To: ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND NATIONAL EDITORS

Standout line-up features headlining pop, rock, and country performers including Bonnie Raitt, IL DIVO, Barry Manilow, Ben Harper, Norah Jones, Martina McBride and Crosby Stills & Nash; the Annual NSO @ Wolf Trap series featuring Marvin Hamlisch and Idina Menzel; and Don Giovanni and The Rake's Progress by the Wolf Trap Opera Company

***TICKETS AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS NOW; ON SALE TO GENERAL PUBLIC SATURDAY, MARCH 24 AT 10 AM***

VIENNA, Va., March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts announced yesterday 35 new shows to its summer schedule at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. The 2012 season features some of the hottest in-demand acts, as well as the innovative repertoire and cast of the Wolf Trap Opera Company. Tickets are on sale now to members and go on sale Saturday, March 24 at 10am to the public.

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Must-see highlights from the latest performance additions include the National Symphony Orchestra returning to Wolf Trap as its summer home with stunning performances for the eyes and ears; a unique new production of Mozart's classic Don Giovanni by the Wolf Trap Opera Company, featuring double-casting of its two lead roles; and some of the brightest names in music making their debut or much anticipated return for entertaining summer evenings under the stars.

NSO @ Wolf Trap Shoots for the Moon with Scores from a Star-crossed Romance, a Legendary Video Game, and a Little Help from NASA!

Wolf Trap welcomes back Emil de Cou as the NSO@Wolf Trap Festival conductor, joined by conductors Eimear Noone and Steven Reineke in guest appearances. National Symphony Orchestra performances include a screening of the iconic West Side Story, featuring the full score conducted by de Cou, and a rendition of Gustav Holst's The Planets, with captivating HD film featuring new NASA images. Reineke, one of the nation's most coveted pops conductors, will conduct the NSO in a performance with Broadway superstar Idina Menzel, a Tony Award-winner for her acclaimed roles in Wicked and Rent. Noone will conduct a spirited performance of music with footage from the legendary video game franchise The Legend of Zelda.

Wolf Trap Opera Company Presents the Country's Most Promising Opera Talents

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Wolf Trap Announces 35 Additions to its Summer 2012 Schedule; 74 Shows Booked to Date

So this is what the final leg of expansion has come to for the Big East, welcoming back a team that was kicked out for terrible performance only eight years ago.

Well, eight years might as well be eight decades considering the way realignment has turned conferences into corporate raiders, all too eager to destroy each other to preserve themselves. At turns, expansion has been part "Lord of the Flies," part Generation Me. But it has completely taken the biggest toll on the Big East -- turning a conference that had already lacked national respect into one that is a collection of teams formerly known as non-automatic qualifiers.

As in most of its other moves in the past four months, the Big East adding Temple to the football fold immediately had a sense of desperation attached. The Big East appeared to have no plan once West Virginia bolted for the Big 12 to the tune of $20 million. Playing with seven members for 2012 was not feasible. The Big East called on Boise State to join a year early. The Broncos thought the financial price too steep.

One-win seasons ended shortly after Big East membership ended. Joining the MAC and hiring Al Golden helped the program turn a necessary corner. Slowly but surely, the Owls began to win. The breakthrough came in 2009, when Golden led Temple to a 9-3 regular season and its first bowl berth since 1979. The following year, the Owls went 8-4 but were passed over for a bowl game.

When Golden left for Miami, the Owls went and hired one of the best assistants in the nation in Florida offensive coordinator Steve Addazio. He led the Owls to a 9-4 season -- Temple's third straight winning season -- and a win over Wyoming in the New Mexico Bowl, which was just the second bowl win in school history.

So perhaps the story today should not be what expansion has done to the Big East. That storyline has been rehashed about as many times as John Marinatto has told us all about the value of expanding the league footprint from coast to coast. Losing Syracuse, Pitt, TCU and West Virginia painted the Big East into this corner. We could play Sunday Morning Quarterback about whether perceived passiveness or ineptitude got the Big East here. Bottom line: Adding Temple had to be done.

Therefore the story today should be the second chance that has been afforded Temple -- much in the same way TCU got its second chance in the Big 12. Like the Owls, TCU was the bottom feeder of the Southwest Conference for years before getting kicked to the curb in 1994. There was little need for yet another Texas school, especially one that had made a habit of winning only a handful of games a season.

