Nashville memorial service planned for Mindy McCready

A statement released Monday by Mindy McCready's publicist says a Nashville tribute to the late singer is in the works.

"To complement formal family arrangements, preliminary plans are being made by Mindy's 'friends in music' to organize a memorial in Nashville in the coming days," said the statement from Music City News Media & Marketing. No date or location has been announced.

McCready, known for '90s country singles Ten Thousand Angels and Guys Do It All the Time, apparently shot herself Sunday afternoon on the front porch of her Arkansas home. Her boyfriend, record producer David Wilson, died in a similar fashion in the same place just a month before.

Nashville television reporter Stacy McCloud tweeted Monday afternoon that "close friends of Mindy McCready tell me that her body will be taken to her home state of Florida."

Meanwhile, friends, acquaintances and other entertainers continued to relate their sympathies and memories of the 37-year-old mother of two.

Former labelmate John Rich recalled meeting McCready at the 1996 Academy of Country Music Awards. "She was a bright ball of energy back then. She was all about making great country music," Rich said on The Big D and Bubba syndicated radio show Monday morning. "I do want positive things to be said about her, because I know everybody's talking about all the troubles she had. That's obviously all too real. But there was another side of her I knew, especially back when she was really coming on in country music. She was a ball of fire."

Wynonna Judd tweeted: "This is so sad. It just breaks my heart what addiction continues to take from this life. Addiction is a disease & not a character flaw. When the pain becomes too much, it causes people to want that pain to stop."

Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott said, "My heart is breaking hearing of the loss of Mindy McCready. Pray for her 2 precious little boys ... may God's peace & protection be on them!"

 In his initial interview with the Michigan Employment Development Corporation, Dusty Duistermars was asked why the organization, whose goal is to create jobs by attracting new businesses to the state, should bother hiring him at all.

He couldn’t help but smile at that question.

“Yeah, they asked me, ‘Why should we hire you?’ I told them I’ve been selling Michigan for most of my life,” said Duistermars, a Holland Christian High School and Grand Valley State University graduate who was honored as one of the top 40 up-and-coming economic development professionals in the nation recently.

“I grew up in Holland and my mom, Mary, was the former president of Tulip Time. I used to wear a Dutch costume as a kid at the festival booth,” he added. “And then I got into residential and commercial real estate before landing this job with the MEDC. So, I really have been selling the state of Michigan for a long time.”

Duistermars, 34, is among four business professionals in the state of Michigan younger than 40 named to Development Counselors International’s prestigious list announced last month at the DCI Leadership Summit in Orlando, Fla.

A five-member committee chose the winners from a pool of more than 150 nominees throughout the U.S. The honorees included 26 men and 14 women.

Duistermars, who resides in Holland, was nominated because of his outstanding efforts as MEDC’s site location services manager and helping connect companies to communities around the state during Michigan’s economic recovery.

“It’s very cool,” Duistermars said. “It’s a huge team effort at the MEDC. We get companies to notice our state. Attracting those companies is more of an art than a science sometimes, but I wake up every morning happy to work my butt off so friends of mine can have jobs. I’m busier than I have ever been right now.

“Business is good. We’re heading in the right direction.”

Randy Thelen, president of Lakeshore Advantage, had high praise for Duistermars.

"He's a real go-getter. He has proven himself to be a great asset to the MEDC and certainly a great partner to Lakeshore Advantage," Thelen said.

Since the beginning of fiscal 2012, the MEDC has successfully attracted more than 1,000 jobs and $100 million in capital investment from site selection-led projects, he said.

“I’m going to credit Gov. Snyder for changing that perception (of Michigan as a difficult place to do business) and getting things turned around,” said Duistermars, who taught English at Holland High School for two years before embarking on a real estate career that put him on the path to becoming an economic leader.

Are the Tar Heels NIT Bound?

The North Carolina Tar Heels are feeling the effects of growing pains more than usual. After losing four of five starts to the NBA draft last year, Roy Williams had to start back in square one and it has been a long and tough season on him the Tar Heels.

Joe Soriano and I have one simple question: Are the Tar Heels NIT bound? We’re going to share our thoughts below, and hope to hear what you have to say in the comments below!

