washingtontimes--2020-11-01--College closet helps students dress for potential employers

SIOUX CITY , Iowa ( AP ) - Interviewing for that first big job or internship can be stressful enough for a college student .
Erin Cron doesn ’ t want Briar Cliff University students to also have to worry about whether they ’ re dressed appropriately when meeting with a potential employer .
“ We want students to be really confident in those environments , ” said Cron , Briar Cliff director of new student programs .
This semester , Cron ’ s office established Charger Closet , a growing collection of second-hand professional clothing available for free to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when interviewing for positions or starting a job or internship .
Cron told the Sioux City Journal that she ’ d observed students lacking proper attire for business settings .
Some just weren ’ t aware of the dress requirements and didn ’ t have much in their personal wardrobe besides jeans and T-shirts .
Others couldn ’ t afford to buy a new outfit or two to make a good impression in what might be their first experience in a professional workplace setting .
Whatever the reason , Charger Closet provides a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assemble an outfit that will ensure they ’ re not under dressed .
Cron said she ’ s seen students lose out on job opportunities because they weren ’ t able to dress appropriately for an interview .
“ We wouldn ’ t want to let something like apparel prevent a student from being successful , ” Cron said .
Cron and her staff converted a vacant room in her Heelan Hall office into a small boutique and , through donations , filled it with clothing racks with men ’ s suit jackets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women ’ s business suits , shirts and shoes .
Students can come in during office hours and choose clothes , with no questions asked about what circumstances brought them there .
Cron and her student staff give fashion advice .
Cassie Clark , a junior graphic design and business administration major from Carlisle , Iowa , is one of the students who have benefited .
With job interviews on her horizon , Clark was concerned about having proper clothing to wear .
She picked up a couple cardigans and dresses at Charger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to worry about what I ’ m going to wear , ” said Clark , who works in Cron ’ s office , helped set up Charger Closet and also has assisted students choosing clothes .
Ron Watson , a junior psychology major from Tulsa , Oklahoma , also works in Cron ’ s office .
He ’ s donated some of his dressier shirts that no longer fit and also picked up a pair of pants and a shirt for his own use .
He ’ s found that some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know what ’ s appropriate to wear for an interview , so he ’ s given advice and helped them assemble an outfit .
He knows one of the students he helped had a successful interview .
“ Everybody ’ s been pretty excited , ” Watson said about how Charger Closet has worked .
Approximately 20 students have utilized it thus far , and Cron expects demand to pick up in the spring , when more job , internship and graduate school interviews take place .
For that reason , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of quality , contemporary business clothes like the wardrobe a recently retired female banker donated .
“ It ’ s going to be a constant ask for us , ” Cron said .
“ Some of the things that have come through , they ’ re very nice.
” Cron hopes Charger Closet can expand as more clothing is received .
Once the coronavirus pandemic is past , she envisions having professional days in which students in various educational departments can come look for clothes or simply having days when she can move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas to raise Charger Closet ’ s visibility so more students are aware of it .
Volunteers behind Charger Closet are committed to helping students dress in a way that gives them confidence to ace that interview .
“ Anything that can help us elevate good to great and great to excellent , that ’ s what we ’ re trying to do with them , ” Cron said .

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) - Interviewing for that first big job or internship can be stressful enough for a college student.
Erin Cron doesn’t want Briar Cliff University students to also have to worry about whether they’re dressed appropriately when meeting with a potential employer.
“We want students to be really confident in those environments,” said Cron, Briar Cliff director of new student programs.
This semester, Cron’s office established Charger Closet, a growing collection of second-hand professional clothing available for free to students in need of help looking sharp when interviewing for positions or starting a job or internship.
Cron told the Sioux City Journal that she’d observed students lacking proper attire for business settings. Some just weren’t aware of the dress requirements and didn’t have much in their personal wardrobe besides jeans and T-shirts. Others couldn’t afford to buy a new outfit or two to make a good impression in what might be their first experience in a professional workplace setting.
Whatever the reason, Charger Closet provides a range of clothing from which students can assemble an outfit that will ensure they’re not under dressed. Cron said she’s seen students lose out on job opportunities because they weren’t able to dress appropriately for an interview.
“We wouldn’t want to let something like apparel prevent a student from being successful,” Cron said.
Cron and her staff converted a vacant room in her Heelan Hall office into a small boutique and, through donations, filled it with clothing racks with men’s suit jackets, ties, pants and shirts and women’s business suits, shirts and shoes. Students can come in during office hours and choose clothes, with no questions asked about what circumstances brought them there. Cron and her student staff give fashion advice.
Cassie Clark, a junior graphic design and business administration major from Carlisle, Iowa, is one of the students who have benefited. With job interviews on her horizon, Clark was concerned about having proper clothing to wear. She picked up a couple cardigans and dresses at Charger Closet.
“I don’t have to worry about what I’m going to wear,” said Clark, who works in Cron’s office, helped set up Charger Closet and also has assisted students choosing clothes.
Ron Watson, a junior psychology major from Tulsa, Oklahoma, also works in Cron’s office. He’s donated some of his dressier shirts that no longer fit and also picked up a pair of pants and a shirt for his own use. He’s found that some of the students who come to browse don’t know what’s appropriate to wear for an interview, so he’s given advice and helped them assemble an outfit. He knows one of the students he helped had a successful interview.
“Everybody’s been pretty excited,” Watson said about how Charger Closet has worked.
Approximately 20 students have utilized it thus far, and Cron expects demand to pick up in the spring, when more job, internship and graduate school interviews take place. For that reason, Charger Closet will constantly be in need of quality, contemporary business clothes like the wardrobe a recently retired female banker donated.
“It’s going to be a constant ask for us,” Cron said. “Some of the things that have come through, they’re very nice.”
Cron hopes Charger Closet can expand as more clothing is received. Once the coronavirus pandemic is past, she envisions having professional days in which students in various educational departments can come look for clothes or simply having days when she can move the clothes out into larger, higher-traffic areas to raise Charger Closet’s visibility so more students are aware of it.
Volunteers behind Charger Closet are committed to helping students dress in a way that gives them confidence to ace that interview.
“Anything that can help us elevate good to great and great to excellent, that’s what we’re trying to do with them,” Cron said.


washingtontimes--2020-11-01--Virus duties add to workload for school employees

NORFOLK , Neb .
( AP ) - Before the sun rises every weekday , some essential school employees are already hard at work , preparing buses and vans to transport students safely .
Afterward they are bustling around school buildings - cleaning , repairing and problem-solving .
But this year has brought added responsibilities for school custodians and maintenance workers .
School facilities can potentially be a minefield for COVID-19 .
Employees have to continuously work to reduce the risk of virus spread after students touch anything and everything - from a lone desk chair to a cafeteria full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of maintenance for Norfolk Catholic parish and schools , told the Norfolk Daily News that the added cleaning has accounted for a few extra hours of work each day per staff member .
“ It isn ’ t so much harder , but there ’ s just more time involved , ” Kellogg said .
“ I am here about another hour and a half each day than normal , spraying down the rooms .
The churches get sprayed down after each mass and that ’ s three times on Sunday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ task.
” Thomas Asmussen , director of maintenance , transportation and custodial services at Norfolk Public Schools , said he ’ s been coming to work around 5 a.m. and leaving about 5 p.m. - if nothing needs to be fixed or attended to - for the past 15 years at the district .
Asmussen said COVID-19 has brought specific cleaning and disinfecting schedules to every aspect of facilities and operations at NPS .
He supervises more than 110 custodial and maintenance employees .
“ Naturally , it ’ s gotten a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we developed because we deal with children , ” he said .
“ It has ( changed ) a bit , but we have worked through everything and it ’ s been fairly seamless.
” Since the school year began , NPS facilities are sanitized at least once a day , but this can increase depending on what COVID-19 risk level the district is in .
Teachers are equipped with supplies to clean between classes , so custodians and maintenance workers take care of the larger tasks of sanitizing places like common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students are in session .
NPS and other Norfolk schools also have their own arsenal of tools to help combat COVID-19 , including disinfectant misting guns and electrostatic sanitizing sprayers .
The electrostatic guns reduce the time of cleaning , especially in buses , Asmussen said .
It uses a specialized solution that is atomized by an electrode , making the particles of the cleanser cling to an entire object , such as a bus seat , instead of just the top surface .
Custodial and maintenance work during the beginning months of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bill Robinson , associate superintendent of business , maintenance and facilities , said the summer consisted of employees taking on additional hours and responsibilities to prepare for the school year .
“ We moved a number of paraprofessionals , who were instructional paras , into more maintenance type of work , which helped the folks who normally do the deep cleans in the summer start getting prepared for all of the other things we were doing , ” Robinson said .
“ We had a number of supplies that we had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; that all takes people.
” When it ’ s time for students to file out of classrooms and for teachers to head home , custodians and maintenance workers also have the task of sanitizing everything before it ’ s touched again in the morning .
Overnight crews are usually used for additional deep cleaning .
Mike Kesting , maintenance director at Lutheran High Northeast High School , and Mark McKeown , custodian and maintenance worker at Christ Lutheran School and church , are both the sole staff members who clean facilities during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said while the year has been going well , he also has more responsibilities because of COVID-19 .
He cleans the bathrooms every one to two hours , which is something he ’ s never done before .
He also now delivers meals because students no longer eat in a cafeteria , but instead in their classrooms .
“ Teachers and kids take care of their rooms , and there ’ s a little bit more of a mess to vacuum up after classes , ” McKeown said .
“ It hasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been doing a little bit to keep things going well .
It has kept us in school so far.
” COVID-19 has taken its toll on school staff , said Robinson , associate superintendent .
While there is an ongoing substitute staff shortage , some employees in the custodial and maintenance departments chose not to work this fall because of the risk .
Kesting said the pandemic hasn ’ t affected his desire to come to school every day .
“ It doesn ’ t bother me that much .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I just don ’ t worry about it , ” he said .
“ I wear a mask during the day when I ’ m around people.
” Asmussen said while his job has become more hectic since the school year began , he views it as just another obstacle to tackle - something he has to do quite often .
“ The more challenging it is , the more I like it .
To say I like what ’ s happening in the world , that ’ s not correct , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are put in front of me don ’ t bother me at all , ” Asmussen said .
“ My day is very challenging across the board .
It ’ s just one of those things , you have to be very good at adjusting on the fly and readjusting .
Most of the time , you just better have a plan A through M because you might need it .
”

NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) - Before the sun rises every weekday, some essential school employees are already hard at work, preparing buses and vans to transport students safely.
Afterward they are bustling around school buildings - cleaning, repairing and problem-solving.
But this year has brought added responsibilities for school custodians and maintenance workers.
School facilities can potentially be a minefield for COVID-19. Employees have to continuously work to reduce the risk of virus spread after students touch anything and everything - from a lone desk chair to a cafeteria full of lunch tables.
Don Kellogg, director of maintenance for Norfolk Catholic parish and schools, told the Norfolk Daily News that the added cleaning has accounted for a few extra hours of work each day per staff member.
“It isn’t so much harder, but there’s just more time involved,” Kellogg said. “I am here about another hour and a half each day than normal, spraying down the rooms. The churches get sprayed down after each mass and that’s three times on Sunday. It’s pretty much a daily task.”
Thomas Asmussen, director of maintenance, transportation and custodial services at Norfolk Public Schools, said he’s been coming to work around 5 a.m. and leaving about 5 p.m. - if nothing needs to be fixed or attended to - for the past 15 years at the district.
Asmussen said COVID-19 has brought specific cleaning and disinfecting schedules to every aspect of facilities and operations at NPS. He supervises more than 110 custodial and maintenance employees.
“Naturally, it’s gotten a little complicated because we have very strict guidelines that we developed because we deal with children,” he said. “It has (changed) a bit, but we have worked through everything and it’s been fairly seamless.”
Since the school year began, NPS facilities are sanitized at least once a day, but this can increase depending on what COVID-19 risk level the district is in.
Teachers are equipped with supplies to clean between classes, so custodians and maintenance workers take care of the larger tasks of sanitizing places like common areas, bathrooms and inside vehicles while students are in session.
NPS and other Norfolk schools also have their own arsenal of tools to help combat COVID-19, including disinfectant misting guns and electrostatic sanitizing sprayers.
The electrostatic guns reduce the time of cleaning, especially in buses, Asmussen said. It uses a specialized solution that is atomized by an electrode, making the particles of the cleanser cling to an entire object, such as a bus seat, instead of just the top surface.
Custodial and maintenance work during the beginning months of the pandemic was a little more rocky. Bill Robinson, associate superintendent of business, maintenance and facilities, said the summer consisted of employees taking on additional hours and responsibilities to prepare for the school year.
“We moved a number of paraprofessionals, who were instructional paras, into more maintenance type of work, which helped the folks who normally do the deep cleans in the summer start getting prepared for all of the other things we were doing,” Robinson said. “We had a number of supplies that we had to create space for and do inventory for; that all takes people.”
When it’s time for students to file out of classrooms and for teachers to head home, custodians and maintenance workers also have the task of sanitizing everything before it’s touched again in the morning. Overnight crews are usually used for additional deep cleaning.
Mike Kesting, maintenance director at Lutheran High Northeast High School, and Mark McKeown, custodian and maintenance worker at Christ Lutheran School and church, are both the sole staff members who clean facilities during the day, they said.
McKeown said while the year has been going well, he also has more responsibilities because of COVID-19.
He cleans the bathrooms every one to two hours, which is something he’s never done before. He also now delivers meals because students no longer eat in a cafeteria, but instead in their classrooms.
“Teachers and kids take care of their rooms, and there’s a little bit more of a mess to vacuum up after classes,” McKeown said. “It hasn’t been bad. Everyone’s been doing a little bit to keep things going well. It has kept us in school so far.”
COVID-19 has taken its toll on school staff, said Robinson, associate superintendent. While there is an ongoing substitute staff shortage, some employees in the custodial and maintenance departments chose not to work this fall because of the risk.
Kesting said the pandemic hasn’t affected his desire to come to school every day.
“It doesn’t bother me that much. I’m 65 and supposedly at risk, but I just don’t worry about it,” he said. “I wear a mask during the day when I’m around people.”
Asmussen said while his job has become more hectic since the school year began, he views it as just another obstacle to tackle - something he has to do quite often.
“The more challenging it is, the more I like it. To say I like what’s happening in the world, that’s not correct, but I’m just saying the challenges that are put in front of me don’t bother me at all,” Asmussen said. “My day is very challenging across the board. It’s just one of those things, you have to be very good at adjusting on the fly and readjusting. Most of the time, you just better have a plan A through M because you might need it.”


washingtontimes--2020-11-01--Watershed moment for fish passageway in Traverse City

TRAVERSE CITY , Mich. ( AP ) - Construction for FishPass hasn ’ t started just yet , but Great Lakes Fishery Commission , Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and other project partners celebrated the project ’ s start .
The Oct. 24 event kicked off with Peshawbestown Community Drum performing , and a water ceremony by JoAnne Cook , Tina Frankenberger and Melissa Wiatrolik .
The three women , each donning colorful skirts , prayed as they held copper vessels filled with water , then sang a song expressing thanks to the water .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the water , we respect it , we thank it , ” Cook said afterward .
“ It ’ s a way for us to connect with the water.
” Speakers and audience members took part , drinking a sip of water and adding satchels of tobacco to a wooden bowl later dumped into one of the pots , which Cook emptied into the churning Boardman River - also called Ottawa River - by the Union Street Dam , according to the Traverse City Record-Eagle .
The tobacco was so everyone could give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water , Cook said .
The ceremony started the hourlong event for the first-of-its-kind selective fish passageway that aims to keep invasive species downstream but let desired aquatic wildlife pass .
The tribe and Great Lakes Fishery Commission are just two partners on the multi-agency project , and GLFC Science Director Andrew Muir thanked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for providing the bulk of the funding through its Great Lakes Restoration Initiative .
Muir also thanked the many public commenters for chipping in to improve the project that he hopes is the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been permanently altered by invasive species , ” he said .
“ I hope that the model of FishPass extends to many other rivers around the Great Lakes and globally.
” Others spoke about the final phase of a years-long effort to restore the river to a more natural state , starting with demolishing Brown Bridge Dam in 2012 .
Restoration Implementation Team leaders Frank Dituri and Brett Fessell recounted the history and U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman , R-Watersmeet , said clean water ’ s a uniting issue and he hopes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments .
David Arroyo , Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians chairman , said there ’ s a strong connection between the river and the tribe , as both reflect the other ’ s endurance and restoration .
“ The tribe as a people , we have a cultural and spiritual connection to the water and river restoration , ” he said .
“ The local fishery is integral to that , it is our historical and our present-day way of life.
” Frankenberger said the project presents a chance for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that their ancestors did before the dams were built .
But others fear that restored connection could have unintended consequences .
Project critics contend that letting the wrong species upstream could hurt the river ’ s fisheries , especially its wild trout populations - a few protesters on Saturday held “ Save the Brook Trout ” signs .
Others criticized the process through which state , federal and international agencies planned the project , or lambasted the final design as destruction of a beloved city park .
One Traverse City resident wants a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a say .
Rick Buckhalter is asking a 13th Circuit Court judge for a temporary restraining order , citing a city charter provision requiring a popular vote before the city can dispose of parkland .
He argued that demolishing Union Street Dam amounts to just that , although his extensive search through city records hasn ’ t turned up definitive proof that the dam is parkland , and city officials previously argued it isn ’ t .
Buckhalter also argued that two easements with a nearby condominium association to build the project required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreements with the city , according to the complaint .
He believes he has a strong argument and that the city has no reason to rush construction , he said .
“ The big issue is , residents can ’ t use the dam , it ’ s being removed and not replaced , ” he said .
“ They ’ re calling the labyrinth weir , they ’ re even using the same name even though it ’ s a different structure and one can be used by the public but one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trible-Laucht in an email said she couldn ’ t comment on the case .
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently selected Spence Brothers , a Traverse City-based company , to build the structure for $ 19.3 million , GLFC spokesman Marc Gaden said .
Construction could begin before year ’ s end , depending on what ’ s possible before the ground freezes , and will take about a year to complete .
He was somewhat disappointed that Saturday ’ s event had to be scaled down over pandemic concerns - viewers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Hopefully we can have some celebration that ’ s a little bit more inclusive at a later day when it ’ s safe to do so , but that ’ s how it is , ” he said .

