Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

ROCKTON, Ill., March 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A sea of orange united at the AccuLynx booth on February 23, 2012, at the International Roofing Expo in Florida. AccuLynx gave away not one, but two motorcycles as a show of appreciation to their loyal customers and fans. To qualify for a winning ticket, attendees proudly wore brightly colored AccuLynx T-shirts while the boisterous crowd enthusiastically chanted the company's name. Smiles were abundant and AccuLynx was on the required list of booths to visit thanks to the "Rev up your Profits Big Bike Giveaway." AccuLynx also offered free ten-minute massages, which were a huge success.

The industry-leading AccuLynx Business Management Software for Contractors has now taken a step even further. They have retooled and redesigned their widely recognized web-based software platform. AccuLynx 2.0 will have a more user-friendly interface, customizable work flow, convenient dashboard and many more new features. Over the next few months, 2.0 will replace the original platform by migrating current users and allowing all new users to jump right onto this new version.

The AccuLynx team has been secretly working on a yearlong project running parallel to the existing application to ensure customer satisfaction. Version 2.0 addresses the concerns actual customers have had over the past few years to include customized reporting, more detailed project management and an easier, more intuitive user experience. "Our main focus has been to give the end user a more engaging social feel with their coworkers while also consistently knowing what the next step is on a project at all times," says Richard Spanton Jr., CEO. AccuLynx has listened to their customers and has proven they are 100% committed to giving them what they want. AccuLynx 2.0 has many features and processes that are directly designed by customers. These features are based on thousands of actual projects processed by customers on AccuLynx. Most of these ideas came to fruition during in-person user forums and feedback sessions online where customers joined together to share ideas, feature requests and their visions of the product. AccuLynx is a customer-centric company and implements what people really want and need.

The new platform will help AccuLynx grow its company as well. AccuLynx 2.0 facilitates development and expansion of the product in a much faster and more responsive manner. AccuLynx will now have the scalability to reach its goal of one million users.

About AccuLynx.com -- Headquartered in Rockton, IL, just north of Chicago, AccuLynx is a web-based construction management software helping contractors manage their entire business. Initial development started in 2006 and AccuLynx launched its first product in 2009. Since then, AccuLynx propelled itself as the current industry leader with over 3,000 users and 227% growth in 2011. Continued growth plans for AccuLynx include capturing more market share from exterior construction trades and evolving into other specialty trade markets by 2013. For more information, please call (866) 981-5969 or visit http://www.acculynx.com.

This press release was issued through eReleases(R). For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

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AccuLynx.com Launches Version 2.0 at International Roofing Expo Orlando, FL

--BHP estimates that seaborne iron-ore demand will grow at single-digit rate but will remain strong

--Rio Tinto confident of a soft landing for China's economy

--Both BHP and Rio reaffirm plans to continue investing in iron ore businesses

By Alex MacDonald

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

Iron ore miners are predicting slower growth in iron ore demand this year as China, the world's second-largest economy, cools but the long-term iron ore outlook remains upbeat, buttressed in part by generally robust Asian demand.

Ian Ashby, president of BHP's (BHP) iron ore division, told reporters in Perth Tuesday that growth in China's demand for steelmaking's raw ingredient will drop "to single digits, if it is not already there." But he noted in a presentation that seaborne iron ore demand is "expected to grow strongly" in the years ahead.

China earlier this year cut its 2012 growth target for gross domestic product, or GDP, to an eight-year low of 7.5% while its trade deficit ballooned to a record $31.48 billion in February.

These figures, combined with a raft of weak survey data that point to deteriorating activity and confidence in manufacturing, have stoked fears that China is slowing at a faster rate than Beijing and many economists thought.

Despite the slower growth, BHP and Rio Tinto (RIO) both said they are pushing ahead with plans to sharply increase their production of iron ore, as well as other commodities. Rio and BHP are the second- and third-largest seaborne iron- ore producers after Brazilian miner Vale SA (VALE).

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Iron Ore Miners Eye Slower China Growth; Upbeat Long-Term

Written by Kimberly Donnelly Wednesday, 21 March 2012 11:51

Despite a nearly hour-long discussion last Thursday, March 15, the Weston selectmen were not ready or willing to vote on a window and door replacement project at Weston Middle School. Each cited far too many unanswered questions and a lack of time to review information.

