This Southern boy found a new home in North Platte and loves it as much as his hometown.

Albert Kelly was born and raised in South Carolina, but has called North Platte home since 1978.

I was born in a small community called Olympia, right outside the city limits of Columbia, South Carolina, Kelly said. It is a town about the size of Hershey.

His family came from blue-collar stock and were hard workers.

My mom was a homemaker; she kept us under control, Kelly said. My dad was a plumber about 90 percent of the time. We had four or five cotton mills that supported the community and Dad would work in the cotton mills sometimes.

The homes were built by the corporation that owned the cotton mill.

Most of the community was blue-collar labor, Kelly said. Back in those days, thats how it got developed. They called (the workers) Lint Heads. That was from the seeds and cotton and all getting in their hair. So we were proud Lint Heads. We were a proud people.

Kelly said he had three sisters, two older and one younger than him.

After high school, Kelly joined the Air Force and when he got out 10 years later, he decided to move to North Platte.

I got out of the military in 1978 in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and moved here, Kelly said. My wife is from North Platte. She and I were both in the Air Force. Thats where we met, in the Air Force, down in Biloxi, Mississippi.

After Theresa and Al got married, they visited North Platte from time to time.

The first time I came to Nebraska I fell in love with it, Kelly said. I didnt think you could ever see this many miles without a tree.

Theresa and Al agreed to move to North Platte to raise their family.

Because when I found out about North Platte and the state of Nebraska, I said, this is it, Kelly said. Its a good education state, so we raised our children here. We always said when they got big wed head back down South, but here we are.

Kelly took a plumbing apprenticeship job when they moved to North Platte.

I started working for Aupperle Plumbing, Kelly said. The VA paid for him to give me a job and I learned a trade there.

From Aupperles, Kelly worked for North Platte Plumbing and then went to Union Pacific for 3 years.

I got laid off from UP and went to work for the hospital (Great Plains Health), Kelly said. I worked for them for 16 years until I retired on June 23. I was the master plumber there for the hospital in the engineer department.

Theresa and Al have two boys.

One is Albert, hes named after me so we call him Bert, and then Danny is my youngest and he owns his own plumbing shop in North Platte, Kelly said. Bert is in Virginia working for General Dynamics.

The Kellys have three grandchildren.

We have two grandboys my youngest son has two sons and my oldest boy has a girl, Kelly said. We always say shes Gods gift to us because when they were in England they were told they couldnt have any children.

Kelly said his son and daughter-in-law tried and tried and couldnt get pregnant.

So (my son) decided to tell his company he wanted to move back to the United States, and they moved to Virginia, Kelly said. And six months later, his wife was pregnant with a little girl. Shes 5 years old now. God is wonderful.

Kellys favorite hobby is golf.

My oldest son was stationed in England, and when he would come home, he and my youngest son would go golfing, Kelly said. When they did that, Dad didnt go because Dad didnt golf.

So Kelly figured he needed to learn the game.

I figured a good way to spend more time with my kids was to take up golf, Kelly said. And I did and now Im golfing and they dont.

Kellys favorite thing about North Platte is that it is similar to his hometown.

I guess its the small town, the people, Kelly said. You can walk by people and theyll always speak to you. Where I grew up in the South it was like that and thats what made me; every time I think about my home in South Carolina and this being my home in Nebraska, I couldnt ask for a better place.

Kelly rides motorcycle as a hobby as well.

Its hard to say where I would like to go in Nebraska that I havent been to because I ride motorcycle all over the state, Kelly said. Im a member of two groups, the American Legion Riders and then I ride with the Patriot Guard of Nebraska. So, I think Ive visited most of Nebraska.

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Meet Your Neighbor: Albert Kelly - North Platte Telegraph

By Megan Buerger By Megan Buerger July 11 at 7:00 AM

Feeling pressed for space? The solution might be right under your feet.

Finished basements are a low-cost way to add resale value to your home at a fraction of what it costs to build up or out. And while they certainly come with risks, including leaks, floods and mold, most of these obstacles can be avoided with a little research and planning.

