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32 Products So Useful You'll Celebrate Using Them

32 Products So Useful You'll Celebrate Using Them

Buzz Feed2 days ago

A crack weeder tool designed to get the whole root of the weed so you don't spend all your time trying to rip 'em out by hand just to break it off and make getting the entire thing nearly impossible. Say gooooodbye to those pesky plants growing up between the cracks in your concrete.
A Scrubbin' Stone grill cleaner because in case you haven't heard those metal scrubbers are actually super dangerous and you do *not* wanna risk anyone getting a small piece of metal in their burger. This is a great safe alternative to scrub your grill back into newly purchased shape and to get all those burnt bits off before your next BBQ.
A Totchop because parents notoriously only ever have one hand available, and when your toddler says they want strawberries, they mean NOW and not in three minutes. This unique design allows you to slice, chop, and dice with an easy rocking motion and, most importantly, only one hand.
A set of drizzle-preventing ice pop holders that can hold any popsicle on a stick ORRR pop out the bottom to hold ice cream cones. Now your kiddos can enjoy the delicious frozen treats they love without creating a mountain of laundry for you to do... or maybe worse, getting super sticky hands and touching ~everything~ in sight.
E.l.f's Lash Xtndr Tubing Mascara which is super futuristic and ahhh-mazing for anyone with thin or fragile lashes. Instead of rubbing the living heck out of your eyes at the end of a long day ~desperately~ trying to get all the mascara off, this stuff just magically glides off in little tubes to save you all that struggle when you just wanna go to bed.
A "Cup Claw" that'll help put an end to the horribly unfun game of trying to flatten out bra pads when they come out of the wash. It snags onto them like scissors so you can easily glide them back in and even them out. Come on, this is freakin' GENIUS.
A rechargeable heated ice cream scoop so you can get your well-deserved treat without bending your spoon or feeling like you did a whole dang workout just to get one scoop out.
A Magic Tap automatic drink dispenser perfect for kiddos or anyone who has trouble lifting heavy (and awkwardly-shaped!) drink jugs. Now everyone can pour their own bevs without any fear of crying over spilled milk.
A multisurface, bleach-free Wet & Forget outdoor cleaner that'll help clear up moss, mold, mildew, or algae without anyyyy scrubbing required. Just spray it on and watch as the gross green stains get lifted away.
A keloid minimizer because sometimes no matter how well you take care of your new piercing, you just get hit with the keloid curse. This is designed to help reduce the size of the uncomfortable bump so you don't have to end up taking out your adorable new earring.
A foaming garbage disposal cleaner that is SO easy to use. Just throw one down the drain, run some water and the disposal, and watch the blue foam come up, cleaning out all the gunk and grime from years of testing new recipes.
A handy, dandy turf spreader to help you evenly and efficiently spread things like grass seed and fertilizer. Move over, Jim, there's a new best-kept lawn in town.
Promising review: "What I like most about this spreader is that it is small and light. Other spreaders, when they hit a depression in the lawn stop, can deposit too much fertilizer. This unit just skips over the dents and holes in my lawn, making for a quicker and more thorough job. Sometimes less heavy-duty is good." —BillGet it from Amazon for $44.97+ (available in three sizes).
A jar of internet-beloved The Pink Stuff because this slightly abrasive paste is literally amazing and can clean all the dirt and grime off any surface that you couldn't get rid of with any other products (without extra elbow grease)!!
A set of bedsheet fasteners designed to prevent you from waking up in the middle of the night frustrated that the fitted sheet isn't staying ~fitted~ to the mattress... AGAIN.
A fan-favorite spot remover because baby poop is ~vibrant~ and has a tendency to escape your kiddo's diaper at the most inconvenient times. Like seriously, how are diapers letting this happen?! But until we solve that problem, this stain remover is here to help you get those bright yellow stains out of their cutest onesie.
