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Posted April 16, 2012

John Murray

TIMONIUM, MD Greenspring Energy is pleased to announce the appointment of John Murray to the position of Area Sales Manager, serving home and business owners in Anne Arundel County, southern Maryland and portions of the eastern shore.

As a Sales Manager for Greenspring Energy, a regional provider of solar and efficiency products and solutions, Murray works with customers to assess their energy utility patterns and develop customized solutions to significantly and permanently reduce their monthly costs. His goal is to devise a custom plan for each customer that will help them live and work efficiently, using the sun as their primary source for power.

"I found Greenspring Energy and it's employees appealing because of their passion for sustainable energy and sincere concern for their customers," Murray said. "Its nice to work for a company that puts the customer first for real and that spoke to me."

Prior to joining Greenspring Energy, Murray worked as an area sales representative for GTL Remodeling. His lifelong passion for solar inspired his recent career change, and has helped him in the establishment of clear personal goals.

"I would like to convince as many people as possible to use solar energy," he said. "In doing so, help clean up the environment and reduce reliance on foreign oil."

Murray is Maryland Home Improvement Commission licensed, holds a Green Advantage Environmental certification and is a soon-to-be graduate from the University of Maryland, University College with a bachelor of arts in environmental management. He resides in Severna Park with his wife and enjoys traveling, sports and writing in his spare time.

About Greenspring Energy Greenspring Energy offers solar electric and solar hot water systems, tankless water heaters, energy-efficient lighting, day lighting systems, solar attic fans and other energy saving products for both residential and corporate customers. The company offers a unique combination of products and services to give customers the best value and return on investment of solar and efficiency products.

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Greenspring Energy Appoints John Murray to Sales Manager

Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church is a prominent fixture on old Gretnas Huey P. Long Avenue. Its brick facade is enhanced by an impeccably kept yard enclosed in a wrought iron fence on the corner of Seventh Street. This year, to the delight of members of the church, it will be open to the public for the Gretna Historical Society Spring Tour of Homes on April 22.

Built in the early 1800s, the original structure, a small, white, wood-frame building, had a humble beginning at its present location, Mount Zions Historical Society Committee member Patricia Rodgers said.

It served many purposes in the community under its original name, the First African Baptist Church. In the early years, the building served the community in secular roles in addition to serving as a church, ministering to the spiritual needs of the community.

It fulfilled such roles as a school for African-Americans and as the first African-American silent movie theatre run by a gentleman named Mr. Hines, Rodgers said.

After a split among the congregation, some members followed the pastor serving at that time, the Rev. Dennis, to a new location.

In 1872, under the leadership of the Rev. Charles Matthews, the remainder of the congregation formed the present-day Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church.

In late 1914, the church was severely damaged, first from a storm, then a fire.

The rebuilding after these tragedies was overseen by the Rev. Matthews before his death in 1915.

In the mid-1980s during a major renovation, some interior wall boards were removed, exposing some of the charred remains from the fire in 1914.

The original structure starts from the pulpit and ends at the current entrance. The choir stand and baptismal pool behind the pulpit were added at a later date.

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Mount Zion Missionary Baptist on Gretna Home Tour, April 22

COSTA MESA Wheels churning, a Gradall crane hoists a prefabricated wall into the air and positions it in place at the corner of a concrete slab.

Framers Sergio Torres and Chris Wagstaff level the wall, secure it with nail guns, then move on to the next panel.

Numbers scrawled across the slab show the position for each corresponding wall panel, stacked to the side of what will soon be a 2,016-square-foot house on the corner of a residential Costa Mesa street. Each comes with windows, plumbing and wiring in place, waiting to be unfurled and connected.

Watch a video of a house being built the new way.

The workers follow a choreographed plan, erecting a new wall every seven minutes. Each panel fits over pipes protruding from the concrete, snapping into place like jigsaw puzzle pieces.

In just over 11/2 hours, they have set up nearly half the walls and positioned the first roof section into place.

"It's like Lego kits," said a beaming Eric VanDerHeyden, executive vice president for the builder, RSI Development of Newport Beach. "What's cool about this is, at the end of the day, the whole first floor will be framed out, including the interior walls.

"What we do in a day would normally take seven to 10 days."

The Costa Mesa house one of two RSI is building at Santa Ana Avenue and 22nd Street is the latest home to be built by the successful cabinet maker-turned-homebuilder.

As producer of kitchen and bath cabinets sold by Home Depot, Lowes and homebuilders throughout the West, company founder Ron Simon wanted to find a way to make homes affordable for working people like those on his assembly lines.

