Plans for a reconstructed Willets Point were announced today.

More than 12,000 construction jobs and 7,000 permanent jobs will come from the proposed Willets Point renovation, which includes retail space, a hotel and an expansion of the U.S. National Tennis Center.

The reconstruction, to be partially funded by $3 billion in private investment, is expected to bring $4.2 billion in economic activity over the next 30 years.

The specifics of the long-awaited project were announced this morning at Mayor Michael Bloombergs meeting with the Queens Chamber of Commerce.

The city felt the plans for phase one would best be done by the Queens Development Group, a joint venture of Sterling Equities, Inc. owned by Mets Owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz and Related Companies.

For generations, Willets Point was neglected, no investments were made in the roads or in the sewers or in environmental remediation and it remains one of the citys most polluted sites, Bloomberg said. Each year, four million people visit the area. These are four million potential shoppers, local business and restaurants, creating thousands of new jobs and laying the groundwork for thousands of housing units.

The plan includes the activation of the 126th Street corridor, building a 200-room hotel with 30,000-square-feet of retail space and restaurants. There will be an additional open recreation area, it was announced, that will be open during the MLB offseason and during certain Mets road trips.

A new component, Willets West, is designated from a portion of the Citi Field parking lot to become one-million square feet of space for retail, entertainment and dining.

An expansion to the U.S. National Tennis Center is expected to bring about 10,000 people to the U.S. Open annually, the mayor said.

New off-ramps from the Van Wyck Expressway will be added after Phase 1 of the project is completed in the next 10 to 15 years to provide better access to the area. Approval for the off-ramps went through in March.

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Plans for Willets Point reconstruction revealed

13-06-2012 11:55 Follow us for daily tips and more: Allen visits the beautiful Capital Hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas, and talks to Chuck Magill, hotel marketing director, about the incredible effort that went into restoring it back to its original glory of grand Southern luxury. Have any questions for P. Allen Smith? Leave your comments and questions below! Practical tips for style, comfort and sustainable living from designer and lifestyle expert P. Allen Smith. Allen dissects style and function to reveal the tips that will take your home and garden to the next level. More from Allen: More home tips: P. Allen Smith is an award-winning designer and lifestyle expert and host of two public television programs, P. Allen Smith's Garden Home, P. Allen Smith's Garden to Table and the syndicated 30-minute show P. Allen Smith Gardens. Smith is one of America's most recognized and respected design experts, providing ideas and inspiration through multiple media venues. He is the author of the best-selling Garden Home series of books published by Clarkson Potter/Random House, including Bringing the Garden Indoors: Container, Crafts and Bouquets for Every Room and P. Allen Smith's Seasonal Recipes from the Garden. Allen is also very active on social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, Allen's Blog and YouTube as well as on the new eHow Home channel debuting January, 2012. His design and lifestyle advice is featured in several national magazines. Learn ...

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The Capital Hotel | At Home With P. Allen Smith - Video

14-06-2012 13:55 What is the difference? How can some people make a massive investment in a building and it still not be a home? We explore some different language for how to transition your house into the treasure of being a home!

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House vs Home by Arthur Burk - Video

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. As firefighters battle blazes in New Mexico and Colorado that have forced evacuations and destroyed hundreds of structures, the U.S. Forest Service chief is renewing his call to restore forests to a more natural state, where fire was a part of the landscape.

Experts say a combination of decades of vigorous fire suppression and the waning of the timber industry over environmental concerns has left many forests a tangled, overgrown mess, subject to the kind of super-fires that are now regularly consuming hundreds of homes and millions of acres.

The Forest Service is on a mission to set the clock back to zero and the urgency couldn't be greater, Tom Tidwell said. The plan calls for accelerating restoration programs everything from prescribed fire and mechanical thinning by 20 percent each year in key areas that are facing the greatest danger of a catastrophic fire.

This year's target: 4 million acres. The budget: About $1 billion.

"We need to understand the conditions we're facing today," Tidwell said. "They're different than what we used to deal with. We're seeing erratic fire behavior, more erratic weather."

In southern New Mexico, a lightning-sparked fire raced across more than 37,000 acres in recent days, damaging or destroying at least 224 homes and other structures in the mountains outside of the resort community of Ruidoso.

Officials say the Little Bear fire, which has scorched 58 square miles in the Sierra Blanca range, has been 40 percent contained and firefighters will continue building lines to contain the fire Thursday. But they note that sunny, dry weather will result in more active fire behavior and an increase in visible smoke.

Hundreds of residents have been evacuated but some have begun returning home.

The Colorado blaze, about 15 miles west of Fort Collins, was still spreading. It had burned 78 square miles by Thursday, destroyed more than 100 structures, including at least 31 homes, and forced hundreds of people from their homes.