A set of Wad-Free pads so you don't have to run your dryer like three times just to have your sheets actually come out dry. (Can you tell this just happened to me last week?)
A super popular, reusable ChomChom roller to remove all the pet hair that is still on your couch with just a quick back-and-forth rollover. This little tool works on pretty much any surface — furniture, upholstery, blankets, clothes — and you don't have to worry about constantly ripping off *another* sticky sheet because one quick swipe typically fills those regular rollers up. (At least it does when I try to use one to clean my clothes...).
A box of salicylic acid-infused wart-removing pads so you can finally banish that bump that has been tormenting you. All you have to do is apply the self-adhering bandage and prepare to rid yourself of the wart.
A Sun Joe pressure washer for any of your more stubborn cleaning tasks that are gonna take some extra oomph to get rid of. You'll be so satisfied watching your wood panels return to their normal color, you'll wanna walk around your whole yard to find more things to use it on.
A shirt folder to transform your closet or drawers from a chaotic mess into something worthy of being in a store. This foolproof method lets you easily create crisp folds that will make laundry day a breeze.
A rechargeable nose aspirator that has three suction levels and two silicone tips so you don't have to watch your kiddo suffer with a stuffed-up nose that just will not go away. There's even a built-in light and music to try and distract your baby from what you're really doing.
A Door-Doc so you can easily prop open your front-load washer to help prevent mold and mildew from growing inside. Because nothing is worse than opening the washer to do another load of laundry just to get hit by the dreaded mildew scent that inevitably permeates your clothes.
A scent-free mosquito repellent to help keep those ~bug~gers away without adding any smells or sounds to your relaxing vibes. Sometimes, you just wanna eat your freshly grilled burgers without worrying about getting eaten alive or having your whole meal flavored with citronella.
A fabric shaver, because the little pilled up balls of fabric all over your clothes are not it. With a quick swipe you will watch all those balls disappear, leaving the item looking fresh and new.
A DogBuddy pooper scooper to put an end to picking up hot, smushy dog doo doo with only a thin layer of plastic to protect you. This has built-in bags so you can just pull one over the scoop and bag the 💩 up. Reviewers also love that you can use the same bag several times during one walk!
Catrice "Instant Awake" Under Eye Brightener perfect for anyone who wants to trick everyone around into thinking they got a full nine hours of sleep when in reality they got maybe six. 😖 This stuff is basically the makeup of the future because it's designed with color-adapting formula to help your bags ~disappear~, giving you instant coverage with a lightweight feel.
A ceiling fan carbon filter designed to turn your fan into an air purifier instead of a home for loads of dust buildup. These work by filtering the air with every spin to help remove pollen, pet dander, smoke, gases, chemicals, and other allergens that are living in your house.
A set of delightful self-heating masks that'll soothe your feet with Epsom salts, shea butter, lavender, and peppermint to give your dogs the break they deserve.
A food catcher designed to attach right to your highchair instead of resting on the floor so you don't have to break your back trying to pick up the collection of strawberries, chicken chunks, and pasta that is probably more than your kid actually ate.
A WD-40 pen that's wayyy more convenient than the typical spray so you can get those squeak-free doors in an easy-to-use, precise application pen. Not only does this quiet down those annoying hinges, but it also protects against corrosion, loosens rusted parts, and drives out moisture, just like the OG version.
A juicer designed to get 👏🏼 EVERY 👏🏼 LAST 👏🏼 DROP 👏🏼 from your lemons, limes, oranges, or whatever else you need to squeeze. It'll catch all the seeds so you don't have to go fishing at the end, and it collapses down flat so it won't take up a huge chunk of your drawer.
A root touchup powder that has TikTokers *shook* with how well it covers up their grown-out roots or greys between hair appointments or how it gives the illusion of fullness on any thinning areas. Seriously you need to watch the video, it seems like some sort of magic trick.

