Sunday, September 6, 2009

“Morning fire devastates Pleasant Valley Road home - Herald-Dispatch” plus 4 more

“Morning fire devastates Pleasant Valley Road home - Herald-Dispatch” plus 4 more

Morning fire devastates Pleasant Valley Road home - Herald-Dispatch

Posted: 06 Sep 2009 08:55 PM PDT

HUNTINGTON -- Theresa and Odie Maynard had their country home looking great and primed for fall.

A scarecrow was already leaning up against their American flagpole surrounded by fall-blooming flowers.

Then Sunday morning came.

A little before 11:30 a.m., the couple was forced to fight a losing battle with a fire extinguisher and a garden hose as a blaze scorched their doublewide home at 2299 Pleasant Valley Road.

The fire, which drew in firefighters and trucks from Green Valley, Barboursville and Lavalette, as well as Cabell County EMS, gutted the home, although some contents will be able to be saved, said Tom Paine, deputy chief at Green Valley.

"It's looking like it started off the back porch just by looking at it," Paine said. "We're going to have to gut the ceiling."

Theresa said they woke early Sunday and were getting a start on the day. She was doing laundry and folding clothes when she heard a pop and knew something was wrong.

She said she grabbed the fire extinguisher and Odie got the garden hose to try and put out the fire that quickly chased them out of the house. They were only able to grab a few cherished items on their way out.

"I got mammaw's high chair and a doll," Theresa said of a family heirloom that had been in the family for more than 100 years.

Theresa said while they had owned the property for years, the home was only nine years old and in great shape.

"Everybody always talked about how clean it was and about the antiques and how country it was," Theresa said.



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Inaugural green energy expo slated - Journal & Sunday Journal

Posted: 06 Sep 2009 09:30 PM PDT


Inaugural green energy expo slated

By John McVey / Journal Staff Writer

Fact Box

IF YOU GO

What: Green Energy and Environment Expo

When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 18 to 19

Where: North entrance, Shockey Commerce Center (former GM plant), 891 Auto Parts Place, Martinsburg

Cost: $8 entry fee - $2 discount coupon at cameobusinessnetworking.com

MARTINSBURG - The leasing agent for the Shockey Commerce Center has big plans for the old sprawling GM plant.

"I have a vision of this facility being filled with companies involved in green energy," Jeanne Morton said in a telephone interview Thursday. She is a broker for Cameo Commercial Real Estate.

"Green companies and green energy (are) the future," she said. "And we don't want just any tenants. We want tenants that will benefit the community."

To attract such companies, Cameo is co-sponsoring the premier Green Energy and Environment Expo from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 18 and 19. Other co-sponsors are Shockey Cos., Mountain View Builders and Growth Media Services.

The expo also is for members of the public who are interested in green energy, Morton said.

"There'll be presentations ranging from information for people who want to be energy efficient, self-sufficient at home up to high-tech investments like wind turbines or solar panels," she said. "I think there will be something of value for everyone."

Vendors, speakers, demonstrations and workshops will be featured at the expo. Some of the presentations include the following:

"Saving and Generating Energy at Home," by Mike McKecknie;

"Wind Energy and Turbines," by Carlos Fernandez;

"Composting at Home," by Melanie Files;

"Intensive Gardening, Canning and Preserving Food," by Jenny Cejko;

"LED and Energy Efficient Lighting," by Kevin Runion; and

"Solar Insulated Panels," by Al Cobb.

Additionally, Gary Sylvester will demonstrate how to make a rain barrel for a home garden, and there will be tours of the Shockey Commerce Center.

Food and refreshments will be for sale by Mountain State Meats and Catering.

The Berkeley County Parent Teacher Organization will be at the expo collecting clothes and shoes that are in good condition for children and adults, Morton said.

Not only will the clothes be distributed to those in need by the organization, but the BCPTO program also promotes clothes recycling, she said.

The entry fee is $8, although a $2 discount coupon is available at cameobusinessnetworking.com.

Shockey Commerce Center is located at 891 Auto Parts Place off the GM Access Road. Guests should go to the north entrance.

Other upcoming events at the Shockey Commerce Center include the free monthly networking meeting from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, and a Grow Your Business Expo on Oct. 19 and 20, featuring workshops, vendors and marketing opportunities.

- Staff writer John McVey can be reached at (304) 263-3381, ext. 128, or jmcvey@journal-news.net



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Labor of love: Master gardeners volunteer to keep up Farm Museum ... - Carroll County Online

Posted: 06 Sep 2009 09:02 PM PDT

Home and Garden Products - Chicago Tribune

Posted: 05 Sep 2009 04:53 PM PDT

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Care for plants during drought - Carroll County Online

Posted: 06 Sep 2009 09:02 PM PDT

In Carroll and surrounding counties, the land is parched. If you're a gardener you can probably tell by looking at your own garden which plants are suffering the most. Individual plants respond to drought in various ways. Plants may slow or restrict their growth, wilt or curl up in response to lack of water. Most newly established plants and trees need about an inch or so of water per week; however, those that are established can get by with somewhat less.

Some plants, such as grass, become dormant after prolonged periods without water. It's nature's way of protecting the grass. The good news is that grass does grow back, so there's no need to water your lawn during a drought.

Here are some recommendations that may help deal with the current conditions:

If you are allowed to water, do so in the morning before 8 a.m. or the early evening when your plants will have the ability to take up water more efficiently than during hotter parts of the day. This will also minimize the amount of water lost by evaporation, saving it for your plants. Water deeply to encourage roots to grow deep, which in turn protects them from drought.

Mulch your plants. Even though it's midsummer, plants still benefit from having the ground around them protected from heat and sunlight, reducing the evaporation of water from the soil. Mulching has the added benefit that by keeping additional moisture in the soil, the surrounding plants have to compete less for water.

Perform "triage" on your garden, and decide what you can live without. For instance, if you have annuals, you may decide to let them fend for themselves without water. This includes vegetables such as tomatoes and zucchini. If you're a plant lover or someone who takes pleasure in watching your garden mature and evolve throughout the summer, this can be a tough decision. Take heart, drought is a natural phenomena letting the plants go is part of this process.

As a last resort, you can reuse "gray" water from your kitchen and bath to water your plants. However, don't apply gray water to edible vegetables, since it does contain salts that could be harmful.

Planning ahead

When you're planning what to do with your garden next year, think about the following strategies.



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