Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Patients at the East Mississippi State Hospital will soon move out of their 132-year-old rooms into a new 60-bed facility to accommodate modern amenities such as high-speed data, heating and cooling as well as strengthen the structural integrity.

The former building, built in 1885, didn't comply with current building codes and it had to be updated to maintain the hospitals Joint Commission accerditation as a health care organization and provider.

"Most people do not know this, but our state hospital was in the process of losing accreditation and funding because of its age, deterioration and overall general condition," Charles Young Jr., the Mississippi House representative for District 82, said. "Quite a few buildings were built in the early 1800s... the buildings were not able to be adequately updated."

Hospital staff, administrators and state legislators viewed the $14 million newfacility after a brief, soggy ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday afternoon, touring the future rooms, offices and nursing stations.

"This is the beginning of the beginning for (EMSH). (EMSH) has served the community well for decades and decades," Young said. "It's an ultra-modern facility and an opportunity to show Mississippi just how good the director and staff are here."

EMSH director Charles Carlisle said that with 100 patients, the 60 rooms won't be enough space for everyone. In late summer Carlisle said 60 patients would be moved into the new building and the remaining would be moved into the former adolescent complex.

Carlisle said he believed construction would start on the second 60-bed receiving unit with an additional medical wing and admissions hall in early fall. The second building will cost $17 million with these additions. Even with these additions, Carlisle said he anticipated the second building would take less time to build than the first building, which took over two years.

Still, Carlisle said he appreciated the state legislature's commitment to helping the hospital keep its accreditation by continuing to fund the bonds for the buildings.

"The bond money is all ready to go," Carlisle said. "We're one of the few agencies in East Mississippi that continued to get bond money."

Though the legislature continued funding the bonds that built the new structures, some services and positions were lost after this year's budget cuts. EMSH had to close its adolescent complex, built in 2002, and convert it for adult acute psychiatric care, losing 74 positions, after budget cuts this year.

"They believed we needed this," Carlisle said.

Carlisle stressed that the new building would be a replacement building for the old four-story facility, so no other positions would be lost.

"The old building needed to come down," Carlisle said. "But we won't demolish it until the other building is finished."

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East Mississippi State Hospital patients get new rooms - Meridian Star

Even though there were some significant changes and additions, the first season of The Handmaids Tale followed the basic structure of Margaret Atwoods classic novel, all the way through the end of Offreds journey. That means next season will, for better or worse, show us a new chance to explore Gileadand the world it inhabits. So heres what wed like season two to tell us about it.

The Handmaids Tale has already been renewed for season two, and plans are in motion for Hulus second visit to Gilead. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Bruce Miller said hes working with The Handmaids Tale author Margaret Atwood to come up with stories and plotlines that fit with her overall vision. However, this isnt going to be easy; the shows already taken some pretty stark departures from the booklike Luke being alive (and getting his own episode), or Offred finding out shes pregnant at the end of the season.

Its going to be interesting to see how these two visions combine (or collide) as the show officially moves past the non-symposium ending of the book and into uncharted territory. There are a few things from the book that havent been addressed yet that wed love to see covered on the show, as well as some new elements that would expand our understand of Gilead and its place in the world.

Gileads rise is a result of fear, panic, and opportunism over the infertility crisis. So far, weve learned it impacts the United States and Mexico, but havent heard if its an international crisis or something limited to continental North America. This raises the question of what prompted the crisis in the first place, and how bad the problem really is.

In the book, the infertility crisis is reportedly caused by overuse of birth control and the rise in sexually transmitted diseases. The symposium epilogue states this too, although Gilead couldve easily exaggerated the role to condemn womens sexual liberation. Theres also the environmental issue, which is likewise touched upon in episode six, A Womans Place. This could mean pollution, climate change, or even a nuclear war. The point is no ones really said why infertility is happening and how many people it affects.

Itd be great to get a look at people who were in the midst of the crisis, to get a better semblance of what happened when. For example, a flashback to show what the government was (or was not) doing to address rising infertility before Gilead rose to take over the United States.

The Colonies are basically the Krampus of Gilead, an ever-looming threat that targets misbehaving citizens in the religious country. If you get sent there, youre basically doomed to dieat least, thats what were led to believe. In the show, the Colonies are parts of North America that have been contaminated by pollution and radioactive waste. Gilead sends criminals, failed handmaids, and other Unpeople there to live out their lives as slaves, cleaning up toxic waste until they die.

