Air pollution from transport has hogged the spotlight in recent months, but poor air quality inside our homes and workplaces can be even more damaging, reports Jamie Hailstone.

Even the most battle-hardened environmental sceptic will accept that there is air pollution on Britains streets.

Anyone who is a regular visitor to London, or any other of the UKs larger cities, cannot fail to notice the faint aroma of exhaust fumes as they traverse this nations highways and byways. But how many of us think about the air that we breathe inside our homes? Is it as clean as you might think?

Research published last year by the Clean Air Day campaign claimed ultrafine particle pollution levels are on average 3.5 times higher inside than outdoors and at some points in the day, it can peak at 560 times outdoor air pollution.

The research also found that 55% of parents said their children spent more time indoors when they are not at school or college than they did at their age, which means they could be exposed to more indoor air pollution than previous generations.

With children spending increasing hours indoors exposing them to ultrafine particles of pollution, which can enter the bloodstream and could have a greater impact on vital organs, urgent action needs to be taken to address this issue of indoor air pollution, says leading expert, Professor Stephen Holgate.

Indoor pollution can come from some unexpected sources and everyday activities. Even burnt toast can send indoor air pollution through the roof.

Most people are aware that dust and pollen can cause allergies and breathing difficulties, such as asthma but there are other sources that are less well known and equally as toxic, explains the chief executive of air quality monitor manufacturer Airthings, yvind Birkenes.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), like formaldehyde, are off-gassed by common items such as furniture and mattresses.

Traditional paint and related products, such as polyurethane, can include a whole host of toxic chemicals which are slowly released over time and carpets emit high levels of VOCs in the first few days after they have been installed, he added.

Asking for low VOC products and educating yourself on how some products are made is a good way to better understand what you are bringing into your home. Scented candles, wood-burning stoves, chemical cleaning products and air fresheners all emit VOCs.

We dont want people to think they cant use their favourite products, but we want people to know when chemical levels are rising so they can take control and keep their family safe and healthy, adds Birkenes.

Cooking up trouble

The social media manager of air quality masks manufacturer Airinum, Maria Ahnlund, says the kitchen is also another unreported source of indoor air pollution.

People use a variety of heat sources to cook food, including gas, wood, and electricity, she tells Air Quality News. Each of these heat sources can create indoor air pollution during cooking. Natural gas and propane stoves can release carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and other harmful pollutants into the air, which can be toxic to people and pets.

Cooking can also generate unhealthy air pollutants from heating oil, fat and other food ingredients, especially at high temperatures. Self-cleaning ovens, whether gas or electric, can create high levels of pollutants as food waste is burned away. Studies show that air can be unhealthy to breathe when people cook in kitchens with poor ventilation, adds Ms Ahnlund.

She also adds it is important to have a properly installed, high-efficiency hood over a kitchen stove to ensure good ventilation.

But it is not just in kitchens that poor ventilation can be a problem and contribute to poor indoor air quality, as the founder and CTO of heating systems manufacturer Logicor, David Bowen, explains: In all homes, we find (VOC) present.

Furthermore, we see humidity occurring, an inevitability of the current practice of creating air-tight homes. This provides a perfect breeding ground for many difficult to see creatures such as dust mites to thrive, he adds.

When their waste comes into contact with our skin or is inhaled, it can result in a range of allergic reactions that we can visibly see such as watering of the eyes, itching, asthma attacks, eczema, sneezing and a runny nose.

Equally, many homes are affected by Radon gas, particularly in areas with high proportions of granite. It is a colourless, odourless radioactive gas formed by the decay of small amounts of uranium that occur naturally in all rocks and soils.

When this occurs it produces other radioactive elements which attach themselves to dust particles in the air and, if inhaled, they will stick to the airways of the lung.

Musty smells

The World Health Organization has linked Radon exposure to between 3-14% of all lung cancer cases.

Damp in our homes most commonly occurs because of condensation, and if left untreated will eventually lead to mould growth. This is because if it is left to develop over time then damp patches may start to appear on walls and in the end black mould will grow.

This leads to musty smells, damage to the fabric of the house and it can also result in health problems.

Good ventilation is key to resolving the above issues, says Mr Bowen. The problem we face is that, historically, we have heated our homes with convection heating (warming the air) which has led to a practice of making our homes as airtight as we can to trap hot air for as long as possible.

For decades we have looked at solving the problem of reducing our heating bills with scant regard for the effects it could have on our health, instead of looking at technologies that would allow ventilation and heating to co-exist such as infrared central heating.

To me, its worse because Im not entirely convinced that we didnt know what we were doing. Its entirely understandable that a baker or candlestick maker might not know that poor ventilation could lead to a raft of health problems but, I find it difficult to believe that others, responsible for our health policies, didnt know, adds Mr Bowen.

As building techniques evolve and new homes become more energy-efficient, the issue of ventilation will become even more important, but there are plenty of simple steps to help improve indoor air quality, like opening the windows from time to time and where possible, keeping a lid on a frying pan.

That way, to paraphrase Arthur Daley, you can stay out of trouble with air indoors.

This article appears in Issue 2 of theAir Quality Newsmagazine which you can readhere.

