TARBORO The Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners will discuss the proposed consolidation of the health and social service departments when it meets at 7 p.m.

The proposed consolidation will, "promote efficiency and effectiveness in the administration of human services and to strengthen the local public health infrastructure by establishing a consolidated human services department," according to a document in the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners agenda.

The board is entertaining the consolidation coincidentally at the same time they are preparing to relocate both departments in the same building in downtown Tarboro.

The state legislature recently passed a bill that would allow the consolidation of the health and social service department statewide. The county board will not take action to pass a resolution to consolidate the departments, but a vote will be made on whether or not to hold public hearing concerning the issue next month at the regularly scheduled meeting.

Tonight's agenda does have two public hearings scheduled. The first is concerning the county's intention to apply for a $250,000 grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce 2012 Small Business and Entrepreneurship Assistance Program. The proposed funds will be used to work with ProClean, a professional power washing, industrial cleaning and parking lot repair company in Conetoe.

The second will be called for a $225,000 N.C. Department of Commerce 2012 Scattered Housing Community Development Block Grant. The grant will be used to to rehab approximately four houses in Edgecombe County.

In other business, the board will entertain Princeville mayor, Priscilla Evertette-Oates regarding the presence of the Local Government Commission in her town.

Because of its poor financial condition, LGC took over the town's books on July 30. T. Vance Holloman, LGC deputy treasurer, attended the county's meeting last month and asked the board to assist Princeville by looking into taking over their water system. The board unanimously approved the motion.

The board could take its first step to take over the system tonight if a $34,125 matching grant from the N.C. Rural Center is approved. The funds would be used to evaluate the water system.

Oates has verbally suggested she was against the county taking over the system.

More:
Grants, Princeville, public hearings on county's agenda

PROMAN Infrastructure Services Pvt Ltd,manufacturers and suppliers of crushers, screening and grinding systems,launched the Vertical Shaft Grinder (VSG) machine in collaboration with REMco (USA), along with a special screen from Midwestern Screens (USA), for producing fine grade plaster or concrete sand via dry process.Theconsistent quality ofthe manufacturedplaster or concretesand produced with minimum power by the PROMAN-REMco VSG machines are high qualityround or cubical sand, less than 2 mm in size,complying with the IS 383 Zone II/IS 1542standards with best Fineness Modulus (FM), excellent finishing quality, easy pumping, high strength and workability equivalent to natural sand and canbeused directly for all plastering or special concrete mixes.PROMAN-REMco VSGmachines are high-speed grinders that can becustom-engineered to the specific requirements of different fine aggregates.

According to R.S. Raghavan, Managing Director, PromanInfrastructure Services Pvt Ltd,For a decade,PROMANhas been supplying Crushing and Screening systems to produce high quality aggregates and concrete sand.True to our motto of providing innovative crushing solutions at the lowest cost per ton to the customer, we havelaunched the VSG product, which offers 35 % power savings and offers the unique feature of grinding and producing finer grade plaster or concrete sand as per the customized requirements.

After a decade of success withPROMAN-REMco Vertical Shaft Impactors (VSI) machines, the launch ofPROMANREMco VSG adds to the complete bouquet of crushing products to produce concrete or plaster sand with the wet process (PROMAN-ORTNER) or through the Dry process (Midwestern screens), affirming PROMAN as the total innovative crushing solutions provider in India.

PROMANhas a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Bangalore, for manufacturing Crushing, Screening and Sand Washing machines to supply to quarry and minerals sectors.

