If there?s a question relating to home improvement, the answer can likely be found among the 137 booths at the 43rd annual Johnson City Area Home Builders Association Home and Garden Show, which is set to begin Saturday at Freedom Hall Civic Center.

JCAHBA executive director Lisa Luster said all signs are pointing up for an industry that has seen some decline during the recession.

?A lot of the industry has been hit hard, but they have come to us this year realizing that things are turning around. The public is calling, builders are starting to build again, remodelers are working, landscapers are working full-tilt and this is a good time to start doing this work,? she said.

This year, the Home and Garden Show will feature 89 vendors dealing with everything from building, remodeling and landscaping to answering questions about refinancing and home restoration.

Even if one isn?t in the market to build or remodel a home, Luster said the show is the perfect place to come to get ideas for future projects.

?If they?ve got a wish list or a plan, we have an architect that can work with you,? she said. ?Come to get the idea. Come to make a plan and find the professionals that can put your plan into action, and that?s what we?re all about for this.?

As with previous years at the show, there is a concentration on energy-efficient building, including several vendors who offer solar power services.

?We feel like building smart is the only way to do it,? Luster said.

Certified green professionals will be on hand at the show, as well as green flags at booths where green products will be available.

Workshops will be hosted throughout the weekend, including workshops presented by the Northeast Tennessee Master Gardeners, the Orchid Society of East Tennessee, Englewood Lawn & Landscapes and Paul Walton, certified aging in place specialist and certified green professional.

For the first time in the show?s history, a ?Kid?s Zone? will be available for children where they can learn about building and decorating in a kid-friendly environment.

The showrooms will be open Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Tickets are $3 per person per day and a weekend pass is available for $5. Children 12 and under will be admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.

For more information, call the JCAHBA at 282-2561.

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Home sweet home, garden show

GALLATIN, TN--(Marketwire -02/17/12)- For a property owner, a worst-case disaster scenario involving fire or water damage can seem unthinkable and then suddenly become a reality. In the aftermath of a disaster, quick response time by a disaster recovery and restoration specialist can help minimize property damage as well as inventory or home contents loss. To provide home and business owners with a quick and convenient way to call in the experts when disaster strikes, SERVPRO® announces the public release of their SERVPRO® Ready Plan Mobile Application. The free App is now available to download from app stores across three mobile platforms: Android™, iOS® and BlackBerry®.

"The one constant in disasters," says Rick Isaacson, Executive Vice President of Servpro Industries, Inc., "is that there isn't any constant. Disasters are unpredictable and frequently strike without warning. That's why SERVPRO's Ready Plan mobile app is so valuable. In the confusion and panic that often surround a disaster, a property owner or manager can reach out for expert help right from the scene, using their cell phones."

The application allows both residential and commercial property managers and owners to create an Emergency Ready Profile that contains critical facility information that can help speed up response time after fire or water damage occurs. In addition to property details, the application tracks prior loss history, utility shut off locations, and key contacts; stores photos of the damage; and integrates local weather forecasts and more, including the address and contact information for the user's preferred SERVPRO® Franchise.

Through the application, the user can quickly call SERVPRO® or submit an electronic "First Notice of Loss" (FNOL) to the SERVPRO® National Call Center setting the wheels of recovery in motion. Rapid response from a disaster cleanup and restoration specialist can help the property owner evaluate options, start the insurance process and take the right steps from the beginning to bring their property back to normal, "Like it never even happened."

"I hope that businesses and homeowners nationwide will take a moment to download our new Ready Plan mobile app to their smart phone," said Isaacson. "Having that information literally at your fingertips in an emergency can prove invaluable if disaster does strike."

SERVPRO® specializes in fire and water cleanup and restoration and repair services for both commercial and residential customers. SERVPRO® also offers large loss, national storm response, mold remediation and other property maintenance and restoration services.

For more information about SERVPRO®, please visit http://www.servpro.com.

An image is available for this release at http://www2.enr-corp.com/ht/strumpf03/1120781/ReadyAppHand.jpg.

About SERVPRO®
Founded in 1967, the SERVPRO® Franchise system is a national leader and provider of fire and water cleanup and restoration services and mold mitigation and remediation. SERVPRO's professional services network of more than 1,600 individually owned and operated Franchises responds to property damage emergencies ranging from small individual disasters to multi-million dollar large-loss situations. Providing coverage in 48 states, the SERVPRO® system has established relationships with major insurance companies and commercial clients, as well as individual homeowners.

