After four years of raising funds and seeking the support of elected officials, Arbutus Recreation Council treasurer George Kendrick will finally see a new floor in the Arbutus Recreation Center.

The 92-year-old who serves as treasurer of the Arbutus Recreation Council, an outspoken advocate for his community for many years, organized an effort to replace the vinyl tile floor of the recreation facility with red maple wood.

The installation will begin this week and is expected to be complete in six weeks, said Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, who was among the officials to announce the new flooring at a ceremony held last Saturday.

A check for $74,000 was presented to Kendrick by Kamenetz, who accepted the funds on behalf of the recreation council. The council raised the other $25,000 needed to complete the work.

"As soon as we heard the words George Kendrick we knew we had to get involved and make this happen," Kamenetz said before a group of about 20 people seated in the recreation facility.

Kendrick is known by residents as the "unofficial mayor" of Arbutus.

A $30,000 bond to fund the project was also secured by Dels. Steven DeBoy and James Malone, and state Senator Ed Kasemeyer in the spring legislative session.

"I'm so thrilled that we're getting a new floor here. I think I've worked tirelessly in the last four years to put a bug in everybody's ear," said Kendrick, known well by his neighbors for coaching the Arbutus Big Red amateur men's football team since 1946. "Because anybody who plays basketball or volleyball or any other sport playing on concrete is not conducive to good leg muscles."

Kendrick said the floor, which is concrete covered with polyvinyl tile, is too hard to comfortably play impact sports like basketball.

"You stand here for 10 minutes and it makes your leg muscles tight," Kendrick said standing in the center of the facility.

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Wood floor to be added to Arbutus Rec Center

By PRW Staff

Posted 14 October 2014

Eli-Chem Resins, a Surrey-based resin systems group, has developed a series of photo-luminescent pigments that are designed to be self-illuminating both indoor and outdoors.

Eli-Chem's Eli-Glow emits light all by itself

The group claimed its Eli-Glow to be a "revolutionary and very latest state-of-the-art substance in sustainable eco-lighting technology.

Eli-Glow photo-luminescent pigments are not primary light reflectors, the group said, but actual sources of ambient light.

They absorb radiant UV energy from sunlight (or indoor lighting) and convert it into longer wavelengths in the visible spectrum, emitting it as light with the sensation of different colours applied.

Eli-Chem said that by day the pigments were a pale, straw-coloured substance. When mixed with a 10/20% binder it becomes invisible and will not affect the optical clarity of your finished artwork or object.

In darkness your application will come to life, transforming the entire appearance into a unique and captivating focal piece, it added.

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A new kind of light

A full-scale kitchen remodel involves the removal and installation of new cabinets, which can take weeks or even months to complete. Kitchen cabinet refacing by Granite Transformations can be completed in just days and can help alleviate the stress and headaches of a traditional remodel. Our dedicated and professional installers measure, craft and install custom cabinet doors, drawers and hardware to provide a beautiful looking kitchen, without the mess of a remodel.

Granite Transformations offers both wood and composite cabinet refacings made of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) and Rigid Thermofoil (RTF).

MDF has become the most popular composite material in recent years. Medium-density fiberboard manufacturers use only the highest quality recycled wood fibers and resin. MDF is so versatile that it is now used in furniture, doors, shelves and decorative molding. RTF is a laminate finish that is applied to MDF with heat-activated glue under immense pressure in a high vacuum press. Rigid Thermofoil has become the most popular choice for homeowners who want a beautiful product without all the care and upkeep that natural wood cabinets require. Better Homes and Gardens has touted RTF cabinetry as "the 40 year kitchen"!

Choosing the right wood comes down to three important choices: type, color and grain. Woods can be classified as either hard or soft. Hardwoods are made from broad-leaf trees such as cherry, oak and maple, while softwoods come from needle-bearing evergreen trees. Natural wood has non-uniform grain patterns which can result in an inconsistent look. Over time, wood cabinets can be prone to warping due to heat and moisture.

Granite Transformations offers a variety of cabinet refacing colors and styles for your kitchen or bath remodeling project. Cabinet refacing will save you time, money and aggravation, allowing you to be back in your home in two-to-four days (instead of two-to-four weeks, or more).

Please note that wood cabinets are not available at all Granite Transformations locations.

Schedule a FREE in-home consultation now and let Granite Transformations transform your kitchen or bath with new cabinet doors.

Cabinet refacing is the ideal choice for consumers that plan to keep the same kitchen layout, want the work completed in days not weeks, and who want to be able to use their kitchen during the remodeling process.

Our advantages:

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Kitchen Cabinet Refacing, Economical & Convenient ...

The trial over the American International Group Inc. (AIG) bailout shifts this week from the architects of the 2008 rescue, who spent days testifying as to why they imposed the terms they did on the ailing insurer, to the executives who accepted their demands.

Maurice Hank Greenbergs Starr International Co., AIGs biggest shareholder before the bailout, accuses the U.S. of imposing illegally severe conditions in the rescue and is seeking at least $25 billion in damages.

Robert Willumstad and Edward Liddy, two of Greenbergs successors as chief executive officer at the insurance giant, are set to testify this week in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, where Judge Thomas Wheeler is hearing the case without a jury. The trial started Sept. 29.

