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Mt. Vernon, WA (PRWEB) March 19, 2015

Homeowners and gardeners looking for some solid advice on how to get moving on spring pruning as our weather rapidly warms in the Pacific Northwest should take a look at the latest article from Precision Tree Service. Offering knowledgeable advice on what should and should not be pruned this spring season, they also give information on how improper or unseasonal pruning can damage your plants.

Do not prune spring flowering trees or shrubs. If they havent bloomed yet, you will likely snip off many of the flowers and drastically reduce the beauty of your tree, says the tree care experts. They explain that once trees have finished flowering, including those that flower in the summer months, the tree or shrub may be safely pruned without risk of removing buds.

The article moves on to talk about what definitely should be pruned in spring, such as deciduous plants, and broadleaf evergreens. While some of these may be pruned at other times of the year as well, pruning in spring while the tree is still dormant allows for easier and more effective pruning.

Need some pruning done in Skagit or Snohomish County? Contact Precision Tree Services for a free consultation: http://precisiontreeservicewa.com/contact/

About Precision Tree Service: Precision Tree Services is a family-run business that expands throughout Whatcom and the Snohomish County area. They provide a full range of tree services, including tree removal, tree pruning, shrub and bush pruning, hedge trimming, stump grinding, crown reduction, crown raising, tree cabling, and more. All of our services are conducted by fully-trained tree experts or ISA certified arborists. Contact our office to schedule a tree service.

Precision Tree Service 14715 Smokey Point Blvd Marysville, Washington 98271 888.277.2334

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Residents of Skagit County Learn How, When, and Where to Do Spring Pruning in Latest Article from Precision Tree ...

The X Factor drama has dominated this week's headlines

The number one story in showbiz goss this week isnt how rough and pathetic those contestants on The Bachelor NZ are (although they totally are!) but the abrupt departure of Natalia Kills and Willy Moon from The X Factor NZ after just one live show.

The married judges, of course, werent backward in coming forward with their over the top criticism of X Factor hopeful Joe Irvine. The blowback was immense, and after protests from viewers, sponsors, and other celebrities TV3 sent the pair packing from their on-screen roles. New judges announced on Thursday drummer Shelton Woolwright and X Factor Australia judge Natalie Bassingthwaite.

As an artist who respects creative integrity and intellectual property, I am disgusted at how much you've copied my husband, Kills declared to Irvine after his performance.

RELATED: Fired X Factor judge Natalia Kills accused of stealing her looks

From the hair to the suit, do you not have any value for respect for originality?

You're a laughing stock. It's cheesy, it's disgusting, I personally found it artistically atrocious, she continued.

I am embarrassed to be sitting here in your presence having to even dignify you with an answer of my opinion.

(None of us knew it, but apparently Willy Moon invented the phenomenon of performing wearing a suit with slicked back hair. Dont tell Frank Sinatra.)

Moon chipped in, telling Irvine his look was cheap and absurd and comparing him to famous big-screen psycho Norman Bates.

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The week in gossip

SADORUS The Champaign County Highway Department will close a portion of County Road 600 North, also known as County Highway 17, from an area between county roads 800 and 900 East to the Sadorus village limits due to a broken drainage tile under the road surface. The closure will start at 8 a.m. Friday and continue until the tile and road are repaired.

Tracy Wingler, maintenance supervisor for the county's highway department, said workers would go in Thursday to saw-cut the road and that excavation would start Friday.

The problem was discovered Wednesday morning when workers spotted a large hole next to the pavement. He said the field tile was probably installed about a hundred years ago and that it outlets to a creek on the south side of the road.

"Under the pavement, there was a big void," Wingler said. "That was our biggest concern."

The void was filled until the tile and road could be repaired. "Weather permitting, we're hoping if everything goes good, we can have it open back up by Tuesday," Wingler said.

Originally posted here:
County road near Sadorus to close for repair work

March 19 at 7:28 PM

Our readers share tales of their rambles around the world.