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32 Products So Useful You'll Celebrate Using Them
32 Products So Useful You'll Celebrate Using Them

Buzz Feed

time2 days ago

  • Buzz Feed

32 Products So Useful You'll Celebrate Using Them

A crack weeder tool designed to get the whole root of the weed so you don't spend all your time trying to rip 'em out by hand just to break it off and make getting the entire thing nearly impossible. Say gooooodbye to those pesky plants growing up between the cracks in your concrete. A Scrubbin' Stone grill cleaner because in case you haven't heard those metal scrubbers are actually super dangerous and you do *not* wanna risk anyone getting a small piece of metal in their burger. This is a great safe alternative to scrub your grill back into newly purchased shape and to get all those burnt bits off before your next BBQ. A Totchop because parents notoriously only ever have one hand available, and when your toddler says they want strawberries, they mean NOW and not in three minutes. This unique design allows you to slice, chop, and dice with an easy rocking motion and, most importantly, only one hand. A set of drizzle-preventing ice pop holders that can hold any popsicle on a stick ORRR pop out the bottom to hold ice cream cones. Now your kiddos can enjoy the delicious frozen treats they love without creating a mountain of laundry for you to do... or maybe worse, getting super sticky hands and touching ~everything~ in sight. E.l.f's Lash Xtndr Tubing Mascara which is super futuristic and ahhh-mazing for anyone with thin or fragile lashes. Instead of rubbing the living heck out of your eyes at the end of a long day ~desperately~ trying to get all the mascara off, this stuff just magically glides off in little tubes to save you all that struggle when you just wanna go to bed. A "Cup Claw" that'll help put an end to the horribly unfun game of trying to flatten out bra pads when they come out of the wash. It snags onto them like scissors so you can easily glide them back in and even them out. Come on, this is freakin' GENIUS. A rechargeable heated ice cream scoop so you can get your well-deserved treat without bending your spoon or feeling like you did a whole dang workout just to get one scoop out. A Magic Tap automatic drink dispenser perfect for kiddos or anyone who has trouble lifting heavy (and awkwardly-shaped!) drink jugs. Now everyone can pour their own bevs without any fear of crying over spilled milk. A multisurface, bleach-free Wet & Forget outdoor cleaner that'll help clear up moss, mold, mildew, or algae without anyyyy scrubbing required. Just spray it on and watch as the gross green stains get lifted away. A keloid minimizer because sometimes no matter how well you take care of your new piercing, you just get hit with the keloid curse. This is designed to help reduce the size of the uncomfortable bump so you don't have to end up taking out your adorable new earring. A foaming garbage disposal cleaner that is SO easy to use. Just throw one down the drain, run some water and the disposal, and watch the blue foam come up, cleaning out all the gunk and grime from years of testing new recipes. A handy, dandy turf spreader to help you evenly and efficiently spread things like grass seed and fertilizer. Move over, Jim, there's a new best-kept lawn in town. Promising review: "What I like most about this spreader is that it is small and light. Other spreaders, when they hit a depression in the lawn stop, can deposit too much fertilizer. This unit just skips over the dents and holes in my lawn, making for a quicker and more thorough job. Sometimes less heavy-duty is good." —BillGet it from Amazon for $44.97+ (available in three sizes). A jar of internet-beloved The Pink Stuff because this slightly abrasive paste is literally amazing and can clean all the dirt and grime off any surface that you couldn't get rid of with any other products (without extra elbow grease)!! A set of bedsheet fasteners designed to prevent you from waking up in the middle of the night frustrated that the fitted sheet isn't staying ~fitted~ to the mattress... AGAIN. A fan-favorite spot remover because baby poop is ~vibrant~ and has a tendency to escape your kiddo's diaper at the most inconvenient times. Like seriously, how are diapers letting this happen?! But until we solve that problem, this stain remover is here to help you get those bright yellow stains out of their cutest onesie. A set of Wad-Free pads so you don't have