Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Keeping children safe without making schools look like prisons is proving to be a challenge for Prince Georges County officials.

For example, a plan is under way to place six-foot-high, chain-link fences around temporary trailers at all county schools to protect classes from outsiders. Unfortunately, University Park officials and residents were unaware of the plan, which not only may have violated the towns fence ordinance, but was also criticized for making the school site look like a correctional facility.

As a result, the fence being constructed at University Park Elementary School was halted when it was nearly complete to give officials time to determine whether it meets town code.

First, lets start by lauding school officials for being aggressive in doing what they feel is best for students. While security measures have been beefed up at all county schools, concerns have lingered about easy access to the temporary classrooms, which arent attached to the main buildings. The fences are intended to better secure those structures. Sixty-two schools are slated to get the fences, which will cost up to $20,000 per school.

We want to set up an environment where [children] dont have to worry about outside influences, Rex Barrett, the school systems acting director of security services, told Gazette reporter Alice Popovici.

However, the school systems plan suffers largely in one area: the lack of coordination with the community.

Had better communication been in place, perhaps the school system would have known about University Parks four-foot limit on fences.

And perhaps parents, officials and the community at large would have proposed other affordable measures that would allow for security without bringing a penitentiary-like appearance.

Some parents voiced concern that the fence would trap children if an emergency occurred. Clearly, school officials have some work to do in communicating their efforts. Explaining how the security measures will work in various scenarios may allay some fears for parents and children or result in some better options.

Its sad that schools are no longer the safe refuge they were once considered. Dangers from people in and outside schools have forced officials to rethink how schools are managed, constructed and monitored.

See more here:
The delicate balance of security, schools -- Gazette.Net

Apparently time does heal all wounds.

On Wednesday, Vancouvers News 1130 reported the Canucks made contact with pending UFA center Dave Bolland, who appears to be at a contractual impasse with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Bolland, of course, has quite the history with Vancouver.

A thorn in Vancouvers side during his time as a Hawk he has 17 points in 16 career playoff games against the Canucks Bolland infamously ripped Daniel and Henrik Sedin during a Chicago-based radio appearance three years ago, which sparked a war of words between the organizations.

Heres what then-head coach Alain Vigneault and d-man Kevin Bieksa said after Bolland called the Sedins sisters and suggested they share bunk beds.

Vigneault:

Theyve both been probably two of the best players in the NHL for the last five years, theyve won a gold medal, and they are really involved in the community. They are great examples for players in the NHL, and for young people. They are just two great young people.

When you have comments like Bollands, hes obviously an individual whose IQ is probably the size of a birdseed. And he has a face that only a mother could look at.

Youre talking about two players who play with integrity, they play the right way, that are great examples of everything this game stands for. Then you have a birdseed like that making comments.

Lucky his mother loves him.

Original post:
Fences mended? Canucks reportedly initiate talks with Bolland camp

MT. PLEASANT With the August general election quickly approaching, several local candidates addressed residents about goals for their respective seats.

The Mt. Pleasant Chamber of Commerce hosted a political forum Tuesday at the Community Center at 501 Gray Lane. Moderator Robert Wakefield asked the candidates questions that residents submitted.

Candidates running for the 22nd Judicial District Circuit Court judge (Part I), 22nd Judicial District Attorney General, county clerk, District 10 county commissioner, county trustee and circuit court clerk addressed voters at the meeting.

All those positions will be on the Aug. 7 general election ballot.

22nd Judicial District Circuit Court Judge (Part I)

J. Thomas DuBois cited his experience as a city court judge for the past 14 years and his former duties as a military prosecutor and JAG attorney as qualifications for the position. He is also a former Maury County state representative.

I am running because I feel like it is time for a change, DuBois, who ran unopposed in Maury Countys first Republican primary, said. It has been 32 years since weve had a choice for this position.

Jim T. Hamilton has held the position since 1982 and has plenty of experience, he said. He aims to keep politics out of the courtroom, Hamilton said.

A circuit court judge handles serious matters, he said. Its not a small matter at all to be in that court.

See the rest here:
Residents meet, learn about county candidates

By Hank Stuever

The Washington Post

Nearly everything on television is a guilty pleasure, a concept useful to viewers who need to explain away their addictions to certain shows, especially the trashiest stuff. The dumber the show, the bigger the guilt and the better the pleasure.

I've had to watch so much TV over the past five years as a critic -- so much of it bad -- that I feel the poke of shame only when I watch a show in which real people make an honest attempt to finish a difficult household chore or a major project that I would never, ever want to do, especially in the summer months. Which is one reason why I derive some sick, lazy happiness from watching spouses argue with each other on DIY Network's "Renovation Realities."

Buried deep down in the schedule of DIY (an offshoot of HGTV), "Renovation Realities" couldn't be simpler: A homeowning couple (usually married, usually in flyover states) has decided to renovate a room in their house (usually the kitchen) completely on their own, having little to no practical experience in the construction biz.

