The Mary Stanford lifeboat on arrival in Ballycotton, transported by Noel and Hazel Hennessy of Ballycotton Transport. Pic: Denis Minihane

The first lifeboat to receive an award for bravery for its role in one of Irelands most daring sea rescues has been returned to its spiritual home.

The Mary Stanford, saved earlier this year from being scuttled, has been installed on a scenic display plinth overlooking Ballycotton Bay in East Cork, from where she sailed into history almost a century ago.

The complex operation to transport the almost 30-tonne vessel from a warehouse in Midleton to the fishing villages famous cliff walk passed off without a hitch over the weekend.

A meeting is now due to take place tomorrow to plan the restoration of the vessel on site over the coming months.

Stephen Belton, a member of the Save the Mary Stanford Committee, said everybody was delighted to finally have her back home where she belongs.

This was one of the biggest things to ever happen in Ballycotton, he said. We got amazing co-operation from everybody involved.

We would like to thank Noel Hennessy of Ballycotton Transport who did a fantastic job transporting her along the narrow winding roads, and East Cork Crane Hire, who had responsibility for placing her on the permanent display plinth.

We are all really excited about the next phase of this project, with work already under way to plan the restoration.

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Renowned Mary Stanford lifeboat back at spiritual home

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) April 28, 2014

Insulating the home is one of the first things that can be done to protect it and Attic cleaning San Francisco contractors at AttiCare are now announcing insulation installation for the complete home. Older homes are much more likely to have less insulation than newer homes, but adding to existing insulation is a beneficial way to protect the home. At AttiCare, the insulation installers are now offering insulation for the whole home.

Insulation can be classified into four general categories: 1) Loose fill, composed of cellulose, mineral, or glass fibers; 2) Batts, composed of fiberglass, cotton, or various wools; 3) Rigid boards, composed of plastic foams or glass fibers; and 4) Expanding sprays, these are proprietary systems. Batt and rigid insulation typically come into play during a major restoration that requires replacing walls or during installation insulation in unfinished spaces such as attics.

The amount of insulation needed in a home depends on the insulations R-valuethe materials thermal resistance or resistance to heat flow. This depends on what region of the country a home is located and what part of the house is being insulated. The higher the R-value the better the material insulates. R-values range from zero to 40 and more. Smaller values are appropriate for warm weather places, such as Florida; and the high values are appropriate in chilly climates, such as New Jersey.

Where insulation needs to be installed will vary from house to house. Most heat loss is typically lost through the roof. Since warm air has a tendency to rise and cool air falls, insulating the attic first is the best place to start. If the attic is unfinished, the insulation should be installed on the floor. If the attic is used as a living space, the insulation should be placed between the rafters.

AttiCare knows the value of family and they thrive to offer the best services and best quality of business to insure comfort. They offer only the best insulation to both the San Francisco Bay Area and the Northern New Jersey locations to provide homes with the best attics possible.

About AttiCare: AttiCare is a company of insulation contractors offering attic clean-up services based out of Alameda, California and Secaucus, New Jersey. They have been effectively serving the entire San Francisco Bay area and Northern New Jersey area for more than fifteen years.

They are the largest company in the Bay Area and N. New Jersey which specializes in attic cleanup, crawl space cleaning, rodent control and rodent removal, as well as attic insulation, attic insulation removal, air duct repair, and replacement. AttiCare is a company of consciously grounded with high regard for customer satisfaction. Services:

To contact Atticare please call (888)743.7243 or visit http://www.bayareaattic.com/contact-us/.

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Atticare Now Offering Insulation for the Complete Home

A Buffalo cocaine trafficker and a Jamestown heroin trafficker were given stiff federal prison terms this week, and a Toronto Ecstasy pusher who already had been jailed for 45 months was deported.

William Smith, 34, the last of seven cocaine traffickers to be convicted after their 2012 arrests for transporting drugs from Chicago to Buffalo, was ordered by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to serve a 10-year prison term for drug conspiracy with intent to distribute.

Boris Aguayo-Matos, 35, was ordered to serve a 10-year and one-month federal prison term by Chief U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny on his conviction for conspiracy to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm.

