utah:  21,664 cases; 1,417 hospitalizations; 168 deaths
Utah County:  3,965 cases; 201 hospitalizations; 22 deaths

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• The Knolls Fire has burned approximately 10,000 acres and is 25% contained, as of Monday morning, Utah Fire Info announced. Approximately 13,000 residents (3,100 homes) were evacuated from their Saratoga Springs residences on Sunday after the blaze sparked.  This represented about 1/3 of the total population of Saratoga Springs.  Our fire department responded to a mutual aid request and was involved in fighting the fire and protecting homes along the fire line.
• Starting July 1, the Provo City Library is closing the book on the long-held practice of charging fines on late books and materials for children. Teens and adult books are not part of the deal. They will still be charged late fees.
• A fast-moving fire enveloped the hills surrounding the Traverse Mountain area Saturday night and into Sunday morning, evacuating residents in neighborhoods threatened by the fire.  Provo Fire and Rescue also responded to help with the Traverse Fire as indicated below.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

THE MAYOR'S DAY

Today, Mayor Kaufusi:

• Met with the Fire Chief
• Met with the Deputy Police Chief
• Participated in a phone call with Utah County leaders
• Met with office staff
• Met with the Customer Service Director
• Met with the City PIO
• Met with her Executive Team
• Met with the Assistant CAO
• Met with the Deputy Mayor
• Had a phone call with a City Council member
• Attended RDA Executive Committee

FUN STUFF

Here is the link to the story to pair with your Mad Lib answers from Thursday. Remember you can pair up with a co-worker and read the story out loud, filling your words in the blanks as your coworker reads the story.  Remember to wear masks or socially distance, and send in your good ones for me to share on future updates!

Have a great day and the rest of a holiday week, as different as it is!

Wayne

June 25, 2020 Update

Happy Thursday, everyone.  It's going to be a warm weekend - so everyone stay safe, hydrated and lathered in sunscreen if you are going to be outside!

We are carefully monitoring what is going on statewide, in the county and in Provo with the resurgence of positive tests for Coronavirus.  We clearly all need to do better with our social distancing and mask-wearing.  If you are resisting wearing a mask in public, I hope you will rethink your reluctance.  I know they are uncomfortable and have lots of limits, but as the Governor said, it is the single best way we know to turn the tide on the "curve" and avoid even more serious restrictions.  BTW, if you are looking for masks, I recently found a good sized display in Smith's in downtown Provo near the pharmacy and some at the Target store in Provo.  They are kind of plain, but they will do the job.

CORONAVIRUS STATS

Nationally, the CDC reports 2,336,615 cases with 121,117 fatalities.
Utah: 19,374 cases (up 590 from yesterday); 1,290 hospitalizations; 164 deaths (up 1 from yesterday)
Utah County:  3,541 cases (up 94 from yesterday); 177 hospitalizations; 22 deaths (no change from yesterday)

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Here is a bit of information on the new Provo 360 project:
• The Provo 360 project, a project that was a vision to consolidate many disparate software systems was proposed about 5 years ago and finally became a project that went out for bid over three years ago will finally go live with the second phase (Customer information system as well as the work order management system) on Monday July 6th. This year. (not sure how much information we want to give or elaborate on at this point)
• In preparation for the Provo 360 project to go live, the 311 Customer Service lobby as well as other city services such as utility billing, the call center, finance, permitting, and licensing as well as online utility payment, licensing and permitting portals will be down and unavailable to do business beginning Wednesday July 1st and will resume normal business on Monday July 6th.
• Governor Herbert announced yesterday that all state buildings will now have a mandate to wear masks, and that he will not move any areas to green for at least the next 2 weeks.
• There was a 3.1 magnitude earthquake in Loa, Utah today, and one in Hildale, Utah of the same magnitude last night.
• For a bit of fun news, a theme-park in Holland filled their super swing ride with over-sized fluffy teddy bears, so for a smile, watch this video:

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

THE MAYOR'S DAY

Today, Mayor Kaufusi:

• Talked with the Customer Service Director

• Talked with a City Council Member

• Met with the City Attorney

• Held a meeting on the new City Center

FUN STUFF

My office thought it would be fun to do a Provo City Mad Lib, so during your next break grab a coworker and fill it out for a smile! Feel free to send in your good ones and I will share a few on upcoming blogs!

