Lucy Mardres is the owner of Inspire Esthetics Salon in downtown Kamloops. She's been the victim of two recent thefts at her salon costing her almost $2,000 in loss of product and money.

(KAREN EDWARDS / iNFOnews.ca)

January 15, 2020 - 6:00 PM

For nearly five years in downtown Kamloops, salon owner Lucy Mardres never had any issues involving break-ins, but in the last three weeks, her business was broken into twice and shes out nearly $2,000 from the thefts mostly skin cream.

Ive always been in this location and have never had any issues until now, Mardres says.

Inspire Esthetics Studio located right on Lansdowne Street was first broken into in late December, according to Mardres. The salon owner says she came in one morning to find both locks on her doors had been damaged.

Thieves cut a hole through the drywall at Inspire Esthetics Salon and unlocked the door to gain access into the salon.

(KAREN EDWARDS / iNFOnews.ca)

There was money missing and a lot of my skin care was stolen, she says, adding the skincare that was stolen were products that are exclusive to her salon.

The prices on the products range from $50 to $150, she says.

In the second and most recent break in, Mardres walked into her salon last Friday morning to find a hole that had been cut through the drywall to unlock the door.

Mardres noticed they stole more of the same skincare products and also some random items including two pairs of her runners, donations for the Kamloops food bank, scissors and a jug of water.

We are pretty sure they are transient people that are doing the break ins, she says. There were bicycle tracks to clean up in the foyer but unfortunately no fingerprints.

Both times, Mardres reported the incidents to police and has also put out a call to social media if anyone sees the skincare products, HydroPeptide, being sold locally online through Kijiji or Marketplace to let her know or let the Kamloops RCMP know.

For now, Mardres will be installing security cameras in the upcoming days. Anyone with information on this case can call the Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000 and cite file number 20-1160.

The hole made by thieves from the outside of the salon.

(KAREN EDWARDS / iNFOnews.ca)

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We often think of air pollution as car exhaust, smoke-spewing factories, and smog, but the air your family breathes while sleeping, eating, and vegging in front of the TV is anything but clean. Indoor air is teeming with toxic chemicals and allergens that can singe the eyes, trigger asthma attacks, and bring on headaches. Over time, airborne toxins can disrupt hormones, damage vital organs, and possibly even lead to cancer.

But pollution isnt the only problem lurking in the air. Homes that are too dry are a potential health hazard too. Along with causing cracked skin and nosebleeds and increasing the risk of dehydration, overly dry air keeps influenza aloft and makes us more likely to get infected. But on the flipside, too-humid air encourages mold growth and attracts dust mites, creating a whole new set of health problems.

Whether polluted, too dry, or too humid, imperfect indoor air is likely making your family sick. So what can you do about it? Well, contrary to popular demand, the answer to the pollution problem is not to fill your home with potted plants. They do purify the air very slightly, but youd have to turn every room into a jungle to have any meaningful effect. Here are some more real, actionable solutions to keep your family safe from illness both now and in the future.

Believe or not, indoor air is actually more polluted than outdoor air, says Josh Jacobs, director of environmental codes and standards at independent safety certifier UL. Because we seal up buildings and control ventilation rates, anything we add inside drywall, flooring, furniture, paint, electronics can give off VOCs, which do not dissipate in an indoor environment.

Short for volatile organic compounds, VOCs include some 13,000 toxic chemicals, such as formaldehyde, aldehyde, benzene, and toluene, that off-gas from manmade household products and building materials. In fact, Jacobs says that only items made entirely of steel, glass, concrete, or stone do not give off VOCs that we then breathe in. Along with irritating the eyes, nose, and throat, these hazardous chemicals can worsen asthma symptoms and cause dizziness, nausea, headaches, skin rashes, and fatigue. Prolonged exposure can harm the kidneys, liver, or central nervous system and potentially cause cancer.

Although plenty of VOCs are emitted outdoors, those chemicals can escape, whereas the VOCs given off inside the home get trapped, turning problematic. Think about it like red dye, Jacobs says. If you put one drop in the ocean, it will dissipate quickly and nothing will really happens. But if you put one drop in a fishbowl, it will turn the water pink or even bright red.

Besides VOC contamination, indoor air can also be sullied by allergens such as pet dander, dust mites, mold, or even pollen tracked in from outside. Along with hovering in the air, these pollutants accumulate in house dust. Whats more, everyday activities like cooking on a gas stove and scouring the kitchen floor conjure up gasses that can cause health problems when inhaled.

How to Fit It

Youll never totally eradicate VOC emissions, but you can do a lot to lessen your familys exposure, starting with the types of products you bring into your home. When shopping for paint, furniture, countertops, drywall, mattresses, bedding, window treatments, and many more home-improvement needs, look for ULs GreenGuard Gold certification. Any product bearing this seal will have passed rigorous third-party testing to prove it has low VOC emissions.

Similarly, for carpeting, flooring, and the adhesives and sealants they require, pick products that carry the Carpet and Rug Institutes Green Label Plus seal, which have also passed ULs stringent VOC emissions tests. Another certification to know is ECOLOGO, also administered by UL, which signals low VOCs as well as a minimal environmental footprint. Look for this seal on cleaning products especially, but also paper products, electronics, office equipment, and more. (For a full list of certified GreenGuard, Green Label Plus, or ECOLOGO products, go to UL Spot.)

