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Cincinnati, OH (PRWEB) March 12, 2014
At a time when companies are still finding their legs after the recession, Strategic Franchising Systems is running full speed ahead. Founded in 1997, the company recently surpassed 1,000 franchise units, consisting of six brands: Caring Transitions, Fresh Coat Painters, Home Helpers, Direct Link, The Growth Coach and TruBlue Total House Care.
Strategic Franchising Systems is strong as a company because of the strength of our individual brands. By working together, weve been able to combine our resources to better serve all of our owners, which has helped us grow, said Emma Dickinson, president of Home Helpers & Direct Link the two largest brands in the system.
But working together goes beyond shared resources; it also means having a powerful executive team to work with every day.
Each and every member of the executive team and the staff has their own skills and gifts they bring to the company. Having such a diverse CEO roundtable in the building is extremely unique and beneficial. From a growth standpoint, being able to walk down the hall and discuss ideas or challenges with the other leaders has an amazing impact on the development of our individual businesses and each other, Dickison added.
Home Helpers Strategic Franchising Systems began in 1997 with the founding of Home Helpers, a home care franchise specializing in non-medical, companion and personal care that was ranked the #1 senior care franchise for five consecutive years by Entrepreneur Magazine.
Over the years, Home Helpers has grown and broadened its scope of services. Today, it is one of only five national brands identified with having at least 300 locations, and it is part of a mere 15 percent of national non-medical senior care franchise brands expanding into skilled medical services.
Our mission is to be able to meet all of our clients needs, whether they are looking for a companion or they need full skilled medical services. We want to make sure everyone has the ability to remain independent as long as they possibly can, so well be rolling out services to allow that to happen in more places, said Dickison. Most companies either provide non-skilled care or skilled care. Were one of the few that can offer both in participating locations. This allows those offices participating to provide a broader, more complete continuum of care.
Direct Link In 1999, Direct Link was established as a complement to Home Helpers by offering 24/7 in-home medical emergency monitoring for the booming senior market. Direct Link is a complete, ready-to-operate franchise offering personal emergency response systems, medication dispensers and vital signs monitoring units. Its ever-expanding line of products supplements the care services provided by Home Helpers caregivers.
Caring Transitions Founded in 2006, the Caring Transitions franchise is leading the way in senior moving, household liquidations and estate sales management across the United States. As the only national business to specialize in this particular service, Caring Transitions has a unique role among the nations aging population.
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Strategic Franchising Systems Surpasses 1,000 Units Milestone
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In one case, a local company won a road improvement contract, but another job went to an out-of-town company whose bid was lower.
Such is life under Nebraskas open bidding laws; try as they might, local public bodies arent always able to spend their money locally.
That sometimes frustrating fact was brought to the forefront at the Fremont City Council meeting on Tuesday when a Fort Calhoun company outbid several local lawn services to mow Fremont parks and rights-of-way for the next two years.
The council unanimously approved Parks and Recreation Director Dan Seders recommendation to hire A Plush Lawns for up to $68,625 per mowing season for two years.
Actual payments to the company will depend upon the mowing season. The summer drought in 2012, for example, cut the season short.
A Plush actually had the third lowest weekly and bi-weekly mowing prices of eight bidders, but scored second to an Elkhorn company in the bid scoring system, but Seder said the interview process unearthed concerns with the Elkhorn companys $61,005 per season bid.
While other bidders would provide an owner-operator as the citys point of contact, Seder explained, the Elkhorn company said the city would work through a scheduling coordinator in their main office, and there were issues with scheduling flexibility.
After going through the interviews, I proposed who I thought would be the best fit for the city in terms of the product were going to receive, and then ultimately what the price is going to be for the city, Seder said.
Jim Love of Fremont told the council awarding the contract to an out-of-town company likely means four to six Fremont people wont have summer jobs this year.
With all the cities filing bankruptcy or having budget issues, the more money we can keep in our city the better off we are, Love said.
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Local lawn services edged out of mowing contract
By Matt Caron Published: Wednesday, March 12, 2014, 3:41 pm Related Content
WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) Westfield students had the chance Wednesday to get up close and personal with a sports celebrity.
Greeted with chants of: USA! USA! USA!, city native and two-time Olympic Silver Medalist Kacey Bellamy toured five schools, speaking with students of all ages.
It was just weeks ago that the dreams of Bellamy and the rest of the U.S. Olympic Womens Hockey Team fell short in Sochi, when they lost the gold medal game to Canada.
