Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Dear James: My house now has siding, but some of it is deteriorating. I would like to replace those spots with manufactured stone accents. Is this a reasonable project? Tim D.

Dear Tim: This definitely can be done by an experienced do-it-yourselfer. Plan to use the stone for just accents, so you may still need to replace some siding. Adding too much stone may not create the accent effect. Instead, it may look like you just could not afford all stone.

New types of manufactured stone are indistinguishable from a real stone wall with regard to touch or appearance. When installed properly, it should last a lifetime, which is good because manufactured stone is not inexpensive, costing about $6 to $10 per square foot.

When installed properly on an exterior wall, manufactured stone is practically indistinguishable from real stone. Even the feel to the touch is very realistic. With the new types of manufactured stone available, if the finished wall does not look like real stone, it is because of installation errors.

Manufactured stone is made from lightweight concrete. This is basic concrete with lightweight fillers mixed with it. The forms for the stones are made from casts of real stones. The major manufacturers have many hundreds of different molds for a random selection of sizes and shapes. The fronts of the stones are colored and the backs grooved so they adhere well to the mortar.

First, make sure the sheathing on your house is in good condition once the old siding is removed. Attach two layers of heavyweight (30-pound) builders felt to the wall sheathing. Use some type of membrane if the stone will run up to any window or door openings. Peel-and-stick membrane is easy to work with.

The next step is to attach metal lath over the felt. The lath provides a good, strong surface for the mortar to flow through. When you screw the lath to the wall, try to keep it as smooth and tight as possible. One way to do this is to locate the screw in one corner of an opening in the lath. Locate the next screw in the opposite corner of another opening to stretch the lath tight.

With the lath in place, it is time to apply the mortar. First, spread a medium-thick layer of mortar over the lath. Put another layer on the back of the stone so it covers the grooves. Press the stone into the mortar on the lath for the first bottom course. For each additional course, tap the stone back somewhat even with the first course and downward against it. The mortar should ooze out.

You must decide on the width and depth of the mortar joint between the stones. A one-half-inch wide joint is typical for exterior stone surfaces.

For a very rustic appearance, use three-quarter-inch width joints.

The depth (rake) of the mortar joint also affects its functionality and appearance. Any rake can be used for indoor applications. For exterior use, a standard rake is good where the mortar is just slightly below the surface of the stone. Flush joints give a smoother appearance and shed water well.

Overfilling the joint so the mortar sticks out creates a rustic look.

There are several options for working the mortar between the stones. If you work it almost immediately, the mortar joints will have a smooth appearance. The longer you wait, up to several hours, the rougher the surface texture of the joint will look.

The rest is here:
Manufactured Stone Is Attractive and Durable - The Epoch Times

A fire that broke out on an MBTA Orange Line train car Thursday in Somerville, Massachusetts, has sparked considerable reaction from leaders and riders alike, adding to a list of recent incidents involving the troubled agency.

"Many of you have seen the visual images that have come from this," MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said during a press conference Thursday afternoon at Wellington Station in Medford. "Obviously a very frightening event and not the service that the MBTA wants to provide, and it is these types of incidents that we are working to prevent and avoid every day. This incident happened and I think it's important that we step forward and acknowledge it, and again I want to express my apology to our customers who experienced that today."

Derailments and safety violations at the MBTA have repeatedly made headlines and this year drew the attention of the Federal Transit Administration, which in June ordered safety upgrades after finding "continuous safety violations and a failure to take urgent, corrective actions."

Here's everything we know about what happened Thursday:

A fire caused an MBTA train to be evacuated on a bridge over Mystic River.

A Boston-bound Orange Line train caught fire just before 7 a.m. Thursday while on the bridge over the Mystic River as it was approaching Assembly Station in Somerville from Medford. There were 200 people on board when the train started filling with smoke on a 90-degree day.

Passengers on board have described the moments the fire broke out, recounting smoke filling the head train car and people breaking windows to escape the situation.

Video clips posted to social media show people climbing out of the train and walking along the tracks on the bridge to get away. Some videos show smoke coming from the tracks themselves, too.

One woman seen in the river below said she jumped off the bridge to avoid the smoke, but got out of the water on her own and refused help.

About 200 passengers were on board when a fire interrupted their commute on a bridge over Mystic River.

A man staying at the nearby Encore Hotel shared what he saw with NBC10 Boston from his vantage point.

"I saw the train come to a stop first, then it started to spark, then it started to flame," he said. "It fully engulfed the first probably six feet of car behind the driver, then smoke started to billow all the way back on the train. Then folks started to come out the windows. It was scary there for a minute. You could not see the train, the smoke was so dark. The passengers were clearly helping each other, moving very quickly to the rear of the train."

He said it appeared to be explosive: It was a burst. It probably burned for a minute, and then after that, it was just a lot of smoke very intense for a very short period of time."

The fire on the Orange Line train was triggered by a metal sill that came loose from the lower part of the train and contacted the third rail, MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said Thursday afternoon.