To lessen the VOC threat from household items you already own, open windows as much as possible to circulate outdoor air through your home. If you have a forced-air heating and cooling system, use filters designed to remove small particles (Check Consumer Reports Air Filter Buying Guide for best options) and change it out regularly; this should help minimize airborne allergens as well. Also consider a standalone air purifier, which wont do much for VOCs but can capture allergens, dust, and other particles. These require regular filter swap-outs too.

Additionally, vacuum, sweep, and dust your entire home frequently to mop up all the allergens and other nasty stuff thats settled onto floors, furniture, and electronics. And if you have a gas stovetop with an exhaust hood, use it whenever you cook and leave it on for a few minutes after youre done. Research shows that hoods drastically limit the pollutants pushed into the air.

If you live in the northern U.S., at high elevation, or anywhere that gets cold enough to necessitate turning on the heat for part of the year, dry indoor air is practically a given. The Environmental Protection Agency advises keeping humidity levels between 30 percent and 50 percent, but rarely do homes with the heat running constantly even scratch 30.

Some of what happens when the air is too arid is obvious and annoying: scaly skin, staticky hair, itchy scalp. Nosebleeds are common as well, because when the tiny blood vessels in our nasal passageways dry out, they become brittle and burst easily. But dry air introduces more health hazards than many people realize. First of all, its easier to get dehydrated because the body loses fluids while we breathe. And along with causing headaches, dizziness, or nausea, dehydration can make us more prone to respiratory ailments.

Our immune system relies on a certain amount of moisture to create thick, gooey mucus that traps viruses and bacteria in the nose and mouth before they can infect us, says Daniel Allan, M.D., a family medicine physician at the Cleveland Clinic. Those secretions carry antibodies so they work almost like a filter. But if youre not well hydrated, your nose and mouth will dry out, leaving you more vulnerable to illness.

Making matters worse, some viruses especially influenza thrive in dry air. Research shows that flu epidemics in the U.S. almost always come a few weeks after the relative humidity drops. This is likely because dry air helps the virus to travel better and stay activated longer, says Jennifer Reiman, Ph.D., who researched humiditys effects on influenza while at the Mayo Clinic.

As soon as someone sneezes or coughs, the [influenza-containing] droplets they expel start shrinking, she says. Under low humidity, they shrink more rapidly, and when they are smaller, it takes longer for them to fall out of circulation and onto the floor. They hang around in the air longer and are more easily picked up by others. Also, those smaller particles can reach deeper into the airways and get into the lungs where they can infect, Reiman adds, whereas bigger particles dont make it as far into the body.

How to Fit It

To keep your home from drying out, make sure its well insulated. The more air leaks you have in your doors, windows, crawl spaces, and weather stripping, the more dry, cold outdoor air comes into the home, Allan says. Then the furnace has to work harder, making it harder to control humidity in the house. Insulating well is good for your monthly energy bill but also could help reduce your chances of getting sick.

If you suspect the humidity in your home is too lowand again, even if your house is sealed well, if the heat has been on for a while, it probably is first buy a hygrometer to test it. These instruments are sold at most hardware stores or on Amazon, often for under $20. If the humidity level reads below 30 percent, then consider buying a humidifier, which shoots a fine mist of water into the air to bump up the moisture level. There are console units, which are generally bigger, stay parked in one spot, and can treat the air of a large space, as well as tabletop humidifiers, which are smaller and easier to move from room to room. Depending on the size and layout of your house, you might need more than one unit.

When it comes to flu protection, humidifiers have been proven to help. Reiman ran a fascinating study a few winters ago in which her team installed humidifiers in two preschool classrooms to raise the humidity level to between 42 percent and 45 percent. They left two other classrooms untreated. Then, along with tracking the number of kids who reported flu symptoms that year, the researchers collected air samples from each classroom and swabbed wooden blocks, markers, playdough utensils, and other surfaces the tots touched.

Analyzing all the samples in their lab, Reimans team found significantly more influenza present in the classrooms without the humidifiers. And of the virus samples found, those from the dryer rooms were more virulent. This synced up to the data from the kids, as 2.3 more cases of influenza-like illness were reported from the non-humidified classrooms.

While they can make your home feel more comfortable and decrease virus risk, be careful with humidifiers. They require refilling daily and a deep cleaning at least once a week to ensure they keep working efficiently and, more importantly, to prevent mold from forming and bacteria from building up in the stagnant water you dont want that junk misting into the air.

With humidity, too much of a good thing is very, very bad. Although indoor air above 50 percent humidity is more common in the Southeastern U.S., it can happen anywhere that gets hot and humid in the summertime or whenever a homes air conditioning system isnt working properly. Basements, bathrooms, and very small spaces can see humidity levels creep.

Homes that are too humid risk sprouting mold, which produces allergens that can cause sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, skin rashes, and feverlike symptoms. Mold is particularly pesky for people with asthma, upping the risk of attacks. Another common allergen, dust mites, thrive in humidity as well. So do many species of bacteria that can make us sick. Oh, and heres one more problem: Research shows humidity higher than 60 percent can increase concentrations of VOCs.

How to Fit It

If your home is harboring unhealthy humidity levels, youll likely be able to feel it and notice condensation on windows and mirrors. But it never hurts to bust out the hygrometer to check. To keep levels under control, get your air conditioning looked at by a professional to ensure that you have the most efficient system for your home and that its working as it should.

