Published Jan 16, 2015 at 5:50 pm (Updated Jan 16, 2015)

GOSHEN Goshen Postmaster Raquel Martin wants the public to keep walkways, sidewalks, and approaches to mailboxes clear of ice and snow for the the safety of postal letter carriers and everyone else who needs to use them.

"Patches of ice and mounds of snow in front of mailboxes create havoc for carriers trying to safely affect mail delivery," Martin said.

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The path to the mailbox should be clera including steps, porches, walkways and street approach to help postal carriers provide timely delivery service, she said. Customers receiving curbside delivery should also ensure clear access to their mailboxes for letter carriers from the street.

The blue street collection boxes also need to be cleared for residents and businesses who deposit outgoing mail and for the postal employees to collect the mail for processing and delivery. Residents, businesses, and local municipal governments with blue collection boxes on or near their property are also asked to keep them clear of snow and ice.

Goshen residents with questions or comments about their mail service may call Martin at 294-4288.

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Postmaster: Clear ice from steps for mail carriers

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -

One of the oldest areas of Santa Barbara has one of the newest looks.

Artist Hugh Margerum and business owners in a two block area east of State Street and shaped in part by Canon Perdido Street and Santa Barbara Street, have claimed the area as the Presidio Neighborhood. It's also bordered by the landmark Presidio Chapel and State Historic Park.

To fully experience the food, shopping, culture and character, it takes a walking tour. Some residents might think they know the ins and outs already. The area, however has gone through a renewal, without a full blown master plan. It's just happened naturally with a trendy collection of businesses that compliment each other.

Margerum was quick to name everything around him in the first block of a stroll through the area. "Julienne, Sojourner has been here a long time, Drishti's (Yoga Clothing), Handlebars (coffee), Jimmy's which is now the Pickle Room and Three Pickles Deli and, it turns into Corazon pop-up taco bar on Sundays," he said.

An alley way has been converted into a quaint outside dining area for the coffee and lunchtime crowd. Often friends see friends and make new friends here.

"I almost run into someone every day. That's part of the cool thing, you see people you know, and do a little networking," said Margerum.

Nearby is a section of the old Chinatown in Santa Barbara with historic information on the wall. That is next to the oldest building in the city, the guard's quarters for the Presidio. El Cuartel, dates back to 1782.

A half a block away is the Lobero Theatre, with a full schedule of live performances throughout the year. It's also home to the "Sings Like Hell" music series, which is described as "The greatest music you've never heard."

Six tasting rooms, known as the Wine Collection of El Paseo are nestled into the walkways between Anacapa St. and De la Guerra Plaza. They are clustered near the Wine Cask, featuring top rated fine dining. It's complimented by the Intermezzo Bar and Cafe next door, for a more casual experience.

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Historic Presidio Neighborhood Takes on a Fresh Look with Renewed Dining, Shopping, Culture and Character

Battling against a massive shift in culture, changing consumer habits and public sentiment, the 2014 Big Day Out proved apocalyptic for nearly all concerned. But despite dramatic lineup issues, ownership changes, infrastructure retooling, and the ensuing thinkpiece-party that had media pickling their opinion glands dry, the Big Day Out somehow miraculously survived. This year MARCUS TEAGUE ventured to the very different looking event to see what has changed.

The first fat to be sloughed off the cow was size and location. In 2015, it is no longer an acceptable rite of passage to enter a dust-strewn concrete stadium and navigate 50,000 people under the auspices of participating in alternative culture. There are, as we discovered, alternatives.

In a move interpreted as the final act of a complex checkmate, this year, AJ Maddah now outright owner of the festival shipped the Big Day Out into the spaces vacated by his recently shuttered Harvest Festival. Expanded sites at Werribee Park in Melbourne, Parramatta Park in Sydney, and the Botanic Gardens in Brisbane breathed lush new life into the BDO brand, as did the cap of 20,000 tickets per city. And in a controversial cost-saving move, Perth and Adelaide dates were scuppered in favour of a two-day camping stop at Byron Bay, making the show a truly East Coast-only event.

It wasnt a new idea but a novel one for the traditionally top-heavy Big Day Out. By doing away with their big font headliners, organisers tumbled screaming into the present. In practice, it turned the entire festival into the main event, with big names like Bjork, Deadmau5, Robyn, Kendrick Lamar, Blur, Thom Yorke, The XX, Sam Smith and Jack White, and the recently reunited Sleater-Kinney, scattered among this years main announcement rather than in descending order.

Whats more, with those acts peppered on shady stages and tents throughout the day, rather than vying for the late night slots, punters fanned out across the grounds instead of hedging participation until nightfall. Absent was the usual sense of waiting around. For what? The event peaked all day. It also meant you didnt find yourself at days end gingerly nibbling a tepid hot dog at the back of the masses, watching TV screens as the last train left the station.