During the press conference, Poftak described the sill as one foot by six foot and compared the object, which is supposed to be riveted to the train, to siding that "doesn't have any structural role, but it covers up a portion of the vehicle almost ... akin to like aluminum siding at your house."

As the fire was occurring, the southbound train was halted on a bridge above the Mystic River, and a call went in to to cut power to the train, which Poftak said occurred in under two minutes.

While many riders were evacuated and stepped off the train onto the tracks, Poftak said "there were a number of people who self-evacuated through several windows on the train." He said four windows were removed.

The ordeal was caused by a metal piece of siding called a sill coming loose and into contact with the electrified third rail.

"Some folks made the decision to self-evacuate, which I understand, but we also did have an evacuation through the rear of the train," he said.

No injuries were reported.

Inspectors were dispatched Thursday morning to examine sills on other Orange Line cars, and Poftak said, "I've not received any word that there was any other issue found."

Poftak said service resumed by 11 a.m., following right of way inspections, and he remains confident in the T safety.

"I took the Orange Line here," he said. "I'll take it back. I regularly take public transportation."

A disabled Orange Line train was emitting smoke on the bridge over the Mystic River Thursday morning, leaving passengers to walk across the tracks on foot, video footage shows.

The train itself, which was left charred, was brought to the yard at Wellington for a closer look at what happened. The train went into service originally in 1980 and was last inspected June 23, according to Poftak. The MBTA conducted inspections on all other vehicles in the Orange Line following Thursday's fire.

The transit agency says its looking into whether it needs to work on training for events like this.

The train that caught fire was put in service in January 1980, and was last inspected on June 23, when he said the sill was also inspected.

Massachusetts is in the midst of a heatwave and Poftak said the high temperatures are affecting operations, mentioning a drawbridge that became stuck in the upright position.

"The sill itself is riveted to the vehicle," he said. "And I don't want to engage in guesswork around if the heat had any impact, but it will be something that we look at."

Poftak said the train's speed will be part of the T's investigation, and said he didn't know the recommended speed on that stretch of the Orange Line or how fast the train was traveling prior to the fire.

New Orange Line vehicles will replace all older vehicles "over time," he said, not offering a timeline. "As soon as we have an adequate supply of new vehicles ready to go, we'll be replacing all of the trains on both the Orange Line and the Red Line," he said.

The T's contract with Chinese manufacturer CRRC called for a complete fleet of new Orange Line cars to be delivered by January 2022 and a complete fleet of new Red Line cars delivered by September 2023, but a delay officials announced during the pandemic pushed those target dates back to April 2023 for the Orange Line and September 2024 for the Red Line.

MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak addressed a startling Orange Line train fire that had passengers evacuating down the tracks from the middle of a bridge over the Mystic River Thursday.

Poftak apologized to riders for what happened and called it "a very frightening event and not the service that the MBTA wants to provide." He acknowledged that evacuations are scary in general, but this scenario put passengers in "acutely vulnerable space," since they were on a bridge between stations.

The incident drew criticism from leaders in the state.

Gov. Charlie Baker addressed the Orange Line fireThursday afternoon while appearing on Boston Public Radio: "It's unfair to say it's a total mess," Baker said. "It's not unfair to say what happened today is unacceptable."

He used the incident as an example of why he welcomed the Federal Transit Administration's safety review of the MBTA, and noted he spoke to people at the agency Thursday morning.

"One of the things I said to them is 'I want to know what the FTA says about this,'" Baker said.

Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., criticized the MBTA onTwitterThursday, writing, "How many people in Boston drove to work today in a car from 1979? We desperately need to invest in public transit so these types of things don't happen any more. Underinvestment = disasters like this."

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu called the fire "evidence of an aging transit system in crisis" and said she'd be pushing for "rapid systemwide upgrades."

Massachusetts lawmakers on the Joint Committee on Transportation issued a joint statement in response to the fire, characterizing it as " dramatic illustrations of the public safety threats posed by the current state of affairs at the MBTA." The Committee is pushing to have oversight hearings.

This is the latest safety incident for the beleaguered MBTA, which isunder federal review. The Federal Transit Administration said its "extremely concerned with the ongoing safety issues" at the MBTA and launched the investigation in April.

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Frightening Event': Here's Everything We Know About the Orange Line Train Fire - NBC10 Boston

PHOENIX Pima County Attorney Laura Conover is siding with Planned Parenthood and against Attorney General Mark Brnovich in his bid to enforce a ban on virtually all abortions in Arizona.

And the outcome of that lawsuit could affect the rights of women statewide.

In new court filings, Samuel Brown, her chief civil deputy, acknowledged there is a law on the books dating to territorial days that makes it a crime to terminate a pregnancy except to save the life of the mother.

Brown also noted that a 15-week abortion ban approved earlier this year contains specific language saying it does not repeal the older and stricter law which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.

