Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

SAN ANTONIO - A huge relief came through Monday for a family on the Northeast Side.

Since last weeks tornadoes, two insurance companies report damage claims have doubled to more than 2,000 across South Texas.

Monday afternoon was a life-changing surprise for Kevin Tran and his family.

How can I afford to fix everything, explains Tran.

The recent storm left him without a roof and lots of debris to clean up.

When I opened my door I see the whole tree just fell over," says the homeowner.

It left his family with nearly $10,000 worth of damage to pay for.

It literally looked like somebody put their hands on top of it and yanked part of their roof, says Tony Lozano with American Homes Roofing.

Tran says he didnt have insurance because his policy got canceled without him being aware.

As a result, Tran wasnt not sure who to turn to until help arrived.

We just felt the need that we needed to intervene, says Lozano.

American Homes Roofing will cover the expense of Trans home at full cost.

Due to Tran's situation, American Homes Roofing decided to provide the family with a free roof.

This was a friend of my bosses, adds Lozano.

San Antonios Red Wolves ABA Basketball Team (local men's semi-professional team) also decided to assist the roofing company with the repairs.

"It means a lot, says Harold Crow, a player.

Its a joint effort making a difference in someones life.

(We are) coming together helping other people, adds Jerwon Crawford, a player.

Construction will begin Tuesday morning.

10-15 volunteers from the San Antonio Red Wolves Basketball Team will also be present.

For more information on American Homes Roofing, click here.

To learn more the Red Wolves Basketball team, click here.

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Local family gets huge surprise from roofing company post storm ... - FOX 29

LONDON, Feb. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Industry Study with Forecasts for 2020 & 2025

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4708275/

The commercial roofing market has experienced a period of evolution, as bituminous roofing materials, which once dominated demand, now face strong competition from self-adhesive plastic and elastomeric roofing membranes that offer comparable performance properties and are easier to install. Plastic roofing materials will see the fastest demand gains going forward, spurring the interest of contractors in such products as TPO membranes with peel-and-stick backings.

This study will answer the following questions: - How will bituminous roofing materials remain competitive with plastic and elastomeric membranes? - Which market segments will see the most rapid growth? - What role do environmental considerations play in supporting commercial roofing demand?

Description

Plastic roofing overtakes bituminous roofing Plastic roofing is now the leading commercial roofing material installed in the US, and will post above-average gains in demand through 2020. Demand for plastic roofing will be supported by its ease of installation, favorable performance properties, and suitability for use as cool roofing. Concerns about the shortage of trained installers will cause contractors to continue to expand the use of products with peel-and-stick backings, especially plastic (TPO) and elastomeric products.

Cool roofing gains attention Cool roofing will play a key role in the selection of roofing materials, particularly in the South and West, where summers are longer and hotter. White- and light-colored membranes and metal products will benefit. Building professionals will continue to look at the roof as part of the building envelope and see it is a key element in reducing energy use. In addition to cool roofing, roofing with attached insulation or waterproofing membranes will exhibit solid gains.

Bituminous membranes to face strong competition Bituminous membranes, which have seen their share of the US commercial roofing market drop in the face of strong competition from single-ply roofing, will continue to experience falling demand through 2020. Declines in the number of built-up roofing (BUR) systems installed on newly erected buildings will affect demand. The reroof segment will continue to support bituminous roofing demand, as there is a large stock of structures with installed BUR systems. As these roofing products become damaged or worn, roofing professionals will generally opt for such products as self-adhering polymer-modified bituminous membranes as a replacement material.

Steep-slope roofing products to exhibit good growth Demand for steep-slope roofing materials used in commercial applications is forecast to advance at a more rapid pace than that for low-slope roofing through 2020. Use of these roofing products -- primarily asphalt shingles and metal shingles and tiles -- will be driven by rising office, retail, and lodging construction spending. Many low-rise structures in this market segment incorporate residential features to create more aesthetically pleasing exteriors.

Study coverage Commercial Roofing presents historical demand data (2005, 2010 and 2015) plus forecasts (2020 and 2025) by roofing material (plastic, elastomeric, bituminous membrane), product (low-slope, steep-slope), market (new, reroofing, building type) and US region. In addition, the study assesses key market environment factors, examines the industry structure and analyzes company market share.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4708275/

About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers http://www.reportbuyer.com

For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: query@reportbuyer.com Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: http://www.reportbuyer.com

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-commercial-roofing-market-300414556.html

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US Commercial Roofing Market - Yahoo Finance - Yahoo Finance

A woman waited months for a refund after home repairs left her with a leaky ceiling.

