Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

January 9, 2014 Updated Jan 10, 2014 at 10:47 AM EST

Town of Union, NY (WBNG Binghamton) A local bakery got a makeover thanks to the TLC hit show Bakery Boss. The bakery got a new look with the deal, which gave five Southern Tier contractors national exposure and a serious deadline.

It's been less than a week since Baked Euphoria in Endwell got their shot at national fame, and they're already feeling the effects.

"Since the show aired has been absolutely crazy, the numbers have been through the roof," said owner of Baked Euphoria Bonni Stacconi Phelps.

On top of being on the show and learning from Cake Boss chef Buddy Valastro, they also got a top notch, state of the art makeover with the help from five local contractors.

Welsh Restaurant Equipment, Endwell Rug, Richard J Woloszeyn Painting, Nelcorp Electrical, and Kurst Builders all lent a helping hand to the bakery.

All five contractors worked for 12 hours straight over night, to complete the work like painting, equipment and flooring installation. Contractors said under normal circumstances, the jobs would have taken much longer.

"Everybody is kinda helping everybody out, you kinda stop, you help them and get their stuff in," said Chris Welsh, owner of Welsh Restaurant Equipment.

The contractors donated some of their time and materials to the bakery.

"I would tell them, thank you very much for putting in all that time and effort," Stacconi Phelps said.

The rest is here:
Local contractors put icing on the cake for Baked Euphoria

Santa Barbara, CA (PRWEB) January 10, 2014

When Justin and Michele Engelbach traveled to Japan, they were impressed by the countries focus on customer service. So when they decided to open their own business here in the States, they knew it would have to be something that would involve the same philosophy of customer service.

Thats why they decided to open Fresh Coat of Santa Barbara.

The approach to customer service in Japan just blew us away. From the minute you request a service, or walk into a store or restaurant, everything is always centered on the customer. Having been involved in construction management for the past 10 years, we researched trade industries that notoriously struggle with customer service. It was through our research that we noticed a large separation between painting contractors and the quality customer we were accustom to. The Fresh Coat franchise had the customer service values we were looking for, so we saw it as a perfect opportunity to marry our management experience with our service expectations we wanted to provide, Justin said.

Fresh Coat offers residential and commercial painting services including interior and exterior painting, wood staining and finishing, wallpaper and popcorn ceiling removal and other services for nearly every protective coating application. They use quality, environmentally safe materials and offer a live 24/7 customer service center, online scheduling and free detailed quotes. Fresh Coat of Santa Barbara serves Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

Fresh Coat also offers a 3-3-3 pledge, which means calls will be answered by a live individual in three minutes, a quote will be delivered in three days (customer schedule permitting) and the job can be started within three weeks.

We are committed to providing high-quality work at an affordable price, both of which are channeled through our own customer service expectations, Justin said.

Justin and Michele have three younger kids and are looking forward to getting more involved in the Santa Barbara and Ventura communities. It is important to us to become active within our community for many purposes this will provide us an opportunity to listen to people, learn from their life endeavors, and create a broader sense of community, Justin said.

Fresh Coat was founded in 2004 as part of Strategic Franchising Systems. In the last year, Fresh Coat has been included in the Bonds Top 100 and named to Entrepreneur Magazines Franchise 500 list. Fresh Coat also is part of the International Franchise Association, the Small Business Associations Franchise Registry, VetFran and Minority Fran.

To learn more about what Fresh Coat of Santa Barbara can do for your home or business, call (805)394-4021 or visit http://www.freshcoatsantabarbara.com/.

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New Fresh Coat Painters of Santa Barbara Focused on Customer Service

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India on Friday expelled a U.S. diplomat of the same rank as Devyani Khobragade.

The diplomat, Wayne May of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security in US Embassy, was given 48 hours to leave the country with government sources saying he was involved in facilitating the evacuation of the maids family from India with whom Ms. Khobragade had a contractual dispute.

The maids family left India for the U.S. two days before Ms. Khobragade was handcuffed and briefly detained in New York.

India is adopting the same course as the U.S., which asked her to leave after refusing a request to waive off her diplomatic immunity.

