Updated: Thu May. 31 2012 07:19:06

ctvwinnipeg.ca

A fire led to the evacuation of a downtown apartment building in Winnipeg on Wednesday.

About 60 people were forced out from the building at 52 Edmonton Street after a fire in the building's attic area on Wednesday afternoon.

No injuries were reported, said fire officials.

Tenant Michael Potts was feeding his six-month-old boy when they were forced to leave in a hurry.

"I heard a knock on the door and I opened up the door and a guy said the roof was on fire," he said.

Brittany Hoorne and her roommate live in the suite below where the fire was burning.

"I hope my stuff doesn't get burnt up," she said.

Officials said one apartment was damaged by fire while several others were affected by water and smoke. They said Wednesday most tenants will have to find somewhere else to stay overnight.

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Fire forces evacuation of downtown Winnipeg apartment building

Construction continues on the Savory House, a three-story apartment building on University Drive. The project is the latest from former Starkville mayor Dan Camp. Camp owns nearly all of the properties in the Cotton District, a 95 percent student-residential and commercial neighborhood near campus. Photo by: Micah Green/Dispatch Staff

Enrollment at Mississippi State University is set to increase for the eighth consecutive year and, with no signs to indicate a change in pattern, University and Starkville developers are making strides to accommodate the continued student influx.

Construction on two new residence halls at MSU is scheduled to finish this summer. Oak Hall and Magnolia Hall, temporary names given to the nearly completed buildings, each will house more than 350 students.

Director of Housing and Residence Life Dr. Ann Bailey said she expects the new dorms to be at capacity by the beginning of the fall semester and she stressed the importance of providing students, especially freshmen, with a comfortable living experience.

Bailey said a housing experience could determine whether a new student stays at MSU or transfers to another school.

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Student housing boom: Innovation key to new developments

I have this idyllic vision of al fresco dining during that brief interlude that passes as summertime in Maine:

Patios with soft lantern light and colorful dinnerware and a shiny gas grill; or a quilted blanket spread on the shore, a charcoal fire smoldering in the sand; or chairs-in-bags streamside with a cracking wood fire.

The sun is setting brilliantly or the stars are shining brightly. The smells of food cooking are stimulating stomachs hungry after a day of outdoor fun. A cooling breeze is blowing lightly.

Perfect.

And very rare.

As we seasoned Mainers know, storm clouds mysteriously blow in from nowhere just as soon as the last of the tablecloths and glassware and condiments are hauled out. Raindrops splash on fresh loaves of bread, the wind scatters the napkins around the yard, the temperatures drop.

Or, maybe the weather holds. But the bugs come out, dive-bombing the drinks, buzzing the sticky sweet ribs, gnawing on exposed skin. The smell of DEET replaces the sweet smell of roses.

You know it happens more often than not.

But do we give up? No.

Mainers are a hearty bunch. We will not be thwarted or stymied by random acts of nature. We WILL get out of our kitchens.

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Cooking 101

Quartz Surface Manufacturer Kicks Off National Countertop Makeover Contest

TORONTO, May 31, 2012 /CNW/ - Caesarstone, the original quartz surface manufacturer, officially announced their Countertop Makeover Contest, which kicks off nationally on Thursday, May 31st and will run for eight consecutive weeks.

Consumers are invited to enter the contest by submitting images of their damaged, boring or just plain bad countertops and simply tell them why they'd love a new one. The winner will be selected by a panel of interior designers and will receive a beautiful Caesarstone countertop makeover - a value of up to $10,000.

"If your kitchen needs a face lift, replacing your countertops is a great option", says Domenic Oppedisano, Chief Operations Officer of Caesarstone Canada". A new countertop can help revitalize an older kitchen, or give it a new look and feel - and Caesarstone quartz surfaces are one of the best choices for countertops", says Oppedisano. They are environmentally friendly, stain, scratch and heat resistant, strong and durable, and their minimal maintenance makes these surfaces ideal for kitchen countertops. They also offer a lifetime warranty, so homeowners can rest easy knowing that their investment is protected.

