March 5, 2012 - Northwoods League (Northwoods) Wisconsin Rapids Rafters Wisconsin Rapids, WI - March 5, 2012. The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters added two right-handed hurlers to the 2012 pitching staff today by announcing the additions of junior Ben Heller (Olivet Nazarene University) and sophomore Cole Webb (Coffeyville Community College). Webb is currently playing for former Rafters manager John Martin, who was named head coach of Coffeyville Community College (Kansas) last July. Current Rafters manager Jake Martin is working as an assistant coach at the College this spring.

"We are excited to add these two experienced pitchers to this year's team," said manager Jake Martin. "Ben is a hard-throwing, right-hander who will bring past summer league experience to Wisconsin Rapids. Cole is a hard worker that pitches and also provides a utility option in the field. On the mound he attacks the zone and is capable of filling in at a variety of positions on the diamond."

RHP-Ben Heller, 6'3", 205 lbs (R/R) Junior, Olivet Nazarene University

Ben Heller has gotten off to a tremendous start to begin his junior season at Olivet Nazarene University (Illinois). Through his first three starts of the season Heller has pitched 18.2 innings, allowing only 11 hits and one earned run, while recording 25 strikeouts. He currently carries a 2-1 record with a miniscule 0.48 ERA. The Olivet Nazarene University baseball team is coming off a 33-win season and a third consecutive trip to the NCCAA World Series.

Heller will bring summer league experience with him to Wisconsin Rapids after spending the 2011 summer pitching for the Athletes in Action Fire in the Alaska Baseball League. He finished with a team-best 2.20 ERA in 14 appearances and was selected to play in the league's All-Star Game. Athletes in Action is a campus and pro sports ministry.

As a sophomore at Olivet Nazarene, Heller appeared in 14 games (13 starts) and finished the season with a 4-6 record. In 66.1 innings pitched, he struck out 55 batters while allowing 27 walks. He was named Academic All-Conference during the spring of 2011. As a freshman, he appeared in 16 games (13 starts) and posted a 6-6 record and 4.11 ERA. In 76.2 innings on the mound he struck out 41 batters.

Heller is a native of Whitewater, Wisconsin where he earned First Team All-Conference, Academic All-State, and First Team All-District baseball honors as a senior in 2009.

RHP-Cole Webb, 5'10", 180 lbs (R/R) Sophomore, Coffeyville Community College

Cole Webb has created a favorable first impression for his new manager this spring. Playing for former Rafters manager John Martin, who is now the head coach at Coffeyville, Webb began his season by throwing a no-hitter against Western Oklahoma on February 17th. Webb pitched seven innings and recorded six strikeouts in the dominating performance.

His second appearance of the season appeared to be headed for a similar result. Webb had an opportunity for a second no-hitter on February 26th as he held Redlands Community College hitless through five innings, before allowing two hits and a pair of runs in Coffeyville's 12-2 win. Webb walked three and struck out seven batters in the outing. Through three starts this spring, spanning 19 innings, Webb has allowed only 6 hits and has struck out 19 batters. He carried a 3-0 record and 2.21 ERA through March 3rd.

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Rafters Lock-Up Pair of Promising Pitchers for 2012

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire -03/05/12)- U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) President, CEO and Founding Chair Rick Fedrizzi, and Hearst Corporation CEO Frank A. Bennack, Jr., today announced that Hearst Tower is the first commercial office building in New York City to be recognized by the USGBC for achieving both LEED Gold for new construction and LEED Platinum for the operations and maintenance of its existing building.

Established by the USGBC and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), LEED is a voluntary, consensus-based global rating system for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance. In 2006, Hearst Tower became one of the first green office buildings in City history, and now with this second certification, Hearst has been awarded the highest possible rating for sustainable building operations and best maintenance practices.

Through this program, as well as energy efficiencies built in the Tower and regular evaluation of energy saving measures over the years, Hearst has reduced its total energy consumption by 40% -- putting the company in the top 10% of efficient commercial office buildings in the country. In addition, the company reduced total waste going to the landfills by 82% and became the first commercial office building in New York City to adopt an extensive composting program which composts 100% of its wet food waste. Hearst also has 100% use of reclaimed non-potable rainwater for hardscape/sidewalk cleaning and controlled water usage throughout the building that has reduced water usage at Hearst Tower more than 30% annually.

"Receiving this recognition from the USGBC is no small accomplishment and one all Hearst employees should take great pride in," Bennack said. "I would like to thank the LEED project team and everyone who has worked so hard to carry through on the forward-thinking vision that went into the creation of this Tower. As we begin to celebrate a remarkable 125 years since our company was founded, this certification of excellence is the most fitting tribute to William Randolph Hearst for it embodies everything he stood for, and reflects the company's commitment to being grounded in the past and inspired by the future."