to run your dryer like three times just to have your sheets actually come out dry. (Can you tell this just happened to me last week?) A super popular, reusable ChomChom roller to remove all the pet hair that is still on your couch with just a quick back-and-forth rollover. This little tool works on pretty much any surface — furniture, upholstery, blankets, clothes — and you don't have to worry about constantly ripping off *another* sticky sheet because one quick swipe typically fills those regular rollers up. (At least it does when I try to use one to clean my clothes...). A box of salicylic acid-infused wart-removing pads so you can finally banish that bump that has been tormenting you. All you have to do is apply the self-adhering bandage and prepare to rid yourself of the wart. A Sun Joe pressure washer for any of your more stubborn cleaning tasks that are gonna take some extra oomph to get rid of. You'll be so satisfied watching your wood panels return to their normal color, you'll wanna walk around your whole yard to find more things to use it on. A shirt folder to transform your closet or drawers from a chaotic mess into something worthy of being in a store. This foolproof method lets you easily create crisp folds that will make laundry day a breeze. A rechargeable nose aspirator that has three suction levels and two silicone tips so you don't have to watch your kiddo suffer with a stuffed-up nose that just will not go away. There's even a built-in light and music to try and distract your baby from what you're really doing. A Door-Doc so you can easily prop open your front-load washer to help prevent mold and mildew from growing inside. Because nothing is worse than opening the washer to do another load of laundry just to get hit by the dreaded mildew scent that inevitably permeates your clothes. A scent-free mosquito repellent to help keep those ~bug~gers away without adding any smells or sounds to your relaxing vibes. Sometimes, you just wanna eat your freshly grilled burgers without worrying about getting eaten alive or having your whole meal flavored with citronella. A fabric shaver, because the little pilled up balls of fabric all over your clothes are not it. With a quick swipe you will watch all those balls disappear, leaving the item looking fresh and new. A DogBuddy pooper scooper to put an end to picking up hot, smushy dog doo doo with only a thin layer of plastic to protect you. This has built-in bags so you can just pull one over the scoop and bag the 💩 up. Reviewers also love that you can use the same bag several times during one walk! Catrice "Instant Awake" Under Eye Brightener perfect for anyone who wants to trick everyone around into thinking they got a full nine hours of sleep when in reality they got maybe six. 😖 This stuff is basically the makeup of the future because it's designed with color-adapting formula to help your bags ~disappear~, giving you instant coverage with a lightweight feel. A ceiling fan carbon filter designed to turn your fan into an air purifier instead of a home for loads of dust buildup. These work by filtering the air with every spin to help remove pollen, pet dander, smoke, gases, chemicals, and other allergens that are living in your house. A set of delightful self-heating masks that'll soothe your feet with Epsom salts, shea butter, lavender, and peppermint to give your dogs the break they deserve. A food catcher designed to attach right to your highchair instead of resting on the floor so you don't have to break your back trying to pick up the collection of strawberries, chicken chunks, and pasta that is probably more than your kid actually ate. A WD-40 pen that's wayyy more convenient than the typical spray so you can get those squeak-free doors in an easy-to-use, precise application pen. Not only does this quiet down those annoying hinges, but it also protects against corrosion, loosens rusted parts, and drives out moisture, just like the OG version. A juicer designed to get 👏🏼 EVERY 👏🏼 LAST 👏🏼 DROP 👏🏼 from your lemons, limes, oranges, or whatever else you need to squeeze. It'll catch all the seeds so you don't have to go fishing at the end, and it collapses down flat so it won't take up a huge chunk of your drawer. A root touchup powder that has TikTokers *shook* with how well it covers up their grown-out roots or greys between hair appointments or how it gives the illusion of fullness on any thinning areas. Seriously you need to watch the video, it seems like some sort of magic trick.