Finished basements have steadily become among the most popular renovation projects during the past two decades, according to surveys conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). About 30 percent of contractors report it as the top homeowner request, following kitchen and bath remodels (about 80 percent) and additions (40 to 50 percent). Many home experts attribute that to todays volatile real estate market.

For lots of people, moving just isnt an option right now, said Karen Vidal, a partner in the Los Angeles firm Design Vidal. They want to squeeze as much out of their current homes as they can.

Vince Butler, a former chairman of the NAHB who works for Butler Brothers in Clifton, Va., says that most home basement renovations take one to two months to complete and cost between $50,000 and $75,000. Additions often cost twice that yet have lower returns on investment because they add less space. In 2017, Remodeling magazines annual Cost vs. Value survey reported that the average basement remodel cost $71,000 , with the potential added value estimated at $50,000. Butler calls basements the low-hanging fruit of home renovations. Theyre fairly simple, the bones are usually there, and you can knock it out in a summer.

Youve already got floors, walls and a ceiling. Most of the time, youre just adding finishes to an existing box, said James Crisp, a principal at Crisp Architects in Millbrook, N.Y., who has helped clients transform their basements into gyms, wine cellars, pubs, soundproof playrooms and state-of-the-art home theaters.

You can do almost anything so long as you secure the permit, he adds. Really, just about the only thing you cant do is a sunroom.

If youre considering a basement remodel, youll need to hire a contractor to look at your plumbing and heating systems, identify any red flags, and help you crunch the numbers. That can get complicated, so here are some key things and a few tricks to making the most of a dark and dingy room.

First, its a good idea to familiarize yourself with local building codes, even if you plan on hiring a professional to carry out the project. Different renovations require different permits and inspections, so having a sense of the rules will help you settle on a realistic timeline. For example, in most counties, adding a kitchen, bathroom or wet bar requires zoning approval in addition to a building permit. Check your countys website for guidelines. (A tip: Construction permits can be terribly dense, so when its time to file, many homeowners have their contractor, designer or architect submit on their behalf.)

If youre planning to turn your basement into a rental unit, be prepared to meet a separate set of requirements that, at a minimum, include a separate exit or point of egress and bathroom. Crisp called the cost difference a big leap, especially when you consider how tenants affect your mortgage rate and taxes, along with regular maintenance. Bruce Wentworth, owner of Chevy Chase architectural firm Wentworth, says clients often dont realize how involved it is to make a unit legal. I tell folks its only worth it if theyre committed to renting long-term, he said. If not, keep it for yourself.

Home offices are less of an undertaking, depending on how much traffic youre expecting. When the century-old building company Gruver Cooley moved from an awkward office in Leesburg, Va., to a 1,400-square-foot open-plan home basement near Middleburg two years ago, Cathleen Gruver spearheaded the horse-country-inspired redesign.

The old space didnt have an area for us to come and work together, so this was an opportunity to solve that problem, she said. In fact, Gruver suggests that anyone tackling a renovation ask two questions to stay on track: What isnt working, and how will this solve it?

In the new Gruver Cooley offices, the walls are lined with custom cabinetry that doubles as desks. Theres a large round table in the center of the room for meetings, which, fittingly, makes for a family-around-the-dinner-table feel. Gruver used light paint colors to make the space feel airy and added a $7,000 wet bar and full bathroom for resale flexibility ($18,000). All told, the redesign cost $73,000, or about $52 per square foot. She estimates that it would have amounted to closer to $75 per square foot, but trade discounts and a long line of family contractors helped keep costs low.

Her favorite trick: Splurge on statement pieces like a chandelier or small areas like the shower floor. You need less of it, so you can opt for something nicer, she said.