However, there are so many unanswered questions about the Colonies that need to be addressed: How big are the Colonies, and does Gilead control all of them? Are they as bad as people fear, or has Gilead created or exaggerated a myth to keep people in line? And, my biggest question... is that where Mayday is hiding out? Itd be the perfect cover, so long as they could protect themselves from pollution.

Out of all the problems I have with the show, and there are a few, the biggest one is the way it handles the timeline. There are several episodes that show how Gilead spread itself across the United States, gaining followers and preparing to take over the government, but theres still no explanation of how the war happened and how the hell US citizens couldve remained so ignorant of the group that took over their country.

I feel like the best way to address that would be to have a flashback for Rita, the servant in the Waterfords home. In episode nine, The Bridge, we learned that Ritas son died in the war, though we still dont know what side he was on. This is the gateway to learning more about the conflict. Focusing a storyline on Ritas past would enable us to see how everything escalated and how the Sons of Jacob were able to prevail against a force as big as the US military.

Gileads most-prized possession is children, which is why they created the handmaid program in the first place. And yet, we dont exactly know what the Republic is doing with them. In the show, weve seen the group of Gileadean children being paraded in front of the Mexican ambassador, as well as some girls at school. But we know little about how Gileadean children are being educated, how theyre handling being separated from their parents, and what purpose the Republic wants them to serve in the future.

Since Hannahs location has been revealed, fixing the spotlight on her for a bit would give us a better insight in how children are being treated in Gilead (hopefully with an older actress, to better match the timeline). Are boys being conscripted into the Sons of Jacob? Are girls trained as future handmaids, even if their fertility cant be tested? Plus, which kids remember their parents, and what do they think of them now? Since the children are the future, itd be smart to show what exactly that future entails.

Gilead might isolate itself from the rest of the world, but you can damn well bet the rest of the world isnt isolating itself from Gilead. As we learned in the season finale, Night, several countries are working with Canada to house refugees from the Republic. It doesnt look like Gilead has a lot of friends. In the show, their only known trading partner is Mexicoand in the book, the country hosts Japanese tourists.

Now that Moira has joined Luke in Canada (and Miller said the show will partially take place there), it makes sense to expand the scope and give us an idea of what the world thinks of Gilead. Perhaps have Moira serve as a witness at the United Nations, to tell international leaders how women in Gilead are being kept as sexual slaves. This would also give us a better glance at how widespread the infertility crisis is. And if its a localized problem in North America, whether other nations are bothering to do anything about it.

I previously argued that Aunt Lydia is The Handmaids Tales best example of a true believerand by the end of the season, I think thats a stone-cold fact. Shes completely devoted to Gileads mission, and sees it as the right path for her and the rest of the country. While her dedication to her handmaids, like when she cried as Janine was about to be stoned to death, suggested she may be conflicted about Gileads path... that couldnt be more wrong. Her love for her handmaids wasnt in spite of what Gilead is doing... its because of what Gilead is doing.

I would love nothing more than to see Aunt Lydias backstory next season. When did she join the Gileadean cause, and how exactly did that come about? I cant believe she was forced into that life, given her dedication to the cause. A Womans Place did an excellent job of showing female complacency in Gileads patriarchal societya history lesson about the Aunts, centered around Lydias journey, would enhance that.

The symposium epilogue at the end of The Handmaids Tale indicates that there was a lot of internal strife in Gilead up until its fall. Commanders in different periods of Gileads rule behaved differently based on how stringent the rules were for them. There doesnt seem to have been an outright civil war, but there were internal conflicts that sowed discontent.

This is something were seeing echoed in the character of Andrew Pryce, an Eye whos determined to clean up Gilead of its corruption. It seems like hes going to play a bigger role next season, as the upstanding moral compass of Gilead who refuses to bend or break for the other commanders. Given Pryces role in the Sons of Jacob, and his clearly obvious issues with Gileadean leadership, it seems possible that discontent could turn into something bigger.

Id personally love to see a sort-of civil war brew inside Gilead between rising factions, echoing how Protestantism splintered into thousands of denominations in the centuries following the Reformation.

