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Blower Door Testing in Multifamily Buildings
The owner knew he had a problem. During the previous Wisconsin winter, ice dams had pulled a 20-foot x 5-foot section of eave and roof right off the building!
"The ice on the roof edge was 18 inches thick," he told us. "Even with the whole mess lying there on the lawn, we couldn't bust it up. We finally had to bring a crane right into the yard and lift the thing out in one big piece, so we could truck it away."
The weatherization crews working for La Casa de Esperanza (based in Waukesha, Wisconsin) knew that those ice dams meant lots of air leaks, lots of energy waste, and lots of opportunities to improve this building. They had years of experience fixing infiltration and ice dam problems. They knew what to look for, and pretty much found it all. The vented crawl space was well connected to the living space above. The windows were pretty loose, and the door weatherstripping was long gone. The attic was a mess; multiple open soffits, oversized plumbing and chimney penetrations, a huge attic hatch with no weatherstripping. Air sealing was clearly in order. Blower door testing would be imperative to ensure that the job was done well.
The problem? This weatherization project was a 50-unit apartment building.
Any number of experienced weatherization specialists "know" there are a number of reasons why we don't test these buildings: (1) it is hard to do, (2) no one has proven that sealing apartment buildings saves energy or improves the building, and (3) it is just too costly to implement. LEED Multifamily requires blower door tests only on a sample of individual units. The Energy Star program for multifamily buildings uses the same standard. The only programs that explicitly require a whole-building blower door test for apartment buildings are the Alaska Weatherization Assistance Program and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Over the last ten years, various accomplices and I have completed close to 100 blower door tests on more than 60 apartment buildings. The buildings have ranged in size from 5,000 to 280,000 square feet, and from two to nine stories. We have used every blower door system available in the United States. Based on all this work, we have concluded that blower door testing and air sealing in multifamily buildings is not only possible, but important. The evidence is developing that, just as in single-family buildings, air sealing is the single most cost-effective measure in most apartment buildings.
In single-family homes, we know that blower door testing is the fundamental, indispensable tool for residential energy improvements. We know that in single-family homes, air sealing is frequently the single most cost-effective measure completed. We also understand that infiltration flaws cause more performance problems than any other building defect. (Although we do recognize that bad flashing jobs may be a very close second!)
And we have learned the hard way that blower door testing is crucial. I think every crew has tried, at one time or another, air sealing by inspection. But air is too slippery and buildings are too complicated—it just doesn't work. So we have learned: If you don't test, you don't get infiltration improvements or energy savings.
When it comes to apartment buildings, it seems that the universal answer is to try to pretend that everything we know about infiltration doesn't apply. We've concluded that blower door testing is difficult, it's expensive, and it's not clear that it saves energy. For most apartment buildings in the United States, none of these reasons applies anymore.
With improvements in systems, especially in software control systems, blower door tests can now be completed efficiently and accurately in almost any low- or midrise building. The most flexible systems are built around the same residential-size blower doors that are used by every energy auditor in the country. I believe it is likely that within five years every program intending to complete real and meaningful energy improvements in apartment buildings will routinely perform in-and-out blower door testing of wood-frame buildings up to 100 units.
If we intend (especially in weatherization) to provide the benefits of our skill and experience to those people who need it most, apartments buildings are a good place for us to be. In a recent DOE weatherization guidance document, WPN 11-4 notes that fully 70% of all apartment dwellers qualify for low-income weatherization. And the authors of the guidance document further conclude that 30% of all U.S. households that qualify for weatherization rent their residence.
For our 50-unit project in the Milwaukee area, we assembled a team and made our plan. La Casa auditors had already been through the building, but we checked it out again to note critical features: the layout of doors and stairs, the location of power outlets, and the connections between utility spaces (boiler room, crawl spaces, and so on) and the core of the building. The test was completed in April 2010. I am not sure about the exact age of the building, but I'd guess it dates from the mid-1970s.
Testing multifamily buildings is typically done with multiple standard blower doors working in tandem. Examples are Minneapolis DG-700 systems from The Energy Conservatory or Retrotec's Q4E or Q5E systems. Both can be set up with two fans in a single pedestrian entry, so one technician can manage two fans at a time. In most multifamily buildings we test, two fans can be mounted at the fire exit at each end of the building, leaving the main center entry open for the inevitable tenant traffic in and out of the building. This four-fan setup will generally achieve useful (greater than 60 Pa) test pressures in buildings of up to about 40 units.
We have also conducted tests using the Infiltec G54 blower door system. This trailer-mounted, 60,000 CFM unit, with its 54-inch fan driven by a 25 HP gasoline engine, puts a lot of power in the hands of one technician. (A new upgrade package uses a 35 HP motor to develop 75,000 CFM50!) The G54 is admirably suited to testing open-plan commercial buildings, such as warehouses and factory buildings. In a number of tests with the G54, we have found that apartment buildings often do not have an exterior door large enough to accept the unit's 60-inch tunnel connector. Only some multifamily buildings have enough interior doors to distribute pressure and airflow evenly through the building. But if "big toys for big boys" is your mantra, the G54 certainly fills the bill!
Because so many technicians had never seen a large-building blower door test, we had more people than we needed. A typical crew would have been composed of six or seven blower doors, four technicians, and three management staff. In this case, we could only fit five blower doors easily, but we had six technicians, and those two additional techs saved us a lot of time. We started at 8 a.m. For our 50-unit, two-story apartment building, with 22,000 square feet of second-floor ceiling and 16,000 square feet of above-grade wall, 30,000 CFM of blower door capacity seemed about right. We could only find good placements for five Minneapolis 3 fans, each with its own digital gauge. If we could have found five higher-capacity Retrotec 3000 fans, the added capacity would have been useful. (For more on the technology, see "The Equipment.") Our building had four walk doors; we mounted a pair of fans, each with its own digital gauge (in double-hole capes) in the fire escape doors at each end of the building and a single-fan blower door in the back door. This left the main entrance open for traffic in and out of the building. One operator can control two fans at once so three fan locations required three operators. In the interest of getting the best precision (though with a slight risk of less accuracy) we connected all five digital gauges to a common outdoor pressure reference. We wanted to complete a multipoint test at a variety of pressures to get the most accurate results, and that requires careful coordination of everyone's work. So we distributed handheld radios to each operator and to the building manager at the front door. With all radios set on the same frequency, all operators were on a common communications system.
The blower door operators assembled and secured the blower doors. Two ¾ HP fans make a lot of noise and generate a lot of torque. Popping two fans out of the door, both running at full power—that's not a mistake you make twice! The techs also ran outdoor reference tubes to every digital gauge, keeping them near the hallway walls to minimize the possibility of pressure spikes caused by people stepping on the tubes.
A ¾ HP TEC fan running at full power pulls 5-7 amps. Retrotec 3000 fans can pull 15-20 amps. So whenever possible, our crews plugged every fan into a different building circuit. Using heavy-duty (10-gauge) power cords reduces the voltage drop to fan motors, keeping them running cooler and further reducing the likelihood of popping a fuse or breaker. If the auditor notes that the building wiring is on fuses rather than breakers, it is useful to note their size, and to have spare fuses on hand. These precautions reduce the delays from tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses in the middle of a test.
A team of two techs got onto the roof and sealed the air intake for the hallway supply furnace. Then they put the boilers and water heaters on standby (and left my car keys on the water heater!). They wedged the boiler room door closed, and secured the doors leading into the two crawl spaces under the building. The building managers opened every unit door and checked to see that all windows were closed and latched. They then dropped a door wedge at every apartment, leaving the door cracked just an inch or two, to be sure that it didn't lock when they left.
Once we had everything set, we reviewed our strategy and emphasized important details. Every technician had to be clear on what signal would be used in the event of a fire emergency, so they could rip their hardware out of the fire doors to allow for a speedy evacuation. Managers needed to be clear on how to manage tenant traffic in and out of the building.
With these last details reviewed, we went to work. Two building managers opened all the unit doors, and then took their stations—one in each hall—to maintain security in the building. The site manager took control of the front-door traffic. The test manager personally inspected every digital gauge, to be sure they were all set up the same (pressure and flow, five-second averaging, no baseline correction). We took three baseline pressures to gauge the strength of the wind, and then threw the juice to the fans and started testing.
