With Halloween just around the corner and total spending on related expenses projected to reach over $9 billion this year, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its 2018’s Best Places for Halloween report as well as accompanying videos, along with fun and interesting stats about the holiday in its Halloween Facts: Tricks & Treats By the Numbers infographic.
To help Americans decide where to spend the most spook-tacular time of year without frightening their bank accounts, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 20 key metrics. They range from candy and chocolate stores per capita to average price per Halloween party ticket to share of potential trick-or-treat stops.
Top 20 Cities for Halloween
1
New York, NY
11
Gilbert, AZ
2
Jersey City, NJ
12
Chula Vista, CA
3
Los Angeles, CA
13
Anaheim, CA
4
Irvine, CA
14
San Jose, CA
5
San Diego, CA
15
Laredo, TX
6
Santa Ana, CA
16
Fresno, CA
7
Chicago, IL
17
Long Beach, CA
8
Las Vegas, NV
18
Miami, FL
9
Irving, TX
19
Hialeah, FL
10
St. Paul, MN
20
Plano, TX
Halloween Facts:
Local Insulation Installer Competes for the Title of 2018
‘America’s Best Insulation Installer’
Pleasant View-based insulation installer, Jorge Tinoco of J&K Insulation participates in annual competition for $10,000 prize.
DENVER – Oct. 2, 2018 – Local Pleasant View resident, Jorge Tinoco of J&K Insulation will compete this month in the 16th annual America’s Best Installer competition. He and 36 other insulation installers from around the country will come together at the at the EXDO Event Center in Denver from Oct. 18-20 to compete in the fast-paced competition for the $10,000 grand prize.
America’s Best Installer was created in 2003 by building products manufacturer Johns Manville and Insulate America to recognize the unique skills, hard work and dedication to high-quality installation shown by top installers. Understanding how and why a quality installation is critical to overall energy efficiency is one of the reasons Insulate America and Johns Manville created the annual competition.
“We’re proud to host a competition that recognizes hardworking insulation installers from across the country and emphasizes how quality installation can positively impact energy efficiency, a topic that’s important for everyone,” said Bob Wamboldt, president of Insulation Systems at Johns Manville. “We look forward to the competition each year and the opportunity to celebrate local insulation installers and their contributions to the building and construction industry.”
The three-day skill-based competition involves a mock home structure, where competitors are required to install JM formaldehyde-free insulation batts into the walls filled with barriers like pipes, vaulted ceilings and electrical outlets. Expert judges evaluate each competitor’s performance based on real job site criteria, including workmanship and install quality, speed, material use, and reaction to the different obstacles.
The winner of the competition will receive the grand prize of $10,000 and the coveted title of America’s Best Insulation Installer. Second-, third- and fourth-place winners will be awarded cash prizes of $5,000, $3,500 and $2,500 respectively. America’s Best Insulation Installer and the runners-up will be announced during an awards ceremony at EXDO on Oct. 20.
About Johns Manville
Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B), is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality products for building insulation, mechanical insulation, commercial roofing and roof insulation, as well as fibers and nonwovens for commercial, industrial and residential applications. JM serves markets that include aerospace, automotive and transportation, air handling, appliance, HVAC, pipe and equipment, filtration, waterproofing, building, flooring, interiors and wind energy. In business since 1858, the Denver-based company has annual sales over $3 billion and holds leadership positions in all of the key markets that it serves. Johns Manville employs 7,600 people and operates 43 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China. Additional information can be found at www.jm.com.
About Insulate America
Insulate America is the nation’s largest independent insulation contractor. With over 200 locations serving 46 states, Insulate America is committed to the highest quality workmanship and service. Training, education, sharing ideas, rigorous certifications and life-long learning separate Insulate America as professionals in the industry. Learn more at www.insulateamerica.com.
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USDA Announces Receipt of 136 Expressions of Interest in Hosting ERS & NIFA
(Washington, DC – October 22, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has received 136 expressions of interest from parties in 35 states interested in becoming the new homes of the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). In August, Perdue announced that most ERS and NIFA personnel would be moving to outside the National Capital Region by the end of 2019 and invited interested parties to submit proposals, with a deadline which had been extended to October 15, 2018. USDA intends to select the new location or locations by January 2019 and will retain a consultant with expertise in relocations.
