VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — Pat Robertson, a religious broadcaster who turned a tiny Virginia station into the global Christian Broadcasting Network, tried a run for president and helped make religion central to Republican Party politics in America through his Christian Coalition, has died. He was 93.

Robertson’s death Thursday was announced by his broadcasting network. No cause was given.

Robertson’s enterprises also included Regent University, an evangelical Christian school in Virginia Beach; the American Center for Law and Justice, which defends the First Amendment rights of religious people; and Operation Blessing, an international humanitarian organization.

For more than a half-century, Robertson was a familiar presence in American living rooms, known for his “700 Club” television show, and in later years, his televised pronouncements of God’s judgment, blaming natural disasters on everything from homosexuality to the teaching of evolution.

The money poured in as he solicited donations, his influence soared, and he brought a huge following with him when he moved directly into politics by seeking the GOP presidential nomination in 1988.

Robertson pioneered the now-common strategy of courting Iowa’s network of evangelical Christian churches, and finished in second place in the Iowa caucuses, ahead of Vice President George H.W. Bush.

His masterstroke was insisting that three million followers across the U.S. sign petitions before he would decide to run, Robertson biographer Jeffrey K. Hadden said. The tactic gave him an army.

″He asked people to pledge that they’d work for him, pray for him and give him money,” Hadden, a University of Virginia sociologist, told The Associated Press in 1988. ″Political historians may view it as one of the most ingenious things a candidate ever did.″

Robertson later endorsed Bush, who won the presidency. Pursuit of Iowa’s evangelicals is now a ritual for Republican hopefuls, including those currently seeking the White House in 2024.

Robertson started the Christian Coalition in Chesapeake in 1989, saying it would further his campaign’s ideals. The coalition became a major political force in the 1990s, mobilizing conservative voters through grass-roots activities.

By the time of his resignation as the coalition’s president in 2001 — Robertson said he wanted to concentrate on ministerial work — his impact on both religion and politics in the U.S. was “enormous,” according to John C. Green, an emeritus political science professor at The University of Akron.

Many followed the path Robertson cut in religious broadcasting, Green told the AP in 2021. In American politics, Robertson helped “cement the alliance between conservative Christians and the Republican Party.”

Marion Gordon “Pat” Robertson was born March 22, 1930, in Lexington, Virginia, to Absalom Willis Robertson and Gladys Churchill Robertson. His father served for 36 years as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Virginia.

After graduating from Washington and Lee University, he served as assistant adjutant of the 1st Marine Division in Korea.

He received a law degree from Yale University Law School, but failed the bar exam and chose not to pursue a law career.

Robertson met his wife, Adelia “Dede” Elmer, at Yale in 1952. He was a Southern Baptist, she was a Catholic, earning a master’s in nursing. Eighteen months later, they ran off to be married by a justice of the peace, knowing neither family would approve.

Robertson was interested in politics until he found religion, Dede Robertson told the AP in 1987. He stunned her by pouring out their liquor, tearing a nude print off the wall and declaring he had found the Lord.

They moved into a commune in New York City’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood because Robertson said God told him to sell all his possessions and minister to the poor. She was tempted to return home to Ohio, “but I realized that was not what the Lord would have me do … I had promised to stay, so I did,” she told the AP.

Robertson received a master’s in divinity from New York Theological Seminary in 1959, then drove south with his family to buy a bankrupt UHF television station in Portsmouth, Virginia. He said he had just $70 in his pocket, but soon found investors, and CBN went on the air on Oct. 1, 1961. Established as a tax-exempt religious nonprofit, CBN brought in hundreds of millions, disclosing $321 million in “ministry support” in 2022 alone.

One of Robertson’s innovations was to use the secular talk-show format on the network’s flagship show, the “700 Club,” which grew out of a telethon when Robertson asked 700 viewers for monthly $10 contributions. It was more suited to television than traditional revival meetings or church services, and gained a huge audience.

“Here’s a well-educated person having sophisticated conversations with a wide variety of guests on a wide variety of topics,” said Green, the University of Akron political science professor. “It was with a religious inflection to be sure. But it was an approach that took up everyday concerns.”

His guests eventually included several U.S. presidents — Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump.

At times, his on-air pronouncements drew criticism.

