Downtown Helena has a new beer and wine business called The Hawthorn Bottle Shop and Tasting Room. It is located in the first block of the walking mall at 46 N. Last Chance Gulch. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from noon-10 p.m and on Sundays from 1-7 p.m. They also feature special cheeses and appetizers to enjoy with your beverage.

Also downtown, Bert and Ernies has done a large remodel, expanding Sommeliers Wine Bar into a much larger wine and specialty food destination. Owner Toby DeWolfe also did considerable remodeling to the Bert & Ernies restaurant side. You need to stop by and check it out.

The Red Lion Colonial Hotel recently completed another phase of remodeling and the result is a totally changed look as you enter the hotel. The lounge area has been opened up and a new fireplace has been added. The hotel has an upscale urban feel that is welcoming and comfortable. Stop by and see what a difference the remodel has made. Significant changes were also made to the Natatorium meeting room and the pool area. Their chef is extremely talented and you need to sample the latest menu. A new buffet bar is in the works as part of the changes.

A longtime accounting firm, Galusha, Higgins, & Galusha, PC, has teamed up with a new partner and has changed their name to Wipfli LLP CPAs and Consultants. No major changes will happen here in Helena -- same people, same services. The change will allow bigger resources and support systems. GHG has 137 professionals, including 22 partners that will become part of the Wipfli group. GHGs locations included Billings, Bozeman, Havre, Helena, Idaho Falls, Malta and Missoula.

Windemere Real Estate has moved their real estate office from the Power Block Building to the Great Northern at 55 W. 14th St., Suite 101, in the building that also houses DSA Architects (Mike Dowling) and Mast Family Dentistry. A new real estate office called Exit Realty is opening at 849 Great Northern Blvd. in the building attached to the north side of the Great Northern Hotel. Pam Bailey is the broker/wwner. Also new on Last Chance Gulch near the Bagel Company is Black Jack Realty with Larry Brown as the broker/owner.

The Chamber just completed its 20th Annual SWISH Basketball Tournament at the first of March with a near record number of 98 teams. It is a huge undertaking to put on an event such as this with 11 courts in 9 gyms being used simultaneously for about 10 hours each day. That requires approximately 400 hours of referees (of which this year nearly all refs were MOAs) and volunteers to cover all scorekeeping, clocks, ticket desks, shirt sales, concessions and more. An estimated 4,000-4,500 people, including the teams, coaches, parents, friends, family and spectators, were in attendance and in Helena spending money for the two days the event lasted. The tournament books about 2,800-3,000 room nights at our hotels and has an overall economic impact of $500,000-$750,000 over the weekend. Kudos to the businesses and volunteers that made the event a big success!

This years tournament was dealt a big blow when we lost our committee chair, Chris Kanthack, who chaired the event for eight years. Chris will be greatly missed -- he was a wonderful guy and dedicated a lot of time and effort to this event. A big thanks to David Jensen (State Farm) for stepping up to co-chair the event this year. We also honored Mike Taylor, who works for David Jensen State Farm, for serving on the SWISH Committee since its inception 20 years ago.

Cathy Burwell is the President/CEO of the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce.

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Burwell column: Remodels, new offices come to Helena

Living room remodeling decorating ideas
Living room remodeling decorating ideas.

By: Best Home Decor Inspirations

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Living room remodeling decorating ideas - Video

Quarterback Jake Locker retired from the Tennessee Titans and the NFL on Tuesday.

Locker, the eighth pick of the 2011 NFL Draft, made $12.5 million and played in 30 games in his four seasons. Though he lost his starting job in 2014 and was a free agent, his retirement announcement caught some by surprise.

Locker, 26, said he had lost "the burning desire necessary to play the game for a living" in a statement announcing his retirement.

Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times found Scott Locker, Jake's father, and got an idea of what Jake planned to do in retirement.

Locker lives in Ferndale, Wash., which is 16 miles from the Canadian border. According to Condotta, Locker plans to remodel his house (which he bought from his grandparents in 2011), spend time with his family and spend time at Locker Room Fitness, a local gym he bought with Tampa Bay Buccaneers punter Michael Koenen in 2014.

While his house is being remodeled, Locker is living in his childhood home with his parents, according to Condotta.

Scott Locker also offered Condotta further explanation for his son's retirement.

"For most of us, it would be a thing where you would probably continue to go down the path he was on," Scott Locker said. "But that's the difference between Jake and most people. He's got a way about him that's different.

"There will be a lot of people that will not agree with the decision that he's made. But you're got to be pretty proud of a guy that can stand up and say he's not feeling it anymore and able to walk away from it. It would have been easier to just come back and sign on with a team and play rather than make the tough call to say, 'I'm going to walk away and find myself something that makes me happier than this is, right now, anyway.' "

Sending a message

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Now ex-NFL QB tells dad prepare room

Dennis Majewski was in the Franklin Regional Middle School boys' locker room with a school alumnus recently, when he found out just how out of date it is.

He was able to point out everything in the room because literally nothing had changed, said Majewski, the district services director. It's the same locker room that was there when the school opened.