Bryant: It’s hard for me to truly say yes or no. There are a lot of pending factors in this. If North Carolina can play with the same intensity, lineup, and strength that they did Wednesday night in Durham, they will make the NCAA Tournament. Despite falling five points short of the No. 2 Blue Devils, the Tar Heels played their best game against a quality opponent and it was in Durham which as everyone knows, not an easy task.

If they do make the NCAA Tournament, they won’t be a high seed. In fact I truly believe the Tar Heels as well as the Kentucky Wildcats will have to play in the first round of four to even make the field of 64 to begin with.

However, if they return to their sloppy defense and shot selection ways of the pre-Duke game days…I lose hope. North Carolina is a bubble team and must win against a worthy opponent. A win against Virginia, State and Duke (remaining on the schedule) is a must for the Tar Heels. Of their wins so far, they have none against a resume worthy team, and making those three games important.

Joe: This is a quite popular question that many people are asking, and it draws snickers and jeers from a few N.C. State and Duke fans on Twitter; both teams that are locks for the NCAA Tournament this year.

It’s easy to sit here and say “Doom for UNC”, because this team is underperforming when looking at previous years. Hell, any time UNC isn’t at least ranked in the top 25 it sends shockwaves that this is a “rebuilding” year for a blue blood team.

I honestly think the “NIT-bound” talk regarding the Tar Heels is quite ludicrous, because a quick look at the numbers and advanced statistics tells the story of a team that has a spot in the NCAA Tournament bracket with their name written on it. It won’t be a familiar top slot, but it’s a chance to get something going nonetheless. This team is stocked with young talent, and the pieces are finally hitting their stride late in the season; that’s where it matters most. It’s funny, because I use to cover the Kansas Jayhawks and non-Jayhawks fans would always freak out about their slow start (Michigan State is an example).

Now this UNC team is clearly not as good as they were last year or the year before, and one of the main reasons is because their big men don’t fit Roy Williams’s usual personnel requirements. There is no true great “big” down low in the mold of Tyler Zeller, but you don’t need to fit a scheme in order to be a solid team. The Tar Heels have four players with at least two win shares in finesse big James Michael McAdoo, the rising P.J. Hairston (he had better be locked into the starting spot with the way he’s played recently), the underrated Brice Johnson, and team leader and star Reggie Bullock. That’s a cog of four solid players, and that’s really all you need in order to be a solid team.

SRS is one of my favorite advanced statistics out there in college basketball (it’s really an all-around metric used by Sports Reference for every sport), because it’s accurate and simple to calculate. Did you know that the Tar Heels have the 36th-best SRS in the country? To me, that shows that this team is good enough, efficient enough, and talented enough to safely make the NCAA Tournament. UNC has played in a tough schedule, especially since they have to play two elite teams in Miami and Duke twice this year, as well as two games against another very good team in rivals N.C. State.

The Tar Heels don’t stand out in any one statistic, but they are 6-5 in conference play which ranks them squarely in fifth place. The ACC sent five teams to the tournament last season, and I think we’ll see UNC slot into the tourney once again this season. The ACC is the third-strongest conference per SRS after being rated just fifth last year, so the fact that the ACC is even stronger means that UNC has a better case to get in. I mean, if five teams made it in a weaker top-to-bottom ACC last year, then surely at least five teams will be sent in this season.

UNC is sandwiched between UCLA and Notre Dame in the SRS rankings, and that’s good enough for me to think that this team is worthy of an NCAA Tournament bid. In fact, I think people who are slotting UNC for an NIT bid are just downright overreacting. This team is finally clicking, they’ve played a difficult schedule, and they have enough talent. They aren’t a lock by any means and the stats do skew them a little too much, but UNC will be playing in the tourney come March.

"It is difficult to fix all of that even if financial resources were not an obstacle. The amount of people and time it would take would be a lot," Hansen said.

More than 385 of the original violations have been addressed, city officials said, but an additional 243 violations were found this month. Hansen said many of those were in unoccupied units.

Sue Phillips, longtime president of the community group East Arlington Renewal, was among residents who testified about improvements they want to see at the complex.

