Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

A pest control agency found pockets of bed bugs Wednesday in a Lodi movie theater after the theater shut down to investigate reports from movie-goers, officials said.

Clark Pest Control said it discovered small pockets of bed bugs in limited areas of the Lodi Stadium 12 Cinemas and took care of the issue on site.

Officials said Clark was completing the eradication and found no live bed bugs during a follow-up inspection.

"We are battling bed bug infestations in many places in California's Central Valley and are confident in the service that we are providing the Lodi Stadium 12 Cinemas theater complex," Clark Pest Control officials said. "Their pest issues are limited and under control."

Lodi theater officials made the decision to shut down the theater Sunday and get it inspected after some theater patrons reported getting bites from the bugs.

The theater said it will reopen Thursday morning, and ensures that regularly scheduled inspections will continue throughout the year.

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Pest control finds pockets of bed bugs in Lodi theater

Press Release As part of its Healthy Homes educational initiative, the LSU AgCenter LaHouse Resource Center in Baton Rouge will host a daylong Lead Certified Renovator Training course on Sept. 16 beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Along with the primary goal of preventing lead poisoning, LaHouse seeks to aid contractors in fulfilling EPAs Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP) requirements, said Claudette Reichel, AgCenter extension housing specialist.

The RRP Rule requires firms and contractors who disturb paint in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities to be certified by EPA and to follow specific lead-safe work practices. These work practices greatly decrease the risk of lead contamination caused by common home renovation, repair and painting activities.

Even very low levels of lead in children can cause irreversible damage to developing brains and other organs. It can lead to learning and behavior disorders, impaired hearing, and other development health effects without clear symptoms of lead poisoning.

Course registration includes the course book, hands-on activities and certification test. Individuals who complete the course and pass the certification test will receive official EPA certificates from EnviroEd, a national EPA-accredited training provider. The classes, taught by LaHouse instructors, also qualify for eight CEUs for Louisiana Residential Contractors.

For more information or to register, go to http://www.lsuagcenter.com/lahouse or contact Reichel at 225-578-7913.

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AgCenter Offers Lead Certified Renovator Training Sept. 16 in Baton Rouge

As part of its Healthy Homes educational initiative, the LSU AgCenter LaHouse Resource Center will hold a daylong Lead Certified Renovator Training course.

The training will take place at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 16 in Baton Rouge.

Claudette Reichel, AgCenter extension housing specialist said along with the primary goal of preventing lead poisoning, LaHouse seeks to aid contractors in fulfilling EPA's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule requirements.

The RRP Rule requires firms and contractors who disturb paint in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities to be certified by EPA and to follow specific lead-safe work practices. These work practices greatly decrease the risk of lead contamination caused by common home renovation, repair and painting activities.

Even very low levels of lead in children can cause irreversible damage to developing brains and other organs. It can lead to learning and behavior disorders, impaired hearing, and other development health effects without clear symptoms of lead poisoning.

Course registration includes the course book, hands-on activities and certification test. Individuals who complete the course and pass the certification test will receive official EPA certificates from EnviroEd, a national EPA-accredited training provider. The classes, taught by LaHouse instructors, also qualify for eight CEUs for Louisiana Residential Contractors.

For more information or to register, go to http://www.lsuagcenter.com/lahouse or contact Reichel at (225) 578-7913.