Yvonne Williams is renovating her home in Washington, D.C., and the first job was repairing her roof and siding. She paid a major retailer $5,021.01 to do the work but was unaware the retailer hired a third-party contractor to actually do the job.

The job the contractor did was shoddy, Williams said.

The gutter was extremely slanted, she said.

Also, The siding, while it looks good, there's something wrong with it, and they were like no, no, no, she said.

She noticed water leaking into her ceiling.

So I hired a home inspector to come look, she said.

The certified inspector confirmed what Williams suspected, finding "poor coverage," "roof surface poorly protected" and "cracking."

The inspector recommended hiring a reliable contractor to provide the proper application.

I then contacted the company to say what I found out from the home inspector, and when they did call me back, they said, Well, we need to send our own representative, Williams said.

They did and determined the work wasn't done correctly and offered Williams a full refund in August.

But months went by without a refund.

Never heard back, so I called again, and I'm like, you sent your people, I need to know what's going on. I need my money back, she said.

Not long after NBC4 Responds contacted the company, Williams received a release and settlement agreement. By signing it she agreed not to name the company and got her full refund.

If you hire a large retailer to perform renovations, ask if they use third-party contractors, and if they do, find out who it is, check their reviews and make sure they're licensed.

Published 6 hours ago

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DC Woman Left With Leaky Ceiling After Roofing and Siding Repairs - NBC4 Washington

LONDON, Feb. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --"Increasing need for building thermal management is driving the roofing chemicals market" The global roofing chemicals market is projected to reach USD 106.83 billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 7.3% from 2016 to 2021. The growing need for building thermal management is the major driver in the global roofing chemicals market. Roofing chemicals which are used for roofs help to reduce the absorption of heat and keep them cool. Cool roofs save a huge amount of money by reducing the power consumption which is required for cooling buildings. Also, the high growth in the construction sector is expected to stimulate the demand for roofing chemicals, but the high installation costs and the high manufacturing costs may restrain growth in future.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4392654/

"Bituminous roofing, the largest and membrane roofing is the fastest growing application for roofing chemicals" Roofing chemicals are majorly used in bituminous roofing. Bituminous roofing has a long lifespan and is economical as compared to others. Bituminous roofs are durable, can withstand all kinds of weather, and are watertight. The bituminous mix can also be used as Stress Absorbing Membranes (SAM) for sealing cracks and interim overlays for preventative maintenance or Stress Absorbing Membrane Interlayers (SAMI). Due to its high creep resistance property, it can also be used at busy intersections, bridge decks, and roundabouts to increase their life.

The different types of membranes used in roofing are synthetic rubber, thermoplastic, and modified bitumen. Maintenance of membrane roofing is easy, it is highly resistant to damage, and exhibits temperature flexibility.

"Asia-Pacific, the largest and fastest-growing market for roofing chemicals "The Asia-Pacific region is the largest market for roofing chemicals globally. There is tremendous scope for roofing chemicals in the Asia-Pacific market due to the high growth in the Chinese economy and rapid industrialization. China is the key consumer of roofing chemicals in the Asia-Pacific region as well as globally.

Further, the resulting rapid developments in the construction industry is driving the demand for roofing chemicals for residential buildings in the region.

This study has been validated through primary interviews conducted with various industry experts globally. These primary sources have been divided into three categories: by company; by designation; and by region.

- By Company Type- Tier 1- 60%, Tier 2- 30% and Tier 3- 10% - By Designation- C Level- 40%, Director Level- 30%, Others- 30% - By Region- North America- 10%, Asia-Pacific- 50%, Western Europe- 20%, and Middle East & Africa- 20%

The report also includes company profiles and competitive strategies adopted by the major market players such as BASF SE (Germany), The Dow Chemical Company (U.S), Saint-Gobain S.A. (France), 3M Company (U.S), Akzo Nobel N.V (The Netherlands), Sika AG (Switzerland), Owens Corning (U.S), Carlisle Companies Incorporated (U.S), Johns Manville (U.S), GAF Materials Corporation (U.S), and Firestone Building Products (U.S.).

