SAN ANGELO, Texas — Trustees of San Angelo ISD got some good financial news and some "sticker shock" news at the Board of Education's monthly meeting Monday.

The good news came in the form of a check for $29,541, a rebate from AEP's SCORE program, Schools Conserving Resources.

Gary Throckmorton, program coordinator of AEP's Texas energy efficiency programs, said the school district has been participating in SCORE for five years.

"While these incentives are impressive, the district's biggest benefit comes from reducing your energy use by nearly half a million kilowatt hours a year," Throckmorton said, a savings equivalent to the annual energy use of 64 average homes.

The incentive is a result of switching to energy efficient lighting and HVAC equipment at Alta Loma, Goliad, Holiman and San Jacinto elementary schools, Lee Middle School and Central High School.

Much of the work has come during the renovations linked to the $117 million bond approved by voters in 2008, but Jim Elson, district director of maintenance, said it also was thanks to the district's ongoing revitalization program, which allows the district to update lighting and heating and cooling systems at campuses not included in the bond projects.

Throckmorton said the city of San Angelo also received a rebate of $17,876 from AEP for adopting energy efficiencies.

The "sticker shock" came Thursday when the district received a bid of $1.17 million to install air conditioning and upgrade heating in two gymnasiums, the dressing rooms and a weightroom at Central Freshman Campus and two gyms at Glenn Middle School.

The last time the district installed air conditioning in a gym was at Lake View High School, and the cost was about $200,000, said Steve Van Hoozer, the district's director of bond planning and construction.

The CFC and Glenn gym projects are not part of the bond and are the last four gyms at secondary schools without air conditioning.

Superintendent Carol Ann Bonds and Van Hoozer said age the facilities at CFC, built in the 1920s, were part of the reason for the unexpectedly high cost.

"That old gym has little to no insulation; it's basically a wooden box with a lid on it," Van Hoozer said of one of the CFC gyms. "There are just some real difficulties on getting air conditioning to these old gyms. Also, the price of things are just creeping up."

Trustee Cookie Roberts said the girls who play volleyball and other sports at Central Freshman and Glenn need air conditioning.

"We've taken care of everyone else," she said. "For the health and welfare of those girls, we need to air-condition these gyms."

The board voted to approve the base bid of $1.17 million and asked Van Hoozer to find out what it would cost to replace windows and to report back in March.

Van Hoozer also reminded the board and the administration that after March 1 there will be no air conditioning in the SAISD Administration Building until the work is complete on upgrading its HVAC system.

Bonds also asked the board to approve the members of the first concussion oversight team. She said a law passed in the last legislative session requires school districts to name a team "to establish protocols when a child who has been diagnosed with a concussion may return to competition or even practice."

The team approved by the board is made up of Bonds, district Athletic Director Jim Slaughter, district athletic trainers Jenny Corbett, Joey Guzman, Randall Parker and Troy Wilde, orthopedic Dr. Stacy Beaty, family practice Dr. Warren Conway, pediatrics Dr. James Herbert and pediatrics Dr. Robert Patyrak.

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SAISD board of trustees gets good news and bad at meeting

Kitchen Remodeling Company, Cambridge Kitchens Creates High-Tech 3-D Designs to help clients visualize what their kitchen will look like.

Hicksville, NY (PRWEB) February 21, 2012

For more than 20 years, Kitchen Designers, Cambridge Kitchens has been the leading name in premium lifestyle products for homes in New York and the tri-state area. The company has now introduced a revolutionary concept of computer generated 3-D designs that will allow homeowners to visualize their kitchen beforehand.

The process begins with a meeting between the company's expert designers and home owners, and often the property architects and designers too. But all that Cambridge Kitchens really needs are the dimensions of the room, and the door openings and windows, etc.

"With our advanced designing program, you are now able to see your kitchen the way it would look like in your home," says Cambridge Kitchens CEO Nick Vassi. "Our strength lies with turning a simple idea into a work of enduring beauty."

