WEATHERFORD A judge recently ruled that South Main Church of Christ is entitled to more than $4 million from a three construction companies owned by a man who committed suicide, leading to a public search, last year. However, when and if the church will see that money is still unknown.

The members of this congregation have been severely harmed by these actions, church Elder Larry Cobb said of the fallout from the actions of Dempsey Stice.

Stice, who founded Stice Electric, Stice Construction and several other companies, was best known as president of Stice Enterprises at the time of his death in January 2011. The business was the general contractor for many large construction projects in Parker County, including hotels, housing additions, churches, businesses and a medical center and bank.

Among his projects was a $1.9 million renovation project at South Main Church of Christ, not completed at the time of his death.

The church at 201 S. Main St. in Weatherford tackled the ambitious project which shut down a half-block of College Street in January 2010, tearing out an old classroom wing and working to replace it with a 20,000-square-foot, three-story configuration that will house administrative offices and consolidate all 26 classrooms in one building.

What the church didnt know at the time was that Stice, who was reported missing and later found dead in a helicopter he owned that he had landed in far north Parker County, was facing many problems. At the time of his death, he was under investigation regarding forged construction project documents and he had filed for bankruptcy in May of 2010.

In a petition filed earlier this month, on March 7, South Mains lawyer noted that Stice had completed some renovations for the church in 2009 at a cost of $278,000 and, at the time, the church was satisfied with his work. In his attempt to convince the church to hire him for their $2 million education facility project, Stice told the church that he was experienced in this type of work and had proper training, had the necessary financial capabilities to perform the work, would hire an experienced and qualified engineer and obtain permits, would properly supervise the work and other promises, the petition states.

These representations were false, the petition reads. In fact, what Dempsey Stice contemplated, and what he had done on other jobs, was stamping a fake engineers seal on the plans for the project so that he could obtain the necessary permits without the trouble or expense of having a qualified and license engineer review and approve the plans.

Through fundraising efforts and a $1.6 million loan taken out with Legacy Texas Bank, the church proceeded with the construction, according to the petition.

Construction of the education facility proceeded through most of 2010, the petition reads. In late 2010, the City of Weatherford withdrew the permit for the construction because of evidence of the lack of authenticity of the engineers seal on the plans. The evidence of this fraud by Dempsey Stice was the culmination of a series of difficulties for Dempsey Stice, including his filing for bankruptcy, and Stice Construction being sued in a multi-million dollar wrongful death claim. This led to Dempsey Stice flying his helicopter from Weatherford to Mineral Wells and committing suicide on January 14, 2011.

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$4 million judgment for church

Campbell Co., VA - The Spring temperatures outside are really heating up the business at area repair shops. Local lawn mower mechanics are already overloaded with work, and some of them are dealing with a three-week waiting list.

They say the problem is everyone tends to wait until they need to use their mowers.

At Timberlake Appliance and Lawn Mower Repair, the rush is on.

"I enjoy it. They might not enjoy it, the guys that's working on them," said shop ownerRon Mattox.

The business's three full-time mechanics are getting up to 20 new repair jobs a day.

"Usually we'll stay busy up until the end of June," saidMattox.

"We start picking up this time of year, but not this bad, not this much," saidHead MechanicKenny Rees.

This rush is the result of everyone reacting at the same time.

"Had to fix it so I could get the grass cut. That's my chore at my house," said customerQuentin Overman.

"They see green grass and they just pile them in on you so it doesn't take long to get backed up," saidMattox.

Continue reading here:
Mower Repair Shops Staying Backed Up

After hibernating for years, apartment construction is poised to boom in San Francisco, where desperate renters say those high-rises can't rise high or fast enough.

Largely in response to the city's growing technology sector, 22,000 residential units are in various stages of approval and construction. In a few years, residents could be signing leases for new addresses in South Beach, South of Market, Central Market and Mission Bay.

"There's been so much approved over the last four years that's never been built, so there's essentially a backlog of projects waiting for financing," said John Rahaim, the city's planning director.

Since 2008, only about 1,710 units were built each year, compared with an average of 2,220 each year between 2004 and 2008, according to the department.

