Monday, May 14, 2012 | 1:12 p.m. CDT; updated 4:22 p.m. CDT, Monday, May 14, 2012

COLUMBIA Artist Joel Sager conducted interviews with members of the city's Finance and Community Development departments. As fifth floor tenants of the addition to the Daniel Boone City Building, they will play audience to his artwork.

The Standing Committee on Public Art, a derivative of the Commission on Cultural Affairs, is now seeking public input on the proposed artwork.

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Sager, curator of Perlow-Stevens Gallery, was selected in March to create interior art for the addition as a part of the Percent for Art program, which allocates 1 percent of the cost of eligible city construction projects to site-specific artwork.

In a slideshow proposal, Sager said much of the fifth floor traffic consisted of contractors, architects and business owners. Among them, he found a collective "aesthetic appreciation for the craftsmanship of traditional and classic architecture."

With that in mind, he suggested a three-painting series of buildings that represent fine architecture as well as Columbia's civic, commercial and cultural characteristics. These include the Boone County Courthouse,Central Dairy andThe Blue Note.

Sager will use his usual media of collage, tar, oil paint and varnish for the project. The result is a "highly textural" quality for which his work has become known.

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Office of Cultural Affairs seeks public input on artwork for Daniel Boone City Building addition

SUN-TIMES MEDIA WIRE May 14, 2012 3:06PM

A consumer fraud lawsuit was filed Monday alleging a north suburban construction company scammed an elderly couple rebuilding a porch on an apartment building on the South Side.

The Cook County States Attorneys office filed the suit against George Zachary, the owner of Upscale Design Corp. and Value Built Construction with offices in Lincolnwood and Deerfield, according to a release from the states attorneys office.

Zachary failed to refund down payments made by the couple for porch repairs on the building they owned even after the states attorneys office demanded him.

The victims, 74 and 75 years old, hired Zachary in April 2011 to rebuild a two-story porch on an apartment building they owned on Chicagos South Side, the release said. He met with the couple, who paid Zachary two deposits totaling $3,200 for the project that was estimated at $7,000. Zachary was to obtain required permits, start the job within 30 days and complete construction within 7 days.

Zachary arrived at the victims property two and a half months later with a work crew to demolish the porch, the release said. He never returned to deliver materials or start construction of the porch.

The couple repeatedly called Zachary during the next several weeks to find out when he would begin building the porch, the suit said. He did not answer any of their calls except when the couple called on a payphone from a different phone number. He then gave numerous excuses, claimed to have been out of town on a family emergency and that he was experiencing personal financial difficulties.

City building inspectors fined the couple $250 in August 2011 and placed a stop work order on the project because their porch had been demolished without a permit, the release said. The couple went to pay the $250 fine as well as $200 for the permit and the citys building department told them that Zachary had applied for the permit but never paid the fee. They were also told that the Zacharys license had expired.

The couple then contacted the Cook County States Attorneys Consumer Fraud Unit. The suit seeks a permanent injunction against Zachary for fraudulent and unlawful business practices, refunds for the consumers, civil penalties of up to $50,000 and an additional $10,000 in civil penalties for each violation committed against a person 65 or older.

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Construction firm accused of scamming elderly couple

BUILDING PERMITS

Boulder

Building construction permits over $10,000 in value that were approved in Boulder between April 30 and May 6, 2012. Listed below are: the case number; address; total project valuation; owner name; contractor (if applicable); and description.

PMT2012-01193; 1803 Mapleton Ave.; $136,000; Robert and Laura Cory; Melton Construction Inc.; Addition/remodel of an existing single-family dwelling -- modification of roof elements to create new floor area inside of existing east wall, relocate the south wall (8 feet by 4 inches) to create an office area on main level and bedroom above. Dismantle existing staircase -- rebuild new stairway, add gas fireplace, add second floor bathroom, remodel bathrooms -- relocate fixtures.

PMT2012-00139; 1350 Meadow Ave.; $450,000; Jamie and Susan Doucet; Master suite addition of 125 square feet, remodel of 2,794 square feet on all levels of house (including 690 square feet of basement) and a basement finish of 1,224 square feet to an existing residence. 598 square feet in new decks and porches. New decorative gas fireplace -- convert baseboard hydronic heat to in-floor hydronic. Install evaporative cooler. Add full bathroom, and a three-quarter bathroom and a powder room.

PMT2012-01606; 2065 Alpine Drive; $47,593.53; Hansen Rada; Field West Construction LLC; Addition of 25-square-foot front entry and 72-square-foot mud room, remodel main floor including vaulting the ceilings, bathroom remodel, new front porch.

