PHOENIX -- Maricopa County sheriff's deputies have arrested 24 employees of a Phoenix-based janitorial business for suspected identity theft.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio said his office began investigating Pro-Serv after deputies received information that more than 100 workers may have gained employment through the use of falsified documents. 

Research by deputies confirmed that 120 employees used false identification to gain employment at the company, which employs hundreds of workers valleywide. Arpaio said some also used false IDs to purchase cars and homes and open credit card accounts.

Arpaio said that 23 of the 24 employees arrested are in the country illegally.

Somehow, somewhere, I became obsessed with reading about cleaning methods and natural cleaning products. I’m not necessarily obsessed with cleaning, but the knowledge is there. So a post about using vinegar to clean just about everything in the home caught my eyes on the Bowl Full of Lemons blog. I’ve excerpted some of what I consider to be her top tips below. Keep in mind that it’s best to always use your best judgment – and to research or do a test run – before starting a new regimen. 

Now that fall has arrived, there are some things you should clean and maintain inside the home.

For example, changing your furnace filter and cleaning or replacing your humidifier drum or pad is a good start to the fall heating season. You should also think about cleaning your air ducts because the dust and dirt that accumulates in them can reduce the efficiency of your furnace as well as increase your chances for allergy problems in the winter.

Gary Marowske of Flame Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical, (888) 234-2340, flamefurnace.com, suggests having your ducts cleaned every five years. And more often than not, there are things besides dust that accumulates in the air ducts.

“We see a lot of homes where the kids have dropped things in the heating vents like coins, candy or toys,” he said. “And it isn’t unusual to find pop bottles and other debris stuck in the ducts that were left by the contractors when the home was being built. So even if your home is fairly new, you should still consider getting the ducts cleaned.”

More at source: Detroit News

Find a carpet cleaning, air duct cleaning service, or chimney cleaning service here. 

President Obama's biggest organized labor booster, the Service Employee International Union (SEIU), has gone on strike against a janitorial company because of reduced employee hours. The company cited Obamacare as the culprit, cutting hours for some employees because of insurance costs.
Washington Examiner:
Members of the Chicago-based Service Employees International Union Local 1 have gone on strike over recent job cuts by a janitorial company called Professional Maintenance.

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 25 (HealthDay News) -- This season's flu vaccine is now available, and Americans should get their flu shot as soon as possible, an expert says.

"Contrary to some beliefs, getting the flu shot in September is a good thing and will offer protection for the entirety of the flu season," Dr. Stephen Russell, an associated professor in the general internal medicine division at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said in a university news release.

More at source: Philly.com

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) undefined Members of a union representing nearly 1,000 commercial janitors in downtown Columbus are holding a series of strikes to protest alleged labor practice violations.

Service Employees International Union 1 says contract janitors who clean several prominent high-rises authorized their most recent action Tuesday, part of the city's first janitor strike.

The union alleges workers have been threatened and intimidated while seeking wage and health care concessions from four private commercial cleaning firms.

More at source: Review Online

Find a cleaning or janitorial service for your home or business here.

1. Waiting until the bag or dust cup is full to empty it - It's best to change it when it's no more than three-quarters full - or empty the dust cup after every two to three uses. This will keep your vacuum's suction strong and cleaning performance at its peak.

2. Cleaning with a dirty filter - You're not removing allergens as effectively if your filter is clogged with grime. You don't have to change the filter as often as the bag, but if the filter shows signs of wear, or is excessively dirty or torn, it's time to replace it.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA has selected West Virginia University Research Corporation (WVURC) of Morgantown, W.Va., to provide operations and maintenance services at the agency's Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Facility in Fairmont, W.Va.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Patients at Children’s of Alabama waved and fist-bumped a few comic book heroes through the hospital’s windowpanes as the characters rappelled down the side of the 15-story building.

AL.com reports employees from Squeegee Cleaning Services of Chelsea dressed up as Superman, Batman, Spiderman and Captain America Tuesday and rappelled down the building to greet children on each floor.

More at source: Post  Courier

At the Monday meeting of the Gainesville Board of Education, members brought up concerns about the system’s recent partnership with Southern Management for janitorial services.

At more than $103,000 per month, the contract with Southern Management went into effect July 1 and lasts for one year, with a renewal option for two years. However, the city school system has been outsourcing its cleaning services for around 25 years.

“I think outsourcing is an option that everyone looks at, particularly in terms of (health) insurance costs, salaries and benefits,” said Gainesville Superintendent Merrianne Dyer.

Hall County also has been outsourcing cleaning services for some time, phasing out its in-house janitorial services over the past three or so years. The decision was made to not eliminate positions in one fell swoop, but to make the move to outsourcing as county employees left the system.

Now, janitorial services are outsourced at 24 Hall schools.

The county system has an annual contract with GCA Services Group for approximately $2.5 million, said Damon Gibbs, executive director of facilities.

“If we have a Hall County custodian, if you take their salary, benefits, all of the costs for our equipment, supplies, paper products, everything, it costs us about $2 a square foot,” Gibbs said. “We can outsource it for about $1.15 a square foot.”

More at source: Gainesville Times 

Find a cleaning and janitorial service here.