"Hearst revolutionized the New York City skyline when it first earned LEED certification in 2006, and five years later it upholds its commitment to striving for high performance through green operations and maintenance," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. "We applaud Hearst Corporation for the role it is playing to raise the bar everywhere for what we should expect from our built environment."

"Mayor Bloomberg has made the integration of sustainability and economic development a hallmark of his administration, and we are thrilled that Hearst Tower has become the first commercial office building in the city to achieve LEED Platinum status," Deputy Mayor Robert K. Steel said. "On behalf of Mayor Bloomberg, congratulations to Frank Bennack and the entire team at Hearst not only for this important sustainability accomplishment, but also for 125 years of success in New York City and around the world."

"We're so proud of the recent accomplishments of Hearst Corporation," said New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. "The company's actions are helping the City achieve its PlaNYC goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030. Hearst has set a great example and we look forward to seeing other buildings follow in its footsteps."

In order to achieve Platinum using the LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M rating system, Hearst Tower went through an extensive three month performance period process for the certification, which included: re-commissioning of all its major HVAC systems to identify all opportunities for improvements and addressing them; an energy audit to reveal low-to-no-cost energy efficiency measures and capital improvement measures; implementation of a high performance green cleaning program; a waste audit to measure how much trash is going in and out of the building and to the landfills (composting and recycling programs); and an indoor air quality audit to identify areas to improve on air quality in the building. All audits were performed and more stringent policies were implemented in the areas of energy efficiencies, water efficiencies and indoor air quality.

The Hearst LEED project team was led by Senior Director of Corporate Real Estate Lou Nowikas and LEED Project Manager Victor Liu. The team worked with its building partner, Tishman Speyer, which helped the Hearst Corporation originally construct the building and has managed it since it opened in a highly energy efficient, healthy and sustainable manner. Other partners included: Flack + Kurtz Engineering; ABM Cleaning Services; IESI Waste Services; Tea Environmental, IAQ services; and YRG Sustainability Consulting.

About Hearst CorporationHearst Corporation (www.hearst.com) is one of the nation's largest diversified media and information companies. Its major interests include ownership of 15 daily and 37 weekly newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union; hundreds of magazines around the world, including Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, ELLE and O, The Oprah Magazine; 29 television stations, which reach a combined 18 percent of U.S. viewers; ownership in leading cable networks, including Lifetime, A&E, History and ESPN; significant holdings in the automotive, electronic, medical/pharmaceutical and financial information industries; Internet and marketing services businesses; television production; newspaper features distribution; and real estate.

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Hearst Tower Upgraded From Gold to Platinum

As a state House member, Rep. Stan Saylor is paid more than $80,000 and will receive a pension that makes private sector employees envious, says constituent Bryan Yingling

But while Yingling is helping to pay Saylor's salary, the representative is one of several in the House who want to lower Yingling's wage, he said.

That's why the 54-year-old carpenter from Chanceford Township was one of about 40 construction workers who picketed outside Saylor's Main Street Red Lion office Monday, he said.

The issues: Members of the group were stationed at each corner of the square of Red Lion, distributing flyers addressed to the "Working Citizens of York County."

At issue are 12 bills Saylor supports, including prevailing wage reform and right-to-work legislation.

Under prevailing wage, workers are paid more to work on public projects, such as school construction. And right-to-work legislation, which has drawn ire from union advocates, would bar union contracts from requiring non-union members to pay representation fees.

"Take a look at his wages and benefits, and yet he wants to lower construction workers' wages," said Stanton Bair, 54, of Dover Township.

Members of the group said they represented no union or other organization, but were simply "concerned taxpayers."

And Saylor isn't the only York County legislator being targeted. They'll also soon make appearances at the office of state Rep. Ron Miller, R-Jacobus, who chairs the House Labor and Industry Committee, and others, they said.

Yingling said Saylor and other legislators claim prevailing wage is unfair because York County workers are paid the same wages as workers in areas where the cost-of-living is higher, such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. But Yingling said he's paid a lower York County rate, about two-thirds of the big-city pay.

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Construction workers protest outside state lawmaker's office

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WINSTON-SALEM Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is about to begin construction on the first phase of its medical center in Davie County.

Consisting of an outpatient center and medical office building, the first phase is estimated to cost $79 million. Approximately 200 jobs will be created by phase one, excluding construction jobs.

The complex will be named Wake Forest Baptist HealthWest Campus. Site preparation has begun at the 88-acre tract on Highway 801 at Interstate 40 near the Yadkin River.

The medical office building will be larger than originally planned. It will be a four-story, 60,000-square-foot building containing physician offices. Originally, the building was projected to be 35,000 square feet.

The outpatient center will be 101,000 square feet. The three-level building will contain an emergency department, outpatient surgery and diagnostic imaging.

