RALEIGH – After decades of hosting and producing home and garden television programs, Pat Simpson has earned the reputation as “Television’s Most Genuine and Trusted Home Improvement Expert.” Show guests visiting this year’s Southern Ideal Home Show, which runs April 9-11 at the NC State Fairgrounds, can enjoy that expertise firsthand.

Thanks to James Hardie Building Products, Simpson will appear Sunday, April 11 at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. in the Jim Graham Building.

At 12:30 p.m., Simpson will present his entertaining and educational program entitled “Name that Tool.” Using an interactive game show approach, he’ll test audience knowledge, award prizes and use fun and humor to teach the best application of various tools and building gadgets.

Simpson’s 2:30 p.m. talk called “Little Projects … Big Impacts” is another popular offering, which he says especially resonates with audiences in the current economy because so many are choosing to keep their homes. “Everyone is interested in learning about projects they can complete on their own in a reasonable amount of time and with a reasonable amount of money,” he said. “The home projects we’ll talk about are all under $1,000, will go a long way toward making a big difference – and most anyone can do these upgrades and improvements,” he said. When Simpson is not on stage, show guests are invited to meet him between presentations at the James Hardie exhibition area nearby.

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Raleigh, NC – In a continued effort to provide for the local community, Internet Marketing and Web Design Firm, TriMark Solutions, is donating company time and effort to increase the online presence of a local church. Christian Community Baptist Church is located in Raleigh, and provides a positive religious environment for local children and adults. TriMark Solutions has designed and developed a complete website, http://www.raleighchristianchurch.com/, which aims at providing easier access for reaching Pastor Glenn Davis, as well as allowing churchgoers a section to donate and submit prayer requests online.

TriMark Solutions President Randy Goins excitedly declared, “We’re blessed to have a large enough team to make up for our earlier years, and donate more of our time to charitable/non-profit organizations! Christian Community Baptist Church offers a positive and stable place for area Christian’s to worship and they were in great need of an online presence. We’re delighted that we could help them create one, and also to provide the Raleigh Church with opportunities on their website to not only answer member prayer request, but to also provide an opportunity for individuals to donate.”

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Water is not the ‘infinite’ resource many believe

(ARA) – Do you ever think about how the water coming out of your faucet makes its way into your home? Or look out at the river as you’re driving to work and expect it will always look the same? Though water is often perceived as an infinite resource that can’t become endangered, by 2015, a majority of U.S. states may face water shortages. Some of those places may be right there in your backyard, and the loss of these ecosystems could affect your daily life.

Luckily, there are organizations that work to protect the water and the land around the world. The Nature Conservancy – a worldwide leader in freshwater protection – currently has hundreds of river and lake projects underway throughout the United States, positively impacting many of the areas where we live.

Freshwater conservation is important because, in addition to being the water we drink, it’s used to water our crops, gives us fish to eat, powers our factories, lights our homes, transports goods and carries people back home. Freshwater conservation is an investment in our future.

The Nature Conservancy toils diligently to keep rivers and lakes that provide drinking water clean and healthy, but needs funds and volunteers for its efforts. That’s why Crystal Light is collaborating with the Conservancy to support five local river and lake projects to help protect key sources of clean, fresh drinking water. For more information on the collaboration, visit the Crystal Light Facebook fan page at www.Facebook.com/CrystalLight. The site will be updated frequently to track the progress of the five projects Crystal Light is supporting around the United States:

Colorado River
The river is the lifeblood of the intermountain West and touches seven states. It has been impacted by rapid population growth in the west.

Great Lakes Basin
The Great Lakes Basin holds a fifth of the fresh surface water on Earth and impacts millions of Americans living along its shores. Even here, freshwater resources are in trouble as a result of climate change, water development and use.

Meramec River (Mississippi)
The Meramec River, part of the Mississippi River, supplies drinking water to more than 15 million people and serves as a habitat for thousands of fish, birds and other wildlife. Over time, it has been threatened by excessive use, and is one of the Conservancy’s highest priorities.

Potomac River
The Potomac River provides drinking water to 4.3 million people living in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. It is being impacted by rapid population growth and land use change in the basin.

Southern Rivers
Southern rivers and streams, such as the Pascagoula River in Mississippi and the Flint River in Georgia, span all 15 southern states. Recent droughts and increasing water demands have threatened these important bodies of water.