So this link will take you to a PDF form that you can print out and fill in between today and next Monday afternoon.  In the Monday blog post, we will have a link to the "story" that you can "write" by pairing up with a co-worker and read the story out loud, filling your words in the blanks as your coworker reads the story.  Remember to wear masks or socially distance.  HINT - It is best if you do it out loud.  (I will never live down "My name is Betty and I am hot.") 

Have a great weekend and enjoy some time away.  We'll be back again on Monday with the Mad Lib story and more information about what you need to know to keep moving forward during a difficult time.

Wayne

June 24, 2020 Update

Again - a super busy day - as you can tell from the lateness of the post.  But here we go!

CORONAVIRUS STATS

Nationally, the CDC reports 2,336,615 cases with 121,117 fatalities.
Utah:  18,784 cases (up 484 from yesterday); 1,256 hospitalizations; 163 deaths (no change from yesterday)
Utah County:  3,447 cases (up 92 from yesterday); 175 hospitalizations; 22 deaths (no change from yesterday)

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Thanks to some BYU engineers, there is a new ventilator ready to hit the market that will help those suffering from the respiratory virus, but also save hospitals money. They just got emergency approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to head to manufacturing.
• Brigham Young University says they’re planning to see students return to the Provo campus this fall. They are opening hybrid, online, and socially distanced in-person classes and are set to begin on August 31, 2020.
• Intermountain Healthcare is pushing back the October opening of their new hospital in Spanish Fork until April 2021. Intermountain Hospital Administrator Francis Gibson shared that economic pressures like lower patient volumes from the COVID-19 pandemic and the current recession are factors that led to the delay.
• New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are imposing a 14-day quarantine on incoming travelers from states with a high transmission rate of the coronavirus. So far, those states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Utah and Texas.  On the other hand, who would want to go to New York, New Jersey or Connecticut (unless you are Mayor Kaufusi whose kids live in two of those states)?

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

THE MAYOR'S DAY

Today, Mayor Kaufusi:

• Participated in a phone call with the American Public Power Association

• Held a meeting on housing in Provo

• Met with a few groups of citizens

FUN STUFF

Are you ready for the next get to know you from the Mayor's Office? Well, here it is! Introducing the Mayor's office useless superpowers! I hope you enjoy our less-than-useful talents!

• Mayor: I have the uncanny ability to tell when people are lying to me.
• Wayne: I can sit down on a couch in the same room as a dog (almost any size) and the dog will make its way to my lap, whether I like it or not.  
• Isaac: I have the ability to cross my left pinky toe unaided and on-demand.
• Dixon: I have the ability to perceptibly observe the obvious to those who are unable.
• Nicole: I can escape a predator in heels (unless they're really fast, or I don't have enough of a head start, or enough advanced notice, or motivation to run).
• Kaye: I have the ability to tell people off and have them thank me afterwards for being so nice.
• Amber: I am able to argue about anything on a moments notice (when I feel like it).

June 23, 2020 Update

Another very busy day in the Mayor's Office today.  There are a lot of things going on that the pandemic hasn't seemed to slow down, like the Provo River Delta Restoration Project which has huge implications for the river, Utah Lake and the Airport.  While we do spend a lot of time putting out metaphorical fires (like a large sewer backup today), we also try to keep looking 20-30 years down the road and trying to make good things happen in Provo that will bear fruit down the road.

CORONAVIRUS STATS

Nationally, the CDC reports 2,302,288 cases with 120,333 fatalities.

Utah:  18,300 cases (up 394 from yesterday); 1,226 hospitalizations; 163 deaths (up 5 from yesterday)

Utah County:  3,355 cases (up 92 from yesterday); 171 hospitalizations; 22 deaths (up 1 from yesterday)

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• The city of Taylorsville has sent a letter stating their plans to leave the Unified Police Department at the end of June 2021, when the city plans to form its own police department.
• The Applied Science building at Salt Lake Community College's Taylorsville campus caught fire last night. No injuries were reported, and it was reported that no one was in the building when the fire started.
• As you may have heard, state epidemiologist, Dr Angela Dunn write a memo to state and local leaders on Friday, emphasizing that if the COVID-19 cases continue to increase, the state may need to move back to orange, or moderate risk phase. She also re-emphasized the importance of wearing face masks. Governor Herbert tweeted his response: "Dr. Dunn’s internal memo raises alarm about the increasing COVID-19 cases in Utah. I appreciate her analysis and share many of her concerns. We will work to stem this tide, but I have no plans to shut down Utah’s economy," Herbert's tweet stated. "I urge Utahns to protect themselves and their loved ones from the spread of the virus by following our common sense guidelines for social distancing, good hand hygiene and especially the use of face coverings."

