May 20th, 2012
A lawn-care man blamed in the death of a dog had gasoline thrown at him by a person attempting to set him on fire, WOAI-TV is reporting.
A woman who lives on West Mulberry Avenue near Woodlawn Lake arrived home Thursday night and found her dog dead, the station says. She allegedly blamed the man who cares for her lawn.
The woman was taken into custody after the attack, but it wasn’t clear what charges she’ll be facing, WOAI notes. The lawn-care man suffered minor injuries.
Read and view more:
Woman tries to set man on fire for killing her dog
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May 20th, 2012
Posted on 18. May, 2012 by Emily Jaminet in Family, Living the Faith
 One of the hardest things about having a large family is growing grass! Every spring I recommit to having a “normal lawn” where the grass is green and plentiful. And every spring we routinely buy loads of seed, set up the sprinklers and vow to have a better lawn by Labor Day. Then, like clockwork, about half of the way through summer we fall short on watering, thanks to our busy summer schedule. And by late summer, bare, muddy spots begin to appear from kickball games, homemade slip and slides or construction sites for Tonka trucks! So it should come as no surprise that while mowing the backyard for the first time this year I was feeling a bit depressed about the state of the lawn and reflecting on how no matter how hard I try, we just can’t grow the green stuff!
I imagined having a nice family dinner on the back patio while looking at our beautiful green space, and how good a game of tag would be if I could do it running barefoot on lush, soft turf. And then I sighed and began to accept the fact that when you have 6 kids you are going to have some “heavy traffic areas” and as a result- NO GRASS.
Nonetheless, while mowing, I decided to pray about it and tell the Lord about my desire to have a nice backyard and ask for His help. Surprisingly, within a matter of only a few days, a nice neighbor decided to create a big flower bed in his backyard and offered me his sod. I thanked him, smiled and said a prayer of thanksgiving to God, for I knew this was a gift straight from the Lord! And in His typical fashion, when God gives, He gives abundantly… for my neighbor is a single man who just so happens to work in the lawn care industry and keeps a PERFECT lawn. I am fairly sure his purgatory is looking at our less than perfect lawn with bikes and toys scattered throughout.
Not wanting to squander such a precious gift, I continue to water it multiple times a day so it doesn’t turn into hay and remind my children to please stay off it until it is established. Once again, I am reminded that God listens to our prayers and really cares about the things we care about. In the end, we need only to ask, while at the same time, not be so preoccupied with our lives that we fail to recognize the subtle ways in which He provides for our needs and wants as we live out the “Ordinary Times” in our lives…
Tags: parenting, spring
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May 17th, 2012
Bro I have been trying to think of a short way to respond without making this a long drawn out reply. When I think over all of the important lessons I have learned through trial and error it’s hard to decide which ones I should highlight. Let me start by just saying that there are some good resources that are essential to you running a compliant agency, like your states Department of Health and Human Service website which is where your going to go to get the licensure application and requirements. Usually this is found under the section for Home Health services on that site.
Payer sources for Home Care services include but are not limited to Medicaid, the VA, some long term disability policies and of course out of pocket. There are pros and cons with each but I will just touch on the largest which is Medicaid. After you get your company licensed there is usually a separate application and enrollment (some states even require you to take a class as well) to become an approved medicaid provider which simply means you can be reimbursed by medicaid for serving clients with medicaid.
Although the medicaid market is easy to tap into please don’t make the mistake, as so many do, of allowing your entire business to become dependent solely on medicaid clients. One major reason is that the second your state has a budget deficit guess whose rates get decreased? And if your company has a 100% medicaid based clientele guess what a 2% rate cut does to your profit margin of 30%? Also as a medicaid provider you will be audited eventually by privately contracted companies whose sole mission is to find a way to recoup money from something you have documented incorrectly…And everyone makes a mistake eventually so you will need to keep a rainy day fund on hand because they usually want it in 30 days.
Hospital and rehabilitation discharge coordinators and case managers are worth their weight in gold if you can build a trusted relationship with one that will send you refferrels. I am fostering a relationship with one now that discharges an average of 15-20 per month. If you can get in good with a field coordinator from a Home Health Agency like Gentiva, Advance Home Health, Amedysis etc. that provide home therapies for many patients discharged from facilities your business will grow very fast.