He claimed that the terrorist attacks that killed thousands of Americans on Sept. 11, 2001 were caused by God, angered by the federal courts, pornography, abortion rights and church-state separation. Talking again about 9/11 on his TV show a year later, Robertson described Islam as a violent religion that wants to “dominate” and “destroy,” prompting President George W. Bush to distance himself and say Islam is a peaceful and respectful religion.

He called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in 2005. Later that year, he warned residents of a rural Pennsylvania town not to be surprised if disaster struck them because they voted out school board members who favored teaching “intelligent design” over evolution. And in 1998, he said Orlando, Florida, should beware of hurricanes after allowing the annual Gay Days event.

In 2014, he angered Kenyans when he warned that towels in Kenya could transmit AIDS. CBN issued a correction, saying Robertson “misspoke about the possibility of getting AIDS through towels.”

Robertson also could be unpredictable: In 2010, he called for ending mandatory prison sentences for marijuana possession convictions. Two years later, he said on the “700 Club” that marijuana should be legalized and treated like alcohol because the government’s war on drugs had failed.

Robertson condemned Democrats caught up in sex scandals, saying for example that President Bill Clinton turned the White House into a playpen for sexual freedom. But he helped solidify evangelical support for Donald Trump, dismissing the candidate’s sexually predatory comments about women as an attempt “to look like he’s macho.”

After Trump took office, Robertson interviewed the president at the White House. And CBN welcomed Trump advisers, such as Kellyanne Conway, as guests.

But after President Trump lost to Joe Biden in 2020, Robertson said Trump was living in an “alternate reality” and should “move on,” news outlets reported.

Robertson’s son, Gordon, succeeded him in December 2007 as chief executive of CBN, which is now based in Virginia Beach. Robertson remained chairman of the network and continued to appear on the “700 Club.”

Robertson stepped down as host of the show after half a century in 2021, with his son Gordon taking over the weekday show.

Robertson also was founder and chairman of International Family Entertainment Inc., parent of The Family Channel basic cable TV network. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. bought IFE in 1997.

Regent University, where classes began in Virginia Beach in 1978, now has more than 30,000 alumni, CBN said in a statement.

Robertson wrote 15 books, including “The Turning Tide” and “The New World Order.”

His wife Dede, who was a founding board member of CBN, died last year at the age of 94. The couple had four children, 14 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren, CBN said in a statement.

____

Former Associated Press reporters Don Schanche and Pam Ramsey contributed to this story.

By BEN FINLEY (Associated Press)

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — Pat Robertson, a religious broadcaster who turned a tiny Virginia station into the global Christian Broadcasting Network, tried a run for president and helped make religion central to Republican Party politics in America through his Christian Coalition, has died. He was 93.

Robertson’s death Thursday was announced by his broadcasting network. No cause was given.

Robertson’s enterprises also included Regent University, an evangelical Christian school in Virginia Beach; the American Center for Law and Justice, which defends the First Amendment rights of religious people; and Operation Blessing, an international humanitarian organization.

For more than a half-century, Robertson was a familiar presence in American living rooms, known for his “700 Club” television show, and in later years, his televised pronouncements of God’s judgment, blaming natural disasters on everything from homosexuality to the teaching of evolution.

The money poured in as he solicited donations, his influence soared, and he brought a huge following with him when he moved directly into politics by seeking the GOP presidential nomination in 1988.

Robertson pioneered the now-common strategy of courting Iowa’s network of evangelical Christian churches, and finished in second place in the Iowa caucuses, ahead of Vice President George H.W. Bush.

His masterstroke was insisting that three million followers across the U.S. sign petitions before he would decide to run, Robertson biographer Jeffrey K. Hadden said. The tactic gave him an army.

″He asked people to pledge that they’d work for him, pray for him and give him money,” Hadden, a University of Virginia sociologist, told The Associated Press in 1988. ″Political historians may view it as one of the most ingenious things a candidate ever did.″

Robertson later endorsed Bush, who won the presidency. Pursuit of Iowa’s evangelicals is now a ritual for Republican hopefuls, including those currently seeking the White House in 2024.

Robertson started the Christian Coalition in Chesapeake in 1989, saying it would further his campaign’s ideals. The coalition became a major political force in the 1990s, mobilizing conservative voters through grass-roots activities.

By the time of his resignation as the coalition’s president in 2001 — Robertson said he wanted to concentrate on ministerial work — his impact on both religion and politics in the U.S. was “enormous,” according to John C. Green, an emeritus political science professor at The University of Akron.