But Brown said that new law did not contain a trigger to repeal the 15-week ban if Roe v. Wade was overturned. And what that means, he told Pima County Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson, is that she cannot simply accede to Brnovichs request to reinstate the territorial law and completely ignore the newer statute which was validly enacted a law he said conforms with the Supreme Court decision issued in June, after lawmakers had gone home, that leaves the question of abortion to legislators in each state.

In granting the relief requested by the attorney general, this court would effectively replace its judgment for that of the Arizona Legislature regarding that which the Legislature had decided not to repeal, Brown wrote.

Conover told Capitol Media Services that staying out of the legal spat was not an option. Thats because her office was involved in the original 1972 lawsuit where Planned Parenthood sued both the Attorney Generals Office and the Pima County Attorneys Office. In fact, it argued at the time that the territorial law was legal and enforceable.

But Pima County Superior Court Judge Jack Marks sided with Planned Parenthood, ruling the law was overbroad and violates the fundamental rights of marital and sexual privacy of women.

That was initially overruled by the state Court of Appeals. But the judges overturned their own decision after the Supreme Court voided Roe, issuing an injunction against enforcing the law that remains in effect to this day.

Now Brnovich has reopened that same case, asking Johnson to dissolve the injunction. And that, said Conover, forced the issue for her office.

The analysis was there was no way to not be a party to the reopened case, she said. There was no mechanism by which to remove ourselves.

That, however, still left the decision of whether to stick with the offices 1972 decision to defend the law or side with Planned Parenthoods arguments that that law could not be harmonized with everything the legislature has enacted since, right up to the 15-week ban that Gov. Doug Ducey signed in March and is set to take effect in late September.

Conover said she believes Planned Parenthood has the more persuasive legal arguments.

I certainly think that a great deal of statutory legislative work and case law has occurred in 50 years, she said. So the landscape has changed.

It isnt just the new 15-week ban that conflicts with the territorial law, a version of which dates back to 1864.

In its own legal filings, Planned Parenthood cited a series of other laws approved by the Republican-controlled legislature since Roe. That includes a 1984 statute specifically allowing abortions up to the point of viability somewhere between 22 and 24 weeks along with exceptions beyond that point to preserve the life or health of the woman.

There also have been various regulations like a 2009 law that imposed a 24-hour waiting period, another law that same year about licensing and operation of abortion facilities, and a 2021 law saying that only physicians can administer drugs for a medication abortion.

What all that means according to attorney Andrew Gaona, is that Johnson cannot simply dissolve the injunction but must consider the fact that since 1973 lawmakers have authorized what had previously been forbidden.

More to the point, Gaona wants Johnson to rule that those post-Roe state laws make it clear that licensed physicians are allowed to provide abortions up until the gestational limits and that the territorial law banning abortion applies only to people who are not doctors.

This interpretation properly gives effect to all the Legislatures enactments, he told Johnson in his own filing. And it stands far apart from the untenable interpretation the attorney general posits: that the (territorial law) which is over 100 years old somehow preempts a host of other subsequently enacted laws and criminalized nearly all abortions in Arizona, even abortions performed by physicians within the longstanding framework established by the Legislature.

In a prepared statement, an aide to Brnovich did not address questions about Conovers decision to side with Planned Parenthood. Instead, Brittni Thomason said her boss sees the entire issue through the lens of the Supreme Court returning the issue of abortion to elected lawmakers.

In Arizona, our Legislature has consistently reaffirmed our existing law prior to Roe v. Wade, she said. And that, Thomason said, includes the 15-week ban approved earlier this year, with the language that it does not repeal the prior outright ban.

Of some note is that Brnovich contends the injunction he wants lifted affects only Pima County. He said that prosecutors in the other 14 counties are immediately free to bring charges against any doctor who terminates a pregnancy.

That theory has not been tested, as a spokeswoman for the Maricopa County Attorneys Office the only other county in which abortions were performed prior to the Supreme Court ruling said no cases have been brought. And Jennifer Liewer said her boss, Rachel Mitchell, intends to wait to see what the courts and lawmakers do before taking any action.

But if Johnson rules that the 1864 law is unenforceable against physicians, that sets the stage to appeals right through the Arizona Supreme Court. And what the justices decide would be binding statewide.

Even if the injunction is entirely lifted and the old law is declared enforceable, Conover may not be seeking to imprison doctors.

I certainly have a strong position about prosecutorial discretion and limited resources, she said. And that, Conover said becomes even more important with the county in the midst of a spike in homicides.

Theres nothing that Tucson Police Chief (Chad) Kasmar, Sheriff (Chris) Nanos and I agree on more, which is that we are all definitely focusing our resources on public safety right now and where the needs desperately are, she said. So we all three have a very strong opinion on making sure every resource is used as wisely as humanly possible.

Even before the Supreme Court decision, the Tucson City Council voted unanimously to authorize Kasmar to revise the agencys general order to reflect that no physical arrest will be made by an officer for an alleged violation of state laws limiting abortion.That, however, doesnt mean police will ignore violations of the abortion ban if it is allowed to take effect.

