Wood wins the prize as Americas favorite hard-surface flooring type, outselling vinyl, porcelain tile and every other option, according to market-research firm Mintels 2016 report on residential flooring. But wood can be a loser in the kitchen, where a dropped can of peas can literally leave a lasting impression. Or in the laundry room, where a splash of bleach can blemish its finish.

Consumer Reports analyzed key areas in a typical home and chose the top flooring materials to meet the challenges in each.

Though wood remains a widely used aesthetic choice, it wont stand up well to that assault: Consumer Reports tests show that, in general, wood floors are far more prone to denting than other materials, and, with very few exceptions, foot traffic is tough on the finish.

Top choice: porcelain tile. A natural fit for high-traffic areas of the home, porcelain tile outperformed every other flooring material we tested for resistance to scratching and denting, says Joan Muratore, Consumer Reports lead test engineer for flooring. Plus, porcelain tile comes in a range of styles to fit any decor. Tile is also low-maintenance, never requiring more than a vacuuming and mopping, and itll last a lifetime, says design-and-build contractor Rob Wennersten of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

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These floors dont face the stress of foot traffic or the constant sunlight that can fade solid and engineered wood. Rather, the flooring threats in these rooms come in liquid form. Bathers splash, showerers drip and toilets overflow.

Top choice: porcelain tile. Even purists who refuse anything but real wood should seriously consider porcelain tile for their bathrooms and laundry room. After all, tile is a traditional choice in these rooms because it holds up well in wet places, says architect John Cole of Fryeburg, Maine. Porcelain also allows for design-forward, barrier-free showers, where the bathroom floor extends straight into the shower without any lip. To avoid slippery-when-wet floors, choose a more textured product rather than one with a highly polished surface.

Though its true that furniture feet, pet claws, stiletto heels and kids toys with wheels can damage a wood floor, any other material can feel substandard in these cozy common areas.

Top choice: solid wood. By this, Consumer Reports means prefinished wood flooring, as well as unfinished wood flooring, which gets sanded and finished on site.

There are plenty of reasons to opt for prefinished planks: You wont have dust from sanding or fumes from finishing to contend with during installation; depending on how its installed, you might be able to walk on the floors right away; and prefinished flooring also tends to be less expensive. Perhaps most important, the factory-applied finishes are significantly tougher-wearing than what your contractor would be likely to apply once the floor is installed.

To learn more, visit ConsumerReports.org.

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Consumer Reports: Choose the right flooring for every room - Daily Local News

Robert Dennis has mined coal in West Virginia for 10 years but a recent evening found him in a classroom at his local community college. He came to learn about opportunities in fracking, a drilling technique used to produce natural gas the very fuel that is threatening coals future.

I know mining inside and out, said Dennis, a 41-year-old shift foreman from Wetzel County, adjusting the black Adidas cap on his head. But now, I just want more doors to be open.

He has earned a certificate in chemical and industrial operations, diligently searched job boards and filled out applications. So far, no luck.

Dennis is learning a hard lesson of fracking: While it has created a bonanza of jobs, displaced coal miners and their communities are sometimes left out of the boom. Thats because many of the jobs require highly technical skills and are often going to experienced workers brought in from out of state who then move on to the next job without sinking roots.

There are positive employment and wage effects,said Timothy M. Komarek, a professor of economics at Old Dominion University in Virginia. But, he said, they are not as big as first thought when the boom first started.

Komarek concluded in a 2016 study that total employment in a county rises by 7 percent and wages by 11 percent in the three years after fracking comes but the gains then taper off.

When the shale galehits, hotels, trailer parks and restaurants get a boost. And some landowners make money for letting drillers extract oil and gas from their property.

In that way, fracking has created a lot of millionaires in West Virginia,said Jeff Kessler, a former state senator from the states northern area that has both coal and natural gas. But it has not created the employment opportunitiesarea residents had hoped for, he said. The ongoing benefits are relatively minute compared to the amount of land under lease.

Thats bad news for towns like Wetzel Countys New Martinsville where Dennis attended the community college session. While coal mines provide decades of steady work and sustain communities, a crew can frack a well in a month and leave behind automated machinery to recover the oil and gas.

The process, also known as hydraulic fracturing, involves injecting water and chemicals deep underground to break up rock and free trapped oil and gas.

Its unlocked vast stores of previously unobtainable fossil fuel and spurred a renaissance in energy production in states that had once been coal bastions. Coal, oil and natural gas are formed from the same plant matter and other forms of prehistoric life and can be found in the same places.

