Disputed antiques returned to owner

An antique store owner has been reunited with 230 antiques from his store.  The items had been recovered after a devastate earthquake in 2011 and were in police custody due to a dispute between the store owner and the demolition crew who was hired to clear the wreckage after the earthquake.   The items were returned after the demolition company dropped the claim to avoid a lengthy court battle.

More than two years after Deric Blackler’s Christchurch antiques shop was devastated in the February 2011 quake, he has received some of his knick-knacks back.

Yesterday, the Portobello Antiques owner collected about 230 items – retrieved from his former Tuam St premises before demolition – from police storage.

Police seized the property in November last year but kept it in storage while an ownership dispute between Blackler and a demolition company played out. . . . Continue Reading

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Antique find delivers a different kind of riches

The fun is in the search, at least it is for one couple who are self proclaimed rookies to antique shopping.  Tina Hancy and her husband dream of finding the diamond in the rough, the one item that appraises for significantly more than they pay for it.  They are new to the game, learning as they go, and having fun searching for treasure and will keep searching until they find the lucky piece.

“One man’s junk” … so they say …

When people enter my home, they usually say, “You have a lot of stuff!” “Early yard-sale” I quip, “is my decorating style.”

For anyone who has ever watched PBS’ “Antique Roadshow” and marveled at how people “stumble” upon treasures that they find in the trash, at a yard sale, or in their own attic that turns out to be worth a fortune, this is the intrigue with which I have become engaged. And fortunately for me, my husband is in the “hunting” pursuit as well.

Don’t get me wrong, we are amateurs in the greatest sense of the word. We know nothing about any of it. But we love going to yard sales, estate sales; you put a sign out in front of your house, and we’re stopping! . . . Continue Reading

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Flood like 1913 unlikely to happen again

One hundred years after the great flood that affected much of the Miami Valley and Ohio researchers are saying it is very unlikely it will ever happen again.  There were many factors that contributed to the severe flooding and many things have been done since to prevent it from happening again.  The dams and levees that have been built since as well as the advanced weather prediction and emergency warning systems that are in place will protect the people of the area from such a disaster ever repeating itself.

Twenty feet of water. That’s what people in parts of Dayton faced during the 1913 flood.

WHIO Stormcenter 7 Chief Meteorologist Jamie Simpson said, “Statistically, (it) is considered a thousand year flood.”

And it wasn’t just Dayton, but most of the Miami Valley as well as Ohio that suffered.

During a presentation last week, Simpson said several factors contributed: It had already been a wet winter, then 8 to 11 inches of rain fell in five days across the Great Miami River Basin. . .  Continue Reading

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5 Reasons to Have a Plant at Your Desk

Work in an office? Consider adding a plant to your office studies show it improves indoor air quality and increases health.  Indoor plants are also stress reducers and can increase focus and productivity.   Adding an indoor plant to any area is beneficial for the environment and for those in the space.

We all know that adding a few well-positioned plants brings a welcoming feel to your work space. But aesthetics aren’t the only reason to incorporate a touch of green into your office setup. From improving indoor air quality to increasing productivity, here are five reasons to have a plant at your desk.

I n addition to bringing a friendly touch to your work space, growing live plants in the office can help clean the air and even improve your health, according to a NASA study.

In 1973, NASA scientists identified 107 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air inside the Skylab space station. Occupants often suffered from burning eyes and respiratory difficulties, later learned to be two of the most common symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome. . . Continue Reading

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Riverside County employee quits, cashes out big benefits, gets county job!

When former Supeof RivCo District left the so did much of the district’s budget and most of it went to the chief of staff.  Buster’s chief of staff Dave Stahovich left as well and cashed out on his sick and vacation time totally $201K.  Other employees did the same costing the district another 40K.  Now Dave Stahovich is back working for the transportation agency but is making less money.  Stahovich didn’t break any rules but rather played them really well but the move has brought some things to light and a vacation cap will most likely be added as a new rule.

New RivCo Supe Kevin Jeffries was still getting his feet wet last month when the county’s top execs issued an “Old Mother Hubbard” alert.

The First District supe’s budget was bare and needed quick cash. Why? Several reasons, including an eye-popper. Some employees who worked for ex-Supe Bob Buster had cashed out annual leave (sick time and vacation) totaling $241K.