More than 1,300 firefighters have been working around the clock to build containment lines and protect structures from the fire, which was 10 percent contained.

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As massive fires hit Colo., NM areas, Forest Service chief pushes urgency of restoration

13-06-2012 22:55 This job was performed in West Hollywood, which included an addition, kitchen and bathroom remodels. This project was challenging due to hillside and site conditions, but Butel Construction succeeded in completing the project on schedule. The kitchen included all elements; the cabinet was made of wenge, Caesarstone countertop, marble back splash and maple flooring. The bathroom consisted of hand-made tiles. The finish to the addition matched the existing home, as can be seen in this video.

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Room Addition Kitchen

14-06-2012 14:50 Netherwood Remodeling & Restoration Bathroom Remodeling in Cranford, NJ - Call (908) 251-1138 Netherwood Remodeling and Restoration offers all levels of home improvement services including but not limited to trim and rough carpentry; kitchen, bath and basement remodeling; porches, decks and sunrooms; roofing and siding; windows and doors; handyman services, and all types of interior and exterior painted and stain finishes and repairs. Our Union County remodeling contractors believe in providing our customers with complete satisfaction and unsurpassed workmanship.

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Bathroom Remodeling in Cranford, NJ - Call (908) 251-1138 - Video

13-06-2012 09:38 The Nightingale House is special for its massive size, privacy, and unusual history. Located at the tip of Warwick Neck, this stately family mansion is set back from the road, amid lush trees, a sloping lawn, and an elegant circular driveway. Built in the 1790s, the original structure was a square, three story farmhouse, done in the post and beam style. But one hundred years later, a Victorian addition was built, adding six rooms onto the front of the house. The home is rumored to once have been a child's country club before the Warwick Country Club was established. Despite these historic roots, 35 Westford Avenue has been extensively updated. The kitchen is brand new and features granite countertops, stainless appliances and a banquette, or "breakfast nook". But the historic charm lives on in details like the intricate wainscoting, moldings, mantels, and beautiful staircases. The living, family, and dining rooms all have fireplaces, and a four season room overlooks the backyard. The space currently used as a game room has a private bathroom and walk-out, and would make an ideal first floor master or in-law suite. There are three suites on the second floor. The master has large windows, a fireplace, a sumptuous bath, a private deck, and an attached space that could be used as an office or changing room. There are three additional bedrooms on the third floor, as well as a full bath, a second family room, and a studio. A staircase leads up to a widows walk, which offers ...

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35 Westford - Video

June 14, 2012 - Pioneer League (PL) Missoula Osprey MISSOULA, MONT - The Missoula Osprey, in conjunction with the Arizona Diamondbacks, have announced the addition of 11 more players to the 2012 Osprey roster, including a pair of projected starting pitchers and a corner infielder from the Northwest.

Jake Lamb, the D-backs 6th-round pick in this month's MLB Draft, will be among the players headed to Missoula. In three seasons at the University of Washington, Lamb hit .326 with 10 home runs and 88 RBIs, and earned Honorable Mention All-Pac 12 honors this past spring while leading the Huskies in games played, doubles, RBI, walks, on-base average and slugging percentage. Lamb was originally drafted in the 38th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2009 MLB Draft.

Joining Lamb in the infield will be middle infielder Pedro Ruiz, who will share second base and shortstop duties with John Leonard, and Jesus Abreu, who played in the Arizona Rookie League in 2011.

The outfield gets some added depth with the addition of Hawai'I native Breland Almadova. A multi-sport athlete in high school, he chose to play baseball at the University of Hawai'I, and played well in his two seasons as a mainstay in the Rainbows' lineup. As expected from a multi-sport athlete, Almadova has shown exceptional athleticism during the mini-camp in Arizona. His father played football at Hawai'i.

Also coming to Missoula is catcher Yosbel Guiterrez, who will be playing his first season of baseball stateside after spending his first two summers in the Dominican Summer League. Guiterrez, who hit .235 with seven doubles and four triples in just over 50 career starts behind the plate, has impressed the D-backs during the grind that is Extended Spring Training.

"He has a ton of energy, he's always smiling and keeping everyone positive and loose," said Bell of Guiterrez. "He has opened some eyes over the past few months."

In addition to the position player additions, six more pitchers were named to the Missoula roster today, including two who will be in the mix for the starting rotation. Right-hander Ross Gerdeman and left-hander Andrew Barbosa are expected to be among the starters used by Osprey pitching coach Gil Heredia this season.

Gerdeman has already had a taste of game action away from Extended Spring this season, making a spot start for Class A Advanced Visalia last month. A 35th round pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, Gerdeman was 4-2 with a 3.64 ERA in the Arizona League last season. Over his last three starts in 2011, Gerdeman allowed just five runs in 20 innings pitched (2.25 ERA) while posting the win in each outing. Gerdeman, a product of Fort Jennings, Ohio, pitched three seasons for Bowling Green State University, primarily out of the bullpen, making 20 appearances in each season in a Falcon uniform.