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This Just In

Many expat families in the Kingdom continue to express concern over the increasing price of housemaid services offered by labor recruitment agencies. Demand continues to soar as recruitment agencies in the Kingdom face a major shortage in the number of domestic maids. Riyadh-based labor recruitment agency Saudi Manpower Services (SMASCO), for instance, has raised prices in comparison with last year. Employers used to pay SR1,260 per month for housemaid services, which has since risen to SR1,580. Some agencies even insist that employers pay close to SR46,000 in salaries and admin costs in full in advance while signing a two-year contract. Saima Qazzafi, a Pakistani mother of three in Riyadh, needs domestic help. She visited a recruitment agency and was told that there are no housemaids available for the next three months. Only housemaids from Kenya are available, who are limited in number due to high demand. I was shocked to find out the price of the total package, which is way too much, she said. I am traveling in three months and doubt I can find someone reliable by that time. Qazzafi then considered hiring a part time maid independent from the agency. She spoke to several Sri Lankan part-timers who are in the Kingdom on their own visas. They charge anywhere between SR2,700 and SR3,000, she said. They also demand SR25 per hour and the taxi fare to and from my house. Sameera Arshad, a housewife in Riyadh, also told Arab News of the bitter experience she had hiring housemaids from agencies. Arshad is also struggling to find domestic help since prices increased. Some agencies stipulate that we pay SR8,000 to SR10,000 to transfer the housemaids residency permit (iqama) onto my husbands iqama, she said. Apart from the monthly salary, we will also be burdened with extra charges, such as iqama renewal and medical bills. Another labor recruitment agency in Riyadh stipulates that employers pay up in advance after signing the two-year contract without offering an installment-based payment method. Zubda Nazir, a Pakistani housewife in Riyadh, expressed her concern over the lack of payment options after she visited the agency. Nazir is struggling during the summer holidays in Riyadh with four young children and no domestic help. How can we pay a lump sum that we cannot afford? she asked. The salaries of the heads of our families are not as high because of our nationalities. This is a major risk factor because we would be stuck with the maid we get regardless of her performance and reliability.

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Maid recruitment agencies raise prices

By this fall well have over 100,000 plants, says project manager Patrick Breedlove, looking out over the yard of potted natives.

Those pots represent just the starting stock for what Breedlove eventually hopes to see covering the yard and growing along Cherokee stream banks. The department is continuing to get more species in largely from the N.C. Forest Service, which has given the Eastern Band a reduced price with plans to gather still more from the backcountry.

Come fall, theyll take cuttings of all the plants and start growing those cuttings into new plants. Those baby plants will go in the greenhouse for the winter while their roots grow and their stems harden into wood, and from there theyll move to a soon-to-be-erected cold-weather hoop house. The last stop will be a return to the grow yard when the weather gets warm, where theyll await planting in some tribal restoration project. Meanwhile, another batch will be growing up six months behind.

Our goal in three to five years is for us to provide all plants, not just for environmental-based projects but to land-based projects that need native plants, Breedlove said.

The tribe doesnt reveal cost figures for projects, but the propagation operation, with its automated greenhouse and irrigation system, soon-to-be-installed tower lights and security system and the impending renovation of a historic house onsite that will serve as an office didnt come cheaply. But within three years, Breedlove said, the greenhouse operation will have paid for itself.

The plants will mainly be used in restoration projects to improve waterside habitats and wildlife forage. Before, the Eastern Band has had to buy all those plants from some other supplier, but its a whole lot cheaper to grow them in-house. For instance, a rhododendron in one gallon of soil costs $3.30 to buy, but only about $0.60 to propagate.

For some of them, were about 10 or 15 percent of cost, Breedlove said.

Its the potential for cost savings that initially sparked Breedloves interest in the greenhouse idea. He started looking into the dollars and cents in 2012, submitting a financial analysis to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which funds ECBI restoration projects. The funds were approved in October, with 99 percent of the money coming from the EPA, though a whole laundry list of partners donated supplies, volunteers, professional advice and the remainder of the cash. By January, the first ground was broken, and by July the greenhouse was ready to go.

I detailed my whole department down here for the last two weeks, said Jamie Long, manager of the Office of Environment and Natural Resources. We worked every day, long hours.

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Reclaiming the landscape: Greenhouse project to spur habitat restoration

Toronto, Canada (PRWEB) August 20, 2014

Landscape Structures (http://www.LandscapeStructures.ca), the Greater Toronto Areas leading custom design, build, and landscape maintenance provider, is weighing in on the growing popularity of outdoor living spaces after warmer weather hit the GTA this past spring and summer.

