Last article we talked about incentives and rewards for employees or volunteers that had an expense. Let's take a look at a few ways we might be able to reward with no or minimal cost.

METHUEN — Former Superintendent Jeanne Whitten fired Eugene Casey in 2007 for working on an illegal gambling operation while on duty as a school custodian, but now a majority of civil service commissioners say Casey deserves his job back.

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The Spokane river had a soap-scum problem. Runoff from the region's dishwashers was loaded with phosphorus, which helped get glasses and plates sparkling clean but was also fueling the growth of algae, which, in turn, were making Washington State's waterways an icky green. Besides repelling swimmers, the algae were sucking up so much oxygen they were suffocating other aquatic life. Experts estimated that as much as a third of the phosphorus at wastewater-treatment facilities was from dishwasher detergent

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Question: Because I've had hip surgery, I cannot bend down low without the risk of dislocating my hip. We had to get a "raised" toilet seat. Being up a little higher is a lot more comfortable. Why are standard toilets so low and can you give me information on higher toilets for home use?

- Betty, Minnesota

Answer: First off, I'm not a history expert. But, I can share information that has been passed on to me. Many people have told me about bathroom designs in some areas where you basically are squatting over a pot or trough with a little running water. I've been told that many people ...

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OCEAN PINES -- Ocean Pines Police charged a 28-year-old woman with a series of jewelry thefts from Ocean Pines residences while she was employed as cleaning lady. As the result of an investigation involving several jurisdictions, Tracie Sterling, 28, of Salisbury was charged with three counts of theft over $1,000 and a count of theft scheme. Police said Sterling is accused of similar crimes in Wicomico County, where she is being held, and said additional charges will be filed by Delaware State Police.

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Interline Brands Inc. (IBI) agreed to buy a California distributor of janitorial and sanitation supplies for $60.1 million in cash.

The deal, which is expected to be neutral to Interline earnings this year but will boost them after that, fits with the company's strategy to acquire well-run businesses with leadership positions in attractive facilities-maintenance markets, according to Chairman and Chief Executive Michael J. Grebe. Interline currently supplies products to plumbing, electrical and janitorial sectors.

He also said the purchase will open opportunities to increase sales and improve profitability.

Interline agreed to take over CleanSource Inc. for $54.6 million in cash and $5.5 million in cash earn-out, which will be paid out over the next two years as Cleansource reaches certain capital and other adjustments.

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Clean and Green Solutions, a local cleaning service provider serving areas of Houston including Humble, Kingwood, Atascocita, Summerwood and Harris and Montgomery Counties, recently announced it's bringing the Cleaning for Heroes program to area veterans and first responders.

Based out of Warwick, Rhode Island, Cleaning for Heroes is a non-profit organization that connects residential service companies across the nation to deserving veterans who have been injured or disabled in the line of duty.

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FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- A Colorado State University janitor says he was denied one of the free vaccines given to more than 10,000 other university employees, students and family members because of his age.

The university held the two free vaccine clinics on Nov. 5 and 11, following a meningococcal disease outbreak in Larimer County. Five people have died from the disease, since June.

The free vaccines were provided to people in the CSU campus community under the age of 30.

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PORTSMOUTH undefined A house cleaner who police say admitted to cleaning out a homeowner's jewelry box has hired a lawyer and is now maintaining her innocence.

Bonnie Colotti, 55, of 36 Exeter Farms Road, Exeter, appeared Monday in Portsmouth District Court for arraignment on a felony count of theft. She was accompanied by attorney Stephen Gaige and entered a plea of not guilty.

Police allege she was hired to clean a city home and while there, stole nine pieces of gold jewelry. According to an affidavit by Officer Laura Catabriga, the homeowner reported $5,000 to $6,000 worth of jewelry stolen from a jewelry box hidden in a bedroom closet. The officer also reported finding evidence that Colotti pawned the stolen jewelry at the Fox Run Mall for $635 and when confronted, made an immediate confession.

"She said she was sorry for taking the jewelry, but times were tough and she was broke," according to the police report.

On Monday, Colotti's bail was maintained at $5,000 personal recognizance, and she was scheduled to return to the court for a Nov. 30 probable cause hearing.

In order to bring down the number of infections which are transmitted during a stay in hospitals, collaboration is underway between the National University Hospital and Changi Hospital and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research. The collaboration has been named as Project Safe Hands.

The joint initiative would encourage healthcare employees to regularly wash their hands in order to limit the transmission of infections. The washing of hands would be done by the use of an identification badge to check, who is washing their hands and who is not complying with guidelines.

The reminder for the washing of hands would involve a subtle beep, whenever hospital employees leave a specific area of the hospital.

Chairman of the Medical Board, Changi General Hospital, Associate Professor Low Cheng Ooi stated that one of the key priorities of the initiative was to control the spread of infections in hospital. He added that the maintenance of hygiene would help in reducing the transmission of germs.

He expressed happiness that the hospital was teaming up with, the Changi General Hospital to encourage the practice of regularly washing hands among hospital employees.

The Chairman of A*STAR, Mr. Lim Chuan Poh stated that the new initiative would enable healthcare facilities in Singapore to upkeep the medical requirements of people.