Research Coverage: This report covers the global roofing chemicals market across different applications and regions. It aims at estimating the market size and future growth potential of this market across different segments such as type, application, and region. Furthermore, the report also includes an in-depth competitive analysis of the key players in the market along with their company profiles, SWOT analysis, recent developments, and key market strategies. The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in this market by providing them the closest approximations of the revenues for the overall roofing chemicals market.

Reasons to buy this report:From an insight perspective, this research report has focused upon various levels of analyses industry analysis (industry trends), market share analysis of top players, supply chain analysis, and company profiles, which together comprise and discuss the basic views on the competitive landscape; emerging and high-growth segments of the roofing chemicals market; high-growth regions; and market drivers, restraints, and opportunities.

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The report provides insights on the following pointers:- Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on roofing chemicals offered by the top players in the global roofing chemicals market. - Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, R&D activities, and new product launches in the global roofing chemicals market. - Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative emerging markets the report analyzes the markets for roofing chemicals across regions. - Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the global roofing chemicals market. - Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players in the global roofing chemicals market.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4392654/

About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers http://www.reportbuyer.com

For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: query@reportbuyer.com Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: http://www.reportbuyer.com

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/roofing-chemicals-market-by-type-application---global-forecast-to-2021-300414817.html

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Roofing Chemicals Market by Type, Application - Global Forecast to ... - Yahoo Finance

February 28, 2017 --

Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) February 28, 2017

National Roofing Partners (NRP), the leading network of commercial roofing contractors in North America, is proud to share information concerning National Women in Roofing's (NWIR) Mentoring and Networking Reception featuring Kaney O'Neill. This inspirational speaker will share real-life experiences as a women-owned and disabled veteran-owned roofing company with over 300 roofing professionals.

NRP has played an important role in recruiting the 2017 NWIR Mentoring Speaker, Kaney O'Neill. With a special video, focused on not only running a women-owned business, but also dealing with the challenges of being a disabled veteran, O'Neill will deliver an incredibly inspirational story. NWIR is planning on over 300 people at the upcoming reception being held February 28, 2017 at 5 pm in the Mandalay Bay Islander I. Mallory Payne, National Account Manager for NRP and Chair of the NWIR Mentoring, and her committee, have worked with Kaney O'Neill and Jill Bloom from Roofing Contractor Magazine, to bring Kaney's story to the mentoring event.

?Kaney is extremely inspirational and her outlook as a business women is exactly what we are trying to share through NWIR events," stated Payne. ?NRP has built a strong relationship with Kaney and her roofing company, it was a natural fit to ask her to speak at the NWIR annual event. The idea of using video worked for everyone and we were thrilled to partner with Roofing Contractor Magazine, also a NWIR Founding Sponsor, on the video which will be shown during the reception."

?NRP believes in the strength of men and women working together for success," stated Dale Tyler, president of NRP. ?Heidi J. Ellsworth, Chair of NWIR and Mallory Payne are both integral to NRP. Early on, we made the commitment of being a NWIR Founding Sponsor. We know the importance of women-owned businesses and women in leadership both in the office and on the rooftop. It is the future of this industry."

?NWIR was incorporated in February of 2016 and has seen extreme growth the past year. Our Founding Sponsors have been essential to our success," stated Heidi J. Ellsworth, Chair of NWIR. ?As an association, we are committed to empowering women within the roofing industry through mentoring events like we will experience at IRE this year. We are also committed to recruiting women into the industry."

NRP's national footprint of tier one roofing companies continues to expand with a strong emphasis on diversity and technology. ?Labor is critical for the industry and we must focus on the recruitment of talent no matter the gender, age or race. The growth and use of strong technology is critical for our future and that means being open to all people without limitations," concluded Tyler.

About National Roofing Partners National Roofing Partners (NRP) was founded with the mission of continually improving the facility management capabilities of its customers by analyzing existing roof conditions, recommending and providing high quality single-source roofing replacements and services with dedicated support. Building on the strong expertise of tier one commercial roofing contractors with over 120+ service locations and 8,000 employees nationwide, the network provides exceptional roofing and building envelope service and maintenance for customers. For more information, visit National Roofing Partners.