Also, make sure to use the exhaust fans over your stove and in your bathrooms to draw out excess moisture. Run fans in your home to keep air circulating and humidity low. Even taking shorter showers and covering steaming pots on the stove will help stop humidity from rising.

If humidity is an ongoing problem, consider investing in a dehumidifier, which sucks moisture from the air, collecting the water in a removable reservoir. Dehumidifiers come in multiple capacities based on how many pints of water they can draw from the air within 24 hours. Your home or rooms size and current humidity level can inform how strong of a horse you need. (Consumer Reports offers a comprehensive buying guide and product reviews.) Just like with a humidifier, though, you have to stay on top of cleaning dehumidifiers or you could have a pool of bacteria before long.

The post The Air in Your Home Is Making Your Family Sick. Heres What to Do About It. appeared first on Fatherly.

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Your Home Is Making Your Family Sick. It's Time to Fix It. - Yahoo Lifestyle

Mountain Laurel floor plan features quintessential wrap around porch, panoramic views. Luxurious owner's suite features spa-like bath. Soaking tub, tile shower, double bowl vanity and massive walk in closet. Expansive great room connects with Kitchen. Separated, but open dining room. Media nook, loft, full bath and bedroom on the second floor. Storage galore. Superior wall basement is optional. The Porches of Allenberry offers carefree living along the banks of the Yellow Breeches. Residents will be able to access this world-class fly-fishing stream from the Yellow Breeches preservation area. Architecturally curated with privacy & versatility in mind. Golf cart community with a lit, paved pathway to Allenberry Resort and neighboring hobby farm. Park-like neighborhood lawns and extensive landscaping. Outstanding quality construction features natural stone, LP Smart Side exterior, Anderson 400 series windows and lifetime architectural shingles. Resident exclusive Kipling Meeting House - Community center with rustic fireplace, lounge, bar, kitchen and fitness area. The community provides easy access to outdoor activities, resort amenities and area highlights. Centrally located to Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York & D.C. The Porches of Allenberry offers carefree living, lock and leave services combined with exceptional amenities. The Porches is the fastest growing new home community in Central PA. The Porches bring people & nature together.

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Homes Recently Listed in the Carlisle Area - Kenosha News

Belleville Police Station Southeast Addition, 2019 (Photo: Filed / City of Belleville)

The date has been set.

The new Belleville police headquarters will be officially opened on July 29.

The opening will be accompanied by a ceremony and ribbon cutting to mark the memorable occasion.

The city announced the official opening date of the new Belleville police headquarters in the town hall. (Photo: Amanda Smith / Quinte News)

The announcement was made in the town hall on Friday morning and Mayor Mitch Panciuk says the new ultramodern facility is long awaited.

Panciuk also said that the details are currently being worked out, but the facility will be open for tours this fall.

The new building is more than double the footprint of the current police station at 69,000 square feet. The building has been assessed after disasters and requires more than 73,000 concrete blocks, 4,500 steel studs, 1,800 sheets of drywall, miles and miles of electrical and communication wires, 15 high-energy heating, ventilation and air conditioning units and a 200-foot high communication tower. A solar system will be installed once the construction is complete.

The building will also have a community boardroom that will be available for use by non-profit community organizations.

Police chief Ron Gignac at the announcement of the official opening date of the new Belleville police headquarters at the town hall. (Photo: Amanda Smith / Quinte News)

The budget for this project located at 459 Sidney Street is $ 26.3 million and is on schedule according to Chief Ron Gignac.

He says that this new building will be useful for the more than 160 service members.

.

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Police station will open on July 29 - Mash Viral

Thieves cut their way into unfinished bowling alley

Police searching for thieves who cut their way into a bowling alley under construction to steal TVs.

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. - Police in Peachtree City are working to track down a group of thieves who stole thousands of dollars from a local business that hadn't even opened its doors yet.

James and Marilyn Royal are opening a new bowling alley in Aberdeen Village, but just last Monday, at around 1:30 in the morning, crooks cut their way into the building through a wall.

"It was an inside job, it had to be," said building owner,James Royal.

Royal saidhe couldn't believe the lengths thethieves went to to break into his bowling alley. "There's a stud here and a stud here, and I'm assuming they had boots on, and Ithink they just kicked the drywall right through," said Royal.

The Royals saidthey're now out about $15,000after these theives stole 16 brand new TV's, power tools and supplies.

"I find out how much they cost, and Igo 'Wow'...Almost $15,000for 16 TV's," said Royal.

The couple said while this is a setback, it won't stop them from opening in the spring. The Royals saidwhen the burglary happened, their security system wasn't installed, but now, it's up and running.

"We should've put the security equipment in once it showed up, but Ireally didn't think of it," said Royal. "Ithought, 'Not in Peachtree City. Crime never happens down here.' But it's coming," said Royal.

Peachtree City Police are hoping to get surveillance from nearby businesses to get a better picture of the crooks because right now thery really don't have a soliddescription to go on. Anyone with information is urged to call officers immediately.

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Thieves bust through wall to break into bowling alley under construction - FOX 5 Atlanta

Proposal made to make Old Mill a three-season facility

KAGAWONG Billings Township council has voted to go ahead with and accept a bid on the renovations and mould abatement of the Old Mill Heritage Centre municipal office, citing the need to have the work carried out to make the building safe and clean for both office staff and visitors and for any subsequent use by others in the future. This comes as council was asked to consider deferring the decision and consider a proposal to make the Old Mill a three-season building.