"East Arlington Renewal works very hard to elevate east Arlington. We think everybody that lives in east Arlington or does business in east Arlington should have that same dedication," Phillips said. "I think that the property owners of La Joya Apartments are doing everything in their power to add blight and deterioration to our community.

"They have not only failed to maintain their properties. They have set their tenants at great risk for potential fire."

Resident Sam Moore said La Joya was once a desirable place to live but has become so dilapidated and so damaged by water and fire that it should be bulldozed.

"I would love to see this place go to the ground. I don't think it's repairable," Moore said. "How could you put enough money into it to make it worth it?"

Hansen also owns Bella Apartments in Fort Worth -- declared a substandard property by the Building Standards Commission.

When he appeared before the Fort Worth commission Jan. 28, he was arrested for unpaid fines related to code violations. He is free on bail in the Fort Worth case.

Making the sounds of silents

The film historian David Thomson has heard Alloy Orchestra accompany silent films on several occasions. The most recent was at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, for “Metropolis.”

Fritz Lang’s classic was the first score the Alloys did. That was 23 years ago. They’ve since done nearly two dozen other features — epics and slapstick and even documentaries — and numerous shorts.

“Metropolis” remains their “bread and butter,” said percussionist-accordionist Terry Donahue, 51, in a joint interview earlier this month at the East Cambridge-based trio’s rehearsal space. The other members are percussionist-clarinetist Ken Winokur, 58, and keyboardist Roger C. Miller, 59, who when not Alloying is guitarist of Mission of Burma. Winokur estimates they’ve performed the “Metropolis” score 400 to 500 times.

Thomson, recalling that San Francisco performance, wrote in an e-mail, “The film had never been as crazy or compelling, and a lot of that was due to the live music by and from the Alloy Orchestra. It was so exciting I think Lang’s monocle would have popped out.”

 Stripped to their barest of bones, the plots of many of Alfred Hitchcock's films are about an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary situations. While a Jedi Padawan is hardly an ordinary person, Ahsoka Tano is the closest thing The Clone Wars has to that sort of a character type. Across one movie and five seasons, the show's intended audience has grown up with her, watched her become a confident Jedi, and has come to relate to her. In the same way that Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart's were sophisticated movie actors who were still believable as regular people in Hitchcock's films, Ahsoka's image is one of both a competent Jedi and the audience surrogate in the narrative.

In "The Jedi Who Knew Too Much," Ahsoka found herself in a Hitchcockian situation of being set up for the murder of Letta, the woman who fed her husband the explosive nano-bots that blew up the Jedi Temple hangar last week. Since clones were killed in the explosion, Palpatine decreed that it was a military issue, not a Jedi one, and placed Tarkin in charge of the matter. The change in jurisdictional control was likely a three-pronged decision: The first, as Tarkin explained, is that Palpatine is seeking to further remove the Jedi from military matters, because they are peacekeepers, not warriors. The second, and this is me theorizing, is that Palpatine's looking for another way to discredit the Jedi, and the murder of bombing suspect by a Jedi would certainly fit into that mold. I'll get to that third prong in just a moment.

Compared to Grant and Stewart's characters, though, Ahsoka is at a disadvantage, one that those older characters never really had to worry about. The conventions of classic Hollywood cinema being what they were, the fate of the protagonist was never really in doubt. He would break up the spy ring, clear his name, and get the girl (provided he didn't already have her). So while he'd be in danger, and it would be thrilling and suspenseful, the outcome was always a sure thing.

 But ever since she made her debut, Ahsoka's fate has never been a sure thing. Does she die? Does she turn to the dark side? Does she simply go into exile at some point? This arc seems primed to test the possibilities of what could happen to Ahsoka now that she's on the run from the Jedi Council and the military in an effort to clear her name. Certainly the evidence is stacked against her, from her rant about Letta's guilt and desire for revenge in front of Anakin, Tarkin, and Barriss to the holocam footage that made it look like she was Force-choking Letta to all the dead or injured clones in the prison. Like any good Hitchcockian hero, Ahsoka will likely end up traveling long distances and making unlikely alliances in an effort to acquit herself. But unlike those heroes, it's tough to know how exactly how it will all end.

