House Painting Contractors In Torrence - House Painters Torrance California 90277
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House Painting Contractors In Torrence - House Painters Torrance California 90277 - Video
CONCORD -- The Mt. Diablo school district routinely avoids open bidding and contracts directly with favored companies, a practice critics says is unfair and possibly illegal.
For about two dozen contracts valued at more than $83.1 million, the district bypassed the usual open bidding requirement through a controversial process known as "lease-leaseback." The district leases property to its chosen construction company for $1 a year and then leases it back later for a price equivalent to the building costs for the projects, which range from security upgrades to classroom construction.
About 76 percent of the contracts, or $63.2 million worth, have been awarded under this process to one company -- Taber Construction in Concord -- while a dozen other firms have split the remaining contracts. District officials say lease-leaseback allows them to choose companies that have a good reputation for quality or a strong track record on similar projects, rather than simply picking the lowest price. But some district residents have been critical of the method, noting the small number of companies solicited for the jobs.
"All I'm looking for is a fair and consistent process and I haven't seen that yet," resident John Parker told the board last fall. "I don't have a problem with lease-leaseback per se. You want the best contractor to do the work. I just want to make sure that everybody else in the public knows that we're not just giving the job to our buddy down the street."
While many districts in the Bay Area avoid lease-leaseback, Mt. Diablo is one of several that use it, and it employs the method extensively.
The method has been cleared by attorneys hired by the district and works to its advantage, said Tim Cody, interim project manager for the district's $348 million Measure C construction bond projects, approved by voters in 2010. The leasing system also allows the district to invite requests for qualifications and proposals from selected, experienced contractors rather than advertising open bids. Once a contractor is chosen and a lease is in place, the contractor performs the construction work and leases it back to the district. The district makes monthly payments until the contracts are paid off, and then the lease ends. The Mt. Diablo district sometimes uses the system for projects that don't even involve construction, such as painting or security system installation.
District resident Alicia Minyen, who serves on the California League of Bond Oversight Committees -- a state watchdog committee that advises district bond oversight groups -- said she is concerned about whether lease-leaseback contracts are legal, in part based on challenges being raised in two California appellate courts.
"There are inherent risks, which have been expressed in a report from the State Allocation Board," Minyen said. "I have additional concerns because they are being used for projects that don't even involve real property. They are basically trying to circumvent the Public Contracts Code and frankly, I don't understand why they're pushing the envelope that way and I don't think it's worth it for taxpayers."
The risks include possible corruption and lack of competition to get the best deal for taxpayers on publicly financed projects, which is normally protected by the Public Contract Code, she said.
Lease-leaseback has drawn similar controversy elsewhere.
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Controversial lease-leaseback contracts have become popular in Mt. Diablo district
Exhibitor Listing Testimonial: Outdoor Lighting
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Exhibitor Listing Testimonial: Outdoor Lighting - Video
Green Golabal Lights Pty Ltd Distributing LED Lights in Australia
Green Global Lights is supplier of high quality LED lights, fixtures, drivers and power supplies both for indoor outdoor lighting. base in Sydney, Australi...
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Green Golabal Lights Pty Ltd Distributing LED Lights in Australia - Video
Arapidis Lighting, Modern Waterproof Outdoor Lighting
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Arapidis Lighting, Modern Waterproof Outdoor Lighting - Video
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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Ottumwans got a much needed taste of Spring this weekend during the 21st Home and Garden Show.
Over 75 vendors were in attendance at the show this year.
They promoted services such as lawn and garden, landscaping, and lawn mowing.
The event provided them leads for potential job opportunities.
Seminars were also presented all weekend long.
They incorporated topics such as how to build a better lawn and the Japanese maple plant.
The event saw a particularly large crowd Saturday drawing thousands of guests.
"People seem to like this," said Ottumwa Chamber of Commerce Director Tim Kurtz. "The weather's put a damper on things, but we still had a lot of people come out--they had cabin fever. They wanted to get out and enjoy Spring for a while."
The event has continued to grow this year in terms of both vendors and attendance.
It is the largest home and garden exhibition in Southeast Iowa.
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Home and Garden Show sees success in Ottumwa this weekend
BAKERSFIELD, CA- Kern County residents rolled up their sleeves to help a veteran. Volunteers from Home Depot and the Wounded Warrior Project helped landscape the front yard of Army veteran Tony Casada's home in Northeast Bakersfield Saturday.
We are doing some shrubberies , some nice color we are going to make it look beautiful," said Amanda Riley with Home Depot.