Who: Andrea Foley (the author) and her husband, Greg, from Reston traveled with a small group sponsored by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, including its curator of African art, Richard Woodward.

When, where, why: A 12-day trip to the Imperial Cities, Sahara Desert and Atlas Mountains of Morocco to celebrate a milestone birthday for me. I have always been fascinated by the countrys architecture and multicultural history.

Highlights and high points: Morocco is one brilliant burst of color after another: the lush green oases, the white-capped Atlas mountains, the setting sun on the glowing orange dunes of the Sahara, the blue of the Atlantic coast, wildflowers among Roman ruins, the intricate and vibrant tile work, the brilliant colors of the graceful arched doors and the never-ending parade of wares offered in the souks.

Among many, one unforgettable experience was traveling back in time to the sights and smells of the warrenlike ninth-century medina of Fez. Little has changed for centuries it was crowded walll-to-wall with people and animals among the tiny shops selling food and crafts. The medinas leather tannery was an especially breathtaking sight with its pungent smell and dyers up to their knees in huge vats of color.

Cultural connection or disconnect: The women we saw in Morocco wore a wide array of styles, from Western clothing with or without headscarves to long robes (jelabas) with headscarves to a small number in full-body covering. In Marrakesh, we had a 20-something female guide who was dressed like any young professional woman in Northern Virginia. In an insightful and personal conversation, we discussed the changing role of Moroccan women and their range of individual choices concerning careers, dress, faith and families.

Biggest laugh or cry: United Airlines lost my suitcase for the first eight of our 12 days in Morocco. Luckily, I learned long ago to pack at least three days worth of clothes in a carry-on. Laundry, a bit of shopping and a sense of humor got me through; and I have the airline to thank for a gorgeous Moroccan jacket.

How unexpected: We didnt fully know what to expect, but we were amazed at how delicious all the food was. Everything was produced locally and naturally, yielding sweet strawberries as big as your fist, fresh baked breads and perfectly spiced dishes cooked in colorful tagines. It all went well with the good Moroccan wines.

Fondest memento or memory: Since we met many years ago in a film history class, our favorite movie has been Casablanca. On our last night, we had dinner at Ricks Cafe; not a tourist trap, but a lovely homage to the movie. As we shared champagne cocktails with As Time Goes By being played on the piano, we were reminded that our youthful dreams of travel have more than come true, and well always have Morocco.

Continue reading here:
What a Trip: Play it, Sam, for a couple in Casablanca

Four buildings in the Salisbury School District were approved for much-needed upgrades Wednesday by the school board.

Work at Harry S. Truman Elementary, Salisbury Middle School, Western Elementary and the district's administrative building will begin immediately after the last day of school, director of facilities Bill Brackett said.

The board approved contracts with Alan Kunsman Roofing and Siding of Freemansburg for a full roof replacement for Harry S Truman at a cost of $1,851,100; with Diefenderfer Electrical Contractors of Allentown for a backup generator for the administrative building at $99,950; with Bracy Contracting of Allentown for the replacement of 300 student lockers at Salisbury Middle School at $101,500; with CMG of Easton Inc. for a complete plumbing overhaul at Salisbury Middle School and Harry S. Truman for $716,500; and with Bracy for and door, hardware and key replacements at all four facilities at $556,000.

Directors voted to hold off on a decision regarding the replacement of floor tile at Western Elementary until a later meeting so they can choose between two bidders and two types of flooring.

The bid for the new generator came in at $30,000 less than the estimated cost, Brackett said. The cost of locker replacement includes salvaging 30 existing ones that would be mismatched with those to be installed because of their color and relocating them to the boys and girls locker rooms, he said.

Plumbing work at Salisbury Middle and Harry S. Truman proved more costly than anticipated because of the scope of work and the rising price of fixtures, Brackett said. He told the board that the final cost was $194,000 more than what the district had estimated.

The work will include a total overhaul of toilets, urinals, sinks and plumbing fixtures dating back to the 1970s.

"We're not looking to build the Taj Mahal," Brackett said.

Doors and hardware for the four facilities will include interior work at each building and exterior work at Harry S. Truman and the middle school.