Some challenges in this industry you will face that may be discouraging if you are not fully committed and tenacious as hell are 1. Discovering that the behind the scenes business of healthcare (when dealing with large institutions) is really not about what’s best for the patient all the time. But your service can be the one that makes a difference in someone’s life once you convince the facility to refer them to you upon discharge. 2. I don’t care how educated they are many people that work 9 to 5 are creatures of habit that want to keep doing things the way they have done them and convincing them to add another step in is like pulling teeth. That goes for doctors, nurses, social workers, case-managers, hell even EDs and administrators. That will be the biggest part of your job, educating them on how utilizing your service adds to the independence and quality of life that you help enhance.
Private pay is the holy grail. We generally receive about $20 per hour per client with a minimum weekly requirement of 20 hours per week before we accept a case. CNA’s and PCA are usually paid anywhere from $7.50 up to $10 per hour. Medicaid pays nowhere near that much which limits what you can pay the aides. Private pay is highly competitive and you will be competing with the franchises for that business. Right at Home and Home Instead are 2 national chains that spend kazzillions of dollars on google, caring.com, local newspapers, carrier pigeon or whatever source they can utilize to get those dollars. So you will have to get creative going after that market.
I could go on for days but a good resource to go and get some good info is the site Consulting Services | Bookstore. He sends out a great newsletter and has some good resources to help your biz grow. Hope this helped
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May 17th, 2012
Many homeowners confuse black medic with white clover because of its three leaflet clover-like leaves that make them appear very similar. Lawn care professionals say you are likely to see this weed in your St. Louis lawn in the months between May and September. Unlike other weeds that stick out like a sore thumb, black medic is low-growing and generates bunches of tiny, vividly yellow flowers that are noticeable in the late spring and early summer. Lawn care technicians say their stems are slightly hairy and they grow in dry soil that is high in phosphorous.
Another irritating weed that homeowners are likely to spot in the early spring and be hounded by until September without professional St. Louis lawn care intervention is the broadleaf plantain. This weed is grayish-green in color and begins its lifecycle in mid-spring. The egg-shaped weed has wavy-edged leaves that grown near to the ground. In the early summer, St. Louis lawn care experts say the seed stalks will begin to rise and will last through early fall. Unfortunately for a St. Louis lawn care professional without the right expertise and weed control program, broadleaf plantains can overtake desirable St. Louis lawn grasses by suffocating them. They key to eliminating this bothersome weed is to eliminate the seeds; St. Louis lawn care agents say this plant grows from seeds and re-sprouting roots.
Curly dock is another incessant weed that pops up in St. Louis lawns. This weed has lance-shaped leaves which turn a reddish purple color in the summer and fall. A narrow spike emerges from the center of the plant where small greenish flowers occur. Lawn care technicians say you are more likely to see this weed during bouts of hot, dry weather. As the grass suffers, curly dock thrives.
Don’t let weeds be a drain on your St. Louis lawn; contact your local St. Louis lawn care authority for a rigid and effective weed control program.
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May 14th, 2012
Plainfield, IL (PRWEB) August 31, 2011
Spring-Green Lawn Care welcomed more than 225 franchise owners, managers, employees and spouses to its National Training Conference in August at Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale, Ill. Themed Building for Profit, the focus of the event leveraged the collective knowledge of the organization and its strategic vendors as they worked to continue growing local businesses and market leadership in these challenging times.
Spring-Green franchise owners had an excellent year in an economy that has not stabilized, said Ted Hofer, Spring-Green Lawn Cares CEO. We were joined by keynote speaker Thom Winninger who spoke about market leadership, Susan Black-Beth who spoke on the realities of running a family business, as well as other experts and strategic vendors in the fields of operations, marketing and technology. Along with knowledge gained from other owners, our franchise owners went home armed with dozens of practical solutions to grow their business. To be successful in these times, you must execute.
