AT&T has entered the legal fracas over whether court warrants are required for the government to obtain their customers' cell-site location history.

The telecom, while not siding one way or the other, said Monday the courts should adopt a uniform policy nationwide. As it now stands, there's conflicting appellate rulings on the matter. The Supreme Court has yet to decide the issue.

The Dallas, Texas-based company told[PDF] the following to the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals, which is considering the issue:

The government orders at issueand tens of thousands like them annuallyseek detailed records that can reveal the location and movements of the user of a particular mobile device, often over a relatively lengthy period. In many cases, the government can use that information to track the ongoing movements of particular targeted individuals, building a detailed understanding of the targets patterns of behavior and social and professional contacts and activities. Network, application, and other technological developments are making that location information ever more detailed and precise. Considerable legal uncertainty surrounds the standards the government must satisfy to compel the production of location information, and achieving legal clarity is essential to protecting consumer privacy, defining the scope of legitimate law enforcement interests, and ensuring the efficient operation of companies operating in various sectors of the digital economy.

The case before the appeals court involves a Florida man, Quartavious Davis. He was sentenced to life for a string of robberies. His 2012 conviction rested largely on mobile phone records pegging his location near six of seven heists. The Atlanta-based appeals court, ruling in Davis' case in June, concluded that warrants were required.

But President Barack Obama's administration urged the court to rehear the case: [PDF]

On the merits, it is not persuasive to hold that cell site data is always within the subscriber's reasonable expectation of privacyno matter whether the information in question pertains to a single phone call spanning a few seconds or thousands of phone calls spanning a few years, no matter whether the subscriber makes a call in plain view in a public place or from the privacy of his own home, and no matter how explicit the warning incorporated into the customers service contract.

The government also noted that the court's decision conflicted with other appellate decisions. The appeals court decided to rehear the case at a yet-to-be-determined time.

Davis successfully arguedthat the public maintains a reasonable expectation of privacy that their public movements won't be catalogued for the government unless a probable cause warrant is issued by a judge. The authorities did not get a warrant in Davis' prosecution.

"Thus, the exposure of the cell site location information can convert what would otherwise be a private event into a public one. When ones whereabouts are not public, then one may have a reasonable expectation of privacy in those whereabouts," the court ruled. (Because the court decided to rehear the case, the decision is no longer case law.)

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AT&T demands clarity: Are warrants needed for customer cell-site data?

On November 12, the Burlington Jct. City Council began speaking to the towns streets future improvements.

The discussion was prompted when City Secretary Angie Lightner gave an Municipal Election timeline for aldermen position filings and a renewal of the street levy.

The present street levy of 30 per $100 assessed valuation amounts to $10,085 annually, if all taxes are paid, which is used for chip and seal and other maintenance issues. The council by consensus decided to put that issue on the ballot. More discussion will come at the December meeting about street improvements, which would require additional funding.

Other issues addressed:

Brad Mather, Midwest Trophy owner, spoke again with the council about his buildings weatherization needs due to the citys demolition of an adjoining building several years ago. He will get estimates of a metal siding and installation and bring back to the council. The council members spoke about what the citys responsibility is and tabled any decisions.

Lightner reported on the towns finances with the bond payment made this month, also completed the audit, should have tax dollars coming in December and January and McLiney & Co. will be at the December meeting.

Council adjusted one time a water bill for Mike Hogan crediting the account $85.22.

Christmas festivities were reviewed, Santas arrival at the Legion Community Building 10 am, Saturday, December 20 and the council voted to increase the children coupons from $2 to $3. Also for the children, there will be seasonal coloring papers which can be picked up at the local business that will be displayed after the art piece is finished.

Council decided to give employees a Christmas bonus.

Tabled any review of animal, weed and nuisances ordinances with the subjects to be revisited prior to Spring 2015.

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April election decisions involve streets improvement discussion at Burlington Jct. council

Siding Installation Preparation
To have optimum results when installing siding, it #39;s crucial that the prep work is done correctly. This includes tape sealing, caulking and house wrap. In th...

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Siding Installation Preparation - Video

Dormer Vinyl Siding Installation 12 Nov 2014
ArmenfilmUSA logo by Nicholas Shaplyko Ekaterina Sorokina co-founders of Museum of Modern Renaissance in Somerville, Massachusetts. http://www.mod-ren.com ***Soun...

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Houston, TX (PRWEB) November 15, 2014

Home Exterior Systems recently received information following up on some pro bono work they had done in the community, thanking them for their help in a local home remodeling. The company trimmed the half wall near a garage, added siding for the downstairs (as well as fixing rotted siding upstairs), built a new cover for the porch, and replaced the existing back door with a new one for a family whose father had been diagnosed with MS.

