Becky Summers of Hamilton wasnt going to let an opportunity pass her by, even if that opportunity presented itself while her husband, Doug, was out of the country on business.

Despite owning a home on Hillcrest that was perfect for the family, including sons Zach, Ben, and Kendall, there was something about the rundown old house on the corner of Laurel St. and Highway 96 (14th St.) that caught Beckys attention.

Doug was in France. I was coming down Laurel and thought I wonder what that house looks like. Ive always wanted an old home, Becky said. I called the realtor and she told me it had been sold, but to call back in case it didnt go through. The deal fell through. So I drug Doug over there and we looked at it.

The house seemed in good condition other than needing remodeled, and the rest is history. We bought it.

That was in 2003. Now the Summers home looks nothing like the house when they bought it. The family began doing work to the house at the beginning of 2005, and the property was ready to move into in August that same year.

Since then, converting the house into a home has been an ongoing process and a family affair even after the boys have grown and left home.

Wed come over on the weekends and tear plaster out, said Becky. All three of the boys had their hammers and crowbars and we just tore it up. We gutted everything. There was no insulation in the house. We installed all new heating and air systems, new windows, insulation, plumbing, and electrical.

Everything in here is brand new.

Becky not only relied on her husband and three children during the initial remodeling phases, but she also got a great helping hand from her late father, George Delozier, who was an electrician for years. Roger Turner was the master carpenter for the overhaul.

Dad did all the wiring, all the duct work, said Becky. He helped us do everything. He was our go-to guy. It was a family affair. We all had some part in doing stuff.

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Remodel gives 1890s house a homey update

LINCOLN - A catastrophic fire that destroyed the Alcona County Road Commission maintenance garage last fall is being blamed on roofers.

Videos, taken by passersby, reportedly showed the fire breaking out along a seam of vinyl roofing near a window, officials from the Michigan County Road Commission Insurance Pool told the commissioners at their meeting Wednesday. The meeting lasted four hours.

The fire broke out two days after the roofing project was completed.

"They are on notice and they have their own attorney," said Gayle Pratt, administrator for the Michigan County Road Commission Self-Insurance Pool.

She and Paul Aubin, investigator for Specialty Claims Services, attended the meeting to reassure the commissioners about money available for the replacement maintenance garage.

"We have it showing exactly where the fire started," Aubin said. "It's pretty incriminating."

Aubin said the investigation indicates a heat gun used to seam the vinyl coating may have ignited some embers, which smoldered until the fire broke out over the weekend. The county also lost all of the equipment in the garage, along with a brand new $200,000 dump truck that had just arrived.

Pratt said the roofing company has a $1 million umbrella policy to pay for damages, which they will sue to collect.

Meanwhile Pratt and Aubin assured the commissioners that if they build a replacement garage on the same site to serve the same use as the previous building, they will cover the replacement costs.

However, the insurance pool cannot cover the cost of environmental contamination, such as removal of two old concrete tanks that were full of drainage water. More than 200 tons of dirt around the tanks also has been removed so far, and is being hauled off to a landfill in Atlanta, road commission Managing Director Jesse Campbell said.

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Road commission places blame on roofers for fire

Tolland, CT (PRWEB) April 23, 2014

Juice Bar EV (the Company) partnered with web development shop, Nimbletoad, to launch its new website. Built on the drupal framework this website serves as best of breed web practices and functionality.

Juice Bar EV, a premium provider of electric vehicle charging stations, and the Green Garage Oasis concept, updated the company website from freejuicebar.com to the new address JuiceBarEV.com with its recent increase in production.

The new website showcases a new business model tailored to Juice Bar EV charging station owners. The Company has a client-focused approach, as owners have the choice in customizing their Juice Bar to fit the needs of their facility. This includes the ability to partner with sponsors and advertisers to offset the cost of a charging station, and the choice in charging a fee or offering charging at no cost to the consumer.

We are about providing owners with the option best suited for their overall business objectives and budget. David Schmid, Managing Partner, Juice Bar EV.

Great care was taken to ensure that the website embodied the customizable, client focused nature of the Juice Bar. The site adapts its display to all modern devices delivering a custom viewing experience whether a user is on a smart phone or a big-screen display. By taking the extra steps to interlink all site content, users can intuitively navigate the site without having to resort to archaic menu trees.

It is a rare pleasure to develop a site with a company, such as Juice Bar EV, that shares the same unbending desire for quality and end user satisfaction. , Drew Hendricks, President, Nimbletoad, Inc.

