VOORHEES, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) today approved new water and wastewater rates for New Jersey American Water, effective immediately. The new rates recognize the more than $300 million the company has spent over the past two years to replace and upgrade its complex web of nearly 9,000 miles of water and sewer mains in order to continue providing customers with uninterrupted access to high-quality, reliable water service. While the new rates represent a $30 million increase in revenues for the company, the cost of tap water for customers remains less than a penny a gallon.

We are certainly aware and sensitive to the difficulties the current economic situation that many of our customers face, and we are mindful of that as we strive to ensure that the communities we serve never experience the potentially disastrous results of a failing water system, said David K. Baker, president of New Jersey American Water. We are committed to maintaining that balance for our customers. Keeping our rates less than a penny a gallon means that water remains quite a value, and is one of the lowest utility bills for homeowners.

For more than a century we have provided quality, reliable water service and fire protection in New Jersey. When we put in the water mains for Thomas Edisons West Orange laboratory in 1904, the cast iron main cost about 45 cents a foot. That same operation today costs hundreds of dollars a foot.

Water system improvements that will be completed by the company and recovered in the new rates include:

Our capital expenditures have not only improved the reliability and quality of our water service to customers, but have also contributed to approximately 2,000 direct and indirect jobs statewide, said Baker.

The company has also been making significant progress to reduce its operating expenses. We have instituted several initiatives to drive down the costs of providing our customers with water service, said Baker. Weve reduced our operating expenses by nearly $10 million over the last couple of years.

Another aspect of the BPU decision was the recognition of declining water consumption, which was reflected in the revenue allowances. Our customers are using less water than they have in the past, however the infrastructure required to bring water to homes, businesses and fire hydrants still needs to be properly maintained, said Baker. This decline in demand is a result of many factors, which include the wider adoption of more efficient washing appliances, low-flow toilets, and personal conservation. More and more, customers recognize that the water they use is a critical, but limited resource.

Since filing for the rate increase in July 2011, New Jersey American Water's request underwent extensive public and regulatory scrutiny. The ratemaking process required a lengthy and detailed review by the staff of the BPU, the New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel, the Office of Administrative Law, and more than a dozen interested groups, who the state of New Jersey granted full intervener status in the proceedings. The process also included several public hearings for customer input before an Administrative Law Judge.

The new rates granted by NJBPU continue to provide help for customers who have been particularly hard hit by the current economic environment. In addition to providing customers with financial assistance through the companys low-income programs, eligible customers are able to receive a comprehensive telephone audit of their water use; free water-saving retrofit kits; as well as plumbing assistance to install water-efficient devices. For those families who are struggling to pay their bills, we want them to know that assistance is available through our H2O Help to Others Program, said Baker. The program offers grants of up to $500 and a discount on the monthly service charge, and is administered by New Jersey SHARES (1-877-652-9426 or 1-877-NJAWH2O).

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New Jersey American Water Granted New Rates by NJ Board of Public Utilities

As British Columbias health minister Mike de Jong has seen it time and again: A pharmaceutical manufacturer launches an expensive new drug, brings forward a patient who desperately needs the medicine but cannot afford it, and pressures the province to cover the cost.

Suddenly, though, the balance of power in Canadas multi-billion-dollar prescription-drug system is shifting, as provinces and territories begin an historic push to combine their buying power and jointly bargain down the high cost of pharmaceuticals.

Not unlike department-store chains bulk-purchasing washing machines or televisions, all the jurisdictions but Quebec have combined forces to negotiate the price of a series of new medicines to be covered by their drug plans, and hope to make the process routine in future.

Analysts call it a unique case of cross-border collaboration between governments that typically run their health-care systems as distinct fiefdoms.

The territorialism that we see has developed over the years, if not the decades, said Mr. de Jong. It is a remarkable feature of the Canadian federation that something that would seem so eminently logical has taken this length of time to become a reality. But it has, and thats good news.

The minister said he wants to push for another concession from the pharmaceutical firms, too. Industry now insists that the price produced by the haggling be kept secret, but taxpayers have a right to know, Mr. de Jong said.

