by: Rare.usUpdated: Aug 11, 2017 - 11:41 PM

Dwayne The Rock Johnson has sported a tattoo of a bull on his right arm ever since his days as a professional wrestler.

On Friday, Johnsonrevealed that he had covered the tattoo up, but the replacement is a thing of beauty.

Johnson posted a picture on hisInstagram,revealing a new tattoo that took 22 hours to complete by renowned tattoo artist Nikko Hurtado.

Every detail is a reflection of my own personal history, Johnson wrote on Instagram. From the cracks and heavy damage in the bone representing lifes hard lessons Ive learned over the years. Just like scars and wrinkles Im so grateful to have em because theyre earned.

He also explained some of the symbolic choices in the tattoo, such as where the horns are pointing and how the tattoo will look from certain angles.

Cheers to living, learning, evolving and growing, he closed the post. And to the positive disrupters ready to dent the universe.

2017 Cox Media Group.

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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson covers his iconic tattoo with amazing replacement - WPXI Pittsburgh

By Stephanie Vanderbilt

Q: Its summer here in New England, and right now Im worried about the heat. However, it feels like Ill turn around and winter is suddenly here. What types of windows are effective in both hot and cold weather?

A: When you live in a climate like New England, you get the best of all seasons. If you are someone who loves variable temperatures and weather, youre in the right place. But this can make it difficult to determine how to properly insulate your home for all kinds of weather.

Windows to consider for a cooler and warmer home

According to the Department of Energy, heating and cooling accounts for 48 percent of energy use in the home. The good news is that there are types of windows specifically designed to keep your home both cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, and save you money on energy billsat the same time. These windows are engineered with various technologies in the form of gases, glazing and more.

Choose energy-efficient gases to insulate your home

Window insulation is one of the most important aspects of temperature regulation. Without it, your window is simply filling a hole in the wall. One of the best ways to insulate your windows is with argon or krypton gas. These gases are both denser than air and theyre designed tomaximize the thermal efficiency of the window while slowing heat transfer.

Not only do gases help insulate your home, but spacers are another important component.These separate the sheets of glass to improve insulation quality and they also insulate the pane edges. While spacers vary by design, the best spacers will also help with condensation and heat loss.

Opt for vinyl window frames for better thermal resistance

The Department of Energy indicates that vinyl frames are perhaps the most-efficient frame material on the market, outperforming wood and aluminum frames. High-quality vinyl frames are engineered with pure virgin polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with ultraviolet light stabilizers. The best vinyl window frames contain a larger portion of titanium dioxide than lower-quality replacement windows.

The best types of windows for cold and warm climates will include insulation within the vinyl frames as well. Vinyl frames are designed with hollow cavities that may be filled with an insulating foam during the manufacturing process. This is key to getting the best thermalresistance possible.

Include low-e glazing for UV protection

An application of low-e will also help keep your home more comfortable. While an important purpose of low-e glass is to prevent the suns rays from fading your flooring and furnishings, it can also help keep yourhome cooler since it helps block out the sun.

Preventing summer and winter condensation

Even though hot and cold air are a concern, youll also need to keep condensation in mind. Air holds varying amounts of vapor and moisture during the year, which results in condensation.

Summer condensation is typically found on the exterior of the window, while winter condensation is found on the inside of the window.Although condensation isnt always a problem, you dont want it making its way into your home.

This can lead to issues such as moisture damage, wood rot on interior frames and even mold and mildew growth.

According to Berkeley Lab, a national laboratory system supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, air meeting with energy-efficient windows is less likely to be cooled to its dew point temperature. This is because the inside surface temperature remains higher during cold weather, which reduces the likelihood of indoor condensation.

Condensation is most likely to form at window spacers and frames, since these are typically two of the least insulated areas of the window. However, you can avoid this situation by choosing newer materials for these components, which are designed to prevent condensation.

On the most energy efficient windows, indoor air humidity must be nearly 70 percent before condensation will form -- even if the outdoor air temperature is as low as minus-30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Energy Star-rated products are the best types of windows in New England.When youre investing in replacement windows, always be on the lookout for a Most Efficient Energy Star certification distinction. The products deemed Most Efficient exceed the standard Energy Star requirements.