The distributed-fan setup allowed us to get clean airflow through this large building. Air moves only to low pressure, but it is important to minimize pressure drops from the core of the building to the fans. A standard pedestrian door, with 20 square feet of area, allows about 10,000 CFM50 to flow with minimal pressure drop. So the open doors from the fire stairs into the halls on both floors allowed plenty of open area to move the air volumes needed. Retrotec 3000 fans move up to 8,000 CFM50, so mounting two fans in a single walk door may cause undesirable pressure drops unless there are two exit doors connecting the fans to the rest of the building.
We pulled the building to maximum pressure and then did a hasty survey. One tech walked the outside of the building, looking for open windows. (I don't believe that tenants do everything they can to screw up a blower door test, but it sure seems that way some days!) Two other techs surveyed the halls, looking for unusually large airflows that might indicate open windows, or doors to service areas that had pulled open.
Once we were sure we had proper control of the intended pressure boundary, we started testing. With all the fans balanced, we sent a call out on the radio, and the three technicians simultaneously pressed the hold buttons on all five gauges. Then they called in their results by radio to the test manager. With the gauges taken off hold, the test manager called out information to adjust fan speeds as needed to reduce the building pressure slightly, while keeping the building pressures the same throughout the entire building. We waited for a gust of wind to pass, and then captured another data point. In between data points, tenants were allowed in and out of the front door as needed.
Since we had two techs to spare, they spent their time in the attic and in the crawl spaces, with an IR camera and smoke pencils. They confirmed the leakage locations we knew about and found some other construction flaws, too.
On a calm day, accurate and precise results can be attained with 5 or 6 data points. TECTite will accept a maximum of 10 points, so a typical test will take 11 or 12 points. This makes it possible to delete 1 or 2 points badly affected by wind, while still maximizing the data analysis capabilities of the software. The leakage in this particular building was far greater than we expected, but we still got useful data at three pressures.
By 11 am, we had a number: 85,000 CFM50. This gave us an air-sealing goal of getting the building down to 20,000-25,000 CFM50. By noon, we were all packed and on the road.
Evaluating our effort, I estimated that our morning's work cost around $6,000, or $120 per unit. On a per-unit basis, testing those 50 units cost significantly less than testing the same number of houses. Doing that test again today (using new software and fan systems now available) would probably cost 10-25% less. (See "Software Improvements Are the Game Changer.")
Usually, it is best to test a large apartment building after the rest of the audit has been completed. The auditor should take special care to note the location of every exterior door and to identify multiple sheltered locations for outdoor references suitable for different wind directions. It works best if enough fan power can be fitted into doors in different parts of the building, leaving the main entrance open for the inevitable tenant traffic in and out.
It's important to have enough fan capacity. Based on the dozens of tests that we have completed to date, it appears that wood-frame low-rise apartment buildings in Wisconsin are pretty leaky. The infiltration rate averages 0.75 CFM50 per square foot of above-grade envelope, so it's best to have fan capacity of 1 CFM50 per square foot of envelope. (Curiously enough, preliminary—unpublished—data from a Focus On Energy program suggest that new-construction apartment buildings in Wisconsin are about as leaky as 40-year-old buildings in our weatherization program.) For testing a wood-frame apartment building, I usually try to have fan capacity sufficient to achieve pressures of at least 60 Pa. More is better, if the building has enough walk doors to hold more fans. (Apartments with patio doors make it easy to get plenty of fans distributed around a building.)
In large buildings, it is possible to get reasonably accurate (+/- 2-7%) data from a single-point test at 50 Pa on a calm day. However, even a moderate breeze can have significant effects on a large building. In those conditions, higher pressures (more fan power) can help overcome wind effects. However, the real secret to getting good results on windy days is to complete a multipoint test. Given the work involved to secure the building and set up the systems, it takes only a small amount of extra time to test at several different pressures. The best data for large buildings usually come from a multipoint test at 6 to 12 pressure levels.
With a test completed at 12 pressure points, multipoint test software simplifies the data analysis. Two good choices are The Energy Conservatory's TECTite software and Retrotec's MultiFanTestic program. Graphing the raw data in one of these tools helps to determine the effects of wind gusts, so that bad data can be removed from the analysis. (I frequently complete this preliminary inspection with an Excel spreadsheet.) Computer analysis also simplifies the chore of correcting for baseline pressures and stack effects. This greatly improves the accuracy and precision of a large-building test. The result is that careful tests can yield precision of better than +/- 1% at 50 Pa. Some new-construction programs require higher pressures and utilize 12-point tests in both directions (depressurize and pressurize) to achieve incredible precision (+/- 0.25% flow error at 50 Pa).
As in any energy efficiency project, the most important thing about testing multifamily buildings is to decide first what you want to accomplish. That will guide your testing and air-sealing work and will indicate what test method will be most useful.
In existing buildings, the most important goal is to align the pressure boundary of the building with the thermal boundary. This means that the most obvious way to test and treat these buildings is to close all the exterior doors and windows, open all the interior doors to create a single large zone, and test the building as a whole. The air-sealing work is then completed at that pressure boundary. Given that the goal is to reduce air leakage as much as possible, the goal of testing is to get accurate infiltration measurements, and to identify as many bypasses as possible.
How much can apartment buildings be improved? Teams that I have worked with have run six buildings (ranging from 30 to 50 units) through a full cycle of test/air seal/test again. From these pilot buildings, we have come to conclude that the average wood-frame apartment building in Wisconsin can be air sealed to reduce its infiltration rate by roughly 18%. The range was 11-33% reduction in CFM50. (Looking at the data from 3,600 single-family homes weatherized in Wisconsin in 2007, I found that the CFM50 reduction averaged 19.05%.)
Most of the infiltration sites we find in wood-frame buildings will be familiar to single-family technicians. They include plumbing and wiring penetrations, open soffits, open can lights, and vented crawl spaces.
However, air-sealing crews will have to learn a few new tricks to treat apartment buildings. Multifamily auditors learn to be wary of "tiger traps" in apartment attics, concealed under the insulation. In some wood-frame buildings (maybe 25% of them) some weird design irregularity will leave behind large openings in the top-floor ceiling, 1 foot or more square. They are often found near masonry boiler flue chases and next to elevator shafts. (A colleague of mine found a 6-foot x 10-foot tiger trap next to the elevator shaft in a four-year-old luxury condo building. It extended from the attic above the third floor all the way to the ceiling above the parking garage in the basement!) If you find any odd-shaped garbage chute closets or utility closets, it's very likely that the little triangular space beside them never got ceiling drywall when the building was built. The insulator frequently just throws a fiberglass batt over the top, to keep the rest of the insulation from falling into the chase.
Since these spaces already have the appropriate fire separation from the living space, they can often be treated just like balloon-frame house walls—filled in with expanded polystyrene (EPS) board foamed into place. However, it's wise to check with your local fire marshal before going to work. He or she may have a different opinion about the need for air-sealing materials that also serve as a fire barrier.
Skilled auditors will always find and assess the party walls in wood-frame apartment buildings. One common feature is what we know in Wisconsin as the split top plate party wall. (It is not unique to Wisconsin or the Midwest; I have talked to colleagues in the southeastern United States and in the Northwest who report identical construction in similar buildings.) Starting in the early 1970s, architects succeeded in greatly reducing noise transmission from unit to unit by building two separate walls to divide units, leaving an air gap between the two top plates. This bypass can be ½ inch to 2 inches wide, and can extend the entire length of every party wall.
In some buildings, the party wall is also a "wet wall." Apartment buildings are frequently built with the kitchens and bathrooms against the party wall and back-to-back from each other, so that two units can share electrical feeders, sewer lines, and supply plumbing. These wet walls can be 1 foot across. And yes, they often have no ceiling, except for the insulator's batt thrown over the top. The 1-foot x 8-foot bypass just doesn't do the building a whole lot of good!
