Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Mayor Paul Soglin worries that Madison's main drag, State Street, is becoming overrun with bars and restaurants.

So Soglin is contemplating taking regulatory action to ensure that the mix of retail remains strong on this historic commercial strip.

"What's happening is, we're getting more and more uses that are what I call 'beverage-oriented,' everything from coffee shops to restaurants and bars, as well as bars that pass themselves off as restaurants," Soglin says. "The retailers cannot afford the rents. They cannot compete with the coffee shops and bars."

The mayor says he doesn't have any answers, but would like to start a conversation about the future of the strip, possibly calling for a moratorium on any new bars, restaurants or coffee shops.

"I think the solution is to have a community-wide discussion on the future of State Street," he says. "Do we want a State Street that resembles Sixth Street in Austin or one that resembles the historic State Street, which is more focused on diverse retailers, whether they be paper goods, gifts or novelties."

Austin's Sixth Street is often compared to State Street because it's a thriving college commercial district. But Austin's street is much more of an entertainment district, with large clubs and music venues. "If you go to Sixth in Austin, you can go an entire block and the only retailer you'll see is something that reminds you of Times Square, selling licenses plates or snow globes with the Alamo," says Soglin.

A long-term solution will take a couple of years to develop, Soglin says, but he identifies two possibilities: an "absolute ban on new square footage for liquor licenses" or an overlay zone, which would regulate the mix of businesses.

Soglin says he's resisted banning new liquor licenses, because that inflates the value of existing licenses. But, he adds, it's increasingly tough for retail to survive on State Street. "I'm looking for options that will secure the present uses on the street before we go over a tipping point where we lose most of the retailers."

Sandi Torkildson, owner of A Room of One's Own bookstore on Gorham Street, has long raised concerns about bars and restaurants pushing retail out of the area. She says cities like Boston and San Francisco have laws that require certain types of businesses to get conditional-use permits, to protect retail space.

Mary Carbine, the executive director of the Downtown Business Improvement District, says that retail stores are in a period of transition, not just downtown, but nationally, as "brick and mortar" stores face growing competition from online vendors.

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Mayor Soglin contemplates moratorium on bars, restaurants along State Street

By KBC Reporters

Nkaissery takes over from Joseph ole Lenku (File)

President Uhuru Kenyatta has cracked the whip following Monday night Mandera attack, sacking Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku and subsequently nominating Joseph Ole Nkaissery as his replacement.

I have nominated Hon. Major General (rtd) Joseph Nkaissery as the new Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government. I hope the National Assembly will expedite the process of his vetting and approval, he said.

The President announced the changes at Statehouse Nairobi during a Media briefing Tuesday afternoon following the Mandera killings by Al-shabaab militants that left 36 people dead and several others injured.

The MP for Kajiado Central takes over the security docket from Joseph ole Lenku under whose tenure, the country has suffered a spate of security lapses.

At the same time the President also accepted the resignation of the Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo who now heads for retirement.

The president said, Mr David Kimaiyo offered to retire and I have accepted the retirement request. I therefore take this opportunity to thank Mr David Kimaiyo for his many years of service to our nation.

The changes come barely days after increased pressure from civil societies and Kenyans on the President to relieve the two of their duties over their perceived failure to arrest the runaway insecurity in the country.

Joseph Ole Lenku becomes the first Cabinet Secretary to lose his job under the Jubilee government after barely serving for 20 months, while Kimaiyo had served for 2 years since his appointment as IG in December 2012.

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Nkaissery nominated Interior Cabinet Secretary

Maybe this holiday season, you're looking for a way to spruce up your home, a little remodeling, or some new window treatments.

But there are some things you might now know about having new shutters installed.

Alan Clegg, owner of Wastach Shutter, talks shares some details about shutter installation.

Wasatch Shutter is locally owned and operated for 17 years.

Benefits of shutters: Transformation in room appearance Consider how much wall square footage is devoted to windows in a typical room and the impact of having that "piece of furniture" to dress it up! Insulation & In home comfort = decreased utility costs

Wasatch Shutters provide a free in home consultation by a design technician and make sure you are educated before you make this investment in your home.

Sub for Santa Campaign in December $25 of every shutter order sold in November will be donated to Sub for Santa families.

For more information visit wasatchshutter.com.

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Shutter company to help 'Sub for Santa' for the holidays

Outdoor|Siding text: Tim Carter

Vinyl Siding Installation Tips

Vinyl siding is just about the most popular exterior building material in use today. It is used in vast quantities in the remodeling market as people replace old aluminum siding or cover wood siding maintenance nightmares. Over two billion square feet of vinyl siding is produced each year in the USA.

This number is expected to rise significantly because of the arrival of the new solid core siding product. People who were previously turned off by the look of vinyl may be attracted to this product. Rising energy costs will undoubtedly cause more builders to use this siding to make their homes more energy efficient.

Vinyl siding is not too hard to install but it takes a little skill, proper equipment to get you and the product up in the air, and some layout skills. You need to be able to look forward and above you to see how you are going to deal with certain details on the home. You must always be aware of drainage paths and protection of the framing lumber. Water can get behind vinyl siding and it must not be allowed to touch any wood!