As was reported in the December 27, 2019 edition of the Recorder, with both tenders submitted for mould abatement and renovations to be made to the Old Mill Heritage Centre Billings Municipal Office having been higher than what had been anticipated, Billings Township council had deferred a decision on which company to choose for two weeks while its engineers discussed the costs involved with both bidders.

This council is committed to spending precious municipal funds responsibly, stated Billings Mayor Ian Anderson at a council meeting Monday attended by about 35 residents. Council and staff take our responsibility to communicate effectively very seriously. We are not perfect and communication can always be improved. We sincerely believe that we have made improvements thus far. Council and staff can and do attempt to answer questions and engage in appropriate discussion, but this can only occur if citizens also engage. The current status of the municipal office in the Old Mill is unacceptable, and in the interest of health and safety, and effective ongoing municipal administration, council believes that we need to act as planned.

Sandy Cook, who at the meeting outlined a new proposal for the Old Mill to be turned into a three-season facility said, were not asking for more money for a project. We are asking for a different project to be considered. Yes, something needs to be done to address problems with the Old Mill, but that doesnt have to mean trying to put it back the way it was.

Mayor Anderson pointed out the municipal office is currently housed in the downstairs area of the Park Centre. Its a building that is busy; there is a lot of use of it. Everyone knows the usage this building receives. The space downstairs is not ideal for the office staff. One of the concerns people are having is with energy efficiency of the Old Mill office space, and we intend to rectify that. And in due course we will be looking at a new municipal office, but not in the short term. And, other commitments we have had to make for projects has maxed out what we have to commit in resources. He pointed out the township has no options regarding the remedial work on the municipal office, to make the space a safe/healthy environment for anyone who works or visits the space in the future.

Ms. Cook made a presentation to council noting that the presentation is meant to uphold the principles and statements included in the township asset management plan bylaw. Council has good intentions and is planning to make some progress towards remediating problems at the Old Mill Heritage Centre municipal office. However, we are presenting an alternative to the proposed renovations.

We are bringing forward a new proposal for the following three reasons: the asset management committee minutes from last August state that the office is too small for the current staff, yet the current proposal of building a cube inside the municipal office is going to further decrease the square footage, said Ms. Cook, noting the Old Mill is the least energy efficient and most propane-dependent building in municipal holdings.

The Old Mill Heritage Centre has the potential to become an asset that fulfills social, economic and environmental goals as stated in the Asset Management Policy cited above, said Ms. Cook. We propose that the Old Mill Heritage Centre be remediated and renovated into a three-season building containing an enlarged museum space on the ground floor and Edwards Studios on top. The proposed renovations would require design and engineering input to remove it from the list of critical buildings as referenced in the Township of Billings Facility Condition Assessment Summary prepared by Tulloch Engineering in February 2018.

Ms. Cook said the new proposal would provide social, economic and environmental benefit, noting the centre is a successful and vital component of Billings cultural scene. The annual events draw hundreds of people and the organization holds ambitious exhibits, but the space is an obstacle to bringing in these exhibits and badly needs updating to accommodate the rigorous requirements of hosting precious collections. The Old Mill, brings together our social fabric; young and old, residents and visitors, in a mutual appreciation of local history and heritage. A beautiful museum space, both interior and exterior, would be a point of pride for the whole communitya jewel on the waterfrontthat preserves an iconic heritage building.

Ms. Cook went on to explain there would be economic benefits as well. She explained if the Old Mill is solely an arts and museum space, the township is then eligible to receive up to 50 percent of funding from the federal Canadian Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF) for work on the building for interior or exterior work as well as planning, architecture and engineering fees. We may even quality for the rural and remote area increased funding of 75 percent. In addition, the township would be eligible for more federal funding through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) at 75 percent.

With a cost of $75,000 for the engineered floor plan, an estimate of $200,000 for containing contaminated soil and received bids for constructing the inner cube of $180-$190,000, the current plan for the Old Mill renovations will incur total expenses over $400,000, said Ms. Cook, noting it would not address the office space being too small.

In contrast, by applying for federal funding for a three-season building used as cultural space, $400,000 of taxpayer money can buy the township $800,000 to $1.2 million worth of work. This seems like a way more efficient and effective way to spend a lot of money, said Ms. Cook.

There would also be environmental benefits, said Ms. Cook. As a member in FCMs Partners in Climate Protection Program, Billings is committed to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. A significant savings in annual fuel costs and greenhouse gas production is accomplished with a three season, May to October museum and art studio building that may need propane for heating.

The firehall, gym and library are also on the critical list in Billings facility assessment report. The critical designation is for buildings requiring extensive work for long-term sustainability, where the cost of replacing may be less than fixing. Rather than short-term fixes on each of these buildings. perhaps setting aside seed money and augmenting this with other streams of funding available for a multi-use, fully accessible building that could include these services and the municipal office, would be well worth the wait.

In conclusion, the Old Mill is an iconic heritage building and the centre of present and future cultural space. The township and community members can make gains socially, economically and environmentally by pressing the pause button. Pausing the tender process and stepping back to look anew at our beloved asset that is in critical condition, can help us move forward with a more cost-effective, innovative solution that makes real headway on our environmental and infrastructure goals, said Ms. Cook.

There is no question you and others are dedicated and have spent a lot of time researching this entire subject, said Mayor Anderson.

