20 mins ago Mar. 14, 2014 - 11:12 AM PDT

Secret has finally spoken up about that rumored funding round it had last week, clarifying the number and offering some pertinent user statistics for the 45-day-old app in a Medium post that went live Friday. The company confirmed that it raised$8.6 million from the likes of Google Ventures, Alexis Ohanian, Pete Cashmore and others a slightly lower number than the reported $10 million from last week. In addition, it noted two interesting facts:75 percent of people with more than five friends open the app daily, and 90 percent of users that engage in a conversation come back within the week.

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Council squad to tackle beds in sheds housing

6:00am Friday 14th March 2014 in News By Andrew Ffrench, Reporter covering Didcot and Wallingford. Call me on 01865 425425

MORE than 50 suspected illegal dwellings are being investigated by Oxford City Council.

Council leaders are now investing about 300,000 in tackling the growing problem of sheds and outbuildings being built in gardens without planning permission.

The city council is one of 23 local authorities to have been awarded cash to tackle what is sometimes referred to as beds in sheds.

It has set up an unlawful developments team to investigate cases.

Council spokesman Louisa Dean said: There are over 50 properties at various stages of inspection or enforcement.

One, costing 25,000, belongs to the Turna family in Dene Road, Headington.

Last week, councillors at the East area committee agreed they would take direct action after the family failed to get planning permission for the building in the back garden of the property, which they say is used as a gym and study room.

The council said it believed the building was being lived in, but the family denied this.

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Council squad to tackle beds in sheds housing

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Bill Judson looks at part of his enormous collection of antique tools housed on his property in the Farmington area. Judson says he's ready to either sell the collection or let a museum acquire it.CRAIG SANDERS/The Record

By Michael Fitzgerald

March 14, 2014 12:00 AM

Out in the country, on the farms and ranches, the old tools of the early 20th century, and even the 1800s, clutter the cobwebby corners of sheds and barns.

Especially one redwood building standing outside Farmington. There, Bill Judson houses his personal museum of obsolete, what-the-heck-is-this-thing tools.

"It's the stuff that people have never seen," says Judson, 81. They have no idea. People say 'What is that?' 'What's it for?' "

It's for posterity, if Judson has his way. Now that he's up in years, Judson is looking for someone to buy his collection. Or a museum to acquire it.

"I don't know what to do with it," Judson confesses. "My kids say they're going to bring a big Dumpster and load it up."

Judson invited me to visit. His five-acre spread encompasses several dwellings, a bamboo grove, a couple metal sheds.

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A huge collection in need of good home

Cambridge News Follow us on

Friday 14 Mar 2014 6:07 PM

Written byELEANOR BUSBY

A break-in in Saffron Walden has prompted police to remind residents to secure their sheds and garages and report any suspicious activity to officers.

A shed was broken into in Langley Lower Green, Saffron Walden, between February 15 and March 10 when the owner found that his lawnmower and a Macallister petrol strimmer had been stolen.

The lawnmower is a ATCO Rotary 18SE, which is green with black bag and silver engine compartment, and the petrol strimmer is silver with a black/blue engine compartment.

Anyone with any information about these items or the burglary is asked to contact Pc Red Leeson at Saffron Walden Police Station on 101.

Crime prevention advice from Police regarding sheds:

- Sheds typically contain tools, bikes and gardening equipment which are not just valuable but which could prove useful to a burglar, so secure the door with padbolts and close-shackle padlocks or a padlock alarm.

- Hinges should be fitted using coach bolts and large backing washers.

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Saffron Walden residents warned to secure outbuildings after shed is broken into

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The West YMCA has been approved for a two-story building addition to add more locker rooms and a fitness room.

At the Jefferson City Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Thursday, members unanimously approved a preliminary PUD plan amendment for the West YMCA, located on Amazonas Drive.

Eric Barron, development services manager, said the addition would be 23,000 square feet and include locker rooms on the lower level, a fitness room in the upper level and additional office space in the upper level.

This is basically the next phase for their construction out there, Barron said.

Brian McMillan, with Central Missouri Professional Services, who represented the YMCA at the meeting, said the addition is being called the locker room addition.

Also approved Thursday was a preliminary PUD plan for a new two-story office building that will house the office of the chief disciplinary counsel with the Missouri Bar. The new building will be located next to their current facility on American Avenue.

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Commission approves expansion at West YMCA

Common room boost for patient West Craven students

1:58pm Thursday 13th March 2014 in News

WEST Craven High School has marked the last leg of its 6.2 million refurbishment by announcing the addition of a student common room.

The room, due to be finished in September, will be available to Year 11s at the school in Barnoldswick.

Construction giant Keepmoat, which began the renovation of West Craven High in October 2012, has donated 1,000 to establish a common room as a thank you to the pupils for their understanding during the building works.

Roy Barnes, who retired as deputy head last year but has remained at the school to oversee building work, said: This is the biggest investment the school has ever seen and will bring West Craven into the 21st century.

The school has been waiting for a common room for the last 16 years and now, thanks to Keepmoat, we can finally give our students a place to relax and study ahead of their GCSEs.

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Common room boost for patient West Craven students

Cambridge News Follow us on

Friday 14 Mar 2014 5:44 PM

Written byJULIAN MAKEY

Apprentices with construction firm Kier Homes have built more than 100 new houses on a slightly smaller scale than usual.

The desirable new homes are aimed at dormice in a pioneering reintroduction scheme for the tiny creatures at Brampton Wood, Near Huntingdon.

Now the apprentices have handed over the 101 nest boxes to the Wildlife Trust at the wood.

Anne Pounds, apprenticeships manager at Sandy-based Kier Homes, said: It is vital that our apprentices learn to consider the environment in a range of ways, from simply segregating waste for recycling to projects like these where they run their own scheme using materials from site.

Mark Smith, construction director, said: Supporting the Wildlife Trust was an easy decision for Kier Homes.

As a developer, it is important for Kier Homes to work closely with the trust to ensure the schemes we deliver have sustainable wildlife habitats.

The trusts Design for Dormice project was a groundbreaking project designed to reintroduce the rare rodents into the country.

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Room with a view for dormice at Brampton Wood

The Whiskey Room places as much importance in its whiskey education as it does in its collection. (WTOP/Rachel Nania)

WASHINGTON -- There's no doubt the local bars will be filled-to-the-brim on St. Patrick's Day with stumbling holiday enthusiasts who had their fill of green beer and cabbage.

But those looking to get a real education in a celebrated slice of Irish culture can find one on a long mahogany bar in a curved glass at R R's The Whiskey Room.

"Irish whiskey is what's new, it's what's upcoming," says Rachael Ewing, who is the whiskey sommelier at The Whiskey Room.

In addition to getting a pour -- or two -- of Irish whiskey, patrons at The Whiskey Room get a lesson in varieties from all over the world from Ewing, a whiskey expert, and her team.

"There's a lot of academic study that goes into it, but there's also a lot of sensory, hands-on work," Ewing says on learning whiskey.

Ewing's journey into whiskey is one of pure coincidence.

"Oh I completely fell into it," the 24-year-old says.

At the time, Ewing was attending college in Aberdeen, Scotland, and like most students, she needed a part-time job to get her through school. So Ewing applied for a position at a local, run-down bar, named The Grill. She soon found out The Grill is one of the top whiskey bars in the world.

Unfortunately for Ewing, she knew absolutely nothing about whiskey.

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D.C. sommelier 'duels' Irish whiskey, single malt expertise