The Juice Bar EV website, highlights the following:

A core Company focused strategy provides owners the opportunity to create income-producing assets with Juice Bar Charging stations. The Juice Bar EV website accommodates for frequent updates, new articles, and additions to product development.

About Juice Bar EV Juice Bar EV, is a premium provider of electric vehicle charging stations, and the Green Garage Oasis concept. The Juice Bar charging station is not just an electric vehicle charging station; Juice Bar is a charging experience. Our highly visible premium charging stations provide an innovative concept in design and branding for Juice Bar EV charging station owners and creates a lifestyle option for end users.

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Juice Bar EV Launches New Website

April 22, 2014 A.C. history by Enfys McMurry

Anonymous The Daily Iowegian The Daily Iowegian Tue Apr 22, 2014, 06:14 AM CDT

April 22, 1910: This was the day when the Interurban service between Centerville and Mystic began with a special dedication run. On board were the 165 bond subscribers in Centerville and Mystic who had made the Interurban possible. Among the group were J.A. and D.C. Bradley, who had contributed together almost $22,000 and whose father, William Bradley, had come to Centerville in 1856, establishing one successful business after another. Also present were Jesse M. Beck, editor of the Iowegian and Frank Payne, whose vision of extending Centerville Squares business eight years previously was now realized. The group posed before the camera. The day was cool. They wore hats and overcoats. One supported himself on a cane. They were handed folders with information on the quality of the construction, the power additions, the improvements planned and the security of their investments. They declared themselves well pleased.

At 7:30 every morning, two passenger cars of the Interurban departed from the east side of Centervilles Courthouse Square. They proceeded up North Main, turned west on Madison to Seventh Street, then north for the 25-minute journey to Mystic. A conductor collected the fares: 20 cents one way, $1 for three round trips. In a five-minute stop in Mystic, the motorman climbed to the top of the cars and adjusted controls allowing them to change directions, leaving Mystic for Centerville at 8 a.m. a pattern repeated every hour. (171)

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A.C. history by Enfys McMurry

When fire roared through the old KNTV building in San Jose on Sunday, it demolished more than an aging and empty structure. It destroyed the last remnants of an early era of local television -- more improvisational, more fun and less calculated than today's broadcasts.

From the weekday "Record Hop," which drew its inspiration from "American Bandstand," to a kids' show called "Hocus Pocus," to the used-car ads late at night, the KNTV building served as host for shows that marked a generation in San Jose.

The fire's cause is still under investigation, although fire officials say they are looking at the homeless who camped inside the building. In that news lies a core of irony, because the KNTV studios were home for a legion of television producers and reporters over a half-century.

"It was a little like the Winchester Mystery House, in the sense that we kept having additions over the years," said former news anchor Maggi Scura. "Basically, it was a lot of creative, emotional funny characters in a small space, making something happen every day."

Bread trucks

In a sense, the story begins with bread trucks and conservative bankers. The Gilliland family, which owned the next-door Sunlite Bakery (a building later used by AT&T), saw an opportunity in television in the early 1950s, no bad call for any entrepreneur.

Station lore has it that when the Gillilands asked their banker for a loan to build a television studio, the banker asked what seemed like a logical question: What if television is just a passing fancy?

To parry that doubt, the building was constructed so that it could be a parking garage for bread trucks if television didn't work out. The ceilings were never really high enough for the new medium.

After its first broadcast on Sept. 12, 1955 as an independent station, KNTV did so well that the Gillilands got out of the bakery business several years later. The station was sold to Allen T. Gilliland, who also started San Jose's cable company, Gill Cable.

Old house

See the article here:
KNTV fire destroyed the last remnants of an era

When fire roared through the old KNTV building in San Jose on Sunday, it demolished more than an aging and empty structure. It destroyed the last remnants of an early era of local television -- more improvisational, more fun and less calculated than today's broadcasts.

From the weekday "Record Hop," which drew its inspiration from "American Bandstand," to a kids' show called "Hocus Pocus," to the used-car ads late at night, the KNTV building served as host for shows that marked a generation in San Jose.

The fire's cause is still under investigation, although fire officials say they are looking at the homeless who camped inside the building. In that news lies a core of irony, because the KNTV studios were home for a legion of television producers and reporters over a half-century.

