Urban Views Weekly

www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com December 17, 2014 Urban Views Weekly 1

DEC. 17, 2014

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VOL.7, ISSUE 50Urban Views Weekly, llc6802 Paragon Place, Suite 410 Richmond, va 23230Office: 804.441.6255 Fax: 888.439.2534

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There was a time when contractors build-ing McMansion-style home additions or Michelin-worthy kitchens were a regu-

lar sight in many neighborhoods – until around 2006, when the Great Recession began to take hold.

Here’s the good news: home improvements are starting to add value in a rising housing mar-ket. Here’s the bad news: you have to be very careful about the renovation or remodeling projects you select to avoid over-stretching your budget.

In 2014, completing successful home improvements comes down to two critical questions:

Will you get most of your money back when you sell your property? •(The days of 100 percent-plus returns on renovations are over, at least for now.)

How will project costs affect your overall financial plan?•

Here are questions to fuel your planning:

How long you plan to live in the home after the renovation.• The Great Recession proved many homeowners didn’t recoup elab-orate – or sometimes modest – improvement costs when selling their homes. Even in a recovering market, it’s good to be wary. For now, renovate for the long haul and your personal enjoyment, not overnight sale.

Neighborhood style and standards.• We’ve all seen it – the over-sized addition that dwarfs the rest of the houses on the block, the $50,000 kitchen upgrade in a small home where a spruce-up for $10,000 or less would do. It’s important to know how your tastes align with what is salable in your market (see Cost vs. Value, be-low).

Opportunistic buying and instal-•lation times for various projects. Take replacement windows, for example. Collect bids in mid-summer and recheck them in late fall -- you’ll likely find significant sav-ings on both windows and installation.

Available renovation tax credits •on federal, state and local levels. Are there credits or tax incentives on structural equip-ment or appliances that can offset the cost of whatever you’re planning?

Potential effect on property taxes.• Could an elaborate renova-tion actually turn off future buyers thanks to higher maintenance costs and property taxes?

Intelligence on recent purchase prices and home features. •Smart homeowners keep an eye on recent home sale prices in the neighborhood and the features – or lack of them – that made the transaction.

Now here’s where you can find some answers. Remodeling magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report (http://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2014/) has become a leading consumer resource for pricing improvements and cost recovery nationwide, regionally, and in major metro areas. The online format allows users to compare project cost and recovery at sale all the way back to 2002.

While the nation’s housing market is generally in recovery, some of the publication’s 2014 top-producing projects were surprisingly small. The top three 2014 home improvements in terms of cost return were:

Entry door replacement (96.6 percent cost recovery)•

Wooden deck addition (87.4 percent)•

Attic bedroom addition/renovation (84.3 percent)•

Planning a Home Remodel That Actually Pays OffBy Jason Alderman

continued on page 8

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VIEWPOINTS

In order to have a friend, you must indeed be a friend. Be ye kind one to another is a biblical directive and is akin to The Golden Rule. Do unto others, as you would

have them do unto you. With the release of the Senate’s report on torture, or as some would call it “enhanced interrogation techniques” during the years immediately following the 911 attacks, it is incumbent upon us ALL to take a look at ourselves, our beliefs, and our individu-al ethics and morality. Where do you stand, and on what do you base that position? What has the United States of America done in the name of the people for whom this most perfect union was created?

There is no one, who calls himself or herself a citizen of this nation, who can be dismissed or excused from this interrogation. Ignoring it will not make it go away, and it cannot be forgotten. It is a stain on the very integrity and foundation of our so-called “American” values and, by association, a stain on all of us. How can we expect to be looked upon as leaders in the global community when our moral compass is so variable and our ethical perspectives situational? “Enhanced interrogation techniques” is a euphemism for TORTURE in the same way as sexual assault can serve as a euphemism for RAPE or racism for WHITE SUPREMACY. There are words we Do NOT want to look at. We don’t want to accept what the DENIAL of the specificity and clear intentionality of what those terms mean and our acceptance, or lack thereof, says about us as a people and as a nation.