After meeting with the homeowner Cambridge Kitchen designers take a picture of the existing kitchen as well as the dimensions. After that Cambridge presents the homeowner with a visual 3D sketch of what their kitchen will look like once it it complete.

Once the design has been finalized, the woodworking artists get busy and it takes them at most 2-3 weeks to manufacture a kitchen. The material used, including hardwood, is hand-picked to ensure durability, quality and a perfect finish. Machines using cutting-edge technology and software are skillfully combined with traditional woodworking talent for shaping and sanding wood into the required shape with precise measurements from the computer-based design.

Technology and computing innovations have an impact on every aspect of life today. This impact often changes lives for the better. But when cutting-edge technology is combined with a designer's vision and 20 years of traditional woodworking, the result can only be a magnificent masterpiece.

A little history about Cambridge Kitchens

The Hicksville, NY based company designs and manufactures dream kitchens on Long Island. With a decade long history of delivering quality kitchens and custom designed cabinets, Cambridge Kitchens has a rock solid quality assurance program in place that ensures every single cabinet is built to strict standards. The creative part is taken care of by the company's expert designers, whose job it is to come up with ideas and concepts for a spectacular remodeled design.

With over 20 years of happy customers all over the tri-state area under their belt, the experts at Cambridge Kitchens intuitively know what customers want, and this fact has been consistently appreciated by customers once they see their new kitchen.

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Nick Vassi
Cambridge Kitchens
516-935-5100
Email Information

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Kitchen Designers, Cambridge Kitchens Goes High-Tech With 3-D Designs

TRENTON — Thirty schools are now slated for construction or renovation by the Christie Administration in the state’s poorest cities, but it’s unlikely any of those buildings will open their doors to students by the end of the governor’s term in office, law makers and school officials said.

Last week, Christie announced plans to start construction on 20 projects serving students from New Brunswick, Phillipsburg and West New York among other districts. Progress on 10 projects he announced last year, however, has been sluggish, leaving the time line to complete the new projects in question.

"I’m happy it appears we have the governor’s attention about the need for these schools, but it doesn’t change the fact that not a single school will be completed during the Christie Administration," Assembly Education Committee Chairman Patrick Diegnan said. "This is not some discretionary situation. It’s court mandated, and it’s a travesty."

The Schools Development Authority must construct and repair school facilities in 31 low-income districts across the state formerly known as Abbott districts. When Christie took office, he put all construction on hold for more than a year before unveiling the first 10 projects he planned to start.

Those projects are advancing "on schedule," said Kristen MacLean, a spokeswoman for the authority. She said significant planning, design, environmental testing, real estate acquisition and site work was needed before the construction projects could be advertised for bids.

"The SDA is proud to have kept its promises on schedule and will continue to not overpromise and under deliver as was done in the past," MacLean said. "The start of construction is not the start of a project."

No work was done to advance construction of Newark’s Oliver Street Elementary School for at least eight months after Christie’s announcement that construction was imminent, said Steve Morlino, Newark’s executive director of facilities management.

A few months ago, a working group of officials from the authority and the district had formed to evaluate if standardized design could be applied to the Oliver Street project. But standardization will be difficult, Morlino said, because Oliver Street School is slated to be built on an irregularly shaped lot.

"Obviously, there have been some delays since the governor’s previous announcement," Morlino said. "If we move forward on Oliver Street rapidly, we could have a school open by September 2014, but it wouldn’t take much to delay that to the following school year or the year after that."

Related coverage:

• Gov. Christie announces new plans for 20 N.J. schools across the state

• N.J. lawmaker: Head of Schools Development Authority hasn't adequately answered questions

• N.J. authority reveals approval process for $500M in construction projects at 10 schools

• N.J. lawmakers frustrated by lack of information on how 10 school constructions were approved

• Schools Development Authority CEO mum on spending plan for poor districts

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Gov. Christie's N.J. schools construction plan unlikely to conclude during his term in office