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) - Construction for FishPass hasn’t started just yet, but Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and other project partners celebrated the project’s start.
The Oct. 24 event kicked off with Peshawbestown Community Drum performing, and a water ceremony by JoAnne Cook, Tina Frankenberger and Melissa Wiatrolik. The three women, each donning colorful skirts, prayed as they held copper vessels filled with water, then sang a song expressing thanks to the water.
“We’re telling the water we love the water, we respect it, we thank it,” Cook said afterward. “It’s a way for us to connect with the water.”
Speakers and audience members took part, drinking a sip of water and adding satchels of tobacco to a wooden bowl later dumped into one of the pots, which Cook emptied into the churning Boardman River - also called Ottawa River - by the Union Street Dam, according to the Traverse City Record-Eagle. The tobacco was so everyone could give their good thoughts and energy to the water, Cook said.
The ceremony started the hourlong event for the first-of-its-kind selective fish passageway that aims to keep invasive species downstream but let desired aquatic wildlife pass.
The tribe and Great Lakes Fishery Commission are just two partners on the multi-agency project, and GLFC Science Director Andrew Muir thanked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for providing the bulk of the funding through its Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Muir also thanked the many public commenters for chipping in to improve the project that he hopes is the first of many.
“Our Great Lakes have been permanently altered by invasive species,” he said. “I hope that the model of FishPass extends to many other rivers around the Great Lakes and globally.”
Others spoke about the final phase of a years-long effort to restore the river to a more natural state, starting with demolishing Brown Bridge Dam in 2012.
Restoration Implementation Team leaders Frank Dituri and Brett Fessell recounted the history and U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, said clean water’s a uniting issue and he hopes the collaborations can inspire other partnerships with tribal governments.
David Arroyo, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians chairman, said there’s a strong connection between the river and the tribe, as both reflect the other’s endurance and restoration.
“The tribe as a people, we have a cultural and spiritual connection to the water and river restoration,” he said. “The local fishery is integral to that, it is our historical and our present-day way of life.”
Frankenberger said the project presents a chance for fish to spawn in the same streams that their ancestors did before the dams were built.
But others fear that restored connection could have unintended consequences. Project critics contend that letting the wrong species upstream could hurt the river’s fisheries, especially its wild trout populations - a few protesters on Saturday held “Save the Brook Trout” signs.
Others criticized the process through which state, federal and international agencies planned the project, or lambasted the final design as destruction of a beloved city park. One Traverse City resident wants a judge to block construction until voters have a say.
Rick Buckhalter is asking a 13th Circuit Court judge for a temporary restraining order, citing a city charter provision requiring a popular vote before the city can dispose of parkland. He argued that demolishing Union Street Dam amounts to just that, although his extensive search through city records hasn’t turned up definitive proof that the dam is parkland, and city officials previously argued it isn’t.
Buckhalter also argued that two easements with a nearby condominium association to build the project required public hearings to amend planned unit development agreements with the city, according to the complaint.
He believes he has a strong argument and that the city has no reason to rush construction, he said.
“The big issue is, residents can’t use the dam, it’s being removed and not replaced,” he said. “They’re calling the labyrinth weir, they’re even using the same name even though it’s a different structure and one can be used by the public but one can’t.”
City Attorney Lauren Trible-Laucht in an email said she couldn’t comment on the case.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently selected Spence Brothers, a Traverse City-based company, to build the structure for $19.3 million, GLFC spokesman Marc Gaden said. Construction could begin before year’s end, depending on what’s possible before the ground freezes, and will take about a year to complete.
He was somewhat disappointed that Saturday’s event had to be scaled down over pandemic concerns - viewers had a chance to watch online.
“Hopefully we can have some celebration that’s a little bit more inclusive at a later day when it’s safe to do so, but that’s how it is,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-11-01--Virginia women, others leave workforce amid pandemic

RICHMOND , Va. ( AP ) - When the pandemic hit , Richmonder Kari Altizer was a financial adviser about to give birth to her first child , a boy , at the end of March .
“ I wasn ’ t sure I was going to make enough money to afford day care .
My clients were dropping off .
And I wasn ’ t sure where I wanted my baby to go during the pandemic .
I didn ’ t know what was safe , ” Altizer said .
She decided to quit her job and stay home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many women are having to make during the pandemic when demands of work , child care and the coronavirus are causing women to leave the U.S. workforce in record numbers .
Experts are calling it the first female recession .
For the first time , women are falling behind in the U.S. job market after decades of progress .
Women account for 52.6 % of job losses between February and August , or 5.6 million jobs , according to data released this month by the Bureau of Labor Statistics .
Since February , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the labor force .
In September , 617,000 women dropped out of the workforce , in comparison to only 78,000 men .
Unemployment has been especially hard on Black and Latina women , with the unemployment rate above 10 % , while the rate for white women is 7.3 % , according to data from the Labor Department .
At the end of July , almost 1 in 3 mothers ages 25 to 44 reported they weren ’ t working because of COVID-19-related child care issues , compared to around 1 in 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been nearly equal participants in the workforce for 50 years and earn more advanced degrees ( including bachelor ’ s , master ’ s and doctorate degrees ) than men , according to the National Center for Education Statistics , they still earn less money on average than men - and shoulder the brunt of household and child care responsibilities at home .
“ Women earn 81.5 cents to the dollar that men make , ” said Renee Haltom , vice president and regional executive at the Richmond Federal Reserve .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman to stay home.
” Plus , women still bear a disproportionate amount of work at home .
Women spend 30 % more time than men on household activities and twice as much time caring for children as fathers , Haltom said .
When child care centers started closing in March , many working moms found themselves having to make a difficult choice .
When Allison Miessler ’ s day care for her 2½-year-old daughter shut down , she didn ’ t know what to do .
She was working full time in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a job she ’ d held for almost two years .
She was able to work from home , but also had to occasionally go into the office .
Her days were busy : filled with Zoom calls , projects and deadlines .
Her husband works at Virginia Commonwealth University in development and was also able to work from home , but had a similar hectic schedule .
They had to move in with her parents in Louisa County for five months just to have help with child care .
But as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Miessler knew her current job and family responsibilities didn ’ t align anymore .
After six years building her present career , she decided to pivot and in July took a part-time job with a nonprofit that allowed her more flexibility and time with her daughter .
When her day care opened back up in August , her daughter was able to return .
But when it reopened , it raised prices .
Before the pandemic , her child care cost was around $ 1,120 per month ; after , it went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nationally , the average cost of child care has increased 47 % during the pandemic , with smaller groups , heightened sanitation needs and additional staffing as factors in the rising expense , according to data from the Center for American Progress .
And like many child care centers in the area , it offers only full-time care , so Miessler and her husband are paying for full time , even though they ’ re using it only part time .
“ I feel like I ’ ve taken a step back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would go part time and not be moving up in salary .
This was a different route that I didn ’ t plan on taking , ” said Miessler , who is trained as a social worker .
But she values the flexibility her new job offers .
“ I like working part time right now .
And there is a possibility to get more hours in the future , ” she said .
For single mom Tiffany Gray , mom of two twin boys in eighth grade , the pandemic has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the United States Postal Service , and her hours can be long .
Some days , she works from noon to 10:30 p.m .
Her children are in virtual school , and she has to leave them home alone .
She fields phone calls from her kids and from their teachers during the day , but she has to rely on them to get their own schoolwork done .
Sometimes she has to call them and remind them to turn their cameras on .
Sometimes the teacher reaches out and lets her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sleeping during class .
She is juggling , constantly juggling , her responsibilities as a mother and a provider .
“ I get calls all day long , ” Gray said .
She wears a pair of AirPods and talks to her kids and their teachers while she works .
She said her boss knows about her situation and has been supportive .
Like many parents , she doesn ’ t know when Richmond Public Schools will go to back in-person classes , but she hopes it ’ s sooner rather than later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. is currently in a recession .
In a recent speech at a women ’ s summit in West Virginia about the economic impact on women during the pandemic , Tom Barkin , president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond , said women are necessary for economic growth .
“ ( O ) ur best opportunity ( for economic growth ) is to bring more women into the workforce - and retain them .
And there is untapped potential , as just over two-thirds of prime-age adults not in the labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But faced with such issues as lower pay and expensive child care , “ for many … women , the fundamental economic equation just didn ’ t make sense , ” he said .
The pandemic is especially hard on single mothers .
“ Balancing work , child care and virtual learning seems utterly impossible for single parents and workers who can ’ t work from home , ” Barkin said .
Jennie Wood is a divorced single mom of two girls , ages 5½ and 8 .
She had been working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years in business services and events .
But during the pandemic , events evaporated , and she knew they wouldn ’ t be coming back anytime soon .
“ I also saw that I wouldn ’ t be able to work in an office because the kids weren ’ t going back to school , ” Wood said .
“ As things opened back up , I was not able to find anything affordable that allowed me to work around my kids.
” In Virginia , the average cost of a baby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is more than $ 14,500 , according to Child Care Aware of America .
For older children up to age 4 , the cost is around $ 11,500 .
That ’ s about as expensive as a year of college .
She was jobless for four months and was able to draw unemployment .
Through a connection , she finally landed a part-time job as a senior strategist in a marketing firm owned by a single mom .
Remote work and flexible schedules are the norm in her new position .
Wood splits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meant she had two days to devote to work without the children .
“ We all work around our kids ( at my new job ) .
No one looks at you sideways if you have to go somewhere , ” Wood said .
Just last week , her daughters returned to school in Goochland County for five days a week from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m .
But that still leaves entire afternoons where she needs child care .
Just this week , she had a job arranging flowers for an event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They played on their iPads while she worked .
Wood said working moms need more support : whether that ’ s from the government , the state , the community or their jobs .
“ Some kind of child care subsidy would have helped , ” she said .
“ I live across from the Y. I would have loved to have been able to send them for part of the day , but it costs $ 150 per week per kid .
An extra $ 1,200 a month ( for child care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of people right now.
” Many experts worry that women stepping back from the workforce will have long-term consequences such as continuing the gender pay gap , missing out on promotions and learning new skills , and loss of job growth .
For Kari Altizer , who quit her job as a financial adviser when she had her baby in March , she worried about money while being out of work .
Her husband is an operations manager at a local restaurant who took a month of paternity leave and then was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how she would make up her income .
How would she pay the bills ?
When a former client reached out to her asking if she knew of anyone looking for work , she offered herself up for the job .
It was in a different field and in a different position : as the sales and marketing manager of The Maid Brigade .
“ I never thought I ’ d work for one of my clients or for the cleaning industry , ” Altizer said .
But the new job offered things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was a growing industry , and they offered to pay for day care or allow her to bring her baby to work .
“ I work with my baby every day .
I bring him to the office .
He ’ s growing up around a work environment , ” she said .
Her office now doubles as a nursery .
She has a desk and a laptop for herself , as well as a playpen , a jumper and a high chair for her son .
But it hasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ s doing two jobs at once .
“ It ’ s an adjustment to have my baby crying ( in the office ) and for my co-workers to be okay with it , ” she said .
Since the coronavirus , she thinks that co-workers have become more understanding of other people ’ s challenges , especially child care for working parents .
And that could be a silver lining for working women who have been asking for more flexible , supportive work environments for years .
“ I do think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not that it outweighs all the costs women have incurred ( during the pandemic ) , ” the Fed ’ s Haltom said .
“ We ’ ve undergone this great experiment with COVID .
We ’ ve discovered by force that working remotely or more flexibly has worked out quite well .
“ Some workers may never go back into the office .
Or on a limited schedule like two days per week for collaboration .
No one has any idea where this will settle out .
But I will be shocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( for working women ) .
”