-- Stephanie Vanderbilt, owner of Coastal Windows & Exteriors, would love to answer any questions that will help you make your home beautiful, warm, safe and energy-efficient. Do you have other home improvement questions she can help answer? Ask her atsvanderbilt@mycoastalwindows.com or call at 978-304-0495.

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AT HOME WITH STEPHANIE -- The best windows for New England's climate - Wicked Local Beverly

CITY OF HUDSON, WIADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Sealed bids will be received by the City of Hudson in the City Hall at 505 Third Street, Hudson, Wisconsin, until Wednesday, August 23, 2017 at 10 a.m., at which time Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud for the following:Phase 1 City Hall Window ReplacementIn general, Work consists of the following: Furnish all labor, materials and equipment necessary for a complete window replacement of all 3rd floor exterior windows as described in the bid documents.All bidders may view the bid documents on the city website at http://www.ci.hudson.wi.us or request a copy from the City of Hudson. Bidding Contractors are encouraged to attend a pre-bid walk through scheduled for Wednesday, August 9, 2017 at 10 a.m.Any bids shall be submitted in an opaque envelope, on the forms provided, and marked with the name and address of the bidder. If the bid is sent through the mail, or other delivery system, the sealed envelope shall be enclosed in a separate envelope marked with the notation "BID ENCLOSED" and addressed to the City Administrator located at 505 Third Street, Hudson, WI 54016.A Bid shall be accompanied by Bid security made payable to Owner in an amount of 10% percent of Bidder's maximum Bid price and in the form of a certified check or bank money order or a Bid bond on the form, included in the Bidding Documents, issued by a surety meeting the requirements of the General Conditions of the Contract.The Owner reserves the right to retain the deposits of the 3 lowest bidders for a period not to exceed 60 days after the date and time set for the Opening of Bids. No Bids may be withdrawn for a period of 60 days after the date and time set for the Opening of Bids.The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all Bids, waive or not waive any informalities in the bids received and to accept any proposal which they deem most favorable to the interest of the Owner.Devin Willi, City AdministratorCity of Hudson, Wisconsin_____________________________________ (Pub. 08/03/17) WNAXLP

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CITY OF HUDSON: Ad For Bids- City Hall Window Replacement - Phase 1 - Hudson Star Observer

Sunrise Windows, which is backed by The Riverside Company, has acquired Louisville, Kentucky-based Paragon Windows & Doors, a maker of residential repair and replacement doors and windows. No financial terms were disclosed.

PRESS RELEASE

The Riverside Company opened the door for more growth at its Sunrise Windows (Sunrise) platform by adding Paragon Windows & Doors (Paragon).

Paragon primarily manufactures residential repair and replacement doors and windows. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Paragon mainly sells through dealers. Sunrise Windows manufactures premium energy-efficient repair and replacement windows and doors and distributes them through specialty dealers.

Paragon has an excellent reputation for its compelling door offerings, said Riverside Managing Partner Suzy Kriscunas. With its outstanding domestic production, it can meet customer demand quickly and effectively at a very competitive price point.

Riverside is excited about the new window product lines Paragon brings in addition to the doors.

Paragons composite window and the vinyl window that they just developed both slot into Sunrise Windows product offerings nicely, said Riverside Partner Tim Gosline. This deepens the product line and enables Sunrise to provide the ideal window for just about any customer.

The injection of new product lines should boost sales opportunities across the platform. Paragon adds new customers, and provides ample opportunity for cross-selling, particularly to customers previously limited to either window or door offerings from each respective company.

Working with Kriscunas and Gosline on the deal were Partner Anne Hayes, Principal Steve Burns, Associate John Ribble, Operating Partner Tom Anderson, Operating Executive, Finance Allison Zabransky and Operating Executive Hayden Cotterill.

About The Riverside CompanyThe Riverside Company is a global private equity firm focused on acquiring and investing in growing businesses valued at up to $400 million. Since its founding in 1988, Riverside has invested in more than 480 transactions. The firms international portfolio includes more than 80 companies.

Sunrise Windows, which is backed by The Riverside Company, has acquired Louisville, Kentucky-based Paragon Windows & Doors, a maker of residential repair and replacement doors and windows. No financial terms were disclosed.