But fracking has eroded the status of coal, which used to generate more than half the electricity in the U.S. but had slipped to just 30 percent last year. If there was a War on Coal, it was really declared by natural gas,said Robert Godby, an economist at the University of Wyoming.

While some miners are hoping President Donald Trump will rescue their industry West Virginia gave Trump 69 percent of the vote in 2016, the greatest share of the total in at least a century and a half others are eyeing gas as an alternative employment opportunity.

Jobs associated with oil and gas extraction have grown in recent years while coal mining positions have declined.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics doesnt specifically count fracking jobs, but says there were more than 422,000 jobs directly associated with oil and gas extraction in the U.S. at the end of 2016. That has far eclipsed the number of jobs in underground coal mining: about 50,000 nationwide, down from 200,000 in the 1970s.

In West Virginia, there were 11,404 coal miners last year, about half the 23,000 who were working in 2011. There are about 6,000 working in oil and gas extraction.

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To be sure, the fracking boom provided a much-needed economic boost in the years following the Great Recession. Fracking supported more than half a million jobs across the Marcellus Shale, an energy-rich geological formation that stretches from New York state to Virginia, according to a report commissioned by the American Petroleum Institute, a trade association. The groups numbers exceed the Labor Department estimates because they include workers at natural gas distribution facilities, petroleum refineries, petroleum product wholesalers and gas stations.

And much as coal and the Ohio River once lured steel plants and manufacturers to the area, cheap natural gas may bring chemical and other manufacturers to areas near shale drilling. Residents of New Martinsville, for example, are rooting for an ethane processing facility that may be built on the site of an old coal plant nearby.

In North Dakota, for example, the fracking boom allowed it become the fastest-growing economy in the nation by 2014. Even now, it has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation at 2.3 percent. But a downturn in the oil market brought drilling to a crawl and slowed investment in training and education programs.

The boom was so quick and dropped off so quickly afterwards and the bust came so quickly that they really didnt get it done,said William Caraher, an associate professor of history at the University of North Dakota, of the states education push.

Don Riggenbach is the president of the Chamber of Commerce in Wetzel County, where New Martinsville is located, and the owner of a tile and carpet installation company. He measures the economic effect of fracking in square feet of new flooring installed. So far, he says, something has been missing.

In my business I need houses being built,he said. Youd think that because of the gas and oil business theyd be hiring people. They do, but theyre out-of-state workers ... Theyre not putting down roots.

Still, former miners who have made the transition to fracking, often with the assistance of government or industry-funded programs, say they are happy.

Robert Walker says he was shocked when he was laid off from his job at a Murray Energy Corp. coal mine in Marshall County in April 2015.

Flash forward a couple of years and Walker is working for The Williams Companies Inc., a company with extensive operations in the oil and gas field. He is making less money, down to $24 an hour from $30 when he was working in the mines. But he likes the work, and prefers his new coworkers. He says he is a lot happier now.

Gene Everly, right, of Greensboro, Pa., in a training classroom at the Penn Commercial Business/Technical School. Everly built long wall mining equipment at Caterpillar Global Mining for 20 years before industry declines led to massive layoffs.

Photographer: Stephanie Strasburg/Bloomberg

Curt Hippensteel, the director of the West Virginia Community College petroleum technology program, said miners have skills that transfer well to other trades, including safety training, welding and electrical work. Plus, miners are used to working long hours in austere conditions, which fits the profile of roustabout work quite nicely, he said.

But fracking, which requires the application of precise measurements of chemicals, sand and water applied under extreme pressure at specific times, requires its own set of unique skills.

And its job outlook is far from certain.

Technological improvements to fracking processes and practices have made the industry more efficient. In late 2016 and early 2017, more gas was produced using fewer workers in West Virginia than ever before.

Since 2014, gas production in the state has grown 50 percent while oil and gas employment has fallen from 9,000 to less than 6,000, according to West Virginia University Bureau of Business and Economic Forecasting.

Small gains in oil and gas jobs havent matched the loss in coal mining jobs in West Virginia.

The recent recovery in prices has spurred companies to begin exploring for gas again, which may mean more hiring soon, according to Brian Lego, a West Virginia University assistant professor of economic forecasting. But the overall level wont be a substantial amount,he said.

Dennis, the coal miner looking for fracking work, hopes to gain a few years experience in the oil and gas fields near New Martinsville until his children finish school.