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From ground to roof, home raised in 3 days

TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Spring is in bloom. So is your home blossoming with the latest spring trends? Whether your home needs a fresh look or youre preparing to move into a new place, there are simple strategies to ensure your home sings spring.

Vintage is making a huge comeback, especially in the form of home accents and old world touches, according to interior designer Priscilla Castellano, owner of Andrea Lauren Elegant Interiors, a design studio and fine home boutique in south Tampa. Were also seeing a return to lighter, neutral tones, including creamy paint colors and buttery shades for window treatments.

Castellano offers a few inexpensive ways to transform your living space for spring 2012:

-- Bring the outside in by adding lilac scented candles and a sheer curtain to add a breezy touch.

-- Soften your bedroom with a lighter-weight comforter or white coverlet.

-- Put away those heavy area rugs, and replace with a light, champagne colored rug.

-- Add a light fabric swag or valance to give your current drapes new life.

Many folks relocate during springtime, which can allow for a dramatic change. Rather than simply transferring the same dcor layout, Castellano recommends displaying favorite items, old or new, in ways that youve never tried before.

Theres nothing like helping my clients rediscover a vintage piece hiding in their attic and restoring it as a centerpiece, said Castellano, whose interior design team provides a 48-hour moving service for clients wishing for a hands-free move, from packing color-coded boxes to quickly transforming your house into a beautifully decorated home.

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Inspiring Interior Design Tips to Help You Move into Spring

UPDATED at 8:42 a.m. Thursday with new details from fire chief

CLAYTON A fire that apparently started in the attic early Thursday morning damaged a historic building of The Wilson School, a private school on DeMun Avenue.

The school, for pre-kindergartenthrough sixth grade,is at 400 DeMun Avenueoff of Wydown Boulevard in Clayton. Students are onspring break this week.

The cause of the three-alarm fire is under investigation. Authorities don't think it's suspicious. There were storms in the area, and a lightning strike is possible, said Clayton Fire Chief Mark Thorp.

About a third of the school sustained water damage, including to its library at the main entrance. The flames were confined to the roof and attic.

Thad Falkner, the head of school who lives next door,was alerted at about 2:20 a.m. Thursday that the smoke alarms were sounding. He was out frontasfirefighters were arriving, and flames and heavy smoke were coming from the roof.

About 60 firefighters helped put out the fire. No one was injured. The fire was under control within about 15 minutes, and it was out within an hour, the chief said.

Falkner added: "We don't know exactly the origin, but the fire spread throughout the attic, which runs above our classsrooom spaces, and they (firefighters) had to do significant work to battle the fire."

The firefighters went into the attic andtore a hole in the roof to ventilate it.

Falkner said students were scheduled to return on Monday but, with fire cleanup,he'll have to decide if that's still on track.

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Private school in Clayton catches fire

Article posted: 3/27/2012 7:20 PM

Flames shoot through the roof of a house Tuesday on the 1S400 block of Sunnybrook Lane in an unincorporated area near Glen Ellyn.

Bev Horne | Staff Photographer

Firefighters from Glen Ellyn and neighboring departments battle a house fire Tuesday on the 1S400 block of Sunnybrook Lane.

Bev Horne | Staff Photographer

The owners of a house on the 1S400 block of Sunnybrook Lane near Glen Ellyn get a hug during a fire on Tuesday.

Bev Horne | Staff Photographer

Fire caused extensive damage Tuesday afternoon to a house that was being remodeled on the 1S400 block of Sunnybrook Road near Glen Ellyn, authorities said.

Glen Ellyn Lt. Craig Eldridge said firefighters responded at 12:47 p.m. for what became a three-alarm blaze that swept the attic and second floor of the house. Crews from several area departments assisted.

There was a lot of fire in that house when we got here so it was a matter of opening the house up and finding it. It wasnt a small fire when we got here, Eldridge said. Theres heavy, extensive damage to this house.

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Fire causes extensive damage to Glen Ellyn house

A free program has tested for heavy metals in Butte soils and lead and arsenic in its attics and homes at more than 1,800 properties, but still has plenty of work in front of them.

The Butte-Silver Bow Residential Metals Abatement Program, started in 1994, has sampled more than half of the qualifying properties in the area. Many of those have received contaminant-free lawns and attics all at no cost to the homeowner.

Yet, some remain unaware of what the program offers.

Butte-Silver Bow Health Department Employees Eric Hassler and Michelle Bay, along with three abatement technicians, test and remediate attics year-round.

Hassler said they have cleaned more than 160 to date that had high levels of arsenic, mercury and-or lead present.

