This week on my radio show, Rich and Steve are in the studio with Max Brickle, CEO and President of The Brickle Group. A third generation industrialist (and grooming a fourth generation), Max runs a consortium of companies that manufacture woolen fabric, polyester fabric, and non-woven materials used in uniforms, blankets, and berets. But on Sunday, he will be wearing his real estate hat—the company also invests in the re-development of land owned through these manufacturing operations and other investments.

Their latest real estate initiative is a residential housing project in Lincoln. Across the street from the pond and land of the same name, Handy Pond is a 55+ condominium community that they developed with a local builder to supply a housing niche that was missing in Lincoln. This adult community is in an almost rural setting, yet it is set along a good access road to major highways. In this development, they focused on high-end housing with a community feel.

The current batch of units should be available within 60 days. They feature multiple floor plans and upgrade options. More information is available on the Handy Pond website, but you can also learn more by tuning into my radio show.

The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at Roger William’s Park Zoo displays a Rhode Island autumn in all it’s glory. This year’s presentation of Halloween bliss features over 5,000 carved pumpkins that describe a “Journey Around the World.” That’s the theme. The scenes are set to music, and spectators can enjoy designs of everything from the Seven Wonders to representations of nations around the world.

This is one of those Rhode Island traditions I can’t help but love, and apparently, I’m not the only one—the event attracts over 80,000 visitors each year. There’s nothing that says ‘welcome to autumn’ quite like the bold glow of a Jack-O-Lantern, and the intricate carving on display at this event doesn’t hurt either. The Spectacular can’t quite be defined; it’s at once artistic, spooky, and agricultural, but incredibly goofy and light hearted at the same time. This may explain the mass appeal—it speaks to that je ne sais quoi at the heart of Rhode Island culture. The birthplace of Pauly D, H.P. Lovecraft, and Mr. Potato Head, the state also bore the World’s Biggest Pumpkin in 2006 and 2007.

And that is what the Roger Williams Park Zoo asks us to remember at this year’s “Journey Around the World.” Diverse populations can exist in harmony, with the help of the pumpkin medium. Perhaps Rhode Island is something of a pumpkin itself? Regardless, the October-long Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is definitely worth the trip.

If you’re in the Providence area this weekend, you might want to check out the Providence Rotary Street Painting Festival. This event, held downcity in the skating rink, is sure to be a day of family fun and artistic expression. Hundreds of artists flood Kennedy Plaza each year for this event, and take up sidewalk chalk to create large, detailed drawings that celebrate a specific theme. This year, the artistic prompt is “Reach Within to Embrace Humanity” in honor of the Rotary Club’s 100th anniversary.

One of the great things about Providence is the abundance of art and culture. Just think of all the venues—the Rhode Island School of Design, PPAC, Trinity Rep., The Providence Art Club, AS220. These haunts are a reason why the Creative Capital is such a wonderful place to live. Artists have the ability to see the beauty in their surroundings, enhance it, and create something worth keeping, and this is what they bring to our city on a daily basis.

Art makes areas more enjoyable to live in. The Street Painting Festival provides the opportunity for artists to create on an uncommon canvas, and for the public to see these detailed images come to life. This is a promising way to spend a bright autumn day.

Cumberland Manager, Holly Applegate and I are members of this group. More information can be found on The Rotary Club of Providence website.

If you have had power, cable and internet, or just a cell phone that works on controlled usage because your battery may die soon, you must have been following what Irene has left behind. Besides the streaking kid on The Weather Channel, the picture has been pretty bleak in places like North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont. Watching historic covered bridges being washed away by flood waters is painful.

Locally, we have seen mostly tree damage, which in turn has been the culprit for downed power lines and power outages. We have a few pictures from the around our state, and (except for the power issue) it looks like we really dodged the bullet this time around.

Here’s a pictorial view from around the state submitted by our agents and staff:

I heard a story the other day that got me thinking about things irreplaceable. A family making a cross country move hired a company to transport their items. There is nothing unusual about this decision, people hire moving companies every day. However, during the transport, a wheel blew out on the truck and the driver didn’t notice. The friction of the rubber against the other wheels started a fire, and this burned the back of the vehicle. All of their possessions contained therein were destroyed—family photo albums, important documents and, of course, their furniture. A lifetime worth of belongings were lost in an instant.

This got me thinking about the approaching Hurricane Irene. We may not always know when or how disaster will strike. While we can’t control these types of events, we can assemble safeguards that will protect us in the chance of an emergency. One important defense is insurance. While mainstream in regard to homes and cars, this is often overlooked in terms of possessions. Even on something as commonplace as a move, insurance is paramount.

However, if a relocation involves an item that is especially precious to you, (or you happen to be in the path of a major hurricane) it might be a good idea to move it yourself. This does not extinguish the possibility of fiasco, but I think it might give you more control over the outcome. Insurance will reimburse you the estimated cost for what has been lost, but it can’t replace a lifetime worth of memories.