About National Women in Roofing National Women in Roofing (NWIR) is a volunteer-based organization that supports and advances the careers of women roofing professionals. We provide networking, mentoring, education and recruitment opportunities from the rooftop to the boardroom, for the young professional at the start of her career to the seasoned manager in the executive suite. Through our commitment to connect and empower women in roofing, we contribute to the overall betterment and professionalism of the roofing industry.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/03/prweb14105452.htm.

Source:PRWEB.COM Newswire. All Rights Reserved

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National Roofing Partners Support Diversity in Roofing - IT Business Net

Oculus rolled out version 1.12 of the Oculus software. The new build addresses tracking issues that version 1.11 introduced, improves the user experience, and adds an audio mirroring option.

Oculus launched the Touch controllers in early December to mixed customer reactions. In my review of Oculuss motion controllers, I noted that the tracking may have actually been a little too robust for my taste. In my experience, the sensors picked up every nuanced movement of my hands, and I noticed the controllers lose tracking only when they were out of view of both cameras.

My experience with Touch is positive, but my experience is not universal, though. Shortly after the launch of the Touch controllers, reports of poor tracking started popping up in the Oculus support forums and the Oculus subrReddit.

Oculus said it would address the tracking problem in January, but the company pushed the release into February for quality control purposes. The company delayed the driver release, but it didnt push back the plans for the February driver. Oculus committed to two drivers in the shortest month of the year.

The January update addresses the tracking issues, but it caused other problems. Some Touch owners that didnt have any trouble before started reporting issues to Oculus. Oculus Version 1.12 should address those new problems.

The latest version of Oculus Software also adds improved support for Unreal Engine and Unity, and it introduces a couple of new features. You can now flag spam reviews that you find in the Oculus Store to help Oculus keep the store clean.

Im especially fond of the other two additions to the Oculus platform: When you install some games through the Oculus Store, you must click the games icon to finalize the installation--which you can't do from inside the headset. Mercifully, Oculus version 1.12 allows you to complete the install from within the VR environment. Just be sure to launch Oculus Home with administrator privileges.

The final addition to the Oculus platform is a feature that Valve offered on day one. You can now mirror the audio signal that goes to the headset so that spectators can hear whats going on. This feature is invaluable when you want to share your Rift experiences with a group of people.

The Oculus 1.12 client update is now live. If your install isnt already up to date, you should receive it soon. For the complete list of changes, see the release notes on the Oculus forums.

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Second Oculus Software Update (1.12) Is Out, Improves Tracking ... - Tom's Hardware

The Daily News Journal 6:02 a.m. CT Feb. 28, 2017

Father and son Jim, left and Peter Demos, right, in their dinning room at their restaurant on Friday March 6, 2015, when the Murfreesboro-based restaurant celebrated its 25th anniversary.(Photo: HELEN COMER / DNJ)Buy Photo

The Demos Family of Restaurants, which is based in Murfreesboro, announced threeadditions to the Demos and Peter Ds leadership team.

Keith West has joined the team as culinary director.

We are very excited about the addition of Keith and the addition of his new role in our company. While Demos has been in business for almost 27 years, I feel it is important to keep evolving with menu items that blend our core philosophy of great food and value. Keith will also help us continue to fine-the tune the brand through the menu and the unique food at the Peter Ds concept, as we look to open our second location, said Peter Demos, owner and CEO.

A graduate of MTSU, West brings more than 20 years of culinary experience and restaurant openings to the organization.

West most recently was the culinary director for Pucketts Gro. & Restaurant. Over the past seven years, Wests expertise helped open Pucketts Gro. & Restaurant, Scouts Pub, Grays on Main and The Boathouse.

Ginger Anderson, a CPA and 21-year veteran in the restaurant industry, joined the Demos family in April 2016 as the Company Controller.

Anderson began her career at Logans Roadhouse, holding positions within the accounting and finance departments.

She subsequently served as a manager in franchise services at the public account firm, Horne LLP. Anderson left Dicks Last Resort, as controller, to join the Demos Family of Restaurants and help further Demos and Peter Ds growth campaign.

Demos said Andersons experience in full-service restaurants, as they have grown from small companies to large companies, will allow the company to grow without leveraging finances or compromising service to customers.

Anderson earned her bachelors degree with a double major in accounting and economics/finance from David Lipscomb University.

Kevin Travis joined the family owned business in September 2015 as vice president of operations.

