Dop Antiques & Architecturals

  By admin | May 4, 2013 - 8:19 pm |
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There is a place in New Orleans where you can find anything you are looking for no matter what room in your house you are looking to furnish even the porch or patio.  The Dob’s have been selling antiques in the area for more than ten years starting with wholesaling to designers.  After Katrina they began selling to the public and have had great success.  New Orleans design and architecture goes well with antiques and they are very popular in the region.

Featuring competitive pricing and frequent shipments from countries including France, Egypt, China and India, Dop Antiques & Architecturals (300 Jefferson Hwy., 504-231-3397; www.dopantiques.-com) has secured a niche for itself since opening in 2000. Owner Michiel Dop keeps his 15,000-square-foot warehouse filled with an ever-changing mix of antiques and antique reproductions.

A native of the Netherlands, Dop came to New Orleans after meeting his New Orleanian wife, Adela. He immediately recognized a business opportunity. “I saw Magazine Street and Royal Street and couldn’t believe the prices they were getting for antiques,” he says.

The couple began importing antiques from France, Belgium, England, Italy and the Netherlands and wholesaling them to the design trade. When Hurricane Katrina’s widespread losses created an increased demand for furnishings in a city with a longstanding love for antiques, Dop started retailing his inventory. He quickly garnered a whole new following. . .  Continue Reading

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Antique 150-year-old prayer book to exchange hands to Wilton soldier

  By admin | April 7, 2013 - 4:34 am |
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The legacy of a 150 year old prayer book will continue as it is handed down to yet another soldier.  “The Soldiers Prayer Book” has been carried through the Civil War, WWI, WW2, the Persian Gulf War and is now being sent to a soldier currently deployed to Afghanistan.  All the soldiers who have had the book have returned home safely.

Some books chronicle history, but “The Soldier’s Prayer Book” actually has been part of some of the most significant military events of the past 150 years.

Army Maj. Edwin R. Smith carried the religious booklet through 32 active engagements in the Civil War.

More than a half-century later, a Stillwater resident, Ord. Sgt. Sidney Morey of the 1st Army American Expeditionary Forces, had the text with him during battles in World War I. He then handed it down to Master Sgt. William G. Clark for his service in World War II.

Capt. Shawn Littrell received the book in 1989 while he was a 2nd lieutenant serving with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit during the Persian Gulf War. Clark knew Littrell’s late father, Edward, who had served in Vietnam. . . Continue Reading

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Pilots to hold reunion 10th anniversary of National Air Tours to coincide with 60th annual fly-in

  By admin | April 6, 2013 - 5:45 am |
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Labor Day Weekend 2013 marks one of the biggest events in antique aircraft.  The National Air Tours combined with the Antique Airplane Association Museum/Invitation Fly In together will be recreating th 1932 National Air Tour that never was.  Back in the 1920s air tours were held to promote aviation but 1932 lineup was cancelled due to the depression.  This year a fly in will be hosted with many of the same air craft present.

This year’s fly-in at the Antique Airfield will become a reunion within a reunion.

Brent Taylor, chairman of the fly-in, said the 10th anniversary of the National Air Tours will be held in conjunction with the 60th annual Antique Airplane Association/Airpower Museum (AAA/APM) Invitational Fly-in from Aug. 28 to Sept. 2.

“If you go clear back in history, the National Air Tours were put on to promote aviation in the 1920s, sponsored by Ford Motor Company,” Taylor said. . .  Continue Reading

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NOAA predicts mixed bag of drought, flooding and warm weather for spring

  By admin | March 22, 2013 - 12:31 pm |
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued its Spring Outlook today.  The purpose of the outlook is to identify spring flood risk, expectations for temperature, precipitation and drought.  The predictions for this year are all over the board with some regions experience drought, such as Texas, plan states and Florida while others, like North Dakota will be preparing for severe flooding.  Temperatures are expected to be higher than normal across the country.