Guess what? The number one problem with vinyl siding is improper installation! Over 99 percent of all problems can be traced to installers. Unfortunately, many installers use unskilled laborers to install the product. Or, some builders allow untrained individuals to attach it to walls and gable ends. While it is not a hard product to install, there are many things you need to know if you want a professional installation. Here are several of the most important aspects of installing vinyl siding:

Required Tools

Vinyl siding requires some very basic tools. If you are a DIY'r attempting this project you probably have many. Here is a list of tools that will help you complete the job: Hammer, level, tape measure, chalk line, circular saw with a fine blade (saw blade will be installed backwards on the saw!), utility knife, tin snips, framing square, caulk & gun, drill (optional), cutting/sawing table, ladders and misc. other staging equipment. You will need some specialty tools as well such as a snaplock punch and a nail slot punch. A zip unlock tool may also come in handy.

Surface Preparation is Critical

The surface to which the siding will be applied must be as smooth as possible and solid. Now is the time to seal energy leaks. Caulk all cracks around windows and doors at this time.

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Vinyl Siding Installation Tips | Ask the Builder

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A YORK joiner is looking to take homes across the country off the power grid after designing a new roofing system.

David Wilson founded Stealth Roofing Systems and is now looking to take his concept into the production phase after registering his designs.

His roofing system is based on a dorma loft conversion model, which is entirely pre-fabricated off site using solar panels and aluminium.

After first coming up with the idea in 2011, Mr Wilson has developed the designs, and progresses through the Growth Accelerator programme, impressing his mentor Steve Gledhill so much that he has now joined Mr Wilson as Stealth's financial director.

Mr Wilson said: "I've been a joiner for more than 40 years, and after a period in Spain I returned to England looking for work with loft conversions.

"One of my first jobs was over the Christmas and New Year period; it was freezing cold and there were lots of days lost due to the weather.

"Alongside this I started noticing the ugliness of solar panels blighting roof tops. You would look down a street and several houses would have solar panels but they were all arranged differently.

"I thought let's make them aesthetically pleasing and make roof building safer, and more efficient."

Mr Wilson has incorporated rainwater harvesting into the roofing system, alongside a hurricane proof hold down system, and a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery system which will provide free heating to the property.

As Stealth Roofing Systems progresses towards the production phase it now needs a project to act as proof of concept, which will help the business apply for future funding.

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Joiner reveals designs for the future of solar roofing

SoftBank Corp. (9984) lost its subscriber growth lead for the first time in 4 1/2 years after rivals joined it in offering Apple Inc.s iPhone.

The CHART OF THE DAY tracks Japanese customer additions for SoftBank since NTT Docomo Inc. (9437) became the nations last wireless carrier to offer the iPhone in September last year. Billionaire Masayoshi Sons company trailed its larger rival last quarter, just the second time since SoftBank became the first to offer the smartphone in Japan in 2008.

Until Docomos introduction of the iPhone, its subscribers were an all-you-can eat buffet for SoftBank, said Makoto Kikuchi, chief executive officer at Myojo Asset Management Co. in Tokyo. Sons attention has shifted overseas. Domestically, they are in a defensive mode.

Son is relying on domestic earnings to help fund his expansion into the U.S. market after the $22 billion acquisition of Sprint Corp. last year. Increased competition at home complicates the Tokyo-based carriers balancing act of paying to turn around the money-losing U.S. operations and servicing its 9.98 trillion yen ($84 billion) of debt.

Docomo, Japans largest wireless carrier, led the countrys net user additions for the three months ended September with 729,000 subscribers, according to Bloomberg Industries data compiled from company reports. KDDI Corp., No. 2, added 580,000, followed by SoftBanks 565,000, the data show.

NTT Docomo added content to the service that comes pre-installed on Apple Inc. iPhones and Android-based mobiles for subscribers. Close

NTT Docomo added content to the service that comes pre-installed on Apple Inc. iPhones... Read More

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NTT Docomo added content to the service that comes pre-installed on Apple Inc. iPhones and Android-based mobiles for subscribers.

SoftBank last month forecast its first profit drop in nine years amid customer losses at Sprint as competition for new subscribers in the U.S. intensified. Son said at the time acquisitions going forward will focus on Asian Internet companies.

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SoftBanks IPhone Edge Erased by Docomo: Chart of the Day

December 2, 2014 - Pacific Coast League (PCL) Nashville Sounds NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds coaching staff for the 2015 season was named today by the Oakland Athletics and it features a veteran manager with a pair of personnel additions from Double-A.