PMT2012-01685; 3110 29th St.; $42,927.36; Braun Construction Inc.; Addition of a 32-square-foot riser room and modification of 1432 square feet to the ceiling of a garden level garage -- fire tap and piping to/within riser room by separate permit. Sprinkler system modifications by separate permit. See ADR2012-00069 for supplemental information. Separate permits for similar work on 3060 29th and 3080 29th on same set of plans. See PMT2012-01700 for ROW and Utility fees.

PMT2010-03160; 5317 Desert Mountain Court; $28,800; Darwin and Coleen Pruisner; R.A. Spencer Construction Inc.; Addition of 360-square-foot single-car garage on south side of property.

PMT2012-01681; 3060 29th St.; $42,927.36; MBY Development; Braun Construction Inc.; Addition of a 32-square-foot riser room and modification of 1,432 square feet to the ceiling of a garden-level garage -- fire tap and piping to/within riser room by separate permit. Sprinkler system modifications by separate permit. See ADR2012-00069 for supplemental information. Separate permits for similar work on 3080 29th St. and 3110 29th St. on same set of plans. See PMT2012-01700 for Utility and ROW fees.

PMT2012-01684; 3080 29th St.; $42,927.36; Braun Construction Inc.; Addition of a 32-square-foot riser room and modification of 1,432 square feet to the ceiling of a garden level garage -- fire tap and piping to/within riser room by separate permit. Sprinkler system modifications by separate permit. See ADR2012-00069 for supplemental information. Separate permits for similar work on 3060 29th St. and 3110 29th St. on same set of plans. See PMT2012-01700 for utility and ROW fees.

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Boulder building permits: May 14, 2012

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) -- A Dubuque man has been accused of injuring his dog by tossing it off an 11-foot-high retaining wall.

The Dubuque Telegraph Herald says 40-year-old Matthew Duve is charged with a misdemeanor.

Court records say a neighbor told police that Duve grabbed a female Weimaraner named Calli by the collar and threw her off the wall onto a sidewalk below. The neighbor reported hearing what sounded like the dog hitting the pavement three times.

A vet says the dog had lacerations on her tail and front legs and had some back stiffness.

Court records say Duve denied any abuse and said the dog "came home in its present condition."

A public phone listing for Duve could not be found. Online court records don't yet list the case.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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Dubuque man accused of tossing dog off wall

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

THE collapse of the retaining wall of a subdivision in Barangay Talamban, Cebu City that resulted to the death of two people is an example of how blame-throwing cant be directed at one sector alone. One can consider the accident a confluence of inaction and glossing over of safety concerns by the people concerned.

The obvious target would be the developer of Casa del Rio subdivision, Commonwealth Estate Inc., as talks have swirled that the riprap that collapsed lacked metal reinforcement. Reports that cracks had surfaced on the structure do not speak well of the construction quality.

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This begs the question of whether officials of Barangay Talamban and the Office of the Building Official (OBO) had checked the construction site or not. Did reports of the cracks reach them and, if so, what were the steps taken to ensure the safety of nearby residents?

Consider that this is not the first collapse of a similar type of structure this year. Just last month, a portion of the retaining wall in the project site of Taft Property Venture Development Corp. in Sitio Sta. Teresita, Barangay Cogon-Ramos collapsed, threatening the safety of the surrounding houses.

These incidents have correctly invited concerns about the failure to strictly implement provisions of the National Building Code.

In the accident involving Commonwealth Estate, however, there is the added aspect of the houses that bore the brunt of the collapse of the retaining wall and soil being within what has been considered a dangerous zone. These were built below the riprap and on the riverbank.

Talamban Barangay Captain Jesus Remedio Jr. now claims that they had asked the residents to evacuate the area, but they obviously lacked the political will to force them to leave. This may have contributed to the failure to act on the threat of the ripraps collapse.

One resident noted that when they complained to barangay officials about the cracks in the riprap, they were instead threatened with the demolition of their houses.

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Editorial: Inaction and lack of concern

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I.The state Coastal Resources Management Council has reversed an earlier decision and is now allowing South Kingstown to build a retaining wall along Matunuck Beach Road to protect it from beach erosion.

The Providence Journal reports ( http://bit.ly/JROyut) the council voted 9-0 Tuesday night in favor of the wall, a month after rejecting the proposal on a 7-2 vote amid opposition from environmental groups.

Plans call for a sheet-metal wall running 200 feet along the ocean side of Matunuck Beach Road. Town officials say the wall is needed to protect the road and an underground water pipe serving nearly 1,700 customers.

Town Manager Stephen Alfred asked the council to reconsider its first vote. The council's executive director endorsed the request and said the road was in imminent danger from erosion.

Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.providencejournal.com

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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RI council reverses course, allows Matunuck wall

By Jhunnex Napallacan Inquirer Visayas

CEBU CITYTwo persons were killed while five children were injured on Tuesday when a portion of the retaining wall of a subdivision project collapsed on four houses in Sitio Kadahuan, Barangay Talamban, this city.