Barbosa has a reputation of getting batters out - in three seasons at South Florida, the 36th round pick in the 2012 MLB Draft posted a 15-10 mark, with a 2.01 career ERA and 281 strikeouts in 191 1/3 career innings pitched, and held opponents to a .217 batting average. The Puerto Rico native - who was drafted twice prior by the San Francisco Giants - was a walk-on at USF before becoming a weekend starter by the end of his first season.

The Osprey bullpen is bolstered by left-hander Mike Blake - who, like Lamb, is a Washington state native - and right-handers Cody Geyer, Chase Stevens and Justin Thompson. Geyer is considered by the D-backs brass to have plenty of potential, possessing a lively fastball in the mid-90s and a good curveball. Geyer was mainly a position player until he attended junior college at Walters State Community College - the same school that produced current Osprey first baseman Kyle Koeneman and former Osprey infielder Jake Elmore (2008). In Geyer was 3-2 in 23 appearances between the Arizona League and Yakima, with a 7.09 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings pitched.

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Lamb Among 11 Additions to 2012 Osprey Roster

Sorry, Burn Notice fans. Fiona will not be getting out of prison anytime soon. Series creator and executive producer Matt Nix is just having too much fun.

"We don't get her out in the first episode. We don't get her out in the second episode and we don't get her out in the third episode," Nix tells TVGuide.com with a laugh. (It is too late for a spoiler alert?) "It's fun just to see Fiona in prison. Obviously, she's not an average prisoner, and prison is not a safe place to be. She's got her own set of challenges and her own set of characters."

Character Chatter: Join in the conversation with other Burn Notice fans

Yes, it's goodbye designer duds and hello orange jumpsuit when the new season of Burn Notice premieres on Thursday at 9/8c on USA. Season 6 picks up right after Fi (Gabrielle Anwar) turned herself into the authorities for bombing the British Consulate to stop Anson (Jere Burns) from blackmailing Michael (Jeffrey Donovan). "It's not like anything we've done before to have an entire story line that takes place separately from the main story line," Nix says. "Obviously, there are still some interactions and everybody's concerned with her being in prison and trying to deal with that situation."

This includes Michael, who obviously won't take Fiona's decision lightly, as seen in this exclusive sneak peek:

"It also gives us an interesting place to start the season, because Michael very nearly compromised himself completely for the sake of getting Fiona out of prison," Nix says. "Going into this season, he really wants to get her back, but that is not an easy thing."

Exclusive: Burn Notice asks fans to vote on Season 6's new main titles

Michael's season-long quest to break his jailbird love free means less time for clients of the week and a larger step away from procedural, stand-alone episodes for the action drama. "This year is going to be a lot more serialized, a lot bigger because everything is impacting the main characters directly," Nix says. "I think everybody was feeling the same thing, between us and the network. For better or for worse, it's a whole new ball game this year."

Nix says the move has been a goal of his, and with the series about to hit 99 episodes at the end of Season 6, the timing finally felt right. "At a certain point you realize, 'We've now done all the possible variations on this kind of story. What can I do now that's exciting and interesting and feels fresh?'" he says. "The answer, for me, is that it has to do more with the main characters, the specifics of their situation and their emotional lives. Those things can be fresh and different in all sorts of ways because it's not all driven by the client."

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Burn Notice Boss Matt Nix: "It's a Whole New Ball Game This Year"

13-06-2012 09:52 http 314-966-2666 Get The Fog Out, Clear Window Technology, Inc. and Air Shield, Inc. are committed to continually improving our management of energy resources, which reduces both operating costs and related forms of pollution. We are proud to be part of the family of businesses who have joined with ENERGY STAR. Hi, I'm Dennis McHugh, replacement window and patio door expert. I have 20 years experience as part owner and sales person for a replacement window and patio door company, and a window repair company that specializes in residential and commercial window repair, glass repair and glass replacement. Do you have a south facing wall full of windows and patio doors? Does your air conditioning run all the time trying to keep your home or business cool? You should know that you can get a super high performance insulated glass and seal for your existing windows and patio doors. There are many different kinds of solar control glass that is available that can be made to fit your existing windows and patio doors without replacing the frames. The highest performing insulated glass we carry was designed for high end vinyl replacement windows and patio doors. The windows glass reflects 99% of heat and damaging ultra violet light back to the source. The window and door glass is crystal clear, doesn't look dark, dull or blue like some films that are applied on the surface of the glass and is sealed with the duralite spacer, ...

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St. Louis Window Replacement: Heat Reflecting Replacement W - Video