Dave Stahovich, Buster’s chief of staff, got most of it: $201K! . . .  Continue Reading

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Basement sewage drives man to sue borough

Sewage and foul smelling water flooding a Ho-Ho-Kus resident’s basement three times in the last ten years and he is tired of it.  According to him the issue comes from illegally connected sump pumps causing a 46 year old sewer system to over flow when it rains.  So he is sewing the city to recover the over hundreds of thousands of dollars he has spent on repairs from the flood damage.

Seymour Zuckerman says he has awakened following heavy rainfalls to find 3 inches of raw sewage in his basement three times in the past decade — the result, he says, of the borough’s faulty sewer system.

Now Zuckerman is taking the municipality to court to try to keep it from happening again.

The matter is set to go before Superior Court Judge Alexander Carver for a management conference on Tuesday. . .  Continue Reading

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Killington Teen Center may be torn down or moved

To demolish or to restore is the question facing Killington town officials.  The former Teen Center was badly damaged by Tropical Storm Irene which also exposed previous problems with the foundation.  The building hasn’t been used in years and the cost to rehabilitate is far more expensive to demo but the Historical Society has expressed interest in keeping it.  More research will need to be done before a final decision can be made.

Town officials are considering proposals to move or demolish the unused, flood-ravaged, one-time home of the Teen Center.

The small building, located on River Road near the Sherburne Memorial Library, sustained extensive damage during Tropical Storm Irene. The damage exposed previous problems with the foundation, said Town Manager Seth Webb.

The town has received estimates from both construction and demolition companies, with the former being much more expensive than the latter. . .  Continue Reading

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PMI and occupational health top employers’ wish lists for absence management

Employees calling in sick to work is a problem for any employer.  Many employers believe that offering private medical insurance and occupational health services are key to controlling sickness absence.  However, employers also rely on the tax benefit they receive from offering health benefits.  The Government recently agree to fund an occupational health service for employees but have yet to make a decision on a tax relief for medical intervention.

Private medical insurance (PMI) and occupational health services are perceived by employers as the most useful benefits for managing sickness absence, according to a survey.

A poll by Jelf Employee Benefits has found that these were cited by 31% of respondents each, followed by employee assistance plans (12%), income protection (11%), cash plans (10%) and rehabilitation services (5%).

Meanwhile, nine in 10 of the employers surveyed said they see tax relief for health-related employee benefits as key to controlling sickness absence. . .  Continue Reading

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Auto Insurance Smartphone Proof of Coverage Cards Considered in 22 states

Your smart phone can now do one more thing for you.  Prove your have car insurance.  States are taking steps to change laws allowing drivers to show their insurances ID cards on their smartphones.  This will assist in avoiding tickets because they have lost or misplaced their proof of insurance but will also help stop people from taking off work to defend the ticket in court.  22 states are considering this for their 2013 legislation.

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) has announced that as nearly half of all of the state legislatures across the U.S. are considering making changes to their laws so that auto insurance customers will be able to use their smartphones in order to provide proof of coverage instead of having to carry the printed cards.

According to the PCI, this is one of the hottest legal trends related to coverage in the country.

The director of personal lines policy at PCI, Alex Hageli, explained that “States are taking another step into the Electronic Age by changing their laws to allow drivers to show their insurance ID cards on their smartphone.” He went on to explain that virtually every driver has – at some point – found him or herself rooting around in a purse, wallet, or glove compartment in the desperate search for an auto insurance card after having been pulled over for one reason or another. . .  Continue Reading

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Contest promotes awareness of radon health risks

Illinois is taking a unique approach to increase awareness of Radon Action Month by hosting contests.  Student from 9 years of age through High School can participate in two different projects making posters and videos about the dangers of radon gas.  Involving the students gets them to research the topic and brings a fresh approach to this serious topic.

As part of Radon Action Month during January, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the American Lung Association in Illinois (ALA-IL) has announced two opportunities for Illinois students to use their creativity to help increase awareness of radon’s health hazard.

High school students can compete for prizes by producing creative 60-second YouTube videos about radon for the fourth annual Illinois High School Radon Video Contest. Students ages 9-14 can use their artistic abilities to create posters depicting the radon message in the annual Illinois Radon Poster Contest.

“Students bring a fresh approach to the serious topic of radon,” said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken. “These contests help students learn more about the health risks associated with radon, and hopefully they will encourage their friends and family to test their own homes.” . .  Continue Reading

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