Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

CITY OF BLAINE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE BLAINE CITY COUNCIL ANOKA COUNTY RECONSTRUCTION OF ABLE STREET FROM CSAH 10 TO 89TH AVENUE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT NO. 13-19 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: NOTICE is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Blaine, Minnesota, will meet on Thursday, April 3, 2014, at 8:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the City Hall, 10801 Town Square Drive NE to consider the making of the following improvement: Installation of concrete curb and gutter, spot concrete sidewalk replacement, storm sewer and structures, asphalt surface, traffic control signage, striping, and appurtenant construction The property to be assessed pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 429, for such improvement, is within the following described area: Able Street from CSAH 10 to 89th Avenue The estimated total cost of such improvement is $773,140. A reasonable estimate of the assessment cost will be available at the hearing. Such persons as desire to be heard with reference to the proposed improvements will be heard at this meeting. Hearing impaired persons planning to attend who need an interpreter or other persons with disabilities who require auxiliary aids should contact Rebecca Olson at (763) 785-6120 no later than March 28, 2014. For questions regarding the proposed project, contact Assistant City Engineer, Dan Schluender, 763-785-6158. DATED: March 13, 2014 Jane M. Cross, CMC, City Clerk Published in the Blaine/Spring Lake Park Life March 21, 28, 2014 188365

Excerpt from:
13-19 Able St

Published: Monday, March 10, 2014 at 1:00 a.m. Last Modified: Sunday, March 9, 2014 at 2:09 p.m.

Drivers in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties are advised to use caution in the following areas where the Florida Department of Transportation says road construction or other projects are underway:

SARASOTA COUNTY

Interstate 75 from Sumter Boulevard in North Port to River Road. Crews widening the highway to six lanes. Expect lane closures from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

I-75 at mile markers 200, 213, 224 and 228. Crews repairing overhead signs and highway lighting. from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. tonight and Tuesday night.

I-75 from University Parkway to the Charlotte County line. Expect delays. Crews are installing closed-circuit cameras, roadside sensors and other equipment for an intelligent transportation system.

I-75 overpass at Jacaranda Boulevard. Crews painting the overpass. Overnight, single Lane closures on Jacaranda.

I-75 at Fruitville Road, Laurel Road, Jacaranda Road and Sumter Boulevard. Crews replacing overhead signs. Lane closures between 10:30 p.m. and 6 a.m.

U.S. 41 between Shamrock Boulevard and the Lowes entrance in Venice. Southbound outside lane closed from 10:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights while crews construct a new driveway.

U.S. 41 over Phillippi Creek. Turn lane closures from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. tonight through Friday night during bridge maintenance.

The rest is here:
TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Roadwork underway from Charlotte to Manatee

Gutter Cleaning with Vacuum in Langley.
This is our professional gutter cleaning system using a industrial vacuum.

By: Reflective Window Cleaning Inc

Read more:
Gutter Cleaning with Vacuum in Langley. - Video

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) March 12, 2014

Window Genie announces the grand opening of its newest location in Durham/Chapel Hill, NC on Monday March 17th. Jill Fuller is the owner/operator. Window Genie is a nationally ranked home services franchise offering window cleaning, window tinting, pressure washing, gutter cleaning and much more. Window Genie of Durham/Chapel Hill will service the surrounding areas of Carrboro, Hillsborough, Chapel Hill and Durham. This is Window Genies third location in the greater Raleigh area.

Before joining the Window Genie team, Fuller spent 7 years in manufacturing, overseeing national accounts for a major home improvement store. Its been a great experience, Fuller said, but Ive always wanted a bit more ownership in what I did every day. I finally was able to step out of my comfort zone and seriously pursue my dream of business ownership.

Fuller spent the last two years doing her due diligence, researching business opportunities. I thought I would start a business from scratch, but soon realized it would take years to establish a working business plan with systems, marketing and a strong website. I started thinking that reinventing the wheel was not going to work so I focused on existing businesses and franchises. It wasnt until I began working with my franchise consultant that things really took off and became clear to me.

Fuller worked with Mark Laughlin of The You Network. They discussed her strengths, weaknesses, goals and interests to discover what type of business would best suit her. From our first conversation it was just amazing, Fuller said of working with Laughlin. I felt like I was in the right hands and could really trust him to guide me in the right direction. I credit him fully with taking me, a person who wanted to do something but just didnt exactly know what, and finding the best match for my success and happiness.

