Tips

Germaphobia

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I am surrounded by sickness here lately.  Becky has been sick this week and is hacking and coughing and snotty when I go home.  Will and Kathy are both hacking and coughing here at the office.  Kathy has been making fun of me for wiping down my phone after she uses it!

For years I’ve been one of those people that wash my hands in the public restroom and then use the paper towel to open the door when I leave.  Touchless is great, where everything is on sensors and my preference is for bathrooms without doors or with doors that open out, but that doesn’t always work.  I’m not a big fan of the blower dryers for this reason.  

Well, I’ve noticed that I’m apparently not the only one.  More and more public restrooms have trash cans near the exit.  (Keeps me from having to practice my basketball shot across the room!)  I got a little vindication from Commercial Building Products magazine this month when I saw the picture here to the right.  It came with the caption, “Mounting paper-towel dispensers near an exit door provides users the chance to protect themselves from any germs left behind by others.  The conveniently located waste container makes it easy to keep used towels off the floor.”  Good plan!

New Trees

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New Maple at ECC

The Culver Tree Commission purchased new trees and they were installed over Memorial Day Weekend.  Their funds are limited so the number of trees planted this year was fewer than in the past years.

Easterday Construction Co., Inc. has lost several trees along our street scape and the Tree Commission has slated one of our trees, a Wild Cherry, for removal.  We’re not the prettiest face on the street, but I do think our large Oak trees along the street add character.  When I was growing up there was a huge tree in the center of our loop drive, but it has been gone for more than 20 years, recently replaced by a volunteer Tulip Poplar.

For those of you that don’t know, the Culver Tree Commission accepts donations for the purchase of trees.  I spoke to Tree Commissioner Dick Brantingham several times over the past few years about starting some replacement trees along our street scape.  This year we received two Maple trees and a Honey Locust. 

Tulip Poplar in circle drive at ECC

We made a tax deductible donation of $100 per tree to the Marshall County Community Foundation in the name of the Culver Tree Commission.  I would consider that a bargain.  On top of getting a nice tree planted, the Culver Fire Department takes care of watering the new trees in the first year.   (If you’re interested in taking advantage of this and helping the Culver Tree Commission next year, contact Dick Brantingham or Mike Stallings.  You can also contact the Town Hall to let them know you’re interested in helping.)

When I first moved back to Culver, I lived on Ohio Street in the house currently occupied by the Wesley United Methodist Church Thrift Shop.  One of the nice things about that location was the beautiful tree-lined street.  We have several such streets in Culver.  Thanks to the efforts of the Culver Tree Commission, we will have more in the future.

Vinyl Base Installation Tip

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This tip comes from observing Pat Creamer of H & D Creamer in Warsaw install vinyl base at LaPaz Garden Court. Outside corners are always difficult to perfect with vinyl base.  It’s not unusual for the adhesive to lose its grip and allow gaps at the corner. 

Using scrap cardboard, cut a form to fit the corner.  This can be used to fit any corner dimension or configuration, whether 90 degree or not.  Each form can be duplicated as necessary using a razor knife.  Once  you have forms for your corners, here are the steps for using them to create perfect corners:

  1. Cut the base to fit the linear dimension required.
  2. Heat the base with a heat gun to maximize flexibility. Be careful not to over heat as this could cause discoloration or could actually melt/burn the vinyl.
  3. Apply adhesive to base and wall. Place base while adhesive is still tacky. Reheat if necessary, but take care not to over dry the adhesive.
  4. Apply the form to the corner with an appropriate weight.  Leave the form in place until adhesive has set.  (Read the specifications for the adhesive you’re using to determine recommended curing time.)

Thanks Pat!

CFL’s

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Although compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL’s) still offer a large amount on energy savings, it turns out that they might not last as long as expected.

According to the Wall Street Journal, when PG&E Corp. first started the CFL rebate program, it expected the bulbs to last 9.4 years.  But, the company has decreased the estimated lifespan to 6.3 years, therefore limiting energy savings from the bulbs.  Higher burnout rates were experienced in certain locations throughout the home, like in bathrooms and in recessed lighting.  Turning them on and off a lot also seems to impair longevity.

From Hardware Retailing Magazine, March 2011

Marshall County Economic Development partners with Small Business Develoment Center

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Marshall County Economic Development is pleased to announce that in partnership with the North Central Indiana Small Business Development Center, free, confidential, one-on-one business assistance will be available at our Plymouth office on Miller Drive once a month beginning Wednesday, March 23rd.

Individual appointments to meet with Alan Steele, ISBDC Business Advisor, will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.  This opportunity is open to entrepreneurs considering starting a business and those new to business ownership.  But it is important to note the wealth of information and support services that SBDC can provide to ANYONE making critical decisions about how to improve their small business – particularly useful for existing strong Marshall County businesses facing new challenges brought by the digital-global-information age! 

See the range of services provided below and at the SBDC website at http://www.southbendbcg.com/ for more information on how SBDC can help you succeed in taking your business to the next level.

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