Steve Scarsone will join the Sounds as manager and becomes the 26th manager in the team's 38-year franchise history. It will be his seventh season in the Oakland organization. His coaching staff will consist of pitching coach Don Schulze, hitting coach Webster Garrison, trainer Brad LaRosa and strength coach Terence Brannic

The 48-year old Scarsone started coaching with the Arizona organization in 2001 and spent two years as a manager in the minors. He then stepped away from baseball for several years, before entering 2009 as the manager for Oakland's Single-A team. He worked his way through Advanced-A Stockton (2010) and Double-A Midland (2011-12) in the years ahead, before being named manager for Triple-A Sacramento in 2013. This year will mark the third consecutive season he will manage Oakland's top minor league affiliate.

Scarsone compiled a .549 winning percentage over the last two years at Triple-A, posting a 79-65 record in both campaigns. Scarsone holds an all-time mark of 568-554 (.506) and has posted winning records in five of his eight seasons as a manager. The Anaheim, Calif. native featured a 14-year playing career and made his Major League debut on May 15, 1992 with the Philadelphia Phillies. He appeared in the PCL during his playing days for parts of three seasons, including Triple-A Vancouver in 1998.

Schulze was named the Sounds' pitching coach for 2015 after having served in the same capacity at Double-A Midland the last four years. He broke into the A's organization back in 2006 and has coached at virtually every level of the minors.

Schulze spent a pair of seasons with Kane County (2007-08) and Stockton (2009-10) before landing with Midland in 2011. The pitching numbers improved every year under his watch at Double-A. After recording the second-worst earned run average (4.92) in the Texas League during 2011, the RockHounds progressed each season and finished 2014 with a 3.71 ERA, tied for second-best.

The 52-year old was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the first round (11th pick) of the 1980 amateur draft. After making his Major League debut with the Cubbies on September 13, 1983, Schulze went on to appear with five different MLB teams over the span of an 11-year playing career.

Garrison was named Nashville's hitting coach for the upcoming campaign. He enters his 15th year with Oakland as either a manger or a coach, the longest tenure of any on the staff.

Garrison had spent 10 seasons at Midland serving as a player-coach, manager and hitting coach. He was a part of championship years in 2005, 2009 and 2014 and possessed a 147-133 record during the two seasons he managed the ballclub (2004, 2008). Overall, the Louisiana native has accrued a 534-522 managerial record throughout four different minor league levels.

The 49-year old was selected in the second round of the 1983 amateur draft by Toronto. He compiled a 16-year playing career and made his Major League debut with Oakland on August 2, 1996.

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Sounds Announce 2015 Coaching Staff

December 2, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL) Norfolk Admirals NORFOLK, Va. - The additions of forwards Emerson Etem, William Karlsson and Max Friberg helped the Admirals claim victory in two out of three games last week. While the newcomers helped power the team to wins, mainstays Louis Leblanc and Yann Danis played pivotal roles as well.

Wednesday night at Scope Arena in Norfolk was a special evening for Admirals fans. The team received both Emerson Etem and William Karlsson via reassignment from the NHL's Anaheim Ducks. Etem put home an empty netter to a cap off a victory over the Checkers in a contest that belonged to Leblanc, as his two-goal effort proved to be the difference in a 4-1 win. Chris Wagner also chipped home his team-high eighth goal of the season as well.

The Admirals were able to claim back-to-back victories for just the second time of the year Friday night in Hartford. Yann Danis stopped all 35 Wolf Pack shots en route to his third win of the season and his first shutout. Friberg, who had missed every game until Wednesday after injuring his arm during his first shift of the season, scored a power play goal in the second period. Leblanc remained red-hot, notching his third goal in two games in the 2-0 road victory.

After falling behind 1-0 early in the first period on Saturday in Lehigh Valley, Norfolk scored two unanswered goals courtesy of Karlsson and Joseph Cramarossa. The back-and-forth match saw the teams trade three power play goals. Karlsson would add his second goal of the night in the final period. Despite peppering Phantoms' goalie Anthony Stolarz with 38 shots, the Admirals fell by a 4-3 final.

Norfolk improved their record to 8-12-0-0 for a total of 16 points, just four behind Lehigh Valley for fourth in the East Division. The Admirals six-game road swing continues this week with trips to Charlotte Tuesday, Springfield Friday and Manchester on Saturday with all games starting at 7 p.m. The trip concludes with the Monarchs on Sunday for a 3 p.m. face-off.

ON THE RADIO/INTERNET

All regular-season games will air live on 1650 AM WHKT "The Answer" and online at 1650theanswer.com. AHL Live will also carry online video of every Admirals game on a pay-per-view or season pass basis. Fans can log in to watch, listen or get more information about AHL Live's online audio and video features at ahllive.com.

Tune in live to 1650 AM "The Answer" every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. for the "Admirals Hour" with the "Voice of the Admirals" Pete Michaud and the "Original Admiral" Dennis McEwen. Michaud and McEwen discuss the latest in Norfolk Admirals hockey, speak with guests, update you on the Anaheim Ducks, as well as answer any calls during the show. Ask Pete and Dennis your questions by calling in to the studio at 757-454-1650.

STANDINGS UPDATE

At 8-12-0-0 (16 points), the Admirals are in 5th place in the East Division and are in 15th place in the Eastern Conference.

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Norfolk Admirals Weekly