The contest is fresh on the heels of Monday night's episode of Top Chef Canada, where one of the competitors, Carl Heinrich, won his own custom Caesarstone countertop installation during the Quickfire Challenge. Caesarstone is a proud sponsor of the second season of the well-loved series which airs Monday nights at 10PM on Food Network Canada.

For contest details, please visit http://www.caesarstone.ca

About Caesarstone

Caesarstone, the original quartz surface, is a leading supplier of the finest quartz surfaces to the global marketplace. Caesarstone manufactures high-quality quartz slabs for a variety of uses and applications, such as kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, flooring, wall paneling and more. Their unique variety of colours, patterns and textures, coupled with the brand's incredibly resilient characteristics, is quickly driving the Canadian demand for quartz surfaces and making Caesarstone the preferred choice for kitchen and bathroom countertops.

Annie Zeni Marketing Manager Caesarstone Canada T: 416-479-8437 azeni@caesarstone.ca

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Caesarstone Canada Presents: The Counter Offer

UPDATED at 6:25 p.m.

ST. LOUIS An interior decorator admitted in federal court here Wednesday that she bilked wealthy clients including former St. Louis Cardinal Scott Rolen out of more than $1 million.

Officials said she also cheated the wife of ex-St. Louis Blues player Doug Weight, although she did not plead guilty of that count.

As part of her plea on three mail fraud charges, Kay T. Ottinger, 51, of St. Louis, acknowledged inflating invoices from real companies and creating fake invoices so she could pocket more money for her work.

Ottinger and clients of her company, Well Appointed Inc., had agreed that she would be paid a flat fee and between 15 and 30 percent of the cost of furniture and other items used in the decorating.

A federal search found invoices that had been inflated by tens of thousands of dollars, court documents show, and fake invoices that had been created to inflate and, at least once, to double a real bill.

One of the counts to which Ottinger pleaded guilty involved the creation of a fake invoice for Rolens Florida home from Old World Pavers for $88,970. That invoice was more than $66,000 higher than the $12,000 bill that Ottinger paid, court documents show.

In the indictment, Ottinger was accused of inflating an invoice for services and labor to Weights wife by $20,175.

The investigation began in 2010, when another Ottinger client and an employee approached federal prosecutors with their suspicions.

At sentencing August 27, Ottinger could face 15 to 21 months under federal sentencing guidelines and will be ordered to pay back the money.

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St. Louis interior decorator admits $1 million fraud

Bruce and Kay Chambers.

Kay Chambers always seems to get more than what she has bargained for.

Just looking for a dance partner at a nightclub in 1986, she ended up meeting Bruce McCann, her future husband.

Then in 1993, when she and Bruce as newlyweds bought a rundown Victorian home in Crescent Hill, she expected a few minor renovations. But she hadnt imagined the 17-year overhaul that would follow.

Kay presumed the house, which was originally a duplex, would remain that way. So when Bruce destroyed it to turn it into a single-family home, and Kay found it in shambles, she was shocked to say the least.

I grew up in old homes and wanted a project, said Bruce. I probably looked like a kid in a candy store with a sledgehammer.

The home was habitable after six months of intense renovation, a feat Bruce undertook himself with the help of contractor Andre Faget and Barry Hunt of Hunt Remodeling. But there was still much work to be done.

I was over here morning and night, said Bruce. Sometimes, Id be here 13 to 14 hours a day.

Kay gave Bruce full license to restore the home as he wished. So he demolished everything, apart from a few lighting and plumbing fixtures, the windows and main staircase.

He even stripped the walls of their Victorian-style, patterned wallpaper. But it wasnt until last year that Bruce and Kay had them painted. They were reluctant to do so because they felt the patchiness of the walls added a sort of whimsical charm to the home.

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The Museum of Bruce and Kay

Amy Suardi recently started growing some of her familys food. On many days, she can be found with her children in the front yard of her home in Tenleytown, tending their edible garden. Later, the family might make pizzas (using herbs theyve grown), tidy up the house (with cleaning supplies theyve made), watch a DVD (TV programs are not permitted) or play games the children invented.

