BY STEVE METSCH smetsch@southtownstar.com June 17, 2014 6:56PM

This is the home where Oak Lawn police recently found two dozen marijuana plants and more than 30 guns when they helped the owner, who had been injured. | Steve Metsch/Sun-Times Media

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Updated: June 18, 2014 2:11AM

An ambulance call to a house this month led to a big surprise for Oak Lawn police a marijuana growing business, more than 30 guns and more than $77,000 in cash.

When police responded June 6 to an ambulance call at 9717 Tulley Ave., they found a man lying on the ground and bleeding from a cut on his head, police said. They said Kris Bond, 58, was unable to sit upright, his speech was slurred, and he told police that he had been drinking because his friend was in the hospital and about to die.

As officers assisted Bond into his house, they were greeted by an overwhelming odor of marijuana and saw a pistol on the kitchen table, police said. Officers then found several rifles and ammunition on the floor of the family room, and as they secured the guns, they discovered a marijuana growing room in an upstairs bedroom, according to police.

They said Bond agreed to go a hospital for treatment, and police locked the house and obtained a search warrant for it, returning to find 24 marijuana plants in the bedroom along with a system of lights, fans and power convertors, fertilizing chemicals and a hydration system, Police Division Chief Michael Kaufmann said Tuesday.

They also found 30 firearms including numerous shotguns, a 9mm handgun and a .357 revolver in rooms throughout the house, Kaufmann said. In a safe in the bedroom, which police opened after Bond gave them the combination, police found more guns and $76,320 cash, police said.

Bond was arrested June 7 after being released from the hospital and is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana plants and possession of drug paraphernalia, Cook County prosecutors said Tuesday. No gun charges were filed as of Tuesday.

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Pot plants, guns, cash found at Oak Lawn house

Riverview Hospital's West Lawn building in Coquitlam.

image credit: tri-CITY NEWS FILE PHOTO

The provincial governments decision to close Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam has led to the current serious mental health crisis in the province, a former vice-president of the 102-year-old institution says.

And on Monday, Coquitlam city council unanimously backed Dr. John Higenbottams plan, which includes construction of an acute care hospital, to rededicate the 244-acre site as a health and wellness centre to curb the trend, especially in the Lower Mainland.

Councils move came after the city spent $20,000 to hire the clinical psychologist last December to update the citys 14-year-old vision for Riverview, a site that, in its heyday, treated more than 5,000 patients with mental illnesses.

In his report Into the Future, the Coquitlam Health Campus that was released this week, Dr. Higenbottam wrote the series of deinstitutionalization programs, starting in the 1980s, saw the hospital downsized and led to its closure in 2012.

Unfortunately, this has resulted in a loss of Riverviews specialized treatment capability for the group of traditional persons with serious mental illness requiring specialized, longer-term treatment which exceeds the capabilities of community hospitals and services, he stated.

At the same time, a group of Severely Addicted Mentally Ill (SAMI) individuals has emerged who have complex treatment needs and who are now placing great pressure on hospital emergency departments and psychiatric units as well as police and social services.

In 2008 and last year, the Union of BC Municipalities called on the provincial government to reopen Riverview but at the organizations 2013 convention, Premier Christy Clark said that wouldnt happen.

With BC Housing now tasked by the province to conduct a visioning exercise for Riverview this year, Coquitlam council believes Higenbottams report will add weight.

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Coquitlam endorses Riverview as health centre, hospital site

By ABDI GULED Associated Press

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) - Hawa Nor carried her visibly weakened son into the hospital's isolation ward. Like many sick children here, the 7-year-old boy is likely a victim of an old Somali wives' tale: A child with measles should be kept inside, and away from the doctor, for a week.

Abdullahi Hassan labored to breathe, and his eyesight is deteriorating.

"Even though we kept him at home for a week, he's getting weaker," Nor tells the pediatrician.

Somalia is suffering from an outbreak of measles that the World Health Organization and the U.N. children's agency labels "extremely alarming." UNICEF reported 1,350 suspected cases of measles in March and April, a figure four times higher than the same period last year. Another 1,000 cases were reported in May.

Many children in the country are malnourished and few have access to medical care, making an outbreak potentially dangerous for thousands of others. One additional danger that prevents early medical intervention is the belief by many parents that they should keep measles-infected children at home for a week for what they call an "incubation" period.

"Such delays cause clinical problems, including respiratory disorders, and in some cases they bring children malnourished who cannot survive without ventilation," Dr. Omar Abdi, a pediatrician at Banadir Hospital in Mogadishu, said in an interview on Tuesday.

Though mostly eradicated in the United States, measles remains a common disease in many parts of Asia, the Pacific and Africa because of a lack of vaccinations. Even the U.S., where the disease has technically been eliminated, has seen a record number of measles cases this year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the country has nearly 400 reported cases, more than twice as many as in all of 2013 and eight times as many as in all of 2012.

The measles is spreading in a handful of U.S. communities where pockets of unvaccinated people are found, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

In Somalia, the disease is spreading because of a lack of medical facilities. A measles vaccination costs only about $1, but millions of children remain exposed to the disease. Hunger and bad health add to the problem.