After that, hes ready to give up on energy altogether and seek employment in North Carolina, where he feels there is more opportunity.

What I want is a chance to move out of the area,he said. Theres more industry down there.

With assistance by Jim Polson, Tim Loh, Daniel Levitt, and Catarina Saraiva

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Fracking Jobs Prove Elusive for Coal Miners Looking to Switch ... - Bloomberg

Since opening on Feb. 14 of this year, the Encircle LGBTQ Family and Youth Resource Center has received a lot of attention.

Some of that recognition was by two historical organizations for the masterful way the group has restored the William D. Alexander House at 91 W. 200 South in Provo.

Josh Yost, preservation planner in the Provo Community Development office, nominated the Encircle home to receive the Provo Landmarks Commissions Provo Preservation Award, and the Heritage Award for Adaptive Use, given by Preservation Utah.

The Alexander house has been one of the standout historic homes in downtown Provo for many years. The house was built in 1891 and has had various owners over the years, as well as gaps of vacancy.

It is a rare Utah example of the decorative Stick Style, and also combines Eastlake porches, and Queen Anne shingling, wrote Yost in his description of the home in the nomination application.

The house is distinguished by this eclectic style, its unusual wall dormers with rounded bottoms, and its unusual orientation with three corner porches.

The Eastlake styling is the same architectural design used in the Provo Tabernacle and, most recently, the restoration of the Tabernacle into the Provo City Center Temple.

Yost added the building was in good original condition, the house is basically unaltered.

The Stick Style was one of the two most purely American styles of the nineteenth century, Yost stated. The geometric pattern of crossing horizontal and vertical sticks on this house is reminiscent of Japanese framing as seen in the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia which influenced the Stick and later Prairie styles, and may have been an influence in this house.

Architectural designer Jared Connors said this was the most restoration he has ever done on a project.

It was beat up, Connors said. Obviously we wanted to keep it the way it was, just clean it. We celebrate its history.

Connors said the same ideas were a metaphor that applied to those who would find peace in this house. It would be a place to discover who you are under all the waxed and worn surfaces.

According to Yost, several steps were needed to get the building up to restoration standards including cleaning and repairing parts of the house, and removing non-historic elements, such as wall and floor coverings, a jetted tub, exposed ducting and trim. There were also upgrades to electrical and mechanical systems and reconfiguring the main floor service area to accommodate an ADA-accessible restroom.

By following their desire to leave it alone Encircle completed the interior rehabilitation while making only limited changes and maintaining a patina of age and use that enhances the sense of historic authenticity experienced in the house, Yost wrote in his nominations.

Yost continued, Encircles work and long-term commitment to the property has already created a sense of stable investment in the surrounding area and will ensure the continued use and preservation of this unique house long into the future.

Companies and individuals that helped in the restoration of the Alexander House include Dean Peterson of Demar Construction, Jared Connors of Connors Design, Mountain Land Design, Arizona Tile, Juilliard Rivas, Holly Alden and the John Williams Memorial Foundation.

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Encircle Home receives restoration awards - Daily Herald

A Tallahassee museum is getting recognition from architecture enthusiasts. The Call-Collins House at the Grove received the 2017 Peoples Choice Award from the American Institute of Architects Florida chapter.

Its a rainy Tallahassee morning, but Grove museum director Johnathan Grandage doesnt mind because the porch of the historic Call-Collins House makes for the perfect spot to watch the storm blow by and enjoy the view. Four massive brick columns stand on either side of the homes sturdy white door with two sets of windows on either side.

The architectural style would be Greek revival or neoclassical depending on which architectural historian looks at it. But when he built the house this was a fairly popular style, Grandage says.

The House was built by Richard Keith Call in the late 1830s then passed through family members until most recently Mary Call Collins owed the home and her Husband LeRoy Collins used it as the Governors mansion.

After Mary Collins death, the home passed to the state and officials began rehabilitation work to turn the

home into a museum. Grandage says that process involved changes to make the house more accessible, like putting in an elevator, as well as changes that help the building operate as a museum rather than a home--such as adding new bathrooms and paring down the kitchen.

In the basement visitors can see the desk where Collins often worked as Governor and the typewriter he used to compose editorial columns for the St. Pete Times. But Grandage points to features the average visitor might overlook mortis and tenon joinery, huge original and replaced pine joists and careful repairs made on the homes brick walls.

So when youre repairing the mortar youre matching the historic mortar. Youre analyzing the chemical composition of that and devising a mortar in 2013 or 14 when they did it,that matches the 1838 mortar. Or looking for ways to restore the house in keeping with the original materials," Grandage says.

