MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- A 67-year-old Murfreesboro house cleaner is accused of robbing a homeowner of tens of thousands of dollars worth of jewels.

Linda June Hasty was arrested last week by Murfreesboro police. Police said she admitted to taking the property while working for the home owner.

In November, the home owner filed a report with police after the resident said she had more than $32,000 worth of jewelry that disappeared.

At first the resident thought she had misplaced the items. She told police the only one with access to her home was her husband, the cleaning lady and her gardener.

Hasty was later arrested in the case.

“(If you have someone clean your house) you should still take certain precautions, locking up your jewelry, putting them in a safe, secret location only known to you. Do background checks on the people you let in your house to do work for you,” said Murfreesboro police spokesman Officer Kyle Evans.

Police said Hasty pawned the items at two Murfreesboro pawn shops. The homeowner was only able to recover three of pieces of jewelry.

Murfreesboro police has partnered with Leads Online, which allows residents to upload photos and identifiable markings on your property. The online data base is used to recover property if they are attempted to be sold at pawn shops or eBay.

Source: WSMV

 An 82-year-old woman found a decades-old unexploded ordinance in her home Wednesday afternoon, police said.

The ordnance, which police said had been rusted over, was a little more than a foot long and resembled a World War II-era artillery shell.

It was taken away without incident by two bomb technicians from the Bergen County Police Department, police said.

“We were cleaning out the cellar,” said the woman, Alice Smyser. “We came across this thing and didn’t know what it was.”

Smyser said that she’s lived in the Prospect Street home for more than 50 years, and that it’s been in her family for even longer, since 1923.

“My cellar has been very, very full of things,” she said. “It’s an accumulation of a lot.”

 

Source: NorthJersey.com

New York, December 14th (TradersHuddle.com) - Shares of ABM Industries. Inc. (NYSE:ABM) are trading higher by +0.59% ahead of its quarterly earnings release. ABM, the provider of building maintenance and facility services is expected to release its quarterly results on December 15^th.

Wall Street Analysts consensus calls for a profit of $0.43 a share on $895.45 million revenue.

ABM estimates have a range of $0.03 a share. The high estimate calls for profit of $0.45 a share and the low estimate is calling for a profit of $0.42 a share, a year ago for the quarter the company reported $0.39 a share.

ABM Industries Incorporated NYSE:ABM) is a facility services contractor. The Company provides air conditioning, engineering, janitorial, lighting, parking, security, and other outsourced facility services to commercial, industrial, and institutional customers across North America.

Source Traders Huddle

W.W. Grainger Inc. (GWW) reported another month of strong sales gains as November's results continued a rebound from last year's weakness.

The company is often considered a bellwether of the U.S. economy because of the breadth of its offerings, which range from lighting to mechanical to janitorial. Its fortunes have improved the past year amid a rebounding global economy.

Grainger said November daily sales increased 14%, or 11% excluding acquisitions and currency fluctuations.

Growth of 10% was seen in the U.S. while Grainger's Canadian operations had a 28% increase excluding currency changes.

Shares closed Friday at $133.67 and were inactive premarket. The stock is up 38% so far this year.

Source:Wall Street Journal

EDMOND, Okla. (KABC) -- A woman made a bizarre 911 call - reporting that she found a squirrel in her toilet.

She told the 911 dispatcher that she found some kind of animal in her toilet and when asked to describe it, she said, "Well, it's gray. That's all I can tell you. I didn't look real good because it scared me to death."

The squirrel was wet, cold and probably confused.

It took police several minutes to wrangle the squirrel, but they did it and released the creature into the park right across the street.

Source:ABC

MISSION, KS--(Marketwire - December 13, 2010) - (Family Features) Scrambling to tidy up the house before, during and after the arrival of holiday houseguests is one tradition that many Americans would like to simply forget. Between shopping for gifts, cooking elaborate meals, and reconnecting with loved ones, keeping the house clean can seem like the one chore that never gets checked off the holiday to-do list.

"Being a part of the families' homes for more than 80 years, we know that families want to spend more time together during the holidays," said Samuel Monnie, Director of Brand Management for Kenmore Floor Care Appliances. "Breaking your cleaning tasks down into a few easy steps can help you to spruce up your space, while still having plenty of time to enjoy the season."

The home cleaning geniuses at Kenmore have several simple ideas for a clean, healthy house during the holidays:

1. Don't sweat the small stuff. Focus your energy on the areas guests spend the most time in, like the family room, kitchen and guest baths and bedrooms.

2. Don't let allergies spoil the holiday cheer. Deep clean carpets and other allergy-ridden areas with the Kenmore Intuition Upright Vacuum: a HEPA filter combined with the HEPA cloth dust bag captures 99.97 percent of all particles down to .3 microns in size, keeping irritating allergens at bay. The vacuum also includes the Pet Handi Mate attachment that lets you quickly remove pet hair from furniture and more.

3. Consider mixing up a quick batch of homemade cleaner for an easy, green alternative to harsh chemical products. Mix two tablespoons of mild dishwashing soap and two cups of water in a spray bottle. Give it a shake and use anywhere you'd typically use a commercial all-purpose spray, like countertops, bathroom surfaces, and highchairs.

4. Save time by tackling multiple surfaces -- including hard to reach and clean areas -- with one versatile tool. The Kenmore Progressive Canister Vacuum cleans ceiling fans, shelves, tight corners and more with its unique 6-in-1 handle and extended reach wand. It also takes the hassle out of cleaning stairs with exclusive Stair Grip design, which keeps the vacuum upright on steps without slipping.

