6 minute read
YOUR LOCAL
Prepare Now
for an Active Hurricane Season
By Nancy Glasgow
It’s that time again! The Atlantic Hurricane season starts June 1 and continues through Nov. 30. This year, a total of 17 named storms – eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes – are expected, which is above the 30-year average. If you haven’t already, start preparing for hurricane season according to these recommendations from FEMA.
• Sign up for local alerts and warnings. • Monitor local news and weather reports. • Prepare to evacuate by testing your emergency communication plan(s), learning evacuation routes, having a place to stay, and packing a “go bag.” • Stock emergency supplies (nonperishable food, hand sanitizer, flashlights, water, etc.). Refill prescriptions and any other medical necessities. • Protect your property by installing sewer backflow valves, anchoring fuel tanks, reviewing insurance policies, trimming trees and cataloging belongings. • Collect and safeguard critical financial, medical, educational, and legal documents and records.
Other helpful steps to take ahead of a hurricane include:
• Download useful phone apps, such as FEMA, American Red
Cross and NOAA. • Make a plan for your pets. Stock up on pet food and medications, and be sure to have a pet carrier if you need to evacuate. Factor your pet’s water needs into your emergency supplies. • Invest in a hand-crank weather alert radio/smartphone charger. • If you have a generator, be sure it is safely installed and that you understand all safety precautions in order to avoid deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. • Buy an assortment of batteries now. Store inventories are quickly depleted once a storm is on its way.
The ability to quickly recover following a hurricane requires a focus on preparedness and advance planning. Work with your family now to create a Family Emergency Communication Plan and be hurricane ready.
HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS RESOURCES:
https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/features/hurricanepreparedness/index.html https://www.redcross.org https://www.stateofflorida.com/articles/hurricane-preparedness-guide/ https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
FLASHBACK:
MetroWest Pulled Together After Hurricane Irma
In September of 2017, MetroWest came together in the face of natural disaster, with neighbor helping neighbor in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. MetroWest institution Josie’s Pizza and Wings opened the day after the hurricane to feed recovering residents. Girard’s Management Team (now BrightView) responded to MetroWest even before the county curfew was lifted, and Valencia College graciously allowed storm debris to be stacked on their vacant lot. The neighborhood’s heartfelt response to this crisis clearly demonstrates the strong sense of community in MetroWest.
MetroWest Schools
Put Master Association Donation Toward Tutoring
By Nancy Glasgow
MetroWest Master Association has a long tradition of supporting the community’s elementary schools with cash donations, starting with MetroWest Elementary School more than two decades ago followed by Westpointe Elementary School when it opened in 2017. Over the last 10 years, MWMA has donated more than $100,000 to the schools, with the donations allowing the schools to enhance and enrich the learning experience for teachers and students.
In 2020, MWMA doubled its usual annual donation for a total of $20,000 for the schools. Dr. Atresa F. GrubbsHolmes, Westpointe Elementary Principal, says that these additional funds allowed the school to hire three tutors who provide tutoring to students who are face-to-face and LaunchED@home. Tutoring is provided three evenings a week on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. online. The academic focus areas are English Language Arts (ELA), Writing, and Math.
Thanks to the MWMA donation, MetroWest Elementary School was able to hire an interventionist, Ms. Maria Garcia, who works with third through fifth grade students who need additional academic support for reading and math.
“MetroWest Elementary is grateful for the donation we received to be used for tutoring,” says Dr. Xhuljeta Gjini, MetroWest Elementary Principal.
MetroWest
Food Truck Connection Returns
By Nancy Glasgow
MetroWest Food Truck Connection, which had been on hiatus due to COVID-19, returned May 27 and will again be held every fourth Thursday from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the MetroWest Golf Club. Social distancing guidelines will be observed.
Each MetroWest Food Truck Connection features a variety of food trucks serving delicious and innovative dishes created by some of Central Florida’s most inventive chefs. The May 27 event showcased tasty fare from these outstanding food trucks:
METROWEST FOODTRUCK CONNECTION RETURNS METROWEST FOODTRUCK CONNECTION RETURNS
EVERY 4TH THURSDAY • 5:30-9: EVERY 4TH THURSDAY • 5:30-9:00 PM • METROWEST GOLF CLUB 00 PM • METROWEST GOLF CLUB
• Woodson’s Wrap Shack
(www.woodsonswrapshack.com) • Fully Loaded (www.facebook. com/fullyloadedfood) • Bowls for Tú (www.facebook.com/ bowlsfortu) • Grandma’s Bbq (www. facebook.com/Grandmas-
Bbq-559070331147438/)
• The Crepe Company
(www.thecrepecompany.com)
MetroWest Food Truck Connection is organized by Food Truck Crazy. MetroWest Golf Club is located at 2100 S. Hiawassee Road.
The Long and Sometimes Strange
History of Barbering
By Nancy Glasgow
Readers of a certain age may remember classic Saturday Night Live sketches from the late 1970s featuring Steve Martin as “Theodoric of York, Medieval Barber,” a barber and a surgeon whose treatments produce dubious results for his patients. While we may laugh, barbers of the medieval period were actually called barber-surgeons and not only practiced shaving, hair cutting and hair dressing, but also performed surgical operations such as bloodletting.
While such activities seem outrageous today, barbering is at least 6,000 years old and has morphed time and again to become the profession we know currently. Let’s take a look at some of the twists and turns barbering has taken over the millennia.
• As early as 6,000 years ago, barbering services were performed by
Egyptian nobility with instruments usually formed from sharpened flint or oyster shells. • Barbers of the Middle Ages not only practiced traditional barber’s duties, they also dressed wounds and performed surgical operations as barber-surgeons. • In 1745, a bill was passed separating barbers from surgeons. Barbers kept the pole as their identification.
The pole, consisting of red, white and blue stripes, represents red for blood, white for bandages and blue for veins. • During colonial times, most men were smooth shaven and many of the rich wore wigs. The beard did not come into its own until the Civil
War. • By 1880, the average barber shop cost about $20 to equip and was 10 by 12 feet in size. Haircuts were five or 10 cents and shaves were three cents. • In 1897, the state of Minnesota passed legislation for a barber license. For the next 40 years, various states enacted legislation to license and inspect barbers for sterile conditions. • Irene Castle, a well-known dancer, popularized the bob cut in 1915.
Barbers had to quickly learn how to perform the bob cut to keep up with rising demand. • World War II brought the popularity of short hair. The flat top, butch, crew cut and the Princeton cut became popular. • In the early 1960s, The Beatles set the stage for long hair. Many barbers who resisted the methods of cutting long hair were soon out of business. • By 1985, over 50% of barber students were female. Since 1995, more than 50% of barber students are African-American.
Successful barbers today must keep up with new technology, techniques and styles. Becoming a barber requires hundreds of hours of training and state licensing.