Anthony Ighodaro, 32, of Toronto, was ordered deported by Arcara as the judge sentenced him to time served on his conviction for the importation of Ecstasy pills into this country.

U.S. Assistant Attorneys Carol G. Bridge and Thomas S. Duskiewicz, who handled all three cases, said Smith was arrested on Feb. 13, 2012, after the Buffalo office of the Drug Enforcement Administration received a telephone tip about the scheme in which Smith and his cohorts were bringing about 50 kilograms of cocaine a month to Buffalo from Chicago.

After the arrests, federal agents seized more than $550,000 in cash and about two kilograms of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, four weapons and a Ford Mustang in local raids, Bridge and Duskiewicz said.

Aguayo-Matos was arrested in Celoron by Chautauqua County sheriffs deputies based on wiretap evidence.

The deputies seized about a half kilogram of heroin and two firearms. Subsequent raids of his Jamestown home and other areas led to seizures of more heroin, and quantities of cocaine, more firearms, several vehicles and about $300,000 in U.S. currency, the prosecutors said.

Aguayo-Matos was the last of eight suspects in that heroin-trafficking ring to be convicted.

Prosecutors said Ighodaro was arrested at the Peace Bridge on July 25, 2010, by Customs & Border Protection officers because of inconsistencies in the personal information he provided them.

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Two get federal prison terms as drug traffickers; 3rd deported

BY MARAH ALTENBERG, TODD SHIELDS AND FRANK ABDERHOLDEN Sun-Times Media April 25, 2014 11:44PM

Long Grove-4/26/14, Sat./4773 Trenton Ct. Aftermath of Friday nights house explosion in Long Grove. Joe Shuman/For Sun-Times Media

storyidforme: 65496074 tmspicid: 23425574 fileheaderid: 11440844

Updated: April 26, 2014 6:41PM

Preliminary investigation has revealed that the explosion in Long Grove Friday night, which leveled an upscale home in the Royal Melbourne subdivision, may have been caused by a natural gas leak, although further investigation is on-going, Lake County Sheriffs officials said Saturday.

North Shore Gas was already in the area investigating a report of an odor of natural gas, Countryside Fire Protection District officials confirmed Saturday afternoon.

On Saturday morning North Shore Gas Company employees were on the scene as well as restoration crews and Lake County Sheriffs police blanketed the area. Homeowners were carrying luggage from their homes that had much structural damage. Some predicted they would be in hotels for at least the next few nights.

Clusters of homeowners were still out on the street retelling stories about the unbelieveable explosion that rocked their neighborhood. Landscape crews could be seen cleaning up the insulation that had scattered all over with leafblowers. You could still see the insulation in trees and covering rooftops of homes.

Huge plywood boards were stuck like javelins in the ground in Sheiners neighbors front yard.

When fire crews arrived at 10:51 they found the house at 4771 Trenton Court destroyed by an explosion and on fire, Countryside fire officials confirmed. Approximately 50 other houses within a quarter mile radius sustained moderate to severe damage. Some of the homes closest to the explosion are uninhabitable, fire officials said. Two people sustained minor injuries and were evaluated and released at the scene.

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Explosion levels house, several others damaged in suburban Long Grove

Clean Tech Restoration: Helping to Manage Your Emergency

Kent Cleaners Ltd 183 Lansdowne E, Peterborough, ON 705-745-7904

The devastating effects of smoke, water and mold can wreak havoc on your home and personal items. Causing unmeasurable damage, many people are stripped of their most cherished items after experiencing a personal or natural emergency.

Trust Kent Cleaners restoration specialists, Clean Tech Restoration to restore your prized clothing and textiles. The only specialized textile restoration dry cleaner in North America, Clean Tech restoration is committed to helping you minimize your loss by restoring your most cherished items.

Understanding emergencies are not limited to business hours, Clean Tech Restoration is available to customers every hour of every day. When time is of the essence, Clean Tech Restoration offers on-site emergency response services within four hours of your initial call.

Operated by a highly trained response team, your service is completed by meticulous itemizing and bar-coding each of your items sent for restoration, being delivered and those items not able to be salvaged. Once accessed you will be given a written estimate within 48 hours which will detail all aspects of the restoration process.