THE MAYOR'S DAY

Today, Mayor Kaufusi:

• Took a group photo with the Parks and Rec Department employees
• Met with Council Members
• Met with Chief Ferguson
• Represented Utah County in a COVID-19 Recovery meeting
• Met with the Executive team

FUN STUFF

2 Truths and a Lie: Mayor's Office Edition

This Week: CAO Wayne Parker

1. I have worked for ten different mayors in my career. -- TRUTH
2. I played trombone in my high school marching band. -- LIE
3. I resigned under pressure from a city management job early in my career. -- TRUTH

So, I played clarinet and sax (not trombone) in the high school bands - but just for 2 years.  I got engaged in student government and had to give up my musical electives.  But it probably explains my affinity for jazz and big band music.  The high school band teacher played trumpet with Tommy Dorsey's band, so there is that. ...

And if you don't know Tommy Dorsey's big band, here is quick listen to The Dipsy Doodle on YouTube.

Thanks again for being such a big part of everything good in Provo.  You help make this community the remarkable place that it is.

Wayne

June 22, 2020 Update

Happy Monday, everyone.  Today and tomorrow are pretty hectic days for me; I apologize not getting the blog our before 5, which is always my target.  I hope everyone had a good Father's Day weekend.  I miss my dad every year at this time, but at least I was able to hear from all of my kids and grandkids and celebrate in a socially distancing way with Julie's dad yesterday.

I know we are all nervous about the status of the Coronavirus in Utah and in our community.  The recent trend in overall positive cases and hospitalizations is not going in the right direction.  We are monitoring closely with the State and with the Utah County Health Department.  We need to keep emphasizing social distancing and face masks, which seems to be getting more and more difficult to do.  Keep watching and paying attention, and most of all stay safe and help everyone else in your circle stay safe!

CORONAVIRUS STATS

Nationally, the CDC reports 2,275,645 cases with 119,923 fatalities.

Utah:  17,906 cases; 1,192 hospitalizations; 158 deaths

Utah County:  3,263 cases; 163 hospitalizations; 21 deaths

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• The Mayor wrote a Daily Herald article addressing several important topics including the Census, CARES Act funding, Conversations with the Chief, and more. If you haven't read it yet, I'd recommend you check it out.
• The Volunteer Care Clinic at 589 S. State Street here in Provo has officially reopened its doors.
• According to a study by BYU, fathers benefit from family-supportive environment, as supported by the Pew Research Center.
• Utah's oldest active voter celebrated her 107th birthday, she has lived and voted from the same house since 1953.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

THE MAYOR'S DAY

Today, Mayor Kaufusi:

• Met with the Fire Chief
• Met with Police Chief
• Met with Mayor's Office Staff
• Met with the Deputy Mayor
• Met with the City PIO
• Met with her executive team
• Met with the Assistant CAO
• Had a scheduling Meeting

FUN STUFF

2 Truths and a Lie: Mayor's Office Edition

This Week: CAO Wayne Parker (AKA the one you've all been waiting for)

1. I have worked for ten different mayors in my career.
2. I played trombone in my high school marching band and jazz band.
3. I resigned under pressure from a city management job early in my career.

Have a little fun with this one!  I hope the answers are not too obvious.

Thanks again for all you are doing for our community.  Truly, heroes work here - and you are the heroes.

Wayne

June 18, 2020 Update

Whew - has it been as long a week for you as it has been for me?  So much has been going on!  As Coronavirus case counts have been increasing at high levels even with the "low-risk" yellow designation at the state level, I have heard from many employees concerns about why we aren't going back to orange or red levels.  I found this page from Utah Leads Together 4.0 - issued this week - pretty interesting.  It talks about the metrics the state uses to determine the level of concern with Covid-19 cases.  Hopefully it will help you at least understand their perspective - whether you agree with it or not.  

CORONAVIRUS STATS

Nationally, the CDC reports 2,155,572 cases with 117,632 fatalities.