27 Products If You Plan To Grill A Lot This Summer
27 Products If You Plan To Grill A Lot This Summer

Buzz Feed

time2 days ago

  • Buzz Feed

27 Products If You Plan To Grill A Lot This Summer

A reliable Weber charcoal grill to cook up a ton of food without taking up a ton of space, so even those of us with small backyards can still enjoy that freshly grilled goodness. Reviewers love this grill and say it maintains its temperature, has a large cooking area, cooks food evenly, and is easy to review: "I love this grill! I'd been wanting to buy it for almost a year and am so excited to finally have it. I had my first barbecue outside, and the Weber was fantastic. I was able to fit burgers, hot dogs, potatoes, and pineapple on the surface at the same time. There's lots of space to cook various foods at once. I love the easy ash cleanup thanks to the bottom bucket. This product is very sturdy and stable, and I put it together in 10 minutes." —Dani it from Amazon for $219+ (available in three colors). Or an outdoor grill and smoker that'll still take up wayyy less room than a traditional grill with the added bonus of being able to infuse your favorite foods with a ~smoky~ flavor. This thing can also roast, bake, dehydrate, air crisp, and broil. A Scrubbin' Stone grill cleaner, because in case you haven't heard, those metal scrubbers are actually super dangerous, and you do *not* wanna risk anyone getting a small piece of metal in their burger. This is a great safe alternative to scrub your grill back into newly purchased shape and to get all those burnt bits off before your next BBQ. Or an onion holder to easily clean built-up charcoal and season your grill so you're ready to BBQ the heck outta some hot dogs and brats. This gadget has a spike in the center so the onion stays in place while you go to town getting that flavor allllll over the grill grates. A pair of grilling gloves that are heat-resistant up to 932 (!!!!!) degrees so you can finally break in the grill you've been too scared of using because those flames are ~scary.~ A set of flexible grill lights to make sure you still cook your burgers, chicken, and hot dogs to ~perfection~ even when the sun sets before you've finished. A set of color-coordinated prep trays so you are positive which tray the freshly grilled chicken is supposed to go on, instead of standing there questioning it for five minutes because you are scared of cross-contaminating with the raw meat. No salmonella risks here! A set of tongs to easily flip over your drumsticks instead of playing the Olympic sport of "can I balance this awkwardly shaped food on a spatula long enough to flip it over?" Seriously, just get these, they will make your life *so* much easier. A set of metal skewers so you can whip up those delicious kebabs you love without ending up with a plate full of burnt wooden skewers. A grill basket designed to help you cook up all your fave little foods like cut-up veggies or shrimp without risking losing them into the fiery abyss. Or a pair of nesting grill baskets you just toss your food in and rotate periodically to promote even cooking. A canvas cross=back apron to help keep your outfit safe from splattering chicken juices, BBQ sauce, ketchup, or the dreaded staining mustard. A BBQ smoker wood chip set complete with apple, hickory, and cherry wood chips to really elevate your chicken, steak, and burgers to a level your neighbors could only dream of achieving. A 24-piece grilling accessories set equipped with pretty much ~anything~ you could need to get started with your new fave summer activity — grilling up delicious meats, veggies, and pretty much anything else you can dream up. A silicone grill mat you just set on the sides of your grill to help keep them *and* your utensils clean. Not to mention it'll help keep things from slippin' and slidin' all over the place. AND cleanup will be wayyy easier 'cause you can just toss the mat in the dishwasher instead of meticulously cleaning all the crevices of the grill. A BBQ blanket — aka an insulated bag that gives your meat a temperature-controlled place to rest (while also protecting it from bugs) so you can serve it perfectly hot and fresh on your timeline. A side table with a little secret…it's also a cooler! With all the grilling you're about to do, you're gonna want a place to store your beverages so they are easy to access. A salt-block cooking plate you can set right onto the grill to enhance the flavors of anything you're cooking — steak, fish, seafood, veggies, and more. And for the times you're not grilling (which, TBH, will that ever be the case this summer?) you can chill it and use it as a serving plate for cold cuts or side dishes. A set of six nonstick, easy-to-clean, reusable BBQ grill mats so you can do the fun part — grilling — and skip the laaaame part — scrubbing and cleaning up the grill. Plus, it'll help keep any smaller chunks from falling through the grates. A stainless-steel basting pot and brush set to lather your food in your delicious secret sauce. This is an all-in-one tool combining a lid, brush, and bowl into one nifty device. Plus, the brush is attached to the lid, so no recovery missions will be required since it can't slip into your bowl, forcing you to stick your hand in the sauce to find it. A basic folding table so you have somewhere to set up all your prepped ingredients and equipment, and then a place to serve up the delicious feast you've grilled up. Promising review: "I bought these folding tables since they had high reviews. They were durable, easy to fold, and easy to set up. I got two of them and use them for backyard parties/BBQs. I would definitely recommend this product!" —jewelsjyxGet one from Amazon for $55.23+ (available in three colors, five sizes, and four versions). A Cuisinart cast-iron grill press designed to help you create those delicious smushed burgers instead of honkin' thick ones that are sometimes a little too ~meaty.~ Plus, it'll help create picture-perfect grill marks that used to be something you could only dream of achieving. A set of ~ingenious~ bacon holders so your fave breakfast side dish can shine again at dinnertime. Wrap anything in bacon — we're talking steak, corn, asparagus, you name it! This nifty "thumbtack" will hold it in place so your precious pork doesn't unravel and fall into the fire. Some mesh food covers to help protect the food you spent hours cooking from little buggers who always like to make an appearance when they smell BBQ sauce. A canopy that'll protect your backyard grilling oasis from the sun's rays that are sometimes just a bit too much… but not enough that you want to go to plan being cooking on a stove. 🥴 You can purchase the hardware set to attach this canopy to your home for $16.99. Promising reviews: "Perfect cover for our BBQ grill patio area." —Gma"Have had it up for over a month and it is holding up very well to sun, wind, rain, and storms. I take it down when I get enough forewarning of strong storms, but sometimes we've been out of town and it has held up quite well. We roll it up and to the side using the installation kit anchors when we get a warning for strong winds. But, like I've said, we've come home after storms to small branches down in the yard, but the sail was good. It does a great job of blocking the sun and cools the house and patio quite nicely from the summer sun." —Ms. ShannonGet it from Amazon for $23.98+ (available in a variety of sizes and 14 colors). A digital thermometer that will give you a precise and FAST temperature reading so you don't have to worry about cutting your chicken open like three times, only to never be fully confident that it's actually cooked all the way. And a meat-cooking temperature magnet since just getting the fancy thermometer doesn't mean you actually know what temperature you are waiting for it to be. Now you won't have to keep googling it every 10 minutes because you forgot the answer.

