An Atlanta janitorial service earlier this week offered $8-an-hour jobs sweeping floors and cleaning toilets and 56 unemployed people said, ‘Yes, indeed, I’m interested and I’ll come apply in person.'

Yet only a handful of the supposed jobseekers showed up for the interview in northern Cobb County. The turnout led Bob Williams, who owns the cleaning company, to question the work ethic of metro Atlanta’s unemployed.

“Somebody told me the other day, ‘I just don’t like this work. I think I’ll go draw unemployment instead,’ ” Williams said. “A lot of people say they want to work, but do they really want to work?”

If he paid $10 an hour he’d fill more positions. “That would probably work,” said Williams, whose company, AccuClean, services office buildings, schools and YMCAs across metro Atlanta. “But then I’m not competitive and I won’t get (cleaning) accounts.”

AccuClean’s hiring struggles reflect the conflicting economic trends that pushed Georgia's unemployment rate to 10.1 percent in November, from 9.8 percent in October, according to Georgia Department of Labor figures released Thursday.

Low-income, less-educated workers suffer a disproportionately high level of joblessness. The unemployment rate for Americans without a high school diploma, for example, is nearly 16 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But do those jobless truly want a job? Some economists and many conservatives argue that extended unemployment benefits keep the jobless rate artificially high by supporting the unemployed who otherwise would have no choice but to take any job. They pressed their case this past month as Congress debated continuing extended benefits for millions of unemployed Americans.

More at the source: AJC.com

 

Today was the deadline for a Colorado Springs man to clean up his yard. He had hoarded so much stuff at his Skyway home that the City of Colorado Springs took the unusual step of taking him to court.

Thomas Taylor has spent the last three weeks sorting and scrapping the various odds and ends lying around his yard trying to avoid a fine.

"The biggest part is not so much getting rid of it but is actually making the decision to get rid of; what's being kept, what's being stored, what's being given away and stuff like that," Taylor said.

A few weeks ago we showed you how his hobby of building Koi ponds and his love of bargain hunting had eventually overwhelmed his yard with junk. Neighbors say their properties have lost value as a result.

Taylor may have to pay up to a $2,000 fine if clean up isn't thorough enough. Touring the grounds this morning, code enforcement officer Deborah Stewart said she'd like to see more done.

"He's got a lot of progress but there's still a lot to be done."

Nevertheless, Taylor says doing this much cleaning has inspired him to restore the yard to its former glory, with green grass and sparkling ponds.

"I want to enjoy living here. This has not always been a pleasure. It's nice to be able to drive the car up to the front door, carry your groceries in and stuff like that."

Taylor says wants to have the yard ready by next summer's pond and garden tour

 

Source: News First 5

Step 1

Clean out the refrigerator. "Get rid of old food you're not going to use, things way past their prime," says Forte. Wipe drips and condensation off jars and bottles.

Step 2

Do one shelf at a time; temporarily move items to another shelf. Tackling the whole thing? Move items to a counter. If cleaning takes longer than 30 minutes (it shouldn't), consider using a cooler.

Step 3

Mix hot water and dishwashing liquid in the sink. Start with the main shelves; they're generally removable, so take them out and put them in the dishwater. Wash, rinse, dry and put back. Can't remove them? Wash with a soft cloth or sponge and soapy water, rinse and wipe dry.

 

Source: Times Delta

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- A 67-year-old Murfreesboro house cleaner is accused of robbing a homeowner of tens of thousands of dollars worth of jewels.

Linda June Hasty was arrested last week by Murfreesboro police. Police said she admitted to taking the property while working for the home owner.

In November, the home owner filed a report with police after the resident said she had more than $32,000 worth of jewelry that disappeared.

At first the resident thought she had misplaced the items. She told police the only one with access to her home was her husband, the cleaning lady and her gardener.

Hasty was later arrested in the case.

“(If you have someone clean your house) you should still take certain precautions, locking up your jewelry, putting them in a safe, secret location only known to you. Do background checks on the people you let in your house to do work for you,” said Murfreesboro police spokesman Officer Kyle Evans.

Police said Hasty pawned the items at two Murfreesboro pawn shops. The homeowner was only able to recover three of pieces of jewelry.

Murfreesboro police has partnered with Leads Online, which allows residents to upload photos and identifiable markings on your property. The online data base is used to recover property if they are attempted to be sold at pawn shops or eBay.

Source: WSMV

 An 82-year-old woman found a decades-old unexploded ordinance in her home Wednesday afternoon, police said.

The ordnance, which police said had been rusted over, was a little more than a foot long and resembled a World War II-era artillery shell.

It was taken away without incident by two bomb technicians from the Bergen County Police Department, police said.