Finally, it is important to note that multifamily buildings usually have service spaces that need some special thought. Boiler and mechanical rooms are required to have large combustion air grilles, and are also generally required by code to have a robust fire separation from the rest of the building. They belong outside the pressure boundary of the building. The fire door, fire walls, and mechanical room ceiling are supposed to be the fire barrier and the air barrier. And most codes assume (or pretend) that they are, without ever testing them! In fact, this air barrier is rarely well detailed.
For years, multipoint testing with multiple blower doors has required careful coordination and a walkie-talkie or cell phone communication system, since test personnel and blower doors are distributed around the building. It can take a lot of practice to achieve clear communication and perform tests efficiently.
It is only very recently that the final piece of the puzzle has been put in place. Now both The Energy Conservatory (with TECLog 2) and Retrotec (with MultiFanTestic) have developed stable, reliable software systems designed to use a laptop computer to control multiple blower door fans and capture test data in real time. Every door and gauge system communicates to the laptop via CAT5 computer cable and USB active hub connections. These "fly by wire" systems give one operator complete control of a dozen or more individual fans. They automate all data capture, reducing communications problems.
Using these new systems dramatically simplifies the mechanics of testing large buildings. They don't simplify building setup, nor do they make tenants more tractable. But the brute force testing method described above requires that every technician be knowledgeable about every aspect of blower door testing, and demands slow, careful communication to retrieve accurate data. The automated testing systems eliminate the most problematic chore—communicating around the building.
Most important of all, these laptop-driven systems can collect dozens of data points per minute, and calculate results instantly (while the fans are still set up). It is not clear that the actual accuracy of tests is improved with these systems, but the precision of the test (and thus our confidence in the data) is improved substantially.
Thus, the appropriate testing strategy is to leave the combustion air opening unsealed and wedge the boiler room door closed so that the fan pressure won't force it open. This way, the blower door fans "feel" the fire wall and measure its leakage as part of the building leakage, and the combustion air opening is isolated from the fans and from the building. (This is why you don't need two extra blower doors just to neutralize the combustion air opening.) The air-sealing strategy will then be to fill gross openings with drywall or cement board (not EPS board), and seal with fire mortar or high-temp caulk in place of foam. In some jurisdictions, this sealing work can be performed only by technicians licensed to perform fire and smoke stopping.
The best thing about properly testing and air sealing the mechanical room is that it essentially eliminates the need for CAZ and worst-case draft testing in these buildings. After all, once we verify by testing that it is impossible for the building to pull combustion hardware to negative pressures, the whole issue of backdrafting appliances becomes moot. If the boiler room is measured to be at -1 Pa with respect to outside when the building is at -50 Pa with respect to outside, then we know that the boiler room and the building are, for all practical purposes, completely independent of each other. How good a separation is good enough? One pascal at -50? Three pascals? Five? The truth is, that standard has not been written. The science has not yet been done, but it will be.
Garbage rooms need to be isolated from the building to control odors and pests. Workshop areas may not be separated, but if the staff use them for painting, welding, or soldering, the building and residents may benefit greatly by isolating them. In the best of all worlds, workshop spaces used for these purposes will also get their own ventilation system and space conditioning. In that case, make sure they get their own thermostat! (How do you get a super on your side? Help convince the owners and managers that their staff need the well-planned, well-ventilated workshop they've always wanted!)
In short, the evidence is becoming clear that testing and air sealing apartment buildings is feasible, practical, and valuable. Just as in single-family homes, good air sealing, verified by accurate testing, saves energy, improves resident health and comfort, makes buildings more durable, and reduces energy costs.
learn more
The Energy Center of Wisconsin offers a three-day class in large-building blower door testing twice per year (usually in the spring and fall.) Go to www.ecw.org and search the site for multifamily blower door to find information on the next class.
For the recent DOE guidance document mentioned above, see Weatherization Program Notice 11-4 at www.waptac.org.
Completing accurate and precise blower door tests on these buildings is likewise feasible, practical, and valuable. Like every other aspect of working in apartment buildings, the work requires significant knowledge and careful planning. But it carries substantial economies of scale. An experienced crew can test a sizable building in less time and at less expense than it would take to test the same number of single-family homes. It's about time we started!
Don Hynek is the field coordinator for Wisconsin's large-building Multifamily Weatherization program. The program is on track to provide comprehensive weatherization service in 80 buildings of 20 units or larger, serving more than 5,500 households, by 2012.
The opinions, views and ideas expressed within this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency of the U.S. government.
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From Clarence Clemons and Don Reo's Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales (Grand Central):
"Clarence thought about a girl he knew in high school, then about a song he used to play, then about the house he grew up in back in Virginia, then about a street in Paris, then about a room he stayed in once in San Francisco, then about a painting of a child and a dog sitting on a pier, then about a bottle of wine he especially enjoyed at a restaurant in New York or maybe Boston with its gardens and grown-up houses ad tress along the river and pizza in the North End and a car, his first car, a '62 Chevy, a burgundy convertible; and he thought about all the people who died and he thought about death itself and how his was coming someday and how scared he would be to stop living and lose it all and slip into that great blackness and would it hurt and for how long; and he thought about the endless rush of time and color and sound as he moved down the corridor like at the end of 2001: A Space Odyssey, where that guy is in the room where you're young and you're old and you're young and you're old again; and he thought about his mother and his father and his children of God and about Heaven and who would be there and would there be awkward moments like when Jackie O runs into Marilyn, and he wondered why ghosts are always wearing clothes and did that mean that shirts and pants existed after death, too; and he thought about all the things he didn't do that he said he would, the broken promises, the broken hears, the fragments of regret scattered around all his rooms, all his days; and he thought about the rain, the soft, steady kind, the deep, soaking rain that strangely brought him comfort on the days that said that the sun would never come out again, and the rain would wash him clean if he stood in it and opened his arms to it and turned his face to the dark, weeping sky and allowed it to soak into his soul and make him one with the rain, part of it, lost in it where there was no pain and no memory and no regret, a place of peace and quiet, a place beyond hope, beyond redemption, beyond death."
The E Street Band might still be playing in Asbury Park dives if the group had given the world the musical equivalent of this 397-word jawbreaker from its popular saxophonist and sideman for Bruce Springsteen. "Long" doesn't equal "profound."
Read the New York Times review of Big Man.
The Delete Key Awards are being announced in random order but numbered for convenience. This is finalist No. 3. You can also read about the Delete Key Awards on Janice Harayda's page (@janiceharayda) on Twitter. The winner and runners up will be announced March 15 on One-Minute Book Reviews and on Janice Harayda's page (@janiceharayda) on Twitter.
© 2010 Janice Harayda. All rights reserved.

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HARRISBURG (AP) – A convicted sex offender who allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted a Harrisburg Area Community College student just four days after his release from prison has been captured.
Clarence Shaffer, 52, was arrested in Highspire on Tuesday after leading police on a foot chase.
Shaffer abducted an 18-year-old woman at gunpoint from a community college parking lot Monday morning and took her to a wooded area, where he sexually assaulted her, police said. She escaped after he lowered his gun.
Shaffer was released from a state prison on Thursday after serving 14 years for kidnapping and attempted sexual assault of a college student. Shaffer had served his maximum sentence, so the state board of Probation and Parole had no choice but to set him free.
The board noted one day before his release that Shaffer would pose 'an undue risk to public safety,' The Patriot-News of Harrisburg reported.
Following his arraignment, Shaffer told WHTM-TV that he chose his victim at random because he wanted to go back to prison.
'I am going home,' he told the news crew.
Shaffer was charged with kidnapping, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated assault, indecent assault, terroristic threats and simple assault. Bail was set at $2 million.


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One-of-a-Kind Midwest Sandwiches
Celebrate your state with a signature sandwich made using ingredients special to your area. There's one for each of the 12 Midwest states. Cheese, meat, veggies, sauce -- they're all here for your next tailgating extravaganza or casual get-together.
Wisconsin: Beer-Braised Brats
Steep your grilled brats in this onion-and-herb beer mixture for an easy way to keep them warm while tailgating. Beer-Braised Brats get a liberal dose of cranberry-pickle relish for extra color and tang. This is a Badger State meal in a bun.