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - When the pandemic hit, Richmonder Kari Altizer was a financial adviser about to give birth to her first child, a boy, at the end of March.
“I wasn’t sure I was going to make enough money to afford day care. My clients were dropping off. And I wasn’t sure where I wanted my baby to go during the pandemic. I didn’t know what was safe,” Altizer said.
She decided to quit her job and stay home with her son - a decision that many women are having to make during the pandemic when demands of work, child care and the coronavirus are causing women to leave the U.S. workforce in record numbers.
Experts are calling it the first female recession. For the first time, women are falling behind in the U.S. job market after decades of progress.
Women account for 52.6% of job losses between February and August, or 5.6 million jobs, according to data released this month by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Since February, there are 2.6 million fewer women in the labor force. In September, 617,000 women dropped out of the workforce, in comparison to only 78,000 men.
Unemployment has been especially hard on Black and Latina women, with the unemployment rate above 10%, while the rate for white women is 7.3%, according to data from the Labor Department.
At the end of July, almost 1 in 3 mothers ages 25 to 44 reported they weren’t working because of COVID-19-related child care issues, compared to around 1 in 10 fathers.
Despite the fact that women have been nearly equal participants in the workforce for 50 years and earn more advanced degrees (including bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees) than men, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, they still earn less money on average than men - and shoulder the brunt of household and child care responsibilities at home.
“Women earn 81.5 cents to the dollar that men make,” said Renee Haltom, vice president and regional executive at the Richmond Federal Reserve. “The economic choice usually falls to the woman to stay home.”
Plus, women still bear a disproportionate amount of work at home. Women spend 30% more time than men on household activities and twice as much time caring for children as fathers, Haltom said.
When child care centers started closing in March, many working moms found themselves having to make a difficult choice.
When Allison Miessler’s day care for her 2½-year-old daughter shut down, she didn’t know what to do. She was working full time in the city’s clerk office, a job she’d held for almost two years. She was able to work from home, but also had to occasionally go into the office. Her days were busy: filled with Zoom calls, projects and deadlines. Her husband works at Virginia Commonwealth University in development and was also able to work from home, but had a similar hectic schedule.
They had to move in with her parents in Louisa County for five months just to have help with child care. But as the months wore on and the difficulties continued, Miessler knew her current job and family responsibilities didn’t align anymore.
After six years building her present career, she decided to pivot and in July took a part-time job with a nonprofit that allowed her more flexibility and time with her daughter.
When her day care opened back up in August, her daughter was able to return. But when it reopened, it raised prices. Before the pandemic, her child care cost was around $1,120 per month; after, it went up to around $1,400 per month. Nationally, the average cost of child care has increased 47% during the pandemic, with smaller groups, heightened sanitation needs and additional staffing as factors in the rising expense, according to data from the Center for American Progress.
And like many child care centers in the area, it offers only full-time care, so Miessler and her husband are paying for full time, even though they’re using it only part time.
“I feel like I’ve taken a step back in my career. I never thought I would go part time and not be moving up in salary. This was a different route that I didn’t plan on taking,” said Miessler, who is trained as a social worker.
But she values the flexibility her new job offers.
“I like working part time right now. And there is a possibility to get more hours in the future,” she said.
For single mom Tiffany Gray, mom of two twin boys in eighth grade, the pandemic has been tough. She is a clerk for the United States Postal Service, and her hours can be long. Some days, she works from noon to 10:30 p.m.
Her children are in virtual school, and she has to leave them home alone. She fields phone calls from her kids and from their teachers during the day, but she has to rely on them to get their own schoolwork done.
Sometimes she has to call them and remind them to turn their cameras on. Sometimes the teacher reaches out and lets her know that one of her sons was sleeping during class. She is juggling, constantly juggling, her responsibilities as a mother and a provider.
“I get calls all day long,” Gray said.
She wears a pair of AirPods and talks to her kids and their teachers while she works. She said her boss knows about her situation and has been supportive.
Like many parents, she doesn’t know when Richmond Public Schools will go to back in-person classes, but she hopes it’s sooner rather than later.
In June, economists confirmed that the U.S. is currently in a recession.
In a recent speech at a women’s summit in West Virginia about the economic impact on women during the pandemic, Tom Barkin, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, said women are necessary for economic growth.
“(O)ur best opportunity (for economic growth) is to bring more women into the workforce - and retain them. And there is untapped potential, as just over two-thirds of prime-age adults not in the labor force are women,” Barkin said.
But faced with such issues as lower pay and expensive child care, “for many … women, the fundamental economic equation just didn’t make sense,” he said.
The pandemic is especially hard on single mothers.
“Balancing work, child care and virtual learning seems utterly impossible for single parents and workers who can’t work from home,” Barkin said.
Jennie Wood is a divorced single mom of two girls, ages 5½ and 8. She had been working freelance as a consultant for the past two years in business services and events. But during the pandemic, events evaporated, and she knew they wouldn’t be coming back anytime soon.
“I also saw that I wouldn’t be able to work in an office because the kids weren’t going back to school,” Wood said. “As things opened back up, I was not able to find anything affordable that allowed me to work around my kids.”
In Virginia, the average cost of a baby for a year at a day care is more than $14,500, according to Child Care Aware of America. For older children up to age 4, the cost is around $11,500. That’s about as expensive as a year of college.
She was jobless for four months and was able to draw unemployment. Through a connection, she finally landed a part-time job as a senior strategist in a marketing firm owned by a single mom.
Remote work and flexible schedules are the norm in her new position. Wood splits custody with her ex-husband, which also meant she had two days to devote to work without the children.
“We all work around our kids (at my new job). No one looks at you sideways if you have to go somewhere,” Wood said.
Just last week, her daughters returned to school in Goochland County for five days a week from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. But that still leaves entire afternoons where she needs child care. Just this week, she had a job arranging flowers for an event and brought her girls with her. They played on their iPads while she worked.
Wood said working moms need more support: whether that’s from the government, the state, the community or their jobs.
“Some kind of child care subsidy would have helped,” she said. “I live across from the Y. I would have loved to have been able to send them for part of the day, but it costs $150 per week per kid. An extra $1,200 a month (for child care) isn’t doable for a lot of people right now.”
Many experts worry that women stepping back from the workforce will have long-term consequences such as continuing the gender pay gap, missing out on promotions and learning new skills, and loss of job growth.
For Kari Altizer, who quit her job as a financial adviser when she had her baby in March, she worried about money while being out of work. Her husband is an operations manager at a local restaurant who took a month of paternity leave and then was furloughed for a month. She worried how she would make up her income. How would she pay the bills?
When a former client reached out to her asking if she knew of anyone looking for work, she offered herself up for the job. It was in a different field and in a different position: as the sales and marketing manager of The Maid Brigade.
“I never thought I’d work for one of my clients or for the cleaning industry,” Altizer said. But the new job offered things her old job didn’t. It was a growing industry, and they offered to pay for day care or allow her to bring her baby to work.
“I work with my baby every day. I bring him to the office. He’s growing up around a work environment,” she said.
Her office now doubles as a nursery. She has a desk and a laptop for herself, as well as a playpen, a jumper and a high chair for her son. But it hasn’t been easy, and it also means she’s doing two jobs at once.
“It’s an adjustment to have my baby crying (in the office) and for my co-workers to be okay with it,” she said. Since the coronavirus, she thinks that co-workers have become more understanding of other people’s challenges, especially child care for working parents.
And that could be a silver lining for working women who have been asking for more flexible, supportive work environments for years.
“I do think there might be a cultural shift, not that it outweighs all the costs women have incurred (during the pandemic),” the Fed’s Haltom said. “We’ve undergone this great experiment with COVID. We’ve discovered by force that working remotely or more flexibly has worked out quite well.
“Some workers may never go back into the office. Or on a limited schedule like two days per week for collaboration. No one has any idea where this will settle out. But I will be shocked if there isn’t greater flexibility (for working women).”


