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  • 05 May 2014 12:51 PM | IJCSA - (Administrator)

    TIGARD, Ore. -- This is the time of year when your mind may turn to spring cleaning. But watch out for cleaning companies that may be playing dirty by taking your money and not doing the job.

    Martin Douglass of Tigard ran into one of these companies on Amazon Local, called All Services Pro. The company offered a chimney cleaning service for $49. Douglass said he purchased the offer and the chimney cleaner showed up at his house the day before a dinner party.

    "He went on the roof and he did his stuff and said the chimney was extremely clean," said Douglass.

    But when Douglass started the fire next the day, before the dinner, there were problems.

    "The room filled up, it just filled up with smoke, just really, really quick," said Douglass. "It was amazing how fast it will up with smoke."

    Douglass said the chimney had not been cleaned and was full of soot. 

    "What a mess!" said Douglass. "It was filthy. Hard to get off anything."

    Douglass said he tried to call All Services Pro to get the cleaner back out to do the job and to get the company address, but they hung up on him and eventually blocked his number.

    Douglass said that he could not file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau without the company's address.

    The KATU Problem Solvers called the company and found that the company representative would not give an address, denied getting any complaints and hung up on our calls.

    We found that the company goes by a number of different names, including All Services Pro, All Service Pro, Air Duct Cleaning and My Air Duct. It not only offers chimney cleaning, but also gutter cleaning, air duct cleaning, dryer vent cleaning and pressure washing.

    We scheduled a chimney cleaning and an All Services Pro crew came out for the appointment. However, when the crew saw the KATU cameras, they left immediately in a van with Pennsylvania plates.

    Douglass said...................

      More at source: KATU.com

    • 05 May 2014 12:48 PM | IJCSA - (Administrator)
      The company reported a first-quarter 2014 loss from continuing operations of $18 million, versus income from continuing operations of $6 million for the first quarter of 2013. Adjusted income from continuing operations for the first quarter of 2014 was $11 million, excluding a $48 million ($29 million net of tax), non-cash asset impairment charge related to the decision to abandon the deployment of a new operating system for American Home Shield. The company reported first-quarter 2014 Adjusted EBITDA of $115 million, an increase of $12 million compared to the same period in 2013. The increase was primarily driven by the impact of higher revenue and the transition of certain costs in the first quarter of 2014 to TruGreen, which the company spun-off on January 14, 2014. A reconciliation of net loss to Adjusted

      More at source: Franchising.com

    • 05 May 2014 12:46 PM | IJCSA - (Administrator)

      ABM (NYSE:ABM), a leading provider of facility solutions, announced today it has been selected as the new cleaning services partner for Dodger Stadium, home of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers.

      "Our primary focus is to achieve a safe, clean and friendly environment for Dodger Stadium guests, as such we are committed to maintaining a first-class facility that exceeds guest expectations," said Steve Ethier, the Dodgers' Senior Vice President of Operations. "We believe ABM is the right partner to help us deliver the best game day experience possible."

      Over the past two off-seasons, Dodgers ownership, Guggenheim Baseball Management, has invested more than $150 million on stadium upgrades for fans and players.

      Under the multi-year agreement, ABM is now responsible for providing day-to-day pre-event, event and post-event janitorial services, along with parking lot sweeping. Key to ABM being selected was ABM's experience in the Sports & Entertainment market as well as ABM's GreenCare(R) program, which will assist Dodger Stadium in doing its part to minimize impact on the environment through best-in-class sustainable cleaning practices. Also as part of the contract, ABM is now a corporate partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

      "We are beyond delighted to undertake this partnership alongside the Dodgers," said Charlotte Jensen-Murphy, ABM Senior Vice President, Onsite Sales. "The Dodgers brand is iconic not only in baseball but in mainstream America and globally. ABM is honored that the Dodgers trust us with our part in upholding the legend of the team, the stadium and creating the best fan experience in the MLB."

      More at source: WSJ

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    • 01 May 2014 7:07 AM | IJCSA - (Administrator)
      As it becomes increasingly important to protect the environment, more cleaning businesses, such as Maid Right of Broward, are offering eco-friendly cleaning services for local homeowners and their families.

      FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA undefined For some time now, people across the world have realized how important it is to protect the environment. With more and more research proving the negative effects of harsh chemicals on the global environment, homeowners are becoming increasingly concerned with the effects that harsh chemicals and products can have on their health and the health of their families. This is why so many residential cleaning and maid services are now offering what is referred to as green cleaning. This type of cleaning is completed using safe and effective methods that are capable of producing the same results of normal cleaning services, yet without the same negative effects.

      Maid Right of Broward is a residential cleaning business that offers homeowners a wide range of professional cleaning services, including environmentally-friendly and green cleaning work. Residents of Ft. Lauderdale and the surrounding areas have looked to this maid service for reliable home cleaning for years, and they now look to this same service for the latest innovations in the cleaning industry. As a part of the professional Maid Right franchise,

      More at source:  Digital Journal

    • 01 May 2014 7:04 AM | IJCSA - (Administrator)

      Rick Conley, 73, who works as a driver for clients of Sunset Chevrolet in Sarasota, just learned Wednesday that he will receive a raise from Sunset Automotive Group.

      STAFF PHOPTO / ELAINE LITHERLAND
      Published: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 9:38 p.m.
      Last Modified: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 9:38 p.m.

      Congress’ decision Wednesday not to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour will affect Florida more than most states because of the Sunshine State’s abundance of low-wage hospitality, retail and service jobs.

      But even as Senate Republicans in Washington, D.C., killed the Obama administration’s plan to hike the minimum wage, some Southwest Florida employers are taking the initiative to voluntarily raise workers’ pay.

      On Monday, Sunset Automotive Group, Sarasota’s eighth-largest employer, plans to raise the minimum it pays staffers to $11 per hour.

      The move will affect the paychecks of 50 of Sunset’s 650 employees who work at 13 auto dealerships in the region.

      “Our reason for this increase is simple,” said Robert Geyer, Sunset’s president. “We are a family business and we feel strongly about our employees and their families. They should make a livable salary.”

      According to the State of Florida’s Labor Market Services, current entry level wages for shipping and receiving clerks, receptionists, janitorial staff and porters averages $8.88 an hour.

      More at source: Herald Tribune

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    • 30 Apr 2014 3:17 PM | IJCSA - (Administrator)

      Many people seek refuge indoors around this time of year, when outdoor air is full of pollen and other allergens. For allergy sufferers, however, the air indoors can prove to be just as problematic.

      Dust that collects in a home contains common household allergens such as dust mite particles and animal dander. If dust is disturbed from furniture, hard surfaces and carpet, those allergens can become airborne and reduce indoor air quality. 

      May is designated National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, and it is an excellent time to make your home cleaner and healthier by removing common household allergens and improving your indoor air. Even if you don’t have asthma or allergies, everyone can benefit from better indoor air quality.

      “The way you clean your home is important. Most household cleaning routines only re-circulate allergens throughout your home rather than removing them,” says Justin Bates, president of Stanley Steemer, International, Inc. “If your cleaning routine doesn't specifically focus on dust and allergen removal, you may be only moving them around, sending allergens back into the air.”

      To maximize your cleaning efforts while reducing allergens, consider these simple tips:

      • Dust hard surfaces regularly with moist cloths or special dry dusters designated to trap and lock dust.
      • Wash your bedding and linens often. Doing so can help you control dust mites in your home.
      • Vacuum often. Although cleaning can sometimes trigger allergic reactions by releasing dust into the air, vacuuming floors once or twice a week will reduce surface dust and allergens. Make sure your vacuum has a high efficiency air filter to capture dust.
      • Use a certified professional carpet cleaning service to deep clean your carpets to remove the stains, spills and dust that regular vacuuming leaves behind. Be sure to use a service that’s qualified to reduce allergens in the home. Stanley Steemer’s Professional Carpet Cleaning service is the first to be certified asthma and allergy friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

      Independent testing proved Stanley Steemer’s proprietary cleaning process removed 94 percent of common household allergens, including 92.8 percent of cat dander, 97.8 percent of dog dander and 91.4 percent of dust mite allergens. The process also reduces exposure to bacteria and mold by 90 percent within 24 hours of cleaning. AAFA recommends a certified professional carpet cleaning every three to four months.