Now, five major dwellings that were approved before 2008 and stalled during the recession have been restarted. Developers have begun, completed or been cleared for construction on more than 2,000 units.

More are on the way. Eight residential buildings, with more than 1,300 combined units, received building permits last year. There are permit applications for another $1.6 billion worth of projects, Department of Building Inspection records show.

The upcoming construction boom, real estate observers say, gets its boost from a more stable economy, financiers once again being willing to invest and an incoming wave of employees at local companies like Twitter, Zynga and Salesforce. While some city-mandated affordable housing will be built, many of the new units will be priced beyond the reach of working- and middle-class residents.

"If these tech companies are moving in right now, where are all these people going to live?" asked Joske Thompson, a local real estate agent. "The demand is far greater than the supply right now."

One site that has come back to life is 1844 Market St., west of Octavia Boulevard, where construction will start in April.

Set to open in fall 2013, the $55 million building will have 113 rental units - 99 market-rate and 14 affordable units.

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S.F. apartment construction boom around the corner

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Downtown patios back on the menu: COUNCIL AGENDA

Is this sandwich worth $1 million? (Pillsbury.com) When you imagine whats entailed for a Pillsbury Bake-Off contestant to make it to the final round of 100, do countertops strewn with blue paper curlicues from crescent dinner roll packaging come to mind? Hours or years of testing, friends focus groups and lots of scribbling to determine the most delicious-sounding recipe title? Maybe a gingham apron?

Springfield resident Samantha Miller cops to none of that. Shes our hometown pick to root for this weekend, when shell make her Chicken Cacciatore-Cheese Bread Sandwiches at the 45th annual event, held again this year in Orlando, Fla. More than $1 million in cash and GE appliances are at stake.

Samantha Miller of Springfield, representing the Washington area in this years Pillsbury Bake-Off. (Pillsbury.com) Puerto Rican-born Miller, 43, is an Army wife and mother of two children, ages 9 and 11. She teaches in Fairfax Countys adult community education program and puts a meal on the table just about every night; convenience items are a regular part of her repertoire.

Shed watched a TV show about the famous cooking competition, which went into biennial mode after 1978. So it was in her head as she scanned her pantry and fridge for dinner ingredients one night last April, grabbing a tube of refrigerated French bread dough, a store-bought rotisserie chicken, canned tomatoes and chicken broth. Contest rules require at least one Pillsbury product (from a list of 11) and one product from a contest co-sponsor brand (10 to choose from; its not just about the giggling Doughboy any more).

I had planned to make a Mexican dish, she says, but I thought Italian might work better with the bread.

She topped the bread dough with mozzarella cheese and dried basil before it went in the oven, then made a sofrito and stirred in shredded chicken, Italian seasoning and thyme. She split the just-baked loaf lengthwise, spooned the filling over one half, then topped it with the half smothered in melty cheesy and cut the thing into portions. Served it with a fruit salad.

Her family liked it, so she uploaded it into the Dinner Made Easy category. Miller made the cut. It was the first time shed entered any kind of cooking contest. Since then, shes only made the recipe probably three or four times, she says. Once submitted, it cant be tweaked. Finalists have been kept in the loop via a Pillsbury portal online so they know what to expect in terms of setup.

Shes headed to Florida this weekend, flying solo, as it were, without family to cheer her on. Itll be like a little vacation for me, Miller says.

Whats her game plan for Sunday, the big cooking day, with cameras and interviews and Martha Stewart on hand to emcee? Ill make my dish two times for the judges, then one more time, maybe, Miller says. It tastes pretty good. But I worry that by the time the judges taste it, it might be cold. Most people are worried about that, I think. If she wins her category alone, she could receive $8,000 in cash and prizes.

Even sprinkled with first-timers fairy dust and facing a potential, pre-tax $50,000 for the next 20 years (which is how the winners $1 million gets allotted), Miller remains level-headed about her prospects. Last years winner was sweet: Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups. Finalists recipes have been on the Pillsbury Web site for a while, and hers has thus far earned a rating of 2.5 stars (out of 5), with the following comment: An easy and delicious sandwich! It came together quickly and we all went back for seconds. I will definitely make this recipe again.