The cameras are there to merely document what occurs; there is no handsome host in a tight T-shirt and tool belt to goad and guide them through each decision or to come to their rescue with his capable brawn. There is no crew to hammer and saw things to completion. There is no narration, save for some on-screen details (set in drab, white Courier type against a black screen) that tell the viewer how many days the homeowners have set aside to complete the work (usually vacation days from their jobs) and their projected budget.

In seven seasons of "Renovation Realities," the show has rarely, if ever, included the scene known in the home-improvement genre as the "reveal," because there is never anything to reveal, except excuses.

After days of sweat and sore muscles, the subjects of "Renovation Realities" almost always concede defeat. They run out of time and money. The drywall is only half-finished. The granite guys didn't deliver the countertops. The tiles would not line up; the refrigerator wouldn't fit through the door. The mostly demolished wall that prevents the life-altering promise of the open floor plan had in fact masked all the plumbing from upstairs, which will now have to be rerouted by a professional.

Once in a great while, "Renovation Realities" is about a couple still young enough or childless enough or just happy-go-lucky enough to treat the entire project as a useful learning experience. They flirt their way through the dust of their demolition, laugh off the discovery of mouse turds and even affirm each other during the installation of new cabinets, a task that leads so many of the show's couples to swear at each other and burst into tears.

Not so the lovebirds. Hammers fall on heads, cabinets are dropped on toes, drill bits are ruined, and still there's a charge in the air, not just from the bad wiring. The giggling and cute nicknames never stop. Get a room, you two. (A finished room.)

Excerpt from:
'Renovation Realities': Don't take on that DIY job

Dublin, OH (PRWEB) June 26, 2014

Poured-concrete foundation walls have been the industry standard for residential homes in the United States (U.S.) for more than 100 years. That may be about to change however with the introduction of patented Epitome* quality foundation walls from Composite Panel Systems (CPS). This may be especially true for basements in the northern basement belt of the U.S. where homeowners are more frequently using their lower levels as additional living space.

The new composite foundation wall system employs a high-performance composites technology developed by Composite Panel Systems, LLC, and can help residential home builders become far more efficient. With the help of their panel-systems fabricator, Fiber-Tech Industries, Inc., and fire-retardant resin-systems supplier, Ashland Performance Materials, a commercial unit of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH), CPS has recently launched the clean, engineered solution to replace vertically installed concrete walls during the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Convention and Expo in Chicago. The system solution combines strength, integrated stud cavities for mechanicals, insulation, the top plate and a vapor barrier all in a single step. The technology is currently approved for use in Wisconsin and compliance on the national level with IBC and IRC is on track for October of 2014.

Epitome quality foundation walls were designed with the builder and contractor in mind ensuring simple installation and minimal training for anyone skilled in the trade. They can be delivered altogether in one trip and typical installations take less than two hours. The composite walls also decrease moisture and mold issues common with traditional foundations, and provide homeowners a warmer, drier, more energy-efficient and ready-to-finish basement.

Because there are so many benefits associated with our foundation walls for builders and homeowners alike, we believe this is the most exciting thing the residential building industry has seen since the introduction of plywood, said Glenn Schiffmann, founder and president, CPS. Composites offer incredible performance, and having gained the trust of engineers in aviation many years ago, we knew we could develop a better performing system for basements as an alternative to concrete using high-performance composite materials.

Epitome quality foundation walls offer better energy efficiency with an inherent R-16.5 insulation value. There is an airtight transition between the floor and foundation that makes it more efficient than a standard concrete foundation. They also pass the NFPA 286 room corner burn test and therefore do not require covering with a thermal barrier such as drywall prior to occupancy. This allows homeowners flexibility to finish their lower level at their leisure and save money upfront.

The composite technology is designed to withstand six times a sand backfill load, and can be installed in any soil type suitable for backfilling, adds Andy Beer, global business leader, Ashland Performance Materials. Each 24 foot of foundation panel can withstand 600,000 pounds of downward force resulting in a maximum allowable house load of 8,900 lbs/lf after the safety factor is applied.

From deep below the ground to 40,000 feet above and beyond, composites have become the material of choice in many critical industrial, infrastructure, aerospace and military applications. Composites offer high strength, dimensional stability, corrosion resistance, durability and longevity. Most importantly, composites are used to raise performance levels, address traditional material design limitations and enable the development of new solutions like Epitome quality foundation walls.

To learn more, visit epitomewalls.com.

About Composite Panel Systems Composite Panel Systems, LLC, manufactures Epitome quality foundation walls, a cutting-edge alternative to concrete foundation walls. They are an innovative, structurally superior, highly insulated, fire-resistant panel that incorporates nominally sized studs, 16 inches on center, vapor barrier, top plate and continuous insulation. Epitome quality foundation walls were invented by Glenn Schiffmann. To learn more, visit epitomewalls.com.

Link:
Industry-changing, High-performance Alternative to Concrete Foundations That Installs in Two Hours, Unveiled at ...

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