The board scheduled a joint special meeting for tonight, Wednesday, March 21. Check online Friday and next weeks Forum for an update.

At last weeks meeting, however, it became clear the project has hit many hurdles along the way.

Bond approved in 2010

On April 1, 2010 almost two years ago voters approved a $5.8-million bond to cover the cost of several projects, including: replacing the middle school roof, replacing boilers at Hurlbutt Elementary School, the high school, and the library, and replacing windows and doors at both the high school and the middle school.

Tom Landry, town administrator, said earlier this week three of the projects have been completed as of July 2011: the middle school roof ($2.1 million); Hurlbutt boiler ($235,000); and high school boiler ($144,000). In addition, $100,000 is being set aside for the library boiler and $52,126 was spent on bond expenses.

A total of $2,640,374 has been spent or set aside, Mr. Landry calculated, leaving $3,159,625 of the bond issue for the high school and middle school window and door replacement. There is also about $326,000 available in funding from the state education department, he added, making the total available $3,485,625.

However, about a year ago, the Environmental Protection Agency stepped in and declared the window caulking in the buildings contains PCBs, essentially turning what had been a replacement project into a hazardous materials remediation project.

Change

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More answers needed on Weston Middle School project

With signs of life slowly starting to creep into the housing market, more homeowners are turning to remodeling to upgrade their homes.

From granite countertops to hardwood floors, homeowners have lots of options when it comes to remodeling. But whether youre doing upgrades with an eye toward selling your home or just for your own pleasure, the underlying goal should be to get the most value for your dollars.

Location is everything. The location of a home should dictate what materials and appliances should be used during a home renovation, according to real estate experts.

If you live in a pricey neighborhood where granite countertops are the norm, installing laminate counters are not going to enhance the homes value. On the flip side, installing marble counters in a lower-cost neighborhood is a waste of money.

You have to match the investment level with the price level of the home, says Doug Breaker, president and CEO of HomeFinder.com

According to Dean Herriges, president-elect of the National Association of The Remodeling Industry it doesnt make financial sense to invest in upgrades not commanded by the market. To get a sense of what enhancements are expected in your housing market, Herriges suggests reviewing your tax bill, visiting local open houses and talking to real estate agents

Get the most on your return. Kitchen and baths get the most return on investment because they are the most frequented rooms in a house.

The rule of thumb is kitchens and bathrooms are great place to invest because they get dated in about five years, says Breaker. If you are remodeling to sell or plan to sell in a few years, Breaker says to keep any color changes neutral and to stay away from the ultra-trendy designs.

Remember shag carpeting? Sticking with more classic designs will protect you from turning off potential buyers in the future.

Extend the living space. According to Herriges, adding more living space to a home, like finishing a bathroom or adding a deck, has become the latest trend and will yield high returns.

Original post:
Four Rules to Follow When Remodeling

Lancaster City Council members Tuesday approved the rezoning of the former Lancaster Family YMCA site to allow for the construction of a new medical office building and parking garage.

Council members also began consideration of a bill that would take a portion of a parking lot by eminent domain as part of plans to expand City Hall.

The rezoning changes the former YMCA site at North Queen, East Frederick and North Prince streets from a residential designation to "hospital campus."

Lancaster General Health, whose parking garage lies just across North Queen Street from the site, plans to construct a five-story, 175,000-square-foot administrative office building. Some 550 employees now working in rented space in Burle Business Park on New Holland Avenue would be shifted to the new building, hospital officials said.

A six-level, 632-space parking garage would be built adjacent to the office building, at Prince and Frederick streets, to serve the employees.

The zoning change came over the objection of Design Lancaster, a group of architects and design professionals, who urged council members to consider rezoning the area to "mixed use," to also allow residential, commercial and retail uses.

In a position paper distributed to council members, Design Lancaster warned of construction of structures that are "monolithic and incongruent with the scale and architecture of surrounding blocks." Those structures create "urban dead zones" which discourage pedestrians, the group argued.

Such was the case with the construction of Lancaster General's existing parking garage across from the YMCA site, they said.

Yet, council members and city officials noted there have been several public meetings where the group could have raised concerns prior to the vote. Also, there will be city Planning Commission and Historical Commission meetings where the building designs will be addressed.

