Winter Weather Advisoryissued February 1 at 3:42PM EST expiring February 2 at 1:00AM EST in effect for: Kent

Winter Weather Advisoryissued February 1 at 3:42PM EST expiring February 2 at 7:00AM EST in effect for: Cecil

Winter Weather Advisoryissued January 31 at 2:57PM EST expiring February 2 at 8:00AM EST in effect for: Adams, Bedford, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster, Somerset, York

Winter Weather Advisoryissued February 1 at 12:53PM EST expiring February 2 at 8:00AM EST in effect for: Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Washington

Winter Weather Advisoryissued February 1 at 3:37AM EST expiring February 2 at 8:00AM EST in effect for: Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick

Winter Weather Advisoryissued February 1 at 4:33AM EST expiring February 2 at 7:00AM EST in effect for: Cecil, Kent

Winter Storm Watchissued January 31 at 9:33AM EST expiring February 2 at 12:00PM EST in effect for: Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Perry, Somerset, York

Winter Storm Watchissued January 31 at 8:48AM EST expiring February 2 at 12:00PM EST in effect for: Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Perry, York

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11-year-old girl dies of smoke inhalation

BLOOMINGDALE - In announcing yesterday's arrest of a 25-year-old man allegedly found with heroin, authorities said the suspect is connected to the burglary and theft of a vacant home on Van Dam Avenue, which was found stripped of wiring and plumbing fixtures.

In a press release, Patrolman Daniel Fletcher reported that the Detective Bureau conducted an investigation that led to the arrest of Joseph Connell, of an undisclosed town, on charges of burglary, theft, and heroin possession. When arrested on Friday, Jan. 30, police said, Connell was in possession of five glassine envelopes of heroin.

Fletcher said that Detective/Sgt. Steven Caputo and Patrolman David Terpstra had developed info during another investigation that led them to charge Connell in connection with the burglary of a home under construction on Van Dam Avenue.

The municipal court judge set bail at $10,000, with a 10-percent option, which Connell was able to post through a family member.

Patrolman Daniel Greenwood also assisted with the arrest.

-Donna Rolando

"Police news" is compiled by Suburban Trends from information provided by the police department. The information is released to the press at the discretion of the police department and may not represent the total scope of police activity. All persons are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

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Bloomingdale police: Vacant home burglary suspect had heroin

Published: Saturday, January 31, 2015 at 5:12 p.m. Last Modified: Saturday, January 31, 2015 at 5:12 p.m.

OCALA -- Four structure fires in less than 24 hours kept Marion County Fire Rescue firefighters busy throughout the county.

The fires began Friday at 5:30 p.m. and concluded before noon Saturday, according to spokeswoman Jessica Greene Fuchs. Of the four fires, no one was injured. However, a family dog died in one of the blazes, the spokesperson said.

The first fire was reported in Ocklawaha at 5:30 p.m. Friday at 10451 SE 132nd Place involving a grease fire that was contained to the kitchen.

On Saturday, the first of three fires occurred in Ocklawaha at 10230 SE 464C at 9:08 a.m., where 16 firefighters battled a mobile home fire. The blaze was put out before 9:30 a.m. Officials think faulty electrical wiring may be the cause of that fire.

Firefighters also went to 6055 NW 125th Street Road in Reddick, where residents woke up smelling smoke in the 2,500-square-foot home and ran outside. The garage was engulfed and flames spread to the home.

More than 20 firefighters responded to the fire. Officials said the roof was considered unstable, and firefighters who were inside backed out for their safety. They searched for the family dog, which later was found deceased.

Another fire was at 17620 SE 81st Timberwood Terrace in The Villages. That fire started in the homes electrical box, officials said. The homeowners prevented the fire from spreading by turning off the electricity. Firefighters checked the walls to make sure the fire didnt get inside, and the fire hadnt spread anywhere else.

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Four structure fires keep firefighters busy

Marion County firefighters had a busy Saturday morning, battling two blazes within minutes of each other, officials said.

There was also a fire on Friday evening.

No injuries were reported but a dog died, officials said.

The first fire on Saturday was just after 9 a.m. in the 10000 block of SE 464C in Ocklawaha. The mobile home was about 25 percent involved when crew arrived on scene, officials said. Firefighters were able to get the blaze under control within minutes. No one was home at the time of the fire, which is believed to be caused by faulty wiring.