Home Exterior Systems had originally offered to help a local family in which the father had developed increasingly severe symptoms of multiple sclerosis. The father, Jeff Armbruster, had discovered that he was far less capable of attending to what used to be routine tasks, having sensitivity to heat, pain, lack of balance, insomnia, and depression. Since his diagnosis, his illness had left his wife and children trying to pick up the slack for household repairs.

What the letter, written in gratitude to the company's pro bono work, revealed a far more surprising fact. What the team doing the remodeling for dad didn't know is that the mother of the household had learned during this period that she was developing occipital neuralgia, a debilitating illness which causes severe migraines and far worse pain. In fact, Home Exterior Systems was doing repairs nobody would have been able to help with. By making the necessary home repairs they took on, the long-term structure of the house, now renewed, will allow both Mr. and Mrs. Armbruster to focus on treatment for their medical conditions, relieving stress both for them and for their children.

While their repair work was so crucial to this family, for Home Exterior Systems, putting others first is part of what they do-- according to the company website, donating time to helping the community is actually something the company does on a regular basis. Home Exterior Systems has donated work repeatedly to local projects for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

About Home Exterior Systems: Home Exterior Systems is a Houston-based company focused on providing exterior home construction and remodeling services including window and door installation, deck construction and replacement, roofing, gutters, power washing and concrete work for all types and sizes of homes. They pride themselves on their high quality workmanship and community involvement. The mailing address for Home Exterior Systems is 19731 Lake Stone Court Tomball, Texas 77377. For more information, dial 281-542-9577 or visit the company's website.

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Home Exterior Systems Gives Back to Homeowner Diagnosed with MS

Haitz Contracting Batavia NY 14021
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Haitz Contracting Batavia NY 14021 - Video

Vinyl Siding Portland, OR | (503) 342-8234
We are Vinyl Siding Contractors Portland Oregon. We specialize in vinyl siding, window sales, and installation. Financing is Available. Call Us Today (503) 342-8234 http://steves-home-improvement....

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Vinyl Siding Portland, OR | (503) 342-8234 - Video

Friday, November 14th, 2014 Issue 46, Volume 18.

A presentation by North County Fire Protection District deputy fire chief Ed Sprague was not a voting item at the Oct. 28 NCFPD board meeting, but the board was supportive of the facility maintenance priorities recommended by Sprague and other NCFPD staff.

"We need to maintain these facilities in top condition," Sprague said.

NCFPD staff annually inspects all of the districts facilities and identifies any needed improvements or maintenance. Sprague, fire prevention specialist Gregg Holdridge, and captain Gary Nelson performed this years inspections on Oct. 8 and subsequently developed a priorities list based on health and safety issues, functional needs, staff well-being needs, and facility appearance. Each district facility was evaluated and an overall list was developed. The identified needs will be prioritized, and based on available funds bids will be obtained and repairs will be completed.

"Weve set aside the funds to take care of them this fiscal year to the best of our ability," Sprague said.

The NCFPD budget process includes a Stations and Grounds item for such work. The 2014-15 budget allocated $60,000 for Stations and Grounds, and approximately $40,000 will be available for the listed projects. Some maintenance and improvement tasks are beyond the scope of the firefighters and will require outside specialists while others may be performed by NCFPD staff with funding needed only for supplies. "The firefighters do a real good job of maintaining the facilities independently," Sprague said.

Many of the issues identified in the 2013 inspection were repaired as were some unanticipated situations such as mold remediation at Station 1 (Ivy Street), the five-year certification of the fire suppression sprinkler systems at Station 2 (Winterwarm) and Station 3 (Olive Hill) and at the fleet maintenance facility, and the installation of a ramp at the ball field meeting current Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

In addition to the mold remediation project which included the complete stripping and decontamination of the crew sleeping quarters and the replacement of bedframes, Station 1 work included sealing the floor with epoxy paint and replacing windows with dual-glazed vinyl windows for energy efficiency, and energy efficiency activities also included upgrading the stations fluorescent lighting and replacing the back ramp light with light-emitting diode illumination. Station 1 work following the 2013 recommendations also included painting the dormitory and servicing the heating and cooling system.

The past inspections have included all fire stations, the old shop, and the new shop. The 2014 inspections added the Scout hut and the surrounding yard, the ball field and related structures, the cell phone tower site and related structures, and the property adjacent to the cell towers. The repairs and improvements were categorized into minor repairs to be handled by the station crew, repairs which will require a contractor or other specialist, and improvements which will enhance a facilitys safety or functionality.