Majewski proposed to school board officials last week a full remodeling of both the boys' and girls' locker rooms at a cost of $225,000.

We would start once school is out, and I'm confident it will be finished prior to the beginning of the next school year, he said.

The school board will consider the proposal, along with Majewski's recommendations both to upgrade a 396-square-foot storage room under the visitor's stands at the high school football field for about $7,200 and to replace two refrigerators in the Sloan Elementary cafeteria for just over $28,000.

The locker room and school were built in 1969, Majewski said.

Budget workshop

Franklin Regional School Board will hold a March 30 public budget workshop meeting as it makes its way through the 2015-16 budget process.

Details about the time and location for the meeting will be announced by the district. Superintendent Gennaro Piraino said he would like to hold the meeting at the board's customary location, council chambers of the Murrysville municipal building on Sardis Road.

Mock trial team

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Upgrade proposed for Franklin Regional Middle School locker rooms

Lorri Kreuschers extreme makeover started with an extreme personal loss.

Her husband of more than three decades died in 2010, just as they were beginning the process of building a house a couple of miles from their longtime home in Bloomington.

I was devastated, she said.

Theyd started clearing the lot and developing plans, but she put the project on hiatus. My heart wasnt in that anymore to go through all that by myself. I was left trying to figure out what in the world to do.

She found herself reluctant to leave the home where they had raised their family. I had dreams of selling the house and terribly regretting it, she said. So instead of building a new home, she stayed in her old one, grieving and adjusting to life on her own. Im very independent, she said. But I had never lived alone before.

After about a year, Kreuscher decided it was time to make a few home improvements.

I started tearing down trees, she recalled. Views were important to me. I love gardens and pretty things outside.

Then she went to see a neighbors remodeling and got inspired to redo her brick fireplace. One thing led to another, and soon Kreuscher was redoing her entire house.

I got the bug, she said. The massive makeover project kept her busy, and she started to get excited about the possibilities of a home that reflected her taste and personality. Kreuscher and her late husband had done some piecemeal remodeling over the years, but their homes original 1963 floor plan and facade were largely intact.

It was a typical rambler a lot of separate rooms, she said, including a formal living room that was rarely used. I had people in there probably 10 times during all the years she lived in her home.

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Bloomington homeowner tackles massive remodeling on her own

Living room remodeling part 5

By: Baytowncowboy85

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Living room remodeling part 5 - Video

Floorplanning the easy way

Floorplanner is the easiest and best-looking way to create and share interactive floorplans online. Whether you're moving into a new house, planning a wedding or reorganizing your living room, Floorplanner has the right tools for you. With Floorplanner you can recreate your home, garden or office in just a few clicks and furnish your plans with our huge library of objects.

As a real estate professional, you work with floorplans every day. Therefore you know how much time and effort it can take to make a great floorplan. Not with Floorplanner.

Nothing beats a floorplan in giving a clear view on a property. And with Floorplanner, drawing floorplans becomes a breeze! With our intuitive editor you can have your first floorplan ready within minutes.

Now your floorplan is ready, you can play around with the interior. We have the world's biggest library of all kinds of furniture and items. Give your interior a makeover or check whether that bed fits or not.

Whether you need images of your floorplan for marketing purposes, building work or just because you love to hang your floorplan design to your wall, with Floorplanner you can easily create stunning images!

Wallstreet Journal

"I had a great time playing with it. Should our project ever pan out, I think the time I spent with it will prove useful."

Lifehacker

"We've suggested a few layout tools for floor planning in the past, but Floorplanner is by far the most robust."

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Create floor plans, house plans and home plans online with ...

RoomClip is an app that allows you to create your own album of photos of your room. There are already over500,000 photos from people throughout Japan who have posted their photos to show off their own individual room styles.Wont you try saving as photos the little things you do to make a room your own special place, such as photos of the rooms interior decorations, DIY and handmade items, hobby-based collections, memories, miscellaneous goods, lighting fixtures, and more?----------------------- *Easily download the app and register your account (10 sec) You can use your email address, twitter, or Facebook account to easily register for free.*Follow other usersFirst enjoy the app simply by looking at other users rooms! If you find a room that interests you, just follow it to be updated with new photos posted by that user from the New Photos tab.*Tag your photosBy tagging your photos with information like the theme of the photo and what's being shown, you can later look back on photos of your room based on tags. You might even be followed by people who have photos showing the same things (tables, chairs, fans, etc.) or brands (IKEA, Muji, Eames, etc.), or the same hobbies as you.*Add items to your photosYou can add items to your photos. And also you can see and buy items in other peoples photos.*The app also has a lot of other fun and convenient functionsFavorite Function:If you want to see photos tagged with certain tags, try using the favorite function.You can find photos that match what you're looking for through photos on RoomClip.Like Button:When you look at a photo, dont you ever wish you could see a certain part more up close, or from a different angle? The like button makes these wishes come true. Try liking as many photos as you're interested in.Clip Button:This button lets you save photos that you want to look at for later.Try clipping photos that pique your interests.*The app is great for the following kinds of people!-People who like DIY tasks.-People who collect accessories, action figures, toys, etc.-Interior designers and coordinators.-Architects and people who work in the field of architecture.-People who work in real estate.-People who work in remodeling.-Housewives and househusbands who like to take special care of their rooms.-People who want to take before/after shots when moving.-People who want to take before/after shots when rearranging.-People who want to take before/after shots when remodeling.*Compatible DevicesiPhone4, 4S, iOS 6.0 or higheriPhone5, 5s, iOS 6.0 or higheriPhone6, 6 Plus, iOS 8.0 or higheriPod Touch 4th Generation iOS 6.0 or higher*Contact We want to hear your opinions to make the app even better. Please let us know how you feel by contacting us through the following email address.support@tunn-el.com

