Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Lightning struck a house in North Platte on Wednesday morning, blowing a chimney apart and knocking out power. The incident occurred shortly after 8 a.m. at 319 W. Second Street, the home of Dave Bell.

We still have a unit on scene, Dave Heitman, battalion chief, said at 9 a.m. And, Municipal Light and Water crews are on scene assessing the damage.

According to Heitman, no one was injured by the blast, and no surrounding structures were hit. Firefighters opened up parts of the house to make sure nothing was burning.

There wasnt any fire, but there was damage to the roof and interior wiring, Heitman said. The lightning blew the stack off the chimney, knocked off drywall inside and tore up the north corner of the house. Its hard to say how much electrical damage there was. It did blow the electrical meter out of its socket.

Two fire trucks and an ambulance responded to the scene. Heitman said due to the nature of the call, none of the streets had to be blocked off.

The incident was the only lightning strike the fire department had heard about as of mid-morning, but Heitman said he wouldnt be surprised if there were more.

The power was also knocked out at a stoplight at B and Willow Streets, Heitman said. These lightning strikes happen from time to time. Theyre really random.

On Aug. 1, 2012, a house at the northwest corner of 12th and Poplar Streets was destroyed by a lightning strike. In that case, the home did catch fire. The three-story structure was more than 100 years old.

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Lightning strikes home on West Second

Apopularhome improvement store faces citations for repeat electrical hazards and could pay a penalty of $53,240.

Lowe's Incorporated has been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for five repeat and one serious safety violations for exposing workers to electrical hazards and failing to provide information on respiratory protection to employee's of its Zanesville store.

OSHA's Columbus Area Director Deborah Zubatysaid electrical safe work practices and respiratory protection are among the ten most frequently cited OSHA standards.

According to a press release from the Department of Labor an OSHA inspection in March of 2014 showed the store reported higher than average injury rate.

The repeat electrical violations involve using cords in lieu of fixing wiring, failing to guard live parts of electrical equipment against accidental contact and not closing unused openings in electrical panels.

A serious violation was also issued for not installing and using electrical equipment in accordance with listed or labeled instructions.

Lowe's based in Mooresville,North Carolina has fifteen business days to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the Independent Occupational Safety and Health review commission.

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Home Improvement Store Cited for Safety Violations

Kaspersky Lab has released newly updated product line for home usersKaspersky Antivirus 2015 and Kaspersky Internet Security 2015. Kaspersky Antivirus 2015 protects against malicious software, assesses the security of each website a user visits and identifies suspicious program behavior. It also includes an automatic exploit protection system which prevents malware from exploiting security gaps in legitimate applications and software.

Kaspersky Internet Security provides PC protection from Internet threats. In addition to antivirus and anti-phishing protection, it includes a range of tools and technologies to help protect privacy, personal data and online payments. Kaspersky Internet Security also enables parents to monitor their children's activity on the Web with the help of the Parental Control module.

New features included in the updated version include Webcam Protection, System Watcher and Wi-Fi Security Notification.

The company has now included automatic updates of newer versions. It also improved the Safe Money module to protect against online financial transactions. Now, Safe Money also blocks third-party applications from accessing the Web browser clipboard, which may temporarily contain confidential data (such as copied login credentials). It continues to protect from screen-capture technology, malicious browser extensions, and other money-stealing tactics used by cybercriminals.

For users of paid Wi-Fi networks, 3G or LTE connections, the solution now includes the Cost-Aware Networking feature that reduces the amount of data communicated by the product via the net.

In the anti-phishing module, which helps the user avoid unwanted and malicious Web pages, improvements were introduced into the text, image and website link analysis technology. This leads to faster and more accurate detections of fake websites designed to steal money and sensitive user information.

The main menu and interface has been unified across all products so users can easily navigate applications regardless of the operating system or product version.

