Help conserve water through your gardening and lawn care practices

(ARA) – As temperatures rise this summer, so do the risks of droughts. Water shortages can be a threat to your home and community. That’s why it makes sense for Americans to conserve water as a matter of course. The best place to start is right in your own backyard.

What can you do to conserve water? Here are a few important tips:

* Capture rainfall – Make the most of the rainwater that Mother Nature provides. Rain barrels are effective in capturing the rain that falls on your roof; reuse the water for your plants. Other rain capture techniques, such as rain gardens, can help capture rainfall and keep precious water on your property to replenish the ground water.

* Water wisely – When rainfall is insufficient and supplemental watering is needed, do so effectively by:
- Aiming water at the base of the plant
- Watering in the morning to limit evaporation
- Using a moisture meter to ensure that roots have received enough moisture
- Allowing established grass to go dormant during periods of drought

* Landscape by local climate – Choose drought-tolerant plants that are native to your area. These will require less water under normal circumstances and be able to survive during parched times.

* Feed your grass and other plants – Well-fed plants will grow deep roots that capture and store water. A 10,000-square foot healthy lawn, for example, can absorb 6,000 gallons of water from a single rainfall. That’s a month’s supply of water for a household of two.

* Mulch is a must – A two- to three-inch layer of mulch around your plants will hold moisture in the soil and control storm water runoff. Mulching has other benefits, including preventing weeds and adding nutrients to the soil as it breaks down.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company recognizes the important need for nationwide water conservation and, through water management technologies, the company has developed grass seeds, lawn fertilizers, potting mixes, soils and mulches to help consumers use less water when gardening and caring for their lawns.

Making these water conservation practices part of your backyard routine will help your area’s water supply, particularly if everyone does their part.

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Keep your home pet-friendly and fresh

(ARA) – Of course you love your pets, but let’s face it: Sometimes they smell. And whether you are hosting guests or trying to sell your home, the last thing you want visitors to remember is an offensive odor. Luckily, there are a number of ways to eliminate those less-than-pleasant pet odors and let your home’s personality shine.

Refreshing walls
Paint is one of the most dramatic and cost-effective ways to give your home’s interior a new look, and now it can also give your home a new fresh scent. Dutch Boy’s Refresh paint features odor-eliminating technology from Arm & Hammer. It reduces odors caused by pets and other sources, keeping your home smelling as good as it looks. Proven to reduce household smells, a coat of Refresh paint will prevent bad odors from lingering for months. By trapping and neutralizing odor molecules, this paint doesn’t cover up unappealing smells, but actually reduces them. And Refresh paint is available in Dutch Boy’s broad range of colors, so you can reduce unpleasant smells without compromising your decorating taste.

Clean with steam
Even if your pet isn’t allowed on the furniture, your home furnishing fabrics are holding onto  unpleasant scents. Though you may vacuum regularly, animal hair and dander are trapped in the fibers of your cushions, curtains, sofa and other decor. Using a steam cleaner is the best way to eliminate bad smells in upholstered furniture and other items that cannot be laundered. Hire a professional service to treat the common areas in your home, or purchase a steam cleaner specifically designed for pet hair removal. Deep-clean common area fabrics several times each year, and to help maintain a fresh smell day to day, use an odor-neutralizing fabric spray regularly.

Hit the floor
The biggest source of your home’s objectionable smell could be right under your feet. As anyone who has house-trained a pet knows, they don’t always get it right, and sometimes those accidents go unnoticed and cause stains to inevitably set in. To remove odors of any age, scrub bare floors with white vinegar and water or an odor-neutralizing cleaner, and thoroughly wash carpets and rugs using an odor-neutralizing shampoo. You can also hire a professional to clean the carpets and provide extra deodorizing treatments. If stains or smells remain, you’ll likely need to replace the carpet and padding. If this is the case, be sure to scrub the floor beneath before laying new carpet down. After the carpet has been thoroughly cleaned or replaced, regularly use carpet deodorizer formulated for pet odors when vacuuming.

Scented accessories
Tie a ribbon on your odor-free home with strategically placed candles and air fresheners. Choose classic scents that complement your decor, and use a variety throughout the home to avoid an overpowering result. Many candles and fresheners offer odor-neutralizing technology as well as pleasant scents, ensuring unfavorable smells are not only covered up but eliminated. Jars of potpourri or scented crystals add touches of personality to any room decor as well.