Many followed the path Robertson cut in religious broadcasting, Green told the AP in 2021. In American politics, Robertson helped “cement the alliance between conservative Christians and the Republican Party.”

Marion Gordon “Pat” Robertson was born March 22, 1930, in Lexington, Virginia, to Absalom Willis Robertson and Gladys Churchill Robertson. His father served for 36 years as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Virginia.

After graduating from Washington and Lee University, he served as assistant adjutant of the 1st Marine Division in Korea.

He received a law degree from Yale University Law School, but failed the bar exam and chose not to pursue a law career.

Robertson met his wife, Adelia “Dede” Elmer, at Yale in 1952. He was a Southern Baptist, she was a Catholic, earning a master’s in nursing. Eighteen months later, they ran off to be married by a justice of the peace, knowing neither family would approve.

Robertson was interested in politics until he found religion, Dede Robertson told the AP in 1987. He stunned her by pouring out their liquor, tearing a nude print off the wall and declaring he had found the Lord.

They moved into a commune in New York City’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood because Robertson said God told him to sell all his possessions and minister to the poor. She was tempted to return home to Ohio, “but I realized that was not what the Lord would have me do … I had promised to stay, so I did,” she told the AP.

Robertson received a master’s in divinity from New York Theological Seminary in 1959, then drove south with his family to buy a bankrupt UHF television station in Portsmouth, Va. He said he had just $70 in his pocket, but soon found investors, and CBN went on the air on Oct. 1, 1961. Established as a tax-exempt religious nonprofit, CBN brought in hundreds of millions, disclosing $321 million in “ministry support” in 2022 alone.

One of Robertson’s innovations was to use the secular talk-show format on the network’s flagship show, the “700 Club,” which grew out of a telethon when Robertson asked 700 viewers for monthly $10 contributions. It was more suited to television than traditional revival meetings or church services, and gained a huge audience.

“Here’s a well-educated person having sophisticated conversations with a wide variety of guests on a wide variety of topics,” said Green, the University of Akron political science professor. “It was with a religious inflection to be sure. But it was an approach that took up everyday concerns.”

His guests eventually included several U.S. presidents — Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump.

At times, his on-air pronouncements drew criticism.

He claimed that the terrorist attacks that killed thousands of Americans on Sept. 11, 2001 were caused by God, angered by the federal courts, pornography, abortion rights and church-state separation. Talking again about 9-11 on his TV show a year later, Robertson described Islam as a violent religion that wants to “dominate” and “destroy,” prompting President George W. Bush to distance himself and say Islam is a peaceful and respectful religion.

He called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in 2005. Later that year, he warned residents of a rural Pennsylvania town not to be surprised if disaster struck them because they voted out school board members who favored teaching “intelligent design” over evolution. And in 1998, he said Orlando, Florida, should beware of hurricanes after allowing the annual Gay Days event.

In 2014, he angered Kenyans when he warned that towels in Kenya could transmit AIDS. CBN issued a correction, saying Robertson “misspoke about the possibility of getting AIDS through towels.”

Robertson also could be unpredictable: In 2010, he called for ending mandatory prison sentences for marijuana possession convictions. Two years later, he said on the “700 Club” that marijuana should be legalized and treated like alcohol because the government’s war on drugs had failed.

Robertson condemned Democrats caught up in sex scandals, saying for example that President Bill Clinton turned the White House into a playpen for sexual freedom. But he helped solidify evangelical support for Donald Trump, dismissing the candidate’s sexually predatory comments about women as an attempt “to look like he’s macho.”

After Trump took office, Robertson interviewed the president at the White House. And CBN welcomed Trump advisers, such as Kellyanne Conway, as guests.

But after President Trump lost to Joe Biden in 2020, Robertson said Trump was living in an “alternate reality” and should “move on,” news outlets reported.

Robertson’s son, Gordon, succeeded him in December 2007 as chief executive of CBN, which is now based in Virginia Beach. Robertson remained chairman of the network and continued to appear on the “700 Club.”

Robertson stepped down as host of the show after half a century in 2021, with his son Gordon taking over the weekday show.

Robertson also was founder and chairman of International Family Entertainment Inc., parent of The Family Channel basic cable TV network. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. bought IFE in 1997.

Regent University, where classes began in Virginia Beach in 1978, now has more than 30,000 alumni, CBN said in a statement.

Robertson wrote 15 books, including “The Turning Tide” and “The New World Order.”

