Amway Center to open for early voting

Photo credit Facebook Amway Center

Amway Center in the City of Orlando hasn't had much activity at their venue since the outbreak of Covid-19. But the venue will be put to good use for early voting.

The city along with the Orlando Magic join the NBA, its players and coaches in efforts to increase access to voting and have announced the Amway Center will open as an early voting location. It is a collaborative effort between the City of Orlando, Orlando Magic, Orange County and Orange County Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles. 

Early voting at Amway Center will run October 19 through November 1 starting at 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. on the north side of Amway Center at the Church Street entrance inside the Disney Atrium. All registered voters from Orange County may cast their ballot at the Amway Center location, which is one of 20 early voting locations within Orange County. Drive-up ballot boxes will also be available along Church Street in front of the arena for those who prefer to hand deliver their vote-by-mail ballot.

Additionally, on National Voter Registration Day, September 22, Amway Center will be open for voter registration which will also take place inside the Disney Atrium from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The deadline to register to vote is October 5. For more information, click here.

"As a community, it is so important that we work together to ensure that every eligible voter is able to have their voice heard by making voting accessible and safe,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “The City of Orlando is proud to partner with the Orlando Magic and the Orange County Supervisor of Elections to transform our Amway Center into an early voting site."

“In these unprecedented times, we’re grateful for the opportunity to utilize Amway Center as an early voting location,” said Orlando Venues Chief Venues Officer Allen Johnson. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to serve the community for this important purpose.”

Wood planks for floors and...

We all know that even in our homes things start to go wrong. Well our half bath needed makeover #2; therefore I was on a bathroom makeover mission.

Upon removing wallpaper border used to cover up marks left from removal of prior sink and wall backsplash, I was done with wallpaper. I had a vision of what I wanted to cover the wall defects with, two walls that is.

I thought of wall panels which in my young days my dad loved installing in our house up north. Thanks to the internet I checked Lowes and Home Depot online, my search was on but I didn't like the wainscoating or the wall panel selections. Then I came across Lumber Liquidators website ad 'wood planks for floors and walls'. Bingo! My light bulb lit up.

I remembered of leftover wood planks from a job my sibling had done. It was the perfect color match for the new bathroom cabinet. I also had leftover trim along with moulding. After bathroom was all clear, walls washed, primed and painted the installation of the wood planks was on.

Materials I used:

Wood planks, trim, moulding, hand saw, electric table saw, safety glasses, carpenters knife, carpenter/construction glue (liquid nails works as well), nail gun, tape measure, hammer, cardboard or old sheet, light color pencil, wood marker and filler

After I calculated how much of the walls I wanted to cover with the wood planks, I set them up against the wall to calculate how many planks I needed to use and have an idea of any adjustments I had to do for the right fit on the walls. Then the cutting started with the electric table saw. I laid the first set of planks on the cardboard, pieced them together (I tapped the side of each plank lightly with a hammer to make sure each plank was adjoined) and laid them against the wall. The wall was slightly off therefore I had to align the planks until I acquired a straight fit. When it looked just right I laid them on the cardboard again and applied glue to all the planks. Glue can be applied to the planks and or the wall if there is no obstruction.

Once glued it was time to install on the wall and then the nail gun came to use which I used sparingly since I had already used glue. I covered up the nails with wood marker. One of the walls I was covering with planks there is a toilet in order not to disconnect the toilet fixture I made a paper template for one plank that I cut in two pieces (bottom plank and top plank that I would slide into the bottom plank). Note lay the template on the plank, trace with a light color pencil and cut each side with a hand saw, for the middle use a utility knife.

Once the wood planks were installed on each wall, I moved in the cabinet and set the sink in in order to calculate the cuttings for the mouldings. The mouldings and the trim were cut with the electric table saw (a hand saw can be used as well, if using a hand saw then a miter box would make the cutting much easier and straight) and nailed (no use of glue) the moulding to the top of the wood planks of each wall and the trim to the side of one of the walls.

And last but not least, I caulked the top of the mouldings.

What do you think? Have any questions please ask and or comment.