To learn more about the work The Nature Conservancy is doing across the country, visit its Web site, www.nature.org. To learn about how Crystal Light is supporting this important issue, visit www.Facebook.com/CrystalLight.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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SIDEBAR:

Making changes that protect our water supply
By taking small steps in the right direction and making environmentally friendly choices, each of us has the power to positively impact freshwater conservation. Here are just a few ways you can start to make a big difference:

1. Reuse water you washed your fruits and vegetables with to water plants around your house.
2. Install a low-flow showerhead to limit the amount of water used in your daily shower.
3. Turn off the faucet as you soap your hands, wash your face and brush your teeth.
4. Make sure to check your plumbing frequently to ensure there are no leaks that waste water.

Show Your Support
On World Water Day, March 22, 2010, Crystal Light will give to The Nature Conservancy 100 percent of the net profits from Crystal Light powdered drink mix products sold that day – no less than $350,000 and up to $750,000. The funds will support five priority river and lake projects across the United States to help protect key sources of clean, fresh drinking water.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Bring on the birds – Simple solutions to turn your backyard into an avian oasis

(ARA) – Who doesn’t love spring? Flowers bloom, trees bud and bright songbirds return to the area. The renewed resurgence of radiant life may make you want to get in on the action.

But if gardening’s not your thing and you just don’t see yourself as the type to go on a long outdoor hike, you can still engage in spring’s revelry and  bring beautiful birds to your own backyard. Convincing songbirds and favorites like hummingbirds to visit your yard is as simple as providing them with plentiful sources of food, water and nesting material.

The avian experts at Songbird Essentials, a leading provider of accoutrements and food for outdoor birds of all species, offer a few tips for attracting some popular, picturesque feathered friends to your neighborhood:

Birds need to eat a lot to survive every day. While natural food sources are plentiful in warmer months, they’re just as happy to dine at your backyard buffet. You can attract delightful birds like yellow goldfinches, orioles and hummingbirds with the right mix of food and feeder types.

Start out by overlooking a few dandelions when you’re weeding your yard. Goldfinches love dandelion seed. They also like company when they eat and will dine in large groups. Look for feeders, like the Three Tube Finch Feeder, that allow 24 or more birds to perch and dine at the same time. The Three Tube Finch Feeder certainly sets the stage for a spectacular show!

Orioles, with their glossy black coats trimmed in bright orange or yellow, will fill your backyard with distinctive whistles and songs. They migrate at night and arrive in your neighborhood tired, cold and hungry, so if you wait until you actually see them to put out food, you might miss them altogether. Set out oranges, sliced in half with the juicy side out, before you see the first oriole of the season. Or try feeding them all new BirdBerry Jelly, a human grade product that’s better for the birds.  It’s all natural – no preservatives – and is lower in sugar content than most jellies. The unique grape/blackberry flavor attracts orioles and other species and keeps them coming back for more.

Try using a feeder like Songbird Essentials’ Grand Slam Oriole Feeder made of recycled plastic. It holds four orange halves and has two serving bowls for jelly. Other birds that love jelly include woodpeckers, robins and warblers.

Hummingbirds, while not great singers, are among the most intriguing and adorable birds to watch. Nearly every region of the U.S. has at least one native species of these tiny, speedy little birds. There are several ways you can tempt them into your yard; try these tips:

* Provide plenty of nectar feeders – the more the merrier. Dr. J.B.’s Hummingbird Feeder is a good choice; it is dishwasher safe and easy to clean, has an extra wide mouth for easy filling and is bee resistant. Bob Sergeant, president of the Hummer Bird Study Group, the world’s largest association dedicated to the study and preservation of hummingbirds, simply says; “This is the best hummingbird feeder ever!”  Plus, the hummers love it.

* Be sure hummers see red. Plant red open-throated plants. Or, if planting is not possible, tie a big red bow in your yard near your feeder.

* Let the water flow. Hummingbirds prefer moving water sources like sprinklers, fountains, waterfalls, misters or drippers. Attract hummingbirds by keeping water sources fresh and clean and positioning them near food sources.

* Provide natural nesting material. Hummingbirds won’t nest in birdhouses or nesting boxes, they build their cup-shaped nests in trees. Encourage nesting by providing materials like Hummer Helper Nesting Material, recommended by the Hummingbird Society of North America. An all-natural product, Hummer Helper comes in an open wire frame that allows hummingbirds easy access to natural nesting material.