His wife Dede, who was a founding board member of CBN, died last year at the age of 94. The couple had four children, 14 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren, CBN said in a statement.

____

Former Associated Press reporters Don Schanche and Pam Ramsey contributed to this story.

As the cost of living continues to increase across the region, homebuyer applications have nearly doubled in the past year at the Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads.

Applications for the South Hampton Roads chapter are accepted throughout the month of May. The nonprofit organization received 390 applications this year, a sharp increase from the 196 applications received in May last year, Executive Director Frank Hruska said.

Hruska attributed the increase in applications to a variety of factors. Inflation and rising costs of building materials are just a few of the reasons he said people have struggled to find affordable housing. The chapter builds five homes per year.

“When prices went up, it actually impacted more low-income families, and now they’re trying to find more affordable housing to make ends meet,” Hruska said. “So I think that what really happened, I think, between inflation and the pandemic, there’s more and more people now who are struggling to make their mortgage payments or rent payments.”

The increasing cost of living has also made it too expensive for many people to live close to where they work, he said.

“If you are a cafeteria worker and you go to school every day, and you cook lunch for the kids in kindergarten or elementary school or middle school, where do you find a place to live that is within 20 miles of your job? You can’t; you can never find something like that,” Hruska said.

The South Hampton Roads chapter isn’t the only one experiencing an influx of demand.

Janet V. Green, the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg, said her chapter received 112 homebuyer applications in 2020. That number steadily rose to 140 in 2021 before surging to a historic 250 in 2022 and again to a record 282 applications this year.

“The need for affordable housing is just so great here in the Hampton Roads area, and so that’s why these are 282 families that are seeking an affordable, safe, decent place to raise their families,” Green said.

The number of chosen recipients for the Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg chapter depends on how much land is available to build houses. The chapter tries to build 10 houses throughout the year, she said, and it currently has 14 under construction.

Selected applications are chosen from different criteria, she said. A family selection committee looks at need and good credit history, among other qualifications.

Chosen recipients purchase the house from Habitat for Humanity and are responsible for paying back a monthly mortgage with a 0% interest rate. They also receive financial education classes as part of the process.

Green said she doesn’t see affordable housing issues being solved in the near future, and there will likely be another increase in Habitat for Humanity homebuyer applications next year.

Affordable housing is an issue that affects everyone because the region needs teachers, law enforcement officers and health care staff, she said.

“And as employers in the Hampton Roads region, we need these good employees,” Green said.” They will all be better if there’s more affordable housing nearby.”

Gabby Jimenez, [email protected]

Making pasta by hand looks impressive, but the truth is that homemade pasta is surprisingly simple to create. You can get started with just three ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Even if the only tools you have are a rolling pin and a chef’s knife, you can feed your family and friends a satisfying and delicious meal made entirely from scratch. All you’ll need is a recipe, a couple of hours, and just a little bit of practice. 

Is homemade pasta better?

You won’t just get a sense of accomplishment from making your own pasta — it tastes better, too. Fresh pasta has a more tender texture and a more pronounced eggy flavor than commercial dried pasta. The pasta’s springiness holds up equally well, whether it goes into lasagna or straight onto the plate with some butter. You can even try making a pasta dough with unusual ingredients like spinach or saffron for an extra-special meal.

How to get started making pasta

Making the pasta dough

There are as many fresh pasta recipes as there are people who make pasta, but to get started, it’s best to stick with a simple pasta dough that uses just a few ingredients: unbleached all-purpose flour, eggs, and a bit of salt.

If you want, you can use semolina durum flour, which is a more authentic pasta flour with a higher protein content and a coarser texture that helps sauces stick. However, if all-purpose flour is all you have in your pantry, it’ll turn into wonderful pasta.

Place 10 ounces of flour on a clean work surface and make a well. Add two eggs plus four egg yolks to the well and gently start incorporating the flour using a fork, gradually scraping in flour from the sides of the well. Switch to a bench scraper when it becomes too difficult to use a fork and mix until it’s fully combined by scraping and folding over the dough, turning it 45 degrees each time.

Kneading and rolling the pasta dough

You’ll know the dough is ready for kneading when it stops sticking to your hands and holds its shape when rolled into a ball. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and satiny, then shape it into a ball. Let it rest, wrapped in plastic wrap, for 30 to 60 minutes to let gluten develop.

Use the bench scraper to cut the ball into four equal portions and cover them with a towel to keep them from drying out. Working with one portion at a time, roll out the dough into an oblong shape between a quarter-inch and half-inch thick.