washingtontimes--2020-11-01--Amid declining membership, Virginia church seeks a new home

ROANOKE , Va. ( AP ) - Calvary Baptist Church has put its nearly century-old Campbell Avenue building on the market .
The Rev .
Steven Pollard said the decision is a response to declining membership and the high cost of maintaining the building .
The Roanoke church was already on this path , but he said the COVID-19 pandemic put additional strain on attendance and finances , forcing the sale .
Calvary is not alone in dealing with declining membership .
Gallup found the percentage of Americans who indicated they belonged to a church , synagogue or mosque was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a drop of 20 percentage points since 1999 .
The number of adults in the United States who identify as Christians is also down .
In telephone surveys done in 2018 and 2019 , the Pew Research Center found that 26 % of respondents described themselves as atheistic , agnostic or “ nothing in particular.
” In 2009 , that figure stood at 17 % .
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic , about 60 people regularly attended services at Calvary Baptist Church , Pollard said .
Now the church , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half that number .
Pollard , who has served as pastor since 2015 , said the sale is an emotional issue for many longtime parishioners who have an attachment to the building .
He said they are still grieving the upcoming loss .
“ Folks were married here , their family funerals were here , baptisms were here , some of the high points of folks ’ lives are here , ” he said .
But , ultimately , the cost of maintaining the building is prohibitively expensive .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money , really , to go ahead and continue to pour it in there , ” Pollard said .
The decision to move was put to a vote .
Pollard said not a single person voted against the sale .
He emphasized that the church is selling its building , not closing altogether .
“ We ’ ve kind of wrapped our heads and our hearts around the fact that the church is people , it ’ s us , ” he said .
“ We want to stay together and we want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , founded in 1891 , is one of Roanoke ’ s oldest Baptist churches .
Construction of its current Campbell Avenue building was completed in 1925 , at a cost of $ 312,000 , according to the church ’ s website .
Calvary Baptist is perhaps best known for a longtime pastor , the Rev .
Harry Gamble , who was said to have the “ voice of God , ” and for its strong music program .
Its holiday program , the “ singing Christmas tree , ” was famous in Roanoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stories at the time described the singing Christmas tree as “ a 27-foot-tall steel-and-wood structure made up of a series of semicircular platforms ” that became smaller as they rose to the top .
The singers standing on the platforms made up the branches of a Christmas tree .
Robert McKinney began attending Calvary when he was just 5 years old .
He ’ s been deeply involved with the church ’ s music program throughout his life , regularly participating in the singing Christmas tree and filling in as interim choir director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talent to Helen Robertson , the church ’ s “ visionary ” music director .
The church ’ s Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ is one of its most outstanding features , McKinney said , noting it ’ s the same brand used by the Washington National Cathedral and the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square , formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir .
It ’ s another part of Robertson ’ s legacy .
McKinney said when the church was looking for an organ , she wouldn ’ t settle for anything but Aeolian-Skinner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another church or if the sanctuary is used as a performance venue , he said , members might consider leaving the organ for that purpose .
Otherwise , they ’ ll try to place the organ elsewhere .
McKinney said the instrument is too special to “ end up in a landfill ” and ought to be used .
He described Calvary as progressive for a Baptist church .
“ They taught more about hope and salvation and not so much about hell and damnation , ” he said .
“ It always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s one of those churches where everybody is welcome.
” The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly hard on the church , McKinney said , given that its congregation is the hugging sort .
“ Anybody that ever visited us they didn ’ t get out of that church without being hugged , ” he said .
The Rev .
Donna Hopkins Britt , who served as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church from 2000 to 2014 , said she was saddened to learn that the building would be sold .
“ Calvary had both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this gorgeous but expensive building to keep up , ” she said .
But the decision to sell didn ’ t come as a total surprise , either .
When Britt was pastor , there were conversations with a developer about how best to use the building .
Organizations like Community High School and Local Colors used parts of the space for a time .
Plus , she said , the number of active congregants has been declining for some time .
“ With a lot of deaths and not that many people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just how the numbers work , ” Britt said .
While church used to serve as the center of social life for many people , she said , some now find that community elsewhere , whether it ’ s a book club or running group .
The area around the church , which sits at the edge of downtown , has seen major investment and redevelopment over the years through projects like the Cotton Mill Lofts and West End Flats .
But Britt said the changes had no real effect on Calvary .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the church couldn ’ t figure out how to tap into that , ” she said .
“ Or the people didn ’ t want anything to do with the church anyway.
” Betty Hall was born into the church and continues to worship there today , which she said makes her one of the oldest active members .
She said the congregation has been shrinking probably since Gamble ’ s departure .
The church has struggled to attract new members .
Hall said younger people seem to gravitate toward a less traditional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t seem to get too much from the stained glass windows and the beauty and the reverence of a large sanctuary , ” she said .
It ’ s quite a change from the church ’ s heydey , when Hall said Calvary Baptist attracted hundreds of worshipers .
On holidays , it was hard to find a seat in the sanctuary or balcony .
“ People kind of shook in their shoes because they were afraid the fire marshal would come in and find that they had put folding chairs in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Hall recalled .
The sad fact is the congregation is dying , she said .
And the few who remain can not support the building that once burst at the seams .
“ It breaks my heart , ” Hall said of selling the building .
“ But I know that things never stay the same.
” Still , Hall said she “ will miss this grand lady of a building , ” which has nurtured thousands through the years .
The church plans to vacate its Campbell Avenue building by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s still on the market at that point .
Pollard , the pastor , said it would be more cost effective to winterize and shutter the building than continue to use it .
Pollard said Calvary Baptist is in talks with other congregations about sharing facilities .
They aren ’ t looking to combine with another church , but rather to find a space to worship at a separate time .
Once the Campbell Avenue building is sold , Pollard said , the church will have more options .
“ A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important - and it shouldn ’ t be - as our mission and what we ’ re about as a congregation and staying together , ” he said .
When the congregation is out of the building and has a moment to catch its breath , it will think about next steps , Pollard said .
Pollard said members don ’ t have any expectations about what will become of the church building after it ’ s sold .
He said they recognize that tax breaks often entice developers to convert such buildings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re hoping that whoever decides to buy it will find a way to keep some of the character of the building depending upon what they ’ re going to use it for , ” Pollard said .
Britt said she hopes whoever buys the building does “ something wonderful with it.
” Maybe a concert hall - the sanctuary has good acoustics and “ the Cadillac of pipe organs.
” Apartments or a restaurant would also be nice , she said .
Matt Gaziano , an associate with commercial real estate firm Cushman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 55,000-square-foot church , which sits on 1.68 acres in downtown Roanoke , is listed at $ 1.95 million .
“ We have priced it to attract investors who are interested in a downtown redevelopment opportunity as well as a buyer who could use the existing church operation , ” he said .
If the building is redeveloped , Gaziano said a mixed-use development - perhaps street-level commercial space and multi-family housing above - would be likely .
He noted that the property is in an opportunity zone , meaning there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property has only been listed about a month , but Gaziano said there ’ s already been interest from both church groups and developers .
The building has served the church well for 95 years , McKinney said .
While leaving the building is emotional , he said the church can now spend its money in better ways , on more ministries to the community .
“ I still think God has big plans for Calvary church .
We just need to discern what those plans are and go forward , ” McKinney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and joy and continue to worship Him and serve Him .
”

