Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Wendy Wiiks, grants administrator for the city of Leominster, stands in front of the historic Drake House, which was used in the underground railroad. Wiiks is applying for grants to help restore the building. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE / Ashley Green

Sentinel and Enterprise staff photos can be ordered by visiting our SmugMug site.

LEOMINSTER -- An architectural firm has estimated that it will cost about $1.2 million to restore the historic Drake House to how it appeared in 1851, when it hosted fugitive slave Shadrach Minkins.

Wendy Wiiks, the city's grant administrator, said the restoration plan is the first step in applying for grants to cover the cost of bringing the city-owned home, at 21 Franklin St., once used in the underground railroad, back to its original appearance.

"We'd never be able to get any grants unless we have a plan," Wiiks said Monday about the $60,000 assessment and feasibility study commissioned in August by the city and paid for with a $30,000 grant from the Massachusetts Historical Commission and an equal match by the city.

Sentinel and Enterprise staff photos can be ordered by visiting our SmugMug site.

The assessment, according to the Mattapoisett architectural firm Durland Van Voorhis, sought to "document the existing conditions both structurally and architecturally, to develop short, medium and long-term preservation priorities with their related costs and to develop a schematic design plan that would both preserve the Drake House and make its history more accessible to the city and its visitors."

The firm had outside consultants inspect and analyze all aspects of the 1 1/2-story home, which included determining its original structure and paint colors.

According to the assessment, much of the original Drake House remains as it was when it was first built: "Original doors and windows are still functioning and in generally good condition.

However, because the home was built 170 years ago, several dormers have been added, as have a couple of porches, and there is asbestos siding and aluminum panning that covers the exterior.

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A trip back in time for historic Drake House as Leominster plans $1.2 million restoration

First Congregational Church sponsors Saugus student

Rev. Martha Leahy, center, minister of the First Congregational Church in Saugus, presents a check to Joelle Fabrizio, left, a UMass student who will be traveling to Guatemala to aid families who live in poverty. Also pictured is Cheryl Panico, a member of the churchs Pumpkin Patch committee.

Posted: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 3:00 am

Church sponsors Saugus students aid trip to Guatemala

The First Congregational Church in Saugus Center will help sponsor Saugus resident Joelle Fabrizio, a student at UMass, who will join a group of UMass students traveling to Guatemala to aid families living in poverty conditions. A portion of the money raised from the churchs annual Pumpkin Patch, held every October, is traditionally given to sponsor a person or community group through donations or scholarships.

Fabrizio has donated her spring break time to help those in need in Guatemala as part of UMass Beacon Voyages. Members of the group will aid in the construction of new stoves and ventilation in poverty-stricken homes. As a result of poor ventilation of stoves, many poor Guatemalan women and their children suffer from premature blindness, tuberculosis and a variety of both debilitating and fatal lung conditions. Other projects will also help improve the quality of life of these Guatemalan people who were born in poverty.

Posted in News on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 3:00 am. | Tags: Saugus

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Church sponsors Saugus students aid trip to Guatemala

Whirlpool appliance Repair 201-589-2399 Service in Franklin Lakes, NJ
Welcome to Whirlpool appliance Repair Service in Franklin Lakes, NJ Visit our web site web site http://www.appliance-medic.com whirlpool washing machine repa...

By: Solomon Pollak

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Whirlpool appliance Repair 201-589-2399 Service in Franklin Lakes, NJ - Video

Lodgeville Road Property Approved For Residential Housing Lodgeville Road Property Approved For Residential Housing

Updated: Monday, February 23 2015 11:55 PM EST2015-02-24 04:55:18 GMT

The Bridgeport Planning Commission met to discuss the future for a prime piece of real estate in Harrison County.

The Bridgeport Planning Commission met to discuss the future for a prime piece of real estate in Harrison County.

Updated: Monday, February 23 2015 6:33 PM EST2015-02-23 23:33:08 GMT

Good news for some Marion County: the board of education has approved the installation of new tile flooring at Watson Elementary School in Fairmont.

Good news for some Marion County: the board of education has approved the installation of new tile flooring at Watson Elementary School in Fairmont.

Updated: Monday, February 23 2015 5:30 PM EST2015-02-23 22:30:10 GMT

Comcast presented a check for $7,000 to the Mountaineer Boys and Girls Club Monday. The money was provided through a grant for expanding digital literacy.