Making pasta by hand vs. using a stand mixer

If your arms aren’t up to the task of all that kneading, you can use a powerful food processor or a stand mixer. Simply place all the ingredients in the work bowl and run the machine (using a dough hook if you’re using a stand mixer) until a large, smooth ball forms. 

How to shape homemade pasta

Making pasta shapes with a pasta machine

Roll out your dough by hand or use a pasta maker. Some pasta machines can create extruded shapes like penne, while others deliver smooth sheets and strands of lasagna or fettuccine. Following the manufacturer’s instructions for the type of pasta you want to make, feed your rolled-out dough between the rollers until it reaches the right thickness.

At this point, you can trim it by hand to make filled pasta or lasagna or run it through the pasta machine to cut it into strands. As the cut pasta strands emerge from the machine, carefully catch them, dust them with flour, shape them into nests, and keep them covered until you’re ready to cook or dry them.

A stand mixer offers another advantage here: after you’ve whipped up a batch of pasta dough in the bowl, use the mixer’s pasta-making attachment to roll out, cut, or shape pasta.

How to make filled pasta

For filled pastas, make sure your filling is relatively dry so you can seal up your pasta and avoid leaking or soggy dough. Avoid the temptation to overload your pasta — follow your recipe’s guidance for the amount of filling to use in each pasta shape.

Depending on the type of stuffed pasta you’re making, you can use a pasta stamp, a pastry wheel, biscuit cutters, or even a chef’s knife to create rounds or squares. Seal the pasta by brushing the edges with a little water, then using gentle pressure to close the shapes. Make sure the filling is fully enclosed and that no air is trapped inside.

How to cook homemade pasta

Cooking fresh pasta

Homemade pasta cooks very quickly — depending on the shape, it will need only two to four minutes in boiling water, and slightly longer for stuffed pasta. Salt your cooking water generously to amplify your pasta’s flavor, especially if your dough recipe doesn’t call for salt. Serve it immediately.

How to dry fresh pasta

Alternatively, you can dry your uncooked pasta to serve at a future date. Leaving an egg-based food out in the open can feel counterintuitive, but when properly dried and stored, there should be no moisture remaining to encourage bacteria.

Toss the pasta shapes in flour, then lay the strands in a single layer on a drying rack or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let the pasta dry uncovered and away from heat and sunlight, or use a food dehydrator for more consistency, especially if it’s a humid day. When the pasta snaps instead of bending, it’s ready for storage. Keep it in a dry, airtight container in your pantry or freezer.

FAQ

Q. How long does homemade pasta last?

A. Homemade pasta has a much shorter shelf life than commercially made pasta. Uncooked pasta can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for just one day. Properly dried homemade pasta can be stored in your pantry for up to six weeks. Alternatively, before you cut your pasta shapes, you can wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to one month. 

Q. What sauces go with homemade pasta?

A. How you serve your pasta may come down to personal preference, but the shape of the pasta is a contributing factor. Pair fettuccine or tagliatelle with a homemade alfredo sauce or pesto. Wider pasta like pappardelle is great with slow-simmered meat sauces. You can also highlight the flavor of your fresh pasta (especially ravioli) by simply tossing it in browned butter and high-quality Parmesan.

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Laura Duerr writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

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© 2023 BestReviews. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

IN THIS ARTICLE:

Spring cleaning is an annual event that takes place after the weather turns markedly warmer. The longer days and congenial temperatures make it more conducive to letting in the fresh air and working outside. Though we’re well into spring now, it’s not too late to do your spring cleaning.

It’s tempting to downplay the importance of spring cleaning, especially if you stay on top of your daily chores. However, what you tackle during this intensive cleansing period is different from your usual tidying tasks.

What is spring cleaning?

During spring cleaning, you go beyond routine chores. You take a deep dive that fortifies your health and elevates your mood. It increases your productivity, enhances your creativity and makes your home more habitable.

Since spring cleaning is an all-encompassing endeavor, it can seem overwhelming. If you map out a strategy and take a room-by-room approach while recruiting other household members for help, the task isn’t so daunting. Additionally, draft a list of essential cleaning equipment and make certain they are on hand. Now you won’t experience the aggravation of needing to stop mid-process because you forgot to get some crucial supplies.

Here are some tips and cleaning essentials organized in a room-by-room fashion. They can help ensure that this year’s spring cleaning event is a sweeping success.