Travis began his career in the restaurant industry working at Demos Restaurant in 1994 as a waiter. Since his early days with Demos Restaurant, Travis has spent the last 20 years in the restaurant industry.

After serving in various roles of management, he earned the position of vice president of operations at BB Kings Blues Club and Dicks Last Resort.

Travis holds a bachelors degree in communications from MTSU and a master of business administration from Vanderbilt University.

His experience in markets such as Baltimore, Las Vegas, Nashville and Orlando, combined with his background in change management, organizational growth and business strategy, bring a level of expertise to the Demos Family of Restaurants that is key for future growth opportunities, Demos said.

Jim and Doris Demos, Peters parents, opened the first Demos Restaurant in 1989 in Murfreesboro; the fifth Demos Restaurant opened in Clarksville this past November.

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Demos' Restaurants announces new hires - The Daily News Journal

The 2017 NHL trade deadline in 3 p.m. ET Wednesday. Our team of reporters are breaking down all the deals as they happen and keeping up with talks between clubs throughout the week.

More: Tracker | Live Trade Talk | Trade Grades | Trade Targets

7:54 p.m. ET: The Chicago Blackhawks have reacquired defenseman Johnny Oduya, reports ESPN.com's Scott Burnside -- sending a conditional fourth-round draft pick and prospect Mark McNeill, 24, to the Dallas Stars for the 35-year-old Oduya, who won Stanley Cups with Chicago in 2013 and 2015. Oduya is coming off an ankle injury that cost him 15 games. He has appeared in 37 games this season. The Stars will retain half of the remaining portion of Oduya's $3.75 million salary. "He's in excellent condition," one NHL source told ESPN.com's Craig Custance of Oduya. "Really takes care of himself. He's got something left."

3:02 p.m. ET: It hasn't been exactly a banner season for veteran goalie Jaroslav Halak, who was forced to endure a three-goaltender system with the New York Islanders before being waived and sent to the minors in January. Yet the 31-year-old, who starred for Team Europe at the World Cup of Hockey, has been excellent in the AHL. The Edmonton Oilers are among the teams interested in Halak, according to ESPN.com's Craig Custance. Halak comes with salary-cap baggage -- he's owed $5 million in real money next season, with a $4.5 million cap hit -- but it seems likely that the Isles would be willing to eat some of that if a team came calling.

1:38 p.m. ET: Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan has not waived his no-trade clause, ESPN.com's Joe McDonald reported. The 40-year-old, fourth-line winger, who has been with the same organization for 22 seasons, said it has been frustrating to see teammates such as Martin Hanzal and Ryan White traded away, but he maintained that he would waive his no-trade clause only if the deal were a perfect fit for both sides.

1:29 p.m. ET: The Ottawa Senators have acquired pending unrestricted free-agent forward Viktor Stalberg from the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2017 third-round pick, a source told ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun. The Senators added some forward depth by bringing in the veteran winger, ESPN.com's Scott Burnside said, but have modest expectations (at best) for the still-speedy 31-year-old. Stalberg has just two goals in 43 career playoff games and is now with his fifth NHL team since 2013.

12:31 p.m. ET: The New York Rangers have acquired the defenseman they were seeking before the deadline, getting pending unrestricted free agent Brendan Smith from the Detroit Red Wings, according to sources. In return, the Wings will get a second-round draft pick and a third-round selection. Smith, 28, a former 2007 first-round pick, was the second-best rental defenseman on the market behind Kevin Shattenkirk, said Craig Custance, but he can be inconsistent. "He's got everything," an NHL scout said of Smith. "He tries hard. But if something bad is going to happen, it seems to happen to him."

11:24 a.m. ET: The Chicago Blackhawks have signed defenseman Michal Rozsival and forward Jordin Tootoo to one-year extensions. Rozsival will earn $650,000 next season, and Tootoo will make $700,000. But the real news, Pierre LeBrun said, is that the signings help Chicago fulfill its expansion draft-exposure requirements. Each NHL team must expose at least two forwards, one defenseman and one goalie who meet the criteria spelled out by the league.