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06.03.2020 Are you having trouble with 'air indoors'? - AirQualityNews

WADESBORO- Religious, political, and community leaders from across Anson County met at South Piedmont Community Colleges Lockhart-Taylor Center on Thursday, February 27 to celebrate one of their own: Grammy-award winning composer and Anson County educator, Richard Lewis Spencer. The event was the culmination of events throughout late January and February planned and coordinated by the Anson County MLK, Jr./Black History Month committee.

The event was presided over by Rev. Anthony Hall and Min. Christine Hall. Special guests walked the red carpet before approaching the stage. Attendants of all races were encouraged to dress in African attire and many wore garments emblazoned with vibrant colors and featuring elaborate patterns and designs. Richard Spencer was unable to attend due to health issues so his brother, Joey Spencer, accepted awards in his siblings honor.

Were here to honor a great man and I want you all to really get into the program, said Min. Hall, who added, Were here to have a good evening, okay? So, were not here to just be sitting still, were here to enjoy the festivities in honoring Mr. Richard Spencer, alright? Were here to celebrate! And as a celebration, we have fun!

The festivities included live music performed by Mr. Spencers siblings, Joey, Rodney, and Sherrie Spencer with keyboard accompaniment by Mitchel Patton. Kenya Miles from the HOLLA Organizations production of The Lion King, Jr. gave a thunderous rendition of The Circle of Life from the play. Sylvia Pratt gave a live reading of Langston Hughess poem Mother and Son. Betty Huntley choreographed an interpretive dance piece. There were also lip-syncing performances of hits by Tina Turner and The Emotions.

Richard Spencer received awards honoring his achievements in music, writing, education, and ministry. Leon Gatewood, of the HOLLA! Organization, and NC House candidate Gloria Harrington Overcash presented a replica of the Grammy Spencer received in 1970 as bandleader of the R & B group The Winstons for their song Color Him Father. In addition to the Grammy, Spencer received awards for his book The Molasses Tree and his tenure teaching at Anson High School.

I was doing pretty good until Color Him Father came out, said Joey jokingly, That record deprived me of the right to live in poverty like the rest of my friends. You know, its because of that record that I was deprived of the privilege of cutting firewood. What kind of brother wakes his six-year-old sibling at 3 oclock in the morning? Who does that? And next thing I know Im on a 747 jet on the way to Washington D.C. And when I got to this mansion, there was a Christmas tree, it was so tall I thought it was growing through the floor. I remember my brother, Richard, coming down the stairs saying, Joey, no, you dont climb that.

Brenda Broadway and Cornelia Liles presented Joey with Richards Lifetime Achievement Award. Lets go back to the 1970s. In 1970, we were in the throes of the Vietnam War. Richard Nixon was president. This building were in now was a fully-functional textile mill. A 16 oz coke was 25 cents and so were cigarettes and a gallon of gas. There were no cell phones. The source of music in your car was the radio unless you were lucky and someone installed an 8-track in your dash, said Liles,

One of the favorite activities in Wadesboro at that time was cruising around Salisbury Street. Despite all this, word had spread around Wadesboro real good that one of our homeboys was coming out with a song and that it would be released on Fathers Day. We couldnt wait to hear it. After that release, cruising had a new meaning. We turned our radios up a notch whenever that song came on. Years later a seasoned young man returned to Wadesboro and taught at the high school in the Social Studies department, said Liles. That man was, of course, Richard Spencer, and all of Anson County is proud to call him one of their own.

Attendants to the Lifetime Achievement Award were encouraged to wear African attire.

Rev. Dannie Montgomery quoted James Brown, Say it loud, Im black and Im proud!

Betty Huntley choreographed an interpretive dance piece to the song Glory by Common and John Legend.

Kenya Miles performed a rendition of the song Circle of Life from Disneys The Lion King.

Candidate Gloria Harrington Overcash and Leon Gatewood, of HOLLA!, presented Spencer with a replica of the Grammy he received in 1970 for the song Color Him Father.

Spencers siblings, Sherry and Joey Spencer, were the honored guests of the event.

Spencers other brother, Rodney Spencer, sang during the event as well.

Reach Charles Wood at 704 994 5471 or at cwood@ansonrecord.com

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Anson honors one of their own - Ansonrecord

A Toronto infection control physician says there is no evidence in Canada that travelling on public transit increases the chances of contracting novel coronavirus.

While Dr. Alon Vaisman, an infection control physician at University Health Network, applauded the extra measures being taken by the TTC and GO Transit to clean their buses and trains, he says the likelihood of someone getting the COVID-19 during their daily commute is already very low.

Things that increase risk is having face-to-face contact, having surfaces where the virus does not easily die and areas that are not easy to clean, he said.

Right now, there isnt much of a concern, because there hasnt been a single transmission thats unrelated to (overseas) travel, he said. Riding on a GO Train from Ajax to downtown, is very low risk at this point.

He said if cases start popping up in the community then exposure during daily commute may become more of a concern.

If a bus or subway is not being cleaned at all, then that increases the risk, he said. Its hard for me to say that it increases it by this much, or that much.