“We were cleaning out the cellar,” said the woman, Alice Smyser. “We came across this thing and didn’t know what it was.”

Smyser said that she’s lived in the Prospect Street home for more than 50 years, and that it’s been in her family for even longer, since 1923.

“My cellar has been very, very full of things,” she said. “It’s an accumulation of a lot.”

 

Source: NorthJersey.com

New York, December 14th (TradersHuddle.com) - Shares of ABM Industries. Inc. (NYSE:ABM) are trading higher by +0.59% ahead of its quarterly earnings release. ABM, the provider of building maintenance and facility services is expected to release its quarterly results on December 15^th.

Wall Street Analysts consensus calls for a profit of $0.43 a share on $895.45 million revenue.

ABM estimates have a range of $0.03 a share. The high estimate calls for profit of $0.45 a share and the low estimate is calling for a profit of $0.42 a share, a year ago for the quarter the company reported $0.39 a share.

ABM Industries Incorporated NYSE:ABM) is a facility services contractor. The Company provides air conditioning, engineering, janitorial, lighting, parking, security, and other outsourced facility services to commercial, industrial, and institutional customers across North America.

Source Traders Huddle

W.W. Grainger Inc. (GWW) reported another month of strong sales gains as November's results continued a rebound from last year's weakness.

The company is often considered a bellwether of the U.S. economy because of the breadth of its offerings, which range from lighting to mechanical to janitorial. Its fortunes have improved the past year amid a rebounding global economy.

Grainger said November daily sales increased 14%, or 11% excluding acquisitions and currency fluctuations.

Growth of 10% was seen in the U.S. while Grainger's Canadian operations had a 28% increase excluding currency changes.

Shares closed Friday at $133.67 and were inactive premarket. The stock is up 38% so far this year.

Source:Wall Street Journal

EDMOND, Okla. (KABC) -- A woman made a bizarre 911 call - reporting that she found a squirrel in her toilet.

She told the 911 dispatcher that she found some kind of animal in her toilet and when asked to describe it, she said, "Well, it's gray. That's all I can tell you. I didn't look real good because it scared me to death."

The squirrel was wet, cold and probably confused.

It took police several minutes to wrangle the squirrel, but they did it and released the creature into the park right across the street.

Source:ABC

MISSION, KS--(Marketwire - December 13, 2010) - (Family Features) Scrambling to tidy up the house before, during and after the arrival of holiday houseguests is one tradition that many Americans would like to simply forget. Between shopping for gifts, cooking elaborate meals, and reconnecting with loved ones, keeping the house clean can seem like the one chore that never gets checked off the holiday to-do list.

"Being a part of the families' homes for more than 80 years, we know that families want to spend more time together during the holidays," said Samuel Monnie, Director of Brand Management for Kenmore Floor Care Appliances. "Breaking your cleaning tasks down into a few easy steps can help you to spruce up your space, while still having plenty of time to enjoy the season."

The home cleaning geniuses at Kenmore have several simple ideas for a clean, healthy house during the holidays:

1. Don't sweat the small stuff. Focus your energy on the areas guests spend the most time in, like the family room, kitchen and guest baths and bedrooms.

2. Don't let allergies spoil the holiday cheer. Deep clean carpets and other allergy-ridden areas with the Kenmore Intuition Upright Vacuum: a HEPA filter combined with the HEPA cloth dust bag captures 99.97 percent of all particles down to .3 microns in size, keeping irritating allergens at bay. The vacuum also includes the Pet Handi Mate attachment that lets you quickly remove pet hair from furniture and more.

3. Consider mixing up a quick batch of homemade cleaner for an easy, green alternative to harsh chemical products. Mix two tablespoons of mild dishwashing soap and two cups of water in a spray bottle. Give it a shake and use anywhere you'd typically use a commercial all-purpose spray, like countertops, bathroom surfaces, and highchairs.

4. Save time by tackling multiple surfaces -- including hard to reach and clean areas -- with one versatile tool. The Kenmore Progressive Canister Vacuum cleans ceiling fans, shelves, tight corners and more with its unique 6-in-1 handle and extended reach wand. It also takes the hassle out of cleaning stairs with exclusive Stair Grip design, which keeps the vacuum upright on steps without slipping.

5. Most importantly, relax. The holidays can be hectic but be sure to appreciate the special times spent with loved ones, making memories that will last a lifetime.

"Holiday preparation doesn't have to mean a spotless house," Monnie said. "But planning ahead and prioritizing cleaning tasks go a long way toward a stress-free holiday season."

Give yourself a break this year by choosing the right equipment and getting a head start on holiday preparations. For more information about Kenmore vacuums and floor care products designed with busy families in mind, visit www.kenmore.com. 

Photo courtesy of Getty Images