12:24 a.m. ET: The New York Islanders welcomed back to practice three regulars who could be the only additions the team makes before the trade deadline. Cal Clutterbuck, Shane Prince and Travis Hamonic took part in the Islanders' vigorous, 75-minute workout. Sources told Newsday's Arthur Staple that Islanders GM Garth Snow is not shopping for players who are pending free agents. Snow would prefer to find players New York can keep beyond this season, such as Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene or Edmonton Oilers wing Jordan Eberle. But those deals would require Snow to hand over prospects and a player or two off the roster, and coach Doug Weight believes the pending returns of his three injured players -- as well as Casey Cizikas, who might be able to return earlier than the three weeks remaining on his month prognosis for a suspected broken hand -- could add just as much as a player brought in via trade.

12:14 a.m. ET: The Pittsburgh Penguins' roster will not be gutted between now and the NHL trade deadline at 3 p.m. Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Dave Molinari reported. Penguins GM Jim Rutherford is trying to fortify his lineup for a title defense -- not tear it down as part of a major rebuild. But goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who has been supplanted as Pittsburgh's No. 1 netminder by Matt Murray, is convinced that he can be an effective No. 1 goalie in this league and thus has been the subject of trade speculation. Fleury declined to say Monday whether he has asked Rutherford to trade him because "our conversations are personal."

9:57 p.m. ET: The Washington Capitals acquired one of the top players available on the trade market in Kevin Shattenkirk. The St. Louis Blues get forward Zach Sanford, a 2017 first-round draft pick and a conditional future second-round pick in return. The Blues also retain 39 percent of the remaining portion of Shattenkirk's $5.2 million salary for this season, sources told ESPN. In a separate deal, the Blues acquired forward Brad Malone from the Capitals for goalie Pheonix Copley.

9:43 p.m. ET: The Ottawa Senators are gearing up for a postseason push, acquiring veteran forward Alex Burrows from the Vancouver Canucks for prospect Jonathan Dahlen. Burrows, after waiving his no-trade clause, agreed to a two-year, $5 million extension with the Senators, according to multiple reports.

4:40 p.m. ET: The Montreal Canadiens added defensive depth with Jordie Benn, whom they acquired from the Dallas Stars in exchange for defenseman Greg Pateryn and a 2017 fourth-round pick. But Habs GM Marc Bergevin still needs help up front, and with big centers Martin Hanzal and Brian Boyle both off the market, the clock is ticking, says ESPN's Scott Burnside. The Canadiens have just three wins in 11 games in February, and their once-sizable lead atop the Atlantic Division standings has shrunk to two points.

3:28 p.m. ET: The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired center Brian Boyle from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for forward Byron Froese and a second-round draft pick in 2017, reports ESPN's Craig Custance. Boyle is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season and the Lighting have salary-cap concerns heading into next season, making Boyle's return to Tampa Bay unlikely. Boyle brings veteran depth at center to the young Maple Leafs and has played more playoff games (100) than any other NHL player since 2011, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

12:17 p.m. ET: Steven Stamkos skated with his Tampa Bay Lightning teammates for the first time since his knee surgery in mid-November. The Lightning captain did 2-on-1 drills, took one-timers and looked comfortable skating, reported Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. Lightning GM Steve Yzerman said that joining the team in noncontact drills was the next step in Stamkos' recovery and that the center could return sometime this season. "Everything about his rehab is moving along very well," Yzerman said. "There's no complications. He feels good."

7:07 p.m. ET: The Minnesota Wild traded a 2017 first-round pick, 2018 second-round pick and conditional 2019 fourth-round pick plus minor leaguer Grayson Downing to the Arizona Coyotes for center Martin Hanzal, forward Ryan White and a 2017 fourth-round pick, reports ESPN's Craig Custance. It's a hefty price for Hanzal, 30, a pending unrestricted free agent, but one the Wild were willing to pay ahead of Wednesday's NHL trade.

6:35 p.m. ET: The Los Angeles Kings acquired Ben Bishop from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a trade that includes goalie Peter Budaj and an exchange of draft picks, reports ESPN's Pierre LeBrun.

The Kings will pair Bishop with Jonathan Quick in a formidable tandem down the stretch as they attempt to make the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years. Los Angeles (30-27-4) began the day three points behind the St. Louis Blues for the second wild-card berth in the Western Conference.

Tampa Bay retains 20 percent of Bishop's salary-cap hit, reports LeBrun.