Spring-Green raised $ 20,000 through a silent auction that included prize donations from event sponsors John Deere Landscapes, Pro Ap, Real Green Systems, Agrium and others in the name of 4-year-old Jack Geibel for the Aflac Cancer Center of Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. Jack was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in November 2010 and is being treated at the Aflac Cancer Center. ALL is a form of leukemia characterized by excess lymphoblasts that affects approximately 45,000 people per year, mostly children between ages 2-4. Lenny Geibel, Jacks father, has owned Spring-Green Lawn Care in Lawrenceville, Georgia for four years, and his wife, Paula, works for Bank of America. In addition to Jack, they have two more boys: Lenny, 10, and Max, 2. Lenny chose the Aflac Childrens Cancer Center as the recipient of Spring-Greens donation. He will present the $ 20,000 check with Jack on Sept. 7, 2011. Our family feels very blessed that Spring-Green offered to so generously support a cause that has directly touched our family, Geibel said. We are thrilled that $ 20,000 will go to help the cancer center where Jack is being treated.
Founded in 1977, Plainfield, Illinois-based Spring-Green Lawn Care has been delivering both traditional and organic lawn and tree care services nationwide for over 34 years. Its service is centered on the beautification of local neighborhoods and communities with both residential and commercial customers. Spring-Green is an attractive opportunity for candidates who do not want to be tied to a storefront operation, retail hours or set appointments. Franchise owners enjoy flexibility of schedule and an outdoor-based business with recurring revenue. Spring-Green currently has approximately 75 franchisees operating more than 120 territories in 27 states and projections call for eight new franchises in 2011.
For more information about becoming a Spring-Green franchisee, contact Mark Potocki at 800-777-8608 or via e-mail at mpotocki(at)spring-green(dot)com or visit the Spring-Green website at http://www.springgreenfranchise.com.
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May 14th, 2012
You have spent a lot of time and money on your new home in Half Moon Bay. You may have spent months in the design centre choosing flooring, tile, paint, fixtures etc. Tens of thousands of dollars of your hard earned money in your deposit and now monthly payments to your mortgage holder for the next 25 years.
It’s all good because the value of your house has gone up already since you bought, even before you moved in!
Don’t let all that hard work and money get wasted now. Your property curb appeal is important for you to maintain the value of your new home. Dead grass and weeds detract from the value of your home at first sight. Who cares what the inside looks like when the outside makes you keep on driving. Is the outside a reflection of what’s inside?
Perhaps this is your first home or you have come from an apartment lifestyle and you’ve never had to maintain a lawn before. Haven’t got a clue what to do?
Here are some simple tips and ideas for you to maintain your lawn and not only maintain the value of your new home but maybe raise it too. Download the PDF file which is sponsored by Scotts and the Home Depot.
 You can also find lots of info on Environment Canada’s website at The Green Lane.
For more lawn and gardening tips check out the Canadian Gardening website.
Take Pride in YOUR property and YOUR community.
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May 11th, 2012
Hello everyone,
New John Deere X300 guy here. It was getting hard to cut my half acre so I bought a lawn tractor. I am happy with the tractor and happy with my dealer, Chagrin Pet and Garden. Our yard is broken into many little areas and the little X300 is great around our pond and gardens and sheds. It is very maneuverable and precise. I love the hydro-static drive.
I am a retired computer/software fixer. I retired from AT&T in ’99 and from Cleveland State University in, in, ah, I think it was 2007 – who cares!
Plenty of mower experience working on an 87 acre Christmas tree farm in the ’50′s using a Gravely.
Thanks for all the interesting and informative messages.
~bu11seye
(Bullseye with two L’s was already in-use so I am bu11seye with two numeral ones. I hope this doesn’t cause the real, true and authentic bullseye any grief.)
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May 11th, 2012
There are steps you can take to protect your trees and the roots below from damage during construction on your property, however, plans aren’t always followed and mistakes are made. So what do you do to provide care to your damaged trees?
If your tree has experienced damage to its exterior, the first place to start is with the bark. Any tree bark that has been damaged should be shaved away to encourage healing. Lawn care experts recommend using a sharp knife to trim around the wounded area in a rounded motion, not cutting any deeper than is necessary to avoid cutting into healthy bark. Removing the damaged bark will promote moisture and nutrients into and around the bruised area. Just like a wound on human flesh, the tree will have a scar, but if the bark is properly cared for, the tree should heal around the wound.
If a large section of the tree has been damaged, for instance more than half of the tree’s circumference, you may want to consult your local St. Louis lawn care company to save it from dying. Trees will not immediately exhibit symptoms of damage, but without proper nutrients and moisture getting to all the parts of the tree, branches will become brittle and break off, leaves will fade and eventually the tree will stop growing at all. Your tree company can stop the dying process of the tree through intensive St. Louis lawn care that involves corrective pruning, fertilization and curative irrigation.