In the next few minutes I will try to explain the current situation and why we are doing what we are, said Mayor Anderson. I also like to thank you for your presentation. Councils decisions are based on a broad range of factors, including legislation, public and staff safety, affordability and advice from both the public and staff and a strategic plan, to name a few.

Our primary focus is the Old Mill office space repairs in the interest of health and safety and to also to share some of the other projects and costs we are currently looking at, said Mayor Anderson. Tonight we will focus initially on why we have chosen to repair a portion of the Old Mill building to make it a safe and comfortable work environment which will also be much more energy efficient than the old office. At the same time, I will take this opportunity to share some of the other projects and costs your municipality is committed to in the immediate future.

The Old Mill is clearly an important part of our heritage, said Mayor Anderson, giving some of its past history. The township has occupied a portion of the building for the township office since about 1999, he said, noting the building has not been formally designated as a heritage building,under the Ontario Heritage Act.

He pointed out municipal staff began to seriously question air quality in the space in 2018 and council initiated an investigation of air quality in the summer of that year. Broad spectrum air quality testing was conducted by Cassen Testing Labs in early September and Tulloch Engineering was also engaged in September to conduct further testing, provide advice and propose potential remediation options short- and long-term. Further testing revealed mold spores and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). A Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) system was proposed as a means of improving the air quality to acceptable levels, but not as a means of addressing the root cause(s) of the problem. This system was installed in the winter of 2019.

The office was reoccupied in the spring of 2019, but by early fall it was determined that the air quality issues remained. Staff relocated to the Park Centre lower hall in mid-October, and council determined that source remediation work was needed to occur before the space could be reoccupied as a municipal office.

Tulloch defined the scope of the work that was needed and with approval by council, they created a tender for the final abatement protocol. Two bids for completing the work were received by the township, and these were considered on December 20.

At this point in time the building has not been designated as a heritage building, said Mayor Anderson. The work includes demolition/removals of flooring in the east end of the office space (CAO office and back entry/storage area) floor covering, sub-floor and floor joists; the removal of carpeting in the main office; removal of non-load bearing interior walls; installation of a steel-reinforced sealed concrete floor in the east end; smoothing and sealing of existing concrete floor in the main office; installation of commercial floor tiles in entire space; re-installation of washroom; re-installation of electrical, telephone and data lines as appropriate, installation of insulation (R value:24) and drywall; and painting of all wall surfaces, trim, etc.

All the work is being carried out to address health and safety concerns and is required regardless of who uses this space, now and in the future, said Mayor Anderson. It also an opportunity to significantly improve the energy efficiency of the municipal office portion of the building.

To date the costs of the project are at $265,000 including the bids for the proposed work, the meeting was told.

In terms of municipal asset management Mayor Anderson noted the township has many infrastructure assets, roads, buildings, water, recreation, etc. There is a staggering national infrastructure deficit at all levels of government, said Mayor Anderson. The challenge of effective asset management is greater for small municipalities because of limited revenue generation options. The township does have an asset management policy and is engaged in planning. Asset management is focused on long-term and is operation-wide; sometimes, conditions demand immediate action.

Mayor Anderson outlined the townships existing committed/planned projects over the next couple of years: Kagawong Waterfront Development 2020, known estimated cost of $2,045,000 and the municipal portion being $227,000; Main Street Hill engineering and partial reconstruction over the next three years at an estimated $3,750,000 of which the township share would be $250,000; washrooms/shoreline erosion control and roadwork estimated at $1,159,320 with the municipal cost being $260,000; Old Mill road waterline repair, unknown costs at this time; municipal office and soil contamination remediation, of which $206,000 would be paid by the township; Park Centre generator, a cost of $30,000 to be borne by the township; the total firehall renovation and mould remediation costs are unknown at this point; Public Works vehicles pick-up truck and snowplow, $350,000 to be borne by the township; a used tanker for the fire department at an unknown cost; and two bridge replacements to be carried out as soon as possible, for the Old Mill Road and Mud Creek Road, at cost of $1,670,000 with the municipal costs unknown.

There is a level of uncertainty associated with all undertakings, especially with respect to funding criteria, the continuation of funding programs, changes in senior levels of government, etc., said Mayor Anderson. Staff and council work diligently to stay abreast of funding opportunities, and reduce uncertainty and risk in planning, implementation, but some level of both is inherent in the world of municipal operations.

As you go down our list there are millions of dollars that are committed, federal/provincial and staggering amount of expenditures for the municipality. Our budgeting process has to be cognitive of these commitments, said Mayor Anderson. There are limits to senior government largesse, and the history of funding received by any given municipality does impact senior government decisions at any given point in time. There are costs associated with applying for and especially administering any given project, and 100 percent externally funded programs are very rare. And the cold, hard fact is that each one percent increase in the property tax rate generates $18,000. So, for say a $180,000 project requires a 10 percent tax increase.

Council then looked at considering the two bids for the work to be done on the municipal office, from First General Services (Rob Scott) of Little Current $179,850 and Rob Seifried Construction (Kagawong) of $189,999.

I guess in comparing both tenders they are very similar, said Councillor Sharon Alkenbrack. There is not a lot of difference. This (office space) has to be fixed. I like to support local business, and support accepting the bid from Rob Seifried Construction.

Council passed a motion, unanimously, to hire Rob Seifried Construction for work to be undertaken at the Old Mill Heritage Centre township office at tender of $189,999.

