GUELPH An area man who smashed a downtown bar window received a suspended sentence Friday but was ordered to pay restitution.

Stuart John Cunningham, 28, wearing a black leather jacket, hoodie and jeans, was also ordered by Justice Elliott Allen in Ontario Court of Justice to embrace help for substance abuse.

In the early-morning hours last July 5, Cunningham punched and broke a $400 window at Jimmy Jazz, on Macdonell Street, for which he pleaded guilty to mischief Friday.

Vandalism and hooliganism has been a public issue for years in downtown Guelphs entertainment district.

Friday, Cunningham also pleaded guilty to breach of an undertaking to abstain from alcohol. On July 30, an officer on patrol saw Cunningham on Victoria Road carrying a beer bottle.

Defence lawyer Ron Noble noted Cunningham had spent five days in pretrial custody. He also stressed the pipefitter was receiving addiction counselling and will be returning to work when thats completed.

Noble said at the time of the incident Cunningham, a young father who lives in Morriston, was angry but took that anger out on a window rather than a person.

Im sorry it had to come to this, Cunningham told Allen.

Prosecutor Marilyn Dolby suggested its time Cunningham put his problem with alcohol behind him.

vkirsch@guelphmercury.com

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Guelph man ordered to pay for replacement of bar window

Q: This is another one of those can-you-help-my-relationship plumbing questions. My husband and I are in a serious debate about our new kitchen sink. We're remodeling the kitchen, and I would like a "single-bowl, under-mount" sink. He wants the more traditional "double-bowl, top-mount" sink. I know there is no right or wrong here, but can you help us reach a decision? We both agree to follow your advice. -- Holly, Washington

A: There is a kitchen sink that's a cross between the single- and double-bowl styles. It's called a low-threshold or "smart-divide" kitchen sink. If you wash a lot of pots and pans and need extra room, the divider between the bowls is much lower than in a normal kitchen sink. This allows large pots and pans to fit easily into the sink, yet you still get the functionality of a double-bowl sink.

As far as the under-mount vs. top-mount style, that is usually decided by the type of countertop you choose. If you're planning a laminate or tile counter, the top-mount is usually the industry standard. If you plan on a counter like granite, then under-mount sinks are the popular trend.

So, hopefully, you both agree on your countertop choice, or else all my wonderful kitchen-sink advice could go down the drain! Master plumber Ed Del Grande is the author of "Ed Del Grande's House Call," the host of TV and Internet shows, and a LEED green associate. Visit eddelgrande.com or write eadelg@cs.com. Always consult local contractors and codes.

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Ask the Plumber: 'Smart-divide' model can solve sink dilemma

Cassandra Vinograd LONDON The Associated Press Published Friday, Apr. 27, 2012 9:03AM EDT Last updated Friday, Apr. 27, 2012 10:16AM EDT

Heavily armed, masked police surrounded a site in central London on Friday after a woman reported that a mentally unstable man had walked into her office threatening to blow himself up.

Scotland Yard said in a statement that police were called to Tottenham Court Road, a busy central London avenue, just before noon and have sent a negotiator to the site. Office supplies, including computer monitors, were being thrown from the building's fifth-floor window.

The area was cordoned off, nearby buildings were evacuated and a police sniper was stationed on a rooftop near the building.

It's unclear if other people (are) in the building, police said in a statement, adding they aren't treating the incident as terror-related.

The Huffington Post, whose offices are just off Tottenham Court Road, said its building was among those evacuated. It quoted one witness as saying that a man had walked into her office strapped up in gasoline cylinders.

Basically he threatened to blow up the office, Abby Baafi, 27, told the website. He said he doesn't care about his life, he doesn't care about anything, he's going to blow up everybody.

Construction worker Martynas Vristiuk, 26, said he was out smoking a cigarette when a window above him was shattered and someone began throwing computer monitors into the street only 3 metres from where he was standing.

He threw 10 computers, Mr. Vristiuk told The Associated Press, adding that one was tossed onto a police car.

Fellow worker Dennis Gorsanenko, 23, said he was at a construction site adjacent the building in question when a police officer ordered everyone out. He said: There's a guy with a bomb on his belt.

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Man 'strapped in gasoline cylinders' threatens to blow up London office building

CLEARWATER County commissioners have approved a change to development rules that clears the way for the construction of a three-story office building in Historic Downtown Palm Harbor.

Though growth in a down economy might normally be celebrated, the 5-1 decision sparked outrage among the standing-room-only audience at Tuesday's County Commission meeting. Most of them had come to object to the change, and many who signed up to speak came from outside Palm Harbor, including St. Petersburg, Seminole and Indian Rocks Beach.

"I find this entire process tonight to be a perversion, an obscenity, to what purports to be a representative republic in Pinellas County," Palm Harbor resident John Treskovich said. "Very poorly done."