Comcast presented a check for $7,000 to the Mountaineer Boys and Girls Club Monday. The money was provided through a grant for expanding digital literacy.

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Watson Elementary School Unveils Plans for New Tile Flooring

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Eco-DriBloc is for use under most types of resilient floor coverings, including luxury vinyl tile/plank, fiberglass back sheet vinyl, carpet tile, VCT, cork tile, cork/rubber/foam underlayments, laminate flooring and all other floating floors. This innovative eco-friendly product is used over porous concrete to help reduce penetration of the adhesive and dusting of the concrete, which results in increased spread rates and a stronger bond with DriTac resilient water-based floor covering adhesives.

DriTac Flooring Products, LLC is celebrating over 59 years as one of the oldest and most experienced manufacturers of environmentally friendly flooring adhesives in the market. DriTac's innovative and high-tech product line is available through more than 100 distributors and flooring outlets nationwide. For more information, or to receive a complete product guide for all DriTac adhesives and installation products for wood and resilient flooring, contact: John Lio, 60 Webro Road Clifton, N.J. 07012; Ph: 800-394-9310 ext. 243; e-mail: jlio@DriTac.com; or Web: http://www.DriTac.com.

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Moisture Barrier suits resilient flooring installations.

Lodgeville Road Property Approved For Residential Housing Lodgeville Road Property Approved For Residential Housing

Updated: Monday, February 23 2015 11:55 PM EST2015-02-24 04:55:18 GMT

The Bridgeport Planning Commission met to discuss the future for a prime piece of real estate in Harrison County.

The Bridgeport Planning Commission met to discuss the future for a prime piece of real estate in Harrison County.

Updated: Monday, February 23 2015 6:33 PM EST2015-02-23 23:33:08 GMT

Good news for some Marion County: the board of education has approved the installation of new tile flooring at Watson Elementary School in Fairmont.

Good news for some Marion County: the board of education has approved the installation of new tile flooring at Watson Elementary School in Fairmont.

Updated: Monday, February 23 2015 5:30 PM EST2015-02-23 22:30:10 GMT

Comcast presented a check for $7,000 to the Mountaineer Boys and Girls Club Monday. The money was provided through a grant for expanding digital literacy.

Comcast presented a check for $7,000 to the Mountaineer Boys and Girls Club Monday. The money was provided through a grant for expanding digital literacy.

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UPDATE: Marion County Sheriff's Dept. Makes Arrest In Drug Ring Investigation

It's been a busy week for the Division of Highways, as crews have been working around the clock to keep your roads clear. After being in plow mode for several days, they're finally able to utilize some of their road salt, now that the sun is out and temperatures have risen.

With temperatures continuing to drop into the night, the Division of Highways said it had a short reprieve Monday to continue to maintain roads across North Central West Virginia.

"Rock salt is basically effective until about 15 degrees. Now, if you have a bright, sunny day and it's 15 degrees and rising, we'll still use it. In fact, we may even use it at lower temperatures, but its effectiveness decreases as those temperatures go below 15 degrees," said Ray Urse, District 4 engineer/manager.

With temperatures averaging in the mid-to-upper teens Monday afternoon, those salt and plow trucks were out in full force using chemical de-icing agents on asphalt and concrete roads. As for the other roads....

"We cannot use those chemicals on stone-based roads or tar and chip roads because it will destroy the base of those roads. We use #8 stone, or what people refer to as "P-Gravel," as an abrasive. It offers nothing in the way of melting ice, but it does afford some traction," said Urse.

Urse said his crews work on a priority basis, treating the interstates and primary connecting routes first. Those same crews then move to the secondary roads, which include bus routes with the highest daily traffic counts, and continue down the list.

"If we get a subsequent snow, we have to return to priority ones immediately. So they have to be clear before we go to twos, threes, and fours," said Urse.

That means that it may take crews some time to get to some rural areas. Urse says many of the roads he receives complaints about are for "chain traffic only" - as noted in the guidelines from the DOH's maintenance manual.

"We will remove snow in a priority basis, but those roads will not be cleared. It is the responsibility of the public to get out to the primary roads. We're out every day. It may not be on the road that you live on, but we're out every day," said Urse.

Any questions regarding snow removal should be directed to the Department of Transportation's Citizens Assistance Line at 1(800) 642-9292.