Canada spends about $26-billion annually on prescription drugs, making them the third-largest health care cost after hospitals and doctor services. Provincial drug plans for senior citizens and others pay 46% of that total, private insurance and workplace health plans 36%, and uninsured patients 18%, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

As drugs are added to the formulary, we want to negotiate a common [national] price

The bulk-pricing talks began last year after premiers instructed their health ministers to negotiate jointly for Soliris, the only drug available to treat PNH, a rare and often-fatal blood disease that affects just 90 people across Canada.

The price tag of about $500,000 per year makes it the worlds most expensive medicine, according to Forbes magazine. Working together, though, the provinces managed to secure a deal significantly less than what the company had started with, said Judy McPhee, pharmaceutical-services director with Nova Scotias Health Department.

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Provinces’ new weapon against pharmaceutical costs: each other

MADISON, Wis. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker established a program that has given hundreds of thousands of dollars in merit raises and bonuses to some state workers even as he preached cost-cutting and pushed through a law reducing most public workers' pay and eliminating their union rights.

An analysis of data The Associated Press obtained through an open records request showed Wisconsin agencies have handed out more than $765,000 in bonuses and merit raises this year to nearly 220 employees.

The awards are meant to reward stellar performance. But they come as the state faces a $143 million shortfall and after thousands of state workers took pay cuts through provisions in the collective bargaining law requiring them to contribute more to their pensions and health care.

Walker, who faces a June 5 recall election prompted by anger over the collective bargaining law, prides himself on fiscal restraint.

The Republican governor wasn't available for comment Friday. His spokesman, Cullen Werwie, referred questions to Walker's top aide, Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch, who said the governor established the program because he felt it was important to mirror the private sector and provide rewards for outstanding work.

"It is a tool for a manager to go in and say this person truly set themselves apart," Huebsch said.

Agency managers must find the money within their own budgets, he added; the state doesn't provide money specifically for merit compensation.

Still, Huebsch said he warned agencies run by the governor's secretaries to hold off on issuing bonuses or raises at least until the fiscal year ends June 30. Most did, but the Department of Workforce Development gave raises to two workers, one in January and one in April.

Huebsch said managers asked for special permission to make the moves because they were afraid the workers were about to leave for the private sector.

Marty Beil, executive director of Wisconsin's largest state employee union, said the group has always had problems with merit pay because it smacks of favoritism and Walker's criteria are too subjective and vague. Beil also said he doesn't know where state agencies can find the money.

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Wisconsin gives $765,000 in bonuses despite budget hole

On the campaign trail, Ward I City Council candidate John Richards Jr. keeps his message clear and concise:

Im running because the city needs jobs and businesses, he tells a potential voter one afternoon. And City Council has been doing a really lousy job with that.

Richards, whos challenging incumbent Ward I Councilman Michael Gillette, likes to keep the focus squarely on dollars and cents when introducing himself to voters.

How do you feel about this tax increase theyre talking about? he asks while door-to-door canvassing in the ward.

City taxes, man, they just keep on going up, saidone Fleetwood Driveresident, outside washing his car.

Theyll keep going up, too, Richards said, until the city learns to stretch its dollars farther.

There are ways to do it, he said. They say a tax increase is needed. Im not sure it is.

With just two weeks left until Election Day, its crunch time for candidates working to get their messages out.

Gillette, a two-term incumbent, stressed the need for balanced leadership in his campaign, calling for thoughtful negotiation even in matters of economic development.

Some people say that being business friendly means saying yes to the first offer any company brings to the table, he wrote on his campaigns Facebook page. I believe that being good for business means working with businesses to negotiate mutually advantageous outcomes that benefit not only the business, but also the citizens ofLynchburg.

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Crunch time for Ward I council candidates

Jesse Wilson, 8, plays a game called FaceMaze at the autism center Joseph Sheppard co-directs at the University of Victoria.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Victoria, British Columbia (CNN) -- Joseph Sheppard has an IQ above 130. Ask him about his life or worldview and he'll start drawing connections to cosmology and quantum mechanics. He'll toss around names of great intellectuals -- Nietzsche, Spinoza -- as if they're as culturally relevant as Justin Bieber.