The decision also revived interest in incorporating Palm Harbor into a city. Before the commission vote, Palm Harbor fire commission member Norm Atherton said he was neutral about the idea of incorporating.

"After tonight, I'm going to be for it 100 percent," Atherton said. He referred to a petition with 536 signatures opposing the development rule change. If those people "each get 10 people to agree with them, we'll have the city of Palm Harbor," he said.

Commissioner Ken Welch, who was chairing the meeting, said he understood the anger and disappointment.

"I know for a lot of you this was not the decision you wanted or were hoping for," Welch said. "This board has listened to the community for some time. The decision is not what many of you wanted but we have listened."

The furor centered around a request by Geographic Solutions, a software company with 130 employees, to build a three-story building on Georgia Avenue in the Palm Harbor historic district. When the county originally granted approval, the proposed building was slated to have offices on the first two floors and a residential area on the third.

Last year, the company wanted to substitute office space for the residential area on the third floor. That was not permitted by the 2001 Historic Palm Harbor Master Plan. County staff members recommended amending the master plan to include transferable development rights, or TDRs.

A TDR allows an owner to adjust the development density allowed on his property. For example, if the owner has two parcels and each allows 100 units, but the owner wants to build a project with 150 units, he can take 50 units from one piece and add it to the 100 on the other. The remaining parcel would then be limited to 50 units, so that the overall density of the area remains the same even though it changed on one parcel.

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Approval of office building for downtown Palm Harbor sets off a furor

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/rhl8vq/office_building_co) has announced the addition of the "Office Building Construction in South Korea to 2016: Market Databook" report to their offering.

Timetric's, 'Office Building Construction in South Korea to 2016: Market Databook' contains detailed historic and forecast market value data for the office buildings construction industry, including a breakdown of the data by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition). The databook provides historical and forecast valuations of the industry using the construction output and value-add methods.

This report is the result of Timetric's extensive market research covering the office buildings construction category in South Korea. It contains detailed historic and forecast market value data for the office buildings construction industry, including a breakdown of the data by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition). 'Office Building Construction in South Korea to 2016: Market Databook' provides a top-level overview and detailed insight into the operating environment of the office buildings construction category in South Korea. It is an essential tool for companies active across the South Korea construction value chain and for new players considering entering the market.

Scope

- Overview of the office buildings construction category in South Korea

- Historic and forecast market value for the office buildings construction category by construction output and value-add methods for the period 2007 through to 2016

- Historic and forecast market value by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) across the office buildings construction category for the period 2007 through to 2016

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/rhl8vq/office_building_co

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Research and Markets: Office Building Construction in South Korea to 2016: Market Databook is Essential Reading for ...

Blame last year's unusually wet weather.

In August and September, Philadelphia recorded 29.6 inches of rain - that's 70 percent of the annual rainfall in only two months.

After Tropical Storm Lee in September, city engineers made a disturbing discovery along Monoshone Creek: A century-old stone retaining wall had dropped more than five inches.

Not only that, but it was starting to rotate away from land, and rushing water had carved out gaps underneath the wall.

"The wall was beginning to collapse," Perri said.

The Streets Department knew it had to act fast - but just how fast didn't become clear until engineers started to prepare the wall for repairs in November.

They discovered that Lincoln Drive was not sitting on rock.

It was sitting on soil.

That meant that if the retaining wall had collapsed, it would have taken the road with it, Perri said.

"We needed to move fast," he said.

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Averting a washout on Lincoln Drive

STAMFORD -- As redevelopment of Mill River Park moves into its third year, the Mill River Collaborative this week announced the second installment of a $1.8 million contribution.

Charged with fundraising efforts, the private-public partnership on Thursday presented Mayor Michael Pavia with a ceremonial check at the Government Center. The city is set to receive roughly $800,000, representing the final balance of the group's first significant donation.

Last fall, the collaborative contributed about $1 million to begin the first phase of the park's construction that follows the U.S. Army Corps restoration of the Mill River.

"This is the largest single donation that a private group has ever given to the City of Stamford for a public park," said Arthur Selkowitz, chairman of the collaborative.

The total cost of redeveloping the park is estimated at $60 million. While the bulk of the project is to be financed by the city through the sale of tax increment bonds, the collaborative is aiming to raise $20 million through its capital campaign. Thus far, the group has received $6.6 million in pledges.

"The momentum is definitely growing as people see the park under construction," Selkowitz said. He added that the group hopes to reach the $10 million mark by the summer.

Pavia has touted the park as an engine for the city's economic growth.

"The work of the collaborative is already stimulating downtown real estate development and is bringing many sectors of the city together in support of this legacy undertaking," he said in a press release issued by the collaborative.

The first phase of construction, already well underway, is expected to cost around $11.5 million. Since October 2011, workers have been excavating and laying down infrastructure on a 12-acre portion of the park between Broad and Main streets.