Key regulators involved in the rescue, including Federal Reserve Bank of New York executives Sarah Dahlgren and Margaret McConnell, and Eric Dinallo, former superintendent of the State of New York Department of Insurance, also are expected to take the witness stand.

Starr alleges in its shareholder suit that the U.S. didnt have the authority to demand 80 percent of AIGs equity in consideration for a loan and didnt pay a fair price for the stock it took. It also claims the government imposed a punitive 14 percent interest rate on the initial $85 billion loan.

The leaders of the bailout, Henry Paulson, Timothy Geithner and Ben Bernanke, all told the court last week that the rescue was needed because AIGs failure would have been catastrophic to the financial system.

They added little new information about how the government determined it had the authority to demand equity in setting terms for a loan.

Willumstad was forced to resign as CEO as a condition of the bailout, which began on Sept. 16, 2008. Hes expected to testify about his efforts to cobble together a private-sector rescue of the company and his discussion of the terms of the governments last-minute intervention to prevent an AIG bankruptcy. Willumstad, 69, is now chairman of Adelphi University in Garden City, New York.

Liddy, his successor, was hand-picked by regulators and headed AIG until August 2009. Hes expected to discuss his interactions with government officials regarding the form of stock the U.S. ultimately took from AIG and the creation of a trust to hold it. The 68-year-old former insurance executive is now chairman at US Foodservice in Rosemont, Illinois.

McConnell, of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, wrote an October 2008 e-mail to Geithner and others describing a crazily high interest rate on the bailout loan that was forced on us (meaning FRBNY) by people that have since punted on all the hard things.

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AIG Bailout Architects Leave Questions for Executives

Helena architects laid out possible solutions for a holistic approach to solving the Helena School District facility issues at Monday mornings Facility Committee meeting.

The committee made a decision during a previous meeting to discuss options with several groups of professionals in the community, and the architects were the first group.

Ben Tintinger of Mosaic, Mike Dowling of DSA Architects and Tim Meldrum of SMA Architects were joined by community member Darryl James in the proposals to the committee.

Dowling said the group, which started discussing solutions a year ago and has been meeting steadily for the last month, focused on solving problems with the buildings. They started with the big picture and tried to envision solutions that will work far into Helenas future.

We cant afford to redo things or make bad decisions, Dowling said.

With the goal of keeping mostly walkable neighborhood schools, the group pitched ideas for the west side and east side of Helena.

On the west, they suggested expanding Broadwater to accommodate the extra students living in the Four Georgians district and turning C.R. Anderson into a larger elementary school, then finding new land for a middle school.

Their suggestion for the east side was less concrete. Much of the discussion centered on repurposing the Helena High campus to house both a middle and high school, then renovating Helena Middle School to house elementary students from Central-Linc and Bryant.

They suggested keeping the Smith and Jefferson campuses.

Part of the point the group hoped to make is this solution would solve problems with Helena High School as well.

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UPDATED: Helena architects weigh in on school facility issues

Grace Contracting and Development knows the nuances of the ever-changing retail construction industry. Whether your space is boutique or your plans call for a grander scale, you can trust that your relationship with Grace Contracting and Development will generate a highly desirable and visually attractive retail environment.

At Grace Contracting and Development, we understand this demand and pride ourselves on being an asset for commercial ventures. As a retail construction company serving New York and the surrounding markets, our commitment is to quality construction services and our meeting the most exacting expectations of our customers. New York shoppers are among the most sophisticated in the world, and meeting their needs is the key to retail success. Grace Contracting can design and build your retail space to attract the demographics that most need your products.

When you trust us to build your ideal commercial space, you are getting a structure that will last a very long time. The last thing you will want to do is worry about continual maintenance costs and we ensure that this will not be the case. We even take advantage of certified green building materials to cut down on costs, increase overall energy efficiency, and reduce your business impact on the environment.

A shopper has the option of an online shopping experience, with free shipping. While that dynamic certainly has changed the shape of the retail marketplace, it only part of the picture.

Todays shopper wants options, for sure, but they also want the choice of going to a store and enjoying a real shopping experience. Many retailers use their online presence not only to generate sales, but to drive shoppers to the store where even more choices, excitement and fulfillment await.

Trust the professionals at Grace Construction and Development when it comes to renovating, rebuilding or building your retail space.

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Retail Space Construction | Grace Contracting & Development

Neutral-colored furniture with accent pillows and accessories doesn't overwhelm shoppers. An end table creates a divider between displays at Cocobolo Interiors in Armonk, N.Y.

Credit: Tom Anckner

When Julie Owen bought Cocobolo Interiors in 2008, she set about adding more contemporary items to the Armonk, N.Y., shop. But with only 3,000 square feet, she struggled to figure out where to put her expanding line of furniture, lighting fixtures and accessories. Her solution: create sections within the shop and arrange the furniture the way customers might imagine it at home, using low bookcases and folding screens as dividers.