The new solutions were unveiled by Eugene Kaspersky, Chairman & CEO along with Sachin Tendulkar, Brand Ambassador, in the presence of Maxim Mitrokhin, Director, Operations and Nathan Wang, Technical Director, Asia Pacific and Altaf Halde, Managing Director, Kaspersky Lab, South Asia.

According to Kaspersky, about 315,000 new samples of malicious software appear every day. Phishing websitesfake pages designed to steal personal informationare a universal cyber-threat which pose a danger to all users, regardless of their preferred device or operating system. Every month Kaspersky Security Network logs over 137,000 new phishing sites aimed at deceiving people into handing over their sensitive personal and financial data.

According to Halde, Our latest analysis reveals that biggest concerns of the online users are safe online financial transaction and privacy protection. Cybercriminals directly target social media and online banking accounts, passwords and other private information. The latest KIS KAV 2015 version is easy to configure, runs quietly in the background and requires limited system resources.

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Kaspersky Updates Home Security Products

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -

Daytona Beach police need help identifying two young men seen on home security video burglarizing one house, and suspected of burglarizing two others.

All three break-ins happened at the Indigo Lakes subdivision Wednesday morning.

Local 6 spoke with the homeowner, whose security cameras caught the burglars in her home. That homeowner wants to be anonymous, as the two burglars remain on the loose.

"(I feel) violated, uncomfortable, but I'm not fearful anymore because I got them on camera. So they'll be picking them up soon," she said, adding that she thinks the burglars were watching the house before breaking in. "They came in minutes after someone drove off. They were in the house for about 15 minutes. (I'm) just thanking God that we weren't here in the house, none of us."

That family saw police were already in the neighborhood responding to the two other burglaries, and when they walked into their own home, they realized they also had been robbed.

On the security video, the burglars can be seen calmly walking around with gloves or socks on their hands, roaming through the house and using a pillow case to carry whatever they could grab.

"They looked like they had done it quite a few times before in the way they went through," she said. "I think they knew what they were doing."

Stay with Local 6 News and ClickOrlando.com for more on this developing story.

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3 homes robbed in Indigo Lakes subdivision

2014-07-23

Plumbing On-Tap now offers Brighton plumbers and Worthing plumbers who aim to solve virtually any domestic plumbing problem or heating issue, following the opening of a new office in Brighton, expansion into Worthing and the creation of two new websites, http://ontap.plumbing and http://worthing.plumbing .

The company is also now offering a general handyman service in the Brighton & Hove area throughHandyman On-Tap, including painting and decorating, gardening, door locks and handles, shelving, blinds and curtain rails and even kitchen fitting, as well as general DIY services, with a well-deserved reputation for friendly, knowledgeable and highly capable staff.

We're now providing more jobs and a bigger range of plumbing and handyman services to our customers than ever before.

Elliott Raggio

MD Elliott Raggio said: "An extremely successful year in 2012-13 has given us the base for significant expansion in the greater Brighton & Hove and Worthing area. We're now providing more jobs and a bigger range of plumbing and handyman services to our customers than ever before."

He continued: "No matter what kind of plumbing or heating job you task us with, we assure you that we will apply the same great standards of service that our clients have come to expect."

"After all, that's the foundation that we've built our longstanding reputation on."

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More Plumbing Services On-tap Than Ever, Following Expansion

Keller, TX (PRWEB) July 24, 2014

Window Genie announces the grand opening of its newest location in Keller, TX on Monday August 4th. Window Genie is a nationally ranked home service franchise specializing in window cleaning, window tinting, pressure washing, gutter cleaning and more. Window Genie of Keller will serve the northern Tarrant County communities including northern Fort Worth, Keller, Watauga and surrounding areas. Mark Werpney is the owner/operator.