If any festivals legacy deserved to continue the multi-genre schtick, its the Big Day Out. They managed to pull it off by this year putting dance and hip-hop acts on late and in the larger domain previously reserved for the orange and blue rock stages and sent the bulk of the rock bands to the back paddock. That switch had the bands sounding better than ever, letting the gear nerds get within earshot of what was being conjured on stage, while the EDM-inclined were able to witness the appropriately over-the-top production in a space big enough to actually dance. Cunning.

This year was quite visibly the start of organisers taking steps to close the gap between the events hoary legacy and the interests of the people they actually want attending. The 2015 campaign to win their crowd back included having a local label curate a stage in each city, arranging comp winners to interview their act of choice and publish the results on their own social media channels, 3D-printing ticket holders faces on to wrist-bands, and doing away with VIP sections all together in favour of tiered decking and raised walkways near all stages. All of which was nearly as great as the complimentary pizza, which tied in nicely with Macaulay Culkins The Pizza Underground appearing on the novelty band stage, alongside OK Go, The Wiggles, Sheppard, The Frozen Childrens Choir and The Beards.

Go here to read the rest:
News: Six things we learnt at Big Day Out 2015

Frigid temperatures. Heavy snow fall. Yes, winter is in full force and it can take a toll on your bills and your home. Where should you start when protecting your home against cold temperatures?

"For extremely cold weather like we've been having, you want to protect your pipes. A lot of times your pipes will run up through your outer walls and can tend to freeze and burst. It could cost you thousands of dollars in repairs. I would recommend some insulation for them and we also have water heat cables. They're designed to keep it warm enough to where they won't freeze. Brings it up to about 40 degrees," said Roger Kelley with Home Depot.

While heating costs don't seem to be as high as they have been in the past, you still don't want to pay more than you have to. You can help retain the heat in your home with a few easy steps."

"To maintain heat in your house you want to seal your windows and doors with insulation. We have rubber, felt, a foam, and we also have the silicone. For gaps you can use caulks. For large gaps you can use the polysavers, the caulk savers," said Kelly.

If you spent all day outside shoveling, you might want to take a nice, long, hot shower. There is a way to save money on your water bills as well.

"This shower head will save you 20 percent of your water costs by using only two gallons versus 2.2 gallons per minute," Kelly said.

Keeping your driveway and walkways clear in the winter can be a pain. If you're using rock salt to melt the ice, you may want to reconsider.

"The bigger recommendation to save wear and tear on your driveway is to use calcium chloride versus rock salt because the rock salt can actually destroy and etch into the blacktop and the concrete. It's not recommended for new driveways at all. "

If you're using space heaters to keep particular rooms warm this time of year, make sure you buy one that turns off if it tips over, to avoid a fire hazard.

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Protecting Your Home From Cold Temperatures

Winter-related slips and falls have a significant negative impact on American businesses each year, resulting in time off work, temporary employee costs, overtime for existing employees and increased insurance costs, said Mike Britt, president of Accident Fund Insurance Company of America. To avoid these costs this winter, employers need to be extra vigilant, and employees should exercise extreme caution in the months ahead, Britt states, adding that in the Midwest states last winter, one-third (29 percent) of workers compensation claims resulted from slips and falls.

As temperatures drop and winter hazards increase, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) and the Michigan Workers Compensation Agency (WCA) are reminding employers and employees to exercise caution when working in the cold and snow.

Every employer should have an effective safety and health management system in place to protect its most valuable asset: its employees, said MIOSHA Director Martha Yoder. As part of this program, they should prepare for winter conditions and provide helpful information to their employees on how to avoid injury and illness.

Worker injuries can negatively affect a businesss bottom line, resulting in increased workers compensation and insurance costs, overtime, and lost work days for employees, said WCA Director Kevin Elsenheimer. By taking the proper safety precautions this winter, job providers can avoid nasty slips and falls that will cost them in the future.

Lower workers' comp costs save employers on overhead expenses and give them additional resources to grow their business, hire new workers, and increase their employees salaries says a press release.

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Winter slips and falls have negative impact on American businesses

I am finally getting around to posting on our front walkway and stairs. I had to dig deep in the archives to find some of the before pictures and I'm almost too tired to even write about it after seeing all the work we had to do.

This is the view of the valley below with Mt. Adams in the background.

The view from the porch.

Putting in the hardscape was definitely an huge undertaking. I personally had no idea that there was so much involved in creating features as simple as walkways.

We started with this, a few concrete stones and some old wood beams. This was our fancy front steps and walkway for about a year after we renovated the house (this photo was taken in 2009).

After much deliberation, and some math on Mike's part, we decided to create the stairs with concrete and then adhere pavers over the concrete to create a stone look.

Mike started building the stairs by creating a form for the concrete. This was a lot of work as he had to dig down fairly deep into clay soil so that the stairs had a firm concrete base.

After the concrete was poured and cured, Mike adhered the pavers to create the look of stone steps.

As we completed the stairs, it was time to build the walkway.

This involved a lot more digging into our clay soil which is like concrete when it is dry, and softens a couple inches at a time with lots of water applied to it. So this was a fair amount of hard work. I know because I attempted to help out, but gave up when I couldn't even get the shovel two inches into the ground.