Clean Tech Restoration is responsible for all removal and storage services as well as the re-hanging of your window coverings after restoration. Clean Tech Restorations superior service also includes emergency clothing for clients for up to two weeks as they are restoring your personal items.

Proudly promoting their most advanced cleaning system, Clean Tech Restoration provides incredible textile restoration, no matter the cause of the emergency. Having specialized in textile restoration for over 15 years, Clean Tech Restoration is your best option for restoring your favourite items damaged by odour, fire, soot, oil spills, water damage and sewage backups and blowbacks. Committed to restoring your textiles to their pre-damage condition, items badly damaged will receive multiple attempts at restoration and you will never be billed for items unable to be restored.

To learn more contact Kent Cleaners or Clean Tech Restoration toll free at 1-866-722-0422 or visit them at one of their three locations, 183 Lansdowne Street East in Peterborough, 29 Harriet Street in Belleville or 1200 Phillip Murray Avenue in Oshawa.

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Clean Tech Restoration: Helping to Manage Your Emergency

Kenneth Frieden lives a double life. By day, he works as an commodities broker in Houston, but when work is done, he heads south for peace and playtime on Galveston's Tiki Island.

It wasn't until after he bought a boat that Frieden took seriously the idea of making Tiki Island his primary home - but once he started looking he found a small, storm-beaten house on a big lot and decided to build his beach house two years ago.

"He wanted something that was guylike and fancy, without being uncomfortable," said Albert Wilson of Ken Kehoe & Company, one of the designers who helped create the interiors for the 3,200-square-foot house. "So this whole place is designed around being comfy and cool."

In addition to a textured seagrass rug, bamboo blinds and an end table filled with driftwood logs, the natural feel of the living room is dominated by a pair of custom white sofas with wide cushions for maximum relaxation, upholstered in a commercial-grade fabric that would survive use by Frieden's dog.

As is only proper for a bay-side abode, beach themes abound in a mix of kitsch and chic styles. Hurricane glasses filled with sand and shells dot the living room shelves across from a large piece of artwork by Houston photographer Julie Soefer depicting someone's catch of the day. In an adjacent entertainment room, pale blue textiles on the custom corner bench and throw pillows have a subtle wave pattern, complemented by faux shagreen nesting tables and a lamp made from stacked oyster shells. A cheeky jellyfish lamp hangs from a corner of the ceiling.

The powder room has the most dramatic look, covered in black wallpaper that features neon images of crocheted fish. A different wallpaper on the ceiling mimics a corrugated metal roof.

"He thought we were nuts, especially with the jellyfish and the corrugated metal wallpaper. When clients first meet you, you have to convince them that your crazy ideas are actually really awesome," said Wilson. "Once they actually see how it works, then they trust you."

Despite the beach theme, Frieden's taste runs to a more contemporary look, which also is well-represented throughout the space. The Kehoe team painted the wooden beam at the apex of the vaulted ceiling to look like a steel beam and added a sleek ceiling fan underneath it. Restoration Hardware's distressed leather version of an Arne Jacobsen egg chair makes an impression in the living room, as does an industrial-style lamp with a ring of Edison light bulbs.

In the corner, a pair of tall, wavy sculptures add some height and color to the living room. They have a contemporary look but a connection to the sea as well - they're made out of surfboard material.

"I like right angles and clean lines, so my style is a simple palette with some color added in. I wanted a modern, comfortable beach house and Ken and Albert took just that and ran with it," said Frieden.

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Tiki Island home is a party palace

Jill Kelly had to laugh at the irony. There was a time, as a young man, when her husband resisted the idea of coming to Buffalo. Now, 30 years later, Jim Kelly has become the epitome of what we like to call the Buffalo guy.

I know, Jill said in an interview this week. Isnt that interesting? Well, clearly God had other plans, because it goes way beyond the football field.

Kelly has called Buffalo home since his retirement from the Bills in 1996. But his wife says it has never been more evident than during his battle with sinus cancer.

Two weeks ago, Kelly had the first of his chemotherapy treatments at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. When he returned to Buffalo for Easter weekend, the original plan was for him to return to New York City. Instead, he decided to stay and resume his treatment here in Buffalo.