And there's still the matter of the third prong. This one, like the second, is just a theory, but here goes: Given Palpatine's careful orchestration of everything so far, I would not be at all surprised if he's had this in the works for some time, and considers Ahsoka's fall from favor within the Jedi Order—whether by discreditation, turning to the dark side, or getting trapped in a web of convincing evidence—as another step in his plan to turn Anakin against the Order. Losing an apprentice you knew to be innocent would be one thing, but to have the very institution you serve doubt that innocence? Anakin would not be pleased with that at all.

 But Brookings is home to Brookings-Harbor High School’s Bruins, making the statues “a good fit,” Vierra said.

And members of the Brookings Public Art Committee were elated to learn the bears could come back to town — this time for good.

City officials here have been pondering how to get some of the bears, be it by another “visit,” purchase, or even buying the mold used to cast them. Evergreen no longer uses a mold; it’s cost prohibitive.

Instead, volunteers carve each likeness out of styrofoam and cover it in fiberglass before it is painted. Since it’s all volunteer work, Vierra has no idea how much it costs to make a bear today.

“We learned some difficult lessons,” she said. “How you make them, how you keep them from cracking in the weather. It’s an undertaking. We’d love to share them instead of seeing people try to duplicate them. It’s not easy.”

“It depends on what everybody wants,” said committee member Lea Ray. “We could feature them in certain things that are going on. Or they can go from each park to each event. They could be in parades – parade bears; how cool is that! I love it. They’re just adorable, and they’re perfect for us.”

Other ideas could involve using them in fundraising events or just allowing the bears to be integral pieces of public art. All that needs to be discussed, Vierra said.

“We’re really happy Brookings enjoys the bears,” she said. “That’s what’s great about Brookings. It’s a really tight community; the bears would be good there.”

The city council heard occasional mentions of the bears since they left, but it wasn’t until Kelly McClain was appointed to council and suggested – repeatedly – that the city pursue bringing the ursine beasts back to town. He believes it would be a big plus for tourism.

“Anything that makes the town look better, I’m all for,” McClain said. “It makes you remember the town — ‘Oh, Brookings! It’s the town with the bears!’ We have all these people driving through town every year, it gives them a reason to stop, to come back, to stay awhile. We get all this free traffic; all we have to do is captivate them.”

Amanzi Tea

This month sees the launch of Amanzi Tea with the opening of its first international flagship tea bar and retail space New Cavendish Street. The company, originating from the US combines the heritage of tea-making with modern techniques and a new and interactive retail and tea bar experience.

No, the irony of a US concern bringing a tea bar to GB isn’t lost on us either but with the name  Amanzi meaning water in the Southern African dialect of Zulu (a reference to the heritage of the original founders), it’s suitably multicultural, and, with a marble topped bar and vibrant Victorian floor tiles, is also suitably elegant.

Spanning two levels, the ground floor will house a bar, retail shop and table seating with a snug on the lower-ground comprising comfortable sofas and communal tables and chairs. An outside terrace will accommodate up to eight, in warmer weather.

The retail shop and bar will house 40 teas on a striking tea wall with a diverse selection of traditional and bespoke loose leaf blends. All can be enjoyed either hot or cold, with trained baristas on hand to offer guidance. State-of-the-art precision boilers have been installed in the bar for perfect temperature control and there’s even an advanced filtration to create the purest water possible.

Amanzi’s own 150 propriety blends – from Earl Grey to Chocolate Orange Truffle - will be available on a rotating basis plus caffeine-free varieties; single estate blends (Gyokuru, Silver Needle and Wuyi); infusions such as honey, lemon and ginger for the flu season; frappés, iced tea lemonades and virgin cocktails (Lychee Mar-Tea-Ni) and bubble teas as well. You can also order coffee. And snacks.

Recently the global tool manufacturing and knowledge company decided to take a closer look at the macro trends influencing the future of the manufacturing industry. Through an extensive study the company identified four areas of special interest: Rapid urbanization, sustainability, new advanced materials and new technologies.