The new top priorities for Station 1 are repairing and repainting fascia and siding on the west side of the station and constructing individual rooms in the dormitory. The other identified Station 1 needs are repairing wall damage in the shower area, painting the apparatus room, repairing walls and painting the workout room, replacing the roof on the storage room behind the station, and reconnecting the station alerting speaker on the patio.

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NCFPD prioritizes facilities maintenance

Texas Home Exteriors Awarded Platinum Status in the LP SmartSide BuildSmart Preferred Remodeler Program

Texas Home Exteriors is now recognized as a highly trusted builder partner with one of the leading manufacturers of home building products in the business. Achieving the highest level LP SmartSide Preferred Remodeler certification is a great honor, said company President, Greg Kapitan. We are incredibly proud to be elevated to the LP BuildSmart Platinum Level. This distinction assures our customers that we are part of a group of elite LP BuildSmart Preferred Remodelers in the U.S.

Texas Home Exteriors President went on to note that the distinction of moving from Gold to Platinum Level Preferred Remodeler status is based in no small part on Texas Home Exteriors prolific LP SmartSide project portfolio, craftsmanship and customer satisfaction along with its unsurpassed 50year warranty.

Texas Home Exteriors is a highly experienced exterior home improvement company, specializing in the areas of home siding, replacement windows, roof replacement and other aspects of home exteriors around greater Houston including the counties of: Harris, Fort Bend, Waller, Wayne, Polk, Liberty, Trinity, Hardin, Tyler, Angelina, Montgomery and surrounding areas. Their team regularly attends seminars and workshops keeping current with market and building trends. Just this year, Texas Home Exteriors added the EZPay program allowing homeowners the choice to finance their project with 100% financing option with 1% monthly payments.

The LP BuildSmart Preferred Remodeler Program certification is based on the company's training, quality installations and building history. The program provides benefits including LP BuildSmart Preferred Remodeler customer referrals, marketing materials, images from LP SmartSide for use on our company's websites and hard copy collateral, installation tools, literature, videos and training.

About LP Building Products: LP Building Products is a leading manufacturer of high quality building materials. Builders and homeowners use their products in new construction, repair and remodeling, and manufactured housing. LP products are sold through distributors, dealers, professional lumberyards, and retail home centers.Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, LP has been named one of the safest companies in America operating production facilities in the U.S., Canada and South America.

About Texas Home Exteriors Inc: Texas Home Exteriors Inc. is one of Houston Texas premier companies for siding, replacement windows and roofing contractor installation. They are leaders in the industry having gained a reputation for excellent customer service, professionalism, experience in siding, window and roof replacement with experience spanning over 30 years. They use only top notch building materials, including LP SmartSide Siding products. Texas Home Exteriors, Inc. is now part of an elite group of builders that have earned the highest level of LP BuildSmart Preferred Remodel Program Platinum Level certification.

For more information, please visit TexasHomeExteriors.net or call (281) 919-6999.

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Texas Home Exteriors Awarded Platinum Status in the LP SmartSide BuildSmart Preferred Remodeler Program

If you want your homes cedar siding to live up to its reputation for longevity and decay resistance, make sure its treated or stained properly and checked periodically.

Left untreated, cedar shakes individual planks of one of several varieties of cedar will discolor and begin to soften, with a possibility of rot after about five years, depending on the climate.

There are several options for covering cedar siding, including stain, a clear treatment or paint.

A solid-color stain or paint tends to give cedar a more formal appearance, while a transparent stain or clear waterproofing treatment provides a more rustic look.

Stain is considered a more effective protectant for cedar, and it lasts longer than paint. A solid-color latex house stain offers the appearance of paint, but with less effort.

The cost for hiring a professional to paint or stain cedar siding can range from $2,500 to $4,000 or more, depending on your homes size and the labor required.

A stain or clear coating needs one or two finish coats, depending on the cedar-shake grade and whether youre applying a solid or semitransparent product. If you choose semitransparent, test an inconspicuous area to be sure the color is what you want.

Painting requires a base coat of exterior oil-based wood primer, followed by a latex-based exterior wood finish coat.

High-quality paint or stain, properly applied, should last five to seven years, and as many as 10, depending on weather conditions and if you maintain the siding. However, you may need to reapply a clear-coat stain every two years.

With a new installation of cedar shake siding which can cost around $5 a square foot you shouldnt need to do any prep work before staining or painting. In fact, you can pay extra for pre-primed or pre-stained shake products.

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Cedar siding should be treated and regularly cleaned