While Suardi, 42, has fashioned a lifestyle for her family that is reminiscent of a slower, less stressful era, she is also decidedly 21st century: She blogs about her life, and gets paid for it.

(Katherine Frey/THE WASHINGTON POST) - Mark, left, and Luke help their mother tend the edible garden in the front yard, which grows tomatoes, kale, basil, blueberries and arugula.

(Katherine Frey/THE WASHINGTON POST) - Luke, left, and Mark play in the sunroom as their sister Sofia does her homework at the dining room table.

I dont make a lot of money, but the trade-off is that I can be home with the kids, she says. I can also make dinner every night and take care of the house.

For Suardi, thrifty living is at the heart of the life she craves. On her blog, Frugal Mama, she shares her experiences, offering insight on creating a high-quality life on a small budget.

Her expertise, she says, is based on learning to live on a shoestring since college, first as a single young woman in New York, then as the wife of a doctor in training.

My philosophy, she says, is about finding the fun in saving and keeping life simple so we have time for whats important.

With her husband, Enrico, now working full time after recently completing his medical training, and with Suardi earning money by writing, the couple has more income than ever before. However, they are also both in their mid-40s, have four children (ages 10, 8, 4 and 1), almost no money in retirement and a 100-year-old house that needs work.

For Suardi to remain an at-home working mother while they bulk up their retirement savings, the family cuts corners wherever possible: The children attend public schools and co-ops and wear secondhand clothing. The adults drive used cars and use pay-as-you-go cellphones. They clean their own home, shop at thrift stores, dont have cable, walk instead of drive when they can and eat most of their meals at home.

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Frugal Mama Amy Suardi discusses her budget- and splurge-friendly lifestyle

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Cardinal Concepts, a division of Cardinal Kitchens, announces the companys first installation of textured granite kitchen countertops in the Louisville area. The job was designed by local interior designer Patsy Grudzielanek (pronounced Grud-z-lon-ek), owner of Patina Interiors.

According to Grudzielanek, textured granite fits right in with todays tactile design trend of textural home furnishings such as textured fabrics for upholstery, pillows and drapes, to textured floor coverings found in area rugs, carpet, and hard surfaces. My client loves the unique look and feel of the new textured tan brown granite countertops, said Grudzielanek. The riverwashed finish makes the granite come to life, and theres no need to constantly wipe it down like you need to with polished granite.

Cardinal Concepts new textured granite countertops will be featured in the Pat Durham built home at Homearama 2012, July 14-29, in Rock Springs. Were excited for the public to see and feel the new textured granite, said Sarah OKoon, Vice-President of Marketing for Cardinal Kitchens.

Cardinal Kitchens high-tech bridge-based polishing machine accommodates full slabs of granite to produce a uniform textured finish. Standard finishes offered are Honed, Brushed-Dry, Brushed-Wet, and Riverwashed. Textured granite uses include kitchen and bath countertops, fireplace surrounds, and outdoor kitchens.

Cardinal Kitchens and Commercial Surfaces is one of the largest fabricators of custom surfaces in the Kentucky, southern Indiana, and southern Ohio region. The company provides one source for quartz, granite, recycled products, solid surface and laminate countertops, and is the exclusive distributor of IceStone. Cardinal Kitchens and Commercial Surfaces has been serving all cities in Kentucky including Louisville, Lexington, Frankfort, Florence, Covington, Paducah, Elizabethtown, Owensboro, and Bowling Green since 1971. The company also serves Indianapolis, Evansville and Southern Indiana, as well as Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information, please visit http://www.cardkitchens.com.

Photos/MultimediaGallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50292872&lang=en

MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE:http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50292872&lang=en

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Cardinal Concepts Announces First Textured Granite Kitchen Countertops Installation

The Better Business Bureau says a Bismarck-Mandan contractor using the BBB logo is not a member of the organization and has received a failing rating from the business information organization.