As Owen discovered, making the most of a small retail shop means being strategic about how you design the space and organize your merchandise. Here are seven other simple and affordable ways to maximize a small retail space:

1. Paint an accent wall.Painting one wall a bold color is an affordable and effective way to not only spice up the space, but also to make it look larger. A bold colored wall creates the illusion of receding in space, says Libby Langdon, HGTV design expert and author of Libby Langdon's Small Space Solutions (Knack, 2009). Putting colorfully printed fabric or wallpaper on one of your walls is another way to achieve the same effect, while adding eye-catching textures and patterns to your store.

Related: Creating Shops from Shipping Containers

An old bed serves as a space-saving and creative way to display tea towels along an orange accent wall at Poppyseeds in Stanwood, Wash.

Credit: Amber Strehle, Tres Birds Photography

2. Create window-like effects. Windows can open up a small space and make it seem larger. At Poppyseeds, a vintage decor and fashion accessory shop in Stanwood, Wash., the owners cut window spaces into the walls separating two small rooms to create a more airy feel. In another room, co-owner Marybeth Sande put white linen panels across an entire wall, creating the illusion of windows. Hanging drapes around tall, skinny mirrors is another way to create a window effect, Langdon says. "That gives an illusion of more light and movement in a small space."

3. Think vertically.Displaying items on various levels maximizes space and is visually appealing to customers, says Jerry Birnbach, a Somers, N.Y., store-planning consultant. Hanging shelving at different levels is the easiest way to achieve this effect. You also can mount drapes and other items from the ceiling to the floor to draw the eye up and create the sense of a larger space, Langdon says.

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7 Low-Cost Design Ideas for Small Retail Spaces

In an effort to preserve and revitalize Auroras older neighborhoods, the city of Aurora will again offer incentives to homeowners for home restoration projects that convert subdivided homes back to their original single-family designs.

The Single-Family Home Restoration Program seeks to reduce housing density and to improve the historic character of older neighborhoods by encouraging residents to restore their homes to their original intended use, city officials said.

The program offers homeowners loans to help cover up to 90 percent of construction and other costs related to turning a previously subdivided home back into a single-family home. These loans are available for up to $30,000 depending on the number of housing units currently in the home, and can be forgiven following completion of the project.

Program funds can be used for engineering and architecture services, building and planning fees, or construction costs. Applications are now available and can be found at http://www.aurora-il.org under the Quick Links section of the homepage. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Dec. 1.

Other rules and restrictions exist for this program. For more information, contact City of Aurora Neighborhood Redevelopment at 630-256-3320, or in person at the Neighborhood Redevelopment Office, 51 E. Galena Blvd.

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Aurora offers incentive to restore subdivided homes back to single-family units

OUR HOUSE: Noshaba Khan with the new plaque in honour of Arnold Bennett which adorns her Cobridge home.

LITERARY giant Arnold Bennett has been honoured with the unveiling of a blue plaque at his former home.

The author famous for books such as Anna of the Five Towns lived at 205 Waterloo Road, in Cobridge, from 1881 to 1889, spending the majority of his teenage years a stone's throw from the old tram system before he moved to London.

The home was briefly turned into a museum dedicated to the Potteries' leading journalist and novelist, but later fell into disrepair.

However, 34-year-old Noshaba Khan and her family bought the property at an auction. Following a painstaking restoration process, they held a reception for historians, politicians and legions of Bennett's fans.

"We were very excited when we were approached about this. It's a brilliant idea," she said.

"It was in quite a bad state, but now it's looking very good. When we bought the house we had to explain to the agents about its history, as they didn't know Arnold lived here, which shows how much it had been forgotten.

"Hopefully, this can help people in the city remember a bit more about Arnold Bennett's life."

Among the attendees was Morag Jones, who spoke at the presentation in her last act as chairman.

She said: "It's a lovely way for me to end my five years as chairman. This is a great way to bow out, as the Khans have done a brilliant job in renovating the house.

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The Sentinel published Novelist Arnold Bennett honoured with a blue plaque at his...

KUCHING: The state cabinet will discuss the type of aid and contributions to be given to the family of the late body-building great Bujang Taha.

Assistant Youth Development Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the state will not forget the contribution of state athletes such as Bujang who had put Sarawak and Malaysia on the global sporting map.

Personally, it is difficult to find an individual like the late Bujang who had excelled tremendously in the bodybuilding arena to the extent that he had done the state and country proud. His success in his field, its difficult to find a replacement.

On behalf of myself and the state government, we extend our condolences to his family. The state cabinet will discuss on the types of aid to be given to the family, Karim who is also Assistant Housing Minister told reporters when met at the late bodybuilders residence at Kampung Tanjong, Petra Jaya near here yesterday.

Those who paid their last respects included Assistant Minister in the Chief Ministers Department (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, Assistant Tourism Minister Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Sarawak Bodybuilding Association president Dato Wee Hong Seng and national bodybuilder George Awi William.

Meanwhile, Daud mentioned that Bujang was the type of individual who would not ask for anything.

It saddened me because he never asked for anything from the state government including allowance. I was thinking of requesting from the chief minister for Bujang to be given a monthly allowance and I hope that the state government could consider this, he continued.

Both Karim and Daud described Bujangs demise as a great loss to sports, the state and country as whole.

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