Published on August 05, 2014

John Ottenheimer is promising more fencing and reduced speed limits on the provinces highways at night to prevent moose-vehicle accidents.

John Ottenheimer. Telegram file photo

We live in moose country, he said.

Ottenheimer also promised that if he becomes premier, he will make 2016 a Come Home Year.

That year is the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Beaumont Hamel, the year that the Colonial Building restoration will be completed and the 50th anniversary of the first Come Home Year organized by Joey Smallwood.

Ottenheimer promised new Come Home Year licence plates, saying he can already see in his mind what theyll look like.

Ottenheimer could not give any sense of how much money it would cost to do the Come Home Year or the moose prevention efforts.

Organizations: Battle of Beaumont Hamel

John Ottenheimer. Telegram file photo

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Ottenheimer promises more moose fencing and a Come Home Year

Police are investigating a recent break-in and vandalism at a vacant Riverside house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

A caller on July 26 reported that someone had broken into the home in the 300 block of Scottswood Road, according to a Riverside Police Department news release.

The multi-unit home, known as the Avery Coonley House, was listed for sale for $354,000 by Pearson Realty Group and is under contract, according to Parker Pearson, vice president and co-owner of the company.

A suspect or suspects probably entered through a broken second-story window in a "bedroom wing" of the compound, the release states. The window was a signature "Wright glass" design, valued between $15,000 and $18,000 in a 2003 appraisal, police Chief Tom Weitzel said in an email.

Inside, police found someone had written "G Baby" and "Goon Squad" on the walls, the release states. Police also found alcoholic apple cider in the refrigerator and human waste in an inoperable toilet, according to the release.

"We have recovered physical evidence from the home and submitted it the Illinois State Police for forensic examination," Weitzel said in the release. "The home has since been boarded up and police have put a special watch on the property."

Police are looking for help in finding out who is responsible for the damage. They ask anyone with information to contact Detective Sgt. Frank Lara at (708) 447-2127 extension 262 or at flara@riverside.il.us.

wjventeicher@tribune.com

Twitter @wesventeicher

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Vacant Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Riverside is vandalized

DYESS, Ark. Honkytonks and haute restaurants are equally hard to come by in this part of the Arkansas Delta these days, where places to see a show or legally buy a beer with dinner can be few and far between. Yet, music luminaries gather in the area annually to pay their respects to the memory and legend of Johnny Cash, who grew up in this tiny farm town in the northeast corner of the state. Tourists also occasionally make pilgrimages to honor the iconic entertainer, and now they finally have something to see.

Cashs boyhood home and the Dyess Administration Building have been restored in the first phase of a $5.59 million project that eventually aims to partly resurrect not only the historic Depression-era colony the Cash family called home, but this areas fiscal fortunes by drawing from 30,000 to 50,000 visitors annually. If those projections based on visitor numbers to the nearby boyhood homes of Elvis Presley and B.B. King are accurate, tourism could infuse as much as $10 million a year into the economy and add around 100 coveted jobs for the regions residents.

So, that, for Arkansas, is quite significant, said Ruth Hawkins, head of Arkansas State Universitys Heritage Sites program, which is guiding the restoration.

The Dyess projects grand opening is Aug. 16, the day after the university hosts the fourth annual Johnny Cash Music Festival, featuring headliners Reba McEntire, Bobby Bare and Loretta Lynn. The show started as a fundraiser for the project, which has also received grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council and other sources.

Officials at the university, based in Jonesboro, have so far cobbled together about $2.5 million. Eventually, they hope to resurrect the colonys theater building, which is now little more than a deteriorated shell, transforming it into a visitor orientation center, and build a caretaker home that replicates an original colony house. The later phases of the project emphasize the sites historical significance beyond its ties to the Man in Black.

The Dyess Colony was established as an agricultural resettlement community by the Works Progress Administration in 1934, as part of Roosevelts New Deal as a plan to get destitute farmers back on their feet, Hawkins said. And it wasnt a government handout. You came and you cultivated and worked the land. When the land became productive and you began to make some money off it, then you paid the government back with the idea of eventually owning your own land.