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D.C. area finalist heads to Pillsbury Bake-Off

22-03-2012 04:56 West Wind Interior Design 8 Nathan Ct Brunswick, ME 04011 (207) 725-7506 westwindinteriordesign.com West Wind Interiors has been established for 30 years. Our achievement is based upon serving the needs of the community, whether the job is little or big,residential or commercial. Furniture Brunswick ME, Interior Designer Brunswick ME, Interior Decoration Brunswick ME, Window Treatments Brunswick ME, Interior Decorator Brunswick ME

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West Wind Interior Design (207) 725-7506 - Video

Jean English sometimes used plants as drapes and built outdoor shower stalls open to the ocean.

The bold interior decorator had a brain aneurysm on Nov. 18. She died March 15 at the Hospice of Palm Beach County at age 88.

She was born Jean Easterday in Mansfield and graduated from Cleveland Heights-University Heights High School. She went to Rockford College and Ohio Wesleyan University.

In the early 1960s, she started what became known as the Jean English Studio at her house in Bainbridge. She decorated homes and businesses in Greater Cleveland and the Bahamas, including the clubhouse at Tanglewood Country Club and a restaurant at La Place.

She decorated model homes at Tanglewood Lake, Lake in the Woods, Landerwood Glen and elsewhere, scattering eyeglasses, fruit and open books for that lived-in look. She sometimes hung stenciled wallpaper and local artwork.

English eventually moved to Treasure Cay in the Bahamas and spent summers in Moreland Hills. She co-founded Valley Presbyterian Church and Fellowship Bible Church, both in Bainbridge. Fellowship will host a memorial service at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 31.

She outlived her husband, Phil English. Survivors include eight children, 23 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

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Jean English decorated interiors from Cleveland to the Bahamas: news obituary

Greenville Fire/Rescue crew remains on the scene of an early morning fire that began about 2:30 a.m. Friday, officials said.

Capt. B.H. Davenport said two adults and one juvenile escaped the fire at 312 Prince Road without injury.

The fire crew continues to work to put out any remaining "hotspots" in the 9,600 square foot home, he said.

"It was a 9,600 square foot house, and that was a big challenge," Davenport said. "The owner had done extensive additions onto the structure."

Davenport said the original home was about 1,700 square feet.

Cindy Challender, a neighbor who lives adjacent to the Prince Road home, said the initial response from the fire department was inadequate for the size of the structure.

"There was a delayed response, and it's unfortunate," she said.

Challender and her husband Chris said officials with the department responded to the fire on Prince Road, where homes are smaller. The 9,600 square foot home backs up to Lori Drive, which provided the best access for officials to fight the fire, the Challenders said.

"The homes on (Prince Road) are generally small, brick ranches that are 1,500 to 1,700 square feet," said Chris Challender, who said he is also the insurance agent for homeowner Donald Stanley.

The Challenders said neighbors were on the phone pleading for the fire department to send additional trucks and crew to Lori Drive to fight the blaze. They said only one fire engine was originally sent to the Eastwood development.

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Family escapes early-morning fire

Ashley Day

Published on Mar 23, 2012

Armored Core has always been one of those series for the initiated. If you love tinkering around in the garage before taking your personally customised AC into battle then this is the series for you.

Everyone else has either looked in from the outside, wondering what all the fuss was about, or simply shrugged their shoulders and ignored it. But after the breakthrough success of From Softwares Dark Souls last year, perhaps its time to give Armored Core another look.

Perhaps From Sofware has taken some of the bold innovation found in Dark Souls and completely turned the mech combat genre on its head.That would have been nice wouldnt it?

Sadly, extensive online modes aside, Armored Core V stubbornly sticks to the same basic formula it always had. Think about that for a minute. Armored Core began life on the PlayStation. Not the PS3, or even PS2, but the original PlayStation, way back in the mid-Nineties.

Back then a third-person shooter with customisable mechs was a novelty. Now that novelty has grown old. At its heart, Armored Core is still a very basic third-person shooter a game of duck and cover, and endless circle strafing.

Sure, you can mess around with hundreds of parts to tailor the AC to both the mission and your tastes, but its still based around gameplay that dates back to the dawn of the genre.