Depending on the size of the project, Hassler said crews can be in and out in a few days to vacuum out everything that isnt bolted down. After the space has been cleaned, county crews can stuff it with insulation and reduce energy costs for the homeowner.

The attic program has recently been expanded to places like Rocker and Ramsay. If the residence is located in the Uptown area it automatically qualifies for inspection. County properties located in the Flat and out of town qualify only if significant remodeling is planned, or if there are obvious signs of ceiling cracks or other problems that could cause contaminants to enter the main living space.

Hassler said all the work is done on a first-come, first-served basis, but those planning remodels can be moved to the top of the list to prevent possible exposure. In the past, Hassler more than 80 percent of attics tested qualified for remediation.

In addition, Hassler said the county continues to push its residential metals program, in which they test for soil contaminates. Hassler and Bay said they plan to test more than 240 properties this year. In the past, about 40 percent of tested homes have enough heavy metals in the soil to qualify for remediation, said Hassler, who also said he expects that percentage to increase because of new sampling protocol.

Hassler stressed that all the work they do is free, and that the landowner is not on the hook for any future liability.

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Free remediation program continues for Butte homes

MICHIGAN CITY | Authorities on Tuesday still were investigating the discovery of a possible bomb by a Michigan City man remodeling his home.

It could wind up being a federal case depending on the outcome of the ongoing probe, said Lt. Chris Eckert, of the Porter County Sheriff's Department bomb squad.

"It depends on what the investigation reveals," Eckert said.

Just before 1 p.m. Monday, officers were called to the 700 block of Warnke Road.

Ronald Burian said he was tearing out the ceiling when he found a backpack, and inside the backpack was a device that looked like a bomb, according to Michigan City police.

The object consisted of a carbon dioxide canister with two aerosol cans duct taped to it.

A green wick also was coming out of the carbon dioxide canister, police said.

Police said a funnel containing a black powder residue was located near the device in the attic.

The bomb was carried out of the home and placed on the driveway, where the Porter County Bomb Squad retrieved it.

Eckert said whether the device is an actual bomb still is being looked into.

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Possible bomb found in Michigan City home during remodeling project

CHICAGO (MarketWatch) The recent unseasonably warm weather in many parts of the country has homeowners already contemplating post-winter home repairs and improvements as they begin their spring cleaning.

Some projects should take top priority: Those that will not only make your home safer, but will save you money down the road. In fact, some improvements even will help you shave some bucks off your home-insurance premiums.

Ideally, homeowners should inspect their houses twice a year, once before heavy spring rains and then again in the fall, said Jim Hunt, owner of Hunt Home Remodeling in Omaha, Neb. That way, they can catch small problems before they become overwhelming. In the springtime, many homeowners also have the advantage of having a fresh tax-refund check in hand, and funding repairs is easier.

Its not an exhaustive list, but here are seven spring inspections and repairs homeowners should consider in the weeks ahead.

1. Clean and repair gutters

Taking care of a homes gutters is one of the most requested jobs Hunts company handles this time of year. At about $100 to $150 for an average home, it wont cost that much, he said. But it will prevent plenty of headaches down the road, especially if they werent cleaned in the fall.

Its not [replacing] the gutter thats expensive. Its the water damage that results from neglected gutters, Hunt said.

When gutters arent functioning properly, water may seep into the homes foundation, for example, and make for costly repair bills. Also look for other areas where water is liable to pool near the foundation.

2. Check the roof

After the winter, its a good idea to have your roof checked before spring showers hit, Hunt said. During the inspection, its common to find broken shingles that need to be replaced.

Read more:
7 spring home repairs that save you money

SALEM This is one of the driest winters on record. It has been dry almost everywhere.

Everywhere, that is, except the Hawthorne Hotel.

On Feb. 27, the historic hotel had one doozy of a flood. During a bathroom remodeling project, a pipe burst in the attic, dumping an estimated 2,500 gallons of water down six floors and all the way to the tavern on the ground floor.

How much water is that? Think above-ground pool.

How bad was it?

Pretty bad. It knocked almost 50 rooms out of commission and caused more than $1 million in damage.

Fortunately, the hotel has insurance. And, fortuitously, this event of near-biblical proportions happened during the low point in the tourism season, when most of the animals are off the ark.

Incredibly, the hotel did not close.

It shifted a few events around and lost some business, but it stayed open. It still had more than 40 rooms available for guests.

Four weeks later, the hotel is still making repairs and drying out. Those ServiceMaster trucks you see parked outside have been pumping in hot air to dry out a few of the walls.

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A winter to remember — or maybe forget