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 22, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ETC Building & Design, a construction/architecture firm specializing in healthcare/biotech and seismic retrofit, announced today the expansion of its architecture and building divisions with the hiring of three more senior level staffers. These key additions will help the company meet the increasing demands of its fast-expanding client base. The company, with several offices across California and clients throughout the Western United States, has continued to enjoy rapid growth despite the stall in construction during the recession. ETC has maintained growth with its focus on providing highly specialized architectural design and construction services for the healthcare and life science industries, enhanced with its unique expertise in seismic retrofit for hospitals and biotech facilities. The hires include:

Julia Cousins AIA, NCARB, MPH, LEED AP, Senior Medical Architect Janis Cruz, Director of Project Management Neil Howry, General Superintendent of Northern California

Key Hire Biographies:

Julia Cousins AIA, NCARB, MPH, LEED AP, Senior Medical Architect

A licensed architect specializing in healthcare for the past 15 years, Julia Cousins has joined ETC as a planner and project manager for medical projects. Her professional experience spans a wide range of architectural practice as well as teaching architectural graphics and design since the 1980s. She is enthusiastic about making an architectural contribution to the healthcare system.

Prior to joining ETC, Julia was responsible for a wide range of medical planning and design team project management of hospital construction projects for several major healthcare providers in the western US. California projects have ranged in size up to $200 million, including the UCSD Medical Center ED remodel, Kaiser San Diego Medical Center remodels, Eisenhower Medical Center tower expansion and remodels, Dignity Health (DH - formerly CHW) Marian Medical Center hospital expansion, and Oak Valley Medical Center replacement hospital. In Nevada and Arizona, her experience included work at the Carson Tahoe new Regional Medical Center in Carson City, Pacific Medical Buildings' doctor office/tenant improvements at DH St Rose Medical Center in Henderson, NV, build out of new Patient Care Units at DH Chandler Medical Center, Chandler, AZ, and the new DH Mercy Gilbert Medical Center campus in Gilbert, AZ.

Julia's academic achievements include a BS and Master of Architecture from Ohio State University, and a Master of Public Health in Healthcare Administration from San Diego State University. She is an NCARB certificate holder, a member of the AIA, and also a LEED AP in New Construction.

Janis Cruz, Director of Project Management

Janis Cruz has over 17 years of experience in project management, with seven focused on healthcare design and construction projects at Scripps Health in San Diego, CA and Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. Having worked on the client (owner) side, Janis brings a deep understanding of the needs of clients to ETC. She has worked on a variety of acute care hospital projects (OSHPD) and medical office building projects including surgery suites, major radiology, infusion treatment centers, exam rooms and amenities. She brings an exemplary track record of directing teams to complete projects on time and on budget, often coming in ahead of time and under budget. Highlights include completing the Rady Children's New Acute Care Pavilion ($260 million, coming in below the original budget) and the Scripps Clinic Rancho Bernardo ($43 million), the WebMD Pavilion in Oceanside and most recently a UCSD research facility supporting maternal and pediatric studies. Janis was also responsible for ensuring compliance with OSHPD and other regulatory agencies. Janis' experience includes a decade of capital construction and facility management projects at SAIC in San Diego. Janis's educational achievements include a Master of Business Administration from San Diego State University and undergraduate studies at UCLA.

Neil Howry, General Superintendent of Northern California

Neil Howry has worked in construction since 1994 when he started as a carpenter. His extensive resume includes excelling in the role of superintendent at Centex Construction in Santa Monica, CA and more recently lead superintendent at Clark Construction in Oakland, CA. He brings many years of experience working closely with owners, architects, engineers, inspectors and subcontractors to manage all aspects of construction projects and ensure they stay on time and on budget. Neil has specific experience in the education and healthcare industries. Larger healthcare projects managed by Neil include John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, CA ($335 million), Clovis Community Hospital ($195 million), Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton, CA ($43 million) St. John's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, CA, and Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, CA. Neil also worked on a renovation of Anaheim Stadium and a large student housing project at Cal Poly San Louis Obispo ($235 million).

Neil's certifications include STS (project management) and OSHA 30 hour. He's well versed in OSHPD. His varied experience also includes serving as a firefighter for four years in Orange County. He studied construction management at Cal Poly Pomona.