5. Most importantly, relax. The holidays can be hectic but be sure to appreciate the special times spent with loved ones, making memories that will last a lifetime.

"Holiday preparation doesn't have to mean a spotless house," Monnie said. "But planning ahead and prioritizing cleaning tasks go a long way toward a stress-free holiday season."

Give yourself a break this year by choosing the right equipment and getting a head start on holiday preparations. For more information about Kenmore vacuums and floor care products designed with busy families in mind, visit www.kenmore.com. 

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

About a year ago, I decided I was tired of buying liquid cleaners that are mostly water. You know what I mean -- the ubiquitous quart squirt bottles filled with pretty colored liquids that overflow the cleaning products aisle at the grocery store. All of them have several things in common. The bottles are plastic and designed to be disposable (a huge landfill problem), and they are filled with something I already have at my house -- water. So, why can't I just buy the cleaning agent and mix it with my own water? If I did that, I would no longer have to lug home extra water that I paid to have shipped from somewhere else. Frankly, I don't want to pay the cost of shipping water from the manufacturer to my nearby grocery store, when I have perfectly fine water available in my home. So for the last few months, I've been researching cleaning products, and though what I've learned isn't surprising, I think most of us never consider what costs are involved.

More At Source: Huffington Post

 

Revelations that the workplace sickness is costing the Government millions of dollars in sick leave alongside lost productivity are behind growing calls for the introduction of a National Standard for the NZ cleaning industry.

"There are government departments spending over $1 million each year on sick leave payments which we believe can be reduced through the introduction of a National Standards for the cleaning industry, and not only provide healthier workplaces but save taxpayers this expense," said New Zealand's leading commercial cleaning company Crest Cleans' managing director Grant McLauchlan.

Figures released under the Official Information Act that Crest has sighted, shows that the NZ Police topped the list of government departments for sick leave spending over $21 million during the 2009/2010 financial year.

Of the 58 government departments that responded to questions about costs being incurred as a result of workplace illness, 17 spent over $1 million in annual sick leave payments.

"Crest believes that there is a significant opportunity to reduce these costs and put a renewed focus back onto the health element instead of solely looking at the safety message," said Mr McLauchlan.

"However to do that the New Zealand needs a comprehensive set of National Standards to tidy up the cleaning industry and we're pleased that the Ministry of Economic Development is looking into this."

"With recent reports that ill-health is costing the economy at least $5 billion a year and affecting the country's productivity levels, the sooner these National Standards are introduced, the sooner we can see workers health improve and taxpayer dollars saved," Mr McLauchlan said.

Source Voxy New Zealand

 

OMAHA, Neb., Dec. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Never mind the sparkling countertops or bleached sheets, the crumb-free floor or snug bath robe hanging in the closet. What lurks beyond the hotel room door that requires your immediate attention are the uninvited guests who remain there long after the last guest - bed bugs.

The increased prevalence of bed bugs has made headlines across the country in recent months. Escaping the wrath of the bugs' bite is easier if you know what to look for. The Maids encourages travelers this holiday season to be on the lookout for the parasitic hitchhikers to avoid an outbreak in your own home.

Bed bugs affix themselves to clothing, furniture and bedding and are transported from place to place by humans unaware. In an effort to keep homes clean and healthy, The Maids, the experts in home cleaning, offer these simple steps to minimize exposure to bed bugs.

• Before you embark upon your journey, troll the Internet for bed bug registries that list affected hotels. Check travel websites that catalog travel reviews; travelers who've had a run-in with an infested hotel will likely "talk" about it online.
• Upon entering a hotel room, place luggage in the bathtub or atop the toilet seat. Wayward bugs can't crawl up these surfaces and keeps them from unwittingly spreading to your home. While in the room, keep luggage on the luggage rack, off the floor. Hard-sided luggage lacks the folds and creases of its soft-sided cousin making it more difficult for the pest to hide in your bags.
• Since bed bugs are large enough to see, check the mattress and bed frame for any signs that the pests have been comfortably hiding. Do you notice any tiny black spots? Spots and stains are good indicators of either a current or prior presence. Pull back sheets, inspect mattress seams and examine any other upholstered items in the room. Bed bugs are drawn to wood - don't neglect the nightstand and dresser. If it appears as though the critters have invited themselves into your hotel room, ask the management for another room.
• Before packing the car for the trip home, place luggage in large plastic bags and knot securely. Once home, immediately wash all clothing on the hottest temperature setting suggested by the care labels. Dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes. Avoid packing items that can only be laundered on a cold-water setting.

Keep in mind that the presence of bed bugs is not a condition of an unsanitary environment; bed bugs are carried from homes to hotel rooms and back by people. The recent resurgence of bed bugs offers travelers an opportunity to learn all they can about prevention. Bagging luggage or engaging in diligent inspections may seem like overkill, but eradicating the bugs can be timely and costly. As is often said, it's better to be safe than sorry.

About THE MAIDS:

THE MAIDS, founded in 1979, is a premier residential cleaning service in the U.S. and Canada. Rated as the fastest-growing residential cleaning franchise in Entrepreneur magazine for four years, THE MAIDS is one of the oldest and largest residential cleaning franchisers, serving over 40 states and three provinces in North America. For more information, visit THE MAIDS' web site at www.maids.com or call 1-800-THE-MAIDS.

SOURCE THE MAIDS