TCU worked its way back up, making it to multiple BCS games and securing an invite to the Big East before its true love, the Big 12, came calling last year. Temple has yet to achieve the same success as TCU. For all its improvements, Temple is still in its infancy as a winning program, and never once played for the MAC title -- despite being favored to win its division in 2010.

An added bonus this time around is the inclusion of its entire sports program, giving the Big East a solid hoops power to help make up for the heavy losses it took in that sport. Remember, this is the Big East we are talking about, and basketball has absolutely played a role in the additions of Memphis and Temple.

No matter how this move is perceived on the outside, Temple -- perhaps more than all the others -- must show the Big East made the right call in re-extending an invitation. No more falling back into the 1-10 doldrums, the winless conference seasons. The Big East may look different, but the league is still a step up from the MAC. Have the Owls made enough progress in just a handful of seasons to be a legitimate contender? Or at least a team that can continue to go to bowl games?

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Temple gets second chance in Big East

BIRMINGHAM, England, March 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

EcoBuild, 20 - 22 March 2012, ExCel, London Reynaers Aluminium Stand N550

Demonstrating both sustainability and thermal efficiency, Reynaers Aluminium will be showcasing a number of thermally improved systems at EcoBuild 2012 including its market leading window and door system, CS104, ideal for passive construction.

Also featured on the stand will be CF77 Concept Folding sliding doors, CS38 slimline, steel replacement windows, Airmax parallel opening windows, CW50 Hi thermally improved curtain walling and examples of the company's sunscreening products.

A high insulation, triple glazed window system, meeting the exacting passive construction standards, Reynaers CS104 has a market leading Uw value of 0.77 W/mK, for a complete window.

On show for the first time at EcoBuild is the new Reynaers Concept Folding 77, a sliding, folding system with unique features that combine openness with large dimensions while meeting the demands for high insulation. Extremely versatile and easy to use, the system offers two vent profiles and can be used to fully open up internal spaces, while providing three threshold solutions.

Ideal for the replacement of steel windows, Reynaers CS38-SL is a three-chamber window system with excellent technical performance. Its slim lines make it equally attractive for new build applications for all types of side or top hung windows.

The unique parallel opening window Airmax allows air to flow around its entire perimeter facilitating highly efficient ventilation. Its use almost doubles airflow in comparison to traditional top hung windows.

Airmax, in a fully automated version, will also feature on an impressive CW50 Hi curtain walling faade. This high thermally insulated system can achieve a Uw value as low as 1.0 W/mK, providing optimal thermal comfort.

Options of Reynaers Sunscreening systems will also be on show, designed to readily integrate into new or existing buildings to protect against solar heat gain and glare ensuring a comfortable working environment whilst reducing the reliance on air conditioning.

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Sustainability and Thermal Efficiency are Key Themes on the Reynaers Aluminium Stand at Ecobuild 2012

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Apartment-dwellers and owners of cramped kitchens rejoice! Space constraints will no long limit style and function in the kitchen. Whirlpool brand has introduced a 30" French Door Bottom Mount refrigerator that will fit into a standard top-mount refrigerator opening.

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This means you don't have to remodel or spend a dime on new cabinets, but can still get that stylish look you've been craving. The new model fits in a space the same width as a traditional top-mount model but is still large enough to hold wide items like party platters and birthday cakes. It's the perfect solution for those who want to upgrade their kitchen without a complete overhaul.

But it's not all about style. This new refrigerator is also functional. It includes Whirlpool's patented Fresh Flow Produce Preserver. The Produce Preserver will extend the freshness of produce for up to four days longer than their lifetime in standard crisper drawers, saving money and trips to the grocery store. And it doesn't just save money. The Energy Star-qualified French door bottom mount uses less energy than a 50-watt light bulb each year. And the Adaptive Defrost will sense and adapt to save 12% more energy, providing improved food preservation by running the defrost cycle only when necessary.

The 30" French Door Bottom Mount refrigerator is available in a variety of models (WRF560SEY, WRF560SMY, WRF560SFY) at retailers nationwide and comes in black, white or stainless steel with an MSRP ranging from $1,499 to $1,799.

The experts at Whirlpool have a few additional tips on how to redefine your kitchen without remodeling:

With 100 years of innovation, Whirlpool Corporation knows a thing or two about making the refrigerator fit the whole family's needs. Visit the Institute of Kitchen Science, an informational hub about everything kitchen that will provide you with simple tips, advice and best practices for your home. To learn more about the Whirlpool brand please visit http://www.whirlpool.com or on our Facebook page.