The increased size of the medical office building will enable us to meet more of the needs of residents of the Davie County, western Forsyth County and southern Yadkin County region, said John McConnell, M.D., chief executive officer of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The larger size also is a reflection of the interest by a broad range of physicians in having full-time offices in a convenient location for patients.

In describing the architecture of the buildings, McConnell said the design is contemporary and progressive while being open and airy with a friendly feel.

The streams on the site meander between the footprint of the medical office building and outpatient center, making it a natural garden feature for the entire development, said Charles Auerbach, vice president of HKS Inc., the architect for the medical center.

HKS is working with Stimmel Associates of Winston-Salem, a landscape architectural and civil engineering firm, and Leach Wallace, a consulting engineering firm in Charlotte.

Continued here:
Construction to begin on new Davie County medical facility

Will Johnson (Centro-matic, South San Gabriel), Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Gob Iron, Uncle Tupelo), Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket, Monsters of Folk), and Anders Parker (Varnaline, Gob Iron)

JAY FARRAR, WILL JOHNSON, ANDERS PARKER AND YIM YAMES PAY HOMAGE TO WOODY GUTHRIE ON "NEW MULTITUDES" OUT FEBRUARY 28

Like a cadre of musical brothers finally coalescing after years on the road apart, Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Gob Iron, Uncle Tupelo), Will Johnson (Centro-matic, South San Gabriel), Anders Parker (Varnaline, Gob Iron) and Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket, Monsters of Folk) gratefully deliver New Multitudes, an intimate interpretation of American icon and musical legend Woody Guthrie's previously unrecorded lyrics.

Set to coincide with the centennial celebration of Woody Guthrie's birth year, New Multitudes will be released February 28 on Rounder Records as a 12 track release and a 23 track deluxe, limited edition. The limited edition features original Guthrie lyric sheets, the 12 track release, and 11 additional compositions recorded by Farrar and Parker. The album will also be available on vinyl.

Under the invitation of Nora Guthrie, Woody's daughter, to tour the Guthrie archives, each of the four songwriters were offered the chance to plumb and mine the plethora of notebooks, scratch pads, napkins, etc. for anything that might inspire them to lend their voices and give the words new life.

"These guys worked on an amazing group of lyrics" says Nora. "Much of it was culled from Woody's times in L.A. Lyric wise, it's a part of the story that is still mostly unknown. From Woody's experiences on LA's skid row to his later years in Topanga Canyon, they are uniquely intimate, and relate two distinctly emotional periods in his life."

The spirit of Guthrie may have been involved in more ways than one, as all four songwriters mentioned the immediate connection to the songs they chose, or as they would suggest, "chose them." The writing came together quickly, as if the mischief muse who originally penned them latched himself to each writer's grey matter upon first contact.

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SUTC and extras - New Multitudes - Jay Farrar - Wilco mega post - clearing the decks

Residents of the Bishops Landing subdivision off Route 139 can see the tombstones from their back porches.

From some of the townhouses in the complex, the cemetery cant be more than 40 or 50 feet away.

So when bacterial contamination started to show up in the developments wells, people started to, as one town official put it, put two and two together.

The implication is gruesome, but state and local officials wont say directly that the cemetery is responsible for the contamination.

But whats certain is that the water in the wells is no good, and Bishops Landing residents will be footing the bill for the fix.

The 23-unit complex had been using a four-well water system for more than 20 years that was never registered with the state, a Department of Environmental Protection spokesman said last week.

The system is too close to, in addition to the graveyard, Route 139 and the paved access road to the cemetery all sources of potential groundwater contamination, officials say.

Health Agent Sandra Gabriel said she got a call from state Department of Environmental Protection in July of 2010 saying that E.coli bacteria had been found in the water.

There have been quite a number (of tests) with total coliform bacteria in the water, said Ed Coletta of the DEP.

Gabriel went to the development to advise residents to boil water before drinking it. She said the Board of Health has been working closely with the neighbors.

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Wells may have contaminated subdivision’s water

BUILDING PERMITS

Boulder

Building construction permits over $10,000 in value that were approved in Boulder between Feb. 20 and Feb. 26, 2012. Listed below are: the case number; address; total project valuation; owner name; contractor (if applicable); and description.

PMT2012-00017; 2015 Bluebell Ave.; $150,612.38; Judith Volc; Pine Construction Co.; Second story addition of 804 square feet (conditioned), significant remodel on main level plus main level addition at location of demolished existing attached garage, and new attached garage. 364 square feet in decks and porches.

PMT2012-00432; 2119 Mapleton Ave.; $140,000; Judy and Eli Godec; Remodel of master bedroom and addition of 57 square feet on second floor of existing single-family detached home. Remodel of main floor kitchen and breakfast area and half bath. Repair of foundation, increase of basement ceiling height and basement finish.