It might not be obvious that Sheppard has a hard time with small tasks that most of us take for granted -- washing dishes, sending packages, filling out online forms. Or that he finds it challenging to break out of routines, or to say something appropriate at meaningful moments.

Sheppard, 42, has high-functioning autism. He found out only about six years ago, but the diagnosis explained the odd patterns of behavior and speech that he'd struggled with throughout his life. And it gave him the impetus to reinvent himself as an autism advocate.

"I was invisible until I found my inner splendor," he told me in one of many long, philosophical, reflective e-mails last week. "My ability to interpret and alter my throughput of judgments, feelings, memories, plans, facts, perceptions, etc., and imprint them all with what I chose to be and chose to do.

"What I choose to do is change the course of the future for persons with autism, because I believe in them and I believe, given the right support and environment, they will be a strong force in repairing the world."

Just last week, U.S. health authorities announced that autism is more common than previously thought. About 1 in 88 children in the United States have an autism spectrum disorder, according to the report. Autism spectrum disorders are developmental conditions associated with impaired social communication and repetitive behaviors or fixated interests.

iReport: What should the world know about autism?

Diagnoses have risen 78% since 2000, partly because of greater awareness, and partly for reasons entirely unknown. Most medications don't help, and while some find improvements with intense (and expensive) behavioral therapy, there is no cure .

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With autism, no longer invisible

The story of Jesus Christ's final days is one of betrayal, sacrifice and blood.

But amid the mourning, many Christians see the week leading up to Easter as a time to focus on the magnitude of Christ's sacrifice and his promise of eternal life. The darkness of his final days helps underscore the power of his resurrection and make the celebration of Easter that much more joyous, they say.

Starting today, congregations in the Boulder area mark Holy Week with special contemplative prayers, dedicated hymns and re-enactments of milestones outlined in the Bible. Major events can include detailed Palm Sunday rituals, dramatic re-creations of Christ's teachings or silent prayer in darkened sanctuaries.

"Holy Week is the summation of Jesus' ministry that ends in a tragic outcome. Nearly everyone abandons him, and he ends up dying the death of a criminal -- a very disgraceful death," said Father Ted Howard, of St. John's Episcopal Church. "But he gives his life on behalf of what he stands for in terms of his teachings. He gives his love for all of us."

For a group of five churches near Pine Street, Holy Week traditions are a community affair.

To evoke the feeling of what it might have been like to live during the time of Christ, the churches stage an annual Palm Sunday re-enactment of Christ's journey into Jerusalem. Several hundred congregants line Pine Street, ready to lay down palm branches as church members lead a live donkey down the street.

Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week, which marks the day Christ rode a donkey into Jerusalem before his trial and execution. The scriptures tell the story of his arrival, where people celebrated his presence by laying down cloaks and palm branches in his path as a sign of respect.

Members of First Baptist Church, First Congregational Church, First United Methodist Church, Trinity Lutheran Church and St. John's Episcopal Church usually participate in the event before making their way back to their own churches for individual worship. An interdenominational choir leads the event with songs such as "All Glory, Laud and Honor," a processional hymn that describes the events of Palm Sunday.

Bob Ballance, a senior pastor at First Baptist Church, said Holy Week and Easter have a special meaning for him because of the element of redemption.

"Through Jesus' suffering, we learn how to make the world and society better," he said at a previous year's procession.

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Holy Week inspires local Christians

INDIANAPOLIS, March 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Many homeowners and professional housecleaners are trading their bleach, pine-scented and other potentially toxic cleaning chemicals in for more environmentally friendly and all-natural cleaners.

(Logo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120113/CG35583LOGO)

Angie's List, which provides consumer reviews on services from contractors to dentists to housecleaners has seen an increase in both consumers seeking out eco-friendly cleaning companies and in professional cleaning companies that offer 'green' options.