Before purchasing a Window Genie franchise Mark Werpney served his community as a high school social studies teacher for nine years; most recently at Keller High School. He taught a variety of subjects such as AP Government, U.S. History and Economics. I felt an immense passion for teaching, Werpney said. It gave me some of the best years of my life. This past year Werpney felt he was ready for his next venture. He said, Ive always dreamed of owning my own business, and I was finally at a point in my life where I was ready for the challenge both mentally and financially. I love my community and wanted to find an opportunity to run a business that would allow me to continue serving and interacting with the people of Keller. He found that in Window Genie.

While teaching, Werpney worked part-time as a bellman at a nearby hotel. He said, Working in hospitality really opened my eyes to the importance of customer service. Our location was ranked number one in overall guest satisfaction at the time for this particular chain of hotels. Werpney hired his former co-worker at the hotel, Bryan Stewart, as his first Window Genie employee. Bryan was part of that incredible team of customer service professionals at the hotel that put us at number one; Im very lucky hes agreed to work with me at Window Genie. Hell make a huge impact on the customer experience because hes dedicated to earning their business. Hes just a helpful, reliable, likable guy that our customers will want back time and time again.

Ultimately Werpney chose Window Genie because he says it is, a team of passionate, successful individuals and I want to be a part of that. I feel Ill always be set up for success because Im in business for myself but not by myself. Everyone from the corporate support staff to individual franchise owners I spoke to all have an enthusiasm for the business. Window Genie has everything I want out of business ownership; a high level of customer interaction, extreme focus on professionalism and customer service and a proven business model with a lot of potential for repeat customers. Window Genie offers a number of services that I can continue providing for customers year round.

Werpney also plans to implement a team effort to give back to the community through Window Genies program, Windows 4 Wishes. Windows 4 Wishes is a system-wide give back program designed to help encourage and facilitate acts of good-will in each individual community Window Genie serves nationwide. Window Genies culture encourages meaningful community service; another reason I felt this was the business for me. Itll allow me to expand my role in the community beyond the classroom and use my business to make Keller a better place to live and work, Werpney said.

Window Genie of Keller opens on Monday August 4th. Were so excited to open for business. I have no doubt that through a focus on professionalism and customer service well establish great long-term relationships with a loyal customer base in Keller. In no time well make a name for ourselves as THE go-to home service provider, Werpney said.

At Window Genie of Keller, estimates are always free. For more information, please visit http://keller.windowgenie.com/ or contact owner Mark Werpney at mwerpney(at)windowgenie(dot)com or 817-888-7174.

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Former Keller High School Social Studies Teacher Opens Local Home Service Business

The nearly completed field behind Snyder-Girotti Elementary School will undergo two separate plant-and-mulch projects, one now and the other in September.

The Bristol school board voted during a special meeting Tuesday night to approve a $29,000 change order that will enable the projects to go forward.

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Bristol school board approves change orders

Published: Wednesday, July 23, 2014 at 10:05 p.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, July 23, 2014 at 10:05 p.m.

LAKEWOOD RANCH - No patch of grass is safe from Floridas soggy summers, even the well-manicured fields of Lakewood Ranch Park.

Now, construction crews are working on storm-water retention ponds and a drainage system to pump rainwater from the fields, which are on 130 acres about a mile north of State Road 70 on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.

Tom Yarger, a Manatee County construction services manager working on the $300,000 project, said the project is the first step in realizing the countys general development plan for the park, which features new pavilions, playgrounds, parking spaces, concession stands, locker rooms and a press box.

Weve had the general development plan for a couple of years, Yarger said. Our parks and natural resources department prioritized the project.

But before the new amenities begin to take shape, crews will spend the summer constructing pipes and ditches to help drain waterlogged fields into an already existing retention pond and the new, acre-and-a-half sized retention pond now under construction.

They also are digging just west of the softball fields, where additional parking will be built.

Yarger said the construction will not interfere with the fields or team practices and should be finished by the end of September.

All the fields are already established, Yarger said. We wont do anything on the fields aside from repair irrigation, sod, fencing when its needed.

After the storm-water improvements are made and more funding becomes available, Yarger said thats when construction on the new amenities will begin.