Wild Rice and Turkey Loaf Sandwich
We put a hearty twist on an old standby, the meatloaf sandwich. This Minnesota-inspired sandwich blends two delights from the North Star State: turkey and wild rice. The wild rice adds a surprising crunch. Top it with roasted red pepper strips or some bold cranberry relish.
Michigan: Salmon Tailgating Sandwiches
Freshwater salmon gets the spotlight in Salmon Tailgating Sandwiches, based on the Great Lakes State's bounty. To represent the state's plentiful fruit crops, a relish made of Granny Smith apples and dried cherries tops it all off. While freshwater salmon would be the first choice in this sandwich, ocean fish works, too.
Iowa: Grilled Pork Wraps with Roasted Corn and Tomato Relish
The Hawkeye State's biggest harvests include corn and pork, two ingredients that star in Grilled Pork Wraps with Roasted Corn and Tomato Relish. If you're tailgating, just grill the pork at the game and slather on a honey-mustard glaze while it cooks. Then wrap the filling in tortillas right there for your guests.
Illinois: Apple Bagel Sandwiches with Pumpkin Cream Cheese
The Prairie State grows 80 percent of the pumpkins processed in the United States. That's why we created Apple Bagel Sandwiches with Pumpkin Cream Cheese. They're a good option for morning tailgating events. Or try them as a meatless sandwich any time of day. We also like the added crunch of the nuts.
Nebraska: Beefy Chili Dogs
The Coney Island Lunch Room in Grand Island, Nebraska, has served its all-American chili dog since 1933. In honor of this Cornhusker State edible institution, we cooked up Beefy Chili Dogs. Stewing the hot dogs in the seasoned meat mixture makes them extra juicy. Top them with cheese.
Missouri: Smoky Brisket Sandwiches
Brisket is a tough cut of meat that's transformed into heavenly tenderness with slow, low cooking. That's how we went about bringing together beef and barbecue, two essentials of Show-Me State cuisine, in Smoky Brisket Sandwiches. Serve on crusty ciabatta rolls. If you like morel mushrooms (and can find them!), try them here.
South Dakota: Bison-Zucchini Burgers
The Mount Rushmore State is the largest producer of bison in the nation. So we took this lean meat and created grilled Bison-Zucchini Burgers. Pita bread holds the moist, tender burger, and it's topped with a cabbage slaw tossed with Thousand Island dressing.
North Dakota: Venison Sausage Focaccia
A popular meat mixture in the Peace Garden State makes an appearance in our Venison Sausage Focaccia. Serve it with potatoes, and top it with onions and red sweet peppers. Hunters are known to make their own venison sausage. If you can't find it, use regular sweet Italian sausage.
Kansas: Hot-Off-The-Grill Pizza
The Italian heritage of the Sunflower State was our inspiration for Hot-Off-The-Grill Pizza. The state's impressive wheat production shows up in the tasty crust, a garlic-basil flatbread. Top it with roasted peppers, sliced meat, cheese and basil. To save time, substitute 3 cups of shredded pizza cheese for the mix of provolone, mozzarella and Asiago.
Indiana: Ham, Cheese and Sauerkraut Sandwiches
We put some of the best-known Amish products in this Ham, Cheese and Sauerkraut Sandwich. Sauerkraut and mayonnaise top sliced cheese and ham on country-style bread. Baked until melted, it's the perfect Hoosier State tailgating sandwich. For lower sodium, omit the ham.
Lemon-Dill Walleye Sandwiches
Our walleye sandwiches showcase fish grilled on a bed of lemon slices with a lemon-and-dill marinade.
Tailgate Toting Tips
For cold foods, wrap them well in plastic wrap or place them in a tightly covered container. Transport cold foods in an insulated cooler with ice packs. You want to keep the cooler at 40 degrees or below.For warm foods, place in a tightly covered storage container and tote in a covered, insulated container. Serve within two hours of heating/cooking.(Originally published in Midwest Living® September/October 2005.)


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Family Gives A Full Life To Son Trapped In Vegetative State For 31 Years
MURRIETA, Calif. (AP) – Paul Cortez can remember the night 31 years ago as clearly as if it was last week. He had walked into the pediatric intensive care unit of Riverside County Regional Medical Center to find his 7-year-old son, Mikey, barely clinging to life.
Bandages were covering his little body, seemingly from head to toe. Wires and tubes attached to machines were keeping him alive.
Doctors told Cortez that Mikey might not make it. A drunken driver had smashed into the car carrying the boy and relatives, sending four of them, including his mother, brother and sister, to other hospitals. Four other relatives, including Mikey's oldest brother, were dead.
Not knowing what to do, Paul Cortez got down on his knees and, with Mikey's hand in his, made a promise to God: If his son somehow survived, whatever the condition, he and his family would always be there for him.
It felt strange at first because, although he is a deeply religious man, Cortez had never before asked for any favors from heaven.
- California Businesswoman Would Become Second Hispanic In Obama Cabinet
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"But he was our son," he recalled.
Mikey would never walk or talk again, but that didn't matter to his family. For the next 31 years, they would raise him at home, including him in every activity they could. From holidays to family vacations to high school football games, they were by his side until his death last month.
"I prayed to God to walk our families through this," Cortez said, his voice thick with emotion. "To help us. And he did."
The youngest of Paul and Roonie Cortez's four children, Austin Miguel Cortez — "but Mikey just stuck," his mother says — had always been the most gregarious and mischievous member of the family. He was a veritable whirlwind of energy and practical jokes.
"If you look at the pictures, they pretty much tell you the story of Mikey, because in every one he's goofing off," Cortez said.
In one, he's striking some sort of warrior-cowboy pose.
In another, he's mugging for the camera.
In a group shot, he's making a face.
And in practically every one he's sporting a big grin.
The family lived in Temecula, midway between San Diego and Los Angeles. In March 1982, it was little more than a picturesque backwater of rolling hills and vineyards. The beauty of the place was why Cortez had moved his family there three years earlier.
One day, Mikey and his relatives piled into the family car and left home to meet his father for a night out. They were traveling on a rural, two-lane road when a drunken driver suddenly barreled down on them and hit their car head-on. "No seatbelts in those days," Mikey's mother said, meaning everybody was tossed about the car.
Mikey, the worst injured, suffered serious brain damage. He was left in a persistent vegetative state, a condition that's like a coma but lasts much longer. People are able to perform some basic functions, but show only limited, if any, awareness of their surroundings.
Although Mikey would never fully emerge from that state, his father was determined to give him as full a life as possible.
When Paul Cortez coached his daughter Angelica and son Tony in soccer, Mikey sat in his wheelchair on the sidelines, cheering them on.
When Tony made his high school football and basketball teams, Mikey was at every game. One year he traveled with his family to the mountain town of Lone Pine, where he sat in his wheelchair, bundled up head to toe against the frigid winter weather while his brother played.
At basketball games he'd be at courtside, and at some point in every game his brother would come over and give him a hug.
"He was aware of things going on around him by his eye contact or gestures that he made," his father said. "He felt pain and he could feel a tickle when we tickled him and he would smile at times."
Like the time they put a pair of Mickey Mouse ears on his head during a visit to Disneyland. Or when a favored uncle would come into his room and he'd perk up at the sound of his voice and turn to look at him.
Years later, he'd do the same upon hearing his nieces or nephews say, "Hi, Uncle Mikey."
How much of that is simple reflex as opposed to cognitive behavior has long been debated. Dr. Paul Vespa, who heads UCLA's Neurointensive Care Unit, said there are some cases in which people largely in a vegetative state seem to recognize some things.
"They have a lot of impairment, but they are able to interact a little bit," he said. Giving them as close to normal a life experience as possible, as Mikey's family did, probably does help them, he added.
Still, there were many things Mikey could never do. He couldn't shower or dress or feed himself during the years he was rapidly growing from little boy to teenager and, finally, into a strapping, 150-pound man.
So his mother and grandmother did those things for him.
"Did it get harder?" his mother said. "No. It just got different. With a brand new baby you can do anything. With a toddler, as he gets older, you have to be more careful, putting up gates and like that. And with Mikey it was similar."