About ETC Building & Design

ETC Building & Design is a privately held corporation specializing in the design and construction of health care and life science facilities. The firm has completed over 3 million square feet of hospital tenant improvements over the past ten years and in 2010 added a Biotech Division with a seasoned team of professionals specializing in projects for the life science sector. In addition, ETC is the foremost provider of seismic retrofitting to health care and biotech facilities in the Western United States, a specialization that is very unique in the construction industry. To complement its seismic services, the firm is also the primary distributor of SAFE-T-PROOF earthquake fastening systems and emergency preparedness products. ETC is headquartered in San Diego, CA, with offices in Los Angeles and the San Francisco bay area. More information about ETC can be found at http://etcusa.net.

The ETC Building & Design logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=11744

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California Healthcare Construction Company ETC Building & Design Continues to Expand With Three Key Hires

Who: Lois Campbell, 104, Forest Grove; 5 feet 5 inches (though she remembers when she was nearly 5 feet 9,) 128 pounds

At 104, Campbell is entitled to impart some wisdom. She suggests we keep music in our lives and stay in close touch with our collective sense of humor. That, of course, is in addition to good nutrition and regular exercise.

Born in Berkeley in 1907, she grew up moving a lot as the family followed her father to jobs as teacher, principal and professor. She remembers growing up singing, too. In 1931, she married Don Campbell, who later was superintendent of Parkrose public schools. He died in 1980. She taught music, English and drama before her children were born and continued to give piano lessons. Their daughter and two sons, 71, 73 and 76, produced five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Campbell has lived in Forest Grove for 30 years and, with the help of caregivers, resides in her own home. She goes to church every Sunday and was driving until last fall. Her main caregiver, Diane Lillywhite, says she's "a pleasant person who doesn't sweat the small stuff." Campbell doesn't read much anymore, and she misses gardening. But she's a longtime amateur birdwatcher and member of the Audubon Society. A sunroom stretching across the back of her house looks out on a small but nicely landscaped backyard crowded with birdhouses, bird feeders and birds.

One of her sons spends the day with her once a week. Campbell says they always read a chapter or two of something by Patrick McManus, such as "A Fine and Pleasant Misery," and "we just howl." She plays piano when she has the energy: "It's not quite what it used to be, but I like to play for singalongs." The family comes to her house for holidays. Campbell no longer does the cooking, but they still gather around the piano to harmonize on Christmas carols.

She takes an exercise class for seniors three days a week at Forest Grove Health & Fitness. They work on strength, including core strength, balance and grip using hand weights, bars, chairs and stretch bands. Walking and stretching are part of the class too. Campbell has exercised regularly for 35 to 40 years and knows that stronger muscles support aging joints.

She takes many more vitamins than she does prescription medications. The list includes the usual: B12, C, D, calcium and the supplement MSM. She isn't much of a coffee or tea drinker, preferring fruit juice and a lot of water. She says she's had alcohol "maybe twice" in her life. Her caregiver says she's easy to cook for because there's little she doesn't like. She eats meat, fish, fowl, whole grains, lots of fruit and "huge quantities" of vegetables. She consumes very little sugar because it makes her arthritis worse, and she says no to dill pickles.

Campbell says her doctors "seem satisfied." She works with both a naturopath and an osteopath for the best of both worlds. "If I'm going to live this long, I better have as few pains as possible," she says. Her mother lived to be 95, and she has a brother who is 101.

If you'd like to share your workout with readers -- or know someone whose workout you'd like to read about -- send name, age, daytime phone number and workout details to Nancy Dow, My Workout, The Oregonian, 1320 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 or by email to ndow@oregonian.com. We encourage one or two recent, high-quality digital photos sent as JPEG attachments.

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My Workout: 104-year-old doesn't sweat small stuff

Consumers in the market for a sunroom or room addition should prepare to eat their words if they think once they've seen a sunroom, they've seen them all.The new Hybrid Sunroom from Four Seasons Sunrooms is like nothing else seen before!