The board will decide at a later date whether to accept a bid of $75,500 by Bracy Contracting to install VCT tile or an outlay of $149,000 for Terrazzo flooring through Yorie Tile & Terrazzo.

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Salisbury school board OKs upgrades at four district buildings

SAN FRANCISCO -- St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco dismantled a sprinkler system that pours water on entrance areas of the Roman Catholic church frequented by homeless people after receiving a formal notice of violation from the city, CBS station KPIX-TV reports.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco Roman Catholic Archdiocese has apologized for the "misunderstood" and "ill-conceived" effort to keep homeless people out of alcoves used to enter and exit the church.

In a story first reported by KCBS Radio, the principal church of the archdiocese used the watering system to keep the homeless from sleeping in the cathedral doorways. The archdiocese acknowledged Wednesday it had been using the system for the past two years.

But the system also drenches some homeless people and violates city building and safety codes.

After inspecting the cathedral, the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection filed a notice of violation against the archdiocese and the cathedral, giving them 15 days to remove the system. In response, the archdiocese has taken out a plumbing permit to remove the entire watering system, which was observed to run for about 75 seconds every 30 to 60 minutes.

Word of the cathedral's homeless deterrent caused an uproar on social media. However, the rector of St. Mary's Cathedral and the auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese, Bishop William Justice, issued a statement defending the role of the archdiocese and the cathedral in supporting homeless programs.

Bishop said the sprinkler deterrent system has been in use for the last two years and modeled on similar systems used in the city's Financial District "as a safety, security and cleanliness measure to avoid the situation where needles, feces and other dangerous items were regularly being left in these hidden doorways."

"The idea was not to remove those persons but to encourage them to relocate to other areas of the cathedral, which are protected and safer. The purpose was to make the cathedral grounds as well as the homeless people who happen to be on those grounds safer.

We are sorry that our intentions have been misunderstood and recognize that the method used was ill-conceived. It actually has had the opposite effect from what it was intended to do, and for this we are very sorry."

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Excerpt from:
S.F. Catholic archdiocese sorry for dousing homeless

SAN FRANCISCO The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco on Wednesday dismantled a sprinkler system it had installed at the city's cathedral during one of the worst droughts in California history to soak the alcoves and prevent homeless people from sleeping there.

The archdiocese took down the sprinklers after a barrage of criticism because the system installed at St. Mary's Cathedral was drenching homeless people at night.

KCBS Radio first reported undeterred homeless people were using umbrellas and waterproof gear, but they were still getting soaked as they slept in the doorways. The sprinklers ran for about 75 seconds, about every half hour, starting before sunset in all four doorways, soaking homeless people and their belongings, a KCBS reporter who saw the sprinklers at work reported.

The archdiocese, which supports and helps the homeless, apologized and said its intentions were misunderstood. It said the purpose was redirect homeless people to safer areas on the cathedral grounds.

"We are sorry that our intentions have been misunderstood and recognize that the method used was ill-conceived. It actually has had the opposite effect from what it was intended to do, and for this we are very sorry," said Auxiliary Bishop William Justice, rector of the cathedral.

The system had been dismantled as of Wednesday afternoon, said Larry Kamer, a spokesman for the archdiocese. No homeless people were using the cathedral's alcoves until recently, he said.

The sprinkler system was installed two years ago, after the archdiocese learned that kind of system was being commonly used in the Financial District as a safety and cleanliness measure. Feces, needles and other dangerous items were regularly found in the doorways, Justice said.

"The problem was particularly dangerous because students and elderly people regularly pass these locations on their way to school and Mass every day," Justice said.

Homeless advocates welcomed the archdiocese's decision to remove the sprinklers, but they said they weren't surprised water was being used to get homeless people to move away from the area.

"It's so indicative of how dehumanizing we've become about homeless people," said Paul Boden, organizing director of the Western Regional Advocacy Project, which advocates for homeless people. "If you are going to hose somebody down, they are probably going to move. Water is a very effective tool to get someone to move, and it's become a tool in addressing homeless in America today. It's pretty sad."

