Janitors for Fort Belvoir will strike Tuesday morning if the Atlanta-based federal contractor they work for refuses to come to the table to renegotiate the terms of their contract.

Nearly 70 janitors work at the Army installation in Fairfax County under a federal contract held by Brown & Pipkins, doing business as Ascential. The contract is set to expire in August. On July 25, the workers authorized their union’s bargaining committee to call a strike against the company in response to charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board that allege Ascential has refused to bargain a contract in good faith with the union.

According to a spokeswoman from the Service Employees International Union, that strike is scheduled for 7 a.m. Tuesday.

More at source: Biz Journals

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DAKAR, Senegal undefined The deadly Ebola virus outbreak sweeping West Africa would likely expand farther because it's killing key medical professionals who are treating patients sick with the disease, health experts say.

"This outbreak is not showing any signs of slowing down," said Unni Krishnan, a doctor with the British relief agency Plan International, which is active throughout West Africa. "It is gaining more speed in some locations and killing even more people and now is affecting even more countries. It is all quite worrying."

The Ebola outbreak that started in February has spread across Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, killing more than 670 people and infecting more than 1,200 others, including two American doctors and prominent African specialists.

"We need more money, more materials, because we are talking about countries which already have some of the weakest health systems and a lack of resources," Krishnan said. "They were already stretched to their limits. With this Ebola outbreak, their health systems have been crippled, making it hard for them to contain the spread."

More at source: USA Today

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Don't let dirty windows obscure your view of nature in full spring glory. Whether you do the job yourself or hire an experienced pro, few home investments are as immediately satisfying as clean, sparkling windows.

Here are expert DIY tips that my research team gathered from top-rated window cleaners:

Start with the right supplies. If your windows are standard glass, not leaded or stained, and they aren't tinted, you should be able to safely use commonly available window-cleaning products.

But you can always just clean with hot, soapy water and rinse with water and a small amount of vinegar to improve shine. Or, you can try these options:

• Combine a cup of rubbing alcohol, a cup of water and a tablespoon of vinegar.

• For glass that's cloudy, try straight ammonia. (Don't combine vinegar and ammonia, as they cancel each other out.)

Good wipe-down materials include paper or microfiber cloths and newspapers. Avoid plain, cotton towels, which will leave behind lint.

More at source: Southern.com

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ATLANTA -- The first case of chikungunya virus infection acquired within the continental U.S. has been reported by the CDC.

The case was reported today in Florida in a male who had not recently traveled outside the U.S. the agency announced late Thursday.

The CDC added that it was working with Florida public health officials "to investigate how the patient contracted the virus" and would monitor for additional domestically acquired cases that may occur.

More at source: Med Page

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I recently met a client during an in-home appraisal evaluation session who had raised six sons in a house with a pristine, fragile and valuable collection of antique glassware. Her ability to have boys share a house with fragile stemware prompted me to share my tips for protecting your valuables.

Valuable objects undefined art, antiques and collectibles undefined have to live in a stable environment in order to remain in good condition. Here are some tips for keeping your home and your stuff in tip-top, clutter-free shape:

• Do serious cleaning first. Clean up the kind of dirt that comes in from outside, like mud on your shoes, germs that can grow if you leave food out overnight and the like.

Workers hired to clear out a vacant Florida house mistook a hanging corpse for a Halloween mannequin undefined and threw it out at the dump.

Israel Lopez, 50, and Adam Hines, 33, thought the body swinging from a rafter in the Spring Hill property’s garage was a spooky prank, so they cut it down and hauled it away.

But a landfill worker realized it was actually a decomposed human body and called cops.

It later emerged that former tenant Jeremy Witsoth, 33, had apparently committed suicide in the property several weeks ago after his family was evicted.

More at source: NY DAILY NEWS

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W.W. Grainger Inc. GWW +0.60% said its fiscal second-quarter earnings fell about 5% on employee-related restructuring costs, though the bottom line beat Wall Street expectations.

The company reported a $10 million charge, or 15 cents a share, for changes to its retirement plan in Europe.

The company also narrowed its 2014 guidance, now expecting results to range from $12.20 to $12.60 per share from its previously issued outlook of $12.10 to $12.85 per share. It also now expects sales to grow 5% to 7% over the year, from 5% to 9% in previous guidance.

Chief Executive Jim Ryan said the results were buoyed by solid performance in U.S. operations, while "sluggish performance elsewhere dampened results," pointing specifically to a difficult market conditions in Canada.

Grainger, which offers goods including lighting and janitorial products, has seen its earnings rise in recent quarters on increased demand from businesses and institutions that are consolidating suppliers. The company, with a wide breadth of its offerings, is at times considered a bellwether for the national economic outlook.

More at source: Wall Street Journal

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HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – A leading provider of commercial cleaning solutions out of Fort Worth, Texas said this week it has been named the official cleaning service for Huntsville.

 

That means up to 100 jobs and a potential economic impact of $250,000 are also coming to the Rocket City area, according to an announcement by Kemp & Sons General Services earlier this week.

The contract, which will span several years, includes janitorial services for more than 250 city-owned buildings and 36 parks. The company plans to create 100 above minimum-wage positions over a five-year period at its Huntsville office.

"We plan to be in Huntsville for at least 20-30 years, so we want to make a difference in the community through exceptional job opportunities, environmental donations, sponsorships, and more," said Larry Kemp, chief financial officer of Kemp & Sons General Services.

The company, originally called Kemp's Janitorial Service when it was founded in 1972, transitioned to Kemp & Son General Services in 1998. The business provides janitorial services for airports, corporate buildings, higher education and healthcare facilities and government municipalities across the U.S.

More at source: Al.com

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The DeKalb County Board of Education is discussing contracting with an outside company for the school system’s janitorial services.

Agents of Cleveland, Ohio-based GCA Services Group came before the board members with a proposal last week to clean local schools for $400,000 the first year, with annual renewal options for up to five years Current custodial staff would be hired by GCA on the recommendation of the school principals. The company would assume all custodial responsibilities, including providing supplies, paper goods and cleaning equipment.

Director of Schools Mark Willoughby said the partnership could save the school system as much as $50,000 per year.

GCA Senior Sales Director Craig Colquitt said the company would retrain the current custodial staff, provide health insurance and benefits.

"We are in 35 school districts in this state and in 250 school districts across the country. We consider ourselves allies, partners. We know your current concerns are for your principals, teachers, and your employees," he told the board,

"One thing we do when we come into a district is that we talk to the principals first and foremost. Any of these employees who are doing a good job, we want on our team. We need your employees. We want to train them. We know how important it is to hire locally, and to give these people a chance to move forward," said Senior Regional Manager Josh Helton.

More at source: Smithville Review

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