In 2010 Casada was awarded the Purple Heart after encounters with two improvised explosive devices left him injured.
"I was lucky just to walk away with all my limbs and that is the most thing I can ask for, is just to be alive," Casada said.
But he still has a shoulder problem, back issues, and traumatic brain injury. One of the reasons Casada reached out to the Wounded Warrior Project was his veterans benefits were taking a long time to be processed. The project put him in touch with local leaders.
"Congressman McCarthy has been a big help, Casada said. He got the ball rolling after ten months that (the VA) were sitting on their hands."
After six hours and few rain delays sprinkled in, the Casadas finally got the chance to take in their new front yard
"It's such a blessing that people are willing to give up a Saturday for six hours to come out and help, Casada said. We had dirt before so I mean it's really, really overwhelming."
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Volunteers roll up their sleeves to help a Bakersfield Veteran
Unspoiled: a Thai longtail boat.
The rising star of southern Thailand is an idyllic beach and nature destination minus the crowds, writes Christina Pfeiffer.
Thailand's largest island, Phuket, has long been one of the most popular destinations in the land of smiles. Now there's a challenger from across the Andaman Sea. Krabi, on the western side of the Thai peninsula, is an ancient landscape that has much to offer. It has a stunning coastline, with sandy beaches wedged between green peninsulas and soaring rock formations. Mangroves, tropical forests, rivers and natural hot springs keep active travellers busy.
Here are our top 10 things to do in and around Krabi.
Rayavadee Resort, Krabi.
1 CRUISE THE ANDAMAN SEA
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Gaze at soaring limestone cliffs, snorkel among the colourful fish and sunbake on beautiful beaches. A boat cruise around the Andaman Sea islands is a pleasurable way to spend the day. The region has different types of boats for hire, including rustic longtails and glitzy speedboats. Most itineraries will take you to top snorkelling spots near Koh Poda and the strangely shaped Chicken Island, which has a rocky outcrop resembling a chicken's neck and head.
2 SOAK IN NAM TOK RON, A HOT-STREAM WATERFALL
Nam Tok Ron is one of Krabi's most picturesque hot springs. It's a natural outdoor spa with a tiered series of rock pools fed by water from thermal springs. The warm water (around 40 degrees) gushes into the pools from underground volcanic chambers. The hot-stream waterfall is located 45 kilometres from Krabi city and is popular with locals. The entrance fee is 90 baht ($3).
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When you're feeling Krabi about Phuket
"Glamour is magic, a weapon for a girl to wield in this world" fashion designer Alannah Hill describes her role as that of "dreamweaver". Photo: Georges Antoni
Last year, Alannah Hill's world collapsed. A long-running dispute with her business partner saw her leave the iconic fashion label she created almost 20 years ago. She moved from a mansion to a bedsit, fretting about how she'd support her young son. The grief from her mother's death two years prior was still raw. Sometimes, she'd get up early, drive until she found a quiet street and sit there until dusk, seeking refuge from the chaos.
"I was utterly devastated," Hill says, breaking her silence on the split that shocked Australia's fashion industry. "I was inconsolable. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't eat. I just stayed home, too broken to venture out. I couldn't even bear to hear my name spoken."
My voice was being diluted. My wit and my personality were gone. In the end, we had to make a deal.
The reason is that she no longer owns her name - her former business partner, Factory X, does. "Leaving my brand was not my ideal outcome ... I never imagined this would happen," says Hill. "I thought I'd be there forever."
Since the partnership imploded last year, Factory X, co-founded by David Heeney, has continued the Alannah Hill label, albeit without any input from its namesake. But you have not heard the last of the woman who is one of Australia's most eccentric and loved designers.
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In an exclusive interview with Sunday Life, Hill reveals her plans for a new label, Louise Love; "Louise" being her middle name. "I just had to have a name that was linked to me," she says. "Louise Love is a brand new girl ... actually, she is a reinvention of a girl who was almost buried alive."
Hill is full of enthusiasm on the day we meet, the result of her new venture. "Get off my grass!" she screams at the birds pecking at her nature strip, chasing after them in a towering pair of ruby platform heels. "That lawn is my pride and joy."
Hill begins a tour of her inner-Melbourne beachside home, which she bought after settling with Heeney last year. "Follow me, luvvy!" she says. It's an enchanting space, practically an Alannah Hill store writ large. Enormous chandeliers fill every room, with plush scarlet carpet abutting the ivory and baby-pink walls. The furniture is French, upholstered in luxurious rose and purple velvet, complemented by ornately patterned mirrors.
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The art of reinvention