Vaisman said the vast number of cases documented are of people who have travelled overseas and if it was transmitted, it was from direct contact.

We have not seen a single Canadian who acquired the illness by travelling on a bus, train or by using the subway, he said.

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That kind of tells us something about whats going on, he said.

A passenger who later tested positive for COVID-19 travelled on a GO bus from Pearson airport to Richmond Hill last week. The other passengers were contacted and the bus was cleaned with an anti-microbial cleaner as an extra precaution.

We will see if anything comes out of that, he said, adding that its unlikely more cases will arise as a result.

He said coronaviruses are transmitted predominantly through droplets, which means that coughing and sneezing leads to the suspension of particles in the air, that then quickly fall to the ground.

It all comes down to the amount of contact commuters are having with an infected person.

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Someone touching those surfaces then putting their hands in their eyes, mouth or nose, increases the likelihood of infection. Thats why constant handwashing is critical to general disease prevention, he said.

Hospitals tend to avoid surfaces that are hard to clean such as carpets, Vaisman says, adding that its good protocol to clean crevices, cloth seating and carpeted areas throughout the transit system.

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Thats going to be a different risks versus a subway where youre have more concentration of people face-to-face, he said.

He said the move by Metrolinx to install hand sanitizers for GO Transit buses and stations is a good measure to promote good hygiene habits that reduce risk.

Part of that is showing the public that they are taking it seriously, he said

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Does your risk of coronavirus exposure increase on public transit? We had a Toronto doctor explain the risk - Toronto Star

A pair of landlords have been ordered to pay their tenant $7020in compensation and rent rebates after renting out a property with an illegal bedroom, a leaking roof and no insulation.

Tenant NawalKishoresaid the roof leaked at the Papatoetoe, south Auckland property for more than a month, causing "significant mould".

He told the Tenancy Tribunal the property, for which he paid $650 per week in rent, also suffered from damp conditions, especially in the third and fourth bedrooms.

The Tenancy Tribunal said the leak caused mould, dampness and "unhealthy living conditions" for Kishore and his family.

READ MORE:*Auckland landlord accused of treating tenant like his 'personal butler'*Auckland tenants' compensation claim over damp, mouldy house rejected*Landlord fails in attempt to raise rent on Auckland property by $400

"The tenant's chattels have also been damaged due to the failure by the landlord to maintain the premises in a reasonable state of repair," it said.

Kishore claimed his landlordsShantilal Jattan and Manjula Jattan, trustees for Jattans Family Trust, had also failed to insulate the property.

Google Maps/Supplied

A roof leak at a Papatoetoe property caused mould, dampness and unhealthy living conditions for a man and his family.

Insulation has been compulsory in all rental homes, except where installation is impossible, sinceJuly 1, 2019.

Since the requirements came into effect, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has received a total of 394 "inquiries" from tenants nationwideclaiming a landlord breach in relation toinsulation.

The tribunal said the trusthad not provided any evidence to indicate it had complied with mandatory insulation requirements.

It awarded Kishore a total of $2000in compensation for the leaking roof and the damage it caused, and a further $2000 in exemplary damages over the lack of insulation.

Kishore also received $4350 as a rent rebate for the 87-weektenancyas the landlord had rented out a fourth bedroom which was not legally consented as one.

The Tenancy Tribunal said the fourth bedroom had been converted from a sitting/rumpus area.

Auckland Council had only consented the property as a three bedroom. The fourth bedroom did not have "adequate protection" against the elements, insulation or a proper ceiling.

"The property should not have been rented out to the tenant at all as a four bedroom house," the tribunal said.

Kishore himself was ordered to pay his landlord $1330 for rubbish removal, repairs to the front sliding door, carpet cleaning and one week's rent in lieuof 21 days notice.

The landlord also claimed Kishore was subletting the property and sought compensation and exemplary damages asKishore was allegedly using the grounds of the property as a "demolition yard". Both of those claims were not proved.

The tribunal said Kishore had parked his work vehicle a tow truck at the home, and sold used chattels and vehicles, which was his right.

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South Auckland tenant awarded $7k over illegal bedroom, roof leak, no insulation - Stuff.co.nz

The Portland Public Library will close for six to eight weeks beginning on March 9 for renovations.

The Portland Public Library will close for six to eight weeks beginning on March 9 for renovations.

The Portland Public Library will close for six to eight weeks beginning on March 9 for renovations.

The Portland Public Library will close for six to eight weeks beginning on March 9 for renovations.

Portland Library to close for up to 8 weeks for renovations

PORTLAND - The Portland Public Library will close for six to eight weeks beginning on March 9.

The closure will allow a contractor to re-do portions of the library, as part of the $358,000 renovation of the 37-year-old building.

Even though the library will be closed, Library Director Janet Nocek said some activities will be held there, while others will take place in the nearby Senior Center.

The overhaul of the library will focus on improving the facility in terms of accessibility, service provision and energy efficiency, Nocek said in a statement.

Closing the library should make the project go faster - and go more smoothly, Nocek said in subsequent interview. Were certainly anticipating that the ambiance will be improved, and that the library will be made accessible to all.