About 9:20 a.m., crews were called to a fire in the 6000 block of NW 125 Street in Reddick after homeowners said they woke up to smelling smoke. When fire crews arrived the garage was fully engulfed in flames and the house was about 20 percent involved, officials said.

More than 20 firefighters battled the fire. At first crews went inside, but because the roof threatened to cave in, they pulled back.

The 2,500-square-foot home was considered a total loss. The family dog was found dead in the home.

The state fire marshal was called in to investigate the fire.

On Friday evening, firefighters responded to a grease fire in Ocklawaha. The fire was put out before it extended beyond the kitchen.

dharris@tribune.com or 407-420-5471

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Dog dies in Marion County house fire

Posted: Friday, January 30, 2015 11:30 pm

Ask the Inspector: Bat run-ins By Rich Duerkop Ask the Inspector columnist Leader-Telegram

Friends of mine had an inspection on their home and told me they had safety hazards in the attic. What is in the attic that could be identified as a safety hazard?

Possible hazards found in attics can involve deteriorating chimneys, bad wiring and insulation placed too close to heat sources.

And then theres the occasional run-in with bats.

One time I saw their little heads peaking out of the insulation, so I just closed the attic cover and put in the report that the attic had bats.

Another time I came out of the attic and it felt like something was tugging at my sweatshirt. There it was: a bat hanging by my shirt collar. I looked like Curly from the Three Stooges waving my arms around trying to knock it off.

I can laugh about it now, but at the time it was a surprise that you would rather not experience.

Duerkop is a licensed home inspector and serves as president and education director of the Wisconsin Association of Home Inspectors for the central and northern Wisconsin chapters. To submit a question to him, call 1-866-715-8222 or email AmericanSentryl@charter.net.

Posted in Home garden on Friday, January 30, 2015 11:30 pm.

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Ask the Inspector: Bat run-ins

We all love our electricity and the quality of life it brings to us. When we turn on our computer, television, lights and appliances with a flick of the switch, all these are powered by electricity. However, with such convenience upon us, we will sometimes tend to take things for granted.

What we will also forget is the lengths of electrical wiring running through the home or office that gives allows the power to reach these appliances at the proper speed and power levels. Like veins in the body, proper electrical wiring is the life of the home, to provide the routes for electricity to properly flow from the power source to all parts of the house.

Electrical wiring are insulated conductors or cables use to carry electricity. The wires are conductor materials that allow the electric current to flow through with little resistance. Copper is the most commonly used material. The wires will then be covered with an outer sheath of insulation usually rubber. Cables are mostly consisting of two or more of these insulated wires running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly.

These wires can vary due to their gauge, materials they are constructed with and other more technical reasons. They are identifiable via different colours and markings. Also it is also very important to choose the right type of wires to suit each application as we would not want to over juice a certain source or under power an appliance. These are also concerned to safety matters hence only a certified electrical engineer should be called in to deal with any wiring issue in the household.

In the past, electrical wiring and cables would be present and visible throughout the household. As the usage of electricity increases with all the latest gadgets available, the amount of wiring and cables also increases. Modernizing the electrical wiring has also been about concealing the unsightly clutter of cables and wiring. Now there are panels and hidden structures to neatly tuck away the wiring while still providing that convenient power to turn on our various appliances with the flick of a switch.

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Electric Wiring | Powering to a better home style

Structured Wiring and Networking Panels

on September 24 2013

A Structured Networking Panel (SNP) accepts and distributes signals throughout your home, much like an electrical panel receives and distributes electricity. Cables from outside service providers, such as telephone or cable television, come into the panel. From the panel, signals are distributed in home runs or direct lines to each room in your home. The SNP can also serve as the distribution point for internal signals, such as audio, video or security cameras or in-home computer networking, such as for a shared printer.

From the SNP, you can run different types of cables depending on the signals you plan to distribute.

CAT-5e/CAT-6 Cables

Category 5e cables, also called CAT-5e or generically called Ethernet cables, are the industry standard for connecting telephones, computer networks, home automation networks and audio/video distribution systems. CAT-6 is the emerging standard, offering up to twice the bandwidth of CAT-5e. Either can be used in home networking, and they are installed in the same way. CAT-5e cables consist of 4 pairs of wire (8 total conductors) with an Ethernet capability of up to 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps). They terminate in RJ-46 plugs, which look like wider versions of common telephone plug.