11:41 p.m. ET: The Anaheim Ducks added scoring punch ahead of next week's NHL trade deadline, acquiring right wing Patrick Eaves from the Dallas Stars for a conditional second-round draft pick. Eaves, who is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent, has already set a career high for goals this season, scoring his 21st on Feb. 11 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

More: Tracker | Trade Grades | Top Trade Targets

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NHL trade deadline: Latest news, rumblings and reports - ESPN

YouTube is still the single biggest source for people seeking online video content, and has been for a long time now, despite many attempts by competitors over the years to dethrone it from the top spot. This week, Google announced the service has reached a brand new milestone. It stated that over 1 billion (yep, BILLION) hours of content are viewed on YouTube every single day.

December 4, 2016

No matter how you spin it, the fact that people all over the world are spending that much time watching videos on YouTube is a huge achievement. Indeed, Google continues to expand the reach of YouTube to more devices and platforms, as it become the number one way for people to watch any kind of video content, period. Its also been turned into a real career for many people who create content for YouTube. Some creators now have millions or even tens of millions of channel subscribers. The rise of these low-budget online video content makers was the theme of this weeks new Samsung Galaxy S7 commercial that debuted during the Oscars telecast.

Even with that daily video viewing achievement, YouTube is still fighting potential competitors to its platform.

Even with that daily video viewing achievement, YouTube is still fighting potential competitors to its platform. That includes Twitch, the live streaming service owned by Google rival Amazon. While it has mainly focused on offering gaming-themed videos, it has recently added a new sub-channel for its creators to publish live and recorded clips on any subject, similar to YouTubes business model. Live streaming is also becoming more popular on social networking services like Facebook and Twitter, and those platforms could also threaten YouTubes popularity. Even paid subscription services, especially Netflix, are competing for the eyeballs of online users with more and more original, and big budget, content.

YouTube has been making new additions and improvements to meet these challenges.

Google has not been sitting on a stump while all of this has been going on. It has been making new additions and improvements to meet these challenges. In the summer of 2016, it announced that it would allow YouTube creators to live stream videosdirectlyfrom their smartphones, similar to whats available now for Facebook and Twitter. Earlier this month, Google revealed that feature was now live for any owners of a YouTube channel with more than 10,000 users, with plans to offer it for everyone else soon. Its also making some changes to its annoying unskippable ad videos for non-subscribers of YouTube Red. Its ditching the 30-second video ads in favor of more frequent 6-second ads.

Speaking of YouTube Red, the companys $9.99 a month subscription service that launched in late 2015 does offer some nice features like no video ads, offline viewing and original content. However, its current status is still something of a question mark. Google has not released any official subscription numbers for the service, but a recent, if unconfirmed, report claims that just 1.5 million subscribers have signed onto YouTube Red. Keep in mind that low number may be due to the fact that only residents in five countries can currently access the service. If Google decides to expand YouTube Red to more countries, those numbers will almost certain go much higher.

For the moment, YouTube remains the king of the huge online video kingdom, and while that may not change anytime soon, there are certainly a lot more competitors going after its vast audience than ever before. That means Google cannot rest on that 1 billion hour daily viewing milestone for very long, and more changes and additions may need to go online to keep it ahead of its rivals.

Do you still check out YouTube videos every day, and do you think any service has a hope of getting close to its current vast audience? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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YouTube viewers check out over 1 billion hours of videos daily, but has it reached its peak? - Android Authority (blog)

Ravens officials have had several weeks to prepare for the crux of the offseason, the time when key decisions have to be made, the annual free agency spending spree commences and the pre-draft hype goes into overdrive.

Following an 8-8 season and their third non-playoff campaign in the past four years, team executives, coaches and scouts went back to work quickly. By now, they've planned for potential roster cuts, made contract offers to several of their own free agents, pondered outside additions and started homing in on preparations for April's draft.

Team officials have descended on Indianapolis this week for the league's annual scouting combine, a convergence of the NFL's present and future. Over 300 draft-eligible players will spend the next week working out for evaluators and being interviewed by teams and reporters.

With free agency beginning next week, agents will continue to gauge the market on their clients while teams make last-ditched attempts to keep their top free agents off the open market.

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome and head coach John Harbaugh, along with their respective staffs, have much work to do to upgrade a roster that is aging and expensive in some spots, and not nearly deep enough in others. That process will accelerate this week as the Ravens tackle the following tasks...

