The list of problems inside and out of the Main Street Community Center continues to grow. Frustration mounts. And the latest issue involves solar energy.

Solar panels were installed last month atop the recently repaired gym roof atop the inter-generational center at Main Street to some acclaim, but they have not been hooked up. Broadway Electric Co. of Boston awaits a web-based monitoring system to complete the project.

Center trustees, meanwhile, are frustrated about the project; notably because they were not informed installation was pending. Center Director Lisa Plante, in her own defense, said she was not told as well when the project contractor showed up to start work. And she does not know when the firm will return to finish the alternative-energy project.

Trustee chairman Charles Noyes, meanwhile, did not like the idea a large electrical master panel was nailed to the front of the building across from Perry Avenue after so much thought and consideration had been afforded other exterior aesthetics.

Noyes said the overall solar project is another issue that unfolded without his board being involved in the notification process, even though members are elected by the public to assume the care, custody and control of the building that apparently was built with no checks on materials, workmanship and installation of various features that still cause problems.

The Cape Light Compact coordinated the energy-savings solar project through Bourne Energy Director Richard Elricks office. A hook-up date is pending.

Trustees said it did not make a lot of sense, generally speaking, to place a new weather-resistant fiber across the top of the leaking gym roof and then nail holes in its to secure solar panels.

The frustration is emblematic of the continuing and growing - disenchantment with a never-ending list of projects and repairs that are needed in the center but seem to defy funding.

The exterior downspouts out front are damaged and vandalized, and trustees would like to open the buildings columns and place the roof drains on the inside; but this takes redesign and engineering that never seems to be funded.

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Issues persist inside and out at Community Center in Buzzards Bay

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Los Angeles city building inspectors launched an investigation Thursday into whether county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas has an illegally converted garage at his Leimert Park home, where government employees recently performed thousands of dollars worth of work.

The Los Angeles Building and Safety Department opened the investigation less than a day after The Times reported that county crews installed a security system, drywall, an air conditioner and other appliances in Ridley-Thomas detached garage.

A search of city databases found no permits for that work or any other improvements to the garage. A source familiar with the property said the garage was being used as an office, complete with a restroom, and appeared to have been converted before the most recent work was done.

The city Building and Safety Department placed a notice of the investigation on its website. If anybody calls and complains about a politician or anybody, well go out and investigate, department spokesman Luke Zamperini said.

Generally, permits must be obtained for the installation of restrooms, air conditioners, electrical wiring and drywall, he said. Violators of the citys permit rules could be ordered to pay fines and correct any improper work, the department website says.

Ridley-Thomas and his spokeswoman did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

The source with knowledge of the work at the supervisors garage, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to talk, said county crews replaced older wood paneling with the drywall and, in addition to the air conditioner, installed a flat-screen television, a refrigerator and electric wiring.

The work was done as part of a project to add a security system to the garage.

The county released documents Thursday to The Times that say the security enhancements cost $10,038. The source said he was informed that Ridley-Thomas paid for the air conditioner, TV and refrigerator, but it was unclear if he reimbursed the county for any other costs.

The documents, which were heavily redacted, provide no details about the security work and show no reference to the drywall, appliances and electrical wiring.

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City probing county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas' garage

Government employees performed work on the garage of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas private home, installing drywall, an air conditioner, appliances and a security system, according to sources familiar with the job.

The detached garage at Ridley-Thomas Leimert Park residence appeared to have been converted into an office with a restroom sometime before the county work was done, said a source familiar with the property, who requested anonymity.

The source said the work cost the county about $10,000.

The county provides home security systems for members of the Board of Supervisors, but taxpayer money is not supposed to be spent on unrelated improvements.

The work at Ridley-Thomas' garage was done by employees of the countys Internal Services Department. Tom Tindall, who retired last year as head of the department, said he was informed before he left his post of the need to upgrade or replace an alarm system.

Tindall said he did not know the details of the Ridley-Thomas project, but work on the walls might have been required to repair damage caused by wiring the security devices.

The only thing I was a little concerned about is that it was finished space, he said.

Jim Jones, Tindalls successor as department director, declined to comment.

A search of city databases turned up no permits for a restroom installation in the garage or the more recent county work. Generally, permits must be obtained for the installation of restrooms, air conditioners, electrical wiring and drywall, said a spokesman for the city Building and Safety Department.

Ridley-Thomas did not respond to interview requests. One source said he was informedthat the supervisor paid for the air conditioner, a flat-screen television and refrigerator the workers placed in the garage. It was unclear whether Ridley-Thomas repaid the county for the other costs.