Members of the San Jose Fire Department monitor the remains of a five-alarm fire at Park Ave. and Montgomery St. in San Jose, Calif. on Monday, April 14, 2014. The roof and walls of the former KNTV-11 building collapsed during the fire. (Gary Reyes/Staff)

"It was a little like the Winchester Mystery House, in the sense that we kept having additions over the years," said former news anchor Maggi Scura. "Basically, it was a lot of creative, emotional funny characters in a small space, making something happen every day."

Bread trucks

In a sense, the story begins with bread trucks and conservative bankers. The Gilliland family, which owned the next-door Sunlite Bakery (a building later used by AT&T), saw an opportunity in television in the early 1950s, no bad call for any entrepreneur.

Station lore has it that when the Gillilands asked their banker for a loan to build a television studio, the banker asked what seemed like a logical question: What if television is just a passing fancy?

To parry that doubt, the building was constructed so that it could be a parking garage for bread trucks if television didn't work out. The ceilings were never really high enough for the new medium.

After its first broadcast on Sept. 12, 1955 as an independent station, KNTV did so well that the Gillilands got out of the bakery business several years later. The station was sold to Allen T. Gilliland, who also started San Jose's cable company, Gill Cable.

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Herhold: KNTV fire destroyed the last remnants of an era

A workshop for homeowners in the Bartlesville area is set to begin April 22.

The workshops, geared toward new homeowners, are part of an effort by the City of Bartlesville to educate residents on safe, clean and appropriate measures for a range of issues relating to owning a house in Bartlesville.

Each of the workshops will cover different areas that can be concerns for homeowners, according to Neighborhood Services Supervisor Larry Silver.

Natasha Riley, assistant city planner, said the meetings will try to address any questions the attendants have on the issues as well.

We want to put everything in an easy-to-digest and comprehend format, she said. The idea is that well educate homeowners about city processes and permits anything they need to be concerned about, whats important for them to know.

There are a lot of permits that people dont know how to get, but they know theyre important. Larry is going to be educating the public about code enforcement issues because theres so many rumors people hear and thats why were doing this.

Silver said that a lot of residents might feel as if his job enforcing city codes is an attack.

Were not doing that at all, he said. What were trying to do is help people. These rules are in place to protect their property, their neighborhoods, their houses.

The most pressing issue currently, Silver said, is signage in the area.

With the weather getting warmer, garage sale signs, estate sale signs, all these signs are starting to pop up everywhere, he said.

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Homeowners workshops to take place next week for Bartlesville residents

Teen arrested for tweeting airline terror threat Teen arrested for tweeting airline terror threat Police arrested a 14-year-old Dutch girl Monday after she tweeted a terror threat to American Airlines that catapulted her into social media fame overnight.More > Police arrested a 14-year-old Dutch girl Monday after she tweeted a terror threat to American Airlines that catapulted her into social media fame overnight.More > Photo of whales surfing Pipeline goes viral, drone video released Photo of whales surfing Pipeline goes viral, drone video released

Updated: Saturday, April 12 2014 6:07 AM EDT2014-04-12 10:07:09 GMT

Updated: Monday, April 14 2014 1:04 PM EDT2014-04-14 17:04:32 GMT

Updated: Friday, April 11 2014 4:11 PM EDT2014-04-11 20:11:18 GMT

Updated: Monday, April 14 2014 11:36 AM EDT2014-04-14 15:36:58 GMT

Updated: Friday, April 11 2014 6:08 PM EDT2014-04-11 22:08:56 GMT

Updated: Monday, April 14 2014 3:45 PM EDT2014-04-14 19:45:02 GMT

Updated: Monday, April 14 2014 5:26 PM EDT2014-04-14 21:26:23 GMT

Updated: April 14, 2014 07:21 AM 2014-04-14 22:13:07 GMT

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I feel that I should strongly urge Brattleboro voters to approve the 2014-15 municipal budget in the referendum being held this coming Thursday, April 17. Story Body:

I feel that I should strongly urge Brattleboro voters to approve the 2014-15 municipal budget in the referendum being held this coming Thursday, April 17.

Voters also need to clearly understand that a vote on the overall budget cannot be taken as a referendum on the police/fire renovations project. It can only be taken as a vote on the budget overall, and if the budget were rejected, the Selectboard would have to come back with another one, hold yet another special Representative Town Meeting, and ask us representatives to approve it there. Any new budget would mostly likely have to sustain cuts in all departments and program areas.