Because he could no longer attend school with his friends, his family found other ways to get him involved. Several times a year they took him to schools where his father gave talks aimed at impressing upon teenage drivers the pain that drunken driving exacts on innocent victims.
He told them how a man with a blood-alcohol level of .22, nearly three times the legal limit, had gotten behind the wheel of a car with his two young daughters and drove straight into the vehicle carrying an innocent family. The driver and a daughter died too.
Then he introduced them to Mikey.
When the talks took Cortez and his family to Florida one year for a Mothers Against Drunk Driving conference, they turned the visit into a cross-country travel adventure, showing Mikey the sites in Texas, Florida, Virginia, Massachusetts and other states.
Over the years, the doctors who once doubted Mikey would survive a week after the accident gave up trying to predict when he might die.
"The first time we were told it was one night," Roonie Cortez said. "Then it was three days. Then it was maybe a couple of months. Then three to five years.
"And then," she said, managing a smile, "they just threw up their hands and said, 'Who knows?'"
After he marked his 38th birthday a year ago, Mikey's health began to deteriorate. Eight months ago he was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure. Promise or not, doctors told the family, it was time for him to enter a facility where he could undergo kidney dialysis.
The family struck a deal: They would learn how to do dialysis themselves and keep him at home.
When Christmas Eve arrived last month, Mikey gathered with his family for a holiday portrait. Only this time there was no smile. He looked pale and weary and his eyes were closed. Three days later, he died at home, with his family at his side.
When they got into this journey 31 years ago, his father said, the family "didn't have a clue" how they would fulfill their promise, but, yes, they would do it all again. It brought them closer together and it gave Mikey a life full of meaning with them and — with strangers.
"I'll tell you a story," Cortez said, pausing to brush his face as he began to choke up.
A year ago, he was giving a talk about drunken driving and a young woman approached him. She told him she had been one of Mikey's first-grade classmates, back when he was that vibrant little boy. She let Cortez know that over the years she and others had gotten the message of Mikey's life.
"And I just held on to her and we cried," he said.
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The Magic of Midwest Covered Bridges
Ashtabula County, Ohio
Benetka Road Covered Bridge, built about 1900 and renovated in 1985, spans the Ashtabula River and is one of 17 historic and reconstructed bridges in northeast Ohio's Ashtabula County. In the fall, the Ashtabula County Covered Bridge Festival features tours of the bridges plus country music, clogging and pumpkin carving. coveredbridgefestival.org
Orchards and vineyards surround pretty lake towns in Ashtabula, which borders Lake Erie.
While you're there: Explore local wineries including Debonne Vineyards in Madison, 8 miles south of Geneva, debonne.com, and Harpersfield Vineyard in Geneva. harpersfield.com Sample Italian dishes and wine made on-site at Ferrante Winery and Ristorante, south of Geneva. ferrantewinery.com Stay overnight at cozy Warner-Concord Farms in Geneva. warner-concordfarms.com
- Photo by Jess Hoffert.
Madison County, Iowa
Six of Madison County's original 19 covered bridges remain today—enough to have inspired a best-selling novel, movie and Broadway show. A covered bridge festival in October features music, a quilt show, local artists, a parade and guided bus tours of the covered bridges. Winterset, the county seat, is about 40 miles southwest of Des Moines.
While you're there: Fans of John Wayne may want to visit the four-room home where he was born May 26, 1907, the son of Winterset pharmacist Clyde Morrison and his wife, Mary Brown Morrison. johnwaynebirthplace.museum
Head to Des Moines for a variety of lodgings, restaurants and activities. catchdesmoines.com Be sure to wander through the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park in downtown Des Moines, dotted with 28 sculptures worth an estimated $40 million. desmoinesartcenter.org
Amnicon Falls, Wisconsin
A 55-foot-long covered footbridge crosses the Amnicon River at the Lower Falls, leading to a small island at Amnicon Falls State Park (about 15 miles southeast of Superior). The bridge, which was not covered at the time it was built, was moved to its current location in the 1930s; the roof was added in 1939 and has been replaced twice since then. The unusual bowstring design uses arched beams secured with hooks and clips rather than rivets and bolts. dnr.wi.gov
While you're there: A 30-minute drive takes you to Duluth, Minnesota, an appealing bluffside city of 86,000. visitduluth.com Watch freighters come and go under the 1905 Aerial Lift Bridge and gawk at giant sturgeon at the Great Lakes Aquarium. glaquarium.org Lake Avenue Cafe offers a fresh take on urban fare including Thai chili and eggplant pizza. lakeavenuerestaurantandbar.com The upscale Canal Park Lodge features rooms with lake views and easy access to downtown. canalparklodge.com
Parke County, Indiana
Thirty-one covered bridges punctuate Parke County's landscape like the miniature buildings in a model train set. coveredbridges.com Here, 55 miles west of Indianapolis in the Wabash River Valley, you'll find the nation's highest concentration of covered bridges. Often built near mills, bridges such as the 1915 Bowsher Ford (left) once connected farmsteads separated by squiggling streams. In autumn, tour buses roll in for the half-century-old Covered Bridge Festival. In winter, though, visitors have the quiet to themselves. crawfordsville.org
While you're there: In any season, the rock cliffs of Turkey Run State Park provide places to hike and reflect. turkeyrunstatepark.com The inn at Turkey Run State Park offers inexpensive lodging. Browse for gifts at the Covered Bridge Art Gallery in downtown Rockville, and try the chicken noodle soup with cheddar-garlic biscuits at Clabber Girl in Terre Haute (about a half-hour southwest of Rockville). clabbergirl.com
South Haven, Michigan
Walk or bike across the Donald F. Nichols Bridge, part of Kal-Haven Trail State Park. The 108-foot-long bridge crosses the Black River about 1 mile east of the South Haven trailhead. From there, you can continue more than 30 miles through the Michigan countryside to the northwest suburbs of Kalamazoo. michigandnr.com
While you're there: South Haven has beaches within walking distance of downtown and inns, plus fresh foods at the edge of wine country. southhaven.org The European-style Hotel Nichols offers bikes for rent. hotelnichols.com For adventures of another sort, set sail on the replica schooner Friends Goodwill. michiganmaritimemuseum.org
Long Grove, Illinois
Long Grove's covered bridge adds to the historic charm of this German town 35 miles northwest of Chicago. Nearly 80 shops, many in restored Victorian homes, line cobblestone walkways in Long Grove. Festivals are a big draw as well: As many as 50,000 visitors come to check out big annual events such as the Chocolate Festival in May and Strawberry Festival in June. Winter holiday festivities include horse-drawn carriage rides. visitlonggrove.com
While you're there: Enjoy some of Long Grove's dozens of shops, then try home-style soups and hefty half-pound burgers at the 1847-era Village Tavern. villagetavernoflonggrove.com
Dogwood Canyon Nature Park
A covered bridge made by Amish craftsman is one of many attractions at Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, a 10,000-acre area that straddles the Missouri-Arkansas border, about 30 minutes southwest of Branson, Missouri. explorebranson.com Explore the park by foot, bike, horseback, kayak, tram or Jeep tours. Waterfalls, trout streams and large herds of buffalo and elk dot the rolling terrain. dogwoodcanyon.org
While you're there: Lounge the day away at Table Rock Lake, or head to Branson for shopping and more than 50 theaters with family-friendly shows. visittablerocklake.org Silver Dollar City theme park mixes history and crafts with cool rides. silverdollarcity.com Among the many overnight lodgings is Big Cedar Lodge, an upscale full-service resort along a quiet part of the lake south of Branson. big-cedar.com
Atwood, Kansas
This small covered walking bridge is tucked away on a walking path around quiet Lake Atwood, about 30 miles north of Colby and I-70 in the northwest corner of Kansas. The Lake Atwood Ten Mile race, held since 1972, draws running enthusiasts to the area each summer. atwoodkansas.com
While you're there: Explore small museums, forts, cabins and other reminders of pioneer days in northwest Kansas. northwestkansas.org In September, more than 1,000 vendors participate in the U.S.-36 Treasure Hunt, a 400-mile yard sale stretching along the state's northern tier, including Atwood. Check the Northwest Kansas Travel website and the U.S. Highway 36 website for activities, events, lodging and shopping. ushwy36.com
Adams County, Ohio
In the rolling hills on the edge of Appalachia, you can drive through the 1855 Harshaville Covered Bridge (left) or walk on the 1890 Kirker Covered Bridge. The Harshaville Covered Bridge, the last covered bridge still used in Adams County, was once traversed by Confederate General John Morgan and his Raiders when they passed through the county during the Civil War. adamscountytravel.org
While you're there: Adams County, 60 miles southeast of Cincinnati, offers a dozen-plus parks and preserves, a fledgling Amish community and surprisingly upscale bed and breakfasts. Hike the heavily wooded terrain of The Edge of Appalachia Preserve (nature.org), snack on a cream-filled coffee cake at Amish-run Miller's Bakery (ohiotraveler.com), and relax overnight in a comfortable cabin at Murphin Ridge Inn (murphinridgeinn.com).