For families that want an out-of-the-way space for kids to play, the basement can be a great rec room. Some designers have found clever ways to up the ante. In 2010, Melanie Morris, an interior designer in Brookville, N.Y., turned her basement into an indoor hockey rink for her three sons, ages 7, 11 and 13. The surrounding walls are hidden storage closets, and the rink is made out of poured rubber, a custom alternative to rubber mats.

Basement flooring should never be an afterthought, she said. Dont make that mistake. It should be able to weather leaks, floods, condensation. ... And if you have kids, it should be able to take a beating.

Regardless of what you plan to do with the room, Crisp agrees that its crucial to install water-resistant flooring and, ideally, a dehumidifier. Because basement floors match the temperature of the ground around them, which hovers around 55 degrees, humid summer days can mean heavy condensation, which can warp hardwood over time. He recommends installing a moisture barrier on top of the concrete or using wood grain ceramic tiles on the concrete. Gruver used vinyl flooring, which is water-resistant, durable and cost-effective. If it scratches, you just peel that plank up and put a new one down, she said.

As cool and calm as designers sound, its hard not to wonder whether basements test their patience. Along with fickle floors and leaky pipes, most basements have low ceilings (the average height is seven feet) and little-to-no natural light. Thin-lined, low-profile furniture will help the room feel more spacious, and if adding windows is too costly, layer light throughout the area with lamps, sconces and track lighting.

Finally, nearly all basements are interrupted by at least one bulky beam or interior column that so often sits in the middle of the room. If thats the case with your basement, whatever you do, dont remove it. Its supporting your house. Instead, follow Wentworths lead and use strategic decorating to trick the eye.

When he was hired to turn the basement of a 1920s Woodley Park rowhouse into a play space for a State Department family in 2011, he had to design around two awkward beams that flanked the planned seating area. As a solution, he covered them and a few surrounding ducts, pipes and wires with drywall to make them look like structural columns. Then, he painted them charcoal gray and lined them with thin strips of birch plywood for a dose of architectural flair.

Now its the most interesting part of the room, he said.

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More space, better resale value: What to know about finishing your basement - Washington Post

New York State is providing $3.7 million to the organization which has led an ongoing project to restore what was once the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed summer home of Darwin Martin and his family.

WBFO's Michael Mroziak reports.

The Graycliff Estate, located along the Lake Erie shoreline in the Town of Evans, was acquired by the Graycliff Conservancy in 1997 and has undergone a slow restoration. The exteriors of the house and garage, the latter of which has a second-floor apartment, were returned to their 1930slook for about $6 million.

The Conservancy is now working to restore the interiors of both structures.

"We have some minor interior work going on during our busy summer tourist season," said Robert Wooler, the executive director of the Graycliff Conservancy. "When we get to the fall and during the winter and then all through next year, we're going to be going methodically through the two houses and restoring all the surfaces."

Work on the interiors is estimated at $4 million. Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Hochulwas present to announce that most of it would be provided through Buffalo Billion II. She explained that by helping to complete the restoration, the Graycliff Estate would be ready to enhance the legacy of architect Frank Llolyd Wright and further secure Buffalo as a destination for tourists interested in Wright's work.

"Travel & Leisure named Buffalo as one of the top regions in the world for its premier architecture," Hochul said. "This is one of the gems. This is one of the jewels."

Tourism leaders echoed the Lieutenant Governor's thoughts. Patrick Kaler, president and CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara, expressed his excitement at the increased draw a restored Graycliff Estate would be to those coming to enjoy Wright's other local works.

"With everything else that we have with the Darwin Martin House, with the boathouse, with the Blue Sky Mausoleum, this is truly going to make a very strong statement for those Frank Lloyd Wright aficionados, as well as people who come to Buffalo and Erie County for our architecture and history, to extend their stay," Kaler said.

The Darwin Martin House in Buffalo recently marked formal completion of renovations with the introduction of a replica two-sided fireplace. The restoration of Graycliff Estate is expected to be finished by November 2018.