If your tree has become damaged during the construction process, call your local St. Louis lawn care company as soon as possible to save this vital feature of your landscape.
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May 8th, 2012
www.takeyourinfo.com — The Way to Start the Lawn Business 1. Have your own paperwork in order. At least you will certainly require a business permission and also your own condition might also need a harmful products licenses if you consider to offer fertilizing products. It really is also a excellent plan to buy insurance. 2. Be sure truck and also trailer safety. Even if you’re a skilled vehicle driver, carrying a truck that contains heavy stuff can be difficult. 3. Choose precisely what services you are going to offer. Larger lawn care businesses may provide this kind of things as landscaping, tree-trimming and fertilizing. However if you are starting small, it is much better to stay to the basics — trimming, edging, mowing and also leaf-blowing. 4. Studying to price appropriately could be a difficult task. Brand new business owners usually cost too little, but keep in mind that you need to take into consideration not only your precious time, but costs and also expense of equipment and maintenance. 5. Choose a location. Retaining your own business inside a small working location means fewer travel time as well as much more profitability. 6. Promote. The most challenging part of starting a lawn business is generally earning the first sale. The ideal approach for focusing on a specific location is distribute fliers. 7. Plan forward. The lawn business is certainly seasonal in many locations. Throughout sluggish business months, think about branching away into pressure <b>…</b>
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May 8th, 2012
While Occupy Protester Writing on City Sidewalk Called Free Speech
Mongo’s Florida Home in 2009 before removing deck
Chances are that unless you are a resident of Memphis, TN or Daytona Beach/Port Orange, FL you have not heard of Robert “Prince Mongo” Hodges. But you should. See Mr. Hodges or ‘Mongo’ is a well known individual in Memphis as a candidate for Mayor and in Daytona Beach/Port Orange for his colorful and unorthodox means of protesting what he believes to be an over reach of Government over what he can or cannot do with his own property. The photo of Mongo’s Port Orange, Florida winter home (left) is from 2009 before all out war broke out between Mongo; his neighbors and Wilbur-By-The-Sea & Volusia County Code Enforcement. Clashes with Volusia County Code Enforcement has been going on since 2007 over a non-conforming wood deck Mongo built off the back/side of his home. In 2010 Mongo neighbors complained to City and County officials over Mongo’s painting of the home and for placing truck loads of sand where the non-conforming deck once sat.
After county officials ordered Mongo to remove a deck on his plain, white house, he replaced it with pile of sand, tossed in a wheelchair and painted the house wild colors.
Needless to say, this was the beginning of something not even Mongo’s neighbors could have imagined. In protest against the City, County and his neighbors, Mongo painted his Florida home with with rich, bold pastel colors and some personalized art which neighbors say is directed at them. The photos in the slide show below are those taken in 2010 and 2011 before County authorities sent in bulldozers to remove Mongo’s unique landscaping in June 2011.
Though this battle with his neighbors and the County has been going on for more than 2 years, Mongo told Sinclair News on Sunday that he has instructed his Attorney to prepare the paperwork for filing suit against Volusia County for ‘Theft’ in the June 2011 incident where Volusia County sent in front loaders to remove the sand and decorations that had become a tourist attraction of sorts.
Officials: Volusia beachside resident pushes code laws too far
A large backhoe waits for another dump truck to remove more sand as crews from McQueen’s Complete Lawn Care and Allen Tractor Service remove trash and piles of sand Monday from the home of Robert Hodges. (N-J | David Tucker)
Isiah Barnes uses a trimmer and edger on Robert Hodges’ house in Venetian Way on Monday. (N-J | David Tucker)
It appears that some do not like the fact that Daytona Beach News-Journal continues to cover the clash between Mongo, his neighbor’s and Volusia County as is evidenced by the Letter to the Editor below:
Too much attention
January 30, 2012 12:05 AM
Here we go again: The circus has started, thanks to The News-Journal for running the story about “Prince Mongo.” (“Prince Mongo back home, replaces kitschy outside décor,” Jan. 21.) I would think there would be other stories to cover than this.