Much of the work will involve efforts to make the building more accessible to people with either physical or mental disabilities or a combination of both, Nocek said.

Were trying mightily to remove those things that may be a barrier to our patrons, she said.

The project will involve providing more accommodating seating for members of the aging populations, as well as those with joint issues, she said.

This accommodating seating will be located in browsing areas and near displays of interest to visually impaired residents, Nocek said.

To further serve residents with physical disabilities, the library is installing tables of adjustable height, she said.

New lighting will be installed both at a new and updated service desk as well as in areas of adult browsing, Nocek said.

The lighting will serve to improve usability as well as being more energy efficient, she said.

The library also is addressing the desire of residents who want to use charging stations for mobile devices while reducing or eliminating the problems that can create.

At present, a number of patrons place cords in walkways to meeting roomsand use chairs as tables to get closer to an outlet.

However, in doing so, they create obstacles of wheel-bound persons and tripping hazards for others, Nocek said.

One of the main reasons the library will be closed is because the contractor is tearing up the existing carpet.

New carpet will be installed in the public areas, Nocek said.

Doing so will yield a number of benefits, she said.

It will provide better sound absorption. Color-coded layout of pathways will provide guidance in navigating the library for those with certain cognitive and visual challenges, Nocek said.

The project is being funded by a combination of sources, including a $108,400 grant from the Connecticut State Library, and $250,000 from the Endowment Fund.

It comes amid a surge in efforts to adjust and expand the library experience for residents of the region.

Just last week, Cromwell re-dedicated its library following a $3.2 million renovation and expansion.

And both the Russell Library in Middletown and the East Hampton Public Library have embarked on developing long-term strategic plans.

See more here:
Portland Library to close for up to 8 weeks for renovations - Middletown Press

Keeping up a house takes work. Keeping up a riverfront structure that houses ballrooms, exhibit halls and meeting rooms for hundreds of events and thousands of visitors takes even more work.

Add hurricane-related damage to that, and the workload increases exponentially. That is the reason the Wilmington City Council unanimously approved $1.9 million for repairs to the Wilmington Convention Center.Hurricane Florence inundated the area with record-setting rainfall in 2018, and it caused extensive damage to homes and other structures, including the convention center.The total convention center project, according to city staff, will cost $2.7 million. The city received $763,610 from FEMA funding, and insurance provided $25,463. The remaining funds will come from the Convention Center Fund.The $1.9 million includes roof repair, siding and major structural repairs that have to be done, Convention Center General Manager Fredia Brady said. Some of it has to do with general upkeep of the building, also.The Wilmington Convention Center first opened its doors in November 2010, so it was anticipated that maintenance would be needed to account for wear and tear of the facility, according to Mayor Bill Saffo.The fund created took into account that we would have to do general updating every 10 years or so, and we are getting more conventions, more conferences, more people coming, Saffo said.The project has been divided into two phases. The first phase is an architectural assessment, which has already been completed, and the second phase is the repairs, which are now in progress.One of the major repairs needed to the building includes the outside siding where water leaked behind and seeped inside damaging walls, floors and ceilings.The interior work is in progress and is set to be completed by the end of February.Refurbishing and redoing what needs to be done is expected on a 10- year basis. Repainting and installing new carpets is important for general upkeep of a facility that receives as much traffic as the convention center does, Saffo said.With about 75,000 attendees each year, the 10-year-old building has seen its share of wear and tear over the course of the past decade. Given that the event space is solidly booked most months, it can be difficult for construction crews to get in to make repairs.A reprieve in January allowed an opportunity to take care of some of the much-needed work.Water damaged its terrazzo floors, so convention center officials took advantage of the downtime and blocked out two weeks to get those resurfaced and sealed with a protective coating. Having to work around a busy event schedule, other repairs required careful planning and coordination in order to complete.In November and December, we didnt have any non-event days, Brady said. January was light, but now its February, and weve hit the ground running.Carpets and fabric paneling were replaced in three meeting rooms, all of which had seen hurricane water damage. New carpets were also installed in the ticket office and other administrative offices, and drywall and baseboards have been replaced and painting was completed throughout the space.Carpet has to be consistent from meeting room to meeting room, Brady explained.Both the main ballroom and junior ballroom are set to have carpets replaced and ceiling damage repaired.Exterior work has begun and a November completion is planned.The city has done a really good job studying and looking into how water was getting in and making sure it was fixed and preventing future damage, Brady said.The majority of the recent issues occurred on the north side of the building, which was exposed to extensive water damage during Hurricane Florence. An important component to the repairs is working to mitigate damage from future storms.With the siding, most of the money will go to figure out how to prevent water from getting in there again, Brady said. The city has been really smart about it.The heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit is in need of repair, as well as the gutters and downspouts on the exhibit hall roof that need to be installed.Another much-needed renovation on the north side of the building is the veranda that has been closed to foot traffic as a safety measure.The veranda has separated from the building, so that will be fixed, Brady said. It is not currently open to pedestrians until it is fixed, which will be over the next several months.The roof of the convention center is another concern.It is possible the entire roof will need to be replaced, but that will be several months down the road, Brady said.In addition to physical changes at the convention center, the facilitys management company, SMG, recently combined with AEG Facilities to create a new, stand-alone, global facility management and venue services company, ASM Global, according to a news release.ASM is headquartered in Los Angeles with key operations based in West Conshohocken, Pensylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. The company also has corporate offices in London; Manchester, England; Brisbane, Australia; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.The Wilmington Convention Center is the largest convention center on the North Carolina coast, and is continuing to grow with many conventions choosing Wilmington over nearby Myrtle Beach.The new Aloft Coastline Hotel with 125 guest rooms could be open this year and will increase the capacity to bring in even larger groups for the convention center.It is imperative that we keep our convention center up to date, refurbished and looking good, Saffo said. Tourism is a top industry in our area, employing over 6,000 people, and it is important for us to have an upgraded and very good convention center here.The increased business at the convention center is an asset to the Wilmington area, so any upgrades are considered investments in the city itself.The mission of the convention center was to bring in people, support hospitality, support businesses, and it is doing that, Saffo said. The convention center is a very important economic development tool for our community.