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County crews did work on Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas' home

By NAPSJanuary 10, 2014 12:00 am

(NAPS)Keeping your home comfortable doesnt have to mean costs that go through the roof.

Heres a look at some of the latest technology that can be seen in a model home designed to showcase energy efficiency, The New American Home (TNAH), created by the National Association of Home Builders Leading Suppliers Council.

TNAH 2014 uses green building and construction technology, including a solar water heater, photovoltaic panels and closed spray-foam insulation.

One of the more effective energy-saving components is also one of the least expensive: sealed electrical wall boxes.

A problem for most homeowners is that the electrical boxes on exterior walls let drafts in. In response, electrical components manufacturer Thomas & Betts has come up with a clever way to eliminate this energy drain.

The Carlon Draft-Tight boxes feature a gasketed front flange that provides a seal from the box to the back of the drywall and gaskets over cable-entry points to prevent airflow from getting into the house. This saves heating costs in winter and cooling in the summer. It can also reduce construction costs.

By eliminating the need to caulk or seal the boxes after installation, the builder can save about five hours of installation time for a 2,200-square-foot house.

The design is also available for ceiling boxes and multigang outlets, and can be put in already- built homes as well as new ones. You can find these boxes at home improvement centers or talk to your electrician about having them installed.

For further information on these energy-saving devices, go to http://www.tnb.com/receptacles.

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Home of the future features energy-saving devices

home section Interior Design Housekeeping Entertaining Home Improvement Gardening & Plants Landscaping eHow Home & Garden Building & Remodeling Walls Drywall Installation Inside a Corner Bead

Stan Mack

Stan Mack is a business writer specializing in finance, business ethics and human resources. His work has appeared in the online editions of the "Houston Chronicle" and "USA Today," among other outlets. Mack studied philosophy and economics at the University of Memphis.

Most drywall installations occur over bare wood frames. The advantage of this approach is that you only have to cut the board to size and use screws to attach it. However, some projects call for installing a new piece of drywall next to an existing installation. If the transition is an outside corner that is wrapped in corner bead, you might want to slip the new drywall in place without removing the existing corner bead.

Corner bead is metal sheathing used to guard the fragile edges where two boards of drywall meet. Common locations of corner bead include vertical outside corners and around entryways and windows.

The first step is to remove the old drywall. Use a hammer to break it apart and pull it off. Remove any remaining screws or nails projecting from the underlying frame. Leave the site as clean as possible. Chances are, the corner bead will bend as you pull the drywall from underneath it. Slight bending won't do much harm, but extreme bending might warp the corner bead and make it difficult to reattach later.

Drywall installers typically mount corner bead with screws or nails. If the installers used nails, it might be best to remove the old piece of corner bead and replace it with a new one. Prying the nails away likely will bend the corner bead too much, leaving it warped and uneven. If the installers mounted the corner bead with screws, use a screw gun to back the screws out. When you finish, the area under the corner bead should be bare and ready to receive the new piece of drywall.

Cut the new section of drywall to size and slip it underneath the corner bead. Use screws first to attach the drywall to the wood frame and then to hold down the edges of the corner bead. Corner bead has holes along its edges into which you can install the screws to make the edges flush with the wall. If you didn't bend the corner bead too much, it should be easy to hold the edges down with screws. However, if the corner bead is warped, you might have to install many screws to tamp the edges down. Once the installation is complete, you can finish the drywall installation as you normally would, using joint compound.

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Drywall Installation Inside a Corner Bead | eHow

New Thomas & Betts Product is One-Gang Electrical Box with Draft-Resistant Seal

MEMPHIS, Tenn. The new Carlon DraftTight Old Work Box from Thomas & Betts provides contractors with an easy way to install energy-saving, sealed electrical boxes in existing structures. The Carlon DraftTight Old Work Box features a flexible drywall flange and gaskets over cable-entry points to prevent airflow from entering the house, which leads to greater energy efficiency in the building.

Contractors use old work electrical boxes when working on residential remodeling projects, said Chad Smith, vice president, product management and marketing, at Thomas & Betts. With the new Carlon DraftTight Old Work Box, weve provided the means for sealing the perimeter of the box and cable clamp openings to create a draft-resistant seal. In addition to energy efficiency benefits, the unique design of the new Carlon DraftTight Old Work Box allows it to be installed quickly and easily, greatly reducing installation time.