Newsome and his top lieutenant, Eric DeCosta, have long called the draft the "lifeblood" of the organization. This year's draft comes at a critical time for a team with myriad needs. The good news for the Ravens is those needs match up well with the perceived strengths of the draft class.

"It's one of the best defensive drafts I've seen," NFL Network's lead draft analyst Mike Mayock said on a conference call Monday. "You can get a corner in the second and third rounds. You could get an edge [rusher] in the second and third rounds. The defensive depth at edge and corner is outstanding."

The Ravens' needs are well documented. They're looking to add difference makers to their defensive backfield, improve their pass rush and front seven, fortify their offensive line and inject some playmakers to an offense that has fallen on hard times.

Armed with the 16th overall pick and six other selections in April's draft, the Ravens will get a good look this week at top running backs Leonard Fournette (LSU) and Dalvin Cook (Florida State), a deep receiving class headed by Corey Davis (Western Michigan) and Mike Williams (Clemson), pass-rush prospects Derek Barnett (Tennessee), Taco Charlton (Michigan) and Tim Williams (Alabama) and a loaded defensive back group that includes Malik Hooker (Ohio State), Sidney Jones (Washington), Teez Tabor (Florida) and Marlon Humphrey (Alabama).

The various on-field workouts and physical testing this week will factor prominently into player evaluations, but the Ravens also put a lot of weight on individual meetings and interviews they have with prospects away from Lucas Oil Stadium.

Ravens senior vice president of football administration Pat Moriarty has already exchanged contract proposals with the representatives for pending free agent fullback Kyle Juszczyk, right tackle Rick Wagner, nose tackle Brandon Williams and reserve safety/core special teamer Anthony Levine Sr.

With those players along with contributors Kamar Aiken and Lawrence Guy scheduled to hit the open market on March 9, the Ravens are running out of time to get deals done. They can still re-sign their own free agents after 4 p.m. on March 9, but that task becomes more difficult with so many teams having so much more money to spend than the Ravens.

Moriarty is expected to meet with the agents of Juszczyk, Wagner and Williams this week. It will surely take huge offers to prevent Wagner and Williams, arguably the top free agents at their respective positions, from testing their worth on the open market. However, the Ravens have prioritized both.

Technically, teams aren't allowed to contact the representatives of pending free agents until March 7 during the two-day negotiation window before the market officially opens. However, it's no secret that a flurry of meetings between teams and agents will take place in downtown Indianapolis restaurants and hotel suites this week.

The practice gives agents a better idea of the market for their clients, and who might be suitors. The Ravens historically are relatively quiet in free agency, choosing to sign and develop their own while making a few forays into the market to fill major needs.

With the salary cap again going up, and at least 20 teams projected to have more than $25 million of cap space, the Ravens won't have the luxury of being passive. They might not have the money to land some of the top-ticket items, such as Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, Buffalo Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore and New England Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower, but there's no reason why they can't fill a few needs with solid players.

Wide receiver Pierre Garcon, center Nick Mangold, pass rusher Jabaal Sheard, cornerback Logan Ryan and safety Tony Jefferson are all free agents who would be nice fits. The Ravens will have a better idea of the market for those players and whether they fit in it by week's end.

The Ravens have approximately $15 million of salary cap space, which is among the least in the league. That number will go down significantly when they have to tender restricted and exclusive rights free agents. The Ravens, though, know there are plenty of moves they can make to create more financial flexibility.

Tight end Dennis Pitta ($7.7 million cap number) and cornerback Lardarius Webb ($7.5 million) could be asked to take pay cuts. Tight end Benjamin Watson ($4 million), center Jeremy Zuttah ($4.6 million), strong-side linebacker Elvis Dumervil ($8.4 million) and defensive backs Kyle Arrington ($2.8 million), Shareece Wright ($5.8 million) and Kendrick Lewis ($2.3 million) are all potential cap casualties and/or play positions in which the Ravens are trying to upgrade.

The Ravens also could decide to decline wide receiver Mike Wallace's 2017 contract option, a move that would create nearly $6 million in salary cap space.

The Ravens traditionally make their offseason roster cuts in late February/early March, giving their former players enough time to prepare for free agency. If they stick to that timeline, some moves might occur this weekend during the scouting combine.

jeff.zrebiec@baltsun.com

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Ravens have four major tasks to accomplish this week at the combine - Baltimore Sun