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Center of attention - Greater Wilmington Business Journal

Q: Im looking to remodel several rooms, including my kitchen, bathroom, foyer, staircase and living room. Is there one flooring product that can handle all these heavily trafficked, potentially wet spaces?

A: In the past, flooring options were limited to carpet, vinyl, hardwood, tile or laminate, each with their distinct pros and cons. But theres a new product that can serve all these rooms: luxury vinyl plank, or LVP.

LVP doesnt have a very provocative name, and many homeowners remain unaware of it even after seeing it many times at the home store. But LVP can be a superior choice over laminate flooring products of the past. Heres why:

LVP is affordable. You can buy LVP for $3$7 per square foot. Spending more will get you a thicker protective topcoat, but you can get a great floor in a wide variety of styles for under $5 per square foot. A word of warning: Dont be seduced by 96-cents-per-foot blowout prices. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

It comes in a wide variety.LVP offers seemingly endless options, from wood plank to large-format tile, and has a wide variety of textures, including stone and different types of wood. Up close, the look and feel of wood or stone varieties is uncannily realistic.

Its durable.LVP is well-suited for wet areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and basements. In homes with pets and small children, LVP resists scratching, foot traffic and spills. It wont chip or crack like tile if you drop a dish on it. Most LVP products come with at least a 10-year topcoat wear layer.

Its versatile.There are a few different installation options. LVP clicks together easily and can be glued down or float over the existing subfloor. Some products can even be glued down and grouted to mimic traditional tile.

Its comfortable.LVP is soft underfoot, absorbs pressure, and has sound-deadening properties. This makes it a great solution for stairs, multi-floored homes or the kids playroom. Some products are even designed to overlay radiant heat mats, the ultimate in bathroom luxury.

Its easy. LVP is relatively easy to install, doesnt retain dust like carpet, and usually cleans up nicely with just soap and water.

There are some minor drawbacks youll want to know about before jumping into LVP.

LVP lacks longevity.LVP is a one-trick pony and cant be refinished. Within 1020 years, youll need to replace it.

It requires substrate prep.The subfloor under LVP needs to be smooth and level. Unlike carpet, which can be installed over uneven basement concrete, LVP will shift and buckle if the floors are uneven.

Warranties vary.You get what you pay for, so research the manufacturers warranty and specifications. Low-end products will feature topcoat protection layers with warranties under 10 years. And again, beware of blowout prices.

Installation isnt always easy.Asmentioned above, LVP is generally easy to install. But in a home with nooks and crannies, installation can get complicated. Tying it into uneven floor transitions requires some skill and patience. Tricky floor plans will require that you order extra to cover the cut waste. In short, some projects are best left to the professionals.

Joe Reed is director of sales and marketing at Home Run Solutions, a member of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS). If you have a home improvement, remodeling or residential homebuilding question youd like answered by one of MBAKSs more than 2,700 members, write to homework@mbaks.com.

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This may be the best flooring product youve never heard of - Seattle Times

Ed O'Connor

Depending on when you read this, there will only be about 300 days until Christmas. I dont know about you, but Im getting my Christmas card list updated. Im in a quandary as whether to send cards to all the members of my fan club.

I will probably have to cut back this year. I budgeted $1.50 for postage. It costs 90 cents to send one card to the States. I hope the other member understands.

Its been rather quiet here since the beginning of the year. New Years Day is a bigger holiday in Moldova than Christmas. Well, actually, two Christmas days and two New Year days are celebrated the traditional days and the Orthodox holidays, which are each two weeks later.

However, things are starting to get back to normal as the Moldavian national pastime resumes politicians trying to see who can be the most crooked ... and the Bureau of Anti-Corruption trying to catch them.

And, speaking of national pastimes, the Democratic Theater of Hate continues. Its like watching the movie Groundhog Day. Just amazing. I havent seen Democrats this unhinged since Abraham Lincoln and the Republicans freed the Democrats slaves.

I find it interesting that what the Democrats accuse the Republicans of doing is what the Democrats are doing.