How to spring clean

It’s not always the big things that you need to focus on during spring cleaning. Sometimes, the tasks with the most impact are the little ones that you tend to let slip throughout the year. Scuff marks on the walls and baseboards, cobwebs in those inconvenient corners, dust on the top of ceiling fans and that ever-growing collection of electronic waste items are some examples. The tools needed to accomplish these tasks can be similarly simple.

Unger Microfiber Ceiling Fan Duster

This microfiber duster cleans both sides of the ceiling fan at once while preventing unwanted dust from swirling about the room. The unit is lightweight and has a removable, washable sleeve for repeated use.

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Mr. Clean Magic Eraser 

Whether it’s scuffs on the wall, dirty fingerprints on light switches and doors, smudges on your windows or even stains on your upholstered furniture, a magic eraser can help. This miraculous little sponge works like fine sandpaper to quickly clear away those marks you’ve been neglecting. 

Sold by Amazon

How to spring clean your kitchen and pantry

Spring cleaning is a good time to go through your salad dressings, condiments, and other infrequently used items to check expiration dates to ensure these oft-overlooked items are still safe for consumption. Use this time to also vacuum your refrigerator coils, clean and sanitize your coffeemaker and other countertop appliances, reorganize drawers and clean inside and behind your range.

Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

When you need to clean under the refrigerator or behind the range, you need a handheld cordless vacuum cleaner. This Dyson vacuum is powerful enough for homes with pets, and it’s lightweight for easy handling. Our tester described the V8 as a breeze to use, with impressive suction power for a stick vacuum.

Sold by Amazon

DII Swedish Dishcloths 

Sponges are not hygienic. If you want a better, more eco-friendly way to do your kitchen spring cleaning chores, consider a reusable Swedish dishcloth. These handy, absorbent items are machine washable and effective on a wide variety of surfaces, including glass.

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How to spring clean your closet

The best approach for spring cleaning a closet is to tackle the whole closet at once by emptying it out completely. Clean out the space, check for mold, apply touch-up paint as needed, then evaluate the contents before replacing them. Decide whether each item needs cleaning or repairs. Consider also if you want to donate or discard. Return the items you keep to your closet in a freshly organized manner.

Mold has a tendency to sneak up in those dark corners at the top or bottom of a closet. With a mold-killing primer, you can get rid of those unsightly patches of fungus, eliminate odors and take a proactive step toward achieving healthier air quality in your home.

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Misslo Over-The-Door Storage Pockets

Even in the best-organized closet, items such as gloves and knit hats can get misplaced, making them a real chore to locate. During spring cleaning, taking the time to slip these frequently lost items in an over-the-door storage unit ensures they are easy to find whenever you need them.

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How to spring clean your bathrooms

The bathroom has its own set of challenges when it comes to spring cleaning. You need to evaluate and clean drains, scrub down tile and grout, check caulk and scour those neglected areas of your toilet, such as under-the-hinge caps. Additionally, this is the perfect time to swap out those old toothbrushes and discard any personal hygiene or makeup products that you haven’t used in the last six to nine months.

Mr. Clean Bliss Premium Latex-Free Gloves

If you’re going to be doing any cleaning in questionable areas rife with germs, such as the toilet, you need to ensure you have something to cover your hands. A comfortable pair of latex-free gloves can reduce the “ew” factor while doing bathroom chores.

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McCulloch Heavy-Duty Chemical-Free Pressurized Steam Cleaner

The beauty of a pressurized steam cleaner is that it’s an all-natural, environmentally friendly way of cleaning that disinfects as it cleans. This appliance isn’t a miracle cleaner; you still need to use a bit of elbow grease to accomplish the job. But you can do it without adding any undesirable chemicals to the environment.

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How to spring clean your office

In a single year, an office space can accumulate an extraordinary amount of clutter. Because of this, spring cleaning is often as much an act of decluttering as it is an actual deep cleaning. Your tasks may range from tossing out all those pens that no longer work to shredding unneeded documents filled with sensitive information. Spring cleaning is also a great time to thoroughly wipe down your monitor and clean and disinfect your keyboard and mouse.

Guardsman Wood Furniture Dusting Cloths

The office in your home probably has more dust-collecting surfaces than you realize. These specially treated cloths trap and remove dust better than spray and a paper towel do. However, what makes them appealing is that they’re reusable, thus cutting down on household waste while being kinder to the earth.