“The interest from across the country has been overwhelming as localities, universities, private entities, and elected officials realize the potential for their communities in become the new home for these two agencies,” Perdue said. “It is an old saying that not all wisdom resides in Washington, D.C., but it is gratifying to see so many folks step forward wanting to prove that to be the case. We look forward to working with Ernst & Young in examining all of the proposals and selecting the new locations.”
States represented in the expressions of interest are: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
The entities expressing interest in hosting EFS and NIFA include educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, state development agencies, county development agencies, municipalities, and for-profit entities. USDA has also received letters of support from a number of governors, members of Congress, farm-related organizations, and state and local officials. It is possible that ERS and NIFA will be co-located when their new homes are found. A yet-to-be-determined amount of staff from the two agencies will remain in the National Capital Region.
USDA is undertaking the relocations for a variety of reasons. The move will place important USDA resources closer to many stakeholders, most of whom live and work far from the Washington, D.C. area. Additionally, taxpayers will realize significant savings on employment costs and rent, which will allow more employees to be retained in the long run, even in the face of tightening budgets. Finally, the plan will improve USDA’s ability to attract and retain highly qualified staff with training and interests in agriculture, many of whom come from land-grant universities.
Under the plan, no ERS or NIFA employees will be involuntarily separated. Every employee who wants to continue working will have an opportunity to do so, although that will mean moving to a new location for most. Employees will be offered relocation assistance and will receive the same base pay as before, and the locality pay for the new location. For those who are interested, USDA is seeking approval from the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget for both Voluntary Early Retirement Authority and Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments.
Perdue also noted that 91 percent of USDA’s approximately 108,000 employees currently work outside of the Washington, D.C. region.
As part of the changes, ERS will be aligned with the Office of the Chief Economist under the Office of the Secretary. This represents a return to its previous positioning when ERS was aligned under the Assistant Secretary for Economics within the Office of the Secretary.
Perdue previously announced other significant reorganizations at USDA. In May 2017, USDA created the first-ever Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs and reconstituted and renamed the new Farm Production and Conservation mission area, among other realignments. In addition, in September 2017, Perdue realigned a number of offices to improve customer service and maximize efficiency. Those actions involved innovation, consolidation, and the rearrangement of certain offices into more logical organizational reporting structures.
136 Expressions of Interest
State
Location
Applicant(s)
AL
Birmingham
City of Birmingham; University of Alabama at Birmingham; Auburn University; Tuskegee University; Alabama A&M University; Economic Development Association of Alabama
AL
Auburn University
Auburn Research and Technology Foundation/Auburn University
AL
Shelby County
City of Hoover, Shelby County, 58 INC. – the nonprofit economic coalition of Shelby County, the Birmingham Business Alliance, Alabama Power Company, Harbert Realty Services, and Select Income REIT / RMR Group
AR
Arkansas
Arkansas Economic Development Commission
AR
Jonesboro/Northeast Arkansas Coalition
City of Jonesboro, Craighead County, Jonesboro Unlimited, Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Northeast Arkansas Economic Development Coalition
AZ
Tempe
Arizona Commerce Authority; Arizona State University and the Arizona Department of Agriculture
AZ
Tucson
Arizona Commerce Authority; Sun Corridor Inc., the University of Arizona and the Arizona Department of Agriculture
CA
Folsom
Newmark Knight Frank
CA
Greater Sacramento
Greater Sacramento Economic Council
CA
Rancho Cordova
Newmark Knight Frank
CA
Rancho Cordova
Newmark Knight Frank
CA
Sacramento
Newmark Knight Frank
CA
Lucerne
The Lucerne Area Revitalization Association
CO
Denver
Cottonwood Management Company
CO
Denver
Forest City Trust
CO
Denver
Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation
CO
Aurora
Aurora Economic Development Council
DE
Newark
University of Delaware
FL
City of Newberry
City of Newberry
GA
Tifton County
Tifton County Development Authority and Georgia Department of Economic Development
GA
Griffin Spalding County
Griffin-Spalding Development Authority, Rooker, UGA and Georgia Department of Economic Development
GA
Athens-Clarke County
Athens-Clarke County Development Authority and Nichols Land & Investment Company and Georgia Department of Economic Development
GA
Statesboro-Bulloch County
Development Authority of Bulloch County and Georgia Department of Economic Development
IA
Ankeny
City of Ankeny/ Greater Des Moines Partnership, Cultivation Corridor, and the Iowa Economic Development Authority
IA
West Des Moines
City of West Des Moines
IA
Ames
City of Ames and Iowa State University
IA
Council Bluffs
Advance Southwest Iowa Corporation; City of Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County
IA
Des Moines
City of Des Moines; Greater Des Moines Partnership
IA and IL
Quad Cities
Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce
IL
Algonquin
Village of Algonquin
IL
Greater Peoria
Greater Peoria Economic Development Council
IL
Peoria
Maloof Commercial Real Estate
IL
Warrenville
NAI Hiffman
IL
Schaumburg
Village of Schaumburg
IL
DuPage County
economic development agency for DuPage County, Illinois
IL
Kane County
Kane County
IL
Decatur
Economic Development Corp. of Decatur & Macon County
IL
Orland Park
Orland Park, State of Illinois, Will County, Illinois Intersect and the Will County Center for Economic Development
IL
Huntley
Village of Huntley
IL
Des Plaines
City of Des Plaines
IL
Champaign
Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Parkland College, the University of Illinois Research Park, LLC, and Champaign and Urbana.