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Graycliff Estate to receive Buffalo Billion II money to complete restoration - WBFO

Victoria Advocate

Running through hoops for Restoration House Ministries Victoria Advocate The 1,000 5K Obstacle Challenge Run was the first 5K hosted by Restoration House Ministries, a home and restoration program to help women struggling with drugs, alcohol and abuse. The Christian-based program helps women get back on track to a ...

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Running through hoops for Restoration House Ministries - Victoria Advocate

The flood situation in the country continues getting worse. In 2016, the U.S experienced the worst floods yet and things are not looking up. There were 19 floods, a record high, and flooding is now ranked the top natural disaster in the country. Wherever you might be, you should know that no one is safe as the global weather patterns are expected to continue changing. After a flood, your safety and that of your family should be your priority, but afterwards, you have to start thinking about the safety of the property.

Many homeowners dont consider the risk of using a house that has recently been flooded. Such a house should undergo tests for structural integrity before being reoccupied. It is also important to hire a water damage expert for water extraction, mold and odor removal. Professional flood damage restoration makes your property safer to live in and you will also get additional services to protect you from the next flood.

With the demand for water damage services on the rise, there are many contractors who claim they offer the best services. As a homeowner who is desperate to reclaim their property, you might end up choosing the wrong people, which can lead to financial losses in future. To avoid this pitfall, below are some ideas to help you find the best flood damage service in your city:

You have to appreciate that flood damage repair is a technical project that should only be carried out by a licensed and certified contractor. The best contractor should be certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Look for an IICR- Cleantrust certified contractor for any kind of flood damage repair if you want to enjoy the best services. The IICRC is the gold standard for the industry and you can be assured of receiving the best services from the company.

There are different sources of referrals if you are looking for the best water damage restoration service. Talk to other property owners in your city to find a highly recommended service. If the water damage is covered under a particular policy, your insurance agent or adjustor should have a recommendation because they have been in this industry longer.

When it comes to flood damage, timely response is a must. The best home restoration contractor should have a 24/7 response team on call. This response team saves you a lot of money through quick inspection, water extraction, mold remediation and odor removal.

Your home is one of the biggest investments you will ever make and as such, you need only the best team working on it. In case of water damage, look for an experienced restoration service with a proven track record among property owners in your city. Go online and read reviews and testimonials before making a choice.

Other than being certified by IICRC, the best water damage restorations service should belong to industry associations such as Society of Cleaning and Restoration Technicians (SCRT), Restoration Industry Association (RIA) and the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) among others.

Tim Koebler is a Miami-based home improvement expert with over 34 years experience in the construction industry. He is also a flood damage restoration consultant in the city. Tim also restores classic cars for resale.

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5 Tips to Help You Find the Best Flood Damage Restoration Experts - Times Square Chronicles (press release) (registration)

If you thought Christopher Nolans Batman movies looked good before, get excited because the director has confirmed that hes working on a 4K restoration of his The Dark Knight trilogy.Warner Bros. is in the thick of their new on-screen incarnation of the DC universe, butlots of folksare still loyal to Nolans Christian Bale-led version and rightfully so, its one of the best film trilogies of all time, so its a heck of a clever money-making move to get the director back on the Batman train for a new home video release.

Wth Dunkirk heading into theaters later this month, Nolan sat down for an interview with the folks atBadTaste.It(h/t Batman-News), where he discussed restoring his back catalogue to 4K and his enthusiasm process. His love for the cleaner images should come as no surpriseconsidering hes one of the last holdouts who stillinsists on shooting with film, and indeed, Nolan praises the new technology as a means of getting closer to the experience of a movie shot and projected on film.

Image via Warner Bros.

The wonderful thing about 4K technology is it gets closer to the resolution that we shot in film, he tells the outlet. Photochemically finished films of 35mm have at least 6K resolution, IMAX films, upwards of 18K. So as home video formats keep evolving, 4K particularly 4K with HDR, it allows us to give somebody at home an experience thats much much closer to what it was like to see the original film prints as projected on film.