Torontonians love the outdoors and want to enjoy for as long as possible. To take advantage of the spring, summer, and autumn months, more and more homeowners are extending their indoor living space outdoors, says Sue Shorey, operations manager at Landscape Structures. On top of that, homeowners know that a professionally designed outdoor living space can add value to not just their lives, but also their property values.

Shorey explains that an increasing number of property owners in the Greater Toronto Area are discovering the joys of eating, relaxing, and entertaining in backyard spaces designed specifically for their purposes. Some of the outdoor living space features most in demand from Landscape Structures are patios, custom barbecue islands, outdoor kitchens, bars, fireplaces, firepits, and installed seating areas, such as benches, seatwalls, ledges, steps, and boulders.

Unfortunately, Shorey notes, building a backyard oasis, whether its a patio or fireplace, is a lot of work and can require moving lots of dirt, which takes heavy equipment, such as a backhoe or truck. Depending on the design, property owners may also need gravel, sand, and other materials.

When it comes to extending an indoor living space outdoors, it really is best to hire a professional contractor. Some projects may look easy, but there are a number of logistics that can make it quite complex; especially if it involves water, electricity, carpentry, and masonry, she adds. On top of that, certain custom structures, including pergolas, arbours, studios, custom pool cabanas, and outdoor bars and kitchens may require a building permit.

Shorey observes that custom outdoor projects, including kitchens, barbecue islands, fireplaces, seating, and cabanas, are a great way to extend a homes living space. With a warm fireplace, homeowners can extend the amount of time they spend enjoying their backyard, being able to sit on the patio from early spring into late fall.

There are many different ways to maximize the enjoyment of a backyard from the comfort of ones own home, and one of the best ways is to bring the convenience of the indoors outdoors, Shorey concludes. And like any addition, homeowners need to make sure the design, materials, and finished project of their outdoor living space fits in seamlessly with the rest of their home. Homeowners also need to hire a team of professionals with a proven track record of creating outdoor living spaces that match not just their budget, but also their vision.

As the top landscape contractor and designer in the GTA, Landscape Structures has over 20 years of experience designing innovative, enjoyable landscapes that work harmoniously with the natural environment. As one of Ontarios premier full-service design, build, and maintenance landscaping firms, Landscape Structures offers a wide range of services designed to exceed its clients needs in the most efficient and cost-effective methods. Fully licensed, bonded, and insured, Landscape Structures award-winning landscape design/service teams complete range of services includes landscape design; native plantings; sod, trees, and shrubs; landscape construction; decks; fences; pergolas; tree houses; lawn care; horticultural assessment; paving stone walkways; stone garden bed retainers; waterfall landscaping; storm water ponds; seasonal cleanup; and snow and ice removal. To learn more about Landscape Structures, visit the companys web site at http://www.LandscapeStructures.ca or contact Landscape Structures at info(at)landscapestructures(dot)ca or by calling 1-416-854-2124.

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Landscape Structures, the GTAs Premier Award-Winning Custom Landscape Design Company, Weighs in on Growing Popularity ...

Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) August 20, 2014

Minnesota homeowners who dont have a backyard pool can still keep cool during the dog days of summer, according to Southview Design landscape design experts.

The trick is to create a shady haven in your backyard, said Karen Filloon, a landscape designer with Southview Design. Filloon said homeowners can shade parts of their yard with outdoor structures such as pergolas, and sails or marine cloth can easily be added in between the beams. A patio can also be added in the shade underneath a second story deck.

Awnings and sails can even be motorized so you need only push a button to create shade. Awnings provide shade both in and outside the home and can lower the temperature by 10 degrees or more, helping homeowners save on energy bills.

Another cool product to consider is a patio misting system or fan that hooks onto the hose and sprays a light mist over the patio area. Ceiling fans are perfect for adding a light breeze as well as keeping the bugs away, Filloon said. Park a cooler nearby for a nice cool refreshment without the expense of an outdoor kitchen.

Trees offer a natural shade solution, and late summer or early fall is the perfect time to plant them, Filloon said. Fast growing trees that do well in Minnesotas zone four include river birches, northern red oaks, red maples and tulip trees, so called for their large flowers that resemble tulips.