Offreds mother is a key figure in the book, demonstrating the ideological clash between second-wave and third-wave feminism (though its been argued were in or nearing the fourth wave nowadays). In the book, Offred learns from Moira that her mother was sent to the Colonies, implying that she died from forced servitude in the toxic environment. However, theres been no mention of Offreds mother on the show so far, leaving the door wide open for her arrival and impact on the story.

Personally, Id love to see Offreds mother as a key figure in Mayday, who had Offred rescued after learning her location (since she helped Mayday recover a package in The Bridge). This risks venturing into How convenient! territory, but it would also give the show a chance to demonstrate the inner complexities within feminism as a movement... contrasting with Gileads own turmoil through conflicting religious ideologies.

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8 Questions We Really Want Answered in The Handmaid's Tale's Second Season - Gizmodo

The Sandy Springs Branch Library will get its first renovation in 30 years in early 2018, transforming into a more flexible and modern space, a team of officials said at a June 14 public input meeting. That work will bring temporary pain: a closure of five to six months.

The main entrance of the Sandy Springs Branch Library at 395 Mount Vernon Highway N.E. (John Ruch)

Improved facilities for events, childrens activities and a friends groups bookstore were among the suggestions by about 30 attendees of the meeting, held at the library at 395 Mount Vernon Highway N.E. The ideas were well-received by Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System officials, though they emphasized that the project will only renovate the existing building, not build additions. And while Al Collins, the administrator of the bond program funding the renovation, said the project has a limited budget, he repeatedly refused to say what that amount is.

Amy Sue Mann of Hogan Construction Group (standing) discusses Sandy Springs Branch Library renovations at the June 14 meeting. Joining her were architect Joe Alcock (right), Al Collins of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System (left), and Branch Manager Madigan McGillicuddy (at rear). (John Ruch)

The project is far from a blank slate, but still has plenty of room for community input to dictate details of how the library is reconfigured, said representatives of construction and architecture firms already hired by the library system.

Were just starting out, said Amy Sue Mann of Hogan Construction Group. We havent drawn anything yet.

What we really want to understand is the personality of your library, said Joe Alcock of McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, which recently worked on major library projects for Louisiana State and Kennesaw State universities. He likened the project to a giant-sized version of renovating and refurnishing a living room.

A drawing of the Sandy Springs Branch Librarys current floorplan on display at the June 14 meeting. (John Ruch)

After the current round of public input, the team plans to return in the early fall with a preliminary design, then finalize the plan with more public input by years end. Construction is expected to start sometime in the first quarter of 2018, requiring a closure of up to six months.

The team continues to accept public input on renovation ideas at librarycomments@fultoncountyga.gov. That address is used for several branch renovations, so comments should mention they are about the Sandy Springs Branch specifically.

A long list of needs

The meeting itself made obvious some of the needs of the library, which dates to 1973 and was last renovated in 1988. Its three relatively small meeting rooms were all booked with activities, so the meeting was held amid bookshelves and DVD racks in the young adult section. Some attendees fanned themselves in the overly warm air, and lobby noise interrupted the discussion.

Due to a lack of available rooms, the meeting was held amid the librarys bookshelves and DVD racks. (John Ruch)

All that activity also shows how popular the Sandy Springs Branch is. Alcock said its book circulation about 20,000 volumes checked out a month is consistently in the top three of the systems 34 branches.

The team already has a must-do list of basic improvements, such as heating, cooling and lighting systems. And with this renovation possibly being the last major work for 20 to 25 years, the team is grappling with how to design a brick-and-mortar library for an increasingly digital age. The overarching theme was flexible space and a focus on perennial needs like teaching young children to read and providing study space for teens.

Alcock said that the vision of a modern library is less a book depository and more a place to exchange thoughts, learn and expand our minds and trade ideas.

Things come and go in fad and fashion, he said. We want long-range, durable ideas that will go on forever.

The list of improvements already required by the library system is long. It includes new heating and cooling systems; lighting; interior and exterior signage; accessibility for people with disabilities; new computers and Wi-Fi; renovated restrooms; carpeting; security cameras and an alarm system; new electrical wiring and outlets. Also on the agenda: better furniture and at least basic improvements to the lawn and parking lot areas.

The Friends of the Sandy Springs Librarys bookstore is squeezed into a space behind bookshelves. (John Ruch)

Cramped, crowded and poorly lit rooms were a major theme of comments from attendees. The design team previously sought comments from library staff, and said they heard similar thoughts.