Additional features of this one-gang box for old work include built-in old work swing clamps that mount directly to the wall without nailing them to studs, in compliance with the 2012 International Efficiency Code Compliance (IECC) residential building energy code and high-strength polycarbonate construction that will not shatter in low temperatures nor distort in high temperatures.

For more information about the new Carlon DraftTight Old Work Box (catalog number FN-18-OWV) from Thomas & Betts, please visit http://www.tnb.comand look for Carlon on the "Brands" tab, or call (800) 238-5000.

Thomas & Betts Corporation, a member of the ABB Group, is a global leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of essential components used to manage the connection, distribution, transmission and reliability of electrical power in utility, industrial, commercial, and residential applications. With a portfolio of more than 200,000 products marketed under more than 45 premium brand names, Thomas & Betts products are found wherever electricity is used. Thomas & Betts headquarters are in Memphis, Tenn. For more information, please visit http://www.tnb.com.

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Submitted The 2014 Islander is one of the models open for viewing during LeeCorp's open house.

LeeCorp Homes will host a grand opening of the new 2014 Jacobsen Home models on Jan. 18 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at their model center at 20251 U.S. 41 S. in Estero. The event will also celebrate LeeCorp Homes 31st year in business. The company has been family owned and operated since 1983. LeeCorp Homes is Floridas largest outlet of manufactured homes.

The six new 2014 Jacobsen Home models will be open for viewing, displaying the newest choices in colors and options. Two previous years models will also be on display.

These furnished two-and three-bedroom double-wide and single-wide manufactured home models range from 864 to 1,400 square feet and are built by Jacobsen Homes of Safety Harbor, Fla. These homes are priced starting in the mid-$50,000s.

Savings will be available up to $20,000 on community models, plus factory direct pricing on custom ordered new homes. In addition, LeeCorp Homes will offer a model clearance sale of the remaining previous years Jacobsen models, as well as model clearance sales at two other communities where LeeCorp Homes offers homes Tall Oaks of Naples and Country Lakes in Fort Myers.

Model interior features include cathedral ceilings; custom painted textured drywall; 18-inch ceramic tile floors; stainless steel GE appliances; maple, chestnut and rustic alder wood cabinetry; wood laminate floors; garden tubs and full ceramic tile showers; and factory built porches, as well as other options.

LeeCorp Homes also offers complete exterior packages including car ports, screen rooms and sheds. Pricing includes installation on customers improved home site, water hookups, central A/C, skirting and steps. Turn-Key packages are available.

Jacobsen Homes, a top-rated custom manufactured homebuilder located in Safety Harbor, Fla., has been building manufactured homes since 1959.

LeeCorp Homes is on the east side of U.S. 41 in Estero, one mile north of Corkscrew Road, and three miles south of Alico Road at 20251 U.S. 41 S. Online at leecorphomes.com.

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Six new models open for viewing during LeeCorp's open house

A view of the stack core demolition site, as the demolition phase of the project winds down. Follow @dukelibraries on Instagram or check out our Flickr site for more renovation photos and images from across the Libraries.

As the new year gets under way, were happy to report that the Rubenstein Library renovation is also entering a new and exciting phase. The excavation of rock under the stack core area is almost complete, and concrete for the new foundation is about to be poured. Meanwhile, drywall framing has begun on floors 1 and 2 of the building. That means that the demolition phase is almost over, and the site is now transitioning from a destruction to a constructionsite!

More photos:More images of the Rubenstein Library renovation areavailable on our Flickr site, where we will be documenting our progress in pictures over the next few years.

Free earplugs are availableat the Perkins Library Service Desk on the first floor for library users who are bothered by the renovation noise. We thank you for supporting our progress and apologize for any inconvenience.

Workers chip away at a wall of Duke stone, exposing some of the structures original steel beams.

Heres a summary of the major work that will be done over the next two weeks.

Rubenstein Library Renovation Work (January 10-24)

1.) The material hoist and tower crane will continue to remove demolition debris. 2.) Underpinning and rock anchor installation work will continue. 3.) Rebar footing and columns will be placed. 4.) Interior walls will be layed out on the 1st and 2nd floor of the building.

In order to make all members of the Duke community aware of the major activities and potential noise issues associated with the Rubenstein Library renovation, we will be posting regular announcements of upcoming renovation work on this blog. If you have questions, please contact Aaron Welborn, Director of Communications, at 919-660-5816, oraaron.welborn@duke.edu.

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Check Out the Photos of the Latest Rubenstein Library Renovation Update