Link:
Group Sites:

Demand for the industry's specialty services declined during the recession due to declining household spending on cleaning services and reduced demand from business clients. Since then, the industry has seen a turnaround. Rising business formation rates are expected to expand the industry's client base and boost revenue over the next five years. For these reasons, industry research firm IBISWorld has added a report on the Building Exterior Cleaners industry to its growing industry report collection.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 25, 2012

The result was a 5.4% and 2.8% revenue decline in 2009 and 2010, stemming from a falling number of clients and increased price-based competition among operators. However, the industry turned the corner in 2011 and is expected to post a modest gain of 1.7% in 2012. The Building Exterior Cleaners industry has been positively affected by increases in household disposable income and a slight rise in business formation rates. Overall, in the five years to 2012, industry revenue declined at an average annual rate of 0.4%.

The Building Exterior Cleaners industry is highly fragmented. In fact, nonemployers make up the majority of firms in the industry. Even with declining business prospects, the number of companies operating in the industry increased at an average annual rate of 2.0% to an estimated 124,399 firms over the past five years. This was largely due to a flood of nonemployers entering the industry, lured by its low barriers to entry, which counterbalanced a declining number of employer companies during the recession, continues Moldvay. In addition, the highly localized nature of providing services also lends the industry to be made up of smaller, local firms that serve a specific region.

Over the next five years, the industry will face brighter conditions. From 2012 to 2017, per capita disposable income is projected to rise, resulting in a greater tendency for households to outsource cleaning services to industry operators. Furthermore, business formation rates are forecast to accelerate, leading to an expanded client market for the industry. As a result, the industry is expected to post solid gains over the next five years. For more information, visit IBISWorlds Building Exterior Cleaners in the US industry report page.

Follow IBISWorld on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/IBISWorld

Friend IBISWorld on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/IBISWorld/121347533189

IBISWorld industry Report Key Topics

This industry provides exterior cleaning services for residential and commercial buildings. Industry services include power washing and other cleaning services for windows, driveways, swimming pools, gutters and ventilation ducts. Firms also offer lighting maintenance and snow plowing services.

Industry Performance

Original post:
Building Exterior Cleaners in the US Industry Market Research Report Now Available from IBISWorld

MANCHESTER Behind the walls of a nondescript, white cinder-block building on Beech Street, home to Sterling Linen Services, new technology is being tested that could revolutionize the way we do laundry.

On the outside, it looks like any industrial-sized, front-loaded washing machine. But whats happening on the inside is something entirely different. Developed by Xeros Ltd., a British company, the machine uses polymer beads instead of water in a process that its creators say cleans better and is far better for the environment.

TIME magazine listed the Xereos machine as one of the 50 best inventions of 2010, and predicted that a commercial model would be available in 2011. So far, only 10 Xeros machines exist worldwide, with only one in North America, and its here in Manchester.

Jonathan Benjamin, who with his partners owns Sterling Linen, was chosen by Xeros to represent the company in its efforts to reach U.S. markets, targeting commercial and industrial laundries at first, with hopes of breaking into the consumer market by 2014.

Benjamin describes his company as being in a strategic alliance with Xeros to test the technology at first, then to acquire other partners. Since the machine was first installed in August, Benjamins crew at Sterling Linen has been putting it through its paces, cleaning thousands of pounds of linen for Sterlings hotel, hospital and restaurant customers throughout New England.

Its conservation technology without sacrificing wash quality, Benjamin said. TIME called it The (Almost) Waterless Washing Machine, because it does use some water, but only about 10 percent of what is used in a conventional washing machine. Most of the cleaning power come from reusable, stain-absorbing nylon beads whose molecular qualities attract or absorb soil from all types of fabric with help from a special Xeros detergent solution.

The end result, according to Xeros, is clean laundry with 90 percent less water, 50 percent fewer chemicals, and up to a 50 percent reduction in energy use. The process reduces the volume of toxins in laundry discharge, and the beads are recycled to make new beads every 500 or so wash cycles.

Since August, Sterling managers have been closely monitoring the water volume, electricity use and wash quality. Based on the results of what weve seen, its been pretty eye-opening, Benjamin said.

The science behind the Xeros machines has been in development for more than 30 years at the University of Leeds in England.

The first commercial machine was built in 2007.