Window Genie was among the list of businesses that Laughlin presented to Fuller. Ive always been very customer oriented, not treating people as simply a work order. When speaking to Rik (Richard Nonelle, Window Genies Founder and CEO) he said something that really clicked with me. He said we dont go after the job we go after the customer. I really appreciated how much Window Genie valued its customers, doing the right thing and doing things more professionally than the competition, it just all made sense to me and was so in line to how I would do business. One of the top reasons Fuller was so drawn to Window Genies business model was the potential for long-term, loyal customer relationships. Window Genie offers multiple services that most people want and need, and theyre affordable. Its as simple as building relationships, delivering on expectations, and the customer will keep coming back. I also like that I can serve my community through creating jobs and building a team.

After meeting Window Genies full corporate staff, Fullers decision had been made. I am thrilled with my decision, I wish I had done it sooner, Fuller said. Window Genies team was so honest with me throughout my decision making process, no games. I felt I was getting myself involved with such a professional, genuine company and its a relief. I always knew the importance of enjoying and trusting the people you work with, and now Ill really be able to experience that. Finding a satisfying work-life balance was never something I was great at but Im feeling optimistic that Window Genie business ownership will allow all of that to change.

Jill Fuller and her team at Window Genie of Durham/Chapel Hill officially open for business on Monday March 17th. For more information, please contact Jill Fuller at jfuller(at)windowgenie(dot)com or 919-909-8193. Also, please visit http://durham.windowgenie.com/.

Window Genie franchise opportunities available nationwide. ###

More:
New Small Business Owner Says, I Am Thrilled with My Decision, I Wish I Had Done It Sooner

A recent proposal has the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee contemplating a procedural change in lawn care. Under the proposal, brought forth by the Physical Environment Committee, university groundskeeping would take an all-natural approach to the care of grass on campus.

Ryan Sorenson, a member of the Physical Environment Committee, says the change will be beneficial to students.

I think if the lawns are well kept, students will have an increased experience. Not only will the grass look nicer but students will be able to enjoy it more, said Sorenson. It will be nice for students to study or just relax on the lawn.

The universitys Chief Sustainability Officer Kate Nelson, who also serves as a member of the Physical Environment Committee, agrees with Sorenson.

I know kids who if you give them a patch of green will just lay down in it, Nelson said. I want the grass to look nicer, but I also want it to be healthy. I want students to enjoy the lawn.

Unlike the current method of lawn care, which kills weeds through the application of chemical fertilizers and herbicides, all-natural lawn care aims to reduce weed growth by creating healthy soil. The process which includes aeration, over seeding and composting, allows the soil to become rich with bacteria, microbes and nutrients needed for thick, green grass.

Currently, the department of Finance and Administrative Affairs is evaluating the proposal. All-natural lawn care is three to four times more expensive than the current method of lawn care. Nelson says the extra expense is worth it.

While direct cost is greater, the indirect cost in terms of sustainably, is much less, Nelson said. All-natural lawn care is better for our waterways, our insect health and ultimately our health.

If university administration approves the proposal, the new lawn care protocol may begin this semester.

I would love to see it [all-natural lawn care] be enacted this spring, said Nelson.

More here:
The grass may be greener at UWM

Tribune photo by John Byrne - Dirt patches, void of grass, dot the football/soccer field at Reed High. RHS athletic officials are focused on improving the field quality by the start of the fall sports season.

It's no secret the football field, which doubles as the soccer field at Reed, is among the worst fields in northern Nevada. RHS athletic officials have been busy working with groundskeepers to strategize and put a plan into effect about the best way to rejuvenate the playing surface on the east Sparks school's football/soccer field.

"That's really our focus right now," Raiders athletic director Ron Coombs said. "We got the rocks back out there and those are there to discourage the weekend warriors. Reed is seemingly at times used as a public park. People find their way onto our field. The rocks are designed to keep people off. We're also doing some fertilizing with seeding."

Grass struggles to grow on much of Reed's field. That leaves weeds in place of grass and leads to many large bare patches of playing surface. Poor maintenance practices in the past and inadequate drainage issues are big reasons why the quality of the Raiders' facility falls far short of the Raiders' quality football product on the field.

Reed's football team is the winningest program in northern Nevada over the past decade but while the RHS gridders gain even more consistent success, the field is consistently poor. Still, veteran Reed football coach Ernie Howren said the playing surface does not affect what his team can do under the lights on fall Friday nights.

"It doesn't affect us," he said. "It's just a little disappointing, more of a pride thing. We'd like to have our facility look better, especially for who is out there working so hard, our football and soccer players. But, that's where we're at right now. There's not a lot of money in the district and the kind of money we're talking about is something nobody has right now."