NOAA issued the three-month U.S. Spring Outlook today, stating that odds favor above-average temperatures across much of the continental United States, including drought-stricken areas of Texas, the Southwest and the Great Plains. Spring promises little drought relief for most of these areas, as well as Florida, with below- average spring precipitation favored there. Meanwhile, river flooding is likely to be worse than last year across the country, with the most significant flood potential in North Dakota.

“This outlook reminds us of the climate diversity and weather extremes we experience in North America, where one state prepares for flooding while neighboring states are parched, with no drought relief in sight,” said Laura Furgione, deputy director of NOAA’s National Weather Service. “We produce this outlook to help communities prepare for what’s likely to come in the next few months and minimize weather’s impacts on lives and livelihoods. A Weather-Ready Nation hopes for the best, but prepares for the worst.”

The U.S. Spring Outlook identifies the likelihood of spring flood risk and expectations for temperature, precipitation and drought. The outlook is based on a number of factors, including current conditions of snowpack, drought, soil moisture, streamflow, precipitation, Pacific Ocean temperatures and consensus among climate forecast models. . . Continue Reading

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Sister continues victim’s radon fight

  By admin | March 14, 2013 - 5:42 am |
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Lung cancer is very silent, Janet Thompson has no symptoms and by the time she was diagnosed the cancer was terminal.  In her last two years of life she told everyone she came in contact with about the dangers of radon gas.  Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that is found naturally in the soil and can get trapped in homes and businesses.  Extended exposure to high levels of the gas can cause lung cancer.  A new bill is being proposed to require radon testing in Thompson’s name.

Janet Thompson was being treated for terminal lung cancer, but her thoughts were about others.

She lobbied people she saw to check their homes for radon, a colorless and odorless radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer.

Now, her sister has taken up the cause. Lori Thompson-Garry told a House committee Wednesday that she backs a bill that would require a radon test when a house goes on the market. . .  Continue Reading

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Okla. faces culture challenge with health care law

  By admin | March 6, 2013 - 4:18 am |
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There has been much discussion about the new health care law and the health care exchanges that are supposed to be available beginning October 1st of this year.  However, there hasn’t been any discussion about what to go about reaching the non-English speakers that could benefit or be interested in this information.  According to Oklahoma officials 8.2 precent of the state’s population is non English speaking but they have received no direction from the federal government on how to reach out to these individuals.

Oklahoma officials say they’ve had no contact with the federal government about how to tell the state’s non-English speaking population about the federal health care overhaul.

More than 276,163 Oklahoma residents, or 8.2 percent of the state’s population, speak a language other than English at home, according to 2007 estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau. Of those, 120,658 say they speak English less than very well.

The vast majority of non-English speakers, more than 180,000, speak Spanish, and the Oklahoma Health Department provides bilingual translators in many county health departments to assist the Spanish-speaking community, according to agency spokeswoman Leslea Bennett-Webb. .  . Continue Reading

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Aldermen Strike Down Radon System Proposal

  By admin | February 26, 2013 - 4:53 am |
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A proposal in Yorkville City to require radon mitigation systems be installed when new homes were built was shot down by the city council.  The reason being they are trying to attract new development and didn’t want to add additional governmental burden on developers.  They believe the decision to add a mitigation system should be a choice made by the developer and homeowner.  However, Yorkville and Kendall Counties are located in Zone 1 areas, which are known to have high radon levels.

The Yorkville City Council shot down a proposal to require all new residential construction projects to include an active radon reduction system in new homes.

Aldermen overwhelmingly opposed the plan, saying they did not want to add an additional governmental burden to developers, especially when the city is hoping to attract new developments.