Utah:  15,839 cases (up 495 from yesterday); 1,120 hospitalizations;152 deaths (up 3 from yesterday)

Utah County:  2,861 cases (up 85 from yesterday);152 hospitalizations; 19 deaths (no change from yesterday)

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Governor Herbert has released a new Utah Leads Together 4.0 Plan during a press conference yesterday, where the new "Stay Safe to Stay Open" plan was also announced.
• This year's Juneteenth celebration (June 19th) will be mostly virtual in Utah, with a live flag raising and a caravan through Ogden being the only in-person activities. You can find the details for the celebration here.
• KSL shared an article with the election updates and links to debates and summaries, so if you need to catch up before you vote, be sure to check it out.
• So far in 2020, seven wildfires have been deemed caused by exploding targets, four within the last week in Utah. Most of the explosive-related fires this year have taken place in Utah County and Tooele County. Both areas don’t allow exploding targets.
• The organizers of the annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in New York said this year's event will go on as planned, but in a private location with no fans. You can watch on ESPN on July 4th at noon.  Truly don't miss TV!  
• Police in Australia chased an escaped racehorse through their city. Here is a little clip.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

THE MAYOR'S DAY

Today, Mayor Kaufusi:

• Participated in the ULC Governing Board
• Met with on various city projects
• Had regular meeting with representatives from BYU
• Ran a meeting with Utah County Mayors and leaders
• Held a meeting with a department director

FUN STUFF

2 Truths and a Lie: Mayor's Office Edition

This Week: Mayor Michelle Kaufusi

1. I ran the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim. -- TRUTH

2. I have over 50 animals in my life. -- LIE

3. I broke both my arms two times each. -- TRUTH

Once again this weekend, The Shows Must Go On channel on YouTube is hosting the Broadway show Peter Pan.  It starts Friday at noon and is available for 48 hours only, so plan ahead.  Great music, dancing, costumes and acting - sharing a classic tale that would be great for the entire family.  Enjoy this little teaser, and then head over to the link above to watch the show this weekend.  

Have a great weekend and we will look forward to visiting with you next week.

Wayne

June 17, 2020 Update

It just seems to never stop.  We had a great Council meeting last evening - I so admire our elected officials who work full-time jobs and then invest another 8-10 hours on Council days to help make life better in Provo! 

CORONAVIRUS STATS

Nationally, the CDC reports 2,132,321 cases with 116,862 fatalities.

Utah: 15,344 cases (up 407 from yesterday); 1,102 hospitalizations; 149 deaths (up 4 from yesterday)

Utah County:  2,776 cases (up 65 from yesterday); 147 hospitalizations; 19 deaths (no change from yesterday)

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• The two fires burning near Utah Lake are both 90% and 100% contained
• A group of BYU students and alumni is asking the university to change the name of one of its buildings. The school’s administration building is named after Abraham O. Smoot, a prominent figure in the school’s history whose legacy includes slavery.
• In a late-hour compromise agreement, the Provo Municipal Council voted unanimously to pass a Class F beer license allowing ancillary breweries in Provo — with restrictions including: only 1,500 barrels of beer may be produced a year; only 30% of the total floor space of the brewpub may be used as the ancillary brewery; storing materials outside of the brewpub are limited; and deliveries may not be made on public streets, among other things.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

THE MAYOR'S DAY

Today, Mayor Kaufusi:

• Met with the County Clerk's Office
• Met with Fire Chief Miguel
• Met with staff
• Met with Development Director Keith Morey
• Met with Police Chief Ferguson
• Participated in a call with the Silicon Slopes

FUN STUFF

2 Truths and a Lie: Mayor's Office Edition

This Week: Mayor Michelle Kaufusi

1. I ran the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim.

2. I have over 50 animals in my life.

3. I broke both my arms two times each.

Hope all is well for everyone.  We appreciate all you do to help make Provo a great place to work!

Wayne

June 16, 2020 Update

Welcome to a Council meeting Tuesday.  Our elected officials will have a marathon today with several controversial issues on the agenda including adoption of the budget (with more public comments than in any year in recent memory on the Open City Hall platform), a couple of key land use issues and the consideration of the Critical Hillside Overlay ordinance.

CORONAVIRUS STATS

Nationally, the CDC reports 2,104,346 cases with 116,140 fatalities.