Traditionally the manufacturing industry has been conservative in exploring new opportunities. Now, the situation is different. Simply put, the world is moving at a much faster pace than before. In order to develop future solutions and meeting customer demands, industry leaders have to be perceptive and forward thinking, says Kevin Lorch, Marketing Manager Innovation at Sandvik Coromant.

It was decided early on that the result of the study should be shared with the rest of the industry. The reason for sharing came out of a need in the industry of a more general discussion relating to the common challenges of the future.

While many companies perform market and trend research for internal use we decided that the result of the survey could be used to spark a dialogue about the future of manufacturing and the attitudes in the industry toward new challenges, Kevin Lorch explains.

The acquisition, which was completed in December 2012, is in keeping with TVV's steady focus on acquiring companies in the niche manufacturing industry that hold sustainable competitive advantages in stable and growing market segments.

In September 2012, TVV acquired Big 3 Precision Products, Inc., a manufacturer of injection blow molds, tooling and fabrication products for the pharmaceutical and automotive industries.

Bigham customers are commercial farm operators who purchase the company's equipment through an independent dealer network of over 1,400 locations, with strengths in Texas, the Southwest and Mississippi Delta regions. The company's innovative products are used in both flat and raised bed planting environments and serve to reduce tractor fuel consumption, control soil and water erosion and aerate the soil.

"The acquisition of Bigham Brothers is a continuation of TVV Capital's focused approach, ability to independently source deals and cultivate relationships to identify and invest in high-growth opportunities on behalf of our investors," said Andrew W. Byrd, TVV Capital's President. "Given its management team, current market penetration and future product strategy in the sustainable agriculture movement, Bigham is poised for considerable growth and market expansion."

"TVV Capital approached us as a true partner would. From the onset, they brought a unique understanding of our market, management style and future vision," said Sandy Kimball, retiring President of Bigham Brothers. "TVV's acquisition of Bigham will enable us to not just maintain, but also aggressively expand our U.S.-based manufacturing facility to keep pace with market demand and continue our growth trajectory."

“The Airbus announcement certainly indicates a growing awareness in France and Europe of the great opportunities for investment in the Southeast,” says Daniel Bowers, executive director of the French American Chamber.

According to Airbus, more than 3,200 Airbus aircraft have been ordered in North America from customers including Delta Air Lines, FedEx, Frontier Airlines, GECAS, Hawaiian Airlines, ILFC, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, United Parcel Service, US Airways and Virgin America.

Airbus has manufacturing suppliers throughout the United States and spends 42 percent of its aircraft-related procurement in the United States, buying more parts, components, tooling and other material from the United States than any other country.

“Atlanta continues to grow in importance as the gateway to the Southeast," said Angela Drees of Munson Site Selection Group, a consulting group and specializes in site selection for international businesses interested in locating in the region. "The mix of financial capital, and international government presence combined with a strong global population in a city of almost 6 million provides fertile ground for the support and growth of incoming international businesses like Airbus.”

Bartelt Wins Two Regional Contractor of the Year Awards

The Remodeling Resource, a premier, family-owned remodeling firm specializing in residential and commercial design and construction, was named Regional Contractor of the Year (CotY) by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) for the Residential Bath over $60,000 and Residential Addition $100,000 – $250,000 categories.

"We are honored to be named the 2013 Regional Contractor of the Year in these categories," said Rick Bartelt, owner. "These awards are the result of the creativity and dedication of the entire team, including our designers, carpenters, production staff, trade partners, and customers."

Bartelt was selected as the winner of Region 3, an area that includes contractors from Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Contractors from seven regions around the country vie for CotY Awards on an annual
basis, and all regional winners will now be eligible for the National CotY Awards. National winners will be honored at NARI's Evening of Excellence on Friday, April 12, 2013, at the Intercontinental Kansas City at the Plaza.

The winning Bartelt projects each had unique components. The master bathroom remodel transformed a generic bathroom into a dynamic, spa-like space, improving its layout and expanding its footprint. The bathroom features an oval soaking tub and shower with granite and porcelain- and marble-filled mosaic tiles, a custom, furniture-style vanity, and quality fixtures.

The sunroom addition offers the homeowners more space for entertaining family and friends. It is a warm, inviting room that features a bar area, fireplace, hydronic heating in the floor, wine storage, large windows to showcase the outside views, and a vaulted ceiling and cupola to add architectural interest.