*This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Whirlpool Corporation from May 18-20, 2011 among 2,407 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact media@whirlpool.com.

About Whirlpool BrandWhirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion in 2011, 68,000 employees, and 66 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world. Whirlpool brand recognizes that consumers lead busy, active lives and continues to create solutions that help consumers optimize productivity and efficiency in the home. In addition to designing appliance solutions based on consumer insight, Whirlpool brand is dedicated to creating ENERGY STAR qualified appliances like the new Duet washer and dryer (model 9750), the industry's most resource efficient laundry pair, overall efficiency based on equal weighting of cycle time and energy usage. Whirlpool is one of Habitat for Humanity's largest corporate partners, donating a refrigerator and range to every new Habitat for Humanity home built in North America.

Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com. For more information on Whirlpool brand please visit http://www.whirlpool.com or find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/whirlpool.

Continued here:
Capacity That Fits, Freshness That Lasts

SCHERTZ, Texas--Residents living in the Fairhaven subdivision have been asking builder Pulte to buy back their homes for awhile now.

They told News 4 WOAI they are concerned a retaining wall in their neighborhood could come tumbling down. "I feel this is unsafe, the wall is already starting to separate, " said homeowner Bruce Touve.

Neighbors said the cracks and separation along the retaining walls isn't sitting well with them.

"It's just a constant worry, you know what's going to happen when we get a huge storm, or huge down pour, is this all going to come crumbling down?, " said homeowner Priscilla Mendoza.

In a letter to News 4 WOAI, Pulte stated the wall is performing as designed. The letter went on to say "Fairhaven's retaining wall system uses the same design principals as the Texas Department of Transportation." Further more the wall was designed by a licensed professional engineer for that specific location.

Homeowners still don't feel the wall is safe, and want out of their homes.

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Fairhaven residents concerned over neighborhood retaining wall

One area hit particularly hard by the early morning rain was Kaimuki.

The heavy rain turned some streets into streams.

"16th (Avenue) was a river, said Linda Parker. I live on the bottom of 16th. So all the water comes all the way down. And it was, the water was at least to the bottom of everybody's car."

Linda said the heavy rain proved not all vehicles are created equal.

"Geez there must have been about this much water through all of 16th because the cars, the water was up to about here on the tires. And if it was an S.U.V they'd just go right through it, but the poor little mini coopers they had to go real slow, she said.

All the rain was unlike anything Parker had seen before. "In a while that's for sure. We've been here four years on this street, and it's been this bad once before."

Just over the hill an apartment complex on Palani Avenue plagued by frequent flooding in the past is back underwater.

The low lying parking lot sits beside a faulty drain.

The city has planed a fix for the area, but the nearly two million dollar project is still pending.

It wasn't just flooded streets or standing water that folks had to look out for.

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Rain brings down retaining wall in Kaimuki; home left in precarious spot

Mold is an indicator of unhealthy home environment, as well as a cause of various respiratory problems. Because the mold growing conditions, such as warmth and moisture, will only get better in the next few months, Budget Waterproofing encourages homeowner not to delay the mold inspection.

BALTIMORE, Md. (PRWEB) March 07, 2012

According to the recent CBS21 story, some areas of Pennsylvania and Maryland are still dealing with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Lee that hit East Coast past September. Mold is a common complaint among the flood victims, and because many homeowners didnt have flood insurance, the problem wasnt dealt with properly.

Budget Waterproofing, a Maryland mold removal and waterproofing service provider, keeps receiving calls from people with flood-related mold issues. We help many homeowners claim their basements back, and we encourage everyone to examine their houses before it gets too hot and humid outside, says Robert Bollinger, the president of Budget Waterproofing.

Mold needs warmth, humidity, and organic matter to grow, according to the National Institute of Building Sciences. Bollinger also added that mild winter in combination with spring rains and warm temperatures will provide excellent conditions for mold to thrive.

We have provided mold remediation services in Maryland for many years and have developed a checklist to aid our customers in evaluating mold problems, said Bollinger. He pointed out that looking for these signs will help determine if professional mold removal help is needed:

Fogged windows;

Bollinger also noted that mold is usually a symptom of some other problem in your house, such as a leak or poor ventilation, which has to be eliminated to prevent or minimize future mold growth. The recent inspection of a police station in Titusville, Fl., has revealed extensive mold infestation caused by plumbing and insulation issues that yield $600,000 in clean up.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there is a direct correlation between mold and dampness in living premises and an increase in several respiratory health outcomes. Twenty one percent of current asthma cases in the United States were caused by poor air quality due to mold and elevated humidity.