For more ideas on how to attract hummingbirds and songbirds to your  backyard this season, visit www.songbirdessentials.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tips to help you save money and the environment

(ARA) – Spring is here, and after the long winter many people are taking the opportunity to do some much-needed maintenance to their homes, lawns and gardens. While you are pulling together your “honey-do” list, consider making some eco-conscious or green changes, which will help you shrink your carbon footprint and save money.

According to the experts, a few easy do-it-yourself projects can make a big difference. “Now more than ever, homeowners can take simple steps to go green while saving some green,” says Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware’s home expert.

Take an inventory

Most homeowners have no idea how much energy they consume, so the first step is to take an inventory and find out where the energy in your home is going. Power meters, such as the P3 Kill A Watt EZ Power Meter, can be used to give an accurate read-out on the operating cost of your household appliances. Some models even break those costs down by the week, month and year.

“Studies have shown that once families know how much energy they are using, they are more likely to make changes that will bring that amount down,” Manfredini says. “Power meters can help show the importance of making simple changes like turning off the lights when you leave a room or even opting not to turn on the TV.”

Shedding light on your lighting

“The easiest way that people can save on their energy bills is by updating their current lighting with low energy light bulbs,” Manfredini says. “Today, there are two options on the market, CFL bulbs and LED bulbs, and it’s important to know the difference so you can choose the light that’s right for you.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) have been on the market for a few years. They use fluorescent light, which is about the same degree of brightness as traditional bulbs, but consume a fraction of the energy while also lasting eight to 15 times longer. Products like the GE Spiral CFL Bulb are Energy Star rated and give off an attractive, soft, white light.

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) were created to be used in indicator lights in cars and airplanes. Today, LED bulbs are making their way into households across the country, with GE’s Energy Smart LED Flood Light leading the pack. LED bulbs aren’t as advanced as CFL bulbs yet, and their light often isn’t as bright, but they use less energy than CFL bulbs, have a longer life span and don’t contain mercury – leading many experts to claim that LED bulbs are the light bulbs of the future.

Conserve water in your washroom

“If you think about it, it’s no surprise that toilets can be one of the biggest culprits of wasting water,” says Manfredini. There are several different efficient models on the market today, but replacing your toilet can be a costly – and time intensive – project.

Instead of replacing your toilet, simply install the Hydroright Dual Flush Converter. This converter will turn your standard toilet into a dual flush model in minutes without the use of tools. Dual flush toilets allow users to select the amount of water that will be released into the bowl depending on the amount of waste, using on average 70 percent less water than standard models.

Let Mother Nature water your lawn

Now that you’ve taken care of the interior of your home, it’s time to focus on the outside, specifically your lawn and garden. “Good lawn care means making sure your lawn receives around an inch of water a month,” Manfredini says. “In the warmer months, you may want to increase this to two inches to make up for evaporation.”

Instead of turning on the hose, many homeowners are now collecting rainwater and recycling it to keep their grass green. When choosing a rain barrel, select one that holds around 60 gallons of water, has a spigot on the exterior and is easy to install, like Fiskars Salsa Rain Barrel.

For more tips and advice on how to go green and save money, visit www.acehardware.com/helpfulearthchoices or stop by your neighborhood Ace Hardware store.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) – With weather warming up after the long winter, it’s time to get back outside and start working in the yard again. Before you fire up the mower for the first cut, it’s important to prepare the unit with a few maintenance steps.

“If you didn’t properly winterize your mower last year, it’s important to spend time at the start of the season with your equipment,” says Jessica Gardner of MTD Products Inc, a global manufacturer of outdoor power equipment. “This will prevent many common malfunctions, keep it running better, and help prolong the life of the mower.”

MTD suggests five simple steps to help prepare your mower for its first run of the season.

Clean the mower deck. It’s important to clean the grass and debris buildup from under the mower deck and on the cutting blades at frequent intervals in order to prevent clogging and to improve cutting performance. Do not use sharp instruments to clean the deck, always wear safety glasses, and make sure the spark plug wire is removed from the spark plug before performing any maintenance.

Change the air filter and oil. In order for your mower to run at its optimum level, you must change the oil and air filter once a year.

Replace or clean spark plugs. Your spark plugs should be replaced when you notice rust forming around them; however it’s important to clean them on a regular basis. If you don’t replace or clean the spark plugs, the mower will not function properly.