Another unique aspect of the homes rehabilitation its now LEED Certified, meaning it meets certain energy efficiency and environmental standards. Grandage says the recognition the building is receiving represents the importance of the preservation work. But hes careful to credit MLD Architects and general contractor, Allstate Construction.

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Grove Museum Celebrates Recognition for Call-Collins House Restoration - WFSU

Kelly-Griggs House Musuem closed for...

RED BLUFF, Calif. - The Kelly-Griggs House Museum is closed for restoration work and their annual Ice Cream Social has been canceled.

Lizabeth Forsberg, a board of director, said the Victorian style home built in the late 1800'sneeded some work done on the south side.

However, they realized the foundation also had to be fixed before exterior restoration was done.

Through community donations and a $50,000 grant from the McConnell Foundation the restoration is now possible, Forsberg explained.

"The foundation just started two weeks ago, it's already completely done. We are just waiting for the new windows to come in and we are waiting for the siding to come in, because we are dealing with a 128-year-old home the siding was kind of hard to find, but good news is we found it," she explained.

The rest of the work is expected to start in early September and then once the work is completed they expect to have a grand reopening.

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Kelly-Griggs House Museum closed for restoration work - KRCRTV.COM

Plans to restore M.F.K. Fishers Glen Ellen residence into a destination honoring her legacy and celebrating her love of food, wine, literature and nature are moving forward with two announced events in coming weeks.

Known as the Last House, the single-story adobe on the grounds of the Bouverie Preserve, designed for the legendary food writer by architect David Pleydell-Bouverie, was her home for the final years of her life.

The palazzino, as she called it, featured two large rooms one of them a kitchen divided by a huge bathroom, with black tile floors throughout and built-in bookcases for over 2,000 books. She lived here most of the time, aside from intermittent trips to Europe, from 1971 until her death in 1992, at the Last House.

As part of the restoration, some of her personal art, books and other possessions have been returned to the house from storage. The Chinese Red wall of art in her bathroom has been recreated, and can now be enjoyed as it was when Mary Frances welcomed visitors to Last House.

Reaching out to family and friends who have lovingly shared items, memories, and stories has been rich, said Kennedy Golden, Fishers daughter and an advisor on the project. Among the donated items, Fishers Coronomatic typewriter sits quietly in one corner, rough draft secured on the platen for curious observers.

A Peek into the Last House will be offered on Saturday, Aug. 26, by Audubon Canyon Ranch (ACR), which owns and manages the Bouverie property. Attendees will be able to tour the house and grounds from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and refreshments will be served. Tickets are $45, $40 for ACR members, and available until Aug. 19 on Eventbrite at tinyurl.com/y95ez5xs.

With Bold Knife and Fork, a benefit for the Last House, will be held on Sunday, Oct. 8 at the Generals Daughter in Sonoma. The menu will feature cassoulet, one of Fishers favorite dishes, prepared by the Depot Hotel and Epicurean Connection, as well as other dishes. Tickets are $100 for members, $125 for others, at tinyurl.com/y83yrqug.

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MFK Fisher's 'Last House' in Glen Ellen undergoing restoration - Sonoma Index-Tribune

Denver, CO (PRWEB) August 14, 2017

In 1992, the Texas Association of Builders launched the Star Awards which represented the only statewide tribute to excellence in home building. Since then, the highly-coveted Star Awards have been presented annually to recognize builders, remodelers, architects, designers, sales and marketing professionals, and industry leaders in Texas in more than 100 categories.

This years awards were presented on August 3rd in conjunction with the Sunbelt Builders Show in Dallas, Texas. StrucSure Home Warranty is proud to congratulate the following builder members for their achievements and contributions to the homebuilding industry:

Classic Urban Homes, Dallas, TX Custom Builder - Best Kitchen - $750K - $1M | Custom Builder - Best Master Bathroom - $750K - $1M | Custom Builder - Best New Custom Home - $750K - $1M

Gehan Homes, Addison, TX On-Site Sales Person of the Year - Melodie Monroe

Greymark Construction Company, Houston, TX Remodeler - Best Historic Renovation - Under $500K | Remodeler - Best Historically Sensitive Renovation - $100K - $250K

Keechi Creek Builders, Houston, TX Remodeler - Best Bathroom Renovation - $25K - $50K - Farid Disaster | Remodel Remodeler - Best Specialty Room - Cosco Man Cave