"Spraying potentially toxic chemical-based cleaners into the air, pouring them down the sink or dumping them in landfills has a negative effect on both our health and our environment," said Angie's List founder Angie Hicks. "Your home no longer needs to smell like bleach or other chemicals to be considered clean. There are plenty of all-natural cleaning products that do an equally effective job, are easy on your pocketbook and are better for you and your family's health and for Mother Earth."

Many professional housecleaners are relying on biodegradable, non-toxic cleaners like baking soda, white distilled vinegar and some essential oils with disinfectant qualities (lemon, tea tree oil and eucalyptus, for example) to clean and disinfect. Distilled vinegar, for example, will kill nearly all bacteria with which it comes into contact, while baking soda is great for scrubbing out stains and even freshening up carpets and sink drains.

Some cleaning companies make a concerted effort to find other ways tofurther reduce their environmental impact, like cleaning and reusing towels and rags instead of using and throwing away power towels or sponges.

"As awareness for eco-friendly cleaning increases, many cleaning companies are turning exclusively to non-toxic products or are willing to supply them at a customer's request," Hicks said. "Homeowners interested in hiring an eco-friendly housecleaner should still do their research before they hire and ask what products the housecleaner plans to use. Also check that the housecleaner is licensed, insured and bonded. That protects the company and the homeowner in the event an employee is injured on the job or damages property.

Consumers interested in purchasing eco-friendly cleaning products should always read the ingredient list to determine what the product is really made from. Many over-the-counter cleaning products are touted by the manufacturer as being green but still contain chemicals.

"It's never too late to go green when you clean," Hicks said. "Box up all those chemicals you no longer want and take them to a local hazardous waste center. Replace them with all-natural cleaning products or by using an eco-friendly cleaning service. Your home will still smell and look great."

Professional housecleaners are often a great value for busy homeowners, as they are often able to do the job in a fraction of the time it would take the average homeowner. Some professionals offer one-time cleans or can set you up on a less frequent rotation.

The rest is here:
Angie's List: Green Housecleaning Makes a Healthier Home

One clean bike leaves the bike wash area every 15 seconds, 4 cleans bikes leave per minute and 240 bikes per hour. Each bike takes on average 1 minute...

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Physical asset management company cleans, tracks 1000+ bikes

Getting more than 1000 bikes clean after each stage and storing them between stages is no simple task at the Absa Cape Epic mountain bike stage race in South Africa. Physical asset management company Pragma once again joined forces with the organisers of this year's event provide finish line services, bike washing and bike parking. Pragma is not a bike washing company, but it does have plenty of logistics experience, managing over 3.5 million physical assets globally.

"After a rider crosses the finish line of any stage at the event, a Pragma crew member takes the bike from the rider so that the participant can go directly to the food zone to collect some necessary nutrition before retiring for the rest of the day," said Chief Executive Officer of Pragma, Adriaan Scheeres.

"The bike is registered on our On Key EAMS system as it enters the bike wash area. It is carefully, yet thoroughly, washed with Motorex, an approved bio-degradable, non-decreasing soap. Upon its exit from the wash area, a SMS is sent to the rider informing him or her that the bike is clean and in the bike park."

"Pragma ensures that the numbers are sequential and that the bikes are parked in the correct locations, and aims to complete the entire process for each bike within two minutes. This is an incredible accomplishment if one keeps in mind that we do this with about one thousand bikes a day. One clean bike leaves the bike wash area every 15 seconds, four cleans bikes per minute and 240 bikes per hour. Each bike takes on average one minute and 45 seconds to wash. We use 10,000 liters of water per day and 300 liters of soap!"

As in the past, the bike wash consists of six dedicated wash bays. After being sprayed with bio-degradable non-degreaser detergent, the bikes are mounted on specially designed bike stands and then hosed down with high-pressure Krnzle washers. The stands and washers are all on a water retainer sheet to ensure that none of the polluted water runs onto the surrounding area. This enables the team to catch the water and pump it away to the nearest drain. As to ensure that these services are provided in an environmentally friendly fashion, environmentalists are supervising all activities.