Rescuers from the Cebu City fire department and Philippine Air Force found the body of Alan Oporto, 40, past 9 p.m. Tuesday and Nestor Tapdasan, past 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

The injured children were brought to the North General Hospital here for treatment.

The victims houses were among at least 60 built along a creek in the area outside Casa Del Rio, a subdivision project of the Commonwealth Estate Inc. (CEI).

Jonji Gonzales, CEI spokesperson, said hairline cracks were found on the retaining wall by an inspection team commissioned by the company after the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that shook Cebu and other areas in the Visayas on Feb. 6. The cracks were being repaired when the wall collapse occurred.

Gonzales said in a text message that CEI would shoulder all medical expenses of the victims.

The company would also provide financial assistance to the family of the two fatalities, he added.

We are extending our deepest sympathy to the family of the two fatalities. We are praying for the quick recovery of those in the hospital, Gonzales said in his text message.

Talamban Barangay Captain Jesus Remedio Jr. said the 80 families living below the subdivisions retaining wall and along the riverbank would be asked to relocate as their homes would have to be demolished.

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Wall collapse kills 2, hurts 5 in Cebu City

Lucknow, May 11 : In pursuance of the party's election manifesto, the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh today decided to give unemployment allowance to all those jobless who have passed high school and are in the age group of 30 to 40 years.

A decision to this effect was taken at the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Nine lakh unemployed would be eligible to receive Rs 1000 per month as unemployment allowance which would incur an additional burden of approximately Rs 1113 crore on the state exchequer, an official spokesman said.

Only those unemployed would be eligible to receive the unemployment allowance whose annual income does not exceed Rs 36,000 and the annual income of their parents or in laws is less than Rs 1.50 lakh yearly.

Initially, the government had announced to distribute unemployment allowance to jobless above 18 years of age but today's cabinet meeting decided to limit it to the age group of 30-40. (UNI)

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Uttar Pradesh govt clears the decks for unemployment allowance

JARED NICOLL

A Picton boat designer's latest challenge has been to come up with heating to help stop pilots slipping overboard working on frosty decks along the Chinese coast.

Naiad Design equipped two pilot boats with pads to help them operate in one of the busiest ports in the world, Qingdao.

The company drew up the plans for China-based boat builders Aurora, under contract from Port Qingdao, which included heated plates around the outside to stop the decks from becoming dangerously slippery while pilots are ferried to and from ships.

The boats, worth $1.6 million each, are equipped with two Caterpillar C12 490 horsepower engines and can travel up to 50kmh.

They were launched at Qingdao Port, Shandong Province, eastern China, at the end of April.

Naiad Design co-director and chief designer Steve Schmidt said the port could be hit by extreme conditions and the boats needed to be quick enough to improve efficiency but safe enough to avoid people falling overboard.

Qingdao Port was one of the busiest in the world and the pilot boats were being introduced to speed up transit times between large ships and the dock, he said.

"They needed heated outside decks because the pilots have to go out to climb up the ladder to get to their ships.

"They get pretty severe conditions and a lot of water washes over the deck; sometimes it gets covered in ice."

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Decks made toasty

he Fayette County Board of Education late this summer will consider closing up to four elementary schools and a middle school to help offset falling tax revenues.

The school board at the conclusion of the May 2 workshop left Superintendent Jeff Bearden with instructions to provide information on the potential closure of Fayette Middle School, Fayetteville Intermediate School, Hood Avenue Primary School, Tyrone Elementary and Brooks Elementary schools. The closure options will also include opening Rivers Elementary School.

Bearden in April had proposed to close Fayette Middle, Hood Avenue Primary and Fayetteville Intermediate and open Rivers Elementary as a way to help offset the school system that is facing significant decreasing revenues from plummeting local tax revenues and falling student enrollment that generates approximately $4,000 per student from state sources.

Each of the schools initially proposed for closure are located in the Fayetteville school board district represented by Bob Todd who, unlike at least three of the remaining four board members, is not up for reelection this year.

The discussion among board members at the May 2 workshop ended with Bearden being asked to develop four optional closure plans for consideration. Those include:

1. Beardens original proposal for closing Fayette Middle, Hood Avenue Primary and Fayetteville Intermediate and opening Rivers;

2. Beardens proposal and closing Tyrone Elementary;

3. Beardens proposal and closing Brooks Elementary; or

4. Beardens proposal and closing both Tyrone and Brooks.

The May 2 meeting was scheduled to hear the details behind Beardens April recommendation to close Fayette Middle, Hood Avenue and Fayetteville Intermediate and open Rivers Elementary northwest of the city.

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Up to 5 Fayette schools may be candidates for closure, BoE says