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How to spring clean outdoors

Spring cleaning shouldn’t only cover indoor activities — the exterior of your home and your property need attention, too. The best thing to do before the growing season is in full bloom is to rid your yard of all the debris that has accumulated over the winter months. You also need to inspect your home for signs of damage. Perform those tasks that often get overlooked, such as washing the trash cans, repainting the oil tank, cleaning the patio and re-staining the deck.

Fiskars Steel Bypass Pruning Shears

If you’ve got a lot of light-duty snipping on your to-do list, you need a conveniently sized pair of stay-sharp pruning shears. This model from Fiskar uses precision-ground steel and features a low-friction coating that helps keep the blades moving smoothly while preventing rust.

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Unless you’ve used a pressure washer, you won’t understand the tool’s appeal and versatility. This model from Ryobi is a compact, lightweight electric pressure washer that is easy to operate, carry and store. It’s usable on siding, fencing, decks, patios, gutters, concrete and more.

Sold by 

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Allen Foster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

© 2023 BestReviews. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

HAMPTON – Hampton City Schools named Raymond Haynes as its next superintendent.

Haynes will replace Jeffery Smith, who is retiring after leading Hampton schools for the last eight years.

Haynes was the division’s chief of secondary school leadership, serving in that capacity since 2019. Previously, he was executive director of schools. Haynes began his education career with Hampton’s school division 28 years ago. He has served in numerous roles, including as an educational enrichment specialist for K-12, an elementary assistant principal, and a principal at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

The board approved Haynes’ appointment in a 6-0 vote Wednesday evening. Board member Ann Cherry was absent.

“It is with immense pride that I embrace this role in the city where I was born, raised and have dedicated my entire career as an educator,” Haynes told the board after the vote. “This city, our city, has shaped the very fabric of who I am. It is here that I developed my love for learning, nurtured by inspiring teachers and mentors who believed in me even though sometimes I did not necessarily believe in myself.”

Haynes said student success would be his highest priority.

“Excellence with intentionality will guide our every decision and action,” he said. “We will strive not only for high academic achievement, but also for the holistic development of our students in a safe and nurturing environment.”

Haynes promised to meet with students, parents, teachers and community members in the coming months.

“I stand here today not only as your next superintendent, but also as your advocate and ally. I am committed to creating an inclusive and nurturing environment that encourages open dialogue and active engagement from all stakeholders. We will listen, we will learn and we will evolve together.”

Before the vote, board member Joseph Kilgore noted that the board used community input as it created a profile of desired qualifications before posting the position. The board received 27 applications, half of whom were from outside Virginia.

In a press release sent out after the vote, Board Chair Richard Mason said: “Throughout his professional career with Hampton City Schools, Dr. Haynes has consistently demonstrated an extraordinary ability to foster innovation, drive results, and inspire others. His strategic thinking has been instrumental in transforming our schools, enabling us to overcome challenges and achieve remarkable growth. Dr. Haynes’ steadfast leadership is what we need in a superintendent to continue our legacy of greatness in Hampton City Schools.”

Haynes earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Christopher Newport University, a Master of Social Work from Norfolk State University, and a doctorate from Old Dominion University.

Salary and contract information for the new superintendent were not made available Tuesday evening.

A man is in serious condition after being struck by a car Wednesday night in Hampton, according to a news release from police.

Officers responded about 8:30 p.m. to the 900 block of North King Street, near the intersection with Robins Way, police said. A preliminary investigation reveals the man was trying to cross the street when he was hit by a car.

The man was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

No information about the driver was available Wednesday night. Both directions of King Street are closed.

Hampton Police Division’s Reconstruction Team is investigating the hit-and-run, the department said in the release. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the police division at 757–727–6111

This is a developing story.

Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806, [email protected]

By LISA MASCARO (AP Congressional Correspondent)

WASHINGTON (AP) — In fallout from the debt ceiling deal, Speaker Kevin McCarthy is suddenly confronting a new threat to his power as angry hard-right conservatives bring the House chamber to a halt, reviving their displeasure over the compromise struck with President Joe Biden and demanding deeper spending cuts ahead.

Barely a dozen Republicans, mainly members of the House Freedom Caucus, shuttered House business for a second day Wednesday in protest of McCarthy’s leadership. Routine votes could not be taken, and a pair of pro-gas stove bills important to GOP activists stalled out. Some lawmakers asked if they could simply go home — and eventually they could. By evening, the rest of week’s schedule was called off.