Five hundred families were selected to settle in modest houses there and, with the help of a mule and seed money, each tamed 20 to 40 acres of what was then forest and swampland. To qualify, colonists had to have a proven record as successful farmers before the Depression. Ray and Carrie Cash and their five oldest children were among those chosen to take part in the cultural experiment, so the family including a 3-year-old then called J.R. moved to Dyess from Kingsland, Ark., in 1935.

I think that was an important part of American history the New Deal and the WPA project. Maybe its still fairly recent enough that we dont look at it as the important part of history that it is. But for really desperately poor families like the Cash family was; it saved them, said Cashs oldest daughter, the performer and writer Rosanne Cash. I dont think they would have survived without the WPA project. And that town was created purely out of that. There were 500 cottages, the administration building where my grandpa sold the cotton he picked and the co-op, the movie theater, the caf and the school. It was a fully functioning town, and theres not much left of it now.

Considering its former state of disrepair, it is fortunate from a cultural perspective that the Cash house was one of the few original buildings still standing. While it was valued at $100,000 when the university acquired it in 2011, that appraisal was due more to its historical significance than its structural soundness.

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Johnny Cash's boyhood home set to open for tours

Coming home, going home, being home hugs the heart like a mother cradles her newborn.

Swaddled in love.

Cue the faucet and let the love flow during the 2nd Annual Gospel Showcase. Set to exude at the Virginia High School auditorium in Bristol, Va. on Aug. 16, the event heralds a return home for emcee and show promoter Vania Ms. Vee Edwards.

Last year was a great year, said Edwards, a renowned gospel music radio personality, who spent her childhood in Glade Spring, Va. But this year will be better than last year. It gave people an opportunity to see what it was all about. Like, wow, its coming back again.

Edwards, who lives near Washington, D.C., will come home with a full bucket of tuneful goodies. Namely, a stout lineup of gospel groups will perform. Hallelujah singers include the Alabama Spirituals, Bob Arrington & the Soul Revivers and Serenity of Baltimore.

The word I use for them is ferocious, Edwards said of the trio, Serenity of Baltimore. Think about having three Shirley Caesars together. They have sung at the Kennedy Center. They sang at the White House. Theyre classy. Theyre elegant. They love the Lord.

In spreading talent among Serenity of Baltimore, God did not hold back. They were made to sing out, sing loud and sing proud.

When Serenity of Baltimore finish singing, you will remember their name, Edwards said. They are fe-rocious!

Edwards show champions and benefits a local cause. All proceeds will go toward the restoration and care of the historic Citizens Cemetery, which is located on Piedmont Street in Bristol, Va.

Im honored to be a part of it, Edwards said. Its history. When Im dead and gone, that history will still be there. You want to have it presentable.

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Coming home for Gospel Showcase has some serious rewards

Builders riskily scrambled on scaffolding as they worked on comic's home Did not appear to be wearing helmets or harnesses at cliff-top mansion One parent complained material landed where children were playing below Health chiefs stopped Heritage Cornwall Ltd working until issue was fixed French bought mansion in Fowey, Cornwall, with ex-husband Lenny Henry

By Steph Cockroft

Published: 10:38 EST, 3 August 2014 | Updated: 12:30 EST, 3 August 2014

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Builders were temporarily banned from working at Dawn French's cliff-top mansion after a worker was seen precariously dangling from scaffolding - 60ft above rocks.

Health and safety chiefs served the order after a passer-by complained about alarming scenes while workers fixed up the comic's 40-room home.

The builders were seen clambering over the scaffolding poles at Point Neptune House in Fowey, Cornwall, but did not appear to wear harnesses or helmets for their series of risky manoeuvres.

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Dawn French ordered to halt restoration work on Cornish mansion

As far as temporary home courts go, the new digs for the Natrona County basketball, volleyball and wrestling teams are impressive.

The facility, which is located just west of Cheney Alumni Field, the Mustangs football stadium, replaces the gym that had served as Natronas home court since 1929. The Orange Dungeon was recently demolished as part of Natronas massive restoration project.

The facility will serve as the home court for the three winter sports teams until the competition gym is completed in four years, according to Natrona County Activities Director Larry Meeboer. In addition, the facility will house the schools cafeteria, the library and some classrooms for the time being.

This will be swing space while theyre working on the classrooms over (at the high school), Meeboer said during a walk-through of the new facility on Thursday. Eventually, there will be a 200-meter indoor track around the outside. And in the middle of that will be three side-by-side basketball courts. All of that will be done in four years.