LBJ Construction, Houston, TX Remodeler - Best Addition - $100K - $250K Addition | Remodeler - Best Outdoor Living Space - $100K - $250K - Outdoor Living Space

Mike Hollaway Custom Homes, San Antonio, TX Custom Builder - Best Architectural Design - $2M and Over - Londrie Home | Custom Builder - Best Master Bathroom - $2M and Over - Londrie Master bath

Sitterle Homes, San Antonio, TX Volume Builder - Best Promotional Video | Volume Builder - Best Special Promotion | Sales Manager of the Year - Rodney Jordan

Traditional Classic Homes, LLC, Richardson, TX Remodeler - Best Whole House Renovation - $100K - $250K Kensington

Wright-Built, LLC, Hawkins, TX Best Special Project - Non-Primary Residence - Red Rooster Icehouse

For a complete listing of award recipients, please visit the Texas Association of Builders Web site at http://www.texasbuilders.org/site/publisher/files/Star%20Awards/Star%20Award%202017_%20Winner%20List%208_3_17.pdf. For more information on StrucSure Home Warranty, please visit http://www.strucsure.com.

----------------------------------------------------

About StrucSure Home Warranty

Since 1997, StrucSure Home Warranty has been providing builders, remodelers, and contractors with warranty products that deliver peace of mind. Our warranties protect our clients from expensive claims, liabilities, and legal fees and offer their clients peace of mind through third-party warranty protection that is A-rated with additional reinsurance from Lloyds of London. Just like any risk management product, the hope is that you'll never need it, but when a problem emerges, you're glad you're covered!

About StrucSure Risk Management Group

StrucSure Risk Management Group provides risk management products and services to businesses in various construction-related industries. Our family of companies includes StrucSure Home Warranty, LLC, SHW Insurance Services, Inc., Golden Insurance Company, RRG, and Four Points Re, SPC, Ltd. Together, these companies offer sophisticated financial and risk management services, including warranty programs, competitive insurance programs, insurance backing, and reinsurance and alternative financing vehicles.

Contact Adria Ellerbrock, Vice President of Marketing at (303) 806-8688 or visit http://www.strucsure.com and http://www.s-rmg.com for more information.

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StrucSure Home Warranty Congratulates Recipients of the Texas ... - PR Web (press release)

MCDONALD John R. Zagger, 79, passed away Wednesday at St. Joseph Hospital in Warren.

John was born March 9, 1938, in Sharon, Pa., the son of John and Matilda (Gerzetich) Zagger.

Prior to retiring in 2001, John was an electrician for General Motors. He was a member of the Salisbury Sportsman Club and the Slovene National Benefit Society. He enjoyed fishing, cooking, hunting, and a good glass of wine.

He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife, Dominga Daisy (Corpuz) Zagger, whom he married June 12, 1986; his children, Michael (Mary) Zagger of Austin, Texas, Mark (Gina) Zagger of Cazenovia, N.Y., and Monette Canon (Kevin Taylor) of Charlotte, N.C.; his sister, Louise Burnett of Cortland; his brother, Glenn Zagger of Cleveland; his grandchildren, Megan (Bill) Mrazek, Emily (Trevor) Murray, and Andrew Canon; and his beloved dogs, Jojo and Zoey.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Norma Webb.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, Aug. 21, at 5 p.m. at the Blackstone Funeral Home in Girard. The family will receive relatives and friends from 3 p.m. until the time of the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent in the name of John R. Zagger to the Slovene National Benefit Society in support of their cabin renovation project. Please note John R. Zagger with your donation and mail to Slovene National Benefit Society, 247 W. Allegheny Road, Imperial, PA 15126-9774.

Visit http://www.blackstonefuneralhome.com to view this obituary and to send any condolences to the Zagger family.

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JOHN R. ZAGGER - Youngstown Vindicator

CHICAGO The Metra Board of Directors gave a man who began as an electrician for the company and made his way through the ranks a new title Wednesday executive director/CEO.

James M. Derwinski, Metras chief mechanical officer, was selected to lead the commuter rail agency, according to a new release from Metra.

In Jim Derwinski we have an inspirational leader, well known for his effective communications and ability to develop people, thus earning him great respect within Metra, Metra board Chairman Norman Carlson said in a statement. Using his intelligence and skills, Jim has developed processes and procedures that make efficient use of taxpayer dollars.