India is taking such an action against the U.S. after 33 years. It had sent back Political Counsellor George Griffin in retaliation for the returning of Prabhakar Menon.

Official sources preferred to say the U.S. embassy had been asked to withdraw its diplomat instead of using the term expelled.

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Expelled diplomat helped maid

It's time to start working on your yard. I know. It's cold out there and there are playoffs going on. Nevertheless, it's still time for you to get started on your lawn. To help you in this endeavor, below is a month-by-month calendar for you to use as a template.

January: If necessary, water your lawn. You can apply herbicides to kill any winter weeds but I don't recommend it. Winter weeds are going to be gone by late spring. But, if you want to go that route, you can use post-emergent herbicides for broadleaved weeds such as 2-4, D, dicamba and mecoprop.

February: Water as needed. In the later part of the month, apply a pre-emergent herbicide to stop spring and summer weeds from getting started. Pre-emergent herbicides include Amaze, Betasan, Haltz, Penulum, Preen and Surflan.

March: If you haven't already, apply pre-emergent herbicides early in the month. Rake up dead leaves. If your grass has already begun to grow, apply a balanced fertilizer.

April: Repair dead or damaged areas in your lawn. Once a fungal disease is in your lawn, you can't cure it. You should apply a fungicide as a prophylactic treatment. Put out an insecticide. Synthetic pyrethroids such as bifinthrin, cyfluthrin and lambda cyhalothrin will last two to three months and will have to be reapplied at least once during the growing season. Products containing imidicloprid, a systemic, will last all year with only one application. But systemics have to be applied when your lawn is actively growing and not before.

May: Apply a second dose of pre-emergent herbicide. Spot treat weeds with one of the mixtures containing 2-4D, dicamba and mecoprop.

June: If you didn't apply an insecticide, start looking for chinch bugs. They start to show up in hot weather.

July: If you have any weeds, use Image (for nutsedge). Any other herbicides have temperature restrictions.

August: Too hot to do anything. Stay inside, consume adult liquid refreshments and keep cool.

September: Apply a balanced fertilizer and pre-emergent herbicide in the later part of the month.

Originally posted here:
Get to work in that yard

This post comes from Donna Freedman at partner site Money Talks News.

You want to save. You swear you're going to save. But you said that last year, too, and your bank account doesn't look much healthier.

Saying "I need to save" means you've recognized a basic financial fact: You need to take responsibility for your financial life. You really intend to do it -- one of these days. (Read: Sometime between next week and never.)

Or maybe you're just financially overwhelmed, especially if you haven't gotten a raise lately or if you've undergone a spell of unemployment. It's easy to convince yourself that you'll save "later."

The best time to start saving money? Ten years ago. The second-best time? Today.

Want 2014 to be the year you turn things around? Four simple tactics can make all the difference.

Step 1: You need a goal

The first thing to do is set a specific goal. "In 2014 I'm going to start an emergency fund" or "I resolve to have a healthy bank account this time next year" are both fatally vague. How much of an EF? What's a "healthy" account? Try this instead: Pick a specific sum. It could represent, for example,your emergency fund, the cost of a long-deferred vacation or a down payment on a house. Your choice.

You could divide that amount by 12 and put that resultinto savings each month. Or you coulddivide that goal by 52. Why 52? Because a small, weekly savings plan is less traumatic than a once-a-month withdrawal. You learn to live on what's left week by week, vs. losing a (relatively) big chunk all at once.

Let's start with an easy example: the $500 that personal finance writer Liz Weston recommends as a starter emergency fund. Divide $500 by 52 and you get $9.61, which rounded up makes $10.

Read the rest here:
4 simple tips to fatten your bank account

by Associated Press

Published: January 10,2014

Tags: bridge, Bridge of Sighs, city government, city of Natchez, community development, David Gardner, engeinner, engineering, infrastructure, Jared Acy, landscape archtiecture, landscape atrchitect, Natchez Preservation Commission

NATCHEZ The City of Natchezs Bridge of Sighs project has been approved by a local preservation commission.

The Natchez Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved a conceptual design by landscape architect Jared Acy.

The Natchez Democrat reports that the project had been delayed for past couple of months after the commission asked the City of Natchez for more detailed plans for the bridge.