Two mothers of young children called for an improved childrens area focused on books and other non-digital items, and insulated from the rest of the library so noise wont disturb other patrons.

Better furniture was another. As one man put it, the library should have chairs that will enhance reading, but not make you fall asleep.

Members of the Friends of the Sandy Springs Library asked for better after-hours access for such events as author readings, and better space for their bookstore, which funds many childrens programs. The bookstore is squeezed into an easily overlooked area at the back of the young adult section, and the Friends have to rent off-site storage space for $400 a month.

Joe Alcock of McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture points out a wooden arch in the little-known second-story room in the Sandy Springs Branch Library. (John Ruch)

Marsha Holcomb, a Friends group board member, drew some exclamations of surprise when she asked about the use of a little-known second-floor room in the largely one-story library. Alcock said plans show the room was originally designated as a childrens play space, and a librarian said it was once a staff office and lounge. It became a heating-and-cooling system room in the 1988 renovation and likely will stay that way, especially since it is now accessible only by a pull-down ladder in the staff office area. Alcock gave the Reporter a brief look at the room, which still has some charms in its hardwood floor and ceiling and laminated wood arches.

The known budget and the secret budget

The Sandy Springs Branch project is part of the second and last phase of a system-wide renovation and construction program dating to a 2008 voter-approved bond. The current phase will renovate 21 branches and the Central Library in downtown Atlanta. Those renovations are being done in sub-phases called groups, and Sandy Springs is among seven branches starting off the work. The nearby Roswell Branch is included in that first group. Mann said the renovation closures will be scheduled so that the Roswell and Sandy Springs are not closed at the same time, so that patrons of one can visit the other during construction and avoid a local library desert.

The overall budget for Phase II work is $109 million, with about $50 million going to the Central Library project. The other $59 million is for the 21 branch renovations; if divided equally, that would be about $2.8 million per branch. However, Collins would not say what the actual Sandy Springs Branch budget is.

Im not prepared, necessarily, to disclose the budget at this time, Collins said when a meeting attendee asked for the figure. Were going to try to do it as equitably as possible.

Collins said after the meeting that the Sandy Springs project has a specific budget set, but he again would not state the amount, citing a desire to keep public opinion focused on planning and away from possible disputes over different branches getting different amounts of money.

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Sandy Springs Library renovation coming in early 2018 - Reporter Newspapers

DETROIT (AP) Miguel Cabreras two-run homer with one out in the ninth inning gave the Detroit Tigers a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night.

The game was tied at three entering the ninth, but Alex Avila singled off Tommy Hunter (0-2) with one out. Andrew Romine pinch ran and trotted home when Cabrera hit his seventh career game-ending homer into the right-field stands.

Justin Wilson (3-2) picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief.

Tigers starter Justin Verlander pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits and five walks. Hes now walked five batters three times this season after not doing it a single time in 2016. He struck out six.

Alex Cobb gave up three runs on eight hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings, striking out three.

Victor Martinez gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead with his first RBI of June, a single that snapped a 0-for-16 slump.

Daniel Robertson tied it in the second with a run-scoring groundout, and Logan Morrison put the Rays ahead with a two-out double in the third.

J.D. Martinezs double made it 2-2 in the bottom of the third, but Cobb and Verlander both settled down at that point.

Ian Kinsler led off the seventh with a single and took second on Avilas walk. However, Cobb got Cabrera to bounce into a 5-4-3 double play on his 116th and final pitch.

Jumbo Diaz came out of the bullpen and got Victor Martinez to hit a routine grounder to short, but it went under Robertsons glove, allowing Avila to score the go-ahead run.

Francisco Rodriguez pitched the eighth for Detroit, and allowed a long tying homer to Steven Souza Jr.

TRAINERS ROOM

Rays: C Wilson Ramos (ACL) went 1 for 3 in a seven-inning catching stint while on rehab at Triple-A Durham. RHP Brad Boxberger (flexor strain) struck out the side in the seventh inning while making his first rehab outing.

Tigers: Top relief prospect Joe Jimenez (back) was activated from the disabled list Thursday and pitched a scoreless inning for High-A Lakeland. Jimenez, who made his major league debut in April, is expected to return to Triple-A Toledo after another outing in Lakeland.