Nolan also confirmed that he is very much personally involved with the restoration process, however, dont necessarily expect to see the 4K editions right away Its a long, complicated process that were doing right now, he said, but I think the results Im seeing are very pleasing and very spectacular. Watch what he had to say in the video below.

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Christopher Nolan Is Working on a 4K Remaster of 'The Dark Knight' Trilogy - Collider.com

Evidence of the lightning strikes damage can be seen inside the Midgett House. Photo: Contributed

Reprinted from the Island Free Press

RODANTHE Sometime during the night of Sunday, July 2, one of the favorite structures at the Chicamacomico Historic Site, the 1907 Midgett House, was hit by lightning.

The lightning strike connected with the original wiring in the home, which is not in use but still runs through the structure. From there, the effects of the strike trickled throughout the house, damaging the original panel box, causing old paint to shake loose from the walls and, most noticeably, destroying the original chimney.

Though there was no fire, the result of the strike was pretty damaging. Dinah Beveridge, the site manager, was the first one to see the home on Monday morning, as she was showing a new employee how to open the property for visitors.

One of the biggest challenges in the restoration may be the chimney.

It was a mess, she said. Weve got some renovation to do, for sure.

Now, the team at this historic Rodanthe landmark is working to collect donations to restore this popular 1907 residence, and reopen it for visitors.

We do need donations for this project, said John Griffin, president of the Chicamacomico Historical Life-Saving Station Board. (A lightning strike) was not in our budget for this year.

The Midgett House was donated to the Chicamacomico Historic Site in 2006 by residents Bette Gray and Trish Midgett, who also used their own money to have the original 1907 home moved to the site.

The home was an original keepers house for Palmer Midgett, who served at several stations throughout the island, and eventually became superintendent of all the stations on Hatteras Island later in his career.

This was the house he lived in, said Griffin. We furnished it as it would have been furnished in 1907 or 1908, and its a period piece. When people go through it, we tell them that this is how a well-to-do family may have lived at that time.

The home has two floors, featuring a total of four bedrooms, a kitchen and a dining room.

All of the rooms are very small, said Griffin. They did originally have running water, but no toilet.

A keeper was a high and well-paid rank, so this was a nice home for the time certainly not the home of an average Joe, he added.

As part of the five structures that are found at the Chicamacomico Historic Site, including the main 1911 Life-Saving Station, the original 1874 Life-Saving Station and two cook houses, the Midgett House is a favorite component for many visitors.

The damage to the electrical panel is shown. Photo: Contributed

Before the July 2 lightning strike, visitors could tour the intricate home, which has been outfitted with all original touches, and could step back in time to a Hatteras lifestyle of generations ago.

And more often than not, this brief time travel trip brought back memories for many visitors.

So many people just love that little house, said Beveridge. Its beautiful, and its like many of the houses from the old days. People go through there and say I feel like I just got out of my grandmas house!

For now, the home is closed as the folks at the Chicamacomico Historic Site start plotting out repairs. But hopes are high that it wont be too long before the little house that everyone seems to love is up and running again.

While cleanup is a big aspect of the coming renovation process, there are some repairs and changes that arent as easy as applying a new coat of paint.

One of the biggest projects in the restoration may very well be the chimney.

We dont have a lot of brick masons on the island for fixing the chimney, said Griffin, But a local guy who is a concrete contractor will take a look, and will hopefully be able to put it back together with the original bricks that got knocked off.

Another step that the site is planning to take is to address the wiring. Theres no electricity to the home, but removing the wiring is slated to be part of the restoration work.

It was a house that didnt have an electrical hook-up, but had wiring in it, explained Beveridge. All electrical wiring needs to be pulled out of it safety first.

Mike Daughtry, the local Chicamacomico Banks Volunteer Fire Department chief as well as the vice president of the board, helped secure the site from further damage. He placed a tarp over the open chimney to prevent further damage.

We havent been able to assess all of the damage were still in the early stages, said Beveridge.