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RoomClip - Share your best shots of room interiors

AFTER: Exterior remodels and curb appeal upgrades can enhance the house with new colors, facade and landscaping.

Kevin Bunnell, Renovation Design Group

Real estate professionals say it time and time again: Curb appeal (or the lack thereof) can make or break a deal. They say potential buyers form their opinions about a given property within the first 15 seconds of viewing a house. Whether you are selling your house or not, curb appeal is important and can be a source of pride and satisfaction for a homeowner.

Many clients who come into our residential architectural firm are seeking help in the curb appeal department. Exterior remodels can be undertaken as stand-alone projects, but they are also often included as part of an interior remodel or addition. Interior remodeling projects can affect the exterior of a home if doors and windows are added or relocated. Obviously, additions will significantly alter the exterior appearance of a house on at least three sides, though some may be in the rear and not affect the front elevation.

Analyzing changes in your homes exterior requires thinking/visualizing in three dimensions. A floor plan can be understood in terms of the width and depth of a space; elevations (interior or exterior) need consideration in terms of width, depth and height. It sounds rather obvious to say that it is a useful exercise to study design options on paper before they are built, but in looking at many remodeled houses, people often skip this essential step. Whether the study is made on actual or virtual paper, attention to the massing (shape) of the new exterior, along with material selection and details, is critical to a successful outcome.

One of the keys to a good remodeling project is to create a roofline that successfully blends the old and new portions together. This can be challenging, but ignoring this aspect of a remodel will result either in roofs that dont work (dont drain well) or additions that look like they accidentally bumped into the original house or both.

A common remodeling mistake is to only think of a remodel from the inside. If you would like a bigger window in the living room, you must consider if the size, shape and placement is right when viewed from the outside of the house. If you dont have curb appeal in mind when you are remodeling the interior of your home, then you could end up with a house that is seriously lacking in exterior aesthetics.

While exterior upgrades can be involved projects, updating curb appeal doesnt always have to be a major construction project. New hardware for front doors, new house numbers and a fresh coat of paint can go a long way to freshening up your homes appearance.

Symmetry is a design concept that is easily understood and often appreciated. Its effect can be added without a significant remodel, for example, by implementing a balanced landscape plan or by symmetrically placing potted plants along the front of the house.

A great house with a terrible yard will never have terrific curb appeal. Spending some time and money keeping up the yard, flower beds and planters is a surefire way to improve both the appearance and value of your home. Weeds and overgrown landscaping will obviously have the opposite effect.

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Ways to add curb appeal

Updated: 02/12/2015 3:17 PM Created: 02/12/2015 2:51 PM KSTP.com By: Jennie Olson

The Anoka County Board is moving forward with a remodeling project to enhance security at the Anoka County Courthouse.

The Anoka County Board voted on Jan. 27 to move forward with the four-phase remodeling project by issuing contracts to both architecture and construction management companies.

The project comes after an 18-month study to address security concerns in courtrooms that handle felony arraignments, hearings and trials. A group of judges, court staff, county commissioners and others presented their recommendations to the Anoka County Board back in July 2014.

I think it gives judges security, County Commissioner Matt Look said about the project. Theyve been raising concerns for quite a few years actually, and so weve finally come to the point where plans were acceptable to all parties and everyone is reasonably happy.

Look said there have been no security instances so far, but they are looking to be proactive.

There are times when especially in child custody hearings when people get emotional in the courtroom thankfully theres a bailiff there and there hasnt been any issue, but our court reporters are sometimes within close reach, and if there are issues where someone would want to retaliate against the system, thats obviously something we want to deal with as a county board, Look said.

Look says defendants being brought into the courtrooms from the Anoka County Jail often have close proximity to members of the public and court staff members. The remodeling project would create private corridors and an elevator to transport inmates so they arent in such a mainstream area.

At the Jan. 27 meeting, a contract of up to $468,500 was awarded to Wold Architects and Engineering in St. Paul for the architectural and engineering services. Another contract of up to $499,990 was awarded to ICS in Blaine for the construction management services. The board acted on the recommendation of the Finance and Capital Improvements Committee, and funding comes from the building asset preservation fund.

The county board is fully supportive of this project, Look said. There have been some concerns, and we really dont want to put people in harms way.

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Anoka County Courthouse Remodeling Project Aims to Enhance Security