Originally posted here:
An almost waterless washer gets big workout at Sterling Linen in Manchester

10-08-2012 01:01 Orange County Pressure Washing & Power Washing Services. Concrete Cleaning, Graffiti Removal in Orange County & Surrounds http

View original post here:
Pressure Washing Orange County CA Orange County Power Washing Services - Video

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Bureau for Public Health has issued a boil water advisory that is effective until further notice.

"Due to the statewide power outages, any area that had low water pressure, no water service or cloudy water is being placed on a boil water advisory," DHHR Office of Environmental Health Services Director Barbara Taylor said in a news release.

The advisory will remain in effect until the water service issues a notice lifting the advisory.

"Any section of an affected service area will be on a precautionary Boil Water Advisory until the water provider issues a notice that the advisory is lifted," Taylor said in the news release.

While the advisory is in effect, consumers are advised to boil their drinking water to a full rolling boil for at least one minute prior to drinking, using for cooking, or hygienic purposes such as hand washing, bathing or teeth brushing.

More details about water safety is available atwww.wvdhhr.org/oehs.

Visit link:
Cloudy water statewide should be boiled

Sisters Keelin, Sarah and Brooke wash and dry their own clothes daily instead of using the dryer. Picture: Bianca De Marchi, Source: The Advertiser

HOUSEHOLDERS are switching power and gas providers at their highest rate in five years.

Figures provided by the state's energy regulator, the Essential Services Commission of South Australia, show at the current rate, almost one-in-five power and gas customers will change their retailer during the next year - the highest activity levels since October 2007.

Consumer advocate One Big Switch and The Advertiser have highlighted the dissatisfaction with the power companies by signing up about 92,000 Australians as part of its campaign for cheaper electricity before the carbon tax was introduced yesterday.

With average power bills rising 4.6 per cent because of the tax, and a total of 18 per cent because of power generation costs, welfare groups have heightened their concerns that cost of living pressures may be pushing the most vulnerable too far.

The majority of the 18 per cent hike in network prices is due to the increased payments made by ETSA for energy exported by rooftop generators, under the State Government's feed-in tariff scheme. It has led to a significant increase in the uptake of solar panels in SA and the cost of the scheme is effectively met by all electricity customers through higher network prices.

The scheme led to an increase in the average household energy bill of about $6 in 2011/12 compared to $110 in 2012/13.

Uniting Communities manager of advocacy Mark Henley said while the tax would add to cost burdens at least South Australians were receiving compensation for it. His main concern was the escalating hits to the hip pockets of low-income earners through other cost of living pressures.

Energy Ombudsman Sandy Canale said users should carefully check their accounts and if they have concerns contact their energy retailer for assistance.

Northgate mum-of-three Rachel Thamm said she had mixed feelings about the carbon tax. "It is concerning that prices are going up but we feel it is also important to be doing something to protect the environment for the future," she said.

Read the original here:
Big switch is on for cheaper power price

Raphael Talisman/ For The Gazette Parts the roof of the Park Tanglewood Apartments in Riverdale Park were blown away by the intense storm on Friday evening.

This story was updated at 1:50 p.m. July 1.

Submit your storm damage photos through our Clicked gallery.

Several thousand residents were still without power Sunday, as temperatures were forecast to reach close to 100 degrees, after a wide line of fast-moving, ferocious thunderstorms swept the region late Friday night.

The storms left one dead in Montgomery County, initially left more than a million without power and forced mandatory restrictions on water use.

However, water restrictions imposed by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission after the storms knocked out power at two water treatment plants were lifted around noon on Sunday. The WSSC had issued a rare order that prohibited car washing, lawn watering and other non-essential uses.

Pepco reported about 92,000 customers without power in Prince Georges County and about 188,500 customers in Montgomery County without power at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday. A spokeswoman said it could take days for service to be restored and emergency crews cautioned people to stay away from downed lines.