Architect David High, Design Lancaster moderator, said his group would attempt to attend those meetings.

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Lancaster City Council approves rezoning of former YMCA site

WALLED LAKE, Mich., March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --J & S Landscaping, Oakland County Michigan's premier landscape and lawn care company, has been named an Authorized Contractor for Belgard brick patio pavers, brick walkway pavers, brick driveway pavers, and brick retaining wall products. Belgard brick landscape product famous for their superior quality and lifetime warranty, with a history of strength and durability on thousands of commercial and residential landscape projects.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120320/DE72600)

"Belgard is the best in the business, period. And J & S Landscaping has always provided top of the line landscaping, workmanship, products, and landscape materials, now it's official. Our designation as Authorized Contractor signals to current and new customers that J & S Landscaping is the best choice when it comes to designing and installing the perfect backyard," said owner Jeff Stulberg.

Becoming an Authorized Contractor to install Belgard brick paver patios, driveways, sidewalks, and retaining walls, means that J & S Landscaping has undergone testing and certification by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute.

"Having the distinguished titles 'Authorized Contractor' and 'Certified Installer' reassures customers of our capabilities and landscape design expertise. We currently utilize the most advanced 3D Landscape Design software that allows us to show homeowners what their new landscaping will look like, or 5 years from now, all before we even start," said an excited Stulberg.

For over 23 years, J & S Landscaping has built rock-solid customer relationships in the greater Commerce Township, West Bloomfield, Novi, Northville, Waterford, White Lake, Wixom, Milford, South Lyon, Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham, and Farmington areas with landscaping, snow plowing, mulch delivery, and lawn care services.

For more information about J & S Landscaping and to see their work, visit http://www.248Landscape.com/photos/ or call 1-248-Landscape (248-526-3722).

Originally posted here:
J & S Landscaping Named Authorized Contractor for Belgard Brick Pavers

Village Manager Debi Lee said the village received notification that the New Mexico Legislature allocated $122,000 for relocation of Ruidoso sewer system lines.

The project previously was presented to the council for approval and was submitted to state Rep. Zach Cook to sponsor.

"This project along with others totaling $10,640,000 was authorized in the House Tax and Revenue Committee," she said. The governor signed the bill.

After a July 2008 flood on the Rio Ruidoso, the Army Corps of Engineers ordered sewage lines removed from the river bed primarily in Upper Canyon or for other measures to prevent contamination of the river water from old cracked lines and damaged manholes. The project will cost more than $20 million, but the largest portion of the cost will be picked up by the Federal Emergency Management Agency because of the flood damage to the lines.

In a related issue, staff conducted a planning meeting to discuss the design and alignment of a sewer line extension in the Pine Cliff subdivision. Lee said property owners are being contacted for approval and execution of utility rights of way easements that are needed to install the sewer line that will allow property owners affected by the Swallow Fire last year to connect to the village system instead of installing new septic systems.

Councilor Jim Stoddard said while councilors all are aware of the necessity of conserving water, especially this year with a light snowpack, "I don't think all our citizens

Lee said she met with Kerry Gladden of The Agency about a complete water conservation campaign to be called the Water Wrangler Program. She will be handing out information to councilors about the campaign soon.

"There will be a lot of press releases, radio announcements, coloring contests in the schools to bring water conservation forward," she said.

The village also will be distributing tablets that can be used to test toilets for leakage from tanks to bowls aimed at decreasing the estimated 25 percent of wasted water from leaking toilet tank flappers.

In view of the limited snowmelt, Stoddard asked if water is bring diverted to Grindstone Reservoir from the Rio Ruidoso, while some significant flow is occurring.

Continued here:
Ruidoso to receive state funds for sewer project

By Nathan Gardner

On an unseasonably warm March night, students on Greek row gathered on porches and filtered in and out of the Fraternity and Sorority houses, but on this particular Thursday, the song of bluegrass pickin rang down Third Street.

The Kentucky Kai Five is a bluegrass band comprised of five University of Louisville students. The two brothers, Zach and Andrew Barger had the bluegrass spirit instilled in them from their father at a young age. Zach is an education major that plays mandolin and Andrew is a civil engineering major playing banjo. Chris Millet, a music therapy major, strums the guitar and sings lead vocals, as well as working as an RA on campus. Music education major Kate Tyree plays fiddle and gives music lessons at the School of Music. Chemical engineering major Daniel Duda plays bass guitar and is an apparent racquetball and ping pong star.. Unfortunately for this particular jam session Andrew was busy tutoring and I missed on what the other band members describe as an amazing banjo picker.