JK Customs has a BBB logo on a trailer and on its website but is not actually a BBB member, a news release said..

The companys misuse of our logo is compounded by the fact they have the lowest rating we assign, Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the BBB, said in a release. Our hope is they will correct the misleading advertising issue and work with us to resolve the concerns of their customers.

The BBB also has given JK Customs, owned by Jason Kust, a failing grade due to consumer complaints. According to the release, JK Customs had been accredited by the BBB from 2009 to November 2011, when their accreditation was revoked due to an unanswered complaint. Two complaints have been lodged with the BBB about JK Customs without an answer from the company.

The voicemail for the telephone number for JK Customs was full and could not accept new messages, and no one answered at a phone number listed in court documents for Kust. No one answered at the door of the address listed with the North Dakota Secretary of States Office for JK Customs on Thursday afternoon.

The unanswered customer complaints filed with the BBB involve situations where down payments were made and work did not proceed as planned. The information in the BBB complaints mirrors cases in which customers brought Kust to small claims court and won.

In one case, a man was awarded $2,635 after Kust did not return a down payment on a basement remodeling project when the man decided to cancel the project. In another case, a couple was awarded $3,050 after putting a down payment to have Kust build a staircase and he never showed up to do the job.

In another case still pending in small claims court, Kust is accused of never starting a bathroom remodeling job that a man put $2,000 down on. The plaintiff in that case wrote that Kust did return $500.

In February, the BBBs Advertising Review department challenged JK Customs use of the BBB logo, which misleads consumers into believing the company is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, the release from the organization said. The company failed to respond within the six-week timeframe provided and the violation was closed as Major, further lowering the companys rating. The matter has now been turned over to the Council of Better Business Bureaus, where further action may be taken to ensure the company discontinues use of the BBB trademark, a release from the organization said.

Dan Hendrickson, a spokesman for the BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota, said the Council of Better Business Bureaus could take legal action against JK Customs for the misuse of the logo.

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Better Business Bureau says local contractor is not a member

GREEN BROOK, N.J., May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Operating out of Green Brook in New Jersey, Elite Fixtures has built a reputation on providing quality indoor and outdoor lighting products for homes in New Jersey or nationwide. They also offer free shipping on qualified orders.

With their most recent limited time promotional offer of 10% off all Maxim and ET2 outdoor lighting, customers can set the stage for hosting their next big outdoor event for their friends and family to enjoy with a Maxim outdoor wall lantern or a ET2 outdoor wall light. Whether they just need a few small touches to their outdoor space or they need a complete lighting concept, now is the time for homeowners to shop Elite Fixtures and save money on two of their bestselling brands. Shoppers should take advantage of this great promotional offer while it lasts.

Elite Fixtures doesn't just specialize in outdoor lighting, but indoor lighting as well. Elite Fixtures is a lighting fixture company striving to bring excitement into the home through an extensive offering of lighting choices. Elite Fixtures sells a number of different lighting products including Sea Gull Lighting. The categories of lights and light fixtures offered on the website include bathroom lighting, ceiling fan lighting, chandeliers, commercial lighting and additional products including home furnishings and door hardware. Because coordinating fixtures and other accents is essential, Elite Fixtures carries everything from robe hooks to shower and tub sets to make sure that any lighting and any accents follow the same theme.

Whether customers are looking for indoor lighting or outdoor, wall lighting or stand-up lamps, Elite Fixtures can deliver with their extensive inventory. Another top product offered by the company is Kichler Lighting including bathroom lighting, ceiling fans, home furnishings and more. Customers can shop by indoor or outdoor lighting, by brand or by room depending on their lighting needs.

Elite Fixtures can be reached through live support on their website or by phoning 1 (800) 921-4162 for more information. Elite Fixtures can be found at http://www.elitefixtures.com. Elite Fixtures is located in Green Brook, New Jersey. More information about the company can be obtained by contacting customerservice@elitefixtures.com.

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Elite Fixtures Offers 10% Off Promotion For The Entire Month of July