On Sunday morning, Pepco reported having restored power to all high-voltage transmission lines, substations and water pumping plants.

BG&E listed more than 5,200 customers without power in Montgomery and more than 43,000 in Prince Georges as of 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Potomac Edisons website lists more than 5,700 Montgomery customers and more than 4,600 Frederick customers without power as of about 10 a.m. Sunday.

WMATA spokeswoman Cathy Asato said Metro rail and bus service is running, but will be slow due to routes being blocked by debris.

Continued here:
Gazette.Net: Cleanup continues after powerful Friday storms

Sisters Keelin, Sarah and Brooke wash and dry their own clothes daily instead of using the dryer. Picture: Bianca De Marchi, Source: The Advertiser

HOUSEHOLDERS are switching power and gas providers at their highest rate in five years.

Figures provided by the state's energy regulator, the Essential Services Commission of South Australia, show at the current rate, almost one-in-five power and gas customers will change their retailer during the next year - the highest activity levels since October 2007.

Consumer advocate One Big Switch and The Advertiser have highlighted the dissatisfaction with the power companies by signing up about 92,000 Australians as part of its campaign for cheaper electricity before the carbon tax was introduced yesterday.

With average power bills rising 4.6 per cent because of the tax, and a total of 18 per cent because of power generation costs, welfare groups have heightened their concerns that cost of living pressures may be pushing the most vulnerable too far.

The majority of the 18 per cent hike in network prices is due to the increased payments made by ETSA for energy exported by rooftop generators, under the State Government's feed-in tariff scheme. It has led to a significant increase in the uptake of solar panels in SA and the cost of the scheme is effectively met by all electricity customers through higher network prices.

The scheme led to an increase in the average household energy bill of about $6 in 2011/12 compared to $110 in 2012/13.

Uniting Communities manager of advocacy Mark Henley said while the tax would add to cost burdens at least South Australians were receiving compensation for it. His main concern was the escalating hits to the hip pockets of low-income earners through other cost of living pressures.

Energy Ombudsman Sandy Canale said users should carefully check their accounts and if they have concerns contact their energy retailer for assistance.

Northgate mum-of-three Rachel Thamm said she had mixed feelings about the carbon tax. "It is concerning that prices are going up but we feel it is also important to be doing something to protect the environment for the future," she said.

View post:
Big switch is on for cheaper power

6/28/2012 - West Side Leader

The professional power-washing company has been in business for 12 years, according to its president, Michael Palubiak.

We are the largest business in the state and country that caters to residential customers, Palubiak said. Were trained by the Power Washers of North America. All my guys have training on how to clean all these surfaces properly, safely and efficiently. We do thousands of homes a season as a professional outfit that is well-trained in a fraction of the time it would take for you to do it yourself and at a fraction of the cost.

The business offers several services, the most popular being pressure washing of houses.

We do a double application of biodegradable cleanser, Palubiak said. That cleanser not only lifts and removes dirt, [but] it kills any living organism that can be growing on the home. We do a soft brush scrub and double fresh water rinse to rinse everything. Also, our cleanser has an additive to help protect siding from contaminants.

Cleaning a homes exterior can help prolong the life of the siding, Palubiak said, as well as improve its appearance.

Perfect Power Wash also provides low-pressure roof cleaning. Palubiak said this process can help remove gloeocapsa magma, an algae that has become more common in the Northeast Ohio region in recent years.

Its attracted to the shingle roofing that construction people use because there is limestone in the shingles, he said. This algae actually feeds on the limestone. It makes premature wear and tear and looks very unsightly.

The companys crew very gently applies an algaecide to the shingles in two applications first to kill the algae and a second to make sure its 100 percent gone, Palubiak said.

Additionally, Perfect Power Wash provides gutter scrubbing to remove black streaks, concrete cleaning and sealing as well as cleaning of wood or composite deck surfaces.

More here:
Perfect Power Wash helps homes look their best