      • Protect yourself when doing housework by wearing a mask. After cleaning, consider leaving for a few hours to avoid allergens in the air.
      More at source: Herald Extra

    • 30 Apr 2014 3:15 PM | IJCSA - (Administrator)

      GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) undefined After a tip to ReportIt, Target 8 went undercover to discover a man with a wild name, a shady past and a nude house cleaning business that local police are also checking out.

      The questionable business being run out of an office at Brookfield Office Plaza on 28th Street is owned by a man named Sexual Sin Blue.

      That wasn’t always his name undefined he grew up in Lansing as Reginald Jones. Target 8 never learned precisely why he changed his name.

      It could have something to do with his business, which is, “as he explained it, naked house cleaning,” Grand Rapids Police Department Lt. Pat Merrill said.

      Blue has been running Craigslist employment ads for Grand Rapids, Muskegon and the Detroit area for his Exotic Five Star Professional Maid Service, a business he started in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

      The ad says “Exotic means ‘NUDE’ house cleaning for high-profile clients.”

      Grand Rapids police detectives show up at Sexual Sin Blue’s office Friday to find out what he was doing and offer some advice: namely, that he should have talked to city licensing and zoning officials first.

      “The type of business we’re talking about got our attention. We said, ‘Wait a minute: Has this gentleman talked to anybody? Because this is probably not going to fly.’ He’s going to want to run it through first. Don’t want to waste a bunch of money try to start a business here that’s going to be shut down,” Merrill said.

      Target 8 went undercover to fill out an application. Blue said the job was just house cleaning. He did not mention anything about it being nude.

      He told another Target 8 investigator he was running a regular cleaning service for rich clients as well as the nude cleaning gig.

      And he asked the undercover applicant for $25 to run a criminal background check on her.

      That, the Better Business Bureau says, should be a red flag.

      “If someone asked me to pay them $25 to do a background check on me and I was applying for a job with them, I would turn around and walk out the door,” West Michigan BBB President Phil Catlett said.

      Catlett said people looking for a job should be wary of online employment ads that want money upfront, a practice he says is becoming more common.

      “But,” he qualified, “From a credible employer, highly unusual.”

      And Blue does have some credibility problems. He has a long history of passing bad checks in Michigan along with fraud, larceny, trespassing, property destruction and prostitution charges. When he was in California, police got him for auto theft, grand theft, larceny and soliciting for prostitution.

      When Target 8 went to talk to him with cameras rolling, he declined to comment and shut his office door.

      Police say he hasn’t paid his rent on his office space and the landlord is trying to get him out. They say Blue told them he’s thinking about his next move.

      Video and more at source: NBC

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    • 29 Apr 2014 1:40 PM | IJCSA - (Administrator)

      The entire eastern half of the country will see wet weather Tuesday, with more severe storms expected in the South and the Great Lakes.

      Southeast: Severe thunderstorms will again lash the southeastern U.S. on Tuesday, with the worst weather likely in Mississippi and Alabama. Tornadoes and hail will pelt the region, and drenching rain will also lead to flooding.

      Upper Midwest, northern Plains: Winter will again rear its ugly head from the Dakotas to Michigan, where a few inches of wet snow will whiten the region. Temperatures will remain in the 30s and 40s.

      West: Although some light snow and showers are forecast in the Rockies, the rest of the West will be clear and dry. Temperatures will soar into the 80s and 90s in California.

      More at source: USA Today

      Find a flood and damage cleaning service here. 


    • 28 Apr 2014 1:24 PM | IJCSA - (Administrator)

       Members of Tufts Labor Coalition (TLC) last Wednesday held a rally and march in support of the school's janitors, presenting demands to the administration after discovering that custodial service provider DTZ/Unicco appeared to be in breach of its contract.

          Rae Axner, TLC vice president and one of the event's organizers, explained that the janitors' employer has been manipulating the workforce and its schedule.

          "The janitors are clearly in a precarious situation because they are not employed by Tufts University; they are employed by their contractor DTZ/Unicco," Axner, a senior, said. "There [have] been a lot of problems with the contractor in the past couple of years. There are three major issues that are going on right now, two of which are contractual violations, one of which isn't specifically a violation of the contract undefined it's just mistreatment."

          Axner said that DTZ/Unicco's main issues are having too few full-time employees at Tufts, the janitors not receiving weekly paychecks during time off and having increasingly large workloads.