Coombs believes there are multiple factors that have led to the degradation of Reed's facility. The first is the school district's decision over a decade ago to use effluent water rather than fresh water on the field's sod. Coombs cited soil specialists who have shared with him that the field has a top layer of high salt concentration, due to using effluent water.

In order to break up that high salt concentration, Reed's grounds staff has been overwatering the fields and over-seeding areas. Still, Coombs wonders how effective that can be if the same effluent water is still being used.

"That salt layer needs to be broken up," Coombs said. "On the advice of the district, we've done what is called salt flushing. We're overwatering to try and flush that out. We're really just trying to break up the soil so it can breathe and grass seed can germinate.

"But I asked the same question. Are we breaking up that layer by using the same effluent water? There probably will be some negative effect too, but it's what we've got. We've got to break up that ground because right now with that salt layer, we can't get great root growth."

Read more here:
Reed leaders working to improve football field conditions

DETROIT -

Comerica Park in downtown Detroit hosted hockey in January, but now the field is being prepared for a full season of baseball.

Because of the placement of a hockey rink on the surface of the field, all of the sod in the stadium was taken out. Now it is going to be replaced .

This might be one of those projects with the admonition "don't try this at home."

Mike Thompson runs Hillcrest Sod Farm in Romulus. He says this is not the time of the year for a homeowner to be thinking about sod replacement.

"With the temperatures going down to the 20s, we think we will get another freeze again, we're not doing anything. Nobody in Michigan is doing anything right now," Thompson said.

But crews at Comerica Park will be doing something. Starting next week, 103,000 square feet of Kentucky Blue Grass will be shipped in from Colorado to re-sod the baseball field.

Thompson sees that installation as a challenge.

"You know that plant really likes warm weather. So it's definitely going to be challenging, so maybe something I wouldn't try to pull off," he said.

Installation of the new sod at Comerica Park is due to begin next Tuesday and take about two or three days to complete.

See the original post here:
Comerica Park set to get all new grass

Water experts offer conservation tips

Planting native grasses is one way to reduce consumption

By CHRISTINE COLBERT

For Wood River Valley residents gearing up to feel a potential pinch in water use this summer, there are ways to soften the effects of drought and conjunctive water management. Several ideas were offered Friday at a water seminar hosted by the Wood River Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy and University of Idaho Extension at the Community Campus in Hailey. One of the days workshops addressed the topic of drought-tolerant lawns, and how to install them correctly. This process involves eradicating existing bluegrass species and replanting a native mix that can tolerate drier conditions. Patti Lousen, project coordinator at the Land Trust, presented a video detailing some of the ways in which homeowners can remove their sod (the video can be viewed on the organizations website). There is a range of methods to consider when starting the conversion process. Residents can choose to tarp their lawn for an entire summer; cut their grass short and cover it with layers of wet newspaper; cut and flip the sod; or completely remove the existing sod and bring in new soil. Lousen also discussed the use of Roundup to kill off an existing lawn. [At WRLT] we chose to kill it with Roundup and then reseed it, said Lousen. The chemical is absorbed quickly by the grass, and breaks down quickly. It often takes several applications in order to completely eradicate the existing bluegrass. For more information about killing off water-dependent bluegrass, the organization has made educational material available on its Trout Friendly Lawns webpage. Restoration ecologist Steve Paulsen, from Conservation Seeding and Restoration Inc., also gave a how-to in replacing existing Kentucky bluegrass lawns with drought-tolerant grass. Advocating native restoration, Paulsen spoke about the importance of using a mix of locally native drought-tolerant grass seed, on soil that is completely devoid of any bluegrass species. Overall, Paulsen stressed the importance of making sure the unwanted grass is eradicated completely. Kill it dead, or remove it, Paulsen said, since any leftover bluegrass will essentially return and take over newly planted native species. Once a clean slate is achieved, the soil can be planted with a native mix, via seeding or planting of new sod. Those in the market for native grass seed should make sure they are buying a mix with a high percentage of live seed, and that the species is regionally based, he said. The process of switching to a new, drought-tolerant lawn takes time, patience and investment, the speakers said. A careful watering regime is necessary in the first few weeks. But the benefits of making the conversion can be many. Native lawns can require up to 50 percent less water to maintain and less mowing, rewarding homeowners with time and money. Less vegetative material deposited in landfills and significantly less wasted water are two other reasons Paulsen identified. As a society, there are lots of reasons to engage this, he said. The seminar also offered a workshop regarding irrigation systems. Irrigation auditor Kodi Farnsworth presented a variety of techniques that can save homeowners from overwatering their property anywhere from 20 to 60 percent. One of these techniques involves employing state-of-the-art irrigation tools such as sensors and controllers that can monitor the exact needs of the homeowners plants and soil. Knowing the existing type of soil and plant root depth are important factors to be aware of when watering. Over-saturation can cause disease among plants, Farnsworth said. When done properly, you can cut water usage significantly, he said. Residents can also decrease their water use by updating sprinkler heads, and making sure they achieve uniform water distribution. Poor uniformity leads to longer run times, Farnsworth said. Sprinkler type, spacing, flow rate and water pressure are among some of the key factors in making an irrigation system operate correctly, for maximum water efficiency and health of the landscape, he said. For homeowners interested in finding out how efficient their system currently is, scheduling an irrigation audit can help them discover how to better care for their landscaping. Depending on the size of the property and other controlling factors, the cost of revamping ones irrigation system can be high. Those with less acreage may not notice the return in their pocketbook for several years. But sometimes doing the right thing is doing the right thing, Farnsworth said.