As Joseph Stalins henchman Lavrentiy Beria, the head of the Soviet secret police, once stated: Give me the man and I will give you the crime. Sounds like the four-year Democrat impeachment credo.

Moving again

The biggest happening for us has been an apartment move. After so much noise from the apartment above us for seven months, it was time for new digs. We had the notion that there was some kind of illegal activity being perpetrated.

We spoke to a neighbor about this and were told not to pursue it.

It was the sound of something sliding across the floor, such as furniture or boxes being moved ... for eight hours every night? In a one-bedroom apartment? More than a little suspicious.

And we wanted a larger place. I realized just how small the apartment was when I dropped my handkerchief on the floor and it looked like we had wall-to-wall carpet installed. Plus, we were able to reduce the rent by $80 monthly.

The location is good. There are four malls within four blocks of where we now live and seven within walking distance, along with five supermarkets and the citys biggest outdoor market. We can walk to all the theaters.

Fourteen travel/tourist agencies are located in a four-block area. Across the street is a gentlemans club.

Well, if it continues, we will be apartment hunting again. Whats it, Ed? The moron in the next apartment has a Siberian Husky in her third-floor, one-bedroom apartment. It started barking and howling all day long.

Now get this ... when we told people about the problem we had with a dog making noise next door, their response was, Oh, the poor dog. THE POOR DOG? Right, poor Phydeaux. What about us having to listen to a yelping cur for hours?

One intelligent person suggested that we let the Hound of the Baskervilles stay in our apartment during the day.

Why do these people think that they exclusively have the cutest, sweetest, most intelligent, most loving, cleverest, best behaved, most precious, funniest, gentlest, most obedient, most playful fleabag on the face of the earth? Beats me.

Give me a cat any day!

Cost of learning

Wow! Little Ralphie, you said that it costs $55 million to operate the Middletown Area School District? And a $6 million shortfall is the worst-case scenario? Wow! But Little Ralphie, whats the best-case scenario?

With the school district population of a little more than 18,000 residents, that is approximately $3,050 for every person. Again, wow!

So, with a budget of $55 million and a student population of about 2,300, that is $23,504 per student. Another wow!

On Eddy Os Wow! Scale, that gets a score of 5 out of 5.

About education ...

I was educated once it took me years to get over it. Mark Twain

I never let school interfere with my education. Mark Twain

Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school. John Dryden

Intelligence appears to be the thing that enables a man to get along without education. Education enables a man to get along without the use of his intelligence. Albert E. Wiggam

Weather in Moldova

I have been asked about the weather here in Chisinau, Moldova.

Ill start with a quick refresher for those of you who slept through geography class. Latitude is measured in degrees from the equator, north and south.

Chisinau is located at 46 degrees north latitude and Middletown at 40 degrees. So, for those who snoozed in math class, that is a 6-degree difference between the two cities.

Since one degree of latitude equals 69.2 miles, Chisinau is located 415.2 miles farther north than Middletown. But even with this difference, the weather is relatively the same as yours.

Have your eyes glazed over yet?

You would think it should be colder here. Must be that pesky global warming.

Remember that the global warming cult will tell you: Cold weather means global warming, hot weather means global warming, more hurricanes means global warming, fewer hurricanes means global warming, tornadoes mean global warming, no tornadoes means global warming, floods mean global warming, droughts mean global warming, bad weather means global warming, good weather means global warming and early bird migration means global warming. Disease outbreaks, crop failures, snowstorms and dont forget the polar bears ... yep, global warming. Theyll say anything to advance their cult, and even use educated children to do so.

Oops, how dare I? It is now climate change and not global warming.

Why is it that so called climate change never kills climate-change liberals? When is the last time you saw a headline, Hundreds of climate-change liberals found dead hugging polar bears? Me neither, but there is always hope.

And, yes, my name is really ED ... not to be confused with a certain kind of dysfunction that some men get.

Until next time, I remain warmly yours ... Eddy O

Ed OConnor, a former resident of Middletown and Lower Swatara Township, is an expatriate living in Chisinau, Moldova.

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What is the education cost for Middletown students? Wow!: Ed O'Connor - Middletown Press and Journal

ROGERSVILLE Hawkins County facilities manager Sarah Davis hopes to pick up where she and County Mayor Jim Lee left off last year when they implemented spending cuts that are saving Hawkins County $137,676 annually.

With regards to HVAC, however, the county will have to spend money to save money.

During the Feb. 18 meeting of the County Commissions Public Buildings Committee (PBC) Davis asked commissioners to consider a proposal from Trane Heating and Cooling to install temperature controls in the courthouse, courthouse annex and justice center.

Trane estimated the courthouse project to cost $21,000 and the Justice Center to cost $49,000.

The savings at the Justice Center on the courtroom side of the building is estimated at $10,000 annually, just by being able to change the temperature setting automatically when court isnt in session.

Davis said she has the current system set up so she can look at it and change the temperature from her desk, but the existing system doesn't allow for HVAC scheduling.