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Billings votes to go ahead with planned work on Old Mill township office space - Manitoulin Expositor

AGCMO recently created a website, Build Your Future Build Missouri at https://missouri.byf.org, that provides specific entry information for construction careers 24/7, plus the organization has a very active scholarship program to help those who need financial support to be successful in construction.

The construction industry offers great career opportunities for anyone who gains satisfaction from seeing the results of their work every day, said Toenjes. Construction industry careers have many personal and financial benefits for anyone willing to build their future.

The UP Companies (UPCO) is one of the regions largest full-service MBE-certified contracting companies offering all-inclusive and convenient solutions for general contractors, owners and facilities management professionals. For almost a decade, UPCO has focused on its mission of Building UP Communities Through Innovation, Diversity, and Integrity, providing superior design and contracting services through each of its distinct business unitsPower UP, Square UP and Hustle UP. Power UP Electrical Contractors is one of the largest minority-owned, full-service electrical contractors in the St. Louis region and a leader in electrical and technology systems design, construction, installation and maintenance serving the commercial, residential, industrial and institutional marketplaces. Square UP Builders is one of the regions largest full-service carpentry contractors specializing in high-quality rough and finish carpentry and drywall services for the commercial, residential, industrial, institutional and healthcare markets. Hustle UP is a certified minority-owned business offering general labor, selective demolition, general clean up, site maintenance and final cleaning services and offers a highly diverse and extremely productive union workforce, who are fit tested, safety-trained and live up to The UP Companies name, ensuring timely and successful completion of construction projects. For more information, go to http://www.theupcompanies.com or call 314.865.3888.

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The UP Companies Teams UP with Hip Hop Recording Artist Chingy to Produce Old Construction Road Song, Music Video - Suburban Journals

Since its inception more than 20 years ago, American Dream Meadowlands has been a work in progress.

The project has outlived two developers and at least two general contractors, several lenders, the Great Recession and the rise of e-commerce, which has revolutionized the way Americans shop. First envisioned in 1996 as Meadowlands Xanadu, the concept has evolved over the last two decades to keep up with changing consumer tastes.

Under the ownership of Edmonton, Canada-based Triple Five Group, the mega mall complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is now coming to life in a transformation that many thought would never happen.

Despite the obstacles and delays, American Dream began opening in stages this fall, with a grand opening set for Spring 2020 that will make it the East Coasts largest retail, entertainment and dining attraction. The$6 billion venue will set the pace for the future of U.S. mall development mixing fashion, fun and food in a family-friendly, weather-controlled environment.

The complex, which is adjacent to MetLife Stadium,spans more than 3 million square feet encompassing more than 450 stores, more than 100 restaurants and 18 acres of entertainment space.

From its DreamWorks-branded indoor water park with the worlds largest indoor wave pool, Nickelodeon Universe theme park, NHL-size indoor ice rink, Big Snow indoor ski slope and restaurants and retailers to fit every taste, the venues final design is weighted more heavily to entertainment and restaurants than to retail, in a 55/45 split,a far cry from the 80% retail found in malls 20 years ago.

Retail store closings are hitting record highsas the industry faces massive disruption from Amazon and other e-commerce sites. To stay relevant, developers are coming up with new design concepts that merge retail with entertainment. And construction firms are having to accommodate.

The Nickelodeon Universe theme park opened in October.

Triple Five Group

We believe that except for a few exceptions, malls are dinosaurs, said Tony Armlin, vice president of development and construction for Triple Five Group, the projects developer since 2013 when original developer Mills Corp. went bankrupt while creating Meadowlands Xanadu, which broke ground in 2004.

Instead, Triple Five will build on its past successes at two other massive mall projects West Edmonton Mall and Mall of America providing venues centered on family-friendly fun and recreation, he said. The developer is planning another mega mall, American Dream Miami,near the Broward and Miami-Dade boundary line in Florida.

The focus for our properties now is a lot about the experiences that people want to share with each other and the need for those is never going to go away, he said. For example, if you want to have a skiing experience you have to physically be on the ski hill, thats not something you can experience on the Internet.

During a tour of the 11-building complex last week, workers were busy putting finishing touches on most of the spaces, although the amusement park and ski slope areas have been open since October. In spite of protective floor coverings and plain gray hoarding walls, the high-end materials underneath hinted at richly outfitted interiors.

The look is more Vegas-style luxury than suburban shopping mall, including ceramic and marble tile floors and bathrooms, custom-made railings and a massive hand-blown glass and crystal chandelier. Most of the buildings feature open floor plans that benefit from plentiful natural light streaming from ceilings as high as 138 feet made from materials like Pilkington Planar glass facades,ETFE panels and glass skylights.

The water park's 1.5-acre wave pool is the largest in the world.

Jennifer Goodman/Construction Dive

The project's six atriums will feature distinctive amenities ranging from an extensive garden,bird-filled aviaries,rabbit fields and programming stages.

American Dream has been a massive undertaking for PCL, one of the country's largest contractors, which has mobilized hundreds of employees from its offices across the U.S. since it joined the project in 2013.

PCL remained on as the only general contractor on the project after Whiting-Turner pulled out six years ago, and the amount of its construction contract is approaching $2 billion, according to Wayne Melnyk, PCL's vice president of major projects. Press reportsalso show that Skanska was the original GC for the water park.

The project has used 26,000 tons of structural steel, 120,000 cubic yards of concrete, 105 miles of piles and 367 miles of conduit. At the peak of construction more than 1,700 workers were on-site.