No matter what types or the number of pets that share your home, these tips will help keep it smelling fresh all year round.

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Job seekers: Give yourself a SWOT

(ARA) – Have you ever given yourself a SWOT? No. It’s not a typo. With a SWOT analysis, you examine your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, along with internal and external factors that might affect your employment search. Many organizations utilize a SWOT analysis to examine their business. A SWOT analysis can also help reduce the anxiety sometimes associated with finding employment.

“It’s a matter of confidence over competence, because most people know how to interview, but may not be confident in themselves,” says Chasity Trzop, director of career services at Brown Mackie College – Louisville.

Strengths
When you conduct a SWOT on yourself it’s important that you ask, “What can you do well?,” says Trzop. “For example, you may be great at multi-tasking and have great communication skills. Soft skills are usually where you will find strengths. Your strengths could be whatever comes naturally.”

Always go into an interview with a positive attitude. What is keeping you from calling potential employers? Some of the answers you may give include nerves or not knowing what to say.

“Some people just get nervous about the job search. It’s important to identify the issues and work on those issues with career coaches or if you are a recent college graduate, visit your school’s career services department for assistance,” Trzop says. “Consider reviewing comments that were made about your strengths by past employers.”

Weaknesses
You should always know your weaknesses, because interviewers will attempt to extract them from you.  Never highlight your weak points on your resume or during an interview. When an interviewer asked Trzop about her weaknesses, Trzop used the weakness she once had that is now a strength. She told the interviewer she took extra training to become very proficient in the area.

“Don’t let interviewers extract your weaknesses. Focus on what you do well,” she says.  Don’t have a canned answer to a question regarding your weak points, because interviewers may have a follow-up question. Never let them see you sweat. As previously mentioned, review comments past employers made about your weaknesses.

Opportunities
“Half of your job leads should be face-to-face or from picking up the phone, not just online,” says Trzop. “People complain about not getting jobs, but they’re not selling themselves nor creating opportunities. You cannot create an opportunity if you don’t know what your strengths are. Go out and volunteer. Create an opportunity.”

Trzop also suggests networking. Let family, friends and others know you are seeking employment. They may know someone who can help. “You can’t run out of the building yelling, ‘I’ve got a degree’ and expect employers to be waiting outside the door with job offers,” says Trzop.

Threats
To identify threats that could prevent you from finding employment, ask yourself, “What is it that will keep me from having an effective and productive career search?” That’s the most critical time to make contacts in your field. What if you are waiting for a certification document that confirms training you took? Are there other barriers out there? There may be other barriers that could affect a successful job search. Know what those are,” Trzop says. Job seekers who get upset about not finding employment are sometimes too passive. Seek support from a career counselor, placement search teams, or if you are a recent college graduate, seek support and assistance from the career services department.

While the SWOT analysis creates anxiety during the process, it helps tremendously. Like preventative medicine, you can fix those threats and hopefully come out with promising results.

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Handcrafted Wooden Birdhouse In Raleigh NC

Thanks to Christopher Mitchell, Director of the Telecommunications as Commons Initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance for his contributions to this article. You can follow his reporting on public networks at www.muninetworks.org.

Conservatives would have us believe the public sector can’t compete with the private sector. The private sector itself knows better. Nowhere is this more evident than in the telecommunications sector.

People hate their telecommunications companies. The poster child for poor customer service in the public sector may be the Department of Motor Vehicle Bureau, but its unresponsiveness and arrogance pales into insignificance to those of Time Warner Cable, Comcast, and AT&T. In 2010 Comcast, the largest cable company in America bested 31 other companies from all sectors to win Consumerist.com’s Worst Company in America award.
As if to prove it was worthy of the award, Comcast recently pulled $18,000 in funding for a girl’s summer camp because one of the organizers had disapprovingly tweeted about Commissioner Meredith Baker’s jump from the FCC to Comcast just four months after approving Comcast’s $13.75 billion union with NBC. In an e-mail to the group, Steve Kipp, a vice president of communications for Comcast explained, “Given the fact that Comcast has been a major supporter of Reel Grrls for several years now, I am frankly shocked that your organization is slamming us on Twitter. I cannot in good conscience continue to provide you with funding — especially when there are so many other deserving nonprofits in town.” (The resulting uproar from the mainstream media’s reporting led Comcast to rescind the cutoff.)