Having served on Representative Town Meetings Finance Committee for three years, I can say with some authority that the town administration, in all departments, carefully vets its budget requests, with the town manager and Selectboard both demanding of department heads that they request only what is absolutely needed. For this reason, it would be very costly, and unreasonably so, of the town employees and department heads time to ask them to once again re-budget.

I can reassure you that Brattleboro town government is run with integrity. You should have confidence that the services we are providing one another through the town and our taxes are the services that are actually needed, and that the town departments are run with economy and efficiency in mind.

To those who are critical of the police/fire project bonds, I say that in the town finance committee, we strongly questioned the projects budget estimates from the very beginning, and we saw the estimated cost come down from over $20 million to its current $14.1 approved level. That project has "jumped through all the hoops" of due process and diligence, and it will remain legally approved at its current level even if this overall town budget is rejected by the voters. The only way to exert downward pressure on the projects budget at this point is to show up at Selectboard or police/fire project oversight committee meetings and make your concerns or wishes known. And I want you to know that the Selectboard has already been doing that for you big cuts in cost have already been made, and the police/fire project manager and committee will come up with whatever additional cuts can be done, so long as the project can be executed with integrity and fulfill its goals.

I have had extensive talks with both Police Chief Wrinn and Fire Chief Bucossi, including meeting with both of them today, and they have taken my concerns very seriously over the years. They would do the same for you. Call them and ask for a tour of their facilities, if you are not one of the many people who already have taken one. Please remember that public safety buildings have to be constructed to much different, tougher standards than your ordinary store, warehouse, or home. Your garage doesnt need to house a vehicle weighing 31 tons, but the fire station does. And a police officer needs more than a 3-feet-wide, brick-lined, dog-legged stairway to safely escort a prisoner to his or her cell. All of the planned changes and additions to both stations have been carefully vetted for cost, adequacy, safety and integrity.

I was among the town Representatives who petitioned for the coming referendum to take place. I did so because the townwide referendum is a "safety valve" for democracy. We do not have a true democracy in this town, and the system we have could be further improved, say by electing representatives from our neighborhoods instead of from the three legislative districts. But what we do have provides for such a referendum, and it should be used whenever a substantial plurality of the residents reasonably question the budget, or for other important matters.

So among those of you who might have some question about this budget, let me ask you if your concerns are real, and substantiated with genuine knowledge of the issues. To those of you who raise property taxes as an issue, I say bear in mind that the state currently kicks in property tax assistance if your income or ability to pay them falls below a certain level. Our Selectboard just visited Montpelier to ask for consideration of our status as a "hub town," but that consideration is already in place to some extent when taxpayers statewide are thus, in effect, assisting us with our extraordinary "hub town" services needs.

Please vote to approve the 2014-15 Brattleboro town budget this coming Thursday. Our public servants work for us in good faith, and with great effort, and they eminently deserve our vote of confidence.

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Brattleboros budget deserves your vote of confidence

CLYMERS No one was injured in a fire that destroyed a garage on a property outside of Clymers Saturday afternoon.

Gary Michael, chief of the Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Department, said he and other firefighters responded to the fire near 400 South and 500 West outside of Clymers at about 1:38 p.m. Saturday.

Corinna Shaw, who lives with her father, Mike Shaw, at the residence, said she was the only one home at the time of the fire and that it spread quickly after she noticed it. No vehicles were in the garage at the time of the fire, she continued. She was able to move the vehicles in the driveway across the street.

"It was just completely, totally engulfed in flames in five minutes," Shaw said. "All I could do was move the vehicles and call 911. It was the fastest fire I've ever seen burn. It was really, really hot with intense, black smoke. It took off like wildfire with this wind."

Corinna Shaw described the structure as a three-car garage with additions on its rear and side. The fire spread to a field next to the garage, she added. Charred siding was also visible on the house on the property.

Michael said the cause of the fire was likely the cardboard Mike Shaw said he burned in a barrel outside the garage before leaving that afternoon. While he said he couldn't be absolutely sure, he based the estimation on the barrel's close proximity to the garage and Saturday afternoon's strong winds.

"It got a good head start on us," Michael said of the wind's contribution to the blaze.

Firefighters had the blaze under control within 15 to 20 minutes, Michael estimated, before addressing hot spots until about 4:30 p.m.

The Logansport Fire Department and Burrows Fire Department also assisted at the scene, Michael said.

Reach Mitchell Kirk at mitchell.kirk@pharostribune.com or 574-732-5130

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Fire destroys garage outside of Clymers