Utah:  14,937 cases (up 329 from yesterday); 1,073 hospitalizations; 145 deaths (up 2 from yesterday)

Utah County:  2,711 cases (up 57 from yesterday); 142 hospitalizations; 19 deaths (no change from yesterday)

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Retail sales nationally increased by 17.7% from April to May, signifying a retail rally beyond what was expected given the pandemic's impact on store sales.
• UVU has acquired 39 acres of land in Payson for a future campus expansion to serve the South Utah County area
• President Donald Trump signed an executive order today on police reform establishing a national database tracking officers with excessive use-of-force complaints, encouraging co-responder programs, and a "certification program" that offers financial incentives for departments that adopt best practices.
• Governor Herbert's website provides some great information about the value of wearing face masks in public during the Coronavirus pandemic and a fascinating video about the value of masks in slowing the spread of the virus.  

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

 

THE MAYOR'S DAY

Today, Mayor Kaufusi:

• Met with the city management team members
• Met with Chief Ferguson
• Met with Council Chair George Handley
• Attended the Municipal Council meetings

FUN STUFF

2 Truths and a Lie: Mayor's Office Edition

This Week: Executive Office Assistant Amber Chamberlain

1. I gave a speech in the General Assembly Room at the United Nations. --TRUTH

2. My husband proposed to me on the Today Show. -- LIE

3. I skied the Bavarian Alps where the 1972 Olympics were held. -- TRUTH

A couple of weeks ago, the YouTube channel The Shows Must Go On hosted an evening of Hairspray.  One of my favorite tunes from this Broadway show is "You Can't Stop the Beat."  It is worth a listen for a musical pick-me-up!

Thanks, everyone!  We appreciate all you do.  Back at ya tomorrow!

Wayne

June 15, 2020 Update

It is great to be back to work today.  As you will see below, I needed to get back to work to get a bit of a break from hard work outside!  And there is still a lot going on in Provo.  Thanks to everyone for all you do to make our community one we can be proud of.

CORONAVIRUS STATS

Nationally, the CDC reports 2,085,769 cases with 115,644 fatalities.

Utah:  14,608 cases; 1,041 hospitalizations; 143 deaths

Utah County:  2,654 cases; 137 hospitalizations; 19 deaths

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Yesterday was National Flag Day, so you might notice more flags flying in Provo than usual.
• Local, state and federal officials announced Thursday the groundbreaking of the Provo River Delta Restoration Project, a multi-agency environmental and recreational effort to connect Utah Lake with Provo River that has taken more than a decade to plan and coordinate.
• A Utah Valley University student has died from the novel coronavirus, the university announced this week. Trevor Syphus Lee, 27, was a senior and scheduled to graduate in the spring of 2021. Lee was taking the summer off and not enrolled in any classes when he died on June 9. "According to the state health department, Trevor had underlying medical conditions," UVU President Astrid Tuminez wrote in an email to the university community.
• Utah’s Hogle Zoo wants the public to help them decide what to name their new pair of Amur leopard cubs. The name options, Storm and Skye or Ren and Kai, were selected by the leopard cubs’ caretakers at the zoo’s Asian Highlands Exhibit, according to Hogle Zoo’s website. Votes on the names are $5 each, and the application reads “all donations will be used to benefit the zoo amid these challenging times.”

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

 

THE MAYOR'S DAY

Today, Mayor Kaufusi:

• Met with the Fire Chief
• Met with the Police Chief
• Met with Mayor's office staff
• Met with the ULCT Board of Directors
• Met with the city PIO
• Met with her Executive team
• Met with the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer
• Met with the Deputy Mayor
• Met with a business owner

special thanks

I would like to give a special shout-out to C.J. for working so hard to remove the graffiti here in the city! We have seen you out working tirelessly to keep our city looking beautiful and we are so grateful!

FUN STUFF

2 Truths and a Lie: Mayor's Office Edition

This Week: Executive Office Assistant Amber Chamberlain

1. I gave a speech in the General Assembly Room at the United Nations.

2. My husband proposed to me on the Today Show.

3. I skied the Bavarian Alps where the 1972 Olympics were held.

Finally, my big spring and early summer home project is done and open for "business."  My wife and I updated, refinished and repainted a wooden play structure my sons and I built about 10 years ago.  It has been a long time coming and a lot of work in unseasonably warm temps, but it is done.  And so far, some good reviews from the grandkids!  Julie did the design and the color scheme, I did most of the fixing, sanding and priming, and we shared the painting and sealing duties.  

Have a great evening, and we will be back at you tomorrow with another daily update!

Wayne