If kindness begets kindness, then it would also follow that inhumanity and deliberate cruelty reproduces the same. A culture of fear creates in people and governments re-sponses that are not based on ethical decision making or moral and humane response, but rather unfettered irrational aggression towards that “thing” we fear. We succumb to

our most BASE human response, which ironically serves to define the “other” as disconnected from our own hu-manity. We must de-humanize them and reduce them to a label of enemy combatant, threat, risk, jihadist, criminal and so on. They no longer are connected to the human race at all. We are so fearful that all we want to do is destroy the threat and cut it out or kill it like a cancer. We want to declare and define our response as a surgical and clinical approach with limited collateral damage, all in the name of “keeping America SAFE.” We must rationalize it. Make some type of sense out of it because without that reason-ing we would have to relegate our efforts to the level of barbaric, immoral and a crime against humanity, not only against our targeted enemy but against ourselves as well.

The example that you set is the example that others will not only follow, but also how others define you. We do not always have control over the things that happen to us, but we do control our response. Recognition of wrongdoing and humble acknowledgment of mistakes made goes a long way to open up dialogue and discussion. How do we change behaviors in order that such atrocities never happen again? What are we going to DO about our violation of the Geneva Convention on torture?

Kindness Can Be CatchingBy Dr. T

Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Ph.D. [email protected]

Artistic Director and Founder of The Conciliation Project www.theconciliationproject.org and a Professor of Theatre at VCU

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By J. Chevonte’ Alexander

My family uses the holidays as a time to reset from the demands of day-to-day life. We swap stories, as we reminisce the day away with hugs, memories, and home-cooked goodies, never forgetting just how blessed we are.

Wesley Folston

Christmas at ‘Casa Wright’ starts with family breakfast. Grandparents and Aunts all arrive in their pajamas; we open presents and enjoy family time. No social me-dia, no cell phones, just family!

Priscilla Wright

A Holiday Tradition that my family and I have always done is to have Christmas brunch and then have gifts distributed by my mother, and only my moth-er. She and my Father will make a brunch feast and then we will go into the living room to open gifts. I love this time with my family to joke, laugh, and guess what “Santa” brought, but also hope to start traditions of my own one-day with my future children.

Taryn Laster-Whitehead, Washington D.C., Founder, ANNJANELIVING

This time of year is always special. Children are making their lists and checking them twice; familiar bells are ringing outside of retail stores; houses and yards are adorned with lights; the Sunday ads are getting thicker with holiday specials; egg nog is a

grocery list item; and the holiday spirit is definitely in the air. The holiday season means something different for everyone, and Urban Views Weekly asked its readers, “What does this holiday season mean to you and what are you most looking forward to?”

Hang all the mistletoeI’m gonna get to know you better this Christmas

And as we trim the treeHow much fun it’s gonna be together this Christmas

Fireside is blazing brightAnd we’re carolin’ through the night

And this Christmas will beA very special Christmas for you and me

“This Christmas” - The Temptations

On behalf of the Urban Views Weekly team and family, we wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

My husband and I began a new tradition last year. After spending the early part of the day with our mothers, we went to Cine Bistro for dinner and a movie. It was nice hav-ing some couple time on such a busy day and we were sur-prised how many other couples were there.

Sabrina Hamilton Adams

Every year after thanksgiving dinner we put the tree up, and on Christmas morning my son and hubby cook breakfast for everyone. I have 5 grown children and 6 grandchildren; it is never a dull moment at our house.

Erica Higdon, Baltimore, MD

One of our Christmas traditions is that my siblings, their kids and I come together every year to decorate my mom’s tree. She still has ornaments from when we were kids. We listen to all of the soulful Christmas carols and have a great time!