Derwinski, 49, oversees 650 employees responsible for the repair, inspection, cleaning and maintenance of about 1,200 railcars and locomotives as chief mechanical officer. He also is in charge of in-house railcar and locomotive rehabilitation programs, a contract for locomotive remanufacturing and the installation of Positive Train Control on cab cars and engines.

We interviewed many qualified candidates for this position, but we feel Jim is best qualified to lead Metra, board Vice Chairman Romayne C. Brown, who led the boards search, said in a statement. With our funding challenges, we need someone with his proven energy and resourcefulness to keep us on track as we face some difficult years ahead. Jim is that person. He is an innovator who is willing to try new things that have achieved very effective use of precious capital dollars.

Executive Director/CEO Don Orseno is retiring from the position at the end of 2017.

The board made the selection at this time so that there will be a lengthy transition period, according to the release. Derwinski will be paid a salary of $275,000.

With Jims background, railroad knowledge and collaborative working relationship with BNSF, Union Pacific and the regulatory agencies, I am confident he will hit the ground running when he takes the helm at Metra in 2018, Orseno said in a statement. I will be pleased to leave the agency under Jims leadership.

Derwinski spent six years with the U.S. Navy as an electrician on nuclear submarines before the Chicago and North Western Railway hired him as a locomotive electrician in 1993.

He joined Metra as an electrician in 1997 and steadily rose through the ranks, serving as a foreman, general foreman, shop superintendent, director of systems maintenance, locomotive superintendent, Rock Island division director, Milwaukee division director and then senior director of mechanical operations.

He was named chief mechanical officer in September 2013.

Originally posted here:
Metra Board selects new executive director to lead agency ... - Northwest Herald

Terrance Peder Rasmussen, 1959

Terrance Peder Rasmussen, 1959

In search for clues to slayings, long-dead Richmond-area killer IDd

For years, police in California and New Hampshire knew Robert Bob Evans was a killer, murdering and dismembering his wife in a home outside Richmond decades after presumably killing an unidentified woman and three young children in New Hampshire.

They just never knew his real name.

He was actually Terrance Peder Rasmussen, New Hampshire authorities announced Friday.

Law enforcement officials believe the discovery of Rasmussens identity is a breakthrough in the decades-old murder mystery of the four victims in Allenstown, N.H.

Using DNA with living relatives and comparing fingerprints connected with aliases, police pieced together the identity of the man as well as much of his whereabouts from his birth in 1943 to his death in 2010 in a California prison. But they are hoping that the public release of Rasmussens name will help fill in holes from his timeline, including substantial time spent in the Bay Area in the 1970s, to help identify the nameless woman and children.

Rasmussen used several aliases, in addition to Evans, including Curtis Kimball, Jerry Gorman, Gerald Mockerman, Gordon Jenson and Lawrence William Vanner while living in California during the 1980s. He died in 2010 while serving a life sentence for his wifes murder. He was listed by the California state corrections department as Kimball.

Police believe Rasmussen killed the woman and three girls in New Hampshire, one of whom was his biological daughter, stuffing them in metal drums on a rural property. Police found the first barrel with two victims in 1985 and the second with the other two in 2000. Its unclear when they were killed.

New Hampshire authorities also believe Rasmussen is responsible for the death of another woman, Denise Beaudin, 32, who disappeared after leaving with him for what police believe was a cross-country trip.

Rasmussen was convicted of only one murder, however, that of his wife, Eunsoon Jun. Contra Costa County police in 2002 found her partially dismembered body under a pile of cat litter. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to her murder.

Jun was his second wife. His first wife, along with their children, are alive, police said.

According to the New Hampshire Attorney Generals office, Rasmussen served in the U.S. Navy in California from 1962 to 1967 and lived in Santa Cruz, Contra Costa and San Mateo counties from the early 1970s until his arrest in 2002.

He was employed as an electrician and handyman while in California.

In a timeline provided by the authorities, Rasmussen moved to Redwood City in 1970 and worked as an electrician in Palo Alto.

In 1974, he visited his first wife and children in Arizona, accompanied by an unidentified woman. Investigators are particularly interested in whom he was traveling with at that time.

By 1986, Rasmussen was living in Santa Cruz County, working in a Scotts Valley RV park under the name Gordon Jenson, and after several years of unknown whereabouts, he was again in California, living as Vanner.

Police ask anyone with any information about Rasmussen to contact New Hampshire State Police-Cold Case Unit at (603) 223-3856 or coldcaseunit@dos.nh.gov.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker

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In search for clues to slayings, long-dead Richmond-area killer IDd - SFGate