The rest is here:
Riverside-backed Sunrise buys Paragon Windows & Doors - PE Hub (subscription) (blog)

JRD Windshield Repair owner Jeremy Driscoll decided to step up by offering free car window replacement and installation to anyone who breaks a vehicles window to save a dog or other animal.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the temperature inside a vehicle can increase by 20 degrees in 10 minutes. As the Texas summer gets hotter, people and animals are more at risk of heat exhaustion.

The state Good Samaritan law protects anyone who smashes a car window to save a child, but Texas does not protect those smashing windows to save animals.

Driscoll first decided to offer the service in 2015 after Tennessee passed House Bill 537 that amended the state immunity law for damaging vehicles to includethose incurring damages while rescuing animals. A post on the company Facebook page described the out-of-state law and made the free offer to replace windows broken to save dogs.

The offer was posted again in June, asking followers to call JRD Windshield Repair with the make, model and year of the vehicle being damaged, and the companys staff would get the new window ready.

JRD is located at2105 S. Congress Ave., Bldg. 2, Austin, and is open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

View post:
Break the car window, save the dog in distress and this Austin-based windshield repair company will pay for it - Community Impact Newspaper

A $3 million bid package was awarded Wednesday for interior work in the ongoing $38 million renovation of La Salle-Peru Township High School.

The L-P board approved the contract for Phase 2 interior renovations. The bid package includes carpentry, $1,151,000, Vissering Construction Co., Streator; heating, ventilation and air conditioning, $799,800, A&R Mechanical Contractors Inc., Urbana; electrical, $774,643, JB Contracting Corp., La Salle; demolition, $130,225, Johler Demolition Inc., Lincolnshire; flooring, $129,934, TSI Commercial Floor Covering, Champaign; and painting, $68,929, Oosterbaan & Sons Co., Posen.

The board also approved change orders, $4,000, $48,000 and $3,500 for asbestos abatement; $35,000 for roof replacement; and a $3,500 credit for lockers.

Board member Alan Cherpeske asked if many local companies are bidding.

Were not getting a great showing from local companies. Were getting a lot of thank-yous but no thank yous, said Josh Warriner, senior project manager for Pepper Construction, Barrington, the projects construction manager.

Summertime bidding is competing against companies hectic work schedule, Warriner said. Much of the labor, however, is local, he said.

Work has begun on asbestos abatement and tuck-pointing. This summer includes window and roof replacement and interior renovation. Mobile classrooms are in the East Gym parking lot to handle classes displaced by interior renovation. The project also includes upgrading heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and mechanical systems. The $38 million project is expected to be completed in fall 2018.

Voters approved the renovation in a November referendum, 6,620 to 6,426, or 51 percent to 49 percent.

Jeff Dankert can be reached at (815) 220-6977 or lasallereporter@newstrib.com. Follow him on Twitter @NT_LaSalle.

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Bid for interior work approved at LP - LaSalle News Tribune

R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian

Vacasa rental sign on a Gearhart home.

R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian

The ballot initiative seeking to repeal Gearharts short-term rental rules.

GEARHART Voters in November will get to decide the fate of Gearharts vacation rental rules.

The bid to repeal and replace the regulations issued last fall gathered enough valid signatures to put the measure on the ballot.

The initiative was presented to the City Council Wednesday night. City councilors had three options: pass the repeal and replace ordinance; reject the ordinance and allow voters to decide in November; or reject the ordinance and come up with a competing alternative.

The council unanimously voted to reject the ordinance and put it on the ballot.

We fully expected the City Council to reject our ordinance, Jim Whittemore, who owns a short-term rental property, said Thursday. Now it is on the ballot. We submitted 242 signatures, which is significant.

According to the revised summary, submitted by David Townsend, Brian and Joy Sigler and Sarah Nebeker, the ballot measure would repeal the special regulations on vacation rentals related to off-street parking, residential appearance, garbage service, septic-sewer capacity inspections and cesspool requirements not required of other city residents.

Our message will show that we care as much about Gearhart as full-time residents do, Whittemore said. We always have. I think that once residents see how much 82 vacation homeowners pay in property taxes and that we will pay close to $50,000 a year for police and fire services, which equates to $500,000 over the next 10 years that our vacation rental ordinance is far more beneficial to the city and the residents of Gearhart than the current ordinance.

Some elements of the original ballot initiative prepared by the city are retained in the rewritten summary, including a vote on future short-term rental zoning amendments, safety inspections and permit fees.