LaTasha Rasberry

A Very Special Christmas for Me


This time of year is always special. Children are making their lists and checking them twice; familiar bells are ringing outside of retail stores; houses and yards are adorned with lights; the Sunday ads are getting thicker with holiday specials; egg nog is a

grocery list item; and the holiday spirit is definitely in the air. The holiday season means something different for everyone, and Urban Views Weekly asked its readers, “What does this holiday season mean to you and what are you most looking forward to?”

I started a couple of things last year with my daughter that I hope to keep up through the years. The first is making Christmas cookies on Christmas Eve. She had a blast rolling out the dough and cutting out all the shapes. The second is Christmas paja-mas. She got to open one gift on Christmas Eve and it would be Christmas pajamas

and other goodies like popcorn and hot chocolate to have while we watch a Christmas movie.

Anike Clark McKoy

Our family celebrates with Christmas breakfast. Everyone forms a circle and state for what they are thankful. Afterwards, the adults swap names with adults and children with children for the gift exchange.

Shonda Hawkins

Kwanzaa has been celebrated in my family as a time of cultural reaffirmation; traditionally we have celebrated with my family members in New York City. As a little girl, I can remember gathering at my family’s house to celebrate the seven principles known as the Ngzuzo Saba. There would be tons of food, fellowship, dancing and fun. As an adult, we STILL gather and teach the young! We also attend an annual Kwanzaa event at the World Famous Apollo Theater and take all the women in our family, from the youngest to the eldest. With today’s modern technology, and for those that may have moved away, my Auntie, who’s one of the matriarchs of the family, will send out a mass text starting on the first day of Kwanzaa until the last day asking “Habari Gani” (which means What’s the News?), and whether you are 5 or 50 you better be able to recite verbatim what the principle of the day was. Holidays for me are all about family. I come from a lineage of Strong, African women. They believe that the old shall teach the young along with the concept of family first. They also teach principles that allow you to be true to yourself no matter what else is happening around you. I am because they were!

Because we are strong women,born of strong women,

who are born of strong women,we celebrate your strength.

Excerpt from “We Speak Your Name” by Pearl Cleage

Nicole Jones

On behalf of the Urban Views Weekly team and family, we wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

My husband and I began a new tradition last year. After spending the early part of the day with our mothers, we went to Cine Bistro for dinner and a movie. It was nice hav-ing some couple time on such a busy day and we were sur-prised how many other couples were there.

Sabrina Hamilton Adams

Every year after thanksgiving dinner we put the tree up, and on Christmas morning my son and hubby cook breakfast for everyone. I have 5 grown children and 6 grandchildren; it is never a dull moment at our house.

Erica Higdon, Baltimore, MD

One of our Christmas traditions is that my siblings, their kids and I come together every year to decorate my mom’s tree. She still has ornaments from when we were kids. We listen to all of the soulful Christmas carols and have a great time!

LaTasha Rasberry

A Very Special Christmas for Me


Watch Video at UrbanViewsWeekly.com

CIVIC BEAT

Ferguson, MO. Staten Island, NY. Cleveland, OH. Michael Brown. Eric Garner. Tamir Rice. These cities and the deaths of these African American males – men and boys – are in the headlines.

So are people’s responses. These incidents are a catalyst for social change on many levels. Changes in policing, the use of the grand jury system, the role of the prosecutor. Changes in how we view and value the lives and bodies of black men and boys. Right now people can’t get past the double standards, and across the country – in ways big and small – people are demanding change.

There is a role for everyone to play, especially grassroots organiza-tions. Regardless of your size, you can make a difference. You are a catalyst whether reaching one person, 100 people, or 1,000 people at a time. Change comes in many ways. It comes in the way you treat young people in afterschool programs, how you coach your basket-ball team, the explicit messages you send about the value of Black lives,andthewayyouresolveconflictsandde-escalatearguments.

During times of local or national protest, you can demonstrate with others. You can also work behind the scenes, bringing water and serving meals to peaceful protestors. You can provide training, counsel, or transportation, create signs, collect money for legal fees, or recruit vol-unteers. You can identify areas in local law and policy that need to be changed and advocate. You can be part of pushing a larger agenda.