Eastern white pines and arborvitae also offer shade when the sun is lower in the sky while providing an excellent barrier from the road or neighbors. These fast-growing evergreens typically mature in just a few years, so homeowners just need a small dose of patience, Filloon said.

Southview Design has posted several photos showing different backyard designs that offer cool shade from the summer heat. For additional photos and landscaping ideas to stay cool during the dog days of summer, visit http://www.southviewdesign.com.

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Southview Design Experts Offers Late Summer Landscape Ideas for Minnesota Homeowners

August 20, 2014

SOUTH KINGSTOWN - Residents of Green Hill are once again dealing with the possibility that their pond-front view and natural landscape will be tarnished by the development of a two-bedroom house - this time one that appears to be being built on the wrong lot. The lots in question are the Briggs Lots on Green Hill Beach Road, which, explained South Kingstown Planning Director Vincent Murray, have a file in the town planning office wider than a Manhattan phone book. According to town maps and building plans, the CRMC permitted the construction of a two-bedroom house on lot 171 (formerly lots 171, 172 and 173). Currently, an area on lot 170 is clear-cut and marked for building. One thing is clear: if you look at the town plat maps, lot 170 had been subsumed with 169 and 168, said Dan Latona, president of the Green Hill Civic Association. If that plat map is accurate, the clearing is clearly wrong. Its inappropriate - its there on the wrong lot. Briggs survey apparently shows that 168 is only partially on the original 170. I usually would have said, Jeez, OK, there was a survey done. Thats probably legal. But after the issue with the Nulman property in Narragansett, you think, Why should I trust a survey? They screw up.

For more of this story pick up a copy of The Narragansett Times.

Source

Southern Rhode Island Newspapers

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Residents dispute lot clearing on Green Hill Beach Road

Stop hill cutting or face action

Kota Kinabalu: The Land and Survey Department has advised the owner of 12 Country Lease (CL) titled land at Kg Togudon in Penampang, who are currently doing hill cutting there, to stop the activity or face action.

Its Director Datuk Osman Jamal said the department's investigations made following a complaint, which was also published in the Daily Express on Monday, showed that the owner concerned does not have an approval to carry out hill-cutting.

He said the department's record shows the landowner had never submitted an application to carry out hill cutting to the department for approval and thus the department had never issued any approval for the activity.

"Our check showed there is a hill-cutting activity involving the 12 CL titled land area.

But the department has never issued an approval to the landowner to carry out the said activity, so I advise the landowner to so do immediately or face legal action," he said when met at his office in Wisma Tanah and Ukur, here Tuesday.

Osman said the department, through the Penampang Land and Survey Office, will issue a stop work order to the landowner today (Wednesday).

He said if the landowner fails to comply, action would be taken against him under the State Land Ordinance.

On the issue of a quarry project at Kg Notoruss in Babagon, Osman explained that actually until today there is no quarry activity at the said site but only land clearing activity.

This was based on an inspection conducted by the Penampang Land and Survey Office at the said site on Aug 17.

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Stop hill cutting or face action

Construction equipment for land clearing was brought onto the site of the future home of a new shopping center at High School Road and Highway 305 just before 9 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Access to ProBuild, a building materials store, was limited as workers in orange-safety vests and hand-held stop signs restricted traffic through the property where the shopping center will be built.

Visconsi, an Ohio-based development company, received a clearing permit last week from the city of Bainbridge Island. The company had hoped to begin the selective removal of trees Monday from the 8.14-acre site where the shopping center will be built, but the land instead became ground zero in a much publicized demonstration against Visconsi and the new shopping center.

The demonstration was led by Chiara DAngelo, who climbed 70 feet up a Douglas fir on the property and camped out on a raised platform roped to the tree for two days. DAngelo concluded her demonstration Tuesday night and left the property just before 9 p.m.

Visconsi officials could not be immediately reached for comment Wednesday morning.

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Heavy equipment moved onto Visconsi site for land clearing