City Attorney Mike Rankin said an officer or detective will make a report and present it to prosecutors who would make the final decision.

And that would put it in the hands of Conover.

Conover said that, in siding with Planned Parenthood, she is representing the interests of her bosses on the Pima County Board of Supervisors.

They adopted a resolution in the wake of the newest Supreme Court ruling not only supporting the right of women to terminate a pregnancy but directing the county administrator to ensure that there is a broad range of legal reproductive health services available to county residents through the health department as well as work with partners locally, statewide and nationally to advocate for evidence-based reproductive health care, including abortion services.

Howard Fischer

@azcapmedia

@azcapmedia

Mr. Fischer, a longtime award-winning Arizona journalist, is founder and operator of Capitol Media Services.

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Pima County Attorney disagrees with AG on banning all abortions in Arizona - Daily Independent

Daily Point Veto-override test for campaign finance

DoesSuffolk Countys public campaign financing system have the votes?Twelve are needed to override County Executive Steve Bellones veto of a bill passed by the Republican legislative majorityaimed at repealing the 2017 law.With at least two votes uncertain, the stage is set for a significant battle at Tuesdays meeting of the legislature.

Both Bellone and Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey say theyre cautiously optimistic their side will prevail.

One wild card has already been exposed.

GOP Legis. Rob Trottahas been outspoken against the massive impact of money on Suffolks politics and the county Police Benevolent Associations outsized influence, which he says derives from illegal dues collections from officers and banned transfers of and donations of money from the PBA.

But hes also been outspoken in opposing Bellone, on nearly everything and says Bellone himself has been an outsized beneficiary of PBA largesse.

His next move seemed unclear, but on Friday Trotta told The Point hes 99.9% sure hell be abstaining, which in this instance means siding with Bellone and public financing.

I know it [public financing]is going to cost $2.6 million, Trotta said. But were it not for the PBAs outsized influence, the last police contract could have been done with raises that matched the actual cost-of-living increase at the time, rather than doubling it. And that would have saved the county $200 million. But Im also going to rail against Bellone, who by my figuring has received at least three times as much PBA money as any other county executive."

So thats one Republican siding with the Democrats.

Last month, Legis. Al Krupski (D-Riverhead) voted with the Republican majority to end the program while Legis. Manuel Esteban Sr. (R-Commack) was the only Republican abstaining.

Krupski has said hes sticking with his opposition to public financing, and Friday McCaffrey said, with a chuckle, Manny has told me he is with me, but to be clear, that was yesterday.

If that all plays out as planned (and it has been extremely fluid), the issue will be decided by Democratic Legis. Thomas Donnelly who abstained during last month's vote.

Friday, Donnelly did not return a call seeking comment.

And McCaffrey, summing it all up, said: The one thing I know for sure is were not going to know for sure until we count the votes.

Lane Filler @lanefiller

With New Yorks Aug. 23 congressional primaries getting close, CD2 Republican challenger Robert Cornicelli is turning to a familiar face: controversial former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Cornicellis new video ad features a pictureof the candidate and Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general,standing together in dress uniforms, while Cornicellis voice-over describes himself as a trained military leader and relentless defender of freedom.

Cornicelli and the former Trump official go far back: In October, when he was briefly running to replace Rep. Lee Zeldin in CD1, Cornicelli released an endorsement from Flynn that called him a true patriot, noting that Flynn met Robert seven years ago when we worked together at the Defense Intelligence Agency. (Asked for more details about Cornicellis service, DIA public affairs said the agency does not confirm employment of current or former officers.)

By the spring, Cornicelli had switched congressional districts but still appeared to have Flynn in his camp, promoting a Facebook ad video in which Flynn, sitting informally in front of a houseplant and white window shutters, said he couldnt have been more excited when he learned Cornicelli was running for Congress.

But now, Cornicelli is running ina primary against first-term Rep. Andrew Garbarino, who is the only Long Island member of Congress seeking reelection this wild cycle. Garbarino voted for last years bipartisan infrastructure bill and did not object to the certification of the 2020 election the kinds of stances that Cornicelli is now using to question Garbarinos loyalties to the GOP and Trump.

The challengers new video says that the radical left and Andrew Garbarino do not believe in America First.

Flynn may be a useful figure as Cornicelli seeks to make that case the general calls Garbarino a RINO in that spring video and is popular among Trump fans but the strategy comes with risks.

Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI before Trump pardoned him, is a polarizing figure with a lot of baggage, including being ousted as head of the DIA during the Obama administration and calling for the military to seize voting machines after the 2020 election. More recently, the former military man pleaded the Fifth Amendment when asked under oath by Liz Cheney if the violence on Jan. 6 was justified.

Mark Chiusano @mjchiusano

Credit: politicalcartoons.com/Dave Granlund

For more cartoons, visit http://www.newsday.com/nationalcartoons

Michael Dobie @mwdobie

Original post:
Wild cards this week - Newsday

What was once billed as six hearings over two-plus weeks by the House Select Committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol of Jan. 6, 2021, has now reached a break after eight hearings, stretched out over more than a month, with more promised in September. The committee has done about as good a job with that time as possible.