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) - Calvary Baptist Church has put its nearly century-old Campbell Avenue building on the market.
The Rev. Steven Pollard said the decision is a response to declining membership and the high cost of maintaining the building. The Roanoke church was already on this path, but he said the COVID-19 pandemic put additional strain on attendance and finances, forcing the sale.
Calvary is not alone in dealing with declining membership. Gallup found the percentage of Americans who indicated they belonged to a church, synagogue or mosque was averaging 50% in 2018. That’s a drop of 20 percentage points since 1999.
The number of adults in the United States who identify as Christians is also down. In telephone surveys done in 2018 and 2019, the Pew Research Center found that 26% of respondents described themselves as atheistic, agnostic or “nothing in particular.” In 2009, that figure stood at 17%.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, about 60 people regularly attended services at Calvary Baptist Church, Pollard said. Now the church, which has resumed in-person services, draws about half that number.
Pollard, who has served as pastor since 2015, said the sale is an emotional issue for many longtime parishioners who have an attachment to the building. He said they are still grieving the upcoming loss.
“Folks were married here, their family funerals were here, baptisms were here, some of the high points of folks’ lives are here,” he said.
But, ultimately, the cost of maintaining the building is prohibitively expensive.
“It’s just unwise use of God’s money, really, to go ahead and continue to pour it in there,” Pollard said.
The decision to move was put to a vote. Pollard said not a single person voted against the sale.
He emphasized that the church is selling its building, not closing altogether.
“We’ve kind of wrapped our heads and our hearts around the fact that the church is people, it’s us,” he said. “We want to stay together and we want to move forward.”
A LEGACY OF MUSIC AND HUGGING
Calvary Baptist Church, founded in 1891, is one of Roanoke’s oldest Baptist churches. Construction of its current Campbell Avenue building was completed in 1925, at a cost of $312,000, according to the church’s website. Calvary Baptist is perhaps best known for a longtime pastor, the Rev. Harry Gamble, who was said to have the “voice of God,” and for its strong music program.
Its holiday program, the “singing Christmas tree,” was famous in Roanoke, running for three decades. Newspaper stories at the time described the singing Christmas tree as “a 27-foot-tall steel-and-wood structure made up of a series of semicircular platforms” that became smaller as they rose to the top. The singers standing on the platforms made up the branches of a Christmas tree.
Robert McKinney began attending Calvary when he was just 5 years old. He’s been deeply involved with the church’s music program throughout his life, regularly participating in the singing Christmas tree and filling in as interim choir director. He attributes all of his musical talent to Helen Robertson, the church’s “visionary” music director.
The church’s Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ is one of its most outstanding features, McKinney said, noting it’s the same brand used by the Washington National Cathedral and the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
It’s another part of Robertson’s legacy. McKinney said when the church was looking for an organ, she wouldn’t settle for anything but Aeolian-Skinner.
If the building is sold to another church or if the sanctuary is used as a performance venue, he said, members might consider leaving the organ for that purpose. Otherwise, they’ll try to place the organ elsewhere. McKinney said the instrument is too special to “end up in a landfill” and ought to be used.
He described Calvary as progressive for a Baptist church.
“They taught more about hope and salvation and not so much about hell and damnation,” he said. “It always left you feeling good. It’s one of those churches where everybody is welcome.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly hard on the church, McKinney said, given that its congregation is the hugging sort.
“Anybody that ever visited us they didn’t get out of that church without being hugged,” he said.
‘THINGS NEVER STAYED THE SAME’
The Rev. Donna Hopkins Britt, who served as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church from 2000 to 2014, said she was saddened to learn that the building would be sold.
“Calvary had both the blessing and the curse of having this gorgeous but expensive building to keep up,” she said.
But the decision to sell didn’t come as a total surprise, either. When Britt was pastor, there were conversations with a developer about how best to use the building. Organizations like Community High School and Local Colors used parts of the space for a time.
Plus, she said, the number of active congregants has been declining for some time.
“With a lot of deaths and not that many people joining the church, that’s just how the numbers work,” Britt said.
While church used to serve as the center of social life for many people, she said, some now find that community elsewhere, whether it’s a book club or running group.
The area around the church, which sits at the edge of downtown, has seen major investment and redevelopment over the years through projects like the Cotton Mill Lofts and West End Flats. But Britt said the changes had no real effect on Calvary.
“It was never enough, or the church couldn’t figure out how to tap into that,” she said. “Or the people didn’t want anything to do with the church anyway.”
Betty Hall was born into the church and continues to worship there today, which she said makes her one of the oldest active members.
She said the congregation has been shrinking probably since Gamble’s departure. The church has struggled to attract new members. Hall said younger people seem to gravitate toward a less traditional style of worship.
“They don’t seem to get too much from the stained glass windows and the beauty and the reverence of a large sanctuary,” she said.
It’s quite a change from the church’s heydey, when Hall said Calvary Baptist attracted hundreds of worshipers. On holidays, it was hard to find a seat in the sanctuary or balcony.
“People kind of shook in their shoes because they were afraid the fire marshal would come in and find that they had put folding chairs in the aisle to accommodate the crowd,” Hall recalled.
The sad fact is the congregation is dying, she said. And the few who remain cannot support the building that once burst at the seams.
“It breaks my heart,” Hall said of selling the building. “But I know that things never stay the same.”
Still, Hall said she “will miss this grand lady of a building,” which has nurtured thousands through the years.
POTENTIAL FOR REDEVELOPMENT
The church plans to vacate its Campbell Avenue building by the end of the year, even if it’s still on the market at that point. Pollard, the pastor, said it would be more cost effective to winterize and shutter the building than continue to use it.
Pollard said Calvary Baptist is in talks with other congregations about sharing facilities. They aren’t looking to combine with another church, but rather to find a space to worship at a separate time.
Once the Campbell Avenue building is sold, Pollard said, the church will have more options.
“A building to me is not nearly as important - and it shouldn’t be - as our mission and what we’re about as a congregation and staying together,” he said.
When the congregation is out of the building and has a moment to catch its breath, it will think about next steps, Pollard said.
Pollard said members don’t have any expectations about what will become of the church building after it’s sold. He said they recognize that tax breaks often entice developers to convert such buildings into living spaces.
“We’re hoping that whoever decides to buy it will find a way to keep some of the character of the building depending upon what they’re going to use it for,” Pollard said.
Britt said she hopes whoever buys the building does “something wonderful with it.” Maybe a concert hall - the sanctuary has good acoustics and “the Cadillac of pipe organs.” Apartments or a restaurant would also be nice, she said.
Matt Gaziano, an associate with commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield - Thalhimer, said the more than 55,000-square-foot church, which sits on 1.68 acres in downtown Roanoke, is listed at $1.95 million.
“We have priced it to attract investors who are interested in a downtown redevelopment opportunity as well as a buyer who could use the existing church operation,” he said.
If the building is redeveloped, Gaziano said a mixed-use development - perhaps street-level commercial space and multi-family housing above - would be likely. He noted that the property is in an opportunity zone, meaning there are potential tax incentives for redevelopment.
The property has only been listed about a month, but Gaziano said there’s already been interest from both church groups and developers.
The building has served the church well for 95 years, McKinney said. While leaving the building is emotional, he said the church can now spend its money in better ways, on more ministries to the community.
“I still think God has big plans for Calvary church. We just need to discern what those plans are and go forward,” McKinney said. “Go forward with excitement and joy and continue to worship Him and serve Him.”


washingtontimes--2020-11-01--Delaware natives compile photos inspired by Wes Anderson