PMT2012-00675; 3326 Loyola Court; $11,450; Allison McComiskey; Napp Landscape Service Inc.; Replacement of existing front yard deck with 302-square-foot deck, approximately 74 inches above grade.

PMT2012-00355; 800 Arapahoe Ave.; $185,000; Historic Boulder; Permeation grouting along sides and below foundation walls, installation of mechanical ties at cracks in masonry walls including repair or replacement of missing brick, and redirection of roof drainage and surface water to include back filling and site grading; all as detailed on landmark alteration certificate application dated Dec. 30, 2012. Owner/contractor.

PMT2012-00640; 3185 Endicott Drive; Eric Koehler and Holly Burton; Lookout -- The Renovation Company; Basement finish of 465 square feet to create a family room (with egress), storage closet, finished storage area (wall must be less than 7 inches apart), full bathroom and mechanical room.

PMT2011-04046; 2210 Howard Place; $18,473.85; John and Susan Fontaine; Renew Construction LLC; Addition of 183-square-foot greenhouse at rear of single-family residence. Scope of work includes associated electrical and mechanical.

PMT2012-00723; 4120 S. Hampton Circle; $40,424.03; John and Laurel Hickman; Hickman Construction Inc.; Partial basement finish of 491 square feet including a rec. room and full bath.

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Boulder building permits: March 5, 2012

Jessica Ventura felt like a brand new person on Sunday.

Ventura, of Norwich, was one of 16 people baptized into Iglesia Las Buenas Nuevas, a Spanish-speaking church, Sunday afternoon.

I feel different. I feel great, said Ventura, after taking her turn in the baptismal pool at First Baptist Church of Norwich.

Iglesia Las Buenas Nuevas began meeting nearly six years ago at the First Baptist Church on West Main Street. Since then, the Spanish-speaking Baptist congregation has grown from a handful of members to 74.

We have 58 members, but we add 16 more today, said the Rev. Jorge Morales. The church draws members not only from Norwich but also from nearby towns, including Groton and New London, where Morales is from. Morales said members hail from Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and other Central and South American countries.

We want to reach as much of the community as we can, Morales explained. Although most of the services are in Spanish, the church provides a translator and individual listening devices so non-Spanish speakers can follow the service in English.

On Sunday, nearly 100 people spent several hours singing and worshipping. Many were there to see the main event of the day the baptisms of 16 new members.

Today is a very special day, said Morales, whose wife, Wanda, also helps lead services. Today, we celebrate something that doesnt occur all year long.

The 16 new members donned white gowns and sandals and took turns stepping into the pool to be baptized. Some wept and some smiled. For husband and wife Cesar and Alicia Santini, baptism was something they experienced as a couple.

My whole family is baptized, Alicia said. My husband wanted me to marry him again, and I said it had to be in the church.

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Spanish-speaking church in Norwich baptizes 16 new members

It's a new beginning for a Bastrop pastor and his wife after their home and church were destroyed in the devastating wildfires last September.

A Bryan church and a congregation from New Hampshire joined forces to build the Vega Family a brand-new home in just a week.

It's a labor for the Lord in Bastrop and it's all for Pastor Mike Vega, his wife Debbie and their congregation at Word of Life Community Church on Highway 21.

He's been doing ministry here for 24 years.

"My church, my home and my daughter's house, daughter used to live right on the church property church homes. We lost three settings here," said Pastor Mike Vega.

The Bastrop Wildfire in September of last year destroyed more than 1,500 homes but left some things like the church's outdoor worship area untouched.

"The fire just went around it as you can see even the trees there we see the fire, the trees have a little bit of burning," said Mike Vega.

After the burning has now come a building blitz and New Englanders talking Texan!

"Yee doggies!" said two of the team members from New Hampshire.

34 people from the Rockingham Church in New Hampshire partnered with First United Methodist Church in Bryan to bless the Vega Family with a brand-new 1,800 square foot home in just a week.

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Bastrop Pastor and Wife Get Brand-New Home After Wildfire Destroyed Their Church and Home

POSTED: 11:03 pm CST March 4, 2012 The Islamic Center of St. Joseph soon wont be the only house of worship on its block.Right across the street, at 2407 Messanie St., rises the frame for what will be Heritage Church, according to documents from the city.City Planner Dustin Smith noted that work began on the building within the past couple of weeks. Plans for it went through the City Council and the planning commission last fall.In keeping with the characteristics of the buildings around it, the church is required to have a brick or stone facade and to be close to the front of the property line. Another red-brick building on the property will be removed.Once complete, Heritage Church will measure about 1,700 square feet.Were still kind of in the process of determining occupancy, Mr. Smith said, adding that for the time being, maximum capacity is set at 48.A representative from the church declined to be interviewed.Erin Wisdom can be reached at erin.wisdom@newspressnow.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SJNPWisdom. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.blog comments powered by

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Construction begins on new Heritage Church building