Its found a way to take a well-known story of a president who attempted to overturn an election and keep the focus on the big picture of exactly what former President Donald Trump and his allies did to undermine the republic, while at the same time filling in lots of relevant and fascinating new details. The inquiry also planted within that story a number of sidebars likely to spark interest from the press and in social media.

Thursday nights unnecessary but entertaining example was a swipe at Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who famously raised a fist in solidarity with the mob only, as the committee showed with new footage, to run for his life from the rioters a few hours later. It was a perfect made-for-social, comic-relief moment while taking nothing away from the seriousness of the proceedings.

So the committee is doing well. Does it matter? Yeah. It does.

One obvious audience going into the hearings were the journalists in the nonaligned media. For them, the hearings are basically a framing operation: The committee is trying to get them to cover Trump and his allies as opponents of democracy, rather than as opponents of Democrats. As long as the story is Democrats against Republicans, nonaligned media are going to be tempted to treat the story as if both sides should be treated as equals. But if the story is Trump against democracy, then those same journalists will be more comfortable siding with democracy.

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The week's top opinion content and an opportunity to participate in a weekly question on a topic that affects our region.

That kind of framing was helped by giving the two Republicans on the committee, especially Wyomings Liz Cheney, a central role. Its been helped, too, by the parade of former Trump administration officials who are testifying against the former president. But its been helped most by just holding the attention of politics professionals and forcing them to reckon with how badly Trump violated his oath of office.

A second audience was those Republican party actors who are neither die-hard Trump fans nor never-Trumpers those Republicans who recognize what Trump is, but have usually gone along with him and his supporters for a variety of reasons. For them, the big case to make is that Trump is more dangerous to the party than to those in the party who oppose him. Its not clear whether the hearings are having much effect on them or not. But his inability to put the 2020 election behind him doesnt seem to be helping him with this group within the party.

And that points to an important audience that I didnt recognize going in: Trump himself. Perhaps he would be focused on 2020, anyway. But surely the committee is helping fix his attention there. That means that Trump has been attacking Cheney and the Republican witnesses, which doesnt do Republicans trying to win the 2022 midterms any good.

Plenty of Republican party actors are still solidly in Trumps camp. The best comic relief from Thursday nights session came from the House Republicans Twitter account, which declared early in the hearing, This is all heresy. The social media managers eventually managed to replace heresy with hearsay, which was scarcely more accurate. Theres a ton of firsthand evidence; many of those who could give firsthand evidence are refusing to testify; and this isnt a trial, but a congressional hearing.

Almost two years after Trump lost the 2020 election, hes still claiming against all the evidence that he won in a landslide, despite having been told by all of his own campaign professionals that he lost.

Republicans can choose to avoid heresy and stick with Trump. But they know where that got them. And Cheney and her colleagues on the Jan. 6 committee are doing what they can to remind them.

Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy. A former professor of political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio and DePauw University, he wrote A Plain Blog About Politics.

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Opinion: The Jan. 6 hearings hit the bull's-eye - The Virginian-Pilot

Winter Haven, FL- based Mighty Dog Roofing is a company that has worked hard to establish itself as one of the most respected exterior contractors in its area. Much of this is due to the skill of its experienced roofing crews but there are other contributing factors as well. This includes four pledges that Mighty Dog Makes to every customer that the company takes on projects for.

The company founder, Elliot Cohen, talked more about these four pledges that they make to everyone that trusts his company to do quality roofing and other exterior work for them. He proclaimed that it all starts with what he refers to as top dog communication. Something which has to do with them being constantly in touch with customers throughout the project. This is so they know what is going on every step of the way as the work commences. They even have a dedicated 24-hour customer service support team to help them fulfill this part of their pledge to their customers. Another important company pledge is for Mighty Dog Roofing of Central Florida to provide on-time service. The company founder stated, When we say we are going to be there, we will. We value you your time and resources and appreciate you choosing us to care for your home.

There is also the pledge to keep the work environment during any roofing or other exterior project as clan as possible. Something that is greatly aided by the state-of-the-art equipment that the company uses. They also go to great lengths to protect landscaping, air conditioning units, and other sensitive areas of a jobsite. No job the company does is also ever considered to be complete unless a thorough cleanup of the work area has taken place. Last and most importantly, Cohen stated they are a company that pledges to be honest and hold themselves to the highest for of integrity. This is evidenced by the fact that they not only do what they say they are going to do but also stand behind their work for years to come with their Mighty Warranty Plus Watchdog Maintenance Program.

This 5-star review from Harry Becker shows that people do recognize that this Central Florida roofing company strictly adheres to its four pledges. Becker stated, After inspection of my roof, I was informed by Mighty Dog Roofing that my asphalt shingles didnt need replacement at this time. This leads me to believe that this company is honest. I would definitely recommend this company for your roofing needs.

