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.

Read more here:
What is home automation and how do I get started?

[MUSIC] Hi this is [UNKNOWN] for CNet today we're gonna take a look at the [UNKNOWN] Relay Smart Home Control Panel. So here's the panel right here. This is a $300 smart home accessory. The idea is you hardwire it into your wall where you have a light switch. And then anything on that circuit becomes a smart device. So we've got some hard buttons here. They control the lights that are out on my back porch there. So anything that is on the Wink Smart Home Network that I maybe control through an app on my phone I can now control from this one place here built into my wall. To install the relay, you need to take over a light switch on your wall and it has to have a neutral wire. That might be a problem for older homes too. It's relatively straightforward. You do kinda have to mess with the wiring setup, particularly if you have a double light switch box like this one is here. But the idea is you shut off the power, undo the light switch, tie those wires into the relay. It shouldn't be too hard to handle, though, if you're basically competent with home. Maintenance. So there are a wide range of devises that work with the Wink network. All kinds of lights and locks and different sensors and all kinds of things. It's actually pretty broad. So that Wink is useful. So scroll around on the screen, and you can see some of the devises connected to this relay hub. So I've got a [UNKNOWN] cam here. I've got some lights. Got a Nest Thermostat programming on here and clicking through to those will give me access to any of those smart home components. Thermostat integration is pretty good and I've gotten direct control here of the thermostat settings. I can go home, away. I can set it to heating mode, cooling mode. It's not quite as in depth as what you get on the Nest itself but for basic interaction with a thermostat, it's pretty useful. In it's resting mode, you can see the time, a weather display. It also has some short cut buttons that you program through your phone that show up on here. And you can kind of program all different smart home behaviors into short cuts here. So overall Wink really works pretty well. We had a few connection issues but nothing that we couldn't circumvent. There seems to be a lot of potential in the. Product. Particularly if you have a whole lot of smart home things that you're looking to kind of, wrangle into one easy to control spot. The benefit of everything else on the circuit becoming smart is useful. They're tied into these two switches here. But that said, you can get other in wall units that bring other things online for much less than this. But if you're just getting started with the smart home and you only have a handful of devices. This probably won't give you that much value. Particularly since most of the controls you'll find in the Wink app for free. So thanks for watching. I'm Rich Brown. This is the Wink Relay Smart Home control panel. [MUSIC]

Originally posted here:
Wink Relay smart home control pad falls short of its potential

By Antonio Coleman

CADILLAC Dropping temperatures are bringing higher fire risks as homeowners work to heat their homes this winter.

State Fire Marshal Richard Miller is urging extreme caution as deadly home fires are on the rise in Michigan this winter.

Just two weeks into 2015, and were already seeing an increase in the number of home fires and related fatalities, Miller said. Were especially seeing more fires in modular or mobile homes and apartments, injuring or taking the lives of children and the elderly, as residents look for alternative sources of heat and try to keep warm.

Cadillac Fire Department Captain Fred Osborn said space heaters near combustibles and poor chimney maintenance are among the most common reasons fire crews generally see more fires in the winter. Faulty wiring and wood stoves have also led to a few fires this winter.

In early January, firefighters battled a house fire on 24 Road near Meauwataka in Wexford County. Homeowner Jeff Okros said he believed the fire started in the familys wood-burning stove. But that wasnt the only blaze firefighters battled this month.

Firefighters also responded to a house fire on Mitchell Street in Cadillac. An investigation revealed that the fire had originated in electrical wiring within the wall of the main floor bedroom, Cadillac Fire Department Lt. Mark Near said.

Dexter Carrick, owner of Docs Electric in Traverse City, said flickering or dimming lights and continuously blown circuit breakers can be two common signs of potential wiring problems in a home. Oftentimes, Carrick said, homeowners make the mistake of attempting to repair electrical wiring problems themselves. Homeowners unfamiliar with repairing faulty wiring should always consult a professional, he said, because attempting to repair home electrical problems yourself could lead to additional repairs and potential fire hazards.

If youre making connections on wires, you need to have them tight so they dont loosen up, because a loose connection could lead to overheating or a potential fire, Carrick said. People try to fix their wiring themselves and get in over their heads.

Having a licensed electrician inspect the electrical system to make sure it meets applicable Michigan Electrical Code requirements can prevent potential electrical fires. The State Fire Marshal also provided a few additional fire safety tips, including having furnaces inspected to ensure controls are working properly.

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State Fire Marshal warns of winter fire risk

Friday, January 23rd, 2015 Issue 04, Volume 19.