Brown County, Indiana
A winding two-lane road leads to Bean Blossom Covered Bridge north of Nashville. Built in 1880, it's the only original covered bridge in Brown County and is a popular subject for photographers and artists. Just an hour south of Indianapolis, Brown County offers a serene vibe at state parks, artists' colonies and small towns. browncounty.com
While you're there: Wander on secluded paths at Brown County State Park (in.gov), explore the area's artistic heritage at T.C. Steele Historic Site (browncountystatepark.com) and spend some time in Nashville, which has fewer than 1,000 people but more than 150 shops, galleries and artists' studios. Overnight visitors can settle into a cozy cabin at Brown County State Park's Abe Martin Lodge (in.gov) or relax in the Victorian-style Cornerstone Inn in Nashville. cornerstoneinn.com
Greenfield Village, Michigan
The Ackley Covered Bridge, built in 1832, originally resided near West Finley, Pennsylvania. By the 1930s, when Henry Ford was looking for a covered bridge to add to his collection of historic buildings at Greenfield Village, the Ackley bridge had fallen into disrepair and was scheduled to be torn down. Ford had it dismantled and trucked more than 300 miles to Dearborn, where it was reassembled. thehenryford.org
While you're there: Spend at least a day at The Henry Ford, one of the nation's top historic attractions. Ford's remarkable collection of buildings and artifacts fill Henry Ford Museum and neighboring Greenfield Village; you can also take an auto-factory tour at the Ford Rouge Plant. At the Village, a Michigan stagecoach tavern serves authentic circa-1850 foods such as chicken fricassee. Spend the night in the nearby Georgian-style Dearborn Inn. marriott.com
Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio
Of more than 2,000 covered bridges that once existed in Ohio, only a handful remain today, including Everett Road Covered Bridge in Cuyahoga Valley National Park (a half-hour south of Cleveland). The bridge spans Furnace Run and is believed to have been built in the 1870s, around the time that a local farmer drowned trying to cross the treacherous waters in winter. nps.gov/cuva
While you're there: The 33,000-acre Cuyahoga Valley National Park includes spectacular rock formations and waterfalls, 160 miles of tails, golf courses and a living-history settlement. The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad travels through the park. cvsr.com Just to the north, Cleveland has more than enough activities to round out a weekend, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (rockhall.com) and the exotic Cleveland Botanical Garden (cbgarden.org).


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Preliminary drawing for Body of Thought No I (BT 7) is a 1988 work by Richard Deacon.
|Pencil on tracing paper
|29.5 x 21 cm
|Credit Line
|IMMA Collection: Loan, Weltkunst Foundation, 1994
|Item Number
For copyright information, please contact the IMMA Collections team: [email protected].
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UK Supermodel Agency official summer party a huge success
By Paul Miller, Senior Photographer
As part of an ongoing series of international hot spot profiles and nightclub reviews, Bullz-Eye was recently invited to one of the hottest, most anticipated parties of the summer in London, England; the Supermodel Agency Official Summer Party 2010. The party was hosted August 14th at the always posh and uber slick Embassy 'members only' club in Oxford Circus, where the lines were long and the velvet rope was always being tested. The agency was celebrating the birthday of the lovely Teagan, one of its top girls.
Agency Owner and director Phillip Green was at the helm of this all glamour girl extravaganza. With almost 100 of English's most stunning birds in attendance, it was a sight to see. The Supermodel Agency is one of the most respected and sought after model agencies in all of the UK for glamour modeling representation and bookings. Its roster of stunning lookers is a virtual who's who of top British glamour. The models, 98 of which were in attendance have been featured on the pages of Playboy, Zoo, Nuts, Maxim, FHM and Page 3.
Polished, reserved and professional, Phil Green has had arguably of the most envious and fantastical jobs in the world. Green has spent more than 40 years showcasing and promoting the "toppermost of the poppermost" of UK glamour models. From talent development and directing the Miss Great Briton and Miss England pageants in the 70s and 80's to the establishment of the Supermodel Agency in 1990 through the present, Phil has nurtured, developed and marketed the" best of the best" of world class glamour modeling talent. With just one look at the phenomenal roster on his site I could only imagine what was in store for me upon arrival that Friday night!
I was whisked immediately through the velvet rope near the mob at the club's entrance, and led to Phil, who was corralling his girls into the upper lounge area. French champagne bottles with their mandatory sparklers whizzed by my head. Several dozen flawless blondes and brunettes with micro dresses and full D cleavage were milling about the bar chatting, catching up with their other Barbie-doll friends. Conversation ranged from fashion to their recent cover appearances or footballer boyfriend gossip. At that moment I knew there was no better party in London or all of the UK for that matter. UK glamour girls cannot seem to get enough photos taken of them. Every girl in the place had an amazing hour glass 34D-24-34 figure, ready to arch at a moments notice, lip gloss a-pumpin'. It was as though the entire club was a massive glamour photo op. London tabloid and paparazzi media were there as well, and the de regueur UK reality show celebrities showed up soon thereafter, looking for their model catch of the night.
By 11pm, the Supermodel Agency's finest had arrived. The guest of honor, Teagan, and her sexy entourage headed downstairs to the dance floor, bee- lining straight for their reserved VIP tables. Excellent beats by resident mixers DJ Iron (Virgin EMI) and DJ Woody (Choice FM) played as the girls danced, drank and posed for hours, flashbulbs going off all the time. The very happy birthday girl, Teagan, was surrounded by friends in the VIP, looking great all through the night.
Some of UK's finest glamour covermodels were in attendance, including: Kelly Barrow, Jessica Hunt, Sarah Longbottom, Sarah Arnold, Teagan, Laurie Lolita, Vanessa Walker, Nickie Hedger, Eve Lavelle, Jade Samantha, Danni Diamond, Steffi Baker, Samanah, Charley Atwell, Holly Gibbons, Hannah Prentice, Lucy Harrold, Emma Louise Trott, Chelsie Hinds, Lucy Harrold, Kelly Sayer, and Elle Hartley. Celebrity appearances were made by TV presenter Alex Adams and Billi Bhatti of UK's Big Brother.
A special Bullz-Eye thanks goes out to all at the Embassy Club, Mr. Phil Green and the remarkable girls of Supermodels UK!
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Tags: Charley Atwell, Chelsie Hinds, Danni Diamond, Elle Hartley, Emma Louise Trott, Eve Lavelle, Hannah Prentice, Holly Gibbons, hot galleries, hot girls gallery, hot pics gallery, Jade Samantha, Jessica Hunt, Kelly Barrow, Kelly Sayer, Laurie Lolita, Lucy Harrold, Nickie Hedger, Samanah, Sarah Arnold, Sarah Longbottom, Steffi Baker, supermodel gallery, Supermodel representation, supermodels, Supermodels uk, Teagan, Teagan birthday party, The Supermodel Agency, uk supermodels, Vanessa Walker


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Heritage pool will open this summer
By Don Reid
COLDWATER — The Heritage Park pool will be open this summer — with some cuts in days of operation and hours.
In the future it could be the site of a spray pool to take advantage of existing infrastructure such as restrooms, pumps and pavilions.