Competing projects were completed between July 1, 2011, and November 30, 2012, and were not submitted in prior NARI National contests. An impartial panel of judges, who are experts within the industry and associated fields, selected winners based on each entrant’s binders, which include “\"before and after" photography and project descriptions. Judging focused on problem solving, functionality, aesthetics, craftsmanship, innovation, degree of difficulty, and entry presentation.

To be considered for a CotY Award, a company must be a NARI member in good standing. NARI members represent an elite group of the approximately 800,000 companies and individuals in the U.S. identifying themselves as remodelers.

Founded in 1984, Bartelt. The Remodeling Resource has won local, regional, and national industry awards, including 2012 and 2013 Regional "Contractor of the Year" (CotY) awards presented by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). With in-house designers, production staff, and expert carpenters, Bartelt is a member of the Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council, Inc. and Metropolitan Builders Association.

The two-storey library will span over 12,000-square feet. EGA consulted extensively with the medical centre’s executives and the librarian in order to develop a list of functions to be accommodated within the space. In addition to research stations, the library will include meeting and presentation areas designed in a manner that would not disturb the regular library operations.

The renovated library’s first floor will house a checkout counter, a lounge area for eight people, 24 individual study stations, a librarian’s office, and restrooms. The second floor will feature an open shelving section, four study group rooms that will accommodate up to six people, and two conference rooms designed for groups of up to 12 and 20, respectively. Both the study group and conference rooms will be enclosed with modular Steelcase glass wall systems to eliminate a noise impact while providing the feeling of an open space and inclusion. They will be equipped with interactive white boards as well as video conferencing and remote learning capabilities.

The second floor features a large opening in the floor, which creates the library’s atrium. The handrails around the atrium, as well as along the stair leading to the second floor, will be replaced with a glass and brushed aluminum railing system.

The new finishes will include acoustical tile and drywall soffit ceilings, Shaw Floors carpet flooring in the “Embellished” pattern, fabric and vinyl wallcoverings, new millwork shelving, refurbished wooden book stacks, and American Olean “St. Germain” wall and floor porcelain tiles in the bathrooms. All new materials and paints are low VOC in order to eliminate indoor air pollution. The new sprinkler and HVAC systems will match the revised ceiling and floor layouts of the renovated library.

The space will feature energy-efficient lighting fixtures, including Selux NEOS linear fluorescent pendants; Advent Reo wall sconces; Aerion 1' X 4' recessed fluorescent FAR14fixtures; and Vode four-foot,wall mounted, fluorescent light rail fixtures.

New air-conditioning equipment will be installed on the building’s roof, including a RenewAire RD4XRT 2,000-CFM energy recovery unit and a Carrier 38AUDB12 one-ton condenser. This will require reinforcing the roof structure with two 10-foot steel beams and connecting steel channel members.

The new library supports the patient care, biomedical research and graduate medical education information needs of the medical staff, faculty and affiliated students. It also serves the larger Long Island community as an information resource for professionals.

Department adds surveillance cameras

A new wave of video technology is sweeping through the Clinton Police Department, as the downtown is now home to six police-monitored surveillance cameras perched strategically atop buildings and half the department’s patrol fleet is utilizing in-car camera systems.

The downtown cameras have been a work in progress for the last year, having received City Council approval last February, whereas the in-car cameras were approved as part of the current 2012-13 budget and were installed on a permanent basis about a month ago.

Police chief Jay Tilley said the technology is groundbreaking for the Clinton Police Department, and is expected to greatly assist with operations, investigations and training. The technology is also expected to aid the general public, especially the case with the downtown surveillance.

Currently, there are six city-owned cameras and one privately-owned camera — and there is plenty of room for growth.

“We put up six cameras as part of the city’s base system in the downtown area,” said Tilley. “The system allows any business or any person to purchase a camera and put it on their property and we’ll monitor it. It’s a rotation basis and we set the rotation for it. We’re scanning and every 15 seconds it will move to another scan location, and start the rotation over again. It’s great video.”