Cohen went on to say that roof repairs are the companys most requested exterior service. Mighty Dog Roofing offers a wide variety of both residential and commercial roof repair services. They are especially well-known for doing residential whole roof replacements. A process which their crews take much pride in from the initial inspection to the completion of the project. This company has also become very well-known when it comes to all types of window replacements and repairing and replacing a wide variety of gutters and downspouts. He says that they can even drastically improve the exterior looks of any home by installing new siding on it.

The company founder added that they also strive to be one of the most comprehensive roofers in the Lakeland, Winter Haven, and other Southwestern Orlando, Florida areas. Something that goes well beyond their excellent customers service and the companys commitment to its four pledges. He says they also have no problems doing roof and exterior inspections for their customers and then following up those inspections with detailed and accurate estimates. A process that may even include the use of advanced drone technology. Also mentioned was that their crews never cut corners on a job, and they only use the highest quality materials that are available in the marketplace.

Cohen says that those that would like more information on any of the roofing or other exterior services that Mighty Dog Offers can contact them by phone, email, or by filling out and sending in the form that pops up on their website pages.

###

For more information about Mighty Dog Roofing of Central Florida, contact the company here:

Mighty Dog Roofing of Central FloridaElliot Cohen863-656-0494[emailprotected]200 Orange Co Circle, Winter Havev, FL, 33881

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Four Pledges are an Integral Part of the Success Story for a Central Florida Roofing Company - Digital Journal

BLYTHEWOOD The house now known as the Langford-Nord House was built around 1904 for Luther and Carrie Langford. Like other homes from the same era, the house was built in the classic Folk Victorian style.

Through the years it was loved and lived in, rearranged, oldwalls removed and new ones added. A hundred years later, it had almost lost itsplace in the towns history. And it would have, eventually, but for its newowners, the Blythewood Historical Society, and a previous owner and nowbenefactor, Cindy Nord, who began, two years ago, to return the house as nearas possible to its glory days.

Today, the exterior has been restored to be morehistorically correct. Inside, it houses the towns historical society andmuseum. The Langford-Nord House is one of the few surviving historic homes intown. Through its exterior restoration, the Society can now tell the houseshistory and show how historic preservation helps a community retain its uniquecharm through architecture.

The House

The original house faced east, toward Main Street (Hwy 21),featuring a front yard, porch, a central front door with sidelights and atransom. It probably consisted of just the front section and a rear ell, whichhad a secondary entrance and a porch along its south side, facing McNultyStreet.

By 1920, the original owners had four daughters and Carrieswidowed mother living with the family, and they likely expanded the building tothe west to make more bedrooms. This new section almost matched the frontportion on Main Street, but is two feet shorter. Originally, the house had awood shingle roof. The metal roof may have been added when the west additionwas built, perhaps in the late 1910s.

By the 1940s, the Langford family started using the southentrance facing McNulty Street as the main entrance and screened in the frontporch. They added a back porch around the 1950s.

Luther Langford died in 1950, and his wife Carrie passed in1957, leaving the house to the four daughters. Caroline gained full interest inthe house from her three sisters and married into the Dangler family. She livedhere until she sold the house in 1988 to the Nord family.

A Dress Shop

The new owners turned the house into a dress shop with a morecommercial look. Some of the interior walls were removed and others added.

From the 1970s through the 1990s, major exterior changes tothe outside of the building included the removal of the front porch on MainStreet, the enclosure of the porch on McNulty Street and the installation ofdoubled doors with sidelights. The north side porch was enclosed, metal sidingwas added to the exterior and a large window on Main Street replaced a door andsidelights. The original windows were replaced with vinyl windows.

All of these changes made the building look much differentthan its 1904 appearance.

The Langford-Nord house was always well taken care of, butthe changes to the building and site left it looking more like a modernbuilding rather than a historic one.

Nord Donates House to BHS&M

In 2010, Cindy Nord donated the house to the newly-formedBlythewood Historical Society and Museum. Nine years later, the BHS&M boardcreated a plan to return the exterior to some of its original appearance,without losing any of the floor space created by the enclosure of the south andnorth porches. To achieve this goal, they would have to use restoration andreconstruction techniques as part of a two-year historic preservation project.

In 2020-2021, the BHS&M won a grant from the RichlandCounty Conservation Commission (RCCC) to remove the c.1970s blue metal siding.Community volunteers provided much of the labor to remove the siding. Thisrevealed the original German styled wood siding.

The German siding has a curved groove cut along the top edgeand was popular in Blythewood in the early 1900s. The original color appears tohave been white. Painters cleaned and scraped the old siding before adding newwhite paint.

In the spring of 2022, another RCCC grant helped the BHS&Mbuild a shallow front porch and add historic sidelights and a historic door tothe Main Street side of the building.

The grant also helped with the installation of screen and ascreen door on the McNulty Street side, to mimic the c.1940s era screen porch,and to apply new siding and panels on the north (back) porch, which gives theappearance of a screen porch with siding along the bottom.