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SERVPRO(R) Ready Plan Mobile Application Keeps Critical Disaster Recovery and Restoration Information at Property ...

BALTIMORE (WJZ)— BGE has begun restoring natural gas service to the hundreds of Southwest Baltimore residents affected by Tuesday’s gas main break, which was caused by a non-BGE crew making repairs to a Baltimore City water main.

Crews have already pumped more than 4,000 gallons of water from the gas main—allowing the utility to begin the process of restoring service to some customers where it is safe to do so. Pumping will continue until the main is completely free of water and sediment.

The break occurred in the 300-block of Millington Avenue between Wilkens and Frederick Avenues Tuesday morning.  In order to safely repair the gas main and clear it of all water and sediment, natural gas service to approximately 900 buildings was turned off—a process that requires BGE and support personnel to enter each and every building affected.

“BGE recognizes the challenges associated with an extended interruption in natural gas service at any time, but particularly during the winter months—even a mild winter— when customers are using natural gas to heat their homes,” said Jeannette M. Mills, senior vice president and chief customer officer for BGE.  “Our customers have been very cooperative and understanding throughout this entire event and we ask for their continued patience as we work diligently to safely restore service as quickly as possible.”

Crews from PECO, a nearby utility based in Philadelphia, is assisting BGE in the door-to-door effort . For safety purposes, customers should always ask to see the photo identification of people requesting entry into their home or business.

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BGE Begins Gas Service Restoration To Southwest Baltimore Community

15-02-2012 16:43 McKinney Restoration provides restoration services as the result of fire damage, smoke damage, water damage, mold and mildew or other home damages often requiring home cleanup services or home improvement and home renovation services. For home repair, home renovations, home remodeling, and other home improvement services needed due to water damage, fire damage, smoke damage or mold damage and mildew, visit McKinney Restoration at http://www.mckinneyrestoration.com.

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McKinney Restoration 972-460-6653 - Video

15-02-2012 22:20 Your Southlake Restoration company at 682-738-5669 provides restoration services as the result of fire damage, smoke damage, water damage, mold and mildew or other home damages often requiring home cleanup services or home improvement and home renovation services. For home repair, home renovations, home remodeling, and other home improvement services needed due to water damage, fire damage, smoke damage or mold damage and mildew, visit your Southlake Restoration website http://www.southlakerestoration.com.

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Southlake Restoration - 682-738-5669 - Video

The restoration of the Town Hall cupola is three-quarters complete and has a tentative completion date of early March, Town Manager Charles J. Cristello told selectmen this week.

One year ago officials learned that the cupola was tilting and recommended it be removed immediately as it could fall and pose a danger to the public.

After a Feb. 2 site visit, Patrick Guthrie, a project architect with Menders, Torrey & Spencer, of Boston, reported that the deterioration was worse than thought, requiring replacement of the base structure and lower posts.

Gurthrie said the refurbished cupola will not appear as shiny as before because of the removal of a lacquer coating.

The cost of the job is now estimated at $217,862.

Town meeting authorized $200,000 for the job, Cristello does not anticipate using that full amount since the town received a $30,000 grant from the Massachusetts Historic Commission for the project. In December the town also applied for an additional $30,000 emergency grant from the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund.

Town Hall, built in 1873, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It underwent a $2.5 million restoration project more than a decade ago and reopened on March 6, 2000.

In other action, Jamie L. Bissonnette of Prime Engineering in Lakeville gave an update to Edgeway Mobile Home Park Phase II construction project, which includes drainage and septic system improvements.

The court-ordered agreement with the town to address long standing problems at the park requires the plans be submitted by March 15.

Bissonnette said they “expect to have a set of plans submitted by March 15” and are looking at multiple locations for the septic system along with improvements to the roadway and drainage facilities on site.

Selectmen voted unanimously to dedicate the 2011 annual town report to three individuals recognized for their service to the town, including former Town Clerk Eileen Gates, who retired in July after 40 years as a town employee including the last seven as town clerk; Betty Brown a library employee who served as the adult services and reference librarian for 20 years before her death in January 2010; and Anna M. Nalevanko who served as the director of the Office of Economic and Community Development until her death in September.