The system currently provides real-time looks all around the courthouse square, as well as down McKoy Street, Elizabeth Street and several other streets on the outskirts of downtown .The video can be stopped and the view zoomed in on any items of interest as needed.

The City Council voted unanimously at the beginning of 2012 to proceed with the purchase and installation of six wireless digital IP-based patrolling cameras and a digital video recorder from WildFire at a cost of $36,812. Along with providing extra security for downtown businesses, the cameras were anticipated to help monitor a large city investment in the “Milling Around” public art piece at the top of College Street.

Police personnel have been tooling with the cameras for about 10 months, experimenting with locations and trying to get everything right.

“We wanted to tweak it. It takes a while to get everything set up. We changed camera positions a couple times, just to get things right,” Tilley said. “The first five months they were really operating, we solved or corroborated five different crimes just in the downtown area. Five or six crimes we’ve either solved or gotten evidence from.”

That included the investigation into a supposed shooting, which was reported in one location but actually occurred in another. There was also the two suspects who were wielding BB guns and pointed them at people, only to be captured on video during their assault. Then there was the break-in at Gloria’s, the suspect in which was actually tracked on four different cameras.

While the surveillance is not monitored around the clock, it is web-based and can be accessed by police officers as well as emergency personnel at the 911 Center. The video has proven to be such a valuable tool, it is now part of protocol for investigations.

“What we’ve found is, by reviewing this stuff, it’s been a really big benefit,” said Tilley. “And we’ve done that a lot. Any time we have an incident downtown, that’s the first thing the officer does is come back and check the cameras as part of our protocol. Plus, we keep the cameras up during the day. People will have their cameras up while they’re working in the office.”

With the system being web-based, officers can also pull the real-time camera footage up on their car laptops. The footage is color surveillance, with user capabilities to access the entire six-camera feed or focus a single or select few cameras. The rotation and zoom of any of the cameras can also be manipulated if necessary.

“This works off the Wi-fi system,” the police chief said. “The signal feeds off Wi-fi, and with that the downtown area has free Wi-fi. Our in-car video also works off a wireless feed. So when our cars are downtown, it’s uploading the stuff they’re capturing on the in-car camera. The officers don’t have to do anything. They just ride up to the police station or downtown area. Once he stops his car, and that camera hits the Wi-fi, it automatically starts uploading.”

Along with the six city-owned cameras, there is another privately-owned one at the Sampson County Partnership for Children, which is also monitored by police.

Tilley said the ultimate goal is to have public participation among business and property owners, along with others. The more cameras there are, the better, he noted.

“This is the start of what we’re doing to educate (the general public),” said Tilley. “We’re working with the Planning Department to put up signs in the downtown area, because we want people to know that there’s video down there. It’s nothing we’re trying to hide. We’re hoping that businesses will see this as a security plus for them. We would encourage them to look at the program to buy into it. Any civilians can buy a camera, and we would be adding to our system.”

Suspect identifications can be made, as the video is clear during both the day and night. The footage also allows for still shots to be taken from the surveillance. Police officers would work with those interested to ensure the camera is in the optimal location.

The in-car systems consist of two cameras in each patrol car, one on the dash and another that is locked in on any suspect in the backseat. The cost was about $5,000 per system. The department reviewed six vendors in making the purchase, narrowing it down to three, which each allowed officers to test drive cameras for about a month back in the fall.

The department ultimately went with Raleigh-based Digital Technologies, and the equipment was installed around the beginning of the year.

“We’re still working the bugs out, and we’re still doing some training on this,” said Tilley.

As with the downtown cameras, the in-car systems do not merely offer video. They offer the location and speed of the patrol car at a given time and, though not real-time, a recording that can be triggered by certain activities.

“There are four ways to activate the sensors that cut the camera on,” Tilley explained. “The officer can reach up and hit the button and cut it on himself; every time he turns his blue light on, it cuts on; we have a speed control, so if he exceeds a certain speed any time, it automatically cuts on; or if he is involved in a collision, the camera cuts on.”

It does not record a complete 12-hour shift, but it starts recording should any of those four instances occur. However, once it is activated, the recording will begin retroactively, starting 30 seconds before the incident. Should an officer activate his blue lights to pull a vehicle over, the recording will start half a minute before the blue lights were even touched.