Bringing her two silver medals with her, she took questions and spoke about her Olympic experience.
She told 22News that she wanted the students to understand that its important to set a goal, pursue it, and to never give up.
Winning the silver medal, it was tough, but its a complete honor. Being here, seeing these kids on this homecoming smiling and just seeing how they make me feel; it brings it all into perspective. Its all about the journey, she said.
As for Kaceys dream, she said she hasnt made a final decision yet, but shes leaning toward taking one last shot at Olympic gold in four years. She will be 30 years old for those games, which will be held in PyeongChang, South Korea.
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Olympic star Kacey Bellamy back in Westfield
WHO WANTS TO BE A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT HD
By: erica manahan
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WHO WANTS TO BE A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT HD - Video
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by Kaley O'Kelley
azfamily.com
Posted on March 12, 2014 at 11:04 AM
Updated today at 11:20 AM
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- If watering your yard is killing your household budget, the idea of a desert landscape might be appealing to you.
Planting cacti might help because they don't need much water to survive. While they can be a nightmare for parents and pet owners, they don't have to be, according to master gardener Cesar Mazier.
"Opt for the Totem Pole Cactus," he said. "They're spineless and that means you can plant them around pools, really anywhere you might find kids playing!"
Mazier would know. He spent 16 years of his career at the Desert Botanical Garden.
He also says planting aloe will help to attract hummingbirds to your outdoor living space. Planting it near windows you enjoy sitting near is the key to creating a sanctuary you can enjoy inside and out.
That aloe should also attract lizards, which is a good thing if you're struggling to get rid of scorpions.
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Create a worry-free desert oasis and keep scorpions away, too
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Pleasant Hill keeps 'marching' along. The recent rainfall has made our hillsides awash with green, even in this drought year of 2014. St Patrick's Day beckons and some people will be donning the green.
It is also the month where you will likely see the start of some major city projects costing a total of $33 million. That's definitely a lot of green!
I am not sure the luck of the Irish has anything to do with this (though I am the grandson of Irish immigrants) but nearly 90 percent or more than $30 million of the project construction costs are being paid from regional, state and federal grants and not the city's general fund.
Other communities are surely green with envy at the resourcefulness of our city staff in identifying funding for important infrastructure improvements without negatively impacting our budget priorities or depleting our revenue.
Here are some of the improvements that are underway.
Geary Road enhancements
This $10 million project, in partnership with the city of Walnut Creek, will improve Geary Road from Putnam Boulevard to Pleasant Hill Road.
The improvements will include the construction of continuous left-turn lanes, a bike lane and new pedestrian sidewalks.
The redesign of the intersection of Geary and Pleasant Hill roads, which has already begun, will be completed with gateway monuments identifying Pleasant Hill boundaries (more on that below).
Enhancements for Contra Costa Boulevard
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ViewPoints by Timothy M. Flaherty: Pleasant Hill roadway, sign improvements to begin
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Our recent run of good weather has been perfect for getting out and enjoying a walk. We dont lack for quality parks in Gwinnett County I have four great ones within 20 minutes or less from my home but sometimes its easier, not to mention more informative, to walk around the neighborhood.
It gives you a chance to not only say hello to neighbors but to get a pulse of the area. You see who drives fast, who drives slow, whos driving something new, who has the best landscaping and who has the worst (Im always happy when it isnt me.)
There used to be a time when on those walks Id also see plenty of wildlife, mostly deer who called the unfinished part of the subdivision home. I previously wrote about those suburban deer, who have had to find new homes because of the human ones being added a bad deal for the deer but a great one for the economy.
Toward the back of the subdivision, near where a gate used to be situated to keep people from driving through the unfinished part, is a real sign. And it was a nice discovery the first time I saw it while on a walk with the dog. It marks the site where a new home will be built which isnt novel in a neighborhood that seems to be growing every day.
However, its not a for sale sign, but a for sign. The lot, you see, is for the future home of Sgt. Perry Haley and his family.
Haley was injured while serving in Iraq and Korea and is dealing with health problems due to a brain tumor. The house is being presented to the family by the PulteGroup in partnership with Operation Finally Home, a group dedicated to providing custom-built, mortgage-free homes to Americas heroes and the widows of the fallen who have sacrificed so much to defend our freedoms and our way of life.
