Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Water pipe reconnected but needs to be stabilised.

A huge effort by Gisborne District Council staff and contractors Fulton Hogan has seen Gisbornes main water pipe reconnected four days after it first broke. The pipeline bringing high quality water down from Mangopoike Dams to the Waingake Treatment Plant broke early on Tuesday morning. Since then a major repair job has been underway. The broken pipe was buried by six metres of material and had to be dug out. Large quantities of dirt and vegetation have been removed to unearth the pipe, extensive work completed to stabilise the site and gazebos have even been erected so that pipe welding could continue in the rain.

The broken pipe has now been joined but we are not out of the woods yet, says deputy chief executive Peter Higgs. The pipe is not ready for water at the moment. The area where the pipe broke is steep and has never been particularly stable due to extensive bush felling prior to 1940. The area is regenerating. Trees were planted to increase stability but the risk of slips will always be an issue. Piles are now being entrenched into the steep slope. They will be used to support the pipe where the break occurred.

Only then will we start testing the repairs by allowing a small amount of water to be gravity fed down through the pipe. This is likely to happen early next week. We will continue testing the repaired pipe for the next ten days starting with a flow of 200m3 per hour and building to full capacity (1000m3 per hour).`

Considering the scale of the repair and the dedication of staff and contractors working 24/7 we are happy with the speed with which this crisis is being resolved. It is just in time; with food processing starting full production next week, we will need all the water we can get.

Gisborne people again made a huge effort saving water. Daily consumption to 8am today (Saturday 11 January) was 12,302m3; well under the saving target despite no rain yesterday.

We are very grateful for the magnificent water saving efforts of the Gisborne public, added Mr Higgs. With water consumption down by a third again yesterday, storage in the city reservoirs has increased. This means that water rationing is looking less likely and that there will be no disruption to the districts major food processors.

Peoples water saving efforts have been inspirational. We have had examples of businesses volunteering to stop services that use a lot of water, many people contacting us with water saving tips, neighbours working together to ensure all in their area know about the water situation and dont use their hose. We will be meeting with the major industrial water users next week to thank them for their efforts and discuss how we can work together to meet our water usage targets.

Water usage figures are likely to jump next week as food processors increase production.

Gisborne people and businesses need to be careful with water for the next 10 days and the hose ban will continue until the end of summer.

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Water pipe reconnected but needs to be stabilised

Feng Shui 7
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By: rachuq

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Feng Shui 7 - Video

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Verdict

MAD BRIAN looks set to gain his second success over fences despite having to concede weight all round due to his novice success at Killarney in May. His subsequent runs have been in much better class than this including in the Grade 1 Topaz Novice Chase at Leopardstown where he was by no means disgraced. Irish Thistle, a winning bumper and hurdler, made a very promising start over fences behind Ned Buntline here last month and will have come on enough to pose a threat. Seskinane is a smart performer on his day who hasn't had much luck but neither Our Ollie nor Finisterre look to have the form for this.

Irish Thistle (IRE) 14-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders, 6th 4 out, mistake next, ridden and headway from 2 out, went 2nd at last, kept on same pace run-in, 2nd of 11, 2l behind Ned Buntline (11-12) at Navan 2m 1f beg chs sft in Dec.

Seskinane (IRE) 6-1 (11-7) Chased leaders early, mid-division in 6th halfway, ridden and no impression entering straight, held in 6th when badly hampered and unseated rider 2 out, in a race won by Leish Oscar (11-2) at Down Royal 2m 4f beg chs sft in Dec, 10 ran.

Our Ollie (IRE) 50-1 (11-2) Held up in rear, no impression from 4 out, soon trailing, last of 6, 46l behind Mallowney (11-2) at Naas 2m nov chs sft.

Finisterre 100-1 (11-12) Always towards rear, never a factor, detached 4 out, completely tailed off, 6th of 8, well behind Djakadam (11-1) at Leopardstown 2m 3f beg chs in Dec.

Mad Brian (IRE) 9-1 (11-10) Held up, 4th halfway, progress into 3rd 3 out, ridden in 4th 2 out, no extra in 5th entering straight, kept on one pace, 6th of 7, 19l behind Carlingford Lough (11-10) at Leopardstown 3m nov chs Grade 1 (4yo+) (1) in Dec.

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Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. Novice Chase 2m 4f

They are 230,000 strong, yet often seem invisible.

They back the military with critical skills, yet they are frequently forgotten.

Joe Davidson

Joe Davidson writes the Federal Diary, a column about the federal workplace that celebrated its 80th birthday in November 2012. Davidson previously was an assistant city editor at The Washington Post and a Washington and foreign correspondent with The Wall Street Journal, where he covered federal agencies and political campaigns.

Archive

Their collars are blue, which increasingly matches their mood.

The wage-grade employees in the federal government dont get much notice, but this generally quiet group now is making noise.

Employees covered by the Federal Wage System continue to labor in the cold of the three-year freeze on basic pay rates that ended with the calendar year for most workers. The 1percent pay raise provided to their colleagues did not include wage-grade staffers.

These are the governments blue-collar workers.

Wage-grade workers are not covered by the law that allows the president to set a pay raise amount for the much larger General Schedule employees. Generally, Wage System pay increases have been included in appropriations legislation, and that might happen this year, too.

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Federal Diary: Federal Diary: Blue-collar workers still seeking pay raise

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

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

"When the economy picks up, we're the first to know it, because we're the first to get work," says Manuel Alguer, the founder of the family-owned Spanish demolition business Control Demeter.