Because they didn't keep the software updated right now all we have is a $50,000 piece of equipment that we can only change the temperature on, Davis said. We have no way to look to see what the schedule is when it's occupied or unoccupied.This (proposed Trane system) is a very sophisticated system. You can go in and do it remotely, the way Trane has proposed to do this in the courthouse and the Justice Center. I could get the schedules for the courts and only heat and cool those courtrooms on the days that they're being used.

Committee member Charles Thacker suggested scheduling a meeting for next month to give the committee time to study the Trane proposal before making a recommendation. Davis said she would need approval to move forward with the project in time to include the cost for consideration in the 2020-21 budget.

Cost saving summary

Davis presented the PBC with a summary of the $137,675 in cost savings measures that were implemented last year by her and Lee.

Switching from Charter to HolstonConnects saved $10,817 annually; he made AT&T reduce the cost to the county to the state rate, which saved $18,989 annually; discontinued services and contracts totaled $68,156; ending the EMA communication maintenance contract saved $25,834; the EMA moved to the Administration building, saving $5,635; switching to Unifirst mats and uniforms saved $5,132; and seeking lower AT&T rates at the Senior Center and Archive building saved $681.

Priority building projects for 2020-21

Davis asked the PBC to set its priorities for proposed capital outlay projects for the 2020-21 fiscal year so she can obtain estimates for those jobs in time for the upcoming budget hearings. The PBC is expected to have its priorities ready to discuss and approve at its next meeting on March 16.

Commissioner John Metz requested that mandatory ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) upgrades and roofing projects be moved to the top of the list. Every county building must be ADA compliant by 2023.

Davis described the carpeting in the Courthouse Annex as an embarrassment. She said the carpeting has tape on the floors to keep people form tripping, and the 20-year-old carpeting is in horrible shape.

If we could do sections at a time if we could get our inmate work crew to put the flooring down, I don't think it would be that expensive, Davis said.

County Clerk Nancy Davis, whose office is in the annex, said the carpeting is rumpled in places and she believes it will be a fall hazard.

Leaky Justice Center roof

The Justice Center roof has leaked since the building was renovated into courtrooms and a jail in 2010.

Davis said there have been 18 leaks reported in the current fiscal year and 10 leaks in 2018-19.

There is still five years remaining on the Justice Center roof warranty. PBC Chairman Rick Brewer said the county should contact the contractor who installed the roof and talk about getting a new roof installed at a reduced cost rather than putting Band-Aids on it for the next five years.

Leaky Health Department roof

Davis presented the PBC with an engineer's report that said the flat portion of the leaking roof at the Hawkins County Health Department building in Church Hill can hold the weight of a tin roof addition.

But the existing flat roof would have to be removed to decrease the weight, which would be more expensive. The engineer told Davis the more cost effective option would be to replace the existing flat roof with either shingles or metal on the sloped portion.

The commission approved $50,000 to complete that roof project last year, which Davis said isn't enough. Before advertising for bids she'd like to know where the funds will come from.

We had several leaks last year during the same wet season we're having now, Davis told the committee. The last time we had someone up there (for repairs) was in June. It was $1,300, and I have not had a leak reported since last June. It seems to have stopped the problem.

Brewer said he'd like to see the building before making a decision.

Read the original here:
HVAC controls would save $10K annually at Hawkins Justice Center - Kingsport Times News

Homes, like people and fashions, age.

Unfortunately, nothing stops the aging process in people. The good news is that older homes, just like clothing fashions, can be updated to give them a chic, modern appearance.

Barry Obermiller, owner of Obermiller Seamless; Jody Devore, owner of Drapery Den; Jim Narber, owner of the Floor to Ceiling Store; and Bethany Schock, an Allied member of American Society of Interior Design at the Floor To Ceiling Store, are a few of the professionals in Grand Island who can help people come up with ideas on how to modernize their homes.

As a retail trade center, Grand Island has many outlets where do-it-yourselfers can buy everything from raw lumber to bathroom sinks, fixtures and countertops to kitchen sinks and kitchen cabinetry. It also has a number of one-person contracting and handyman businesses that can do home remodeling. Dont forget the full-service turn-key outlets that let people go in, select the materials they want to remodel their homes and then have that company do the installation.

Starting from the outside

Giving a house a new look can start with the homes exterior, starting with updated replacement windows. Obermiller said people most often start looking for replacement windows when the wood frames begin rotting or when the windows arent working as well as they should in keeping the cold out and warmth in. Consequently, the most important issue for most people is the energy efficiency of the new windows.

After that, people may make a decision about buying aluminum-clad windows or vinyl-clad windows that provide the advantages of wood-frame windows with different exterior looks. People can also get vinyl frame and fiberglass frame windows.

All offer advantages and disadvantages when it comes to durability, heat and cold conduction, and energy efficiency.

Updating the homes interior also often begins at the windows, which can include shades, blinds, shutters and drapes.

We do a lot of layering on window treatments, said Devore, owner of the Drapery Den. She said layered sheers and shades can work in tandem to determine how much light gets into the room. Sheer backing can allow soft, diffused natural light into homes, while more opaque fabric vanes or panels can be either fully open, partially closed or fully closed to provide additional control on how much light comes into a room.

She said fabric vanes or panels in window treatments can provide protection from UV rays that can cause colors in carpets and furniture to fade.