Most people dont think of college students and bluegrass music going hand in hand, but the Kentucky Kai Five have taken their bluegrass roots and blended in a youthful style to make their music both fun and relevant to college students. Imagine Jimmy Buffet singing lead for the Foggy Mountain Boys. They take a traditional bluegrass style and insert laid back lyrics about college experiences.

Kate Tyree plays the fiddle on the porch of the Beta Theta Ri house as the Kentucky Kai Five fill the air with bluegrass sounds.

In the song Father Time, the band sings of a weekend at the beach that may never come again. Its a nostalgic song that makes one wish the good times would never end. The band uses the beautiful vocal harmonies synonymous with bluegrass music to open up the song then breaks into the boom-chicka-boom sound of the guitar and the gentle flow of the fiddle. The song tells a story of a weekend filled with sunburn and empty glasses on the beach. The finger lickin pickin of the mandolin takes the spotlight halfway through the song to make you swear youre in the middle of Appalachia.

Junior education majoy Zach Barger traces his roots to his father's bluegrass background.

The band has written over 20 original songs, but also plays a variety of well-known cover songs from Folsom Prison Blues to Breaking the Law.

Currently the band is focusing on writing new material and brushing up on the old stuff. They have a show this week at the ACPA Conference on March 24, and are looking to get hired for more gigs this summer. Be sure to check out The Kentucky Kai Five on Facebook by searching for: The Kentucky Kai Five or scanning the barcode below with your smartphone.

ngardner@louisvillecardinal.com Photo: Michael Baldwin/The Louisville Cardinal

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Red blood, bluegrass: band of UofL students lives Kentucky’s musical legacy

Staff Writer

SARA CALDWELL/STAFF

Bryan Matthews serves as the pastor of New Life Christian Center, which recently began a campaign to raise money to build a 65,000-square-foot facility.

SPECIAL

A computer rendering shows a new building on Lewiston Road planned by New Life Christian Center. The church, which is currently located at 3336 Wrightsboro Road, recently began a capital fundraising campaign to build the new 65,000-square-foot building.

A 1,500-member church plans to move to a new site in Columbia County in spring 2013 when its building is torn down for a new Walmart Supercenter on Wrightsboro Road.

New Life Christian Center, 3336 Wrightsboro Road, recently began a capital fundraising campaign to build a 65,000-square-foot building on Lewiston Road about a mile from Interstate 20, Pastor Bryan Matthews said.

Money from the sale of the property to Walmart will be added to its $3 million fundraising goal to build the facility, which will cost $5 million to $7 million, Matthews said.

The land were moving to, weve had for 16 years, he said. We knew at some point in our future we would be moving to that location.

Walmart approached the church last summer about building a 152,000-square-foot store on its property near North Leg Road. The company announced plans for the store in January and has since said construction should start in March 2013.

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Church displaced by Walmart moving to Columbia County

Housing starts edged down in February, but economists found optimism in the new construction data as permits increased. (William Thomas Cain / Getty Images)

March 20, 2012, 11:50 a.m.

Economists brushed off a decline in new residential construction starts last month and instead looked at an increase in permits issued for houses and apartment buildings as a positive indicator that the real estate market is on the mend.

Housing starts fell 1.1% from the prior month to hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 698,000, the Commerce Department reported. That was a 34.7% surge from February last year.

Starts were down 5.9% from the prior month in the West and 12.3% in the Northeast. They were up 1.5% in the South and 3.0% in the Midwest.

Building permits told a different story, up 5.1% above the revised January rate and 34.3% above February last year. Economists looked at the increase in permits as a sign that the economy was improving.

In a note, economist Patrick Newport of IHS Global Insight said, This report is one of the more encouraging new construction reports we have seen in the last four years.

He said apartment building is picking up across the U.S., and that home-building was on the rise in the South, which accounts for about half of single-family home construction. Even while starts were down last month, they were at their third-highest level since October 2008, he noted.

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Economists optimistic on new construction numbers