The proposal was prompted after a resident and alderman expressed concern with the high level of radon in homes. Radon is gas produced from the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil and water.Yorkville and Kendall County are in an area designated as Zone 1 for radon levels, according to a chart by the Environmental Protection Agency. Radon is drawn into a home from the ground through the air flow. Radon is a proven carcinogen. For those reasons the city economic development corporation wanted to amend ordinances to require the active systems, which staff said would cost approximately $300. Current homes are required to have a passive radon reduction system, said Pete Ratos, the city building inspector. The difference between the two systems is an active fan, which is what the $300 would cover, he said. .  . Continue Reading

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Business owners arrested for insurance fraud

  By admin | February 16, 2013 - 10:14 pm |
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The Florida Department of Financial Services is doing a sweep across the state looking to make sure all employers are in compliance with state laws.  Seven arrests were made of employers who do not have workers’ compensation insurance for their employees which is required in Florida.  70 other citations were given.  The law requires construction businesses that employ one or more part time workers and other businesses, like restaurants that employ four or more part time or full time employees to carry workers’ comp. insurance.

A statewide sweep targeting business owners who failed to protect their employees. The Florida Department of Financial Services arrested seven employers right in Southwest Florida, all for failing to obtain workers compensation insurance.

Pedro Nolasco, the owner of Cibao Grille in Naples, was arrested for not providing coverage to him employees.

“I was humiliated, I mean I’ve been running a reputable business for 7 years,” said Nolasco. “I was never aware. My payroll company does my quarterly taxes, they do my payroll, I thought everything was being handled the way it’s supposed to be handled.” . .  . Continue Reading

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Independent contractor or employee – it can depend upon who has the burden of proof

  By admin | February 7, 2013 - 5:35 am |
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Employee verses independent contractor is a big distinction especially when it comes to taxes.  As an employee you are entitled to certain benefits and the employer is responsible for paying employment taxes.  As an independent contractor you are classified as self employed which carries a higher percentage of tax.  The Tax Court system will generally uphold the IRS ruling on any particular status unless substantial evidence is provided to prove otherwise.

hose of us who work in the benefits area understand that the distinction between employee and independent contractor is an important one, but one in which the determination is not always clear. In many cases, the IRS takes the position that a particular worker is an employee, rather than an independent contractor, thereby requiring the employer to pay its share of employment taxes and to withhold income taxes. The individual is also then often eligible for various employee benefits.

In a recent Tax Court decision, the positions of the parties were reversed, with a moonlighting police officer was claiming that he was an employee and the IRS claiming that the moonlighting jobs constituted self-employment so that the fees were subject to self-employment tax.

The individual was a police officer who provided security services during off duty hours. The businesses for which the officer performed the duties did not treat the officer as an employee. The police officer did not pay self-employment taxes on the fees received and instead claimed that he was an employee of the businesses and therefore not liable for self-employment taxes. . .  Continue Reading

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One in 15 homes has dangerously elevated radon levels

  By admin | January 20, 2013 - 6:09 am |
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It is a very small investment to check your home for the dangerous gas, radon.  Radon has been found in one in 15 homes in the United States and is not selective to certain locations.  21,000 people die each year from lung cancer deaths related to radon.  If test results come back with high levels of radon the gas can be mitigated to reduce the risk.

Believing that radon is only a problem in some parts of the country is just one of the myths surrounding the radioactive gas that’s responsible for 21,000 lung cancer deaths a year. Elevated radon levels have been found in one in 15 homes nationwide. That’s why every January the Environmental Protection Agency reminds us to test our homes and fix them if radon levels are a threat.

Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the natural decay of uranium found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Once inside the home, the radon can build up. Any home may have a radon problem—new homes, old homes, well-sealed homes, drafty homes, and homes with or without basements, says the EPA.

You can’t see radon, but it’s easy to find out if you have a radon problem in your home by using a radon test kit. The amount of radon in the air is measured in picocuries per liter of air, or pCi/L. The EPA says that radon levels of 4 pCi/L or above pose a risk and should be remediated. In most homes, radon levels can be reduced to 2 pCi/L or below. . .  Continue Reading

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