Along the eastern banks of the Mill River, a concrete retaining wall has been installed and will eventually be wrapped in granite, according to Milton Puryear, the collaborative's executive director.

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Mill River Collaborative completes $1.8 million donation

About 11 months ago, we all started posting photographs of the upper decks of FedEx Field, which had started looking different.

That led to the months of on-again off-again party deck reportage; earlier this month, Mike Jones reported that the Redskins were removing 4,000 more seats, and that the Redskins party decks are to feature tables for fans to sit or stand around while watching the game.

And the teams Web site reported earlier this month that the Redskins plan to completethe project that was started last year by installing standing decks on the upper level of the stadium and a video wall on lower level concourse in the west end zone.

Anyhow, the blog Son of Washington posted a bunch of photos this week that shows seat removal has already begun. Quoting the site:

Ill be at FedEx Field for Thursdays draft night party, so I suppose there will be many more pictures to come. For now, see Son of Washington for more.

Note: The original headline of this item said the team is working on party decks; I suppose I dont know that for sure, so I changed it.

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Redskins working on FedEx Field

Echoes of cinematic mutiny on decks of HMS Bounty in St. Augustine

The tall ship that sailed through St. Augustine's Bridge of Lions at noon Wednesday looks quite historic.

But the 50-year-old HMS Bounty has more cinematic history as the three-masted square rigger from the classic movie "Mutiny on the Bounty."

The ship will open for Friday through Sunday tours in America's oldest city to commemorate its 450th anniversary as well as the 223rd anniversary of the real ship's mutiny on April 28, 1789.

Teaming up with St. Augustine's Pirate Museum for the "Mutiny with the Bounty" event, visitors can trod the decks where Marlon Brando, as 1st Lt. Fletcher Christian, mutinied against a cinematic Capt. William Bligh, played by Trevor Howard, in the 1962 MGM film.

"There are other ports we could have gone to, but I liked the charm of the city and knew that the pirate museum was there, a perfect fit," said Tracie Simonin, director of the nonprofit HMS Bounty Organization.

Tall ships abound this week. The Coast Guard's Eagle is at Mayport Friday through Thursday. The French Navy's Etoile and Belle Poule moor near The Jacksonville Landing Monday through Wednesday to celebrate the 450th anniversary of French Capt. Jean Ribault's arrival at the St. Johns River.

As St. Augustine begins its Commemorative Celebration to honor Ponce de Leon's discovery of Florida, the arrival of the Bounty is a great addition, said Dana Ste. Claire, director of the city's Department of Heritage Tourism and Historic Preservation.

"To have that piece of cinematic history is significant in its own right, and for it to be here during the anniversary celebration is fortuitous," Ste. Clair said. "... The Bounty at one level is a prelude to the celebration of our rich maritime history, which will be a principal component of our commemorative celebration through 2015."

The original Bounty sailed to Tahiti in 1787 with Bligh pushing his crew hard to get there quickly. Resenting the living hell on the ship, Christian and the crew led the mutiny that forced Bligh off.

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Echoes of cinematic mutiny on decks of HMS Bounty in St. Augustine

The 34th annual Venice Art Walk & Auctions kicks off Friday with a free community event that includes an exhibition and silent auction of custom skate decks and surfboards embellished by local tattoo artists.

Presented by Quiksilvers new 585 Boardriders concept store, the second annual Surf & Skate Auction event will includelive music, refreshments and meet-and-greets with various artists.

Attendees will also have the chance to bid on one-of-a-kind creations designed from used, recycled and re-created skate decks and custom-shaped and tatted surfboards by more than 70 artists, including surfboard shapers Jeffrey Sudzin, Dan Cobley and Jose Barahona; surfboard tattoo artists (we honestly didn't know this even existed) Charly Reynoso, Big Boy, Juan "Ente" Gollaz, Show, Justin Jakus and Tyoni Aragon; Quiksilver surfboard artist Kristi McKnight; DC Shoes skate designer Mark Winn and DC Shoes photographer and video producer Tobin Yelland.

And don't feel bad opening your wallet for that one-of-a-kind skate or tatted board, the event raises funds for the Venice Family Clinic (as the Venice Art Walk has done for more than three decades), which provides free medical care to approximately 25,000low-income men, women, children, teens, and seniors who lack private health insurance.

Venice Art Walk & Auctions' kickoff Surf & Skate Auction to benefit the Venice Family Clinic, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday at 2525 Michigan Ave., Bldg. C1, Santa Monica.

RELATED:

Launch date: New SoCal trade show set for July 2012

Quiksilver's custom boardshort program taps heritage, technical expertise

Photo ops: Street fashion at the downtown Los Angeles Art Walk

-- Adam Tschorn

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Charity Surf & Skate Auction kicks off Venice Art Walk on Friday