Some of the mold spices are toxic and can cause serious health issues and even death after a prolonged exposure, according to the Toxic Black Mold Information Center. These molds emit toxins that may get inhaled or ingested resulting in a range of problems from irritation and difficulty breathing to mood swings and internal organ damage.

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Budget Waterproofing Encourages Homeowners to Conduct Spring Mold Inspection

By Jason A. Baguia Cebu Daily News

Toledo City The Catholic faithfuls here are rushing to finish the church of the Blessed Pedro Calungsod before his canonization in the Vatican on Oct. 21 this year.

From a chapel made of wood and tin roof in 2006, the churchgoers are now rushing to finish the Pedro Calungsod church that sits atop a hill with a 360-degree view of the lush mountains of the city.

In 2006, the Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal approved the establishment of the parish church in the name of Calungsod whose origins was traced to the Visayas.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma was all praises to the Blessed Pedro Calungsod parishioners during Sundays seventh annual fiesta, which also marks the sixth anniversary of the parish in barangay Cantabaco.

I am glad to see that there have been many improvements in your church since my last visit, Archbishop Palma told a congregation of about 1,000.

He was impressed with the churchs newly tiled floors, stained glass windows depicting the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, and scenes from Calungsods life.

The rectory, flooring, sanctuary finishing, churchyard landscaping and other parts of the church have yet to see completed though.

Palma was the main celebrant of the fiestas concelebrated mass that was participated by Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Antonio Raola, Msgr. Ildebrando Leyson, Msgr. Gerardo Jumao-as.

Monsignor Leyson is one of the lead promoters of the cause for Calungsods canonization. The 94-year-old Monsignor Jumao-as along with Fr. Michael Hisoler persuaded Architect Servillano Mapeso and his wife Josephine to donate the one-hectare land where the hilltop church now sits.

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Community builds Calungsod church

Boston City Councilor Felix Arroyo, who belongs to Roxburys Charles Street AME Church, is joining a growing chorus of politicians calling on the congregations lender not to foreclose on the historic property.

Arroyo, a city councilor at large, has written Boston-based OneUnited Bank to ask the lender to halt plans to seize the church on March 22.

I clearly have a relationship with the church, but its also just the concept (of foreclosing on an historic house of worship) that I oppose, Arroyo told the Herald. This is a church that is very active not just in a moral sense, but also in the life of the city.

Charles Street AME, which dates back to 1818 and has been in Roxbury since 1939, faces foreclosure after failing to make a $1.1 million balloon mortgage payment due last fall.

The church claims it never missed a payment before, but couldnt refinance when the balloon payment came due because of a separate lawsuit OneUnited has filed.

The bank sued Charles Street AME in 2010 over a $3.6 million construction loan taken out to build an adjacent community center.

The bank cut off funding for the project in 2009, leaving construction unfinished.

The church claims thats made it impossible to hold fund-raisers, rent out the center for weddings and do other things the congregation planned to do to generate money.

Local politicians have been rallying to the churchs aid since the Herald last week first reported that OneUnited planned to foreclose.

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and three other city councilors have backed Charles Street AME in recent days.

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Felix Arroyo joins chorus to aid historic church

PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -

It's been 19 months since fire destroyed Greater Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Pascagoula. Out of those ruins, the church is now rebuilding. Members are eager to have a permanent home to worship in again.

Pastor John Davis Sr. and congregation still recall the sadness they felt when fire tore through the Greater Antioch Sanctuary in August 2010.

"My first reaction was my Lord, what has happened," Pastor Davis said.

"I thought they were playing a joke on me," Church deacon Edwin Quave said. "Then when I came down here and saw the church was on fire, I was amazed."

Nineteen months later, Greater Antioch is now being resurrected from the ruins.Tuesday, construction crews were on the Highway 90 property, pouring concrete and putting up steel to make way for a new church.

"I was really rejoicing because we were going to rebuild."

Deacon Edwin Quave treks to the site every day to watch the new building go up.He said the church, which has been around for more than a quarter century, had becomea true staple in this community.

"We have about 1,500 members, and a lot of them are old now and can't go anyplace else, so we need a place to worship," Quave said.

Pastor Davis said when the church doors reopen; he'll be even better equipped to help the hopeless and hurting across Jackson County.

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Popular Pascagoula church rebuilds after fire