DOVER , Del .
( AP ) - When @ accidentallywesanderson uploaded its first post to Instagram in 2017 , it started as a travel bucket list , with pins across the globe for Delaware natives Wally and Amanda Koval to explore on their adventures .
What began just for them , though , grew over the course of three years : 1.1 million followers , a blessing from filmmaker Wes Anderson himself and , now , a book that seeks to capture locations - and their stories - across the world , including Delaware .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not even just seeing it grow , but seeing the community that has come and cultivated around this project has been the most meaningful part of it .
We always say , Community with capital ‘ C , ’ ” Mr. Koval said .
“ It ’ s been unreal , and we ’ re just really excited to be able to kind of give this back to them .
I think they ’ re going to really , really love ( the book ) .
” Mr. Anderson ’ s films @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Moonrise Kingdom ” and “ The Grand Budapest Hotel ” - are full of whimsy , limited color palettes and characters driving the story .
It ’ s a combination of those feelings that the account , and now the book “ Accidentally Wes Anderson , ” seeks to capture with photos that reflect the kinds of scenes and moments that are featured in a Wes Anderson film .
The most recent Instagram posts take a view around the world , to Reyniskirkja Church in Vik , Iceland , or Alviso @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California , or the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston .
The colors are vibrant , the images are satisfyingly symmetrical , and each has a story .
“ What AWA is , is the intersection of distinctive design - the pretty picture , so to speak - but the unexpected or the interesting narrative , ” he said .
“ That intersection , that bull ’ s-eye , that ’ s what ’ s AWA .
You can have a pretty picture , and that ’ s just fine , but if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told , I ’ m not that interested.
” The first post - way back in June 2017 - shows Hotel Belvedere in Grindelwald , Switzerland , tucked into snowy mountains along a curved road .
As the account started to gain traction , Mr. Koval felt it was important to give more substance and started pulling together information for the sites photographed , as well .
“ There ’ s one thing to see a place and say , ‘ That ’ s a pretty building.
’ There ’ s thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or walked through that door , each of them their own individual and having so many different experiences , ” he said .
“ Exploring those just a little bit , you ’ d be really surprised at what you find .
So telling that story and also providing something of substance and positivity to the world was really important.
” That essence is captured in the book , which was released Oct. 20 through Little , Brown and Co .
Taking the flexibility the internet provides and distilling it into a bound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mr. Koval noted , calling it “ an exercise in decision making.
” “ Accidentally Wes Anderson ” the book , features 200 locations and their stories and a foreword from Mr. Anderson .
More than 180 photographers - from more than 50 countries - are represented in the pages .
Its cover highlights the same location as the first post from 2017 .
While the account began as a way to admire faraway places , Mr. Koval noted that it ’ s not just about that .
“ The cool part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AWA wherever you go , ” he said .
“ We had grown up in Wilmington and going to Philadelphia , New York and the surrounding area .
When COVID hit , we had to adapt , we had to adjust , and we had to evolve , and we ‘ accidentally ’ proved our model , because we found really interesting stuff in upstate New York , and we found really interesting stuff in downstate Delaware , and we created these adventures .
You just don ’ t have to go far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Kovals are both from Wilmington and have spent their summers Downstate ; the pair even met in Dewey Beach .
Now , they live in New York but still return home to visit family and even to promote the book .
Bethany Beach visitors had a front-row seat to the banner declaring , “ Accidentally Wes Anderson .
The book , ” that glided across the sky this summer .
The couple called several different locations about setting something up , but ended up local because of the pilot , Bob @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his story .
That can still be viewed on the AWA Instagram .
“ I never knew how they picked up a banner , even though sitting on the beach in Dewey or Rehoboth or Bethany for the past , what , 20 years or so , you see the planes go by all the time , ” he said .
“ But that ’ s just kind of another example , in a way : I saw those planes go by , you ’ ve seen those planes go by , everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But have you ever looked into it ?
Have you ever kind of asked the question like , ‘ How ’ s that done ?
’ ” Sharing that with their “ Community ” has led to an open dialogue between the Kovals - who run the account themselves - and the “ Adventurers.
” When the couple went to Tokyo and Kyoto , Japan , their followers chimed in with a number of places they never would have found without personal connection .
“ I feel like those little things , those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the culture , into the back alley , into the small little shops and on the ground floor , that ’ s how you really experience travel , ” he said .
“ That ’ s how you experience a new location .
And I feel like being able to share those experiences , thanks to the Community , with the Community , is what makes it so special.
” And of all the places they ’ ve gone and will get to go - themselves , or through the Community - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slice of home .
“ There are 200 places that we featured , every single continent , including Antarctica .
So the fact that we ’ re able to include Delaware on the same map as all these other incredible places that we ’ ve explored was really special for us , and being able to tell a little one of the many , many interesting stories from our home state , that was really special , ” he said .
“ We ’ re excited to share this , and all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if you ’ ve been wondering , Mr. Koval lists “ Rushmore , ” “ Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou , ” “ Darjeeling Limited ” and “ Bottle Rocket ” as his top four Wes Anderson favorites , in no particular order .

DOVER, Del. (AP) - When @accidentallywesanderson uploaded its first post to Instagram in 2017, it started as a travel bucket list, with pins across the globe for Delaware natives Wally and Amanda Koval to explore on their adventures.
What began just for them, though, grew over the course of three years: 1.1 million followers, a blessing from filmmaker Wes Anderson himself and, now, a book that seeks to capture locations - and their stories - across the world, including Delaware.
“It’s been crazy seeing it grow so much. Not even just seeing it grow, but seeing the community that has come and cultivated around this project has been the most meaningful part of it. We always say, Community with capital ‘C,’” Mr. Koval said. “It’s been unreal, and we’re just really excited to be able to kind of give this back to them. I think they’re going to really, really love (the book).”
Mr. Anderson’s films - including “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “Moonrise Kingdom” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” - are full of whimsy, limited color palettes and characters driving the story. It’s a combination of those feelings that the account, and now the book “Accidentally Wes Anderson,” seeks to capture with photos that reflect the kinds of scenes and moments that are featured in a Wes Anderson film.
The most recent Instagram posts take a view around the world, to Reyniskirkja Church in Vik, Iceland, or Alviso Marina County Park in San Jose, California, or the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The colors are vibrant, the images are satisfyingly symmetrical, and each has a story.
“What AWA is, is the intersection of distinctive design - the pretty picture, so to speak - but the unexpected or the interesting narrative,” he said. “That intersection, that bull’s-eye, that’s what’s AWA. You can have a pretty picture, and that’s just fine, but if there’s no story to be told, I’m not that interested.”
The first post - way back in June 2017 - shows Hotel Belvedere in Grindelwald, Switzerland, tucked into snowy mountains along a curved road. As the account started to gain traction, Mr. Koval felt it was important to give more substance and started pulling together information for the sites photographed, as well.
“There’s one thing to see a place and say, ‘That’s a pretty building.’ There’s thousands of people who have walked through that building or walked through that door, each of them their own individual and having so many different experiences,” he said.
“Exploring those just a little bit, you’d be really surprised at what you find. So telling that story and also providing something of substance and positivity to the world was really important.”
That essence is captured in the book, which was released Oct. 20 through Little, Brown and Co.
Taking the flexibility the internet provides and distilling it into a bound 360-plus-page book was the most challenging part, Mr. Koval noted, calling it “an exercise in decision making.”
“Accidentally Wes Anderson” the book, features 200 locations and their stories and a foreword from Mr. Anderson. More than 180 photographers - from more than 50 countries - are represented in the pages. Its cover highlights the same location as the first post from 2017.
While the account began as a way to admire faraway places, Mr. Koval noted that it’s not just about that.
“The cool part about AWA is that you can find AWA wherever you go,” he said.
“We had grown up in Wilmington and going to Philadelphia, New York and the surrounding area. When COVID hit, we had to adapt, we had to adjust, and we had to evolve, and we ‘accidentally’ proved our model, because we found really interesting stuff in upstate New York, and we found really interesting stuff in downstate Delaware, and we created these adventures. You just don’t have to go far from your hometown to find something interesting.”
The Kovals are both from Wilmington and have spent their summers Downstate; the pair even met in Dewey Beach. Now, they live in New York but still return home to visit family and even to promote the book.
Bethany Beach visitors had a front-row seat to the banner declaring, “Accidentally Wes Anderson. The book,” that glided across the sky this summer.
The couple called several different locations about setting something up, but ended up local because of the pilot, Bob Bunting from Berlin, Maryland, and his story. That can still be viewed on the AWA Instagram.
“I never knew how they picked up a banner, even though sitting on the beach in Dewey or Rehoboth or Bethany for the past, what, 20 years or so, you see the planes go by all the time,” he said. “But that’s just kind of another example, in a way: I saw those planes go by, you’ve seen those planes go by, everybody has seen those planes go by. But have you ever looked into it? Have you ever kind of asked the question like, ‘How’s that done?’”
Sharing that with their “Community” has led to an open dialogue between the Kovals - who run the account themselves - and the “Adventurers.”
When the couple went to Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan, their followers chimed in with a number of places they never would have found without personal connection.
“I feel like those little things, those little tidbits, those little deep dives into the culture, into the back alley, into the small little shops and on the ground floor, that’s how you really experience travel,” he said. “That’s how you experience a new location. And I feel like being able to share those experiences, thanks to the Community, with the Community, is what makes it so special.”
And of all the places they’ve gone and will get to go - themselves, or through the Community - they also get to share a little slice of home.
“There are 200 places that we featured, every single continent, including Antarctica. So the fact that we’re able to include Delaware on the same map as all these other incredible places that we’ve explored was really special for us, and being able to tell a little one of the many, many interesting stories from our home state, that was really special,” he said. “We’re excited to share this, and all of these stories, with them.”
And, if you’ve been wondering, Mr. Koval lists “Rushmore,” “Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” “Darjeeling Limited” and “Bottle Rocket” as his top four Wes Anderson favorites, in no particular order.


washingtontimes--2020-11-01--'Grassroots achievement’: Maryland natives direct indie film

