Pet-Friendly Yards for the Dog Days of Summer
Providing a Safe Yard for your Canine Companion Our furry companions are more than friends--they're our family. But bringing home a dog means being ready for both the good and the not-so-good of pet ownership. We talked to Tanya Johnson with Paws and Claws Humane Society to learn more. "Do your research on the breed. Talk to wherever you're getting the dog from, if it's a humane society, a shelter, or a breeder," Johnson told us. Some dogs can be very high-energy and need a lot of space to run, while
The Choice is Yours for a Perfect Deck
During the fleeing summer months, the backyard deck is a Minnesota tradition. It's the perfect place to grill out, spend time with family, or keep an eye on your kids as they play in the yard. If your deck is starting to show signs of age, it may be tempting to look at it as a potential DIY project. However, there are a few things to know before you start buying lumber.Choices, Choices These days, there are plenty of options for materials when it comes time to building a new deck. We talked to Derrick
Turning Problems into Opportunities with Habitat for Humanity
It might be garbage to some, but Habitat for Humanity turns one home's trash into another family's home. Construction waste takes up a massive amount of space in landfills. Nationwide, there's twice as much construction debris (sometimes shortened to C&D) as normal trash generated every year. To give you some sense of scale, in 2018, that means that 145 million tons of C&D went into landfills—as much as 150 Golden Gate Bridges! Most of us might think of recycling drink cans or plastic bottles, but not
Making A Career Change - Consider The Trades
“Love what you do and you’ll never work a day in your life.” This commonly-used phrase implies that if you find a job that you are passionate about, it won’t feel like “work.” Instead, it will be fun and enjoyable every day. The reality is that even people who love their jobs have bad days, experience disappointment, and get frustrated. According to a recent Gallup survey, “71% of American workers are either not engaged or feel actively disengaged from their jobs, with highly educated and middle-aged
Encourage Your Kids To Consider The Skilled Trades
Those of us who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s probably heard our parents say, “Go to college to get a good job” a few dozen times in our young adulthood. This advice implicated that if you earn a four-year degree, you are guaranteed a good paying, white collar career. However, it’s no secret that universities are places of higher learning, not job readiness institutions. College May Not Be Their Best Option This misconception has resulted in monumental student loan debt and the harsh reality that –
Four Reasons To Consider A Skilled Trades Job
“So, what are you going to do when you graduate?” If you are a junior or senior in high school, you’ve probably been asked that a few (hundred) times by friends and family. News flash: Attending a 4-year college is not the only choice you have when you’re deciding on your career path. If “Assistant to the Regional Manager” is not exactly your idea of career goals, we have a better solution. Here are four reasons you should consider learning a skilled trade:1. Break the cycle of debt Millennials have
Construction Career Is A Growing Opportunity
Medicine might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of careers in Rochester, Minnesota, but the cranes that dot the downtown skyline pinpoint another growing opportunity that exists in the Med City. The construction industry is critical to the strength, evolution, and economic vitality of cities like Rochester. Not only is a career in the trades viable, it is both profitable and desirable. For decades, school-aged students have been encouraged to apply to four-year universities and seek
Changing the Conversation About Housing Affordability
Housing is at the center of many conversations these days. But what we often see addressed is the shortage of what is commonly referred to as “affordable housing,” such as section 8 or low-income. The real challenge we face is much greater than meeting the needs of any single segment of the population. What we need to explore is how to make housing affordable for everyone. Housing is a person’s single most important – and often greatest – expense. When anyone is spending more than 30 percent of their