A responsible cap

Mayor Matt Brown stood by the citys rules. Our current vacation rental laws are working very well, Brown said. We have a responsible cap while allowing all current vacation rentals to continue to rent. Substandard septic and cesspools are being repaired and replaced, and bedrooms are being updated with fire egresses to protect children, families and our property owners.

Brown said that the ordinance has stimulated more available housing for full-time residents, who choose Gearhart for its quiet residential nature.

The citys rules regulate short-term rental occupancy limits, parking and property management contact information, among other provisions.

Permits are transferable only by inheritance, not by the sale of the property.

Brown said language in the new proposal is very dangerous to the quiet residential nature of the community and against the language in the citys comprehensive plan.

The revised ordinance would eliminate the ability to protect residents from negative impacts, he said, and allows an unlimited number of commercial vacation rentals in residential zones.

According to Brown, the proposal would eliminate septic inspections for high-occupancy rentals and eliminate state certified fire and life safety inspections. I believe its my sworn duty to reject something that could put lives in danger, Brown said.

Headed to vote

City Administrator Chad Sweet said Thursday that 84 Gearhart property owners had registered their homes as short-term rentals.

Gearhart has about 1,400 voters on its rolls, Sweet said. While the deadline has passed for homeowners to apply for short-term rental permits, the city has extended the period for property owners to make improvements required by the citys current ordinance. Window replacement or installation for safety egress, septic upgrades, cesspool replacement and other fire and life safety issues comprise the majority of repairs or upgrades needed to meet city standards.

Once the city delivers a notice of election, the initiative will be placed on the Nov. 7 ballot, County Clerk Valerie Crafard said.

Brown said, I am looking forward to our citizens getting the true facts on the differences between our current common-sense vacation rental rules and their new repeal ordinance allowing unlimited commercial vacation rentals. I have the utmost faith that our citizens will decide whats best for the future of our quiet residential community.

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Repeal of Gearhart vacation rental rules heads to voters - Daily Astorian

Posted: Jul. 3, 2017 10:10 pm Updated: Jul. 3, 2017 10:42 pm

QUINCY -- A $140,000 adjustment to Quincy's fiscal 2018 budget got a first hearing during Monday night's Quincy City Council meeting.

Director of Administrative Services John "Skip" Bright said the bookkeeping adjustment was needed to account for replacement of windows at City Hall.

"The original budgeted amount for window replacement was to have been completed during the last fiscal year," Bright said. "It didn't get completed because of some remediation requirements and we forgot to carry over the amount" into this fiscal year.

The original contract for replacement windows was approved at $184,100. But A. Fischer Builders Inc. found a small amount of asbestos in the caulk around the first window removed. That triggered federal rules that required an abatement contractor, and the City Council approved a $14,645 adjustment to the window contract in April.

Work on the project continued, but it was not completed until after the new fiscal year began in May.

Also on Monday, the City Council tabled for three weeks an ordinance involving a no-parking area planned on Holford Drive. Alderman Mike Rein, R-5, said he wants to meet with two homeowners to seek a suitable resolution.

Aldermen also voted to buy oil products from Big River Oil Co. of Hannibal for $18,302.

A maintenance contract valued at $7,100 was renewed with Cellebrite USA Inc. of Glen Rock, N.J. The contract covers the Ultimate Touch Mobile Forensic Solution, which is used by the Quincy Police Department.

The council also voted to buy $4,220 in fire hose from Municipal Emergency Services.

Aldermen drafted ordinances to allow for the vacation of an alley in Block 9 of Holmes and Woods Addition, a special permit to allow a truck loading addition at 2311 Broadway, and a special permit to build a 41-by-84-foot building at 620 S. 10th.

The council agreed with Plan Commission endorsement of subdividing and allowing a self-storage facility at 3201 Locust.

Plans for rezoning property at 5503 State were tabled indefinitely when the property owner dropped plans for a project there.

More here:
Budget adjustment for fiscal 2018 made for Quincy City Hall window replacement project - Herald-Whig

Jefferson County Schools will use $200,000 in 2017-18 capital projects money to fix the Jefferson County High baseball stadium.

The work was unanimously approved during last weeks school board meeting, on motions from Anne Marie Potts and Dusty Cox.