Pressure washer making company Krnzle has a production facility in nearby Capetown in which they can custom-make a system for any industry requirement, such as a bike race.

Typically, a day on the event for the approximately 15 Pragma crew members and volunteers will start at around 5:00 am and finish at 6:30 pm. Apart from the challenges with providing the services, the team will also have to move to five different locations during the 2012 Cape Epic. Other challenges include water shortages or power failures, which the Pragma engineers always manage to overcome thanks to their expertise.

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Behind the scenes at the Cape Epic: Bike cleaning

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By David Forbes on 03/27/2012 01:00 PM

Many city residents first encountered the term in 2009, when Boston-based consultants Goody Clancy recommended the idea in their draft of what became Ashevilles Downtown Master Plan. Council adopted the plan later that year, and a series of committees established by the Downtown Commission went to work on implementing it. One of them, the Downtown Management Subcommittee, was charged with crafting a specific proposal for the BID. Recently, the subcommittee has begun pitching its plan to Council, civic groups and the general public, in part through a series of public meetings.

BIDs provide specified services to a designated area. In Asheville's case, the proposal calls for City Council to levy a special tax on downtown property 7 cents per $100 of property valuation to help fund the BID.

Basically it will add a layer of services above and beyond what the city provides, says downtown resident Susan Griffin, who chairs the Downtown Management Subcommittee. There's no one model for a BID: They're really based around local needs.

With an estimated budget of $700,000 to $900,000 a year, the local BID would be aiming to keep downtown clean, green and safe. To accomplish this, the nonprofit would fund 10 to 12 distinctly uniformed downtown ambassadors, who would help keep the area clean, assist visitors and generally keep an eye on things. In various presentations, Griffin has said the ambassadors would try to deter "illegal or undesirable behavior" ranging from panhandling to people lingering on the sidewalk.

They clean up, they check out if there are problem spots if a sidewalk needs power-washing, for example, Griffin explains. They're trained specifically to deal with issues like panhandling; they have contact with the police. The goal is to make this a more efficient downtown. The ambassadors, she says, could also help with things like escorting employees who leave work late at night.

In addition to the tax assessment, the city and county are each being asked to directly contribute about $150,000 per year to the BID's budget. Griffin calls this an investment; an economic-impact study her subcommittee commissioned estimates that the BID could boost property-tax revenues in the district by about 2 percent a year, and sales-tax revenue by 5 percent. The proposal would also bind city government to maintain its current level of total spending on downtown.

If approved by Council in May, the BID would get an initial three-year term, after which the city could decide whether to renew. In the meantime, however, the nonprofit would be free to spend those tax dollars however it saw fit, as long as it provided the specified services.

Asheville's Downtown Master Plan cites the example of a BID setting up security cameras and/or providing additional security patrols. Griffin says the BID would have more modest goals, though once approved and funded, the board could decide on a different approach.

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Place your BIDs: Property owners propose downtown business improvement district

About business

Thai govt roadshow attracts investment from line-up of Korea's top companies & SMEs: electronics, electrical appliances, even solar power & electricity from garbage.

Photo above of PM Yingluck Shinawatra wearing a Hanbok, the traditional Korean dress worn on special occasions.

Click button to listen to Korea Investment in Thailand to download

INVESTMENT

Manufacturers assured no repeat of 2011 crisis 27/03/2012 Chatrudee Theparat

SEOUL : South Korean investors are determined to pour at least 12 billion baht into Thailand over the next two years.

Investments will be for both new and expansion projects in the electronics, electrical appliances, metal parts and agro-processing sectors.

Industry Minister M.R. Pongsvas Svasti said DAS Tech Co, a manufacturer of solar cell panels, is seeking Board of Investment (BoI) approval for an expansion project.. Another project comes from Daerim, a partner of Hyundai Heavy Industry, to generate power from garbage with an investment of 1 billion baht. That project has already won BoI privileges, and the factory may be located in Phetchaburi province.

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Korean Investment: 12 billion baht