Coaxial Cables

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Buying Guide to Structured Wiring at The Home Depot

This post will try to make you understand the most basic principles of house electricity. Since this blog is intended for beginners in electrical works, and for readers who seek to understand electrical system enough so they can do their own work, I think it should start with materials that can help readers understand whatever materials I post here as smoothly as possible.

It is actually quite easy to understand electrical and the simple diagrams below will show that.

Diagram 1 The most basic principle of electricity ================= RELATED ARTICLES: A simple electrical installation | Electrical socket extension unit | 1- Phase ELCB connection pictures | Bare fluorescent light pictures | Recessed down lights installation | Bollard light pictures | Light switch installation pictures | Home wiring pictures | Electric Meters | Electrical Grounding Electrode Pictures | MATV antenna bracket pictures ================= What does this diagram say?

It says that there is a battery, a length of wiring cable connecting the positive terminal of the battery to one of the incandescent lamp terminal.

Then there is another length of cable connecting the other terminal of the lamp back to the battery at the negative terminal.

You may have played with toys that work with this very basic electric circuit when you were young.

You take one AA-size battery, a pair of whatever metal wires you can lay your hands on and a small bulb. Any bulb you can dig out of battery-powered electric toys will do.

Connect the battery and the bulb with the metal wires as in shown the diagram.

The electricity will flow and the bulb will light up.

There you have it, a working electric circuit.

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Electrical Installation Wiring Pictures: Most Basic ...

NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV (FOX5) -

The removal of eight children from a North Las Vegas home investigators described as deplorable has raised questions about how it got that way and why something wasn't done sooner.

The conditions of the apartment came to light about a month before a 3-month-old who lived there died on Jan. 20. That child was among the eight who had been removed from the home in late December.

According to police, trash and human waste covered portions of the unit and it was overrun by cockroaches.

SLIDESHOW: Inside home were dead infant lived

According to a Child Protective Services document, the Clark County Department of Family Services received 18 prior reports about the family. However, the department said reports aren't enough; claims must be substantiated.

The apartment, which North Las Vegas police referred to as an extreme environmental hazard," was home to eight children between the ages of 3 months and 17 years old.

If a parent's behavior is out of control, if it's severe, if it's imminent and it's observable danger, then a child can be removed, Clark County Department of Family Services manager Kechia English said.

Thirty-nine-year-old Geneva Morgan appeared in court on Wednesday, admitting she failed to provide a habitable environment for the children.

Police made entry into the home on Dec. 20.

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Family Services had received reports about family living in filth

From flicking a light switch to opening your garage door with a remote control, our homes have been automated for decades. The concept goes as far back as the 1934 World's Fair in Chicago where the "home of the future" was unveiled. In the last 80 years, however, the automated home has morphed into the smart home, courtesy of the Internet, sensors and connectivity. The modern automated home can do more than turn on our heating and our lights--it can actually think for us.

In this guide, we'll explain what smart home automation is, how it can help you, and explore the latest and greatest technologies, products and services in the Home Automation field.

The terms "Home Automation," "Connected Devices" and "Internet of Things" are often used interchangeably, but they are distinct parts of the Smart Home concept:

Home automation: This is where a home's electrical devices are connected to a central system that automates those devices based on user input. For example, you push a button and your shades go up, or you give a voice command and your lights turn on.

Connected devices: These are electrical devices that are intelligent, courtesy of a connection to the Internet and sensors. These devices know or are able to anticipate what a user needs. At first, this intelligence comes from user programing, but with time the device can learn and adapt to patterns and interact with its users.

Internet of Things: IoT is the magic dust that turns the automated home into the smart home. With a combination of sensors, smarts and systems, IoT connects everyday objects to a network, enabling those objects to complete tasks and communicate with each other, with no user input.

When you combine home automation, connected devices and IoT you get a Smart Home. And a modern smart home can be easily controlled through a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Why do you need a smart home?

At first glance, some of the most talked-about home automation devices appear gimmicky and expensive: $200 for a set of light bulbs that change color, or $250 for a thermostat that saves you the trouble of programming it may seem fun, but ultimately, isn't it frivolous?

Not at all. The color changing and self-programming features are simply icing on the cake. The real goodness is buried in the sensors and smarts. The more connected devices in your home, the more of these sensors and smarts you integrate, and the stronger and smarter your home becomes.

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What is home automation and how do I get started?