The increased importance of high speed broadband in everything from business to education to entertainment coupled with soaring prices, slow speeds and bad service from private providers finally led cities to take matters into their own hands and build their own broadband networks.

Today, over 54 cities own citywide fiber networks. Another 79 own citywide cable networks. Over 3 million people have access to these networks. Hundreds more own and/or operate network connecting only schools and municipal buildings. An interactive map showing these networks can be found at Community Broadband Networks, a project of the Institute for Local Self-Realiance.

Cities now view high speed broadband networks as essential infrastructure like water, sewer, and roads. Says Doug Paris, assistant to the city manager in Salisbury, which launched its Fibrant network in 2010, “It’s really not a luxury anymore. It’s a necessity.”

For Harold DePriest, head of Chattanooga’s state of the art broadband network and its municipally owned electricity company an even more fundamental issue is involved. Who will write the rules for our information future? “(D)oes our community control our own fate, or does someone else control it?,” he asks.

Soaring telecommunication rates are straining already stressed public budgets, leading many cities to build networks for their own use. Montgomery County, Maryland’s network allowed it to stop leasing lines to schools and public buildings, resulting in remarkable savings.

Read More:HUFFPOST MEDIA

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New medicine approved by FDA to treat type 2 diabetes

(ARA) – Diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) affects approximately 25.8 million Americans and an estimated 220 million people worldwide. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type, accounting for an estimated 90 to 95 percent of diabetes cases. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body either does not properly produce, or use, the hormone insulin.

Now there is good news for people with type 2 diabetes. Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved TRADJENTA(TM) (linagliptin) tablets, a new prescription medication used along with diet and exercise, to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.

TRADJENTA (pronounced TRAD gen ta) can be used alone or with other commonly used medications for type 2 diabetes – metformin, sulfonylurea or pioglitazone. TRADJENTA lowered hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C or A1C) levels up to 0.7 percent (compared to placebo) in clinical trials.

A1C is measured in people with diabetes to provide an index of blood sugar control for the previous two to three months.

TRADJENTA should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes or for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis (increased ketones in the blood or urine). It has not been studied in combination with insulin.

“Many people with type 2 diabetes are not able to control their blood sugar with diet and exercise alone and may also require one or more medications,” says Dr. John Gerich, professor of medicine, at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. “The FDA approval of TRADJENTA is exciting because there is only one dose to remember for patients, regardless of kidney or liver impairment. With TRADJENTA, physicians will have another option for managing type 2 diabetes, a potentially devastating condition.”

TRADJENTA is a tablet that can be taken once a day, with or without food. It lowers blood sugar by increasing incretin levels, which increase insulin levels after meals and throughout the day.

It was approved based on a clinical trial program which included approximately 4,000 adults with type 2 diabetes. Included in the program were placebo-controlled studies evaluating TRADJENTA alone and with other commonly-used medications for type 2 diabetes.

TRADJENTA lowered fasting plasma glucose (FPG) compared to placebo, when used as monotherapy and in combination with metformin, sulfonylurea or pioglitazone. FPG is used to determine glucose levels in a fasting state, usually upon waking up in the morning.

It also lowered two-hour post-prandial glucose (PPG) levels compared with placebo as monotherapy and when used in combination with metformin. PPG is used to determine glucose levels after meals, usually two hours after eating.

To learn more about TRADJENTA and for full prescribing information visit: www.TRADJENTA.com or call Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at (800) 542-6257.

Please report any unexpected effects or product problems to the Boehringer Ingelheim Drug Information Unit by calling (800) 542-6257.

What is TRADJENTA?

TRADJENTA is a prescription medicine that is used along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. TRADJENTA is not for people with type 1 diabetes or for people with diabetic ketoacidosis (increased ketones in the blood or urine).

It is not known if TRADJENTA(TM) (linagliptin) tablets is safe and effective when used with insulin.

Important Safety Information

Who should not take TRADJENTA?
Do not take TRADJENTA if you are allergic to linagliptin or any of the ingredients in TRADJENTA.

Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction to TRADJENTA are rash, raised red patches on your skin (hives), swelling of your face, lips, and throat that may cause difficulty breathing or swallowing. If you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, stop taking TRADJENTA and call your doctor right away.

What should I tell my doctor before taking TRADJENTA?
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you take other medicines that can lower your blood sugar, such as a sulfonylurea or insulin. If you take TRADJENTA with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), such as a sulfonylurea or insulin, your risk of getting low blood sugar is higher. The dose of your sulfonylurea medicine or insulin may need to be lowered while you take TRADJENTA. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, confusion, irritability, hunger, fast heart beat, sweating, or feeling jittery.

Also tell your doctor if you take rifampin (Rifadin(R), Rimactane(R), Rifater(R), Rifamate(R)), an antibiotic that is used to treat tuberculosis.

TRADJENTA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how TRADJENTA works.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant or are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

What are the possible side effects of TRADJENTA?
The most common side effects of TRADJENTA include stuffy or runny nose and sore throat.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.  Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call (800) FDA-1088.

NEWS FROM TOOLS-AND-THINGS .COM, Please Note
Do to tornados on April 16th 2011 we have a waiting list for furniture repairs and finishing, so please call (919-803-4425 for more detailed information on how long the list is or growing.
We repair and refinish furniture here in our small shop in west Raleigh NC, and I’ve been involved in working for over 25 years. We have never tried to get too big to do a good job for our customers. We ‘ve only posted one ad to promote the business in 14 years, most our business is word-of-mouth. We stay busy and we never take on more than we can handle. I work mostly a one man operation, with two part-time helpers.

We repair and refinish almost any kind of furniture, from wood to metal and modern to antique. We take our work very serious and aim for customer satifaction.
We repair tables, chair, beds and headboards, damaged by water or pet. Broken spindles,regluing joints, dowels, inside outside furniture, restoration of modern and antiques. We also strip off old finish for all natural look, fill and sand, polish and buff, hand strip and chemical strip, specialty paint finishes, hardware restoration. All types of top coats: Varnish, Lacquers, polys, shelac, oils, waxes, paints, stains.
We can get the job done and satisfy our customers at a great price! If you live in or arround Raleigh NC we can help you. including Cary NC, Apex NC, Garner NC, Holly Springs NC, Clayton NC, Fuquay-Varina NC and area’s within reasonable driving range.
BIRDHOUSES, FEEDERS, YARD DECOR & OUTSIDE FURNITURE.

All our birdhouses, bird-feeders and butterfly houses come with a 30 days return policy.

We are always adding new products so feel free to check back often. We want to make you a lifetime customer by giving you the best in products and services. We ship most orders 24-48 hrs if in stock items and after customer’s payment has processed.

Do to high gas prices, higher shipping rate and increases in shipping supplies, we try to ship the most economical way. Please call if you need to order or get more information on a product or service:919-324-8905

Please Note: That these handcrafted items are not massed produced they are handmade, one at a time, in our small shop here in Raleigh NC. Our wooden birdhouses and bird feeders are made from the very best woods and plywoods that can be used for outside products. We use waterproof glues and sealers to make sure our handi-crafts stay together in wet and harsh weather.

Our metal top bird houses and birdfeeders have extra thick and insulated tops to help from over heating. We use only woods that hold-up year round and is harmless to human and animals. We do use presure treated lumber for planters, garden art, and some pic-nic tables and they are all sealed or painted to prevent contact.

Do to the tornados in April this year we are still cleaning, repairing and rebuilding from the damage, untill we are completely finished with rebuilding we won’t add any more pictures of our new products, but feel free to call and inquire about our products and services. We only make our blue bird houses in the Fall Season at this time, do to early nesting of bluebirds in North Carolina in Spring.

At peak times (April-July, we may get orders that leave us temporary out of stock or I may have discontinued an item before taking it off our website. In this case call me. Please allow 2-3 weeks for your order to be filled and shipped if the products you order is out-of-stock..Look For Our New Bluebird Design Comming This Fall!