When fully closed, the fabric vanes provide complete privacy for people when they turn on interior lights during the evening and nighttime hours.

How much light to allow into a room may depend on how that space is being used.

Devore said window treatments that allow lots of soft, diffused light into the house can be used for kitchens, dining rooms and living rooms. But people likely will want more opaque window treatments for their TV rooms or home theater rooms, as well as for their bedrooms, where they will want to get a restful nights sleep free from any light.

She said some window treatments, such as Duette Architella honeycomb shades or Duette Trielle Elan shades from Hunter Douglas, incorporate insulating air pockets to reduce heat loss from homes.

You can actually get tax credits for putting these into your home, she said.

Devore said that technology has been incorporated into modern window treatments, which can be motorized or can be operated manually without using any cords. The absence of cords is meant to improve safety for children in the home.

Motorized window treatments can either be hard-wired or battery-operated.

A big trend is to install a hub with the shades so people can operate their shades with their phones when they are out-of-state or when they are inside the house, Devore said.

Sometimes, light sensors are used so that window treatments will automatically be fully open, partially open or fully closed, depending on how much light is shining outside.

Drapery Den still sells what most people consider traditional drapes and curtains, Devore said. For example, one homeowner had a 24-foot-wide patio door that needed a 24-foot-wide curtain that could be opened and closed to cover that wide expanse.

She said some people are getting stationary drapes that remain in fixed positions on both sides of the window. Those stationary drapes are popular because todays homes are increasingly filled with hard surfaces such as vinyl floors, hardwood floors and ceramic-tile floors, with more and more of todays furnishings also made from hard surfaces instead of fabric.

Devore said these stationary drapes are used to soften a rooms look and to add texture. Drapes also improve a rooms acoustics by providing a softer sound in place of the harsher noise that can be created when sound waves bounce off hard surfaces.

Interior designer Bethany Schock said a current remodeling trend is the installation of vinyl floors. Those floors can look a lot like wood, or they can look like ceramic tile with various designs.

Schock said vinyl flooring is popular because it is super easy to take care of. People here in the Midwest like things they dont have to maintain a whole lot. Thats especially true with the Midwestern climate that ranges from snow to rain and mud to dust storms.

She said homeowners can keep vinyl floors clean with either a damp or a dry mop.

Narber said another reason that people like a vinyl floor is that it has a warm feel to the feet compared to the chill of a ceramic tile floor, as just one example.

Many people still like to have wall-to-wall carpeting in their homes, although ease of maintenance remains a priority.

Schock said carpets will often have subtle blends of colors because a variety of hues can help hide tracking on areas such as doorways and hallways where people do a lot of walking.

You dont have to vacuum as often, she said.

Many people like to have patterned carpet in their homes because it provides another texture to the room and a little bit more of a design element, said Schock, who showed a display carpet that had a subtle plaid pattern.

Todays light fixtures give consumers a choice of either regular or incandescent light bulbs or LED lighting. The LED lights are popular for people who are very concerned about energy efficiency.

Schock said LED lighting comes as a unitary or integrated fixture so you never have to change a bulb. Its rated for 15 to 20 years and usually, by that time, youre ready to change the style anyway.

Narber said a popular model is LED can lights that are small-circumference, circular fixtures that are recessed into the ceiling. It would likely take 50 to 70 can lights to fully illuminate an area encompassing the living room, dining room, kitchen and bathroom areas of a home.

Schock said some people like to decorate their homes with chandeliers, which use incandescent lighting. If people like lighting on their ceiling fans, that usually comes as an integrated unit with LED lighting that is certified to last 15 or more years.

Adding a touch of interest

Narber and Schock said many people like to have kitchen cabinets with Shaker-style doors that have no raised panels.

Narber said many people also like farm sinks, which Schock described as sinks with an apron front that has the lip of the sink jut out a very short distance from the kitchen counter.

Schock said pattern tile that forms a specific pattern when all the pieces are installed is a popular floor covering for todays bathrooms.

When it comes to paint, many people like to have soft, relatively neutral colors on all four walls, she said. But some people still like to have a room with three walls covered with a neutral color and one wall with a slightly more vibrant tone for an accent.

Schock said it also makes a difference if a room is a regular rectangular shape versus a room with more interesting shapes or cutouts, because then you can do a couple of different colors to make it more interesting as an architectural detail.

Devore said often people who want to add texture to a room will consider using wallpaper, noting, its coming back.

She said grasscloth wallpaper made from hand-woven strands of natural fibers is an increasingly popular choice. Grasscloth wallpaper can be used on a rooms accent wall.

Narber said many homes built in the 70s, 80s and 90s had lots of rooms. As a result, many people like to remove all the non-supporting walls for those rooms to create an open-concept home.

He said one remodeling job tore down those walls, then installed wooden beams on the ceiling where all the walls had once been located.

Even though there may be definite trends when it comes to remodeling todays homes, I always tell people that youre the one who has to look at it every day, Schock said. You need to be fully satisfied with everything. I can make whatever you want work, but you have to like it yourself first.

Link:
A touch of the new can stop your home from showing age - Grand Island Independent