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In Somalia, a wives' tale delays measles treatment

JOPLIN, Mo. If you think you are having a hard time staying on top of your mowing, you should talk to Paul Horton, of the Lawn Guy. He takes care of 150 lawns. When conditions for mowing are favorable, like they were late last week, he has two crews mowing from sunrise to sunset.

We have to work around it. It gets too wet, he said. In our case, most of the yards are already irrigated. They get so saturated you cant get on them, and these are nice yards. When its dry, we go like gangbusters. We mow as much as we can.

When the mowing season started in April, it was really dry. Horton is thankful for that now.

If we would have had normal rain in April and then the rain weve had for the last two weeks, we would have been really sunk, he said.

In early May, the Joplin area and parts of Southeast Kansas were classified as being in severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The deficit for the year was more than 9 inches.

Nearly two-thirds of the moisture that Joplin has received this year has fallen in the last few weeks. The rain started falling in mid-May, which logged 4.77 inches. So far this month, 3.41 inches have been recorded. Joplin has received only 12.12 inches since the beginning of the year. The deficit stands at 8.86 inches.

Last Thursday, because conditions had improved so dramatically, the U.S. Drought Monitor downgraded Joplins drought to moderate.

Horton is not the only one feeling the impact of so much water.

Scott Garrie, manager of Schifferdecker Golf Course, said, We use less water to irrigate. The rain helps in that regard, but on the flip side, it restricts our maintenance the things that need to be completed. Its hard to mow without rutting when its this wet.

And when its raining, people arent playing.

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Drought conditions downgraded to moderate; lawn services, farmers, golf courses feeling effect of rain

Its that time of the year again, when the temperatures rise and the smell of freshly-cut grass fills the air. If you thinking about hiring a company to do the lawn care work for you, Better Business Bureau has a few tips to keep in mind.

In 2013, BBB received more than 3,400 complaints against lawn care services. Many of the complaints were about shoddy workmanship, damage to lawns, failure to honor warranties, and billing and collection issues. Another issue is ghosting, in which lawn care employees show up, put some signs on the lawn indicating they did work, and simply drive off.

Consumers can avoid most of these problems by researching prospective lawn care companies and keep the following tips in mind:

Know what you want Have in mind the types of services you are seeking (fertilizing, weeding, aerating, mowing). Ask about the products used (seed, fertilizer, weed killer), request a lawn inspection and estimate, and be wary of any company that quotes a price without first seeing your yard.

Understand pricing While price is certainly a major factor in any purchasing decision, find out exactly what you are getting. Do you pay by the mow or by the week? What happens when it rains? Does mowing include edging? Do they mulch or bag the clippings? Are services performed by employees or sub-contracted out?

Check first Make sure the company has an up to date license as required by your jurisdiction, when appropriate. Always check the companys BBB Business Review at bbb.org. Ask for references and check the companys affiliation with national franchises or associations.

Scrutinize the contract Some contracts automatically renew unless you specify otherwise If you do choose to sign a long-term contract, make sure you get information about cancellation rights in writing, in case you find the services to be unsatisfactory.

Understand the warranties and guarantees If the service is not to your liking, or the lawn doesnt look as you anticipated, understand what recourse you may have.

Shop around Get written estimates from at least three different companies. Keep in mind that the cheapest estimate is not necessarily the best option. You may have to invest a little more for higher quality products and services.

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BBB Offers Tips on Hiring Lawn Care Services

By LB Indy Staff on June 13th, 2014

As a metalworker, glassblower, landscape architect, lighting designer, and now Laguna Beachs newest arts commissioner, Carmen Salazars experiences as an artist have been incredibly varied.

Describing her path as circuitous, Salazars pursuit of many different art forms all seem relevant to the role to which she was appointed on Tuesday, June 3 by the City Council. Born in Washington, D.C., frequent trips to the National Mall helped her develop an interest in public art, Salazar said in an interview on Friday, June 6.

These trips and subsequent experiences with made her question the boundaries of what art is, Salazar remembers. By breaking these boundaries, public art, in particular, can make a person take unexpected pause in their day, Salazar wrote in her the application for commissioner.

Salazar pursued her interest in art at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design, focusing in metalworking and glassblowing. After her graduation she went on become an environmental artists assistant in San Francisco.

She further developed her interest in arts relationship to the environment continued not long after her move to Southern California in 1999 when Salazar began her studies in landscape architecture at the Southern California Institute of Architecture. Combining her interests of environmental art, landscape architecture, and derelict post-industrial sites, she became a designer for the Orange County Great Park from 2006 to 2008, Salazar stated.

After gaining experience in designing for a municipal authority, Salazar turned her focus to functional art, primarily lighting fixtures. Joining her husband, Caleb Siemon, a master glassblower, they formed their studio, Siemon and Salazar in Santa Ana, in 2008. Salazar continues to dedicate most of her attention to her work there. Her main focus is lighting fixtures, inspired by Scandinavian design and living things, which are frequently included in her work.

As reflected by her background and her artwork, Salazar frequently draws inspiration from the natural environment. The waters and landscape first piqued Siemon and Salazars interest in Laguna Beach. As a child, Salazar took frequent trips to West Virginia and, referring to the hilly scenery, called Laguna Beach the mini-West Virginia of Orange County.

