The Tennessee man charged with blowing up his wife's parents with a package bomb worked with children at his church's Sunday school, ran a home restoration business out of his in-laws' backyard and was convicted of arson two decades ago, records show.

Richard Dean Parker, 49, was being held in jail in lieu of $1-million bond after he was indicted in Lebanon, Tenn., on Thursday. Hes been charged with two counts each of felony first-degree murder and premeditated first-degree murder in connection to the deaths of septuagenarians Jon and Marion Setzer.

Investigators said that they thought Parker was solely responsible for the attack but did not give specifics about what evidence led them to him. They did not cite a motive for the bombing.

Nashville First Church of the Nazarene appears to have removed several references on its website to Parker and his 48-year-old wife, Laura Parker. But as recently as last week, according to online archives, it showed Laura Parker was involved in the church's women's ministry and that both she and her husband were Sunday school teachers. They were scheduled to host an event at their home last September, according to a calendar.

Pastor Kevin Ulmet couldn't be immediately reached for comment, but he told The Tennessean that he was "deeply troubled by whatever led to this act." Ulmet told the newspaper that he saw Parker several times when they were visiting Marion Setzer in the hospital on Monday. He said the Parkers have four children.

The Parker family lived behind the Setzers, holding different addresses but sharing a driveway. A website for Parker's company, Legacy Restorations, reads that the firm "can bring your historic building back to life, or provide building maintenance for the long term care of your old house or unique structure." The website says the company has operated since 1989 across the South.

Parker ran into trouble in 1990, according to Tennessee court records reviewed by the Los Angeles Times.

On a Friday evening in July of that year, a 19th century, 5,000-square-foot log house on which Parker had been working caught fire. As part of a plea bargain on charges of felony arson and working without a license, Parker served four years' probation, from 1993 to 1997.

The home belonged to Danny and Rosemary Martin. "We want the people to know what hes really like," Danny Martin told The Times on Friday as he recalled his experience with Parker.

Martin said Parker first offered to fix up the house for nearly $150,000. He said Parker returned two weeks later and offered to do the work for $60,000 because he wanted to start doing business on his own and this could serve as a model to show potential customers. Parker and Martin signed a contract written by the now-dead father-in-law, Martin said.

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Accused Tennessee package bomber had been convicted of arson in 1990

Salisbury, North Carolina

SALISBURY Glenn and Beth Dixon bought one of Salisburys most historic houses Friday when they signed closing documents on the Fulton-Mock-Blackmer House at 112 S. Fulton St.

This is our forever home, Glenn Dixon said. At one point, if we live here long enough, it could be the Fulton-Mock-Blackmer-Dixon House.

Historic Salisbury Foundation sold the 1820 house for $150,000, and now the Dixons will begin a bottom-to-top restoration, which by any measure, will be challenging.

Realizing its an ambitious goal, Beth Dixon said she hopes her family can make the house their new residence by Christmas.

The house encompasses 4,800 to 5,000 square feet. It has four chimneys and eight fireplaces. Once it becomes a residence again, it will afford four bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs.

The Dixons plan to add a master bedroom downstairs, and they also will be bringing back the once grand porch/portico in front, which featured four full columns.

The Dixons will count on contractor Al Wilson and architect Jon Palmer to guide the restoration. The couple also want to accomplish as much of the project as possible this year, because N.C. historic preservation tax credits available for this property are scheduled to sunset Jan. 1, 2015.

The project will qualify for residential tax credits of 30 percent. Glenn Dixon said the couple would not have considered buying the house without the tax incentive.

The house, once owned by famed film and stage actor Sidney Blackmer and his wife, Suzanne, was severely damaged in a 1984 fire.

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Dixons purchase their 'forever home,' the historic Blackmer House

February 15, 2014

by Terence Netto@http://www.malaysiakini.com

COMMENT In his first press conference after being named Chief Minister-elect of Sarawak, Adenan Satem (right) said he will not be making any changes to his cabinet.

I dont believe in changing horses in midstream, cracked Adenan at his first press conference yesterday, when asked about what he plans to do with a state cabinet he will have inherited from retiring CM Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Last Wednesday, Adenan was chosen by Abdul Taib as the replacement chief minister when the latter retires on February 28.

While the 69-year-old Adenan wont want to rock the boat for the simple reason that the major movers and shakers in the state BN are all on edge at the start of the post-Taib era, he cannot defer for long the naming of the Deputy Chief Ministers.

Under Taibs 33-year tenure as Chief Minister, Sarawak was used to having two Deputy Chief Ministers.

Alfred Jabu Numpang (left), Deputy President of Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), is the incumbent DCM (1), and while he was in the cabinet until his defeat in the state election of April 2011, George Chan of Sarawak United Peoples Party (SUPP) was DCM (2).

The DCM (2) post has been vacant since the 2011 state polls when SUPP lost in 12 of the 19 constituencies it contested.