IL
Barrington
Village of Barrington; Bourns Inc
IN
Multiple
Indiana Economic Development Corporation; AgriNovus Indiana, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) and Purdue University
IN
Evansville
Hahn Kiefer Real Estate Services
KS
Wichita
The Greater Wichita Partnership
KS
Salina
Salina Community Economic Development Organization in cooperation with the City of Salina, Saline County, the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, Salina Airport Authority and numerous private sector developers/realtors along with representatives from the Kansas State Polytechnic Campus, Kansas Wesleyan University and Salina Area Technical College.
KS
Salina
Salina Community Economic Development Organization
KS
Manhattan
Knowledge Based Economic Development, LLC/university and community economic development partnership
KS
Lawrence
Lawrence Chamber & Economic Development Corporation, the City of Lawrence, Douglas County, and the Bioscience & Technology Business Center (BTBC), has combined efforts with the University of Kansas and the KU Endowment Association
KS and MO
Greater Kansas City Region
The Kansas City Area Development Council
LA
Baton Rouge
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC), along with partners Louisiana Economic Development (LED), Baton Rouge Area Foundation(BRAF), Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry (LDAF), Louisiana State University (LSU), and Southern University and & Mechanical College (SUAM) Agricultural
MD
Salisbury
Wicomico Economic Development
MD
Montgomery County
Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation
MD
Hanover
Tritower Financial Group
MD
Somerset County
Somerset County Economic Development Commission
MD
Frederick County
Frederick County Office of Economic Development
MD
Laurel
Newtower Trust Company
MD
Centreville
town of Centerville; Emory Properties
MD
Caroline County
Caroline County
MD
Queen Anne
KRM Development Corp, Queen Anne County Economic Development
MD
Kent County
KRM Development Corp, Kent County Economic Development
MD
College Park
University of Maryland College Park
MD
Baltimore
Cushmanwakefield
MD
Charles County
Charles County Economic Development Department
MI
East Lansing
Michigan State University, State of Michigan, Capital Region International Airport (LAN), Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau, Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Michigan Farm Bureau
MN
Shakopee
The Opus Group
MN
Minneapolis
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Saint Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership (GREATER MSP), and the Minnesota Food and Agriculture Initiative
MN
Falcon Heights
Buhl Investors
MO
Springfield
Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
MO
Kansas City
HPI Group
MO
KANSAS CITY
805 Penn
MO
St. Louis
A consortium of regional leaders across six counties in Missouri and Illinois; State of Missouri and Missouri’s Departments of Agriculture, Economic Development, and Workforce Development, as well as the Missouri Partnership
MO
Multiple
State of Missouri; Missouri Partnership
MO
St Joseph
St Joseph Economic Development Partnership
MT
Missoula
Missoula Economic Partnership
MT
Bozeman
The Montana State University Innovation Campus
MT
Billings
Big Sky Economic Development;WC Commercial, LLC
NC
Greensboro-High Point
Guilford County Economic Development Alliance
NC
Kannapolis
The North Carolina Research Campus; the city of Kannapolis, Cabarrus and Rowan Counties, and the state of North Carolina
NC
Research Triangle Region
Wake County, Durham County and Research Triangle Park
NC
Chapel Hill
State Employee Credit Union
ND
Fargo
Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation, the ND Department of Commerce, Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce,Bank of North Dakota, City of Fargo, NDSU
NE
Omaha
SPW Partners G and S and CBRE MEGA
NE
Sidney
City of Sidney and Cheyenne County, Nebraska Economic Development Partnership
NE
Lincoln
The Nebraska consortium, led by Governor Pete Ricketts and former USDA Secretary Mike Johanns and including the State of Nebraska, University of Nebraska system, City of Lincoln, Nebraska Innovation Campus Development Corporation, Nebraska Department of Economic Development, Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, Omaha Chamber of Commerce, and public and private business and
NY
Greater Rochester
FLX Food and Beverage Consortium is led by Greater Rochester Enterprise, a not-for-profit economic development organization. Members of the Consortium include Cornell University and the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; the Cornell Agriculture and Technology Farm; Empire State Development; the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets; the New York State Governor’s Office; Rochester Institute of Technology; Tompkins County Area Development; the University of Rochester; and Wegmans Food Markets Inc.