We invite you to shop our online store and our retail business with confidence. We adhere to a strict privacy that means your information will not be shared, sold. or otherwise distributed

Free Appliance and Electronics pick-up for recycling, Stoves, Dryers, Heaters, Freezers, Refrigerators, Computers, Washers, Radios, TVs, Tools, Metal Furniture and other appliances that you are trashing or nedd recycling. We pick-up free and disasemble and properly recycle all parts.
We pick-up in Raleigh, Cary, Garner, Holly Springs and some outside surrouning areas. If you have these items to be removed and it is out of our pick-up area you may still call us and we may be able to remove the item or find someone else to pick-up item. Please do not set your item out untill you have got a confirmation of pick-up form us. Do to high gas prices you must set-up a time for us to pick-up these items and confirm your address and what is to be picked up.

We also have these items checked for salvaging or repair, if repaired we give to persons free, or charge for repair cost and parts if needed only. We do not repair these appliances ourselves and not in the repair business, but we will try to salvage and donate appliances if repairs is not costly and is worth the effort and not just a delay to end up in landfills. Call 919-324-8905 OR 919-803-4425
If no answer please leave voice mail and someone will contact you and set-up a time to remove your items at your convenience. Thank you; Tools-and-Things

The national lighting design competition, Lighting for Tomorrow, hosted by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency and the American Lighting Association will feature guest judge, Chad Ray, owner of Zebulon based multitude of sustainable companies, Shields of Green (

http://www.shieldsofgreen.com).

Chad Ray is co-owner of the Shields of Green companies (
http://www.shieldsofgreen.com), a multigenerational and family owned multitude of companies all focused on sustainability, energy conservation, and stewardship. The Shields of Green companies include Ray Family Farms, a Bunn, NC based organic farm, Olde Heritage Builders, a Zebulon based Green home building company, Build Trust Contractors, a group of sustainable construction experts, Energy Savers of NC, a residential energy auditing company, and many more. In addition, Chad Ray, known as “the green building guy”, is a Green consultant with years of experience as a speaker and advisor on sustainability efforts throughout the building process.

Ray has been invited to judge this year’s national lighting design competition, Lighting for Tomorrow. The efforts of the Lighting for Tomorrow Competition are to advance the energy –efficient lighting industry and encourage innovation in the new use of light sources. This competition is backed by about two dozen energy efficiency organizations from the US and Canada who have pledged over $150,000 to help fund this national competition.

This year, Lighting for Tomorrow is designated into two specific categories, lighting control devices and solid state lighting fixtures and replacement lamps. The lighting control category will be judging the products based on functionality, ease of use and installation, innovation and ability to work with other systems and existing lights. These specific lighting control devices must be compatible with both LED and florescent technologies.

The solid state lighting competition division is in its fifth year, and will feature designs judged on the basis of performance, style and energy efficiency of the lights. This competition is open to a very broad range of residential lighting applications and fixture types as well as replacement lamps.

The Lighting for Tomorrow winners will be announced at the American Lighting Association Conference in Palm Beach, Florida from September 11th-13th. Winners will be promoted by energy efficiency programs across the US and Canada.

For more information about Lighting for Tomorrow, visit
http://www.lightingfortomorrow.com. For more information about Shields of Green, visit
http://www.shieldsofgreen.com
SOURCE:WidePR.com

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Collaboration with professor to help increase stormwater control area success.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation and N.C. State are combining forces to improve stormwater control in an area affecting N.C. State, Meredith College and the N.C. Museum of Art.

“By combining our resources with the renowned research capabilities of N.C. State University, we are developing innovative solutions for improving water quality – and in turn, helping to protect one of our state’s most valuable resources,” said Matt Lauffer, program manager for NCDOT’s Highway Stormwater Program, in a press release.

The project aims to benefit the House Creek watershed, an area that collects pollutants from cars and other ground sources when it rains. House Creek is one of several stormwater control projects NCDOT monitors annually. The construction is taking place near the intersection of Wade Ave. and Interstate 440.

Dr. Bill Hunt, assistant professor and extension specialist with the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, will be working with NCDOT to develop methods to reduce the amount of pollutants.

Dr. Hunt has assisted since 2000 with the design, installation, and monitoring of over 90 stormwater best management practices (BMPs), including bioretention, stormwater wetlands, innovative wet ponds, green roofs and permeable pavement.

Julia Merchant, NCDOT communications officer, said this is not the first time NCDOT has partnered with N.C. State. Past collaborations involved, among others, breakthroughs with biodiesel research conducted by the University.