Coldwater City Manager Jeff Budd told the city council the pool will be kept open while the new aquatic center is being built, but in "the long term it doesn't make sense to keep both pools open" for several reasons.
Budd said the new aquatic center would be open by next summer, "but the plan is the keep the current pool open during the transition."
The staff and council had discussed closing the pool this summer.
In order to save money this summer, staff suggested a delay in opening the pool from Memorial Day to June 15th.
"This saves on labor costs, heating and chemical costs during a period," Budd said. "Schools are also still in session during this time, so the historical usage indicates attendance is quite low."
To cut staff costs the slides would be open only during limited hours. Because of liability, two staff members must be present at the slide when it is used.
The pool would be closed if the air temperature was below 72 degrees.
Pool usage is low during Branch County 4-H Fair week, so the city will close the pool during that week and just open it that weekend.
The pool will remain open through Labor Day weekend, but after fair week it may be closed on certain days depending on projected weather and attendance.
"Staff will evaluate this on a week by week basis," Budd said.
Budd outlined his reasons for converting the pool to a spray park.
"First and foremost is cost," he said.
The outside pool is expensive to run for the short summer season. The pool use is directly affected by the weather; cool or rainy weather prevents any use.
The Heritage Park pool was built in 1974 when backyard pools were uncommon. It does not meet the current ADA and handicap rules.
"Unfortunately, it is showing its age and repairs are needed," Budd said.
Budd explained, "the staff feels it is important to the community to keep the pool open this year" because it provides benefits from swim lessons and physical wellness activities to a safe place for families.
Budd also said staff understands the importance of an outdoor water feature where kids can play and parents can seek respite on warm days.
"In more and more communities it is common to see these needs being met by spray parks versus traditional pool settings," he said.
Coldwater looked at spray parks in Mount Pleasant and Midland, which are extensively used because they are family, friendly, interactive and cost significantly less to operate than a pool.
Mayor Tom Kramer said the summer pool savings hopefully will help fund the spray pool. The city also hopes to have money from the $11 million donation from Dr. Robert Browne and his late wife to build the spray pool.
The new center will be able to provide year-round activities as well as club and swimming events.
"The city is making substantial contributions to the aquatic center, so city residents will get discounts to use it," the mayor explained.
While Coldwater Schools will manage the aquatic center, "it will very much be a community pool," Kramer said.


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Featured is a stunning Vaseline Glass Covered Butter Dish. This is a Mosser reproduction of McKee's Queen pattern. This amazing piece is about 5 inches high to the top of the finial and the base is about 7 1/4 inches in diameter. This hard to find piece is in excellent condition, free from any chips or cracks. Incredible glow under UV light (see photos).
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All items are described as accurately as possible, and I do my best to note any damage. Most of my items are twenty or more years old and may show wear consistent with age/use. I try to provide many detailed pictures which serve as part of the description, and I encourage you to ask any questions prior to purchase. I generally do not accept returns, but there are always exceptions, so please message me if you feel you need to return an item. If you are not satisfied with your purchase for any reason please reach out right away so that we may reach an amicable solution, I want you to be happy with and enjoy your purchase!
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Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation research reports
About this collection
Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation research reports were produced beginning in 1953 for the purpose of developing Hagley Museum's exhibits and interpretations. They were prepared by research staff and by participants in the Hagley Fellowship Program, administered jointly with the University of Delaware. Many of the reports focus on the industrial development of the Brandywine River Valley and surrounding area. The research reports also include scholarly articles which utilize Hagley's collections as source material or address subjects pertaining to Hagley's mission. This collection has not been digitized in its entirety. For a detailed description of the entire collection, click here to view the finding aid.


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White Lace-up Christening Dress Shoes Little Boys Size 11
BRAND: Im-Link Corp
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A. Chest Width: child's arms down, slip tape under arms and across chest and shoulder blades holding tape firm and level.
B. Waist Measure: measure around the natural waistline.
C. Hem Length: To see where the hem will fall on your child, measure down from the middle top of shoulder or waist line (as specified within the description).
D. Hips/Seat: With child standing, measure around fullest point of the seat.
E. Inseam: Measure pants that fit child well. Lay them flat with the front and back creased smooth. Measure along the inseam from crotch to bottom of leg hem. F. Torso Start by the neck at highest point of the shoulder, then measure down over chest through the crotch and continue up the back to the starting point.
The garment measurement in the description should be about 1 inch larger than the actual measurement of your child.
Please use the following general girls size charts to help determine sizing, however, keep in mind that due to variations between children, brands and styles, we cannot guarantee fit. We have found that height is a better indicator of size than weight.
If in doubt you may wish to order up a size, as children will always grow!
The below size charts are intended for reference only. Sizes can vary between brands. Sophia's Style cannot suggest or guarantee sizing for ANY item
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My latest vlog with 6 weeks to go to the Dragon's Back is all about what I'm planning to put in my overnight drop bag.
I set up this blog (Oct 06) to record my training and thoughts in preparing for the 2007 WHW Race - a 95 mile ultra race from Milngavie to Fort William.
I have now run 51 ultras over the past thirteen years including the whw 6 times and you can read all about them, watch my race videos and lots more by using the tabs at the top of the blog.
If you want to contact me my email address is [email protected]
Next ultra race …Virtual Lakeland 100July 20th, 2020
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- 10 Peaks
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My novel written in November 2009
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Have you read so many novels by Mitch Albom and Stephenie Meyer that you're losing the will to live? Go right now to the site for the Nobel Prize in literature, where you'll find excerpts from the work of 23 writers of prose and 10 poets who have become laureates since 1926 (excluding Herta Müller, who won the 2009 prize today). The "Text Excerpts" section of the site is superbly organized, with all the selections listed and linked to on the same page, so you can start with any of them and, if doesn't appeal to you, hit your back browser try another. If you like what you read, the Nobel site has more information about its author.
October 8, 2009
Late Night With Jan Harayda — Free Online Excerpts From the Books of 23 Nobel Prize-Winners
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Apple has responded to the furor over its supposed App Store policy changes that many believe could affect the popular Kindle, Nook and Sony Reader apps. The company claims it has not changed any of its guidelines given to developers, but it indirectly confirms that accessing content purchased elsewhere could be a no-no if that content isn't also available to be purchased through Apple's own system.
"We have not changed our developer terms or guidelines," Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller told Ars Technica. "We are now requiring that if an app offers customers the ability to purchase books outside of the app, that the same option is also available to customers from within the app with in-app purchase."
Buzz began Tuesday morning when The New York Times said that Sony's e-reader app had been rejected, citing Apple's restriction on in-app book purchases. This in itself was not a new policy — Apple doesn't allow apps to sell content to users unless that content passes through the official Apple ecosystem, where Apple gets a 30 percent cut.
Apple also allegedly told Sony that the app couldn't access content purchased on other Sony Reader devices, which is where most of the outrage was focused. Amazon's Kindle app and Barnes & Noble's Nook app are both popular mechanisms for users to download and read books that they have purchased from the respective stores. Many feared that this supposed change in Apple policy would take their e-books away from their iPads, iPhones and iPod touches.
Apple's second statement indicates that this is indeed the case — sort of. If an app lets users access content that they purchased via Amazon's website, for example, then that same app must also let users buy the same book via Apple's own in-app purchase system. If the app developer doesn't want to use Apple's in-app purchases to sell content, then the app can't access content purchased elsewhere either.
This is notable because it will require Amazon and Barnes & Noble (as well as Sony, whose iOS app is not yet available) to change how their offerings work. Apple wants its 30 percent share of content sales whenever possible.
Amazon has already gone all-in with its "Buy Once, Read Everywhere" tagline, so it probably can't afford to back out of the iOS platform now. The alternative appears to be a user-interface nightmare: re-structuring its sales mechanisms in order to allow customers to buy from both Amazon and Apple (a move that will chafe Amazon execs) or from Apple alone (even more chafing).
Sony, for its part, still has not responded to our requests for comment. The company did post a note on its website, however, noting that it has "opened a dialog with Apple to see if we can come up with an equitable resolution but reached an impasse at this time." The company says it's exploring other ways to bring its Reader to iOS devices, indicating that it may try other routes in order to avoid the App Store tax.