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A Country Farmhouse: Our Front Steps and Walkway

By Diana Gerstacker

Courtesy Hong Kong International Airport

Courtesy Chicago O'Hare International Airport

Courtesy Incheon International Airport

Courtesy Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Frequent fliers know that boarding passes and carry-ons bring a break in daily routine.

Travel often comes with excitement, but it also causes some disruption. Perhaps the most noticeable break in routine comes in the form of missed workouts and on-the-go eating. Its not always easy to fit exercise into your busy travel itinerary, but it is nice to have the option of a fitness center wherever you go.

Many in the travel industryincluding airportsare realizing that fitness is a top priority for travelers. Airports all around the world have made it easy for travelers to access fitness centers and other healthy amenities while away from home. Weve highlighted 9 airports that have made fitness a prioritybe sure to check out these awesome extras on your next layover.

Courtesy Hong Kong International Airport

A top travel epicenter, Hong Kongs airport is fit to handle the crowds with plenty of entertainment options. Get competitive with a simulated game of basketball, boxing, soccer or skiing in the i-Sports area or step outside and play on a 9-hole golf course that meets U.S. Golf Association standards.

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Workout here on your layover

Woman Fights Off Alleged Purse Snatcher At Doylestown Bar Woman Fights Off Alleged Purse Snatcher At Doylestown Bar

Updated: Thursday, January 8 2015 5:36 PM EST2015-01-08 22:36:19 GMT

A Bucks County woman has one incredible story of determination. She decided she was not going to be a victim despite a man allegedly stealing her purse.

A Bucks County woman has one incredible story of determination. She decided she was not going to be a victim despite a man allegedly stealing her purse.

Updated: Thursday, January 8 2015 5:22 PM EST2015-01-08 22:22:06 GMT

Authorities have charged 23 year old Dominique Fallins after he struck a Philadelphia Police officer with his vehicle, late Thursday morning.

Authorities have charged 23 year old Dominique Fallins after he struck a Philadelphia Police officer with his vehicle, late Thursday morning.

Updated: Thursday, January 8 2015 5:11 PM EST2015-01-08 22:11:55 GMT

A special grand jury and prosecutor recommended criminal charges against Pa. Attorney General Kathleen Kane.

A special grand jury and prosecutor recommended criminal charges against Pa. Attorney General Kathleen Kane.

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Parents Report Icy Conditions At Local Elementary School

Use this checklist to help inspect your house from roof to foundation.

If a potential buyer drives up to your home and is immediately greeted by an unkempt lawn and shrubbery, a shabby old mailbox and shutters that are long overdue for a repainting, they probably won't give a second thought to buying it. That's why it's important to ramp up your home's curb appeal in advance of putting it on the market.

Use our checklist to take an inventory of your home's exterior and pinpoint areas for needed improvement:

Repair or replace loose, damaged or blistered shingles.

Clean gutters and downspout strainers.

Check gutters for leaks and proper alignment.

Inspect flashings around roof stacks, vents, skylights and chimneys.

Clear obstructions from vents, louvers and chimneys.

Check fascias and soffits for decay and peeling paint.

Inspect chimney for any loose or missing mortar.

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Seller's Checklist: Add Some Curb Appeal

With dangerous winter weather in the forecast, Home Instead Senior Care says now is the time for seniors and their loved ones to brush up on cold weather safety tips.

Winter can be a difficult time, as the harsh conditions especially impact seniors, said Jeff Huber, president of Home Instead, Inc. We want to make sure seniors and their loved ones are aware of simple ways they can stay safe and warm throughout the season.

Those over the age of 65 account for nearly half of all hypothermia deaths. As the body ages, the ability to maintain a normal internal body temperature decreases, creating an insensitivity to moderately cold temperatures. Seniors may not realize they are putting themselves at risk until symptoms appear. Symptoms of hypothermia include: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness. If symptoms are present, immediate medical attention is necessary.

The leading reason for hypothermia in the elderly is due to poorly heated homes, which is entirely preventable. Follow these simple tips to ensure a warm household.

Stay Warm: Keep the thermostat at 65 degrees, at least. Consistently check it to make sure your home is sufficiently warm. Even as heating costs rise, your safety should be a priority.

Put a carbon monoxide detector near where you sleep.

Ensure that there is adequate insulation, and check and clean the fireplace and furnace. Furnace filters should be replaced monthly. Minimize drafts by filling old socks with sand and using them in drafty windowsills and door jams. Weather-strip around windows and doors. Keep doors to unused rooms closed and close curtains at night.

Add an extra blanket to the bed and warm the bed in advance with a hot water bottle. Never use an electric blanket it may be difficult to operate the controls if the temperature needs to be adjusted in the night.

Dress in layers of loose fitting clothing. If you go outside, make sure your head is covered.

Every year, more than 1.6 million seniors end up in the emergency room because of a fall. With icy conditions, the chances of falling are even greater.

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Three Steps for Seniors to Stay Safe