UP NEXT

Rays: RHP Erasmo Ramirez (3-1, 4.20) will pitch for Tampa Bay in the second game of a four-game series. Ramirez is 1-1 with a 6.59 ERA in six career appearances, including two starts, against Detroit.

Tigers: LHP Daniel Norris is scheduled to start for Detroit on Friday. Norris (3-4, 4.41) is 2-6 with a 4.52 ERA in 14 career starts at Comerica Park.

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Cabrera's walk-off homer gives Tigers 5-3 win over Rays - FOXSports.com

CCG Asset Management has made strong progress on its latest phase of window replacements for Port of Leith Housing Association.

Beginning last month, works have consisted of traditional sash and case window replacement to around 130 pre-1919 properties and, PVC window replacement to around 70 post-1980`s properties across the greater Leith area and since the start of the contract.

CCG Asset Management manager, Stephen Riley, said:CCG Asset Management has extensive experience in the delivery of window replacement contracts. This window replacement programme is a continuation of work undertaken for the association over the past two years and we are delighted to continue our partnership. The site team has done very well so far and we look forward to seeing the finished results.

A Porth of Leith HA spokesperson added:Port of Leith Housing Association are pleased to be in the third consecutive year of working alongside CCG for our Window Replacement Programme to both our Pre 1919 and Post 80s properties. This project will benefit a huge number of our tenants as well as improving the energy efficiency of our housing stock.

There is a great deal of Pre-planning to ensure successful delivery to projects of this scale and we are very pleased to see that the site team has remained fully efficient and pro-active at co-ordinating the works and the windows installed are of an extremely high quality.

We look forward to working with CCG for the remainder of the year.

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CCG Asset Management makes window replacement progress - Scottish Housing News

Details Last Updated on June 13th, 2017 June 13th, 2017 Written by Brandon Peoples

Chances are if you've driven through downtown Emporia this past week, you've noticed some changes to one of the older buildings on Commerical Street.

The Capitol Federal building at 6th and Commercial is getting a much needed upgrade to its historic windows. Already two frames have been replaced since the project began last week. Branch manager Claire Spellman says it was beyond time to replace the windows.

The building was originally constructed in the 1920s and Capitol Federal moved into the site in 1973. The new windows will not only help the aesthetics of the building but will also allow for more energy efficiency.

Spellman says the project hasn't interrupted the branch's ability to serve its customers.

Six windows are being replaced, including all five on the south side facing 6th Avenue and the window above the main entrance on the west. Spellman says the investment by Capitol Federal on the project is another example of the company investing in the communities they serve. The project isanticipated to becompleted by early July.

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Capitol Federal building getting much needed window replacement - KVOE

Miami Herald

Miami Dolphins' Cameron Wake, with nothing to prove, insists 'the fire is inside of me' at 35 Miami Herald It means nothing. Or how about the Dolphins using a first-round pick on Charles Harris, a player they hope will eventually replace you? It doesn't push me or not push me, Wake said. I'm not a guy that uses outside forces to push me. The fire is ... and more »

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Miami Dolphins' Cameron Wake, with nothing to prove, insists 'the fire is inside of me' at 35 - Miami Herald

Last night, a set of benchmarks emerged showing just how powerful Apples iPad Pro lineup has become, even beating the top-tier MacBook Pro in some instances. Apple continues to market the iPad Pro as a PC replacement, and with the improvements in iOS 11, it seems the device is as close to that as ever before.

Could/has the iPad Pro replace your laptop or desktop?

Apples iPad lineup has always been powerful, but recent improvements like the A10X processor and M10 coprocessor have given the device an extra boost in terms of power.

The problem many people have had with iPad Pro, however, is its software. Since its inception, the iPad has essentially run the same operating system as the iPhone, just scaled up for the larger screen. With more recent versions of iOS, though, Apple has started bringing more advanced features to the iPads version of iOS.

For instance, iOS 9 brought new multitasking features with split-view and slide-over window management. Meanwhile, iOS 11 brings a host of improvements, including system-wide drag and drop, a Files application for more advanced document management, and more.Theres also the new ProMotion 120Hz display technology, which lends itself to improved Apple Pencil support.

With the new software features and hardware power, it seems as if the iPad Pro is inching closer than ever to being a PC replacement. Something that continues to standout as a missing feature, however, is support for pro-level applications like Final Cut and Logic Pro.