Social change requires participation by all, same as it did in the past. It’s about churches, so-

FUNdraising Good TimesSocial change and nonprofits – more than fundraising

rorities and fraternities, civic and professional organizations. It’s about people of all faiths, colors, and backgrounds. Now is the time to come together and be part of something larger, whether formally or infor-mally. This is not a time for “us vs. them”. In the words of the president of the United States, “It’s about closing the gap between our professed ideals and how they are applied in day-to-day situations.”

At the same time, don’t get too caught up in the moment and emotions. Social change takes time. Are you committed to the work of changing policies and attitudes when the cameras are gone? This is the true test ofthevalueofanonprofit.

Finally, you don’t have to be big to make an impact. The civil rights movement was a consortium of grass roots organizations, some of which later evolved into larger organizations. Fifty years later, the situ-ation is the same: you can make a difference.

You have a right to participate. As the old sayings go, “the crying baby gets the milk” and “the squeaky wheel gets the grease”. Be focused and committed to make sure you are heard. Grassroots organizations: America needs you!

Copyright 2014 – Mel and Pearl Shaw

MelandPearlShawpositionnonprofits,collegesanduniversitiesforfundraisingsuccess.Forhelp with your fundraising, visit www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

From Home Remodel page 2

Remodeling reported that the value of remodeling projects began to slide nationally with home values in 2006 and only began to recover in 2013. As home resale values rise, so will cost recovery on incrementally bigger projects. As the publication notes, it’s a cautious environment.

For more detailed information, seek knowledge on a more local level:

Get to know your neighbors. • If your neighbors have done home improvements inside and out, politely ask if they’ll share their story.

Befriend a broker. • Real estate brokers and agents are happiest when they’re closing deals, but they like to build long-term relationships, too. The best brokers are happy to share neighborhood renovation value intelligence in exchange for a house tour. They can’t sell a house filled with overpriced improvements.

Before major projects, consider a home inspector. • A home inspector’s job is to determine if the structural and mechanical aspects of a property are up to code. If a home hasn’t had a structural or mechanical upgrade for many years, profes-sional inspection may detect trouble spots and intermediate upgrades that could be far more valuable than cosmetic work.

Talk to a tax professional. • Federal and state tax credits and deductions may be available as part of any project you do. The IRS has a current summary (http://

www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/Energy-Efficient-Home-Improvements-Can-Lower-Your-Taxes) of 2014 energy credits and related resources.

Check your credit reports and scores. • If you need to borrow to complete a proj-ect, it’s a good idea to check your credit reports and current credit score to deter-mine whether you’ll qualify for a loan. You have the right to get all three of your credit reports – from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax – once a year for free. You can do so by ordering directly from AnnualCreditReport.com.

Talk to a financial planner. • Any home improvement project is potentially major when compared to what you earn or have in savings. A certified financial planner can help you evaluate potential projects against the competing financial goals in your life like saving for retirement and your children’s college tuition.

Figure out what you can do yourself.• Whether it’s painting, landscaping, carpentry orelectricalwork,helpingwithafewDIYfinishingtouchesonahomeimprovementproject can save money. Just make sure you have the time and skill to pitch in.

Bottom line: Approach a home renovation as you would any other major financial deci-sion – do your homework and see how it fits into your overall financial plan.

Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. To Follow Jason Alderman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney.


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SAVOR

No party is complete without an assortment of ap-petizers spread throughout the kitchen and din-ing room. Convenient and bite-sized, appetizers

are the perfect way to keep your guests happy – and full – while youputtogetheryourstunningfinalcourse.

So whether you’re looking for party ideas weeks ahead of time or seeking some last-minute guidance, here are a few simple appetizers sure to please the palates of your guests.

Quick and Easy Shrimp

Shrimp can be your best friend when trying to pull off a quick holiday appetizer, as long as it comes ready to be cooked. Af-ter steaming, sauteing or boiling your own fresh shrimp, add a squeeze of lemon zest for an extra punch.