Deteriorating concrete under the main section of seats and the press box is the main issue at the stadium, which has been waiting for attention for a couple of years.

The work will include shoring up the structure using steel and concrete, or a combination of the two. Also included will be new bleachers for the stadium.

Much like the problems at the football stadium that were repaired a few years ago, water has taken its toll on the masonry, seeping in and damaging the block.

In making the motion, Potts took the opportunity to commend the baseball Patriots first-ever run to the state tournament. Were real proud of them, she said.

School Facilities Director Michael Phagan said he had already had been working with structural engineers, and is ready to move forward with the project so that it can be completed before baseball season begins next spring. The work was scheduled last year, but had to be postponed due to more pressing facilities issues.

Phagan also reviewed the status of other projects that were completed last year, or are still in progress.

One of the biggest, costing just under $200,000, is repaving of parking areas at Jefferson County High.

By doing the base preparation work ourselves, will be able to pave the entire parking lot, including the band pad, Phagan told the board. Weve been down there for weeks, putting in the new base, and fixing storm drains.

Paving at JCHS should begin on July 10, Phagan said.

Another project at JCHS, installation of the lift system at the James D. Swann Performing Arts Center, is scheduled for September. Because bids came in under budget, board members were able to shift $113,000 to White Pine School, to be used on a new gym floor.

Bids for that project will go out soon, Phagan indicated, after officials worked out an ADA/fire code issue.

Phagan also reported that renovation of White Pine Schools kitchen is on schedule, and barring any unforseen delays should be completed by July 31. In response to a question, he said the portable classroom building that was used last year for the transfer of food to the school from Talbott will be converted back to classrooms. Another portable leased for classrooms will be returned, he indicated.

Window replacement at seven different schools will begin in August, and should be completed by the first of the year, Phagan added.

In other action during last Tuesdays meeting, the board:

Approved end-of-year budget adjustments, recognizing additional funds and cleaning up line items in preparation for the annual audit;

Approved the use of the Jefferson County Fairgrounds on September 1, by Carson-Newman University for a Boot Scoot;

Approved membership dues of $4,500 for 2017-18 to Tennessee School Systems for Equity; and

Gave final approval to updates on several school board policies.

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Baseball stadium repairs approved by school board - The Standard Banner

John Penney jpenney@norwichbulletin.com, (860) 857-6965 jpenneynb

KILLINGLY Work on three Killingly school roofs is expected to begin later this month and be completed before students return in the fall.

On Wednesday, the towns Building Committee accepted the low bids submitted for the replacement of the Killingly Memorial School and for a partial roof replacement at the Goodyear Early Education Center. The committee did not accept bids for work at the Killingly Central School, though it is expected to do so on Monday.

All the bids were well under what we expected, Community Development Director Mary Bromm said. Thats likely due to companies not having a lot of these major projects scheduled for this summer.

A $1.01 million bid from Hartford Restoration Services was selected for the Killingly Memorial School work, while a $226,000 bid is expected to be awarded to the Cromwell-based Imperial Company Restoration Services.

Residents in February approved a $6.25 million bonding package for school roof and window work, with 70 percent of the cost expected to be reimbursed by the state. Bromm said the planned window replacements wont begin until next year.

That kind of work falls into a separate category that requires legislative approval for reimbursement funding, she said. We should get an answer back by July 2018.

If the final cost of the project is less than the approved bonding figure, officials will simply not bond the entire amount, though the full anticipated costs must have been previously approved by taxpayers.

All three roofs are more than 20 years old and past their recommended lifespan, said Paul Mailhot, supervisor of operations and maintenance for the school district.

"There's been deterioration from (ultra-violet) light and general wear-and-tear from snow and rain over the last two decades," he said. "The rubber membranes are pulling away and we're getting cracks that constantly need patching. Anytime there's a big storm, we're patching and repairing those areas so water doesn't seep inside the buildings."

Residents in February also approved spending up to $3.2 million for several projects at the community center, including exterior brick re-painting, bathroom and locker room renovations and window work.

A portion of that money about $1 million - would be set aside to replace the nearly 100-year-old pipes running through Town Hall. Another $1.8 million was approved for upcoming bridge and culvert replacement, half of which is reimbursable by the state.

Link:
Bids for work on Killingly school roofs 'well under' expectations - Norwich Bulletin