In 2009, the company had revenues of 8.6 million euros, which fell to 1.5 million by 2011 as the economic crisis in Spain tightened its grip. For 2013, with a workforce slimmed down by a third and lower wages for the 40 employees that remain on its books, it estimates turnover of 3.1 million euros. For this year, it is aiming to take in some six million euros, and already has an order book for 80 percent of that figure.

Some work is coming in from construction and real estate companies, while banks, which have acquired old buildings and industrial warehouses as a result of foreclosures, are also starting to appear on the horizon. And despite the ongoing austerity drive, public administrations, which traditionally account for about 60 percent of Control Demeter's business, are putting orders in for demolition work. Barcelona City Hall has contracted Alguer's company to level the road conjunction in Glorias square as part of an urban facelift for the Catalan capital. Control Demeter was also involved in the historic demolition of soccer club Espanyol's old Sarri stadium in 1997.

But according to Alguer, Control Demeter's real future lies outside of Spain. "If we don't look abroad things are going to get very difficult for us," he says. After some of its workers helped in the clear up about 1,000 buildings hit by the earthquake that shook the area around the Marmara Sea in Turkey in 1999, the company decided to specialize in emergency operations and put increasing emphasis on overseas business, which it is hoping will account for about half of its revenues within two to three years.

n Europe, everything has been done, while in Latin America everything remains to be done"

Control Demeter is also looking to work in Haiti on the expansion project for Port-au-Prince's harbor, which will use the rubble from the earthquake there in 2010. It is also hoping to secure contracts in Buenos Aires and Montevideo. "In Europe, everything has been done, while in Latin America everything remains to be done," says Alguer, who points to the experience Control Demeter acquired in preparations for the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992 in waste management. It has presented its waste management model to the municipal governments of Wenzhou and Rizhao in China.

The problem with overseas contracts is one of timing. Control Demeter has been waiting to take part in the demolition of Turkish soccer club Galatasaray's stadium in Istanbul but the project has been frozen, hence the need to still rely on Spain as the company's main market, even more so now that the crisis has wiped out a number of rivals in the sector.

Specialized demolitions firms in Spain have also found a potential new client in Sareb, the asset management corporation, or so-called bad bank, set up by the government to absorb the toxic real estate assets of banks that came unstuck during the crisis. The Sareb may decide that the best solution for the huge stock of unfinished housing it has acquired is demolition.

Control Demeter has had no contact with the Sareb, but has dealt with the banks, receiving contracts from them to knock down eight buildings and industrial warehouses they held in the Barcelona area.

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Spanish demolition company looking to make rubble overseas

Regional News of Sunday, 12 January 2014

Source: Mohammed Saani Ibrahim -The Accra Times

...As royal family demonstrates against intended demolition exercise Elders and members of the Abbey We family of Kwabenya in the Greater Accra Region have demonstrated against an intended demolition exercise by Nuumo George Ankonu.

According to Nii Okpoti II, Head of the Okpoti We, who addressed the press in Kwabenya, Nuumo George Ankonu once led the family to court at a time their assets were alienated and got judgement in the familys favour, but things turned out different when Nuumo George Ankonu tried to usurp the position of the vacant Kwabenya Kingship.

He enumerated that Nuumo George Ankonu is laying claim to the Odai Ntow Family lands by claiming to have secured a Writ of Possession and a demolition order to pull down all structures that are occupying the 258 acres of land belonging to the family.

However, Nii Okpoti indicated that although Nuumo Ankonu led the family at a time they were facing some challenges as regards their landed property, the Odai Ntow family is made up of four royal houses who are signatories to documents attesting to any transaction entered into by the Odai Ntow family.

He mentioned that, Nuumo George Ankonu took the judgement the family got from the court to his house and refused to consult the four ruling houses on further developments as far as issues surrounding their land is concerned.

.Nuumo George Ankonu took the judgement to his house and he is yet to meet with the members of the seven houses that form the Abbey We, to brief them on the implications of the judgement and the way forward, he said.

Nii Okpoti also noted that Quiet unfortunately and disgracefully, the presiding judge ordered him and his legal Counsel to do the right traditional thing by going back to Abbey We Queen mother for the traditional introduction and her acceptance of him before being accepted or having the Abbey We headship conferred on him, he stated.

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Kwabenya sitting on tenterhooks

Several photos of the disgusting spill were posted to Twitter by the likes of Ryan Seacrest and Cosmopolitan magazine. "Huge water leak on #goldenglobes red carpet...Bev Hills fire trying to clean up," Seacrest tweeted at about 5 p.m. (Photo: Ryan Seacrest via Twitter)

Hours before Hollywood's most famous faces took to the red carpet of the Golden Globes, a sewage leak left organizers scrambling to clean up the entrance to the Beverly Hilton Hotel, according to reports.

Several photos of the disgusting spill were posted to Twitter by the likes of Ryan Seacrest and Cosmopolitan magazine.

"Huge water leak on #goldenglobes red carpet...Bev Hills fire trying to clean up," Seacrest tweeted at about 5 p.m.

The Hollywood Reporter said in an online post that the sewage came initially during an alarm that went off at 12:20 p.m.

The Beverly Hills Fire Department was reportedly still cleaning up the mess sometime after 4 p.m.

"Could be bad for long gowns #eredcarpet," Seacrest also tweeted.

Contact Brian X. McCrone at 215-854-2267 or bmccrone@philly.com. Follow @brianxmccrone on Twitter.

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Golden Globes' red carpet damaged by sewage on day of show