Some dipping sauce options can include tartar, cocktail, honey mustard or even homemade hot sauce (cook, puree and then strain the juices from about 10 sliced jalapenos, two table-spoons of minced garlic, one tablespoon of olive oil and one cup of white vinegar).

Relish Tray

Spice up your traditional vegetable tray by going with a platter of roasted red peppers, green and/or black olives, cheese cubes, sliced pastrami, marinated artichoke hearts and

pickled peppers. You can also add hard breadsticks or pretzel rods for some crunch.

Homemade Salsa

If you’re in a pinch, there is nothing wrong with serving store-bought salsa. But you can do better than that. Grab a few handfuls of fresh produce from your local grocer and get to chopping.

Toss a combination of chopped Roma tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, green pepper and avocado into a mixture of lime juice, salt and pepper for a zesty take on the traditional salsa.

Bite-Sized Tortilla Roll-Ups

Startthissure-hitappetizerbyspreadingathinlayerofcreamcheeseonalargeflourtorti-lla.Manycreamcheeseflavorsareonthemarket,sogetcreative.Thentopthecreamcheesewith layers of the following ingredients: •Turkey.•Ham.•Chicken.•Slicedtomato.•Babyspinachleavesorlettuce.

Roll your tortilla tightly and chill them for up to an hour. Then cut your rolls into slices for easy eating.

Duck, ham or turkey? What is your idea of the traditional holiday main course? No matter your answer, we all know that simply throw-ing your meat into the oven is not the way to wow your guests. It takes the detail work to really make your meal pop.

Fromtheperfecthamglazetotherichhomemadeturkeystuffing,putin a little time this year on the extras and your main course will be the talk of the day.

Duck a L’Orange

The key to serving the perfect duck is cooking it on low heat – and having the perfect glaze for afterward. Add a mixture of one stick of butter, ½ cup of orange juice and a tablespoon of vinegar into your cooking dish once your duck is browned.

Continue cooking until the meat is done and remove the duck fat sitting on top of the juices. Strain the remaining juices, whisk in a cup of your favorite jam and cook it on low heat on the stovetop. Once this mixture thickens, remove it from the heat and pour it over your duck.

Glazing the Ham

If you’re throwing in a ham on Christmas morning, try a combination of two cups of mar-malade, two cups of brown sugar and one cup of Dijon mustard for a mouth-watering glaze

sure to please.

A unique salsa of pineapple, spring onion and the juice from two limes will serve as the perfect complement for this spectacularly glazed ham.

StuffingtheTurkey

Why not go unique with your turkey this year? Ditch the store-boughtstuffingforahomemadeconcoctionlikethis:

1 stick of melted butter.

1 stalk of diced celery .

½ cup diced red onion.

¼ cup of chopped pistachios.

Saute the ingredients together and stir in four cups of breadcrumbs and ½ cup of the jelly ofyourchoiceforadelicioustakeonthetraditionalholidaystuffing.

Whenitcomestostuffingtheturkey,pressthemixtureintothecavityandsecureitwithaskewer. Then tie the legs together and tuck the wings underneath. This will keep your stuff-ing secure during the cooking and basting process.

Holiday Flavors| The Warm UpAppetizing Appetizers

Holiday Flavors| Big MealsThe Main Course


EmploymentGENERAL EMPLOYMENT

Timmons Group - Timmons Group is hiring aConstruction Materials Tech. Interested applicantsapply online.www.timmons.com/careers/current-openings.

Woodworker - Fast paced mfg facility located inPowhatan. Canidates must have expereience withALL woodworking machniery. Full time withbenefits.804-598-5579/ [email protected]

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EmploymentGENERAL EMPLOYMENT

Timmons Group - Timmons Group is hiring aConstruction Materials Tech. Interested applicantsapply online.www.timmons.com/careers/current-openings.