Selectmen also voted to authorize the town manager to send a letter to Gov. Deval Patrick urging him not to close the Taunton State Hospital which provides mental health services to southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands.

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Restoration of Middleboro cupola in final stretch

The Wizard of Oz is to be re-released in time to celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2014.

The classic 1939 movie starring Judy Garland will be given a restoration by Warner Bros Home Video, which currently owns the rights.

Warner Bros announced today that all DVDs and Blu-ray discs will stop being shipped from May 1 this year, with a relaunch scheduled for 2013.

"We expect 90-95% consumer awareness, with a kickoff event consistent with only a handful of titles that are considered the crown jewels of our library," theatrical catalogue chief Jeff Baker said in a statement.

It has currently not been confirmed whether the re-release will be limited to just home media, or whether the restored film will also be sent out to cinemas.

Robert Zemeckis was said to have entered talks with Warner Bros for a potential remake of The Wizard of Oz in late 2010.

> Wizard of Oz slippers expected to sell for $2 million in auction

Watch the trailer for The Wizard of Oz below:

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'Wizard of Oz' for restoration re-release for 75th anniversary in 2014

“The Road Home” Aims to Restore Lives One Classic Car at a Time

Bridgewater, NJ (PRWEB) February 16, 2012

The already tough job market is expected to get tougher for veterans, as one million service members will exit the military during the next five years. It is this statistic that led a group of compassionate auto enthusiasts to create “The Road Home,” a not-for-profit organization designed to help veterans return to civilian life through placement in automotive restoration shops.

Serving primarily as a matchmaker, The Road Home puts veterans and restoration shops together through both direct contact on an individual level and a growing self-serve database, which will be hosted at http://www.TheRoadHomeUSA.org. American Collectors Insurance, a specialty provider of collector vehicle and collectibles insurance, will be the program’s charter supporter and play an important role in bringing this very worthwhile project to life.

“When we were brought into the initial discussion about The Road Home, we immediately understood the strong potential link between the growing car hobby and returning veterans,” said American Collectors Insurance’s CEO Jill Bookman. “American Collectors has long been involved with partners serving the U.S. military, and as a result we have many thousands of customers who are active or retired soldiers, sailors, and airmen.”

The Road Home’s mission is to restore lives, one classic car at a time and it’s a mission American Collectors Insurance is dedicated to help accomplish.

For more information on The Road Home, please visit: http://www.TheRoadHomeUSA.org or http://www.facebook.com/theroadhomeusa.

About The Road Home

The Road Home is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing returning veterans with social, training, and employment opportunities in the automotive restoration industry. Founded in 2012 by a group of compassionate automotive enthusiasts, The Road Home has developed a network of restoration shops ready, willing, and able to welcome a veteran into their day-to-day operations. The program’s mission is “restoring lives, one classic car at a time.”

About American Collectors Insurance

American Collectors Insurance is the nation’s leading provider of collector vehicle and collectibles insurance. American Collectors offers products through independent insurance agents, in partnership with several major insurance organizations, and direct to consumers. A wide range of collector vehicles qualify for American Collectors’ program, from “brass and wood” antiques to street rods, exotics, modern classics and more. American Collectors also offers all-risk coverage for a wide range of collections from stamps, coins and comic books to vintage wine, sports memorabilia and beyond.

# # #

Crystal DeCotiis
The Road Home
908-722-9400 15
Email Information

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Not-For-Profit Announces Launch of Program Matching Military Vets and Auto Restoration Shops

13-02-2012 16:16 Here is a home Blastmaster Cob blasted and finished with Quality Alaskan Finishes

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Log home restoration by Blastmaster - Video

14-02-2012 11:55 mdrestoration.com Show off the variety of home damage repair you provide with this ad. "Floods and fires. Even the most conscientious homeowners aren't always prepared for these powerful forces. Although you don't have control over nature, you can make sure the damage done to your home is properly restored after unfortunate floods, fires or other calamities. We offer round-the-clock, emergency cleaning, restoration and disaster preparation services. No matter the damage, our expert services guarantee your home is safe and sound as possible -- before and after unforeseen crises. Expect the best, but prepare for the worst. Call today."

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MD Restoration - Video