Once installed as Chief Minister on February 28, would Adenan simply maintain the status quo, with Alfred Jabu as DCM (1) and leave the other DCM post vacant, or would he tweak the formula of balanced representation to reflect a new pecking order?

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Comment on CM-Elect Adenan in tricky Deputy tangle by looes74

MINNEAPOLIS - At the end of the day, it's easy for two Minneapolis couples to retreat to a quiet sanctuary. All they have to do is climb stairs that lead to the attic.

The couples' well-designed attic conversions transformed uncomfortably hot - and cold - sloped-wall rooms into appealing sleeping and living spaces.

Nancy and Dan Griffin live in a traditional Tudor with coved ceilings and chopped-up rooms, but upstairs they've created a master suite that boasts open and uncluttered Asian-influenced spaces where Dan can meditate each morning.

Linda and Gerry Berglin's remodeled attic in their Craftsman bungalow feels like it was always part of the house, yet it features a luxury bathroom, 10-foot ceilings and a closet as big as their kitchen.

"We've been getting a lot more inquiries about converting attics into usable space," said Dan Hayes of Plekkenpol Builders in Bloomington. "Creating a bedroom and bathroom by far are the most popular."

Many homeowners want to stay in their neighborhoods rather than move, and are exploring ways to expand, said Hayes. They might not have yard space for an addition, so they're heading upstairs. "The appeal is you can create a nice getaway with its own modern bathroom and big walk-in closet," said Hayes. "Typical old-house closets are only 3-by-3 feet."

Here's an inside look at two attic conversions:

Zen experience

Owners Dan and Nancy Griffin bought their 1930s classic story-and a-half Tudor in the Nokomis neighborhood in 2001. The slanted-wall attic had been used for a kids' room, but with only newspaper for insulation, it was chilly in the winter and sweltering in the summer. The home had only two bedrooms on the main floor and one tiny bathroom. The couple were planning to start a family and also needed a guest bedroom for visiting relatives. So five years after buying, they converted their 450-square-foot attic space into a master suite.

To open up the attic to create a bedroom, sitting area and bathroom, they gutted the existing space. The demolition included removing a cedar closet and knocking down a wall next to the stairs. Now the Griffins are greeted by a nice wide hallway and a light-filtering, wrought-iron railing at the top of the stairs.

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Attic remodeling grows in appeal for homeowners staying put

Building a life together as a couple often means building - or rebuilding - a home together.

But nothing can test a relationship or pull at its foundation more, according to a 2013 remodeling and relationships survey conducted by Houzz, a home improvement and interior design website. The survey reports that 12 percent of couples acknowledge considering separation or divorce mid-remodel. Now that's a reason to keep those avocado kitchen appliances for another year.

Issues arise when she likes French country and he likes contemporary. He wants to keep his old album covers framed on the wall, but she's already visualizing their move to the trash bin. Maybe one spouse makes a decision, or many decisions, without the other. Even couples who agree on everything could be driven to tears - and take it out on each other - just by the fact that their home, in its current state, is hardly a haven.

Onetime Queen Village resident Julie Davis, director of content and marketing for TotalHousehold, a Connecticut-based website for people looking for home improvement professionals, recently completed her own kitchen remodel. Even for someone whose work life is dedicated to the subject, she said, it wasn't easy.

Like many couples, she and her husband's design tastes differed. But things heated up when she immediately took the project into her own hands.

"My M.O. was to start a bit on the clandestine side," said Davis. She changed 45 cabinet knobs without her husband's knowledge. Once the shock of spending $300 for a box of knobs wore off, her husband agreed to go along with the project as long as she agreed to replace their old refrigerator with one that he wanted.

As the remodeling progressed, they learned to negotiate - or at least try.

"You have to go very gingerly with someone. You have to find the middle ground," said Davis. "The problem with any compromise is it's not really a compromise. It's who's going to win the argument."

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In remodeling, couples need to keep respect, communication in their toolbox

By Sol Quintana Wagoner, Special to the U-T 3 p.m.Feb. 14, 2014

The remodeled bathroom has bamboo cabinetry and lights that resemble paper lanterns.

A sense of simple, light-filled luxury was created in this guest bathroom remodel by harmonizing tranquil colors, the visuals of flowing waterfalls, and the serenity of clean, Asian-inspired lines.

Our team selected an innovative Shoji screen-style door that opens in three widths for varying degrees of privacy. This creative solution makes it possible for one guest to use the shower or toilet while another uses the sink.

Throughout the room, simple horizontal lines subtly express an Asian influence. Colors are muted and calm in earth tones of sage and brown. Streamlined bamboo cabinetry with simple horizontal fixtures provides organized storage with an uncluttered effect. The selection of floating cabinetry and the decision to set the mirror just slightly back from the backsplash contribute to a feeling of openness in the room.