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Pirates beat Reds 6-2 in wild-card game
PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Pirates went 21 years between playoff games. The wait will be significantly shorter this time around.
Russell Martin homered twice, Francisco Liriano was dominant for seven innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates roared past Cincinnati for a 6-2 victory in the NL wild-card game Tuesday night.
In front of a black-clad crowd savoring its first postseason game since 1992, Marlon Byrd also connected and Andrew McCutchen had two hits and reached base four times for Pittsburgh.
Liriano scattered four hits for the Pirates, who will face St. Louis in Game 1 of the NL division series Thursday. Liriano struck out five and walked one to win the first playoff game of his career.
Cincinnati starter Johnny Cueto struggled in his third start since coming off the disabled list last month. Cueto gave up four runs in 3 1/3 innings and appeared rattled by a raucous ballpark that taunted him throughout by chanting his name.
Byrd, acquired by the Pirates in late August from the New York Mets, celebrated the first postseason at bat of his 12-year career - 1,250 games - by sending Cueto's fastball into the seats to give the Pirates the lead. The shot sent another jolt through an already electric crowd, which began singing "Cue-to, Cue-to" in unison when Martin stepped in.
Martin sent a drive into the bleachers in left field. The Reds never recovered, ending a 90-win season with a six-game losing streak.
Three of those losses came against Pittsburgh at Cincinnati in the final series of the season that determined the site of the win-or-die game.
Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker backed Cueto before the game, saying his ace "thrives on this environment." Maybe, but the right-hander never looked comfortable in front of the largest crowd in PNC Park history, a place where Cueto has dominated.
Cueto, who came in 8-2 at the ballpark by the Allegheny River, even lost his grip on the ball while standing on the mound.
A moment later, he lost his grip on the game.
Martin's 405-foot shot to left-center gave Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead and all the momentum Liriano would require.
Signed on the cheap in the offseason after a mediocre 2012 split between the Minnesota Twins and the Chicago White Sox, Liriano has been reborn in Pittsburgh. He went 16-8 with a 3.02 ERA during the regular season, his devastating slider nearly unhittable against left-handers.
The Reds proved no match. Joey Votto went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. Jay Bruce produced an RBI single in the fourth but Cincinnati never really threatened on a night baseball officially returned to Pittsburgh after a 20-year trek through purgatory.
Shin-Soo Choo homered in the eighth, a drive to right field that was upheld by video review.
Pittsburgh's 94-win regular season reignited a relationship sullied by years of mismanagement and miserable play. When the gates opened two hours before the first pitch, fans - most of them dressed in black at the urging of MVP candidate McCutchen - sprinted to their seats in anticipation of the club's first postseason game since Atlanta's Sid Bream slid into home ahead of Barry Bonds' throw in the bottom of the ninth in Game 7 of the 1992 National League championship series.
The victory sent the Braves to the World Series and the Pirates into an abyss it took an entire generation to escape.
The first step came with victory No. 82 on Sept. 9. The next came two weeks later when a win over the Chicago Cubs assured a wild-card spot. The most thrilling yet lifted the team with the 26th-highest payroll in the majors ($73.6 million) into a showdown with baseball royalty.
The Reds, meanwhile, head into an offseason that could be eventful. Baker has led Cincinnati to the playoffs in three of the last four years but the Reds failed to advance each time. They fell to the San Francisco Giants in five games - after leading 2-0 - in the division series in 2012 and were swept in the same round by Philadelphia in 2010.
This time, they didn't even make it that far. Cincinnati spent most of the season as the third team in a three-way race with the Pirates and the Cardinals for the NL Central title.
Cueto, who made three different trips to the disabled list this season with a strained lat, was pressed into service when projected starter Mat Latos discovered bone chips in his right (throwing) elbow.
At the time, it seemed like an upgrade. It wasn't. The Pirates made it 3-0 on sacrifice fly in the third by Pedro Alvarez and Cueto was pulled when Starling Marte doubled with one out in the fourth. Marte sprinted home on local boy Neil Walker's double off reliever Sean Marshall and Walker scored on a fielder's choice by Byrd to make it 5-1.
When Martin hit a drive to left off Logan Ondrusek in the seventh, the party seemingly unthinkable for a team that lost 105 games in 2010 began. Martin's long ball marked only the second multihomer playoff game in team history. Bob Robertson hit three in Game 2 of the 1971 NLCS.


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Mark Leffingwell / Daily Camera
Boulder County Clerk Hillary Hall agreed Monday to allow observers more access to the ballot counting process during the 2012 general election.
Boulder County Libertarian Party chairman Ralph Shnelvar had filed a lawsuit alleging that Hall violated state law earlier this month by denying authorized election watchers' ability "to meaningfully observe the handling" of mail-in absentee ballots and the ballots that active-duty members of the military and citizens living overseas have been sending back.
The case was scheduled for a hearing Monday morning before Judge Maria Berkenkotter, but attorneys for both sides were able to reach an agreement without the hearing.
Under the agreement, vote watchers will be able to stand 4 feet from the computer screens used for signature verification. Previously, the watchers could stand 4 feet from the person sitting in front of the computer screens.
Hall also agreed to provide daily logs and screenshots of mail-in ballots and ballots returned by voters under procedures set forth in the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
There will now also be two bipartisan judges when possible in the signature verification process, as opposed to one judge submitting an escalation form when a dispute arises.
Hall said she was happy the two sides were able to reach an agreement.
"We really were doing a majority of those things anyway," she said. "The watchers now will be a bit closer, and we will start off with two judges to a degree possible."
Shnelvar, who is also one of his party's election watchers, said while he didn't get everything he wanted, he was generally pleased with the terms of the agreement.
"I think we got as much as we could possibly get," he said. "There are no hard feelings. We didn't get everything we wanted, but we spared the court's time, and more importantly we did not risk making bad law."
He said he was "extremely happy" about getting two bipartisan judges to watch the signature verification process, something he did not expect the two sides would agree on.
He also said he was pleased Hall agreed to abide by the Colorado Secretary of State's guidelines for processing Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act ballots. Shnelvar's attorney, M. Robin Repass, said they were ready to argue whether the guidelines were binding, but Hall agreed to treat them as binding in the agreement.
"That was a big thumbs-up for us," Shnelvar said. "We want to make sure elections are open and honest. People have a right to know elections are being handled not only honestly, but accurately and verifiable in its honesty."
Shnelvar did say he wished he had gotten a more explicit agreement from Hall about watchers' access to the scanning room.
"We still belong there, and the law says so," he said. "But that's a battle for another day."
Both sides also agreed to pay their own legal costs in the case. The Independence Institute, a Denver-based Libertarian-leaning think tank, is financially assisting Shnelvar's effort, paying for his attorneys — lawyers from the Jackson Kelly PLLC firm.
"They really stuck their neck out for this," Shnelvar said.
The terms of the agreement only apply to the 2012 general election, and Hall agreed as voting methods evolve, the rules involving watchers must as well.
"I think this points to a bigger conversation we need to have as a state," Hall said. "A majority of people vote by mail. We took the process we had for polling locations, but we're starting to see some instances in which that doesn't work. When the Legislature starts up again, I think there will be many conversations on this important topic."
Shnelvar said that while the agreement was a "huge win," there were more discussions to be had.
"I think the watchers perceive or feel that they have been marginalized," he said. "I think what happened today got us closer."
Contact Camera Staff Writer Mitchell Byars at 303-473-1329 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text: fileunderfile By Madeleine Bloom|June 29th, 2013|0 Comments Share this article with others! FacebookTwitterRedditLinkedInWhatsAppTumblrPinterestVkEmail About the Author: Madeleine Bloom Madeleine Bloom is an Ableton Certified Trainer, musician, producer, multi-instrumentalist and singer from Berlin. She studied Electroacoustic Music at the Franz Liszt Conservatory. For a few years she worked as a technical support for Ableton gaining in-depth knowledge of Ableton Live that even most CTs don't ever get. In 2012 she started Sonic Bloom and has since helped countless people on all continents with their music productions and live performances. Leave A Comment Cancel replyComment Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.