          "The janitors are not being employed full-time at the rate that their contract states that they should be," she explained. "The contract says that 75 percent of the janitorial staff should be full-time employees and that DTZ should be aspiring to employ 90 percent of the janitorial staff full-time. Currently, about 58 percent are full-time and that number is corroborated between the janitors, the union, DTZ and Linda Snyder, the vice president of operations at Tufts."

          Snyder explained that the contract DTZ negotiated with the union, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), was agreed upon last year.

          "With respect to the obligation to reach a goal of 75 / 25 in full-time / part-time employees, DTZ has told us that it believes it is not in violation of the contract," she told the Daily in an email. "The SEIU contract requires that the goal be reached through attrition, which is a provision that the SEIU negotiated to avoid layoffs. DTZ says that attrition, in which an employee voluntarily leaves employment, in the university custodial workforce is very low and therefore has not been sufficient to reach the goal."

          Axner, however, suggested that the issue is complex and expanded upon the hiring practices of DTZ.

          "When janitors leave full-time positions, they are not replacing those full-time positions, but rather letting people continue to work part-time and really just dividing that workload among part-time employees, reducing the staff, not actually hiring to replace full-time employees and not promoting within the staff from part-time to full-time," she said.

          She suggested that DTZ has engaged in schedule manipulation in order to avoid paying for the benefits that come with being a full-time employee, including healthcare and paid time off.

          "It is our understanding that DTZ has actually been manipulating the schedules of the janitors specifically so they don't have to grant full-time status to employees that are essentially working full-time," Axner said. "For example, they will have full-time hours for two weeks, and then their hours will be reduced for one week so that they aren't working full-time for the amount of time that they would legally have to be [in order to be] considered full-time employees."

          Giovanna Castro, the incoming TLC vice president and current chair of the group's janitors and dining hall workers committee, led the rally, which consisted of students, professors and janitors. She said the rally was purposely planned during the lunch breaks of many custodial workers.

          "We had a bunch of posters and ... a fair amount of janitors came and they also had their posters," Castro, a junior, said. "Three of the janitors came up and spoke, and I translated for some of them. One of the things that just really touched me was that one of them said, 'Remember, kids, you are the engine of this university.'"

          Rally participants marched down Professors Row, up Packard Avenue and over to Ballou Hall where they presented a list of demands to Snyder and other administration officials. One of the other demands included fixing the pay schedules for workers on vacations, who, according to Castro, are supposed to receive checks every week.

          "That's something they want and that DTZ isn't doing," she said. "That's an issue that DTZ has been [confronting] nationwide, so if we win at Tufts, it could be a huge win for DTZ employees nationwide."

          While not an actual violation of the contract, the increasing workloads of DTZ employees are unjust, according to Axner.

          "Their work strain has gone way up, and the quality of their work has gone way down," Axner said. "They take great pride in the quality of the work they do. ... We have janitors who are assigned to three, four, five buildings every day and DTZ also does not keep staff on retainer to cover when other janitors are sick."

          Axner said that this means DTZ is likely cutting corners and providing less to Tufts than it is contractually obligated to do.

          Snyder explained that the contract cost to the university was agreed upon in last year's negotiations, and she could not speculate on how costs could potentially change in a new contract. The agreement runs through July 31, 2016, according to a copy of the contract Axner provided to the Daily.

          "[The contract] is signed and final," she said. "We are very conscious of the fact that the costs of operating the university, including the costs of custodial services, contribute to the cost of higher education and therefore tuition."

      More at source: Tufts Daily

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    • 25 Apr 2014 8:14 PM | IJCSA - (Administrator)
      Grenade


      A woman cleaning out a vacant home in the city of Spartanburg on Friday found what was believed to be a World War II-era grenade in a box in the attic.

      Janice Doyle said her parents built the home at 101 Pinedale Court in 1961. It's been vacant since Doyle's mother died five years ago.

      Doyle, friends and neighbors from Columbia were cleaning out the home Friday to sell it. As they were removing boxes from the attic, they found the grenade.

      "I wasn't really nervous about it. I picked it up, and I saw how heavy it was. One of my friends said we better call the police," Doyle said. "And then God and everybody showed up."

      Police, firefighters and the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office bomb squad responded shortly after the call came in at 12:15 p.m.

      More at source: Goupstate.com

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