Return to Historic Appearance

Combined, these changes helped return this historic buildingback to a residential appearance and as much as possible, to the way it was in1904.

Although the enclosed porches on the south (McNulty Street)side and north side are still enclosed, the exterior treatments of screen andpaint reference their historic appearances.

The restoration of the exterior of the Langford-Nord houseis an example of the Blythewood Historical Society and Museums goal ofeducating the community about its local history.

This project was funded in large part by the Richland County Conservation Commission, with a generous donation from Cindy Nord.

Read more here:
Nord House renovated - The Independent Voice of Blythewood & Fairfield County

He thanked East Bay Municipal Utility District rangers, the Amador County Sheriffs Office marine safety unit, and the Calaveras County Sheriffs Office dive team for their efforts in the search.

Dickinson emphasized the importance of financial support for these rescue teams, stating Whatever the dive team needs, I think theyre planning on buying another boat, whatever technology you can give them. I know me as a father of two and watching that all day having never leftI just want to say to the sheriff yesterday, thank you for bringing closure. Because without them we probably would have found the body maybe a week or two weeks down the road. I know the family is very grateful, and I just wanted to say thank you, and please support them in their dive efforts.

Bringing that closure home to the family is true bravery, and I just want to thank everyone involved in that situation, said District 5 supervisor Benjamin Stopper.

Amended Groundwater Sustainability Act

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) was previously passed in 2014 by then Gov. Jerry Brown in order to combat the severe droughts that the state was and is currently facing. Its intent is to provide a plan to improve groundwater management among different agencies across the state.

The SGMA has two parts that were addressed at the meeting, the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) and the Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA). The board was presented with amendments to the GSP for approval.

According to deputy CAO Marcos Munoz, The amendments to the GSP were required to be completed after a review of the original GSP submitted to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) were deemed incomplete in January 2022. The amendments to the GSP included a series of Technical Memoranda addressing the deficiencies and corrective actions.

The four technical memoranda that Munoz referred to are groundwater levels, drinking water and shallow wells, water quality, and land subsidence.

Resolution - Elections (ID # 6798) Adopt a Resolution ordering a Special Election, allowing Mark Twain Union Elementary School District to submit a bond measure for voter approval and consolidation with the November 8, 2022, General Election.

Agreement - Health and Human Services Agency (ID # 6795) Authorize the Board Chair to execute an Agreement with California Psychiatric Transitions for the provision of residential inpatient mental health services in an amount not to exceed $650,000 for the period of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023.

Agreement - Health and Human Services Agency (ID # 6796) 1. Authorize the Director of Health and Human Services to sign Amendment 01 to the Intra-Agency Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Health and Human Services Mental Health Program and First 5 to administer the Strengthening Families Program for the period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2024 for the not-to-exceed value of $627,644; and 2. Authorize the Director of the Health and Human Services Agency to sign amendments to the MOU, so long as the not-to-exceed value does not change.

Agreement - Public Health Services (ID # 6790) Authorize the Board Chair to sign the Memorandum of Understanding between Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) - Public Health Division (PHD) & the City of Angels for storage of Public Health emergency supply trailers for the period January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2031.

Resolution - Planning (ID # 6784) Approve a resolution in support of the California Rangeland Trust placing 3,003.86 acres owned by Alger Family Investments in the western portion of Calaveras County into an agricultural conservation easement.

Over on the GSA side, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on March 28 that requires, Well permit applications for wells that are within a GSA's jurisdiction to be reviewed by the GSA to ensure that granting a permit will not interfere with the GSA's Groundwater Sustainability Plan or with its goals under SGMA. The current GSA MOU does not provide a mechanism by which the GSA can provide such review. This amendment to the MOU would allow the Technical Advisory Committee, under the GSA, to provide well permit reviews as required by the Executive Order, according to the item handout.

District 1 Supervisor and Vice Chair Gary Tofanelli has been handling matters related to the SGMA. He expressed his support with a sense of urgency for the board to approve the amendments which they did unanimously.

Fiscal Year 2022-23 capital improvement projects

Capital improvement projects (CIPs) are repairs or construction of county buildings and facilities such as community centers, technology infrastructure, and integrated waste management facilities. These projects do not include county roads or bridges as those fall under public works.

Marcos Munoz updated the board on several CIP projects that were approved for the fiscal year 2022-23. Munoz stated that some of the current projects were rolled over from the previous fiscal year.

Munoz stated in his presentation that there are a total of 16 projects, all of which fall under five categories. Equipment replacement and upgrades, which includes a main data center, network equipment refresh, archives network connectivity, jail cameras and detention controls, as well as jail/SO building HVAC mechanical system upgrades.

Under the remodels and cabling category, the projects are remodeling of the assessor, auditor, and public health offices, as well as networking associated with the remodels. There are also plans to remodel Railroad Flat School/Community Center.

A landfill CIP at the Rock Creek Landfill involves siding repair of one of the buildings. Large construction projects include a government center electrical upgrade, a new district attorney building, and a new animal services building.