The Bridge of Sighs will replicate a now-gone pedestrian bridge at the top of Silver Street. It will allow pedestrians to use the Natchez Trails to cross the street rather than fight traffic. The project has received two $100,000 grants, one from the Federal Highway Administration and another from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

City Engineer David Gardner has said the project involves using a prefabricated bridge, meaning it will be built off-site by a manufacturer and assembled on location.

Now that the projects preliminary design has been approved, Gardner said the city can create bid guidelines that include the approved design. The commissions input, Gardner said, will also be included in further design details once a builder is selected.

This project is worth of a lot of critiquing because I mean, obviously, weve got to get it right the first time, Gardner said. Its a project that is going to last generations from now, and its just critical that we make it perfect.

Continued here:
Commission approves design of new bridge

KUALA LUMPUR: THE National Landscape Department (JLN) has resumed the construction of a 3.5m high fence along a 4.7km stretch in Bukit Kiara Park, after receiving the go-ahead from the cabinet last August.

JLN director-general Esa Ahmad said the fence was necessary to curb illegal rubber tree tapping and tree felling by illegal immigrants to build settlements, both of which have long been rampant in the park.

The fence was also important to demarcate the park borders, he said.

Esa said the fence was designed according to specifications provided by the Peninsular Malaysia Forestry Department and was wildlife-friendly as it would allow animals to pass underneath.

He also refuted claims by some conservation groups that 3,000 trees were felled to make way for the fence.

"Only about 100 trees, mostly rubber trees, were cut down for the fence project," he said.

The fence is expected to be completed in March.

The slope repair and soil erosion control works at the park, which started on Oct 17 last year, is expected to be completed on Feb 5.

JLN architect Hamzah Hashim, who was also at the site, assured the public that they did not have to worry about another landslide occurring.

"We decided that the best solution was to reduce the steepness of the slope from 60 to 35, followed by the installation of nets and planting of grass along the slope to control soil erosion.

Read more here:
Fence design is wildlife-friendly

Wondering what to do with that Christmas tree? Before tossing it to the curb, try recycling it in the landscape.

Leave the tree in its stand, remove all of the ornaments and put it in the backyard for the rest of the winter. Use it to add color to a bare spot.

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Originally posted here:
Growing Concerns: Your Christmas tree can keep giving to your yard landscape

Originally published January 9, 2014 at 5:31 AM | Page modified January 9, 2014 at 3:21 PM

Gardening Events

Ciscoes Picks

Plant It And They Will Come: Hosting Wildlife In A (Mostly) Native Landscape: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Jan. 17. Part of the Snohomish County Master Gardener Foundation Sustainable Gardening Winter Speaker Series. Mukilteo Presbyterian Church Social Hall, 4514 84th St. S.W., Mukilteo; series tickets sold in advance but $20 individual tickets are available at the door on a first-come basis (425-357-6010 or http://www.gardenlectures.com).

The Many Benefits of Indoor Plants: 11 a.m.-noon Jan. 18. Jenn Dazey, naturopath and botanical expert from Bastyr University, will explain which indoor plants are most effective for cleaning the air, lowering health risks and helping us adapt to the changing seasons. Molbaks, 13625 N.E. 175th St., Woodinville; free (www.molbaks.com).

Which Path to Take?: 11 a.m.-noon Jan. 18. Garden designer Dawn Chaplin will examine a variety of styles and materials commonly used to build attractive and functional walkways, paths and patios. Christiansons Nursery, 15806 Best Road, Mount Vernon; $8, reservations required (360-466-3821, 800-585-8200 or http://www.christiansonsnursery.com).

In the Garden

Q: I like to make winter-flower arrangements. I have seen the flowers of Lenten rose in flower arrangements, but when I cut them, they simply wilt.

A: Its quite difficult to prevent the flowers of Oriental hellebores (Helleborus x hybridus) from wilting when you cut them if you dont know the trick.

Experts recommend singeing the cut end of the stem with a match, or putting the cut end in boiling water, but those methods rarely work.

Original post:
Q&A: Lenten rose in bouquets and the yard