For me, the iPad Pro is a crucial aspect of my workflow, acting as a second-screen for notes, handouts, and PowerPoint slides during homework and lectures. As for acting as a full PC replacement, the iPad Pro is close thanks to split-screen multitasking, but what prevents me from using it alone is the lack of a solid keyboard. While some excellent options exist from companies like Brydge and Logitech, Ive yet to find one that can match a dedicated laptop keyboard, including Apples own Smart Keyboard.

Currently, I use the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, but the new 10.5-inch model is certainly calling my name, much like it did for Ben. Given how heavily I use Apple Pencil for notes and annotations, the new ProMotion display technology seems like it would be a noticeable improvement for me.

We asked earlier this month if iOS 11 makes the iPad a more convincing laptop replacement, but now that weve seen just how powerful the new iPad Pro models are, especially when paired with the ProMotion display technology, things are a bit different.

What are your thoughts? Could/has the iPad Pro replace your PC? Let us know in the poll below and support your vote in the comments.

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With power & software improvements, how close is the iPad to replacing your computer? [Poll] - 9to5Mac

As the first day of summer rapidly approaches and people retreat inside their homes to the comfort of air conditioning, Barry Bonner prepares for another long season in the Georgia heat.

Attics, said Bonner with a laugh, on the toughest part of owning Milledgevilles Bonner Heating and Cooling. Attics in the summer are the worst part of it.

While Bonner has spent most of the past 35 summers fixing and installing heat and air conditioning units, often in a part of the house that gives new meaning to the phrase hot air rises, the seasoned technician has slowly built up a reputation as a local source for central heating and air conditioning.

Bonner Heating and Cooling, which he has owned for the last 23 years, was recently named the best Heating and Cooling Repair Business for the fourth year running in The Union-Recorders Readers Choice awards, and the companys attention to the finer points of the heating and air conditioning business have paid off in a big way.

[We do] just service, repair and installation of heating and air conditioning equipment, said Bonner. People like the super high-efficiency units, and people have started calling us saying their power bills have dropped dramatically. Weve started selling two-stage and variable speed systems, which is not a basic system but just a higher-end unit, and it seems like weve gotten a lot busier doing that. We specialize in residential service, repair and installation.

In offering their customers variable speed as opposed to single-stage systems, Bonner is helping usher in a new technology with the potential to change the heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry. Essentially, while single-stage air conditioners have only two settings, one for on and one for off, variable-speed systems come with sensors that can adjust the systems output based on current temperatures inside a house or business. Variable-speed units often run at lower settings and turn on and off less frequently than older single-stage units, which saves energy and improves airflow throughout a building. While the newer systems provide customers with a significant cost-cutting upgrade, Bonner has had to rely on his son, Blake, for some of the systems more technical aspects.

Blake has been working with me since he was in a car seat, said the elder Bonner of his longest-tenured employee. Id have to put him in a car seat and let him go with me because he wouldnt let me leave the house. He diagnosed his first unit when he was 7, and he was braising copper pipes when he was maybe 6 or 7. He knows all the new stuff, and anything with a computer in these new units is so far advanced than it was when I started doing this 30 years ago. He just picks up on all that stuff, and he can fix anything; he really can.

While Blake has worked with his dad in order to one day take the business over from him, the younger Bonner is not the only family member involved in the business. In addition to Blake fixing and installing units out in the field, Barrys wife Lauren handles the businesss official correspondence, including the sizable task of registering each piece of equipment they install.

If you dont register the equipment, it wont have a 10-year warranty, it will only have a five-year warranty, he said.

By most traditional measures for a small business owner, Barry has found success. After 23 years in operation, Bonner Heating and Cooling is a trusted local source for HVAC services, and the seasoned owner even has a ready-made successor-in-waiting. He said his main motivation now is to provide the best possible service for his customers on his own terms, as evidenced by the businesss policy of being on-call seven days a week. As Bonner Heating and Cooling prepares for its 23rd summer of catering to Milledgevilles HVAC needs, the owner offers a few bits of advice for people trying to keep their homes cool for cheap this season.

Its very simple, he said. Change your air filter every month, keep your thermostat on 78, keep as many blinds and shades closed as you can, and make sure you have adequate insulation for your attic.