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DOH Crews Still Working Around the Clock to Maintain and Treat Roads

Lodgeville Road Property Approved For Residential Housing Lodgeville Road Property Approved For Residential Housing

Updated: Monday, February 23 2015 11:55 PM EST2015-02-24 04:55:18 GMT

The Bridgeport Planning Commission met to discuss the future for a prime piece of real estate in Harrison County.

The Bridgeport Planning Commission met to discuss the future for a prime piece of real estate in Harrison County.

Updated: Monday, February 23 2015 6:33 PM EST2015-02-23 23:33:08 GMT

Good news for some Marion County: the board of education has approved the installation of new tile flooring at Watson Elementary School in Fairmont.

Good news for some Marion County: the board of education has approved the installation of new tile flooring at Watson Elementary School in Fairmont.

Updated: Monday, February 23 2015 5:30 PM EST2015-02-23 22:30:10 GMT

Comcast presented a check for $7,000 to the Mountaineer Boys and Girls Club Monday. The money was provided through a grant for expanding digital literacy.

Comcast presented a check for $7,000 to the Mountaineer Boys and Girls Club Monday. The money was provided through a grant for expanding digital literacy.

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Lodgeville Road Property Approved For Residential Housing

HID Hut is a provider of indoor gardening supplies and high quality natural gardening solutions in Florida that aims at providing the best products for each grower to maximize their yields on a budget. Our products include indoor HPS and LED grow lights, centrifugal fans, environmental controls including CO2 supplementation, harvesting gear including drying racks as well as high quality nutrients to assist in the healthy development of plants.

Grow Lights HID Huts wide range of grow lights include HPS, MH, LED, and Fluorescent grow light kits. You can learn more about the quality of the products we offer and their features by reading through the LED grow light reviews. You can use grow lights to grow plants that are far more superior to what just sunlight produces through the maximization of light cycles.

Gardening Solutions HID Hut offers a huge inventory of gardening products including UFO grow lights as well as solid advice on how to perfect your garden. You can get everything from cloning kits, nutrients, gardening books, harvesting gear, and safety equipment to complete hydroponic kits including deep water culture and ebb flow to help you set up your own hydroponic garden! Browse through our website now to learn more about complete hydroponic solutions designed specifically for you. And, as always, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask our experts for superior growing advice!

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LED Grow Lights | Hydroponics

I have to admit, one of the things I find most annoying about the Aerogarden is that the grow bulbs seem to blow out on a regular basis, and worse, the only way to get replacements is to go to Aerogarden's store.

Here's the problem--just one of these light bulbs easily cost upwards of $10-13. It's a clever way for Aerogarden to get themselves a regular source of revenue, sort of like the way Gillette never made money on its razors but on the razor blades. But for someone like me who wanted to get into indoor gardening partially to save money, it really doesn't make sense for me to be raving about how I save money by not buying fresh herbs, but end up paying triple the amount I would have paid in electricity and replacement bulbs.

Now for years I've been fastidiously buying from the Aerogarden Store, but when one of my grow lights decided to fail lately, I decided to bite the bullet and try one of these adapters I've been seeing on eBay. They look like this:

Here's how it works. You take a regular CFL or LED light bulb, the same kind you use around the house, and screw it into the adapter.

Then, you plug the adapter right into the Aerogarden. Note that certain light bulbs are going to be too big to fit, but the ones I happened to have lying around fit perfectly.

For your reference, Aerogarden replacement lights typically produce 1450 lumens of light and use 26 watts, so you'll want your CFL or LED bulb to output about the same.

One thing to keep in mind is that depending on what model of Aerogarden you have, you'll need to choose between two types of light bulb sockets.

Most Aerogardens that have three lights except for the Ultra, including the original Aerogarden Extra (not the "Miracle Gro" branded Aerogarden Extra), Aerogarden Extra Elite, VeggiePro, Elite+, Pro200, Deluxe, and Deluxe Upgrade Kit) use a light bulb that has more of a flat end, with two metal prongs coming out of it parallel to the shape of the light (model #100633).

Now obviously this isn't sanctioned by Aerogarden, so chances are if you have a warranty on your product using one of these would probably invalidate it if they were to find out. On the other hand, if you're like me and have already sent hundreds of dollars of your hard-earned money to them, these little adapters are a great way to keep your gardens running.

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Indoor Gardening - My Aerogarden and Houseplant Blog ...