Until then, the new facility will be home to Natronas defending state champion volleyball and girls basketball teams, as well as the boys basketball and wrestling teams. While the classrooms, cafeteria and library will eventually move back to the high school, what will remain even after the competition gym is finished are, among other things, a weight room, an aerobics room and a much-larger practice room for the wrestling team, all of which are located on the second floor.

The weight room and the aerobics room both overlook the courts and, because of large windows located at the back of each room, are flooded by natural light.

The old weight room was like a fallout shelter, longtime Natrona football head coach Steve Harshman said. With this new weight room weve got so much light that I might start growing again.

And even though the weight room is smaller than the one we had, there was a track around that one so I think this one is more efficient.

In addition to the indoor track and three basketball courts, the facility will serve as the permanent home for Natronas physical education department. According to Harshman, there will be 42,000 square feet of PE space, in the facility.

The Fillies volleyball program will be the first athletic team to practice in the facility beginning Aug. 18. For now, Natrona coach Michael Botkin has mixed feelings about his new home court.

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Natrona County nears completion on temporary facility

For some homeowners, older houses mean solid construction, careful attention to architectural details and a link to earlier times--when craftsmanship was acquired by doing and the results conveyed a builders identity. Houses built before 1964 offer their owners unique preservation opportunities to return to those standards and to reconnect with Kansas history.

Active preservation efforts by public and private entitles on the local, state and national levels also provide tax incentives, tax credits and available grants to qualifying properties for all stages of the restoration process. Historical preservation can bring up to 90 percent rebates from city tax increases on improvements and, with state or National Register of Historic Places designation, properties become eligible for income tax credits and restoration grants. Beyond financial incentives, historic preservation of older properties also conveys intangible rewards: Improved neighborhoods, better aesthetics from coherent and authentic architecture, and the security that comes with structural integrity.

Restoration may reveal hidden gemsa previously unknown cast-plaster or pressed-metal ceiling, finely crafted details beneath painted wood trim or clues to engineering innovations to resolve 19th Century building dilemmas, said Wes Darnell, of WDM Architects.

Darnell, founding member of WDM Architects in Wichita, specializes in historic preservation. WDM is one of very few Kansas firms offering historic preservation expertise; its past preservation efforts have focused predominantly on public and commercial structures, including the Andover Public Library in Andover, KS, and within Wichitas historic district. WDMs year-long restoration of the Eaton Hotel returned it to its 1883-1900 design and recreated the last block of old downtown Wichita. By comparison, architectural involvement in residential restorations is rare, Darnell said, for budget reasons and because city historic preservation offices now help in this work.

Katrina Ringler defines Three Rs to fixing up older houses renovation, restoration or rehabilitation each with a different goal to making repairs. Ringler, who is with the Historic Preservation Office, within the Cultural Resources Division at the Kansas State Historical Society, deals with non-profits, private home owners, public and private groups fixing up structures built more than 50 years ago.

Most home-owners or real estate investors are interested in renovating an older home to increase its re-sale value on the housing market, or to make it more livable as a rental or as their own home. Renovating might involve upgrading the kitchen cabinets and counters, adding a modern bathroom and re-wiring electrical outlets to facilitate the location of a dishwasher or clothes dryer. Add a coat of paint, some wood sealer and the house is ready for move-in.

By comparison, rehabbing a house, means paying attention to authentic, historical details in upgrading the structure, Ringler said. The objective is to reproduce the character and appearance of the original architecture while adding modern conveniences to increase occupant comfort. This might include improved electrical wiring, modern plumbing and central air. Outside the house should look like it did when first built, say vintage 1900 architecture, but inside, the home has all the comforts of today.

Restoring is the most difficult approach and means returning the structure to the time period of its construction, both in character and detail, to retain its historical integrity. An 1880 home or courthouse would be restored to an 1880 standardno air conditioning, indoor plumbing or dual-pane windows. These restoration standards are maintained by successful nomination to local, state or national historic registers. Nomination to the Register of Historic Kansas Places requires application at the state level and can take up to 12 months for a decision by the Kansas Board of Review. Successful nomination carries tax incentives and makes the sponsoring preservationists eligible to apply for annual renovation-aid grants of up to $90,000. By law, half this funding goes to restore public buildings like courthouses, one-room schools and other structures with documented historical significance and a demonstrable benefit to the community.