Virginia Safe Routes to School programs see future funding in jeopardy
Virginia Safe Routes to School programs see future funding in jeopardy

Yahoo

time19-05-2025

  • Yahoo

Virginia Safe Routes to School programs see future funding in jeopardy

Linwood Holton Elementary School students experience the joy of walking and biking to school on protected streets during Bike to School Day May 7. (Photo by Chip Jackson/Richmond Public Schools) A state grant program called Safe Routes to Schools, which funds crossing guard training, teaches students how to safely ride a bike and sponsors walk and bike to school days, has gone through a metamorphosis that could put the brakes on those initiatives. Safe Routes to Schools was created in 2005 under the federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act but got an influx of funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was passed in 2021. Safe Routes to School funds Fit4Kids, an initiative promoting a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and movement implemented in Central Virginia school districts including in the cities of Richmond, Hopewell and Petersburg, and Chesterfield and Henrico Counties. 'Fit4Kids has been the Safe Routes to School program for the city of Richmond for about 10 years,' said Mary Dunne Stewart, chief executive officer of Greater Richmond Fit4Kids. Stewart said in that time, they were able to grow it from a small pilot program, to a district-wide one that trains more than 100 crossing guards and teaches 750 students annually in their Learn to Bike program. In Harrisonburg, project coordinator Andrea Troyer said though their program has been 'on and off' for 10 years, and was originally led by a part-time coordinator. But because of a SRTS grant, they were able to hire her as a full-time coordinator back in November. Since then, she's been trying to restart the bike program. 'One of the big things that's been a success, is the education around students in their bike units,' she said. I was coming from a school that had started up their bike unit for the first time in six years. And so it's really exciting to kind of see the excitement from teachers, administrators, students, (and) from parents.' A major change to how program facilitators request funding and use it has left them unsure if they'll be able to grow their outreach efforts in the fiscal years of 2027-28. Stewart said in the beginning, the Fit4Kids program was funded in a certain way. 'It used to be funded by a specific line item at VDOT that was for Safe Routes to School with federal funding. And that funding went away about three years ago,' Stewart said. According to Jessica Cowardin, assistant director of communications for the Virginia Department of Transportation, when federal funding for the SRTS program was eliminated, the activities under the program became eligible under the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). 'Because dedicated SRTS funding has not been federally reestablished, all SRTS projects must be administered in accordance with the federal TAP guidance,' Cowardin said in an email to Virginia Mercury. Stewart thought the change was 'great,' and said the funding stream still allowed localities to apply for various bike, pedestrian and infrastructure projects. But the issue is in the numbers. Normally when requesting funds, programs such as Fit4Kids work in conjunction with city departments. In Richmond, for example, it's the Department of Public Works. In turn, DPW piggybacks Fit4Kids requests into their bigger pile of funding requests for infrastructure projects. In the past, localities could request funding for up to 11 projects. But now, that number has dwindled to five. This means projects under TAP have to compete with the larger, more expensive infrastructure projects cities need money for. The purpose of the change, some local leaders said, remains unclear. 'We're trying to figure out, why is this happening? Is this a big picture strategy decision from the governor's office or from the Secretary of Transportation? Or is this kind of a mid-level decision?' asked Stewart. 'The only response we've gotten is that they're trying to incentivize new programs.' Cowardin of VDOT said they have to administer TAP funding in accordance with federal and state code and in line with policies established by Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB), which were last updated in summer of 2023. She said the change in maximum TAP applications to five per cycle went into effect this year. This drastic application reduction spurred major concern for Justine Blincoe, policy director of Richmond's Fit4Kids. She said her organization has had a great relationship with DPW over years but the cap on grant applications they can submit threatens it. 'Because the city of Richmond is kind of earmarking one of the project submissions for us each year, if they were limited to doing five project submissions versus two times that amount, it would really limit their opportunity to be able to apply for other higher cost projects,' she said. Blincoe said if you compare the cost of a big paving project to how much money Safe Routes to School needs to operate, for example, it's possible the youth biking programs will be left out. 'It just really kind of puts into perspective that they could be losing out on opportunities to apply for something that's higher cost. And it really kind of disincentivizes localities to partner with a Safe Routes to School program to be able to do this,' Blincoe said. Because of the uncertainty of being left out of funding, Stewart met with representatives from Richmond Public Schools on May 13. 'I'm meeting with RPS to ask them to be the applicant instead of DPW,' she said to Virginia Mercury in an email ahead of the discussion. 'I feel very uneasy asking DPW to forgo a much more expensive project for a VERY low reimbursement rate for SRTS.' The day after that meeting, Stewart said RPS agreed to be the lead applicant in future applications. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

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