The county is exploring opportunities to secure a grant for future planned projects, including a behavioral health building.

Munoz stated that they plan to finish most of the projects this year with the exception of some of the larger projects. All the projects are at various stages, with the county awaiting for approval on some and looking to consolidate others.

The next Calaveras County Board of Supervisors meeting will be held at 8 a.m. on July 26 with limited seating at 891 Mountain Ranch Road, San Andreas, or online viewing via the county website.

Link:
Calaveras County BOS: CalCo Chief Dickinson thanks those involved in Lake Camanche search effort; board hears presentation on capital improvement...

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BOC approve monthly reports, amendments and budget revisions - ashepostandtimes.com

From the moment I stepped through the doors of Le Mas De Vinci, I felt at home. The immaculate villa is tucked behind leafy green bushes down a country road outside of Lambesc, a quaint village near Marseilles in the South of France.

In a region known for its delicious wine and food, what you truly need on a trip to the South of France is a comfortable and relaxing place to dive into the culinary local delights. Where better to choose than a luxurious house full of character and charm?

Stepping away from the white-washed holiday homes devoid of personality, Olivers Travels offer a varied collection of rental homes that each offer something unique, and all stamped with owner Olivers personal stamp of approval.

A base to explore Provence

My own accommodation for a few days was Le Mas De Vinci, a property thats remote enough to feel secluded and calm, but still less than an hours drive from Marseilles airport. Enormous windows make you feel as though you're always out in the lush garden, whether youre napping in one of the squishy living room sofas, watching a film in the cinema room, or preparing food in the spacious kitchen.

The fully-stocked fridge on arrival was an excellent touch to create a sense of calm from the beginning of the trip, meaning I could kick back and relax after a long day of travelling, instead of rushing down to the local supermarket for cheese and wine.

Youd likely find yourself spending the majority of your time actually outside, however. The long trestle table means that everyone can eat al fresco together, even if the villa is at full capacity of 14 guests. The pool has been thoughtfully tiled with light green ceramic, making it blend in with the tiered lawn that flows down to the hedges that offer privacy from neighbours.

The various trees and bushes create pockets of the garden to enjoy, whether you want to read a book in the hammock by the pond, take a dip in the hot tub, or relax and recline by the pool. Flowers and vines thrive in the warm climate, climbing the walls of the house and the awning that offers the outdoor dining table a patch of shade.

Wine and dine in the sun

While it might be tempting to stay in the house throughout your trip, theres plenty to see and do in the area. A particular highlight was the truly incomparable Chateau La Coste.

Theres more to the sprawling grounds and villa that meets the eye and theres plenty to take in even at a first glance. The gently rolling hills offer a scenic walk through the art installations throughout the grounds, with a guided tour available throughout the day.

Once youve had your fill of the exhibitions, you can dine at a number of different restaurants on the premises, ranging from bistro-style food to fine dining. Of course, as a vineyard, its a must to sample some of Chateau La Costes own wine, as well as a number of other vintages from the region.

If one day is not enough to taste all that the vineyard has to offer, theres even a hotel located on top of the hill, offering stunning views across the grounds. For hotel guests, breakfast, wine tastings and chateau art tours are complimentary. There's also a fine-dining restaurant serving Argentinian cuisine, a spa, an outdoor pool, and landscaped gardens with secluded seating areas.

For more opportunities to explore, Le Mas De Vinci is just a stones throw away from popular towns like Aix en Provence, Cassis, and Marseilles, with Nice a few hours away by car. As well as offering plentiful shopping opportunities in the Cassis markets or the bustling avenues in Provence, youll be tripping over delightful eateries offering locally-sourced food and drink.

Hotel service without the hotel

Of course, sometimes you might not feel like heading out to a restaurant. As luck would have it, you can still avoid cooking and enjoy delicious food without leaving the comfort of the villa. For between 55 and 60 per person in the high season, a personal chef can come to the Villa and cook you and a minimum of five others a sumptuous three-course meal, all in line with any dietary requirements you may have.

Whats more, Olivers Travels are ready to assist with the concierge services that a hotel would usually provide. Many properties can be booked with the Villotel service, offering all the luxuries of a hotel including daily breakfast, maid service, welcome drinks, and concierge as standard. Staying in a quirky rental property doesnt mean you need to miss out on the local knowledge and assistance from a concierge

Getting to Aix en Provence

Although theres only one direct flight from Edinburgh to the closest airport of Marseilles on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, taking around two and a half hours, there are plenty of flights with one stop that only add two hours to your journey. Alternatively, there are train options available to Aix en Provence from Londons Kings Cross that take around six hours.

2022 rates for Le Mas De Vinci start from 4,163 for a seven-night stay for up to 14 people. The average price per night per person for Olivers Travels properties is 49. To book, visit http://www.oliverstravels.com or call 033 3888 0205.

Read more here:
Elegance and taste abound in the South of France, the ideal base to relax and unwind - Scotland on Sunday Travel - The Scotsman