More than 40 percent of the previously-owned homes on the market have at least one serious defect, according to HouseMaster, a major home inspection company with offices in more than 390 cities in the United States and Canada.

"Virtually every used home needs some repair or improvement," said Kathleen Kuhn, CEO and president of HouseMaster. "Thats to be expected. But with todays high prices, you want to make sure that you are aware of any major problems in a house you are considering purchasing, and what it will take to remedy the situation."

Drawing from their own findings from more than one million home inspections, HouseMaster says the most serious home defects to be on the lookout for are:

Cracked heater exchange

Failing air-conditioning compressor

Environmental hazards including radon, water contamination, asbestos, lead paint, and underground storage tanks

Moisture in the basement

Defective roofing and/or flashings

Insect infestation - termites or carpenter ants

Continued here:
12 red flags to beware of when shopping for a home

Matthew Swatsky, a computer engineer turned product manager for Lutron's smart home products, has opined that today, smart home devices are still somewhat a pricey set of proprietary products, although someday, the smart home may be the norm. Slowly opening up to industry standards, various connected devices are inching closer toward an ideal future.

Lutron has been wiring homes since the 1980s. In the 1990s, it rolled out Clear Connect, its own wireless technology now in its fifth generation.

"We're in the early stages of the connected home," said Swatsky, who is attending CES 2015 this week. "In the early 90s, custom cabinets were an upgrade. Now they are standard. The connected home may follow that trend."

Before we get there, AV and security products need to work better with the kind of lighting, motorised shades and HVAC controls Lutron makes, and everybody has to interoperate with everyone else.

Lutron has been taking its own small steps in that direction. Its proprietary 433MHz wireless systems now work with a WiFi thermostat from Honeywell, and Lutron recently agreed to support the Google Nest thermostat.

Matthew Swatsky shows some of Lutron's Caseta Wireless gadgets.

The company ships Android and iOS apps for its network that goes under the Caseta Wireless brand. Apple demoed its app running on the Apple Watch when it was announced last year. "All the technology in that watch was not available five years ago," Swatsky said. "Mobile devices make home controls more accessible."

Lutron has 15 partners in its Caseta Wireless ecosystem, including Logitech, and it is reaching out for more. This year, it will embrace ZigBee in a remote control for smart LED lights.

Today's up-and-coming networks, Bluetooth, WiFi and ZigBee, weren't ready to plug into the smart home when Lutron started work on its wireless technology nearly 20 years ago. But today the private company that sells to both consumer and contractors, which need to embrace the rising tide of open standards to continue to thrive.

Swatsky does not pretend that his FM band network made with off-the-shelf radios and MCUs is at the bleeding edge. Its 62.5Kb/s links are meant to extend only 30 feet in a typical home. The key is that they are reliable and support nodes with battery life measured in years.

The rest is here:
Wireless devices target connected homes

Vintage Homes

The home at 620 N. Fourth sits next to an alley, which gives the home off-street parking and a one-car garage. The home also has photo-voltaic solar panels on the roof, which translate into $49 utility bills, regardless of the season.

Staff

The home at 620 N. Fourth sits next to an alley, which gives the home off-street parking and a one-car garage. The home also has photo-voltaic solar panels on the roof, which translate into $49 utility bills, regardless of the season.

Our unique home at 620 N. Fourth St. was built in 1915 but has had considerable improvements made to it to make it comfortable and efficient, including new plumbing, new electrical and a new HVAC system.

Staff

Our unique home at 620 N. Fourth St. was built in 1915 but has had considerable improvements made to it to make it comfortable and efficient, including new plumbing, new electrical and a new HVAC system.

The kitchen in the home at 620 N. Fourth St. is large, open and bright, with plenty of cabinets, two sunny windows and room for modern appliances.

Staff

The kitchen in the home at 620 N. Fourth St. is large, open and bright, with plenty of cabinets, two sunny windows and room for modern appliances.

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Older homes can be a great real estate buy

The McAdoo home had been on the real estate for sale list for too long when Kathy Cooney of Quakake told her siblings she planned to donate the family homestead instead.

She gave the North Kennedy Drive residence to Hazleton Area Habitat for Humanity in the hopes that a new family would be able to create their own wonderful memories inside the single home with a yard, as she and her siblings did over the years.

Sunday, Hazleton Area Habitat for Humanity held an open house at the home to officially welcome the new owners two adults and two young children who nestled into it around Thanksgiving. A television in the living room played a cartoon as Habitat volunteers, the former owners of the home and the new homeowners mingled over cake and coffee. One of the two young children crawled on the floor, giggling as guests mingled inside, while his sister and mother stayed close by.

Habitat for Humanity completely renovated the entire building after obtaining it about two years ago, Hazleton Area Habitat for Humanity President Tony Sulkevich said.

The homeowners declined to give their names, but said they were grateful to have a new, safe place for their family to live and said the home has changed their lives for the better. They were given a Bible from Habitat and also a gift basket containing bread so that the house would never know hunger, salt so that their life would always have flavor and wine so that they would always find joy and prosperity in their home.

The dedication proved just as moving for the donors as it did for the new homeowners. Two of the three siblings that grew up in the home were present during the dedication.

Cooney said after finding no luck selling the home, she decided to donate it to Habitat for Humanity and on Sunday she said she could easily see she made the right call.

Im just thrilled, Cooney said. It looks beautiful, as tears welled up in her eyes.

Her brother, Bill Minor, also of Quakake, said the home contained many memories for he and his two sisters and seeing the home go to a new family that will have their own memories inside provided his family with closure. For Minor, he remembered having coffee with his father at 5 a.m. in the home before his dad went to work and big Thanksgiving dinners in the living room.

Cooney recalled all the pets the children enjoyed in the home. She said the siblings would always come home with a stray and their mother would always tell them it could stay the night. And 10 years later, we still had a cat, she said, laughing as she wiped away the tears in her eyes.

The rest is here:
Woman helps family with Habitat for Humanity home donation

Taking forward its strategic partnership with Italian major VIMAR S.p.A, GreatWhite Global Pvt Ltd, one of India's pioneers in the electrical sector, today introduces new range of innovative and intuitive technology of the home and building automation systems in Kolkata.

The agreement, which also covers joint communication activities to spread the renown of the Italian brands Vimar and Elvox on the Indian market, will allow Great White to extend and complete its product range.

Kailash Didwania (President, GreatWhite Global), Mr. Bimalendu Kumar (National Head, Marketing, GreatWhite Global) and Giovanni Gambani (Business Development & Marketing Director, VIMAR) were present on the occasion to unveil the new product range today at a formal press conference in Kolkata.

GreatWhite Global will now offer exclusive products of the Italian electrical brands Vimar and Elvox ranging from Wiring devices with crystal, natural leather or Corian cover plates; elegant gold or titanium finishes, unique glass bevelling techniques, innovative and ecological production processes combined with cutting-edge technological systems for home and building automation, video door entry systems, CCTV and gate automation in Eastern India Market.

"VIMAR, today is undoubtedly one of the key global players in the electrical and electronics market. VImar's products, systems and solutions synonymous with elegance of style that have been ensuring continual improvement for every lifestyle across the world is now available to India customers through GreatWhite," commented Kailash Didwania, President, GreatWhite Global.

"As strategic partner, Great White will put its own specialized sales and technical staff and services at the disposal of the Vimar product ranges. The alliance also ensures the BIS certification of Vimar products, in full compliance with Indian standards, to create certified systems in line with the safety standards laid down in the local statutory regulations," Didwania added.

"We are extremely happy to partner with GreatWhite in India. The strategic partnership aims to combine the quality, design and technological content of the Vimar wiring devices and systems in GreatWhite's more extensive, articulated product catalogue. With its distribution network and the decades of experience of the group and its founder, Jadavji Lalji Anchorwala, Great White is the ideal partner to ensure growth and achieve important business results together on the Indian electrical market," remarked Mr. Giovanni Gambani, Business Development & Marketing Director, VIMAR.

(Posted on 17-01-2015)

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GreatWhite Global introduces home and building automation system in Kolkata

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Authorities say faulty electrical wiring caused a fire in a Memphis home where the bodies of a woman and her 2-year-old daughter were found in a bedroom.

Memphis Fire Department Lt. Wayne Cooke said firefighters discovered the bodies of 20-year-old McKala Kelley and Elizabeth Kelley in a one-story, wood-frame house severely damaged by fire on Wednesday.

A medical examiner will determine the cause of their deaths.

Cooke says a 19-year-old man suffered second-degree burns to his hands and face. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition.

A fourth person escaped unharmed. Three dogs also died in the fire.

Investigators found the home did not have a working smoke detector. Officials said the accidental fire was caused by faulty electrical wiring in the attic.

2015 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Faulty wiring causes fire in home where 2 found dead