Triple Five Group

The Canadian firm, with U.S. headquarters in Denver, has overcome various challenges at American Dream including multiple roofing re-dos, tens of millions of dollars worth of other change orders and enough permits and inspections to operate a small city.

Even though it is the largest project ever completed by the company's Building Division in size and budget, PCLis no stranger to mega mall construction. It collaborated with Triple Five on West Edmonton Mall in Canada in the 1980s andthe Mall of America in Minnesota, which opened in 1992.

PCL makes it look easy, Armlin told Construction Dive. They have so many teams and systems in place to make it go smoothly but its actually been very complex.

To get a handle on the logistics, project managers broke down the 380-page, 314,000-item project schedule by each structure, including retail buildings, the water park, amusement park and more. From there, they divided each of these jobs by floor, each with its own critical path and separate end dates. Software from Bluebeam kept everyone on the same page.

It was a little like eating an elephant one bite at a time, said PCL General Superintendent Tim Davenport. It was nine separate $300 million projects.

Since no single sub was big enough to handle the scope of work required for the entire project, contracts for jobs like plumbing, HVAC and electricity were divided among multiple companies.Partners included four drywall subs, five concrete companies and four MEP companies. Steel was sourced early in the project from seven plants across the country and from China for a total of $200 million in fabrication cost alone. The ceramic tile installation package came in at $30 million.

Two white boards helped to track the projects 3,000-plus permits and optimize inspectors visits.

Jenn Goodman/Construction Dive

Staying on top of the projects 150-plus trade firms was critical to keeping work moving smoothly, said Branden Stephan, PCL general superintendent, and project leaders looked for ways to streamline the schedule as much as possible.

For instance, Stephan's team created an electronic master schedule to coordinate subcontractor access to the original buildings 27 loading dock slips. Instead of needing a dock master for each dock, they only had one because subs were able to schedule their own deliveries, he said.

Without having a local office in New Jersey, the PCL staff spent a lot of time building relationships with vendors and subcontractors, Davenport said, including women- and minority-owned businesses.In all, the GC oversaw more than 5 million work hours by construction trades and the project surpassed its goal of 22% minority workforce participation.

The PCL team came up with several innovative techniques to help construct the massive structures that make up American Dream. For instance, the team fabricated and assembled the steel structural elements of the amusement and water parks in an adjacent parking lot before transporting them to the site, for greater efficiency and increased safety.

The 219 modular units were made up of columns and trusses holding mechanical piping and ductwork systems and weighed an average of 30 tons and spanned 73 feet.To keep track of the units as they were assembled and inspected, each one was tagged with a QR code, according to project manager David Campbell. After verification, the units were transported to the erection site by a self-propelled modular transporter, or SPMT.

Some of the PCL team on site at American Dream

Jenn Goodman/Construction Dive

Erecting the projects massive framing required more than 18 cranes at one time, including seven tower cranes and a VPC-MAX Manitowoc 650, Davenport said. With a 144-foot-long main boom and a 233-foot-long luffing boom, the VPC Max took 76 tractor-trailer loads and five 12-hour days to set up. Crews constructed a special concrete mat on concrete piles driven into the swampy ground to keep it stabilized.

To track each crane, the team developed a site-specific overlapping procedure: Tower cranes owned the general air space and all other cranes had to request access to the airspace and maintain full radio contact during lifting operations. The team also had to get special FAA approvals due to the projects location near the Teterboro Airport, as some of the cranes entered local airspace.

Aiming for 170 venues open in time for the spring grand opening, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Forever 21 and a large-scale H&M, the last few months of buildout have been a race to the finish, with more than 40 different general contractors and their subs on site building out each retail and restaurant space,Melnyk said.

The Collection, the venue's two-floor luxury shopping zone, will feature shops from Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Moncler, Saint Laurent and an 8,000-square-foot Herms store.

Even though the location less than 20 miles outside of New York City is home to about 21 million residents, Triple Five is betting that the venue will pull in at least 50% of tourists from outside of the area to become a destination in its own. In total, the developer is aiming for about 40 million visitors a year.

Weve been very successful driving people to West Edmonton, Canada, even in the winter, so I dont think well have a problem with bringing people in to American Dream, Armlin said.

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On site: How the $6B American Dream was built - Construction Dive

Advance Market Analytics published a new research publication on Plasterboard Market Insights, to 2025 with 223 pages and enriched with self-explained Tables and charts in presentable format. In the Study you will find new evolving Trends, Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities generated by targeting market stakeholders. The growth of the Plasterboard Market is mainly driven by the increasing R&D spending across the world. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Etex Group (Belgium), World Industries Inc. (United States), Saint-Gobain S.A. (France), Gypsum Management and Supply, Inc. (United States), Georgia Pacific LLC (United States), Boral Limited (Australia), USG Corporation (United States), KNAUF Gips KG (Germany), LafargeHolcim Ltd. (Switzerland) and Siniat (Belgium).

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Plasterboard also called drywall is a panel made of calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum) with or without additives used in the construction of interior walls and ceilings. The plaster is mixed with fiber, plasticizer, foaming agent and various additives which helps to reduce mildew, flammability and water absorption. It is becoming popular due to an alternative to plaster finishes because it is cleaner and less labor-intensive than wet plastering and reduces the drying out time of building construction. The main factors driving the plasterboard market are low cost, ease of installation and finishing, fire resistance, sound control and availability.