Sharpen or replace mower blades. In order to get the best cut possible, sharpen or replace the blades. You can use a metal file to sharpen blades, but if you’re uncomfortable doing it yourself, take it to your local hardware store.

Use fresh gas and fuel stabilizer. Old gas can clog the engine, which can cause major system damage to your mower. Be sure to use up or empty gas at the end of the season and start with a fresh tank every 30 days. Always use a minimum of 87 octane gas with no more than 10 percent ethanol and add fuel stabilizer to your gas can at every refill to protect your mower from problems that can be caused by today’s ethanol-blended fuels.

“Just a simple tune-up at the beginning of the season can reduce fuel consumption by up to 30 percent and emissions by up to 50 percent,” says Gardner. “These few simple steps will keep your mower running at peak performance season after season.”

Now that the mower is ready to use, here are a few more tips to help your green thumb jump-start into spring.

Clean your yard of debris. After all the snow has melted and your lawn is dry, rake your yard to get rid of the dead growth, stray leaves, twigs and winter debris, so the grass can grow more easily.

Weed away. Try to spot weeds early, as they grow more vigorously at the beginning of spring.

Create a planting checklist. Check which flowers grow best in your soil and weather conditions. Make sure the timing is right as most annuals don’t tolerate frost well, but it’s also usually bestto plant as early as possible to ensure successful growth.

Repair cracks to fences or pathways. Repair any cracks or damage to your fences or pathways that might have developed during the winter. Also, if your fence needs repainting, do it before the summer heat hits.

Sharpen tools. Make sure to sharpen your gardening tools because, like your mower blades, they get dull during the course of the year. To sharpen, add clean oil, such as vegetable oil, to a bucket of sand and stick the sharp end of your tools in and out of the bucket several times.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Raleigh, NC – Despite a sluggish economy, business at MarketPlace-Solutions.com remains brisk.

According to owner Steven Rosenberg, even his primary vendor, the U.S. Postal Service, has announced plans to address declining revenue and volume. In a recent address to stakeholders, Postmaster General John E. Potter shared plans and action steps to achieve that goal, including changes to delivery frequency, eliminating prepayment of retiree health benefits and expanding access to products and services.

The Internet has had a dramatic impact on the mail business, Rosenberg noted. “I decided to embrace this technology, instead of fighting it,” he said.

By learning the intricacies of search engine optimization, Rosenberg has used the Internet to dramatically increase his online marketing capabilities. His efforts have paid off. MarketPlace-Solutions.com is rated in the top 10 on Google for ‘political mailings’ and is consistently in the top 10 for ‘direct mail Raleigh.’ The results on his business have been profound.

“The Internet is the great equalizer. It is all about being ‘found,’” Rosenberg said. “Online, a small business has the same exposure as a company many times its size. That’s how I believe MarketPlace-Solutions.com has remained steady and profitable, even during the recession.”

Rosenberg recently expanded his services to help clients realize similar online success.

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

RALEIGH, N.C. – Florianna Thompson, an instructor in Wake Tech’s Early Childhood Education program, has received the Dorothy B. Graham Child Care Leadership Award from the Child Care Services Association (CCSA). Thompson received the honor at the 9th Annual Triangle Child Care Awards Breakfast on March 5.

CCSA is a nationally-recognized nonprofit working to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality early care and education for all children and families. It recognized Thompson for her leadership in improving early childhood education in the Triangle.

Thompson has 30 years of experience in the field of child care and has been an instructor at Wake Tech for the past ten years. Prior to joining Wake Tech, she was a program coordinator for Wake County Smart Start. She has a Master’s degree in Education and a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Relations.

Thompson serves in various leadership roles in the child care industry:

• She is a member of the Early Childhood Leadership and Policy Network.
• She is a member of the National Advisory Committee for CONNECT (The Center to Mobilize Early Childhood Knowledge).
• She is a Peer Reviewer for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Thompson is the mother of 3 and lives in Garner.

About Wake Technical Community College:
Wake Technical Community College (Wake Tech) is a two-year, public institution providing education and training for the citizens of Raleigh and surrounding Wake County. As the second largest community college in the state, Wake Tech provides a comprehensive array of learning opportunities and serves an annual enrollment of more than 65,000 students. Wake Tech spans the region with four campuses, three training centers and offers classes at dozens of community sites and through Web-based and other distance education media. Curriculum (for-credit) programs in more than 150 academic

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire