Home Builder Developer, Interior Renovation and Design

As Californians struggle with one of the worst droughts in their history, the landscape of the state is changing. Increasinly, in laws and backyards, homeowners are choosing a new look. Green is out. Brown is in.

Los Angeles landscape designer Francesa Corra says California's historic dryspell is actually good for business.

"I get phone calls almost every day from people wanting to take out their lawns," she said, explaining how the lawn industry might adapt. "The industry and professionals at all levels: gardeners, homeowners, nursery people."

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Corra herself has traded thirsty plants for drought tolerant ones in her own yard. She says she's saved nearly half on her water bill by having a garden with no grass.

"If you have a spray irrigation in your front yard, that spray head puts out about the same amount of water as a shower head in your bathroom," she said. "So, when you turn on your sprinklers, you have a basketball team showering on your front lawn."

Homeowner Paul Moser once had the biggest lawn on the block. No more; he's getting ready for a yard filled with cactus and other drought-resistant vegetation.

"California just can't pour water on giant lawns anymore," he said. "It's not responsible."

He says having the lushest lawn on the street is a thing of the past.

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Californians becoming creative as drought dries out their lawns

LEWISTON Theres one more chance to shop for summer bargains and view the best vegetables, flowers and crafts at the annual Lewiston Country Fair and Community Yard Sale, sponsored by the Village of Lewiston Recreation Department with assistance from the Lewiston Garden Club.

It will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Village of Lewiston/Red Brick School grounds, 145 N. Fourth St.

One mans trash is another mans treasure and the Community Yard Sale is true recycling time. Members of the community are invited to rent a space to sell their trash and treasures in the annual event. Spaces are $12 for a 10- by 10-foot space, or $15 after Monday. Reserve spaces by calling 754-1990.

The Country Fair also invites amateur gardeners, farmers, bakers, photographers and both creative children and adults to sign up for competitions. Registration for events begins at 8:45 a.m. and ends at 10 a.m. on the day of the fair. Registration forms for all events can be obtained in advance at the Village of Lewiston office or village recreation office, both at 145 N. Fourth St.

As in all country fairs, there will be vegetable and flower judging in a number of categories. Large pumpkins are always welcomed. Flowers will be based on those blooming in September, as well as dried arrangements and house plants. All of the entries must have been grown by the entrant.

Other Country Fair competitions include:

Amateur bakers. There will be cake, pie, cookie and miscellaneous competitions. All ingredients must be from scratch and must be listed. Instant pudding and cake mixes cannot be used. There will be prizes in each division as well as a Best of Show.

Relish and jam competition. This will include pickles, salsa and relishes, jams and preserves. Ingredients must be listed and must be made from scratch.

Scarecrows will be judged in the Avenue of Scarecrows. Families and individuals are invited to submit an entry. Ribbons will be given in various divisions and a best of show ribbon will be awarded to the best scarecrow. Each entrant must supply their own scarecrow.

Photography. Amateur photographers may submit entries in one of four categories nature, people, landscape and photos of Lewiston. A special prize will be awarded in the Lewiston category. Photos may be in color or black and white. All photos must be at least 5 by 7 inches and must be matted or framed. Only two entries can be submitted per category.

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Yard sale among highlights of Lewiston Country Fair

MONTREAL Many Montrealers and visitors have sorely missed the secret pool on the mountain this summer, and even as the season draws to a sunny close, a grassroots movement to get the popular pool reopened in time for next year is gathering momentum.

The Royal Victoria Hospital pool on the southern flank of Mount Royal had been growing in popularity for the last decade, as tourism blogs and Internet lists kept outing it as a hidden gem and one of the coolest places to swim in Montreal.

But last summer, the pool closed in mid-August after a man drowned there. Hospital administrators made the decision not to reopen it this summer because their resources were stretched dealing with the Royal Vics imminent move to the new superhospital site in Notre-Dame-de-Grce.

But when Olivier Lapierre, a regular pool user since 2007, learned of the closing this summer, he immediately began gathering evidence that there is strong public support for getting the pool back in the swim by next summer.

Lapierres Save Royal Victoria Pool Facebook page has 508 likes so far. Environmental and heritage organizations are voicing their support for its reopening, and the city councillor for the Peter McGill district where the pool is located is looking into the possibility of making it a municipal pool.

This pool on the slope of Mount Royal, with the trees all around and the exceptional view of downtown, away from the heavy city noise ... It was just perfect, said Lapierre, an urban planner, community and heritage activist, and a project manager with the Quebec Landscape Architects Association.

The McGill University Health Centre had been operating the pool on a break-even basis, by charging a $5 daily entrance fee to the general public and $60 for a seasons pass for employees.

In a letter to Lapierre, MUHC spokesperson Julie Paquet said the hospitals mission is to serve its patients, so it will not maintain the pool once it moves to its new site. But she said the MUHC is open to evaluating any serious offer if a community group or municipality wants to take it over.

Lapierre figures there are four possibilities to keep the pool from becoming another urban ghost left to decay: the city of Montreal could make it a municipal pool; McGill University could take it over if it succeeds in its bid to take over the former MUHC buildings; a non-profit community organization could take it over; or a public fundraising campaign could be launched to save it (like the +Pool project for which New Yorkers are being asked via Kickstarter to buy tiles to help build a floating, water filtering pool in the river.)

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A plea for the secret pool on the mountain

Tom Waterhouse is chief executive of William Hill's Australian operations. Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Fairfax Media via Getty Images

William Hill, the global British betting firm whose Australian operations are headed by prominent Sydney racing identity Tom Waterhouse, has struck a secretive financing deal to funnel millions in punters' losses to Gibraltar.

The group acquired the nation's largest online bookmaker, Sportingbet, and Waterhouse's eponymous online wagering business, last year. Waterhouse was later appointed chief executive.

The financial statements for his company, William Hill Holdings Pty Ltd, show a loan of 334 million ($580 million) from a company in Gibraltar called Steeplechase. The hefty 5.79 per cent interest rate on this loan means $40 million of profits will go offshore, tax free, each year.

There is increasing concern in government and racing-industry circles over the small contribution made by corporate bookmakers in taxes and levies in Australia. News of this William Hill tax scheme is likely to bolster support for proper regulation of corporate gambling.

Already, gambling reform is back on the table in Canberra. A motion by National Party senator for Victoria, Bridget McKenzie, was carried at last weekend's party conference for online gambling to be regulated by the Commonwealth.

Such a move would thwart the big corporate bookmakers Ladbrokes, Paddy Power and William Hill from "jurisdiction shopping" to find the best odds on tax and licensing.

Most corporate bookies are licensed in the Northern Territory where, on the most recent figures available, the entire sector paid just $2.3 million tax on turnover of $5.7 billion and profit of $469 million.

National regulation, if judiciously implemented, would prove a boon for taxpayers, the racing industry and the punters. The only losers would be foreign shareholders of the British betting houses that have expanded their interests dramatically here over the past three years.

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Bookie sends millions offshore