Local, State and National Historic Registers

A separate review process for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, administered through the National Parks Service, can earn federal tax incentives and eligibility for restoration grants. Information is available online, at the NRHP website, http://www.nps.gov/nr/research/. Topeka also accepts applications for its Local Landmarks program. For properties so designated, the city conveys an historic zoning overlayprotecting the property, and adding a review by the council-appointed zoning board for changes that require a building permit. Those interested in Local Landmark applications, city property tax rebates and grant eligibility should contact Tim Parish, Topekas Historic Preservation Planner, 785-368-3013.

Excerpt from:
At Home Living: Could your home be a historical landmark?

RIPLEY, Ohio | From the days when runaway slaves sought a beacon of hope at his home above the Ohio River, to years of changes and plans for restoration, the time to tell the story of the late Rev. John Rankin and his part in history is near.

"He preached anti- slavery from his pulpit," said Betty Campbell, Ripley Heritage Incorporated volunteer site manager for the Rankin House historic site, during a media tour of the restoration process at the site. "... stressing you cannot own another human."

The Rankin family lived in the home from 1829-1866.

In 1938, Ohio Historic Society, now known as Ohio History Connection, acquired the site.

In 1981 it turned over management of the site to Ripley Heritage Incorporated, which has worked with OHC to secure grants and research programs to clarify the design and use of each area of the house, and get the restoration done.

Though other phases of the project have gone on over many years, the hard core restoration, with research into everything from paint and stenciling to shutter placement, began about a year ago and is set to be completed by re-dedication of the site on Aug. 23.

On that day the house will be open, free to the public, with re-dedication ceremonies at 11 a.m.

The most amazing find in the project is the section of original stenciling in Rankin's bedroom/study, officials said.

Once the stenciling was ready to be recreated, it took about two and half weeks to complete the process, said Kris Lemon, artist and owner of Deco Works which is completing the wall decor.

"This setting is fabulous," Lemon said.

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Rankin House revisiting historic times

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Soldiers relocate Brisbane's Eternal Flame from the cenotaph on Thursday to begin a "huge transformation of Anzac Square".

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk says he is confident Brisbanes Eternal Flame will be safe from vandals during its temporary relocation while the CBD cenotaph is renovated.

On Thursday, the flame was moved to a small fenced plot in Anzac Square, about 25 metres away the Ann Street site it has occupied since 1930.

While the cenotaph flame was protected by locked gates and is in full view of Ann Street, the temporary location is down the slope in Anzac Square behind a fence only about a metre high.

Brisbanes Eternal Flame has been temporarily moved from the Ann Street site it has occupied since 1930. Photo: Bradley Kanaris

I think people will respect the flame, what it means and obviously the reality is we have some CCTV coverage as well, Cr Quirk said.

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Well be watching, well be making sure the respect that ought to be maintained for this flame is maintained.

With a small crowd in attendance, including senior veterans, Corporal Christopher Purdie was given the honour of taking a burner from the cenotaph, walking down its steps and lighting the fire at the new location.

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Eternal Flame's temporary home

Video will begin in 5 seconds.

Soldiers relocate Brisbane's Eternal Flame from the cenotaph on Thursday to begin a "huge transformation of Anzac Square".

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk says he is confident Brisbanes Eternal Flame will be safe from vandals during its temporary relocation while the CBD cenotaph is renovated.

On Thursday, the flame was moved to a small fenced plot in Anzac Square, about 25 metres away the Ann Street site it has occupied since 1930.

While the cenotaph flame was protected by locked gates and is in full view of Ann Street, the temporary location is down the slope in Anzac Square behind a fence only about a metre high.

Brisbanes Eternal Flame has been temporarily moved from the Ann Street site it has occupied since 1930. Photo: Bradley Kanaris

I think people will respect the flame, what it means and obviously the reality is we have some CCTV coverage as well, Cr Quirk said.

Advertisement

Well be watching, well be making sure the respect that ought to be maintained for this flame is maintained.

With a small crowd in attendance, including senior veterans, Corporal Christopher Purdie was given the honour of taking a burner from the cenotaph, walking down its steps and lighting the fire at the new location.

Read the original post:
New home for Brisbane's Eternal Flame