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Plasterboard Market Analysis by Production, Revenue, Consumption, Export & Import Forecast 2025 - Info Street Wire

Sonora | $1,983,888A 1988 clapboard-and-stone house with five bedrooms, four full bathrooms, two half-bathrooms and several outbuildings, on a 5.82-acre lot

Constructed as a family home by a local builder, this house is 10 miles northeast of the Gold Rush town of Sonora and about 45 miles northwest of Yosemite National Park. The area is popular with second-home owners from Silicon Valley, who enjoy the proximity (about 25 miles) to Pinecrest Lake and the Dodge Ridge Ski Resort.

Size: 5,383 square feet

Price per square foot: $369

Indoors: The front door opens to a main level with brick floors, columns created from hand-hewn logs, and wall and ceiling accents of shingled pine. Straight ahead, down several steps, is a vaulted, carpeted living room that has open beams and a stone fireplace flanked by window seats. Turning left, you find a dining room and beyond that a kitchen with antiqued quartz-topped cabinets, a copper sink and an Aga range. A nearby family room has a large wood-burning brick fireplace and access through glass doors on two walls to a wraparound porch. To the right of the front door is a large laundry room with a workplace for sewing or other crafts. Off the living room is a carpeted room described as a man cave with a portal leading to a temperature-controlled wine cellar.

Overlooking parts of the main level are balconies extending from two of the second floor bedrooms, including a Hobbit-like guest bedroom with a wood-clad angled ceiling and a wall of built-in drawers. The master suite, which includes colorful timber wall paneling, a walk-in closet and an en suite rock-walled bathroom, has a balcony that overlooks the living room. The master includes a private deck with an exterior staircase leading down to a hot tub. There is also an upstairs wing with two childrens rooms and a shared bathroom.

Outdoor space: Among the outbuildings are a 1,280-square-foot caretakers house with one bedroom and one-and-a-half bathrooms; an animal house with a fenced outdoor area that was the domicile of the sellers prized pig; horse stables with a tack room and washing area; and a barn that can serve as an addition to the three-car attached garage or as a shop. A man-made half-acre pond has Gunite surfaces and a swimming deck. The pond can be filled by creek water that flows on the property in summer, or by a well.

Taxes: $24,799 (estimated)

Contact: Adam Wilson, Century 21 Wildwood Properties, 209-743-3910; century21.com

A recently built townhouse with three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms

One of three units in a 2018 development, this property is in the walkable La Jolla village center, surrounded by shops and restaurants and less than a mile from the beach. An elementary school and an open-air farmers market are practically its neighbors. The San Diego International Airport is about 11 miles southeast.

Size: 2,319 square feet

Price per square foot: $862

Indoors: The only corner unit in the complex, this four-story home has floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides that admit abundant light. The upper floors have ocean views. An elevator takes you from a private two-car garage at the base to all of the levels. The main floor includes a living and dining room with a 14-foot ceiling, engineered wood floors and an exposed brick wall. An open kitchen has cabinetry and a breakfast bar with quartz countertops, metallic silver subway tile and stainless steel appliances. Above it, on the second level, is a study area overlooking the great room, and a guest bedroom suite. The master suite and a second bedroom suite are on the third level. The master bathroom includes double sinks, a stand-alone tub and a glass walk-in shower.

Outdoor space: Cantina doors open to terraces on the north and east sides of the living room. Parking for two additional cars is in a driveway.

Taxes: $22,000 (estimated), plus a $539 monthly homeowners fee

Contact: R.J. Hall or Jeff Grant, Sand & Sea Investments, 858-336-9836; paragonrels.com

A local contractor bought and restored this former working ranch in 2019, smoothing the connections between the original structure and two later additions, rebuilding many portions, updating the plumbing and electrical systems and installing a new metal roof. The existing configuration is believed to date to 1953, with the surrounding barns going back to the late 19th or early 20th centuries.

The home is six miles west of the Sonoma County city of Sebastopol and less than three miles southeast of Occidental, a community with cafes and redwood groves. Big-box stores in Santa Rosa are about 13 miles east. Dozens of wineries are within an hours drive.

Size: 4,044 square feet

Price per square foot: $493

Indoors: The residential portion of the ranch consists of two detached units: an approximately 2,850-square-foot main house with three bedrooms and three bathrooms (including a master suite), and a 1,200-square foot building with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Both kitchens and all of the bathrooms are new, and a half-bathroom was added to the main homes living area. All of the doors and windows were replaced as well.

The main house interior centers on a single large room with vaulted ceilings and engineered wide-board oak floors. At one end is a black-painted brick fireplace and hearth; at the other, a kitchen with custom walnut built-ins, including a bar counter that divides the space. Glass accordion doors open to a western-facing deck with an outdoor brick barbecue. The master bedroom leads out to this deck, as well, and has a private stone-clad bathroom with a soaking tub and separate shower.

The kitchen in the second unit occupies a corner of the living space; another corner is tiled and holds a wood-burning stove. The two bathrooms have white surfaces, including a wall of subway tile, and combined tubs and showers.

Outdoor space: Three barns that held dairy cattle, chickens and a workshop have been repaired and repainted. A pump house has a rebuilt floor, new Sheetrock, new windows and an added deck. A mix of hardwoods and fruit trees include heirloom apples, pears and citrus.

Taxes: $24,938 (estimated)

Contact: Pamela Bernier, West County Realty, 707-477-6182; 1570jonive.com

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The rest is here:
$2 Million Homes in California - The New York Times