Tops, flops and emerging trends

Sunday evening, millions of Americans will sit down to watch the Ravens and 49ers battle in Super Bowl XLVII, and the most expensive television commercials of the year.

During this year's Super Bowl, advertisers will spend up to $4 million for 30 seconds of air time, giving them little time to impress the audience.

Grand Rapids advertising expert Bill McKendry has examined commercials for more than two decades; he says the basic formula for Super Bowl ads comes down to children, animals, violence or making men appear unintelligent.  It's commercials that break that mold that make McKendry's list of top spots. His number one pick is the the Apple McIntosh commercial from 1984.

"We believe Super Bowl advertising changed forever after this ad ran," says McKendry. "I can remember being wowed by the production values of this spot. It was epic in its presentation."

McKendry says the Ring of Fire ad from Chrysler in 2011 is the only ad that has come close to Apple's commercial,  because it evoked emotion.

"When I looked at it for the first time, I said, 'Not only is it about Chrysler and its product, we're telling the world American auto manufacturing is back and it's on top,'" he says. "In the ten years we've hosted [our Super Bowl commercial] party, we've never had people sit that still during an ad. And afterwards, people stood up and were applauding."

It's a different story for Groupon's 2011 Super Bowl ad. McKendry says the commercial ties with one by former Congressman Pete Hoekstra's campaign; both get his thumbs down for racial stereotyping.

"I think a lot of these people think they're being funny, but I think significantly fewer people find racial stereotyping funny anymore," McKendry says.

Which means the next flop may be this year's Volkswagen ad, which features a white Minnesotan with a fake Jamaican accent.

As for emerging trends among Super Bowl ads, McKendry says companies are trying to create more buzz before their spots run by sharing them online. McKendry says advertisers are also turning to social media more.

Doritos started the trend years ago, and this year Pepsi followed, asking people to send a picture of themselves holding a Pepsi can. Some of them will appear in the halftime ad featuring singer Beyonce.

"The mere fact Pepsi is reaching out to its fans, Doritos is reaching out to its fans and allowing them to be on the world's biggest stage along with them, I think is a really smart move for those brands. But if I was spending $3.8 million, seems to me I'd want to see something new," he said.

Hanon McKendry is hosting its 10th annual Super Bowl party Sunday, where 32 judges will be critiquing all the big commercials. Their employees will go against advertising and marketing students from local colleges, before comparing their choices with the USA Today consumer poll.

You would think that in coming to college, the over $10,000 a year going toward our education would at least get us a few perks. No parents, social skills, aka beer pong for some of you go-getters out there, a chance at making manager instead of having toilet-cleaning duty at the local fast food restaurant down the road: there are plenty of wondrous and magical things embedded in the experiences of college. Teachers here are even called professors, and contrary to popular belief, having a PhD does not stand for Pizza Hut driver for rabid, munchy college students. But quite honestly, some days they would probably be better at driving a car around, collecting a measly tip, and sheepishly whispering “have a good day” before doing it all over again.

I’m just going to say it. Some teachers suck. They could try their hardest and still make me feel as though I’ve in fact lost brain cells by sitting through such a worthless lecture. Sorry not sorry, but a PhD doesn’t mean that someone is truly qualified to teach. Yeah yeah yeah, they had a lot of schooling and had to work hard to get such a high degree, but the only thing that a PhD really says about a person is that they are a.) certified, and b.) they have the ability to be a good student: student, not teacher.

Many teachers simply know that they were born to teach. They have a certain level of passion that they are able to cultivate, mold, and relay to their students, whether they mean to or not.

But then, of course, on the other hand there are those inevitable teachers that believe that it is just a job. Their level of commitment hardly ever goes from the red to the yellow zone, much less into the green. Teaching people is a hard task, so if you as a professor don’t want to teach, don’t, because, coming from a student’s perspective, we don’t want you there. If you talk about how qualified you are? Yeah, I don’t really care. If you talk about the fact that you’re published, or that you’ve had students that have gone on to do great things? Fan-freaking-tasic for you, but if you start to read the powerpoint word for word, don’t get angry when I’m skipping class every other week.