Mr. Mongo thrives on this attention. His property is a disgrace, but the coverage has viewers wanting to take a gander.
But would anyone want to live next to this? I don’t think so. The residents who live there may not be able to put their properties up for sale. Volusia County needs to put their foot down and stop this nonsense. I know about freedom of speech — but really.
When this writer had returned to Port Orange in October 2011 we had driven by the Venetian Way residence only to find that the mounds of sand and colorful objects had been removed. Despite the County having removed all of Mongo’s belongings in June 2011, it took very little time at all for Mongo to return his Wilbur-by-the-Sea home to its ‘constant state of protest’ which appears to be even bigger and more colorful than before.
‘Prince Mongo’ back home, restores kitschy outside decor
Mongo however believes he is fighting for the rights of everyone who for whatever reason is not able to fight for themselves. Mongo tells Sinclair News, “we continue to preach to the choir and tell other countries they need to be more like us, a democracy, while our own rights are continually being taken away by the corrupt political process.” “If we don’t defend anything, they’ll take everything,” says Mongo. Sinclair News ask how is it that writing on a city sidewalk with chalk is protected ‘free speech’ (this is what a Judge in Orange County ruled when an Occupy Orlando protester was arrested and charged with vandalism for writing on a city sidewalk with chalk) but a Homeowners choice of landscaping and expression is considered a violation called “an accumulation of sand, waste and debris,” which is on the Homeowners own property? Would Prince Mongo be protected if he had placed his art on county property instead of his own?
‘Prince Mongo’ appeals code case over yard decor
On April 27, 2012 the Volusia County case against Mongo was thrown out by Circuit Judge William Parsons
Judge: County’s complaints against Prince Mongo too vague
In a short hearing inside Circuit Judge William Parsons’ chambers, the judge found Volusia’s case — which essentially cited Hodges for being a nuisance, a code violator and a litterer — too vague to move forward.
“Is it the piles (of sand)?” Parsons asked. “Is it the toilet? Is it the chairs? Is it the bras and panties out on the line?”
The county’s attorney in the room, Bruce Page, suggested the violations in the cluttered yard were obvious. “I think for them to pretend–” he started, before Parsons cut him off.
“They can pretend anything they want,” the judge said. “How does he know what he’s defending?”
The judge’s dismissal of the county’s three basic complaints means Volusia will have to come back with more specific explanations of how Hodges’ property is violating code. Friday’s version was too general, with a few photos attached for illustration. On Friday afternoon, County Attorney Dan Eckert said the county will try again with an amended complaint.
Things escalated from there. Last summer, when Hodges was away in Memphis, the county sent crews to his house, hauled away truckloads of sand, a Santa Claus, a snowman and other decorations. They billed him about $6,000 for the work. A violation notice called it “an accumulation of sand, waste and debris.” Hodges’ attorney Eric Latinsky called the job an “illegal taking” of personal property.
While the Memphis Press has over the years dismissed Robert “Prince Mongo” Hodges as making a ‘mockery of the democratic process,’ Sinclair News has found Mr. Hodges or “Mongo,” to be anything but the crazy man many in the media and in politics try to paint him as. While Mongo may be somewhat eccentric in how he makes his voice heard, the man has some very valid and intelligent arguments when it comes to ones personal freedoms and the right to ‘liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’
In addition to this article stay tuned to Sinclair News tomorrow for a video interview with Robert “Prince Mongo” Hodges an join Through the Mirror with Larry Sinclair at 7:00 PM Eastern Time Tuesday, May 8, 2012 for a live interview with Prince Mongo.
Tags: Art vs Government, Code Enforcement vs Homeowners rights, Daytona Beach News-Journal, Free Speech, Government Power gone wild, Homeowner rights over Government regulations, Memphis Commercial Appeal, Memphis Mayoral Candidate Robert ‘Prince Mongo’ Hodges, Occupy Protester protected by first amendment while homeowner is not?, Prince Mongo fights for those who cannot fight for themselves, Robert ‘Prince Mongo’ Hodges, Volusia County Code Enforcement, Volusia County Government
This entry was posted on May 7, 2012 at 4:30 PM and is filed under Blog, First Amendment, Free Speech, Freedom of Speech, LS News Group, News, Occupy Protesters, Politics, Sinclair News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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