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San Francisco cathedral to remove sprinkler system that drenched homeless people at night

SAN FRANCISCO -

A sprinkler system at St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco has for two years been drenching people who seek shelter there.

Why the church's leaders installed the sprinklers is drawing criticism.

The San Francisco Archdiocese says they put in the sprinkler system two years ago to deter the homeless and keep the grounds clean.

They also admit they never got a permit to install the sprinklers, but now they had to get one to dismantle them.

Homeless advocates are outraged and church leaders are apologizing.

"It actually had an opposite effect from what it was intended to do, and for that we are very sorry and apologize," said Bishop William Justice.

The church says they plan to continue their efforts to feed and house the homeless, pointing out that St Mary's opens its door for shelter and food for three weeks over the holidays.

View original post here:
Church admits sprinkler system was to scare away the homeless

Photo: Wikipedia

The Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption has faced criticism for its water sprinkler system that drenches the homeless that seek shelter in its doors.

The Archdiocese of San Francisco has removed a controversial water sprinkler system installed at its home church.

The water sprinkler system refers to the system in theCathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption that sprays water from the ceiling 30 feet down into the four side doors of the church. The sprinkler attracted outrage on social media after KCBSran a report on Wednesday with a video showing the sprinkler system drenching the homeless that take shelter in the cathedral.

According to KCBS, the system sprays water on the church's doors for 75 seconds, every 30 to 60 minutes.

KBCS claimed a cathedral employee had confirmed that church management had installed the sprinkler system as a deterrent against homeless people who seek shelter in the cathedral.

After KBCS ran the report, the water sprinker system attracted criticism from residents and human rights groups.

"It's very shocking, and very inhumane...Certainly not formed on the basis of Catholic teachings,"Coalition on Homeless Executive DirectorJennifer Friedenbach said of the sprinkler system.

The report also prompted the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection to issue a notice of violation against the Cathedral and gave them a 15-day deadline to have the water sprinkler system removed.

Bishop William Justice, a rector in the Cathedral, issued a statementon Wednesday explaining the purpose of the sprinkler system. In the release, Bishop Justice said that the system serves"as a safety, security and cleanliness measure to avoid the situation where needles, feces and other dangerous items were regularly being left in these hidden doorways."

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San Francisco Archdiocese removes controversial water sprinkler system

The Archdiocese of San Francisco is removing a sprinkler system from St. Marys Cathedral that was used to try to deter homeless people from sleeping in the churchs doorways.Catholic officials issued an apology Wednesday for the sprinkler system, which was installed about two years ago after the archdiocese said it learned that such a system was being used in the Financial District to keep areas safe and clean. Homeless advocates, however, were aghast to learn of the sprinkler system at the church.Barry Stenger, executive director of the St. Anthony Foundation, which is not directly affiliated with the archdiocese, said he was surprised such a tactic would be used because Catholic churches have long been known to support homeless people. It seems really inconsistent with how Catholics in this city have treated homeless and people who are poor or are struggling, Stenger said. The archdiocese conceded that the method was ill-conceived.For this we are very sorry, said a statement from the archdiocese.Church officials said the sprinklers were meant to keep the area safe. Needles, feces and other dangerous items were regularly left in the doorways of the church, endangering students and elderly residents as they attended school and mass each day, the archdiocese said.When the system was installed, after other ideas were tried and failed, the people who were regularly sleeping in those doorways were informed in advance that the sprinklers were being installed, the statement said. The idea was not to remove those persons, but to encourage them to relocate to other areas of the Cathedral, which are protected and safer.The archdiocese emphasized that the Catholic community, particularly St. Marys Cathedral, has been a strong supporter of homeless San Franciscans by providing food, housing and shelter programs, among other efforts.The sprinkler system also might have violated San Francisco water-use laws, the archdiocese acknowledged. Removal of the system was expected to be complete Wednesday.

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SF Archdiocese apologizes for using sprinklers to deter homeless