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Work to improve drainage at Lakewood Ranch Park

Construction workers perform duct work on the ventilation system in the pool area of the Philip S. Miller Park fieldhouse on July 16, 2014, in Castle Rock. (Anya Semenoff, Your Hub)

Construction workers build the indoor field area of the Philip S. Miller fieldhouse July 16 in Castle Rock. Construction is projected to be finished in the fall. (Anya Semenoff, YourHub)

CASTLE ROCK Excitement is building for the opening of the first phase of Castle Rock's 237-acre Philip S. Miller Park the yet-to-be-named fieldhouse.

District 3 Councilmember Jennifer Green, a liaison to the parks and recreation commission, said council sees the fieldhouse, and park in general, as an economic development tool, as well as a way to provide amenities for residents.

"So having others visit our park from outside the community is to have them visit the rest of Castle Rock and visit some of the restaurants in town," Green said. "It also showcases what Castle Rock has to offer."

The fieldhouse is slated to open in late October or early November. It is 60,000 square feet and will include an indoor pool, indoor soccer field, outdoor synthetic field, 10,000-square-foot trampoline room and indoor adventure playground.

The fieldhouse will contain a leisure pool, as well as lap lanes.

Because some of the administration for Castle Rock Recreation is moving to the fieldhouse, those former offices will be turned into a Pilates and yoga studio. The recreation center is also constructing an additional aerobics room in its garage to meet that demand.

While the construction of the $21 million fieldhouse is on schedule, it cost a bit more than expected, because of the economy, so the park's other phases will take a bit longer, Green said.

"So it might take us a bit longer to finish the park but we will be able to stay within budget," Green said.

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Fieldhouse at Philip S. Miller Park in Castle Rock to open this fall

JAMES CITY - Lumber Liquidators, the Toano-based national wood flooring manufacturer, is facing a new lawsuit in relation to flooring made from Chinese wood.

A California environmental activist group, Global Community Monitor, filed suit Wednesday n state superior court in Oakland. It alleges formaldehyde emission levels from Lumber Liquidators flooring, according to recent tests, are more than 100 times the level allowed under California law.

Lumber Liquidators' website claims that all of its flooring meets California standards.

Plaintiffs conducted more than 50 tests of Lumber Liquidators Chinese-made laminate flooring, using a variety of different testing methods and sample batches, according to the Global Community Monitor complaint. Test results showed average initial formaldehyde exposures over 100 times above the amount allowed to be sold without a warning label under Proposition 65, Californias main toxics law.

Lumber Liquidators quickly denied the allegations.

The allegations in this lawsuit concerning our product are simply flat-out false, Lumber Liquidators said in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon. Our product meets relevant environmental standards and undergoes rigorous, independent, third party testing.

More specifically, our internal testing and that conducted by third parties concluded that product levels fell well below the Proposition 65 safe harbor limits, the statement continued. Further, Lumber Liquidators products are produced and independently tested to ensure compliance with the low emissions standards set by the California Air Resource Board. We apply these stringent California standards to products we sell nationwide.

Formaldehyde is commonly used in the glue that holds laminate flooring together. During and after installation, Global Community Monitor claims it can be released as a gas that can cause burning eyes, nose and throat irritation, coughing, headaches, dizziness, joint pain and nausea. Both the federal government and the state of California rank formaldehyde as a carcinogen if there is long-term exposure.

The levels of formaldehyde our tests found in Lumber Liquidators laminate flooring are astounding and alarming, said Denny Larson, executive director of Global Community Monitor, in a press release announcing the suit. Its unconscionable that Lumber Liquidators would sell this product to customers to install in their homes without informing families of the potential health risks involved, especially since they make a point of bragging about how environmentally safe it is.

California's Proposition 65 requires products containing chemicals that cause cancer to carry a warning label if the levels exceed the so-called safe harbor level.

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James City-based Lumber Liquidators faces another lawsuit