McCarthy brushed off the disruption as healthy political debate, part of his “risk taker” way of being a leader — not too different, he said, from the 15-vote spectacle it took in January for him to finally convince his colleagues to elect him as speaker. With a paper-thin GOP majority, any few Republicans have outsized sway.

But the aftermath of the debt ceiling deal is coming into focus: The hard-right flank that helped put the speaker in power five months ago is not done with McCarthy yet.

“I enjoy this conflict,” the speaker bantered Wednesday at the Capitol, saying he feels like Goldilocks being pushed from all sides. “Conflict makes you stronger if you deal with it.”

At its core, the standoff between the House conservatives and the speaker revolves around the budget levels McCarthy agreed to in the debt-ceiling bill with Biden that the right flank of his conference strenuously opposed. The agreement restricted spending, but not as much as the Freedom Caucus and others demanded. Unable to stop the debt bill’s passage last week, the conservatives are now digging in and preparing for a longer fight to prevent it from taking hold.

It’s all setting the stage for a potentially disastrous showdown ahead, when Congress will need to pass spending bills to fund the government at the levels set by the McCarthy-Biden debt package, or risk a shutdown in federal government operations when the new fiscal year starts Oct. 1.

The test will likely come even sooner, this summer, when the Biden administration is expected to ask Congress to approve supplemental funding for Ukraine to fight the war against Russia. It’s an issue that splits the Republicans between those who want to cut budgets and those insisting on a strong military.

Aligning with the defense hawks, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell raised his own concerns Wednesday about the cap on military spending: “I’m not sure at this point how to fix it, but it’s a problem, a serious problem.”

While the conservatives have aired a long list of grievances, the debt deal looms largest.

The McCarthy-Biden compromise set overall federal budget caps — holding spending flat for 2024, and with a 1% growth for 2025 — and Congress still needs to pass appropriations bills to fund the various federal agencies at the agreed-to amounts. That’s typically done by Oct. 1. After Biden signed the debt deal into law last weekend, lawmakers have been fast at work on the agency-spending bills ahead of votes this summer to meet the deadline.

Not only did the conservatives object to the deal with Biden as insufficient, they claim it violated the terms of an agreement they had reached with McCarthy to roll back spending even further, to 2022 levels, to make him speaker.

“There was an agreement in January,” Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., told reporters after he left the speaker’s office Wednesday morning. “And it was violated in the debt-ceiling bill.”

McCarthy insists the agreement he made during the speakers race to roll back spending to 2022 was not a guaranteed outcome, only a goal. Besides, the debt deal has a provision that would automatically return spending to the 2022 level if Congress fails to put in place all the funding bills by January.

“We never promised we’re going to be all at ‘22 levels —I said we would strive to get to the ’22 level or the equivalent amount,” McCarthy said Wednesday. “We’ve met all that criteria.”

McCarthy also said he’s not opposed to more funding for Ukraine, but he wants to see exactly what’s needed rather than simply agree to undoing the spending caps that he negotiated with Biden and that were just signed into law.

Democrats watching the fallout from the debt-ceiling deal are mindful of the challenges ahead.

“I think it’s going to be tough,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.

“You’ve got a whole bunch of people who want to cut back,” she said of the Republicans. “Potentially they could hold up appropriations.”

If Congress fails to pass the spending bills by fall it risks a federal government shutdown — an outcome conservatives have forced multiple times before, starting in the Clinton era when then-Speaker Newt Gingrich led the House into a budget standoff, and again in 2013 when conservatives shut down the government as they tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The longest federal shutdown in history was during the Trump era when Congress refused his demands for money to build the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

For now, McCarthy and his leadership team need to just figure out how to bring the House chamber back into session.

“This is insane,” said Republican Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas. “This is not the way a governing majority is expected to behave, and frankly, I think there will be a political cost to it.”

The bills on tap this week were not the most pressing on the agenda, but are popular among Republicans and carry important political messages even if they have no chance of becoming law.

Among them is a pair of bills related to gas stoves, including one that would prohibit the use of federal funds to regulate gas stoves as a hazardous product.

House action came to a sudden halt midday Tuesday when the band of conservatives refused to support a routine procedural vote to set the rules schedule for the day’s debate. It was the first time in some 20 years a routine rules vote was defeated.

___

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves, Mary Clare Jalonick and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.