(PRWEB) February 21, 2012

Consumers in the market for a sunroom or room addition should prepare to eat their words if they think once they've seen a sunroom, they've seen them all.The new Hybrid Sunroom from Four Seasons Sunrooms is like nothing else seen before!

Unlike the average conservatory or patio enclosure from other companies, the Four Seasons Hybrid Sunroom delivers new state-of-the-art engineering and a range of modern and classical designs, along with super energy-efficiency that is equaled by no other sunroom company.

What really sets the Four Seasons Hybrid Sunroom apart is the traditional style of construction, which means it immediately becomes an integral part of the home, and visitors will assume the addition has always been there.

Available as a studio, cathedral-roof or conservatory design, with solid or glass roof and with a choice of double-hung, casement or sliding windows, the homeowner can create a beautiful sunroom that is architecturally pleasing, matching the look of the existing home, and offering year-round comfort.

Four Seasons Sunrooms have described their new Hybrid Sunroom as where, "The world's finest sunrooms meets the world's finest windows." And, in truth, it's hard to argue with that. The company has been a market-leader in sunroom building and design for the past 35 years and has continued to invest in leading-edge technology that puts them miles ahead of the rest.

With its structural grade aluminium framing system, the Four Seasons Hybrid Sunroom has the strength and integrity to withstand whatever the weather cares to throw at it. Homeowners can relax comfortably inside their sunroom or conservatory, safe and secure, while Mother Nature moves through all four seasons.

The Hybrid Sunroom's vinyl windows use the thickest, heaviest extrusions and the maximum concentration of Titanium Dioxide that provides strength and durability, as well as a pure white UPVC with superior, long-lasting UV protection. For additional security, the sashes are reinforced with galvanised steel with the option to extend this extra safety feature to the window frames too.

All Four Seasons Sunrooms, including their new Hybrid Sunroom and conservatories, feature the company's CONSERVAGLASS SELECT™ glazing technology. Using a combination of microscopically thin coatings of exotic metals and compounds, the Hybrid Sunroom lets beneficial natural light into the room, while helping to keep out oppressive heat and preventing UV light from damaging furnishings or upholstery. In the cold winter months, this exclusive technology helps reflects winter heat back into the addition, so the family inside can enjoy year-round comfort.

Combine the state-of-the art technology of the Four Seasons Hybrid Sunroom with its exceptional style and design, and the end results is a unique room addition that is thermally superior to any other sunroom available today.

Whether the homeowner is thinking of an elegant dining room, a spacious living room or even a home office or den that's flooded with light, it's worth taking a closer look at the Four Seasons Hybrid Sunroom. It could be the energy-efficient room addition they've always dreamed of!

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Marketing Director
Four Seasons Sunrooms and Windows
631-563-4000
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Four Seasons New Hybrid Sunroom: A Modern Addition with Classic Style

04-05-2011 11:32 http://www.onsiteinstaller.com Presby Environmental Inc. produces alternative wastewater treatment products. It displayed the Advanced Enviro-Septic wastewater treatment system at the 2011 Pumper and Cleaner Environmental Expo. For more information, call Presby Environmental Inc. at 800-473-5298 or visit http Learn more about the Expo at http://www.pumpershow.com

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Presby Environmental Inc. - Advanced Enviro-Septic Wastewater Treatment System - Video

16-06-2011 12:42 At George's Septic Tank Service, Inc. we provide complete residential, commercial and industrial septic tank service. Our family-owned and locally operated business has provided quality service in Central Oregon since 1963. Our services include repairs, septic pumping, sewer lines, septic cleaning and maintenance, plumbing inspections, and restaurant grease traps

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Bend Oregon Septic Service - Video

15-11-2010 09:41 Just think no more bugs, add a screen porch today!!!!!!!!!!!

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Mid Atlantic Deck and Fence,Low Maintenance Deck and Porch Maryland, MD - Video

04-03-2011 22:41 Visit my Photoblog: http://www.soaringframes.com With his signature writing style, Jamey brings across the calmness of the afternoon many of us have known on our own porches during summers long gone. A good tune with great imagery.

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Jamey Johnson - Front Porch Swing Afternoon - Video