Bonner Heating and Cooling is on call 7 days a week, and can be reached by phone at 478-452-2684 or by email at bonnerheatingandcooling@hotmail.com. The business services units from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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Bonner offers 23 years experience, newest HVAC technology - The Union-Recorder

PITTSBURG, Kan. Students at Pittsburg High School will be among the first to benefit from renovations funded by a $31 million bond issue approved by voters in March.

A new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system is being installed this summer at the high school. It will be completed by the start of school in mid-August.

The renovation work is one of eight projects to be funded by the bond issue. The first phase has a budget of $6.5 million.

Theyre predicting that we should save about $125,000 a year electrically out here, said Destry Brown, superintendent of schools. Were hoping that it comes through. If it doesnt, even if it stayed flat, it will be a lot better environment than what we have now. Either way, were going to be upgrading our educational environment in the district and in this building in particular.''

The original heating and air-conditioning units were installed in 1979. Recent Pittsburg High School graduate Aspen Lloyd said that the roof would often leak, even when it wasnt raining.

It could be completely sunny outside, but because the air conditioning was on, wed have buckets all in the hallways and giant trash cans filled with water from it leaking, Lloyd said. It was rough. I think the school renovations are exciting, and I wish I couldve experienced it.

The new HVAC system is being installed by Trane Building Advantage. Craig Grosser, project manager, said the project includes the replacement of plastic piping with steel pipes, which are more efficient and follow fire code safety standards.Grosser said 79 heat pumps will be replaced by 50 units.

They were having to replace these heat pumps, and a lot of them are 38-year-old units, so theyve been in the process of replacing a few each year, Grosser said. It just got to the point where it was too costly. They stopped doing that about two years ago because they knew they were going to try and do this project.

During the school year, the second phase of the HVAC installation will be completed in the 600-609 hallways of the high school. They will be blocked off for safety. Students will be able to access the 600 hallway classrooms from outside the building. The old lines will be replaced, and all existing light fixtures will be upgraded to LED light bulbs.

The total savings for the heating, cooling and lighting is $185,000 a year, and thats just purely operating the building as they always have its just that the technology has advanced to where we can operate much more efficiently, said Chad Remboldt, strategic programs consultant at Trane.

The school will have electric meters on its two power services to the building, which will be connected into a new control system. The district will have more control over its energy usage, be able to read the usage in real time and control it from a remote location.

Grosser referred to the downstairs boiler room as the heart of the operation. The boiler will be replaced with two smaller units for efficiency. The piping will be redone and replaced, then connected to the main building.

This is where heat is added to the system as its needed, Grosser said. If they need to cool or take heat away from the loop, theres a cooling tower on the south side of the building and a heat exchanger, so that will help take heat off of the system.

Other projects funded by the bond issue include: FEMA-certified safe rooms at the Family Resource Center and all four elementary schools; a weight room, new gymnasium and equipment and locker rooms that will double as a safe room at the middle school; upgrades to the lighting, classroom remodeling, a new band room, scene shop and administrative offices, entryway improvements and a new cafeteria/kitchen that will also serve as a safe room at the high school.

Lakeside was in desperate need of a new cafeteria and storm shelter, so that it is definitely something that Im looking forward to, said Rachel Lenard, library aide at Lakeside Elementary. I think the community is making a good investment with the bond and the safety of having storm shelters at every school.

Stacey Day, mother of two Pittsburg middle school students, said the renovation projects are a good investment in the future of Pittsburg students.

I really think the school renovations are a good idea, and its a big upgrade, Day said. I know that theyre adding a new gymnasium, which will be accessible to handicapped students. I really think its a big bonus to include everybody. Youre investing in your kids, and youre not excluding anybody.

Learning opportunity

Tranes public and private partnership with the school district will provide educational programs for high school students by providinghands-on experience through educational programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The students will be engaged in project-based learning that is both rigorous and relevant and provides awareness into STEM-based careers, said Sara Holmes, educational programs consultant for Trane. Throughout this process with these units, the students are going to get information from the actual building that theyre in data analytics and were going to use the building as living, learning laboratories, so students can get engaged in whats going on around them.

We want to use the investment that the districts made and get the students involved, she said. Theyll be learning about the whole HVAC system.

Originally posted here:
Bond issue funding renovations at Pittsburg High School - Joplin Globe