In the meantime, the Chicamacomico Historic Site and all other structures are open for business. Additionally, fliers are being posted throughout the villages and on social media in the hopes that donations will come in for the work ahead for the Midgett House.

People are fascinated by the house. They go through and say, My grandmother had a stove just like that! said Griffin. Its closed now, and were not going to open it until its ready, but were starting the process to get it fixed.

In the meantime, folks can donate in one of three ways:

Please note Midgett House on your donation.

This story is provided courtesy of the Island Free Press, a digital newspaper covering Hatteras and Ocracoke islands. Coastal Review Online is partnering with the Free Press to provide readers with more environmental and lifestyle stories of interest along our coast. You can read other stories about Hatteras and Ocracokehere.

It costs about $500 to produce this and all other stories on CRO. You can help pay some of the cost by sponsoring a day on CRO for as little as $100 or by donating any amount you're comfortable with. All sponsorships and donations are tax-deductible.

Joy Crist is a Hatteras Island resident since 1998 and a writer and columnist with the Island Free Press. Her work has also appeared in a number of regional Outer Banks and statewide websites and publications.

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Effort On to Repair Damaged Historic Home - Coastal Review Online

Lexington Herald Leader

'Jarmageddon' in basement. Snake in attic. Restoring family home like 'reality show.' Lexington Herald Leader Many of the jars turned out to be rare, so the Gregorys emptied and scrubbed out 1,123 of them, about half of which have been sold to collectors to help fund the restoration. The Gregorys also had to clear a lot of trees and bushes from around the house.

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'Jarmageddon' in basement. Snake in attic. Restoring family home like 'reality show.' - Lexington Herald Leader

Wichita Eagle

Stryker Soccer Complex to host all-turf fields, indoor facility by 2019 Wichita Eagle Stryker Soccer Complex will have upgraded artificial turf fields, improved lighting, locker rooms, a two-field indoor facility and more by the start of 2019. The improvements are a part of a proposal package the city recently opened for bids. A pre ...

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Stryker Soccer Complex to host all-turf fields, indoor facility by 2019 - Wichita Eagle

Unlike air conditioners, ceiling fans dont lower a rooms temperature or remove humidity from the air. But you can boost your comfort leveland save energy and moneyby using ceiling fans and turning off the air conditioning when possible or by turning up the thermostat a few degrees and letting the fan do the rest.

Consumer Reports doesn't rate ceiling fans because in our past tests, most ceiling fans performed similarly on low and high speeds. But we did find some features that make a difference if you plan to buy a ceiling fan.

Ceiling fans come in a variety of styles and finishes. In the past, we tested a number of three-speed, 52-inch-diameter fans, the most popular size. We found that spending more didnt guarantee better performance but did get you fancier finishes on the motor cover and blades. We also learned to predict how noisy a fan would be just by looking at its design. Heres what else our tests revealed:

Fans save energy.The recommended indoor temperature for summer is 78 F, but some people set the thermostat much cooler. According toEnergy Star, you can save 3 to 5 percent on air-conditioning costs for each degree you raise the thermostat. Using a ceiling fan, which costs little to run, can make you feel up to 4 F cooler. (Don't forget to turn off the fan when you leave the roomfans cool you, not the room.)

Airflow and blade shape matter.Look at cubic feet per minute (CFM) numbers on the box or on the manufacturer's or retailer's website to get an idea of how well the ceiling fan moves air. A higher number means more air movement, but dont fret over small differences. Our tests showed comparable airspeed from fans rated from 5,000 to 5,600 CFM. Fans with the most airflow also made the most noise, but it was wind noise and fluttering, not motor noise. And be wary of fans with large blades that have ridges, bumps, or other surface texture; those often make more noise on high than fans with smooth blades.

Wobble can be fixed.Most fans come with balancing kits, a combination of weights that you attach to the blades to make up for slight differences in blade weight and removable clips that help you determine where to place the weights. You can eliminate most of the wobbling with such a kit.

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Ceiling Fans Add Comfort and Save Money - ConsumerReports.org