A quartet of lights at the vanity was selected for its resemblance to a string of paper lanterns. The sink faucets are designed to flow like delicate waterfalls, further emphasizing the theme of calm simplicity.

A Shoji screen-style door opens in three widths for varying degrees of privacy.

In the shower, the waterfall theme is repeated in the niche of glass tile and the flowing lines of tile on the floor. The niche was deliberately designed to evoke a window with an extra wide span to expand the space visually. The tile was selected in a slightly uneven composition to give the sense of water and movement.

The showers linear tile insets are repeated into the rest of the room, establishing a clean, sophisticated sense of continuity. The showerhead flows from a linear position, which aligns with the rooms aesthetic while also providing a powerful spray. A rustic ladder serving as a towel rack is a functional piece of art.

This peaceful oasis now communicates our clients passion for Asian themes while providing their guests with a calm, private space for relaxation and reinvigoration.

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New bathroom has Asian style

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Professional Vinyl Siding Installation In Calgary, AB. Call Us At 587-316-2827 http://VinylSidingInstallationCalgary.Com If you are thinking about re-siding ...

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Vinyl Siding Installation Calgary Alberta - Call 587-316-2827 Today
Professional Vinyl Siding Installation In Calgary, AB. Call (587)316-2827 http://vinylsidinginstallationcalgary.com/ If you are thinking of re-siding your ho...

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DENVER - The 55th Colorado Garden & Home Show will blossom in the Colorado Convention Center on Saturday.

Attendees can get garden and home improvement ideas.

The show features the Hot Product Zone that 9NEWS sponsors http://a.pgtb.me/ZWXmLv:

AeroSeal of Colorado, Denver, Colo. Booth #2239 Aeroseal Duct Sealing is a patented technology - developed at U.C. Berkeley with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy - that stops leaks from the inside out. In fact, this breakthrough technology is so effective that the Department of Energy included Aeroseal among the most beneficial energy-related technological advances ever developed. Aeroseal has also been honored with Popular Science Magazine's "Best of What's New" and the Department of Energy's "Energy 100? award.

Amerimax Windows & Doors, Loveland, Colo. Booth #239 The Amerimax 4500 Series bi-fold door design is a premium solution for spaces that need a wide, unobstructed opening. Whether for residential or commercial applications, this unique door design allows up to seven sash panels to fold to either side, creating a wide opening without any interruption. This design can be easily matched with a variety of window and door configurations.

Pine Bark Beetle Wood Shutter Blind Corners and Curves, Denver, Colo. Booth #1611 The Pine Bark Beetle Wood Shutter is made in Colorado, for Colorado. According to the 2010 aerial survey data from the U.S. Forest Service and Colorado State Forest Service, nearly 3.2 million acres of Colorado forests have been affected by the current mountain pine beetle epidemic. The distinctive coloration and worm holes of this beautiful shutter are not only attractive, they tell a "green" story as well.

CERES Greenhouse Solutions, Boulder, Colo. Booth #1287 CERES greenhouses are designed to be year-round growing environments with minimal need for heating or cooling. Because of their ability to maintain high temperature differences, CERES greenhouses are best suited for temperate environments with moderate to cold winters. In addition, they do not require a permit to build (depending on location); are sturdy, pre-fabricated structures capable of withstanding extremely high wind and snow loads; and are customizable to fit the look and feel of your home.

Colorado Coyote Rollers, Mead, Colo. Booth #1462 Keep dogs in and coyotes out. A Coyote Roller is a patented ribbed roller that mounts to the top of your fence. When a dog, coyote or other predator tries to jump your fence to attack your pets, it requires them to grab hold of the top of a fence. Coyote Rollers make it difficult for dogs, coyotes and other animals to gain the "foothold" they need to pull themselves up and over the top of an enclosure. The Coyote Roller is designed to freely rotate with as little as two ounces of pressure, and yet withstand 250+ lbs. of weight in the center of a 4 ft. roller. The system requires no power source and needs practically no maintenance.

Farm Tub, Boulder, Colo. Booth #581 Enjoy the goodness of farm-grown food at home with Farm Tub's attractive, custom-built planters and growing systems. Say goodbye to unattractive containers, raised planting beds and that utilitarian look. Farm Tubs can be designed to match a home's finish or your particular style - perfect for decks, patios and greenhouses.

Everlast Polymeric Cladding/Siding Prestige Products, Denver, Colo.Booth #568 Everlast is unlike any other siding you've considered. Solid construction means the planks don't bend or bow and align perfectly against the outer walls of your home. Everlast is lightweight and stackable for easy installation, yet durable enough to withstand fierce wind, scorching summer temperatures and subzero winter temperatures. Easy-to-clean, warm, low-gloss surface returns to original luster with a simple hose-down.

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Colo. Garden & Home Show blossoms at the convention center

Randall Crow Roofing-San Antonio Texas 3-29-2012
I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (http://www.youtube.com/editor)

By: Randall Crow

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