Haley is a veteran, a hero like all the other men and women who serve our country. He has received several commendations, including the Army Achievement Medal, Army Superior Unit Award and Good Conduct Medal. He and his wife Autumn have three daughters, Georgia, Eva and Hannah and they will be present on Wednesday at 2 p.m. for the official groundbreaking at Barrington Estates in Sugar Hill.
Theyll get to see the site where Pulte Homes, with support from its trade partners and vendors will build, decorate and donate the home, which is expected to be completed by this summer. Sugar Hill Mayor Steve Edwards will be there as will folks from Pulte and Operation Finally Home. Presumably some future neighbors will stop by as well.
Programs like these that honor veterans are always nice to hear about, even more so when the donated home is in your own neighborhood. The Haleys future home is one I walk by often. This summer I look forward to waving hello, and to making sure their yard doesnt totally put my to shame.
Email Todd Cline at todd.cline@gwinnettdailypost.com. His column appears on Wednesdays.
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CLINE: A nice addition to the neighborhood landscape
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By Jenny Barwise
Published at 11:23, Wednesday, 12 March 2014
People power looks set to win as plans to build a highly controversial wind turbine near Cockermouth are likely to be refused.
Nearly 30 people living at Gilcrux, Tallentire, Bridekirk and Cockermouth have lodged fierce objections against Fine Energy Limiteds planned development at Gilcrux.
They say that the nearby land is already saturated with wind turbines and another will only add to the misery that they bring.
Next week Allerdales development panel is being urged by the authoritys planning officers to throw the plan for the 77m turbine out, who say that the landscape and visual impact of the turbine would result in significant cumulative harm to the landscape.
Last year villagers hit out after plans for a six 328ft turbines at Tallentire Hill were passed. The turbines have since been built and the experiences of this wind farm features in the majority of objectors letters.
Alan Bateman, who lives at Newton House, Gilcrux, said that the six massive, ugly and very visually intrusive turbines spoiled the rural tranquility of the area.
Another turbine nearby will only exacerbate that intrusion, he added.
Another objector, Roy Stenson of Bridekirk, near Cockermouth, said: Being sited so close to the existing six wind turbines at Tallentire Hill farm can only have significant accumulation effect. It is a planning application by stealth coming so soon when the six at Hill Farm have only been on stream a few months.
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People power set to topple Cumbrian wind turbine plan
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Houston Land Clearing Expert
In 2000 the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that "the part of populace progress in a nearby setting may change from conclusive t...
By: Joe Tran
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Houston Land Clearing Expert - Video
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Global Witness and Save My Future Foundation (SAMFU) today welcome the commitment by the Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, to make any expansion by the British palm oil company Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) onto Jogbahn Clan land dependent on the approval of the communities affected.(1)
EPO has been accused by the communities of taking their land and clearing it without their consent.(2) In September 2013, community members were apparently beaten and detained by EPO security staff and the Liberian police on their way to lodge a complaint about the expansion to the authorities.(3) The company denied that it acted without community consultation or outside Liberian law.(4) The commitment by the President marks a significant victory in the battle for customary land rights to be respected.
"While Liberia desperately needs investment it cannot afford to do business with companies which trample over vulnerable people. By this decision, the President has shown that she intends to put her people first." says Natalie Ashworth, Global Witness. "The commitment by President Sirleaf to protect some of Liberia's poorest people is laudable."
British company, EPO, has two palm oil concessions in Liberia covering a total of 89,000 hectares. The company, which is listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange, took steps in late 2012 and throughout 2013 to expand its operations in Grand Bassa County onto land customarily held by the Jogbahn community.
The expansion of the company's operations would have destroyed the forests, farms and wetlands upon which the Jogbahn people rely for their livelihoods and food. In a response to a letter by Global Witness the company stated that it respects "the Liberian community rights and land." [sic] (4)
Communities reported to Global Witness that over the course of 2013 they were subjected to increasingly severe intimidation by EPO security staff. The intimidation escalated in September 2013 when 17 community members were reportedly beaten and arrested by EPO security staff and officers from the elite Liberian Police Support Unit (PSU). (5)
In a letter to Global Witness the company stated that "they were not involved" in the incident, had been "falsely accused" and they "never instructed or directed any of its staff or PSU officer to intimidate Jogbahn community members... at any time."(4)
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Liberia: NGOs Welcome President's Commitment to Stop British Palm Oil Company 'Taking' Community Land
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