According to NCDOT, for the $300,000 House Creek project, funded through the Highway Stormwater Program, engineers will use stormwater filtration methods such as a bioretention basin, which will use sand to filter out pollutants in the water.

After installation of the stormwater control measures is completed, which will take approximately three weeks according to NCDOT, N.C. State researchers will continuously monitor the system’s effectiveness at improving the House Creek water quality.

SOURCE:Technicianonline.com

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A contractor with a long history of problems has been found in contempt for violating a court order that banned him from paving work in North Carolina, Attorney General Roy Cooper said.

“Businesses that rip off consumers and violate court orders time and time again have no business operating in our state and should face full punishment under the law,” Cooper said.

Tommy Edward Clack has repeatedly pressured consumers into paying too much for shoddy driveway paving. For years, Cooper’s Consumer Protection Division has fought to stop Clack from scamming North Carolina homeowners. In June of 2010, Cooper won a court order permanently barring Clack and his associates from all residential paving work in the state.

But Clack violated that ban, and at Cooper’s request Wake County Superior Court Judge Michael J. O’Foghludha this week found Clack guilty of civil contempt. He must repay his two victims $79,600 or go to jail for at least 90 days. That 90-day period can be renewed if he still has not repaid them.

Judge O’Fughludha also cited Clack for criminal contempt for failing to show up for his civil contempt hearing as ordered. Clack must appear before Wake County Senior Resident Superior Court Donald W. Stephens on June 27 at 10:00 AM to show why he should not be found in criminal contempt and ordered to jail for an additional six months, plus pay a fine.

The order of civil contempt was granted based on information from two homeowners who said that Clack charged them for driveway work after the ban was in place. An 81-year-old homeowner in Chatham County paid Clack $7,600 to pave her small driveway in July of 2010. In March of 2011, a Greensboro homeowner paid Clack $72,000 for driveway work. Clack allegedly used false names in both cases to try to hide his identity and evade the ban, calling himself Ray Tillman and Tommy Clark.

Consumer complaints to Cooper’s office illustrate how Clack usually operates. Clack claims that he is already in the neighborhood and will charge them low price because he has materials left from other jobs. Clack’s crew then begins work as soon as the contract is signed and completes the job quickly using poor quality materials.

Under state law, consumers have three days to cancel most purchases sold door-to-door, but many consumers who’ve dealt with Clack say they didn’t feel like they could cancel once the work was underway. Consumers who tried to cancel and get a refund report that Clack is generally uncooperative.

Clack initially operated in the Wilmington area. Cooper first filed suit against Clack in 2007, winning an injunction in March 2008 that compelled him to pay $50,000 and correct previous substandard paving jobs. Clack then relocated to Greensboro, where more problems surfaced. That led to a November 2008 court order that required him to wait at least four days after a written contract was signed before beginning work.

Read more: Garner News - Poor Paver held in contempt and must face his day in court

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Make a splash – how you can attract new birds to your yard this summer


(ARA) – When summer really heats up, there is nothing more refreshing than drinking a tall glass of ice water, taking a quick dip in the pool, or running through the backyard sprinkler with the kids. But what many people do not realize is clean, fresh water is as important to birds and other wildlife as it is for humans. Not only that, but birds actually enjoy splashing around and frolicking in the water just like we do.

With this in mind, create an inviting habitat for feathered friends right in your backyard or on your patio or balcony. It is easier than it seems, and there is no need for a big backyard to do it. Just providing the basic elements birds enjoy will establish your setting as a wildlife habitat. Water is one of the important resources birds need, along with food, shelter and a place to nest or raise young. For a quick and easy bird-friendly habitat, simply put out a bird feeder, hang a bird house, provide some nesting materials, and set up a watering place to drink and splash.

“Water is one of the most frequently overlooked resources we can add to our backyard to attract more birds and other wildlife,” says John Robinson, chief ornithologist at Scotts. “Every year, I am astonished by the new species that appear in backyards when owners are willing to share this simple yet critical resource with their feathered friends.”

Providing a source of water need not be a big endeavor. Water can be provided using a mister, slow drip, saucer, bird bath or pond. Below are some simple ways to incorporate water into your backyard.

Bird baths and saucers:
Water in a saucer or bird bath will quickly and easily give area birds the water they need, even when placed on a balcony or patio. Stones with depressions that collect water will also help attract small birds and butterflies. Keep in mind you may need to change the water and clean the bird bath every few days to keep it fresh. In hot weather, it may even be necessary to refill the container every day.

