The recently built Villa Della Costa feels like a private island set high above Santa Barbaras Gaviota Coast. With vaulted ceilings and oversized windows, the sprawling single-story house takes in the surrounding landscape from every perspective. The ranch-style modern Mediterranean shares its 106-acre perch with a helipad, a guest house and a pool cabana.

Address: 14200 Calle Real, Goleta 93117

Price: $35 million

Architect: Jock Sewall

Builder: Shane Mahan of Kitchell Custom Homes

Interiors: Mark Weaver of Mark Weaver & Associates Inc.

Landscaping: Stacey Faussett

Built: 2014

Lot size: 106 acres

House size: Five bedrooms, eight full bathrooms, three powder rooms

Features: Library/study, den, family room, home theater, antique wood-beam ceilings, walnut floors, custom lighting, four interior fireplaces, staff quarters, basement, radiant-floor heating, stone decks, fountain, outdoor fireplace, swimming pool, spa, circular gated driveway, drought-tolerant landscaping

About the area: The median sale price for single-family homes in the 93117 ZIP Code in May was $797,000 based on seven sales, according to CoreLogic. That was a 2.9% increase compared with the same month the previous year.

Agents: Joyce Rey of Coldwell Banker, (310) 285-7529, and Randy Solakian of Montecito Estates, (805) 565-2208

To submit a candidate for Home of the Day, send high-resolution color photos via Dropbox.com, permission from the photographer to publish the images and a description of the house to lauren.beale2@latimes.com.

Follow Lauren Beale on Twitter @laurenebeale.

See more Homes of the Day:

Contemporary living on a ridge in Baldwin Hills

E.P. Janes cottage stands the test of time in Altadena

Newly built contemporary rises along the waterfront of Las Flores Beach

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On top of the world villa overlooks the Gaviota Coast - Los Angeles Times

Ubisoft and ESL are partnering for one of the largest For Honor international tournaments ever created since the game's release in February.

The For Honor Hero Series will pit the best For Honor players around the world against one another to find out which player is the best on the battlefield.

For Honor is a hack and slash fighting game where players strategically take down their opponents by targeting specific areas of the body. The game uses a unique system that puts players in total control of their characters weapon movements in an attempt to try and vanquish all enemies who stand in their way.

At ESL we are committed to growing the esports landscape and F or Honors competitive ecosystem has been something we've all been looking forward to, said Sean Charles, VP of Publisher and Developer Relations, ESL. With the For Honor Hero Series and the addition of ranked mode, there is a lot in store for future For Honor players.

ESL plans to host weekly competitions one-on-one from July 8 across all platforms in Europe and the United States. ESL say it's committed to supporting the series well beyond the first year and will take community and participant feedback into account for any future events.

Players earn points based on their rankings in weekly tournaments. Those that have earned the most points by the end of the weekly tournaments will be invited to the live event in Burbank, California on Aug. 12 for a shot at winning a part of the $10,000 prize pool.

ESL plans to broadcast the finals on the For Honor official Twitch channel and Ubisoft's YouTube channel , as well as other livestream services such as Facebook Live. The company has no plans to livestream any of the weekly tournaments at this time, however.

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For Honor is getting an international tournament with a $10000 prize pool - Dot Esports

Gathering of mosquitoes in Draper test positive for West Nile Virus (File photo: MGN Online)

(KUTV) A group of mosquitoes in Draper have tested positive for West Nile Virus, according to the Salt Lake County Health Department.

In a Facebook post Wednesday, the city of Draper announced the finding and said there were no confirmed cases of West Nile Virus among humans.

This is the first group of mosquitoes to test positive, and the city says more could be infected across the city.

The announcement comes before one of the city's biggest annual outdoor events: Draper Days.

The city is warning residents to be cautious and protect themselves from bugs.

The city will hand out mosquito repellent before most Draper Days events, but also recommends the following steps be taken:

Use a mosquito repellent with DEET, permethrin, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to package directions.

Drain standing water in yards (old tires, potted plant trays, pet dishes, toys, buckets, etc.).

Wear long sleeves and pants after dusk.

Keep roof gutters clear of debris.

Clean swimming pools often or drain them.

Clean and stock garden ponds with mosquito-eating fish or mosquito dunks.

Make sure screen doors and window screens are in good condition so that mosquitoes cannot get indoors.

Keep weeds and tall grass cut short; adult mosquitoes look for these shady places to rest during the hot daylight hours.

Most people infected with the virus will show little to no symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in five, however, will experience "a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash."

In extreme cases, patients will need to be treated in a hospital.

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Gathering of mosquitoes in Draper test positive for West Nile Virus - KUTV 2News

People gathered at Devils Pool watch a man jump from the rocks above, to the left. (Photo from public YouTube post)

by Emerson Max

On any given hot summer day, scores of people flock to the infamous Devils Pool in Wissahickon Valley Park. While Devils Pool may provide a respite from the blistering heat and humidity of the city, swimming in the pool is illegal, and this is only to ensure the safety of park visitors.

Devils Pool has long been a landmark in the Northwestern region of Philadelphia, but its popularity as a swimming spot has significantly gone up in recent years. Countless people visit the park every day to hike, walk their dogs, or just to enjoy the beautiful natural landscape the park offers, but many are unaware of the hidden swimming hole that so many illegally frequent.

The main reason for prohibiting swimming in Devils Pool is safety. Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW) and Philadelphias Department of Parks and Recreation, who care for the 1,800-acre park, want to encourage visitors to enjoy themselves as long as they are not putting themselves in danger.

Maura McCarthy, executive director of FOW, said that swimming in the pool is extremely unsafe.

There are no lifeguards and it has a rocky stream foundation with loads of buried sediment and debris, she said. That is how a father and son drowned several years ago they became entangled in some immersed debris.

The father and son McCarthy was referring to were Pete Luciano and his 13-year-old son Jordan who drowned in Devils Pool in the Wissahickon Creek. Pete Luciano noticed his son struggling to swim in the creek and jumped in to assist him. Three of Petes other children watched in horror as neither of them surfaced.

Another risk for pool goers is the option to jump from the rocks or the bridge that surround Devils Pool. In 2013, 18-year-old Anthony Cano took a day off from his senior year at Wissahickon High School to visit Devils Pool. Cano decided to be bold and to leap into the water from the bridge that looms more than 50 feet above the pool. Unfortunately, Cano did not land in the right spot, and his bold leap left him almost paralyzed after a month rehabilitating at Einstein Medical Center.

There are much lower areas that people commonly jump from, but this can also prove to be highly dangerous. Water levels at Devils Pool fluctuate, and the pool is often too shallow to safely cushion jumpers falls. There are also jagged rocks and other dangers inside the water, so jumping from any height is an ill-advised decision.

Even casual swimming in Devils Pool can be dangerous.

The water in the Wissahickon Creek is problematic, McCarthy said. It serves as drinking water for the city, but only after it has been treated. In August, when its dry, up to 90 percent of the flow of the Wissahickon can be treated effluent from one of the four upstream treatment plants. At any given time, the water in Devils Pool can be highly polluted and can cause medical complications.

McCarthy also stresses that people should not park on the roads leading up to Devils Pool. This makes it much more difficult for emergency vehicles to get in and out of the park in the event someone needs medical assistance or there is another sort of emergency.

Trash is another major issue for those working to keep Wissahickon Valley Park beautiful and healthy. Ordinarily the park encourages a carry in, carry out policy with trash, but recently there has been a trash crisis at Devils Pool that has even spread to the surrounding areas. The park has been forced to place trash receptacles in this area, which are emptied regularly by a seasonal team of workers who spend about 50 percent of their time dealing with Devils Pool. Were putting a huge amount of effort into the maintenance of the site, McCarthy said, but obviously what we really need is to connect with the users so they are the main participants in maintaining the site.

To reiterate, Friends of the Wissahickon encourages people to visit the park and to enjoy themselves, but they should do so in a way that is safe for themselves and those around them. Swimming in Devils Pool is illegal, although people do it every day, and it is a highly risky and dangerous decision. There are countless public pools in Philadelphia that people can visit instead. A full list of Philly pools can be found at philaparkandrec.tumblr.com.

. Bookmark the

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With temps rising, FOW reminds park users not to swim in Devil's Pool - Chestnut Hill Local

GREG LOWER

greg@chanute.com

The closing of Chanutes water slide was because of state legislation that stemmed from a fatal accident in Kansas City last year.

Chanute Parks Director Todd Newman told the Parks Advisory Board at its monthly meeting Thursday evening that the local water slide closed Saturday, along with all others more than 15 feet high in the state.

Gov. Sam Brownback signed the Kansas Amusement Ride Act and the Amusement Ride Insurance Act on June 26. The amendments prohibit an amusement park ride operating without a permit issued by the Kansas Department of Labor, which includes water slides at least 15 feet high that use water to propel patrons through the rides.

In August, the 10-year-old son of a Kansas legislator died in an accident at a Kansas City water slide at Schlitterbahn Amusement Park. That slide has since been torn down.

Newman said the KDOL has not hired an inspector to issue permits. The water slide at Chanutes Maring Aquatic Center is about 20 feet high, he said.

Parks board members also discussed the issue of hypodermic needles that had been found in parks, an issue raised at a recent city commission meeting.

Newman said the parks department has dealt with the issue every day for at least two years, and he has talked about it with Police Chief Raymond Hale.

The problem of needles in parks is random around the city and not confined to particular areas, board members said, and it is not unique to Chanute.

Theres a lot of people using needles, Newman said. Its a scary deal.

Board members agreed it is a matter for police. Although they said they did not want to discourage parents from taking children to the park, nor encourage drug abusers to go to parks, they urged people who find needles to contact the police non-emergency number, (620) 431-5768.

Newman also updated the board about restroom renovations at Santa Fe, Highland and Katy parks. The Highland and Santa Fe park renovations were approved at the last city commission meeting, and the projects are estimated at about $15,000 per park.

Newman said he talked to Overland Park landscape architect Vance Rzepka, who visited Chanute, about designing new ballfields. Rzepka will have designs by the end of the month and will submit a bid for approval before officials see the plans.

He also updated board members about plans for the Highland Park playground, which will be about 4,000 square feet. Newman said he hopes to keep the Highland Park playground project under $200,000, and hopes to begin work this year and the ball complex the following year.

Board member and city commissioner Jim Chappell raised his concerns about the Chanute Recreation Commissions use of park areas. Board member Jane Brophy presented draft versions of a park brochure.

See more here:
State legislation closes pool's water slide - Chanute Tribune

The Dota Majors are "marquee tournament events" that culminate in The International, the big daddy of them all, with a prize pool in excess of $20 million. The series debuted in 2015 with four seasonal events, while the 2016-17 was reduced to three: Boston in December 2016, Kiev in April 2017, and the upcoming International in August. But for the 2017-18 season, Valve announced today, the current Major system is being dropped.

"For the next year we will be taking a more organic approach to growing the competitive ecosystem, working more closely with third-party tournaments. Instead of the previous Major system, we will be selecting many third-party tournaments to directly sponsor," Valve wrote. "Additionally, players competing in these tournaments will earn Qualifying Points which will be the sole factor in determining invites to The International 2018."

Valve-sponsored tournaments will be divided into two tiers, Major and Minors. Majors must have a minimum $500,000 prize pool and will receive an additional $500,000 toward the pool from Valve, while Minors must have a minimum $150,000 prize pool and will be given an additional $150,000. Both Majors and Minors must have at least one qualifier from each primary region (NA, SA, SEA, CN, EU, and CIS), and must have "a LAN finals component to their tournament." Valve will handle scheduling of all tournaments to ensure there are no conflicts.

Roster lock seasons will remain, and players will be allowed to retain their Qualifying Points when switching teams during approved periods. However, "to allow for teams recruiting new entrants to the competitive landscape and to facilitate sometimes necessary roster changes between lock periods," only the top three players on each team will count toward their team's Qualifying Points total.

"To help teams and fans keep track of standings throughout the year, a leaderboard of individual player Qualifying Points and team Qualifying Point Rankings will be available for everyone to follow along with as teams fight their way towards next years International," Valve wrote. "Best of luck to the teams competing in August, and we look forward to the upcoming season once a champion is crowned."

The shift to third-party tournaments is especially interesting in light of our examination of the role the Majors play in the Dota 2 pro scene earlier this year. While they're "mostly a win-win situation," there has been some negative impact on third-party events. These changes will hopefully address at least some of the shortcoming of the Majors system, and lead to a better and more stable circuit for everyone.

This year's International is set to take place on August 12. Get up to speed on everything that's happened so far in our rundown of The road to the International 2017.

Originally posted here:
Valve is eliminating the Dota 2 Majors for the 2017-18 season - PC Gamer

Phoenix Business Journal

Arizona pool builder heats up industry top 50 list, splashing into 2nd place Phoenix Business Journal The company sold its six pool supply stores to Leslie's Poolmart Inc., a specialty swimming pool supplies retailer, in 2012. Gilbert-based Presidential Pools, Spas and Patio and Chandler-based California Pools & Landscape also landed among the top 10 ...

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Arizona pool builder heats up industry top 50 list, splashing into 2nd place - Phoenix Business Journal

Landscaping is about more than just planting a few flowers and bushes around your pool. It's about planning and creating a pool environment thats easy to get to and hard to leave. Your first step is to get inspired. It can be a movie, a native flower or a planter you just couldnt resist. You can also find inspiration from different gardening styles. Just find ideas you love and build from there.

Next, design yourdeckand plan yourwalkways. After the pool itself, your deck is the foundation for your landscape design. Walkways are important, too you want to make access to your pool area easy so your plants dont get trampled.

Now its time to start planting! Youll want to choose plants that will flourish in your geographic area, so check with your local nurseries before you buy. You can also enlist the help of a professional landscape designer. Either way, it helps to know the lingo and the common pitfalls to avoid.