Groundwater model on schedule Almost a year after it was begun, a model of groundwater flow in the Wood River basin is on schedule to be completed by the end of 2015, Idaho Department of Water Resources project director Sean Vincent told people attending a water seminar in Hailey on Friday. Tim Luke, water compliance bureau chief for the Idaho Department of Water Resources, said the groundwater flow model will help determine the extent of injury suffered by a surface water-rights holder in the event of a call on a groundwater user. The degree of injury helps to determine whether the call is justified. Jim Bartolino, a hydrologist at the U.S. Geological Surveys Idaho Water Science Center in Boise, said the Wood River aquifer is composed of sand, gravel and clay, and sits on top of basalt bedrock. It is 20-30 feet deep near the headwaters of the river, about 100 feet deep near Ketchum and about 350 feet deep under the Bellevue Triangle. Most of the aquifer is interconnectedthats called the unconfined part. But a separate part, the confined area of the aquifer, sits deeper down and is under pressure; water in wells drilled into that section rise to the level of the highest point in the aquifer, not to the level of the surrounding water. Most of the aquifer discharges into Silver Creek, though some flows into the Big Wood River in the vicinity of Stanton Crossing. Wells suck water out of a cone-shaped area that deepens and widens as more water is pumped out. With enough pumping, the wells can drain water from the river itself. Every well in the Wood River Valley is affecting surface water to some degree, Bartolino said.

-Greg Moore

Flagging Comments: Flagging a comment tells a site administrator that a comment is inappropriate. You can find the flag option by pointing the mouse over the comment and clicking the 'Flag' link.

Flagging a comment is only counted once per person, and you won't need to do it multiple times.

Proper Flagging Guidelines: Every site has a different commenting policy - be sure to review the policy for this site before flagging comments. In general these types of comments should be flagged:

Visit link:
Water experts offer conservation tips

photo by jerry dalia

The colorful Denville String Band performs in holiday parades around the area.

The Denville String Band, North Jerseys only Mummers-style marching band, is beginning its 63rd year of entertaining people in parades and concerts. The band plays and marches in the style of the Philadelphia Mummers bands with elaborate costumes and traditional popular music from the 1920s through the 1950s with a sprinkling of newer songs. It also performs concerts at indoor venues and summer-time gazebos all over North Jersey.

"Our next public performance will be at the Morristown St. Patricks Day parade on March 15," said Band President Bernie Dennison. "It is an honor to participate in this parade which is said to be one of the largest if not the largest St. Patricks Day parade in New Jersey."

Parade day will start with Mass at 10 a.m. at the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 91 Maple Ave. in Morristown. The parade will begin at noon near the corner of South Street and James Street and proceed up South Street around the Morristown Green and Ends at Atno Avenue.

Pre-parade festivities will start at the Green at 10:30 a.m. with Derek Warfield and the Young Wolfe Tones, "The National Anthem," Irish step dancing and chalking of the Shamrocks by the Special Olympics.

According to Dennison, the Denville String Band has a full slate of concerts and parades scheduled for 2014 including many around Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving.

The band is very popular, we have more requests by concert and parade organizers then we can possibly handle," he said. "Unfortunately, we have to turn down many requests."

The band is actively seeking new members. According to Membership Chairman Andrew Bulfer, the band is particularly looking for new saxophone, clarinet, banjo, guitar, accordion and drummers. Other woodwind and string instrument players are also invited. There are non-musical positions available too, so other family members can participate.

According to Bulfer, marching with the band down the street in full colorful Mummers costumes with crowds cheering at the curb is a particular thrill for their members.

See the original post here:
Denville String Band to start 63rd year of Mummers style at St. Patricks parade

Feng Shui 17th January 2014

By: TV Derana

The rest is here:
Feng Shui 17th January 2014 - Video