OH
Akron
County of Summit
OH
Ashtabula County
Growth Partnership for Ashtabula County
OH
Darke County
Darke County Commissioners
OH
Geauga County
Geauga County Department of Development
OH
Madison Village
Administrator Madison Village
OH
Middlefield Village
Village of Middlefield
OH
Portage County
Portage Development Board
OH
Twinsburg
City of Twinsburg
OH
Warren
Cafaro Company
OH
Youngstown
Western Reserve Port Authority; City of Waren and Howland Township
OK
Pawnee County
Pawnee County Economic Development Foundation
OK
Stillwater
Stillwater Chamber of Commerce partnered with Oklahoma State University, Langston University, and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce
OK
Tulsa
GEORGE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION
PA
Fayette County
County Commissioner
PA
Hanover Township
Private Citizen
PA
Clarion
Clarion Trinity Development Co
PA
Clarion
Miles Brothers
SC
Columbia
State of South Carolina (including; South Carolina Department of Commerce, Clemson University, South Carolina Department of Agriculture, and Richland County’s Economic Development Office)
SD
Brookings
City of Brookings; Brookings Economic Development Corporation
SD
Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls Development Foundation; South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development City of Sioux Falls
TN
Knoxville
University of Tennessee, Knoxville/University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTK/UTIA); University of Tennessee, Martin (UTM); Tennessee State University (TSU); and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
TN
Memphis
Agricenter International
TX
Dallas
HPI Group
TX
College Station
Texas A&M AgriLife Research
TX
Amarillo/Lubbock
Amarillo Economic Development Corporation; Lubbock Economic Development Alliance
TX
San Marcos
Greater San Marcos Partnership; San Marcos, Hays County and Texas State University
UT
Tooele County
Governor’s Office of Economic Development, Tooele County, Tooele City, Utah State University, and the Economic Development Corporation of Utah
VA
Spotsylvania County
County of Spotsylvania
VA
Caroline County
Caroline County Department of Economic Development
VA
Charlottesville
University of Virginia Foundation
VA
Greene County
County of Greene; Central Virginia Partnership in Economic Development; Virginia Economic Development Partnership; Fried Companies, Inc; Jones Lang LaSalle
VA
Loudoun County
Loudoun County, Virginia Economic Development
VA
Prince William
Prince William County Department of Economic Development
VA
Richmond
The Riverstone Group, LLC
VA
Richmond
Thompson
VA
Petersburg
Virginia State University and the Petersburg metropolitan region
VA
Stafford County
Stafford County Department of Economic Development & Tourism
VA
Danville
City of Danville
VA
Winchester
City of Winchester
VA
Fredericksburg
City Of Fredricksburg
VA
Spotsylvania County
The Vakos Companies
VA
Bristol
Washington County; One Alpha Place, LLC; Callebs Commercial Realty and Jones Lang LaSalle
VA
Madison County
Madison County; The Lester Group
VA
Spotsylvania
Gutierrez
VA
Fredericksburg
The Cafaro Company
WA
Tri-Cities
Tri-Cities
WI
Madison
City of Madison, the University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Agricultural & Life Sciences (CALS), University of Wisconsin–Madison Office of University Relations, University Research Park, State of Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and 910 Mayer, LLC
WV
Fairmont
High Technology Foundation
WV
Harrison County
Harrison County Economic Development Corporation
WY
Cheyenne/Laramie
Cheyenne, Laramie and University of Wyoming