A town set in the mid-90s , where residents face the impending uncertainty of Y2K .
The quaint neighborhood grocery store , church , local pizza shop and rural roads give the illusion of a community in its own bubble , separate from the rest of the world ; the residents living in a sort of “ fishbowl , ” if you will .
At the center of it are the Simon sisters , three young women dealing with the tragic loss of their mother , the psychological decline of their father and the struggles of living in a town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality , it ’ s the late 2010s and Bishop County is a fictional town - a hodgepodge of locations in Frederick County , Ellicott City and Baltimore - and the backdrop for “ Fishbowl , ” an independent feature film that after roughly four years in the making is set for debut next week .
“ Even from the first word that was written on the page it felt like it was always still going to be a pipe dream , ” said Stephen Kinigopoulos , a writer and director of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ And until now it ’ s like it ’ s really happening and you know we ’ re just grateful to … shoot in our hometown and neighboring towns with the people we love , with communities that helped mold us into the people we are today , it ’ s a really hometown , grassroots achievement … and I ’ m excited that the world gets to see it.
” Alexa Kinigopoulos , Stephen ’ s sister , also served as a director and photographer for the film and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come to fruition along with other writers , directors , producers and more .
The film has ties to Frederick County , with several scenes filmed locally .
Some members of the cast and crew also hail from Frederick County and other regional areas , with several alums of “ The Wire ” on that list as well .
Work on “ Fishbowl ” began in 2016 , with a script that was at first set primarily in Ellicott City .
Not long after diving in , the filmmakers decided they wanted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Frederick County was a natural fit .
“ There were a lot of different places that sort of worked into the story , ” said Carl Glorioso , a Frederick County resident and a producer on the film .
“ If you watch the film , they all kind of seamlessly cut together and all look like they ’ re in the same place , so it definitely has a small town vibe to it.
” The Kinigopoulos siblings - who grew up in entertainment and even worked with their parents , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” - were happy to film in Frederick County , a place they know well having grown up in nearby Howard County .
“ We found it to be really beautiful , but still suburban , ” said Alexa Kinigopoulos .
“ There ’ s a lot to Frederick , and I think just filming there , there were so many options and it was all so incredibly aesthetically pleasing to us .
We thought that Frederick could be a lot of different places , but it could also be this small town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in ‘ Fishbowl , ’ in the movie.
” Trout ’ s market in Woodsboro , St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor Catholic Church near Buckeystown and Starvin Marvin in Frederick are a few of the places Frederick County residents will recognize in the film .
Glorioso said most of the driving scenes also took place on Frederick County roads , the town of Woodsboro serves as the opening shot , and some filming was done at a home in Buckeystown .
They also filmed in various locations in Ellicott City and at the Institute of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this past June .
Frederick County residents may also recognize familiar faces in scenes of “ Fishbowl , ” as Glorioso said many of the extras were locals , and one of the main actresses , Caroline Coleman , is a Frederick resident and Urbana High School grad .
Coleman plays Jessa Simon , the youngest of the Simon sisters who is mute throughout the film due to mental trauma .
“ She is struggling to find her identity under the strict expectations of her father , ” Coleman said via email of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk , she is an intuitive character that understands the strained social dynamics that are happening around her.
” Coleman graduated from Urbana in 2019 and has a background in acting and singing .
Today , she attends New York University ’ s Tisch School of the Arts .
With “ Fishbowl , ” she said she gleaned inspiration and skills from the talented people who worked on the film and enjoyed filming in familiar places .
“ I ’ ve lived in Frederick County most of my life , so many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me , ” she said .
“ Starvin Marvin , the pizzeria in the movie , was always one of my favorite places to order pizza .
I used the experiences that I already had and translated them into Jessa ’ s character.
” The Kinigopoulos siblings had similar nostalgia with the locations and especially loved filming a feature so close to home with their family and friends , a rarity in their lives these days .
Today , the siblings live in Nashville where they spend much of their time on music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ artists , including Little Big Town and Kacey Musgraves , but filming a feature in their hometown was a different type of rewarding experience .
“ When you want to be a filmmaker , one of your ultimate dreams is to make a movie , and to make one in your hometown , with your family and friends and other talented individuals … it ’ s weird because it ’ s something you really cherish , ” said Stephen Kinigopoulos .
“ When you ’ re doing it , now looking back , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in more during the actual process , ” he continued .
“ You ’ re trying to make a movie , it ’ s work , it ’ s also enjoyable , but it will always hold a special place , as cheesy as it sounds , but it ’ s still the truth.
” “ I pretty much feel the exact same way , just being able to be present and have a fun experience and still trying to focus , ” she said .
Other big names in “ Fishbowl ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” namely Janice Kinigopoulos - Alexa and Stephen ’ s mother - who was part of the crew , and actors Aaron Marcus , Bobby Brown , Susan Rome , Connie Bowman , Lance Lewman , Jill Redding and William Thomas .
George Pelecanos , an award-winning writer of “ The Wire ” and co-creator of the HBO series “ The Deuce , ” also had a hand in “ Fishbowl ” as a producer .
The film was released on iTunes , Apple TV , Amazon and other streaming platforms last @ @

MALLORY PANUSKA, The Frederick News-Post

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) - Welcome to Bishop County.
A town set in the mid-90s, where residents face the impending uncertainty of Y2K. The quaint neighborhood grocery store, church, local pizza shop and rural roads give the illusion of a community in its own bubble, separate from the rest of the world; the residents living in a sort of “fishbowl,” if you will.
At the center of it are the Simon sisters, three young women dealing with the tragic loss of their mother, the psychological decline of their father and the struggles of living in a town that watches their every move.
In reality, it’s the late 2010s and Bishop County is a fictional town - a hodgepodge of locations in Frederick County, Ellicott City and Baltimore - and the backdrop for “Fishbowl,” an independent feature film that after roughly four years in the making is set for debut next week.
“Even from the first word that was written on the page it felt like it was always still going to be a pipe dream,” said Stephen Kinigopoulos, a writer and director of the film who grew up in Ellicott City.
“And until now it’s like it’s really happening and you know we’re just grateful to … shoot in our hometown and neighboring towns with the people we love, with communities that helped mold us into the people we are today, it’s a really hometown, grassroots achievement … and I’m excited that the world gets to see it.”
Alexa Kinigopoulos, Stephen’s sister, also served as a director and photographer for the film and was part of the team that helped it come to fruition along with other writers, directors, producers and more.
The film has ties to Frederick County, with several scenes filmed locally. Some members of the cast and crew also hail from Frederick County and other regional areas, with several alums of “The Wire” on that list as well.
FAMILIAR LANDMARKS
Work on “Fishbowl” began in 2016, with a script that was at first set primarily in Ellicott City. Not long after diving in, the filmmakers decided they wanted to expand the movie’s location, and Frederick County was a natural fit.
“There were a lot of different places that sort of worked into the story,” said Carl Glorioso, a Frederick County resident and a producer on the film. “If you watch the film, they all kind of seamlessly cut together and all look like they’re in the same place, so it definitely has a small town vibe to it.”
The Kinigopoulos siblings - who grew up in entertainment and even worked with their parents, Janice and George, on “Fishbowl”- were happy to film in Frederick County, a place they know well having grown up in nearby Howard County.
“We found it to be really beautiful, but still suburban,” said Alexa Kinigopoulos. “There’s a lot to Frederick, and I think just filming there, there were so many options and it was all so incredibly aesthetically pleasing to us. We thought that Frederick could be a lot of different places, but it could also be this small town that we were really trying to curate in ‘Fishbowl,’ in the movie.”
Trout’s market in Woodsboro, St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor Catholic Church near Buckeystown and Starvin Marvin in Frederick are a few of the places Frederick County residents will recognize in the film. Glorioso said most of the driving scenes also took place on Frederick County roads, the town of Woodsboro serves as the opening shot, and some filming was done at a home in Buckeystown. They also filmed in various locations in Ellicott City and at the Institute of Notre Dame in Baltimore, which closed this past June.
FAMILIAR FACES
Frederick County residents may also recognize familiar faces in scenes of “Fishbowl,” as Glorioso said many of the extras were locals, and one of the main actresses, Caroline Coleman, is a Frederick resident and Urbana High School grad.
Coleman plays Jessa Simon, the youngest of the Simon sisters who is mute throughout the film due to mental trauma.
“She is struggling to find her identity under the strict expectations of her father,” Coleman said via email of Jessa. “Although she does not talk, she is an intuitive character that understands the strained social dynamics that are happening around her.”
Coleman graduated from Urbana in 2019 and has a background in acting and singing. Today, she attends New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. With “Fishbowl,” she said she gleaned inspiration and skills from the talented people who worked on the film and enjoyed filming in familiar places.
“I’ve lived in Frederick County most of my life, so many of the locations already felt like home to me,” she said. “Starvin Marvin, the pizzeria in the movie, was always one of my favorite places to order pizza. I used the experiences that I already had and translated them into Jessa’s character.”
The Kinigopoulos siblings had similar nostalgia with the locations and especially loved filming a feature so close to home with their family and friends, a rarity in their lives these days. Today, the siblings live in Nashville where they spend much of their time on music video sets, having worked with well-known artists, including Little Big Town and Kacey Musgraves, but filming a feature in their hometown was a different type of rewarding experience.
“When you want to be a filmmaker, one of your ultimate dreams is to make a movie, and to make one in your hometown, with your family and friends and other talented individuals … it’s weird because it’s something you really cherish,” said Stephen Kinigopoulos.
“When you’re doing it, now looking back, I wish I would have soaked it in more during the actual process,” he continued. “You’re trying to make a movie, it’s work, it’s also enjoyable, but it will always hold a special place, as cheesy as it sounds, but it’s still the truth.”
Alexa Kinigopoulos seconded her brother’s remarks.
“I pretty much feel the exact same way, just being able to be present and have a fun experience and still trying to focus,” she said.
Other big names in “Fishbowl” include several alums of “The Wire,” namely Janice Kinigopoulos - Alexa and Stephen’s mother - who was part of the crew, and actors Aaron Marcus, Bobby Brown, Susan Rome, Connie Bowman, Lance Lewman, Jill Redding and William Thomas. George Pelecanos, an award-winning writer of “The Wire” and co-creator of the HBO series “The Deuce,” also had a hand in “Fishbowl” as a producer.
The film was released on iTunes, Apple TV, Amazon and other streaming platforms last week.