Woodworker - Fast paced mfg facility located inPowhatan. Canidates must have expereience withALL woodworking machniery. Full time withbenefits.804-598-5579/ [email protected]

STORAGE MANAGERS40 hr & PT. Sales, collections. Light maintenance.

Send resume to: [email protected] have driver’s lic.

Senior Accountant - Printing and Packaging com-pany seeking Senior Accountant with an Account-ing degree and at least 3-5 years of manufactuirngexperience. [email protected]

Tow Truck Driver - FT; Exp, BTRO Lic, and GoodDriving Record Req. Avg Pay $700 wkKelly 804-652-5469

VPFW Flexi/PRN Mammo Tech - Mon-Fri. Must beARRT certified and hold a Va state license. Pleasesubmit all resumes [email protected].

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VOICE COACH WANTED 804-638-4488

From Christmas in the Community page 4

Christmas is a time for gathering as a family around the tree or dinner table – not the fire extinguisher. But home

fires involving cooking peak on major holi-days such as Christmas Eve and Christmas.

Additionally, unattended cooking equipment is theleadingcauseofhomecookingfires,accord-ing to Electrical Safety Foundation International.

So be safe this holiday season by following common-sense cooking practices in the kitch-en. Take these tips from the National Fire Pro-tection Association, as well.

Stay in the kitchen while cooking on the stovetop.•

Remain home when cooking your turkey, ham or duck and check •on it frequently.

Always keep children at least three feet away from the stove or •

oven; this distance will keep them safe from steam or splashing from vegetables or gravy.

Keep the floor clear so you don’t •trip over pets, bags or toys.

Be sure electric cords from an •electric knife, coffee maker or mixer are not dangling to where a child could easily reach it.

Keep matches and utility lighters •high in a locked cabinet – out of the reach

of children.

Never leave children alone in room with a lit candle or warming device. •

Make sure your smoke alarms are working and contain fresh bat-•teries; test them often to ensure their optimal working condi-tion.

The holidays pose the biggest challenge for people trying to stick to their calorie count or exercise routine. Creamy pies and gener-

ous portions can cancel out all the hard diet and ex-ercise work you’ve done throughout the year in the blink of an eye and the shovel of a fork.

Sports nuts know Christmas is a great day for NBA basketball, keeping you plunked down on the couch instead of enjoying some holiday exercise.

Take some simple steps this year to change all of that, and escape the holiday season with your waist line under control. Because after all, the holidays are about family togetherness, and your family wants you around and healthy this time next year.

Non-Food Tradition

One of the easiest ways to beat the “holiday hun-gries” is to partake in an enjoyable, activity-based family tradition. This canmeanaflagfootballgameorasleddingtriptoyourfavoritehill.Itcanalso mean a simple walk around the neighborhood or a Frisbee game with your dog.

No matter what you decide to take up this Christmas, make it a tradition. Having something to look forward to that isn’t food-related will keep you from grazing all day at the appetizer table.

Also, drink a large glass of water between your ac-tivity and meal. This will help you feel fuller and keep your portion sizes under control.

Strategies for ‘The Guest’

Sometimes being the guest at a large holiday party can challenge your commitment to eating healthy. You’re not in control of the menu, and you don’t want to be rude by eating only a small amount of food.

Try to balance out any unhealthy temptations by bringing a lighter recipe. This will provide a healthy option for both you and anyone else looking to maintain their dietary discipline throughout the holidays.

Jump-Start Your New Year’s Resolution

With diet and exercise the perennial No. 1 resolution for Americans, there should be no reason to wait until Jan. 1 to begin your new routine. That’s a lot of pressure and expectation for one day, which may discourage you from enjoying your exercise and eating habits.

Give yourself a two-week head-start for an easy transition into 2015. Start by jogging or biking before Christmas even arrives, and you will be in great shape for your holiday get-together, not to mention the new year.

Holiday Flavors| Kitchen TipsCooking Safety

Holiday Flavors| Watching CaloriesHoliday Health


MADE MERRY

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