The initial treatment rocked Kelly, whose body has been ravaged over the years by a variety of injuries. Jill said theyre kind of slam dunking him with the most potent chemo. But when he and his family discussed the possibility of continuing treatment here, Kellys spirits brightened considerably.

I think the most clear and obvious change was when Jim was told he could go home, Jill said. I think that although the care in NYC was impeccable, we started looking into our options to make sure we could do the exact same thing back in Buffalo.

As soon as Jim knew there was a green light, and that everything would go smoothly and there wouldnt be any hiccups in his care, he just ... changed.

As a football player, leading the Bills to four straight Super Bowls, Kelly became a symbol of Buffalos resilient, fighting spirit. Now he is in the fight of his life, and he and his family realized that he wanted to go toe-to-toe with cancer in the place where he feels strongest, in Buffalo.

Hes been being ambushed in his mind, Jill said, and this was a turning point for him, absolutely. Hes a different person now, being home and surrounded by family that love him and are with him. His brothers each taking a turn. And they were doing this in New York as well.

But youre home, she said. You can look out the windows of your home and see your dog. You can see the wild

Originally posted here:
Jill Kelly says there's no place like home

BATAVIA Voters in the Batavia School District may solve a longstanding problem for the School Board in the May 20 election: getting rid of a large piece of property that has been vacant for years.

A 13-acre landscaped stretch of land in the citys northeast residential area was once pegged as the site for an elementary school to serve a fast-growing part of the city. That plan was abandoned and years later it was decided to convert the acreage into an athletic field. That idea didnt sell to a dozen neighbors who front the property.

Now the board has a $150,000 offer from a Batavia resident who wants to develop housing on the site. The voters must approve a sale for land assessed at $100,000.

The money would go into the 2014-2015 budget, a $42.9 million spending plan that would raise the real property taxes about 2 percent. That is also subject to voter approval.

The ballot will list candidates for three School Board seats with the terms of Wayne Gunther, Amy Barone and Leslie Johnson ending.

Prospective candidates have until next week to get their names on the ballot. Board members serve three-year terms.

A vote that wont count but may help determine future action is an Alternative Veterans Tax exemption. A sliding scale for combat veterans and disabled veterans would still be subject to board approval prior to March 1 of any year. If the straw vote is approved, the exemption would be on any residence assessed at $80,000 or more and would increase the property levies of non-veterans by a small amount.

Residents also will vote on continuing a non-voting student to attend board meetings.

District voters who reside north of Main Street (Route 5) in the city, and towns of Batavia and Stafford that comprise the district, will be voting now in the former Robert Morris Elementary School instead of John Kennedy.

The two are at opposite ends of the city but Robert Morris offers more available space.

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Batavia school voters to consider land sale, budget, board elections

By Off Main Street | The Buffalo News

on April 25, 2014 - 10:25 PM

Buffalo fan on the ball

The guy who dropped Albert Pujols 500th home run this week at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.?

Hes from Buffalo.

And hes also an admirably good sport.

Chris Gordon, 45, won some instant celebrity when he ran toward the ball, which bounced off his stomach and into the hands of longtime Los Angeles Angels fan Tom Sherrill.

Video of the event shows Gordon diving to get the ball and then getting up to hug Sherrill after the catch. The two even exchanged phone numbers afterward.

Sherrill returned the ball to Pujols, which Gordon said shows that there are good people in the world, according to the Washington Post.

Acknowledging Sherrill is an Angels fan, Gordon said, The right person ended up with the ball.

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The offbeat side of the news

A Buffalo man who had been sentenced to seven years in prison for a 2003 assault conviction is going back to prison.

Larry Brooks, 50, of Moselle Street, was sentenced today to 10 years for shooting a man last summer during an argument on an East Side street.

Erie County Judge Sheila A. DiTullio imposed the prison term on Brooks who had pleaded guilty last month to first-degree assault in the Aug. 7 shooting in front of Brooks house.

Brooks and the victim, who had an ongoing dispute, were arguing in the street when Brooks went into his home, got a gun and shot the victim, Erie County Assistant District Attorney John Patrick Feroleto said. The victim was hospitalized for a few days.

Because of his previous conviction for second-degree assault, Brooks had faced at least 10 years in prison and at most 25 years.

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Moselle Street man going back to prison