A 12-year resident of Laguna Beach, Salazar hoped to combine her interests in environmental art, public art, and architecture by becoming an arts commissioner. Her parents instilled in her the importance of civic involvement, Salazar said, and she saw it as a crucial time to become a part of city leadership. As a canyon resident, recently theres been a lot of potential for change, Salazar noted. She wanted to be a part of Laguna Beachs future and hoped to become more familiar with the local arts scene.

She did not yet have any specific objectives in mind for her role as commissioner and, though she may like to see more educational or interactive art pieces, said Salazar. Unexpected art that would cause a viewer to respond, I didnt know that was happening, is of particular interest to Salazar.

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A Circuitous Path to Arts Commissioner

A REVIEW into the use of heavily-criticised pre-pack administrations has rejected the idea of legislative scrutiny, in favour of a series of voluntary measures that will make the process more transparent, fair and give creditors a better deal.

Teresa Graham, the ICAEW member who led the government-commissioned review, said that pre-packs should have a place in the UK's insolvency landscape, but called for "major improvements" in how they are administered.

A pre-pack administration is where the sale of the business is marketed prior to the company entering administration and subsequently sold on appointment of administrators. However, the administrators must submit a SIP16 report outlining why the pre-pack was chosen as the best course of action for creditors

Around 600 of the 2,365 UK companies that went into administration last year were subject to pre-packs, an insolvency process that has been much maligned because creditors are usually left out of the loop until the sale has taken place. In some instances a supplier that is owed money does not realise a pre-pack has taken place until they contact a company to chase payment. As with all administrations, the debt held by a company is usually reduced when it enters an insolvency process.

'Pre-pack pool'

Graham's recommendations include creating a pre-pack pool' where deals will be scrutinised prior to a sale taking place, though the system would only examine deals where there is a "connected party" involved, such as a director of the failed business.

Under the proposals, members of the pool are expected to spend no longer than half a day reviewing a pre-pack proposal to avoid delays. Phillip Sykes, head of restructuring and insolvency at Moore Stephens, said it may be hard to keep to that schedule.

"There is a real risk that the amount of information included in the reports for the pool becomes unmanageable, as existing business owners try to protect themselves from any potential litigation by disclosing as much as possible in their pre-pack proposal," Sykes said.

Any connected party will also be required to complete a viability review' for the new company, while valuations must carried out by a valuer who holds professional indemnity insurance, to increase confidence that the sale is for a fair price. Additionally, proper marketing must be undertaken to maximise sale proceeds.

"I believe my proposals, implemented as a complete package, will lead to real improvements in pre-packs," Graham said. "I hope the insolvency industry, as well as all those in business, will embrace these measures as it is in everyone's interest that they are successful. I believe they will lead to real improvements in transparency and scrutiny."

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Pre-pack administrations to face voluntary scrutiny

Capitol Hills biggest soccer fans can be found in theCongressional Soccer Caucus, a group of 25 representatives spanning the political landscape but all dedicated to promoting the sport.

The Wall Street Journal caught up with one of the caucuss co-chairs, Rep. Dave Reichert(R., Wash.) to learn more about why the caucus was formed and to get a sense of how the self-proclaimed big fan was feeling just ahead of the U.S. opener.

Q: So, why the soccer caucus?

A: I wanted to help chair the soccer caucus because Ive seen the value of team sports in shaping young peoples lives. It teaches them so many things that you dont get in a traditional classroom or in individual events. You learn leadership and teamwork. You learn split-second decision making. You learn how to lose gracefully and you learn how to win gracefully. These things are all so important and set you up to be successful in adulthood.

Also, my daughter coaches high school soccer, my granddaughter plays soccer, and I kicked the ball around coaching my daughters when they were young and in my days in the King County Sheriffs Office.

Q: Do you do anything as a caucus, including but not limited to lawmaking and watching soccer together?

A: The Soccer Caucus doesnt generally have time to sit down and watch a full match together, but well all be keeping up with the World Cup. And of course, Go [Seattle] Sounders!

Q: Have you seen more Americans (or more of your constituents) express interest in soccer? What of the claims that soccer is un-American?

A. Well, I come from Washington State where soccer is extremely popular! I think we can look around at the MLS and seeing the new talent its attracting and the new teams that are being formed and its very evident that soccer is a growing sport in the United States. So the claims that it is uUn-American just dont make sense to me. As more and more Americans play the sport, the more well create an American style for the sport and our own ways of celebrating it. Its a sport that is very much like our nation diverse, multicultural, and made to last. Thats definitely American.

Q: How do you think the U.S. soccer team will perform against its first round of opponents, Ghana, Portugal and Germany? People are calling it the group of death.

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Prediction From Capitol Hill: USA Survives Group Stage

CH Property Service - land clearing/fire mitigation
Log removal with Cat 262c skid steer with grapple bucket.

By: chproperty

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CH Property Service - land clearing/fire mitigation - Video

Tremson Land Clearing

By: Tremson Corp

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Tremson Land Clearing - Video