A great way to accent those plants is withedging. This keeps plants and grass from overflowing onto paths and driveways. This can be done with a variety of materials from concrete to plastic.

You may also need to add mulch or topsoil to your backyard pool area. Not sure how much you need? Check out ourmulch/topsoil calculatorto figure out the exact amount.

Anirrigation systemcan help keep your pool area looking its best. You want to balance water conservation while providing enough water for your area to flourish. There are different irrigation systems available depending on your needs.

With the right information, inspired ideas and, perhaps, a fabulous landscape designer, youre on your way to creating a lush and beautiful environment that adds depth and color to your back yard and more enjoyment to your pool. Love your view as much as you love your pool! For even more inspiredlandscaping tipsand backyard ideas, visitwww.americaslandscapers.com.

2017 Pool Corporation. All Rights Reserved

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Landscaping | SwimmingPool.com

June 29, 2017

Marvin I. Adleman, professor emeritus of landscape architecture, died June 21 at age 84 in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, of Parkinsons disease.

A distinguished landscape architect and a native of Philadelphia, Adleman attended Delaware Valley College and the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He was best known for his accomplishments during his 36 years as professor of landscape architecture at Cornell, where he built the landscape architecture program and headed the department for most of his tenure at Cornell until his retirement in 2008.

Prior to joining the Cornell faculty, Adleman worked at Sasaki and Associates in Boston before starting his own landscape architecture practice in Philadelphia. In 1992, Adleman was named a fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), and in 2004 he was awarded the prestigious ASLA Jot D. Carpenter Teaching Medal.

Adleman designed numerous well-known outdoor spaces including the original Ithaca Commons in 1974, one of the first pedestrian malls of its kind, in downtown Ithaca. He also designed the arboretum at the Cornell Botanic Gardens, which was recently named the top university arboretum in the country by Best College Reviews. Adlemans other notable designs included the Laboratory of Ornithology bird garden, the garden at Cayuga Medical Center and Ithacas Cass Park childrens spray pool, as well as the redesign of several outdoor spaces at central New York schools and college campuses.

Marvin Adleman was a consummate educator with thousands of former students that hold him in high esteem not only for his broad professional knowledge but also for his kindness and thoughtfulness, said Peter Trowbridge, professor and chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He will be deeply missed.

Adleman is survived by his widow, Susan (Plaut) Adleman, three children and four grandchildren.

Memorial gifts can be sent to the attention of Peter Trowbridge, Department of Landscape Architecture, 440 Kennedy Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853; reference the Excellence Fund in memory of Marvin Adleman. Memorials may also be made to Temple Beth El, 402 N. Tioga St., Ithaca.

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Landscape architect Marvin Adleman dies at age 84 - Cornell Chronicle

By Frank Stanfield / Correspondent

LEESBURG City commissioners have given the green light to an architectural firm to design a new community building, which will result in the old building being torn down and the existing swimming pool likely being filled in for parking after this summer season ends.

The move is part of the multi-million dollar Venetian Gardens renovation project that has already brought about the Kids Korner playground and splash pad and is resulting in improvements to Ski Beach.

The proposed 20,700-square-foot building and changes to the entryway at Dozier Circle are part of the third and final phase of construction.

The idea, said City Manager Al Minner, is to create a destination, eventually linking back to downtown.

The existing building is old and would cost too much to renovate, said Mayor Bob Bone. The building, long the site of chamber of commerce breakfasts and other events, now sits near busy Dixie Avenue. Plans call for the new building to be set back farther from the road and to face Martin Luther King Island in the park to the west, and with a view of Lake Harris to the south.

Its bigger than the other one, Bone said of the new building. I like the concept facing out to the island.

Preliminary plans also envision sites for waterfront restaurants and boat docks.

Commissioners agreed to give the job to Borrelli & Partners. The Orlando firm specializes in architecture, interior design and landscape architecture.

The work, which could take six to nine months, is not to exceed $440,232, according to the contract. It includes handling bids and overseeing construction.

Commissioners did not discuss plans for the swimming pool Monday night.

Were always going to have a pool, said city spokesman Derek Hudson. The Venetian Gardens pool opened in 1929. A new pool could be built by the community gym on Griffin Road.

The city is paying cash for all of the Venetian Gardens improvements. Good old-fashioned pay-as-you-go, Minner said.

The city has reserved $4 million for phase three. Depending on what is done, it could cost between $3.5 and $5.5 million, he said.

The city still has reserves, plus it recently agreed to sell almost 2,000 acres to The Villages for about 4,500 homes and could sell fiber optics holdings, Minner said.

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Leesburg OKs new community building, will replace pool - Daily Commercial