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Armored Core V Review

POWERED BY YEAST FIRST ANNIVERSARY PARTY

LAMBIC BLENDING SEMINAR 4- 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 24, 2012 Bazi Bierbrasserie, 1522 S.E. 32nd Ave.; $20, Reservations here

In West Flanders, brew masters often blend old (oude) and young (jong) lambic beers to create a final product sold to the public. Join Artisanal Imports and Powered by Yeast at Bazi to taste and experience how the addition of a very sour beer into a more mild beer changes the character. Participants will get to sample six different lambic blends all while learning about the history and characteristics of this style of beer. Inevitably, beer enthusiasts will find a balance that suits them, whether its a strong percentage of young beer or 100% sour.

Big Time Brewing Co, founded in Seattle in 1988, is Washingtons oldest brewpub. Head brewer Drew Cluley and asst. brewer Bradley Zimmerman are in Portland for two events tonight and tomorrow afternoon, so you can taste some of their fine ales. Whiny the Complainer and Wheatapaug Groove will be pouring at Saraveza tonight and theyll be joined by Powderfinger Rye Ale and Scarlet Fire IPA at Apex tomorrow, which is also the site of a washoe tournament for beer industry teams.

About the beer: Whiny is a delicious triple India Pale Ale that features an abundant amount of bitterness, hop flavor and aroma from over 3 lbs of hops per barrel. Hops include, Cascade; Centennial, Chinook; Columbus; Magnum; Amarillo; and Simcoe. WtC was dry hopped with Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand. Original gravity 1.088; Terminal gravity 1.019; 9.1% abv. The name Whiny the Complainer was thought up by former head brewer Bill Jenkins it is in homage to Russian Rivers Pliny the Younger and the patrons who whine because they missed out on their coveted few ounces of PtY. Whiny was the 2,300th batch brewed at the Big Time since batch #1 was brewed on November 10th 1988.

Wheatapaug Groove is a hoppy American wheat ale with lots of Cascade, Chinook and Amarillo hops. The addition of orange juice concentrate to the boil adds to the citrusy goodness of this beer. Original gravity 1.054; Terminal gravity 1.012 5.5% abv. Powderfinger is a pale spicy ale with 18% rye malt supporting a decent bitterness and floral note from the plentiful use of Liberty hops. Original gravity 1.067; Terminal gravity 1.015; 6.8% abv.

Scarlet Fire IPA became the fifth year round beer at the Big Time in 1996 joining Bhagwan's Best IPA, Prime Time Pale Ale, Atlas Amber, and Coal Creek Porter as the only beers always available in our pub. These five ales are augmented by 25 to 30 seasonal beers throughout the year. Scarlet Fire features Cascade, Columbus, Chinook and Centennial hops. Original gravity 1.066; Terminal gravity 1.017; 6.4% abv.

BROTHERLY LOVE IN BOTTLES

The first bottle-conditioned beer from The Commons is finally ready: Brotherly Love, a variation of Little Brother Belgian dark strong ale. Its matured in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels with red tart cherries and roasted Peruvian cocoa nibs and there are just 150 bottles available as befits the Commons nano-brewery heritage. The Beetje Series is a celebration of those beginnings. First brewed in 2010 on a one-barrel system housed in Mike Wrights garage, these small-batch beers pay homage to the rustic brewery that continues to inspire our creativity and ingenuity.

Fearless Brewing celebrates the vernal equinox and its this years batch of its popular Maibock (36 IBU and 7.5% alcohol) with a release party that includes live music by Fireside Six, plus brewer Ken Johnson will be on hand for brewery tours and to answer questions about beer styles and brewing techniques. German brewers were once only able to brew beer during the winter months, and Maibock was the first beer released, and is characterized by its freshness, with pronounced grain and continental hop flavors. Theyll begin pouring Maibock at noon and will also have Scottish Ale, Clackamas Cream Ale, Peaches n Cream Ale, Porter, Mjolnir IPA and Loki Red on tap, plus a bit of Fearless Strong Scotch Ale.

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Malt Ball, PBY party, first Commons bottles: the Beer Here for the week of Mar 23- 29