Drippers:
A great way to attract birds and other creatures to the backyard is to add a water drip feature to the bird bath. Because of birds’ heightened senses of hearing and sight, drippers are inviting. Create a drip feature by hanging a bucket or plastic milk jug with a tiny hole over the bird bath so water drips down into the bath slowly throughout the day. Or, hook up a garden hose to a specially designed drip tube you can purchase at local hardware stores or garden centers.

Misters:
Another water feature gardeners often employ is a mister. A mister hooks to a garden hose and sprays a gentle mist over a garden or bird bath. Humans enjoy being cooled off by misters at amusement parks, and plants enjoy the refreshing spray of moisture, too. Birds enjoy frequenting misters to cool down and pollinators, like butterflies and bees, enjoy areas being misted because of the tiny water droplets the mist leaves on flowers. Misters can generally be found at local hardware store and garden centers.

Ponds:
Whether large and elaborate or small and quaint, a backyard pond is guaranteed to attract birds and other wildlife. Most ponds found in urban or rural backyards are on the small side, most no larger than 3 to 4 feet in diameter. Ponds with a fountain are best because the sight and sound of splashing water will attract visitors, and moving water is less likely to become a breeding ground for mosquitoes or other insects. The addition of logs, rocks and other in-water structures provide a drinking and basking habitat for songbirds, as well as other wildlife such as turtles and butterflies. Aquatic snails or tadpoles are fun and natural ways to limit the growth of algae in the pond, and add an interesting element for kids to watch and enjoy.

This summer, when planning the water fun for the kids, don’t forget the birds. Water is very effective in drawing birds and wildlife to your backyard and is also a relaxing, scenic addition that can provide interest and enjoyment for the whole family. With the addition of a simple water source, you never know who may stop by your backyard habitat for a quick swim or a refreshing drink.

Wooden Birdhouses and bird feeders made here in Raleigh NC

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Tips for making your home office comfortable and functional

(ARA) – When you start a home business, you will probably set aside one room or area of your house to be your office. This is the place where you’ll handle general business, customer relations, shipping and delivery of products and services, payroll and many other details that pertain to your company.

Of course, this room is also in your house, so you want to make sure it looks good in case you have customers stop by, or if friends or relatives stay over.

Setting up your office so that it is functional and looks nice is important, but because you’ll be spending a lot of time in there, you should make it comfortable as well. Here are some tips on how to make your home office functional, yet fun and stylish.

* If you have young children at home, designating your office separate from the rest of your house with a closed door, or a standing partition, can help your children learn that you are “at work” and not to be disturbed unless they have an emergency. If you plan to use your office space for family business as well after work hours are over, consider making a sign indicating you are busy working to hang on the door or partition.

* Your desk probably will be where you spend the majority of time in your home office, which means you need it to match your style perfectly. Your office chair needs to be comfortable, but you also want it to match the decor as well. You can choose a HON Volt or HON Ignition chair, picking from over 30 different fabrics and colors, allowing you to match your decorating scheme and comfort levels. Visit www.officedepot.com/customdesign to see how a HON chair can enhance your home office space.

* Decorate your office in colors and materials that will help keep you operating efficiently, but also allow you to enjoy the time you spend working. For example, yellow is considered to be a stimulating color, orange encourages creativity and green provides a calming influence. Depending on the energy level you would like to have in your office, consider using file folders, binders, pictures and wall paint to bring colors into your office that would enhance your professional emotions and behaviors.

* Keeping your home office picked up is key, especially if you pace while talking on the phone or while brainstorming a business idea. Make sure all your electronic cords are bundled and tucked away under your desk so you aren’t tripping over them while chatting with a client on the phone.

* Get organized with a cubby hole or filing drawer system, which will help keep the paperwork off your home office desk area and also help you find filed information quickly and easily if you were to have a customer catch you by surprise on the phone. These items are available at office supplies store such as Office Depot.

As you get your company up and running in your home office, don’t forget to add little personal touches to make it feel even more comfortable. After all, you might be spending a lot of time in your office, so there’s nothing wrong with having inspirational photos or a desk plant or two to provide you with the pleasant atmosphere you need to get your work done.

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