Earlier this week, on Jules Verne’s birthday, genre faves Mark Sheppard and Gina Holden answered questions about tonight’s Syfy original movie, Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island. Sheppard directs and co-stars in this film adaptation featuring both he and his father playing the classic role of Captain Nemo (at different ages).

In a time when not every actor rushes to associate with sci-fi fare, Mark Sheppard’s become closely associated with some of the genre’s most beloved franchises. What does Mark find so appealing in the material? “It seems to produce some of the most exciting TV and films that are made.” Sheppard elucidates, “Sci-fi just has that ability, and yes, I love watching and especially directing actors looking at giant octopuses that aren’t there. It’s a tough job and I think it takes a very special type of actor to be willing to commit to these kinds of things. And I think that’s why Gina and the rest of the cast are very much loved by the sci-fi community. There’s a commitment and love of the genre there, and you can tell, you can really tell. I remember when the Syfy Channel started out. Gina and I have both worked extensively on the channel and what’s really interesting is their support of our genre – I think it’s been so incredible. It’s created a whole new way to experience these stories, you know, from the originals through the series that they’ve either bought or created, it’s just fantastic and such a testament to the channel itself and the people that work there. They just keep making sure there’s a hunger for sci-fi, you know.”

“I think I’m always looking for great sci-fi projects.” Gina confesses, “I’ve done a lot and I just think for me I’m drawn to them because of the imagination you have to use while filming. I’m kind of a weirdo that way. I just love the green screen. I love the challenge of working with things not from this world – that challenge is really exciting. I’m always excited when I get a new sci-fi project because they bring everybody together in ways that’re just different than the dynamic in a drama or something like that.” Filming on location can be a challenge all its own, Holden confides, “We shot Mysterious Island on this crazy location in the middle of a swamp in Louisiana, dealing with massive bugs and all those challenges but those are what kind of make it fun as well. As weird as that sounds, you just have to really pull together, dig deep and face your own fears.” Adding, “I’m terrified of huge insects and things like that.”

“I agree with Gina,” Mark declares, “it’s the imagination involved in sci-fi and fantasy that draws me to it. Every film is so difficult to put together but such a lovely group of people came together on this one, a great crew and a lot of people that really wanted to make this a labor of love. We had horizontal rain and heat beyond anything I’ve ever experienced before. The humidity was incredible. And then the chiggers, the gators and the nutria rats, the flora and the fauna of Louisiana, I mean it’s a challenging place – I’m telling you. But it was an amazing experience. Making a film has its own inherent challenges but a lot of fantastic people wanted to get this thing done as best as it could be. The cast and crew were just fabulous. Gina made it so much easier for me too. That’s one thing I could rely on, Gina at any given time, to just give me that extra thing. I could sit and watch Gina all day on film. She really is so lovely; it makes me happy. She’s such a smart and funny and interesting person. She’s just fabulous and so much more than the sum of her parts. Working with her was so much fun.”

Holden reciprocates the praise, “It was so much fun being directed by him. Obviously he has so many fans from his acting projects but to see him step in and direct was really fantastic. You’ll often hear from actors that when a really talented actor starts directing he’s that much better just because he’s been on the other side. So we connected right away – I can say that. I just trusted him from the start and we had a blast. We all really enjoyed working with Mark. And it was exciting to be a part of his directorial debut. He’s special, you know. I’m very proud that I got to work with him and be directed by him.”

While the filmmaking process is challenging in and of itself, Sheppard explains why this film in particular added an extra degree of difficulty. “Genuinely, I think this is one of the hardest of Verne’s stories to bring to the screen because it’s very long and very complex. I don’t think anybody can really tell the whole story. We’ve really tried to stick to the spirit of Verne but it’s always hard to take such a fantastic long novel and make it a piece of film entertainment. The trouble with adapting the great Verne stories is that somebody’s always going to be a little upset by it. But I hope people enjoy our version, we truly tried to entertain and we’ve done the best that we can.” Expounding, “In the lower budget side of filmmaking there isn’t a lot of time to get things done and together. Weather conspires against you and things don’t go to plan,… the real test at that point is do people just pull it out of the fire and give you everything they’ve got. Trust is a huge element in that I think. Everybody there was very, very trusting and I was honored to be trusted in that way. I tried not to mess it up.”

Though Mark Sheppard directs and co-stars in Mysterious Island, the main leads of the picture are Gina Holden and Lochlyn Munro. Gina describes how she identified with the role of Jules Fogg, “She’s a modern woman. And though she finds herself amongst a bunch of different people, sort of in this Bermuda Triangle type of situation, she has to be a leader and take care of her younger sister and deal with a whole lot of adversity happening around her. Of course, for me, I identify with wanting to stay strong in tough situations and just – enjoying the ride. It was really fun being Jules and I always enjoy playing strong female characters. And I have to give a shout-out to Lochlyn Munro who I haven’t mentioned yet, he was so great to work with. My character obviously has a lot of interaction with his character and we worked really well together. I also got to work with Mark’s father, William Morgan Sheppard. Talking to him was fantastic. I would just sit and listen to him in awe – he’s so knowledgeable and so wonderful. He’s had an extraordinary life, an extraordinary career and shared amazing stories. He was just so wonderful to work with.” “He’s a lot of fun to play with,” Mark affirms of his dad, “We take every chance to work together we can get.”

Watch Mark Sheppard’s feature length directorial debut, starring the beautiful and talented Gina Holden,  Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island tonight @ 9/8c on Syfy.

Article Sources: Mysterious Island: Mark Sheppard and Gina Holden Preview

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) today advised drivers of upcoming work schedules for interstate and major road projects throughout Louisiana for the Mardi Gras holidays (Friday, February 17 through Tuesday, February 21).

DOTD Secretary Sherri H. LeBas urged drivers to use extra caution when traveling on the roadways during the upcoming holiday, especially at railroad crossings.

Below is the regional listing of work schedules and road closures for interstate construction and major road projects.

In the New Orleans area, all lanes of I-10, I-310, I-510 and I-610 will remain open to traffic.

In Jefferson Parish, southbound Loyola Drive from Clemson Drive to I-10 will have the left lane closed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, with the exception of Tuesday, February 21.

In the Slidell area, all lanes of I-10, I-12 and I-59 will remain open to traffic.

In the Hammond area, all lanes of I-12 and I-55 will remain open to traffic.

In East Baton Rouge Parish, all lanes of I-10 will remain open.

In East Baton Rouge and Livingston parishes, drivers should expect short, intermittent closures of the I-12 Range Avenue on and off ramps as well as intermittent closures on I-12 eastbound between O’Neal Lane and Range Avenue. These closures will be from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly, from Friday, February 17 to Sunday, February 19.

Additionally, one lane may be closed in each direction on I-12 from Juban Road (La. 1026) to Walker (La. 447) on Friday, February 17, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Drivers should note the reduced speed limit within the construction zones on I-10 and I-12.

In Pointe Coupee Parish, U.S. 190 will be reduced to one lane in each direction in the town of Livonia.

In the Lafayette area, all lanes of I-10 and I-49 will remain open to traffic.

Additionally, construction on Verot School Road (La. 339), from Pinhook to the Lafayette Parish line, continues with intermittent lane closures from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, weather permitting.

In Vermilion Parish, U.S. 167 will be reduced to one lane in each direction during daytime hours, weather permitting.

In the Lake Charles area, all lanes of I-210 will remain open to traffic.

Drivers should note that the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge is restricted to one lane in each direction between Friday, February 17 and Tuesday, February 21 for ongoing bridge repair work.

In Jefferson Davis Parish, construction activity continues on La. 26 from U.S. 190 (Elton) south to La. 102 (Hathaway) and on La. 14 and La. 380 from Potters Rd. east to La. 26 (Lake Arthur). There may be some closures during the holiday associated with this work, but drivers should not expect major delays.

In Rapides Parish, I-49 will have one southbound lane closed near the Turkey Creek exit and one northbound lane closed near Lecompte. Additionally, the La. 107 Ruby Wise Elementary – Pine Grove and the La. 488 Slide repair projects will have alternating lane closures from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, weather permitting. Through-traffic will be maintained at all times.

In Vernon Parish, at the Bayou Zourie Bridge in Pickering, the northbound travel lanes on U.S. 171 will be closed. Both northbound and southbound traffic will utilize the southbound lanes.

In the Monroe area, I-20 may have one lane closed either westbound or eastbound between Exit 115 (Stella/Mill Street) and Exit 120 (Garrett Road), from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., during the holiday.

In Lincoln Parish, U.S. 167 in Ruston will have one southbound lane closed from Carolina Avenue to Georgia Avenue, and one northbound lane closed from Alabama Street to Georgia Avenue.

In the Shreveport-Bossier City area, all lanes of I-20, I-220 and I-49 will remain open to traffic.

Westbound I-20 in Webster Parish between Exit 49 and Exit 55 will be reduced to one lane of traffic.

Oversize/overweight vehicle movement

Secretary LeBas announced that all oversize and overweight vehicle movement on all state highways will be prohibited in New Orleans, Lafayette, Houma, and New Roads on Saturday, February, 18 through Tuesday, February, 21.

LeBas said the decision was made in conjunction with the Louisiana Department of Public Safety’s Office of State Police to provide maximum safety for motorists traveling on state highways during these holidays. The Department’s Truck Permit Office will remain open Monday, February 20, and Tuesday, February 21, to issue permits outside of the prohibited areas. Please call 1-800-654-1433 for information on permits.

LA Swift, the bus service that provides coach bus rides between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, will run its Saturday schedule on Tuesday, February 21.

Additionally, due to the difficulty of servicing the 4:30 p.m. and the 5:25 p.m. departures at the Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue and the St. Charles Avenue and Poydras Street locations when there is an uptown evening parade scheduled, patrons normally using these locations should meet at the Tulane and Loyola departure location for the following dates only:

* Friday, February 10

* Wednesday, February 15

* Thursday, February 16

* Friday, February, 17

* Monday, February 20

Schedules and further details are available at laswift.com and through LA Swift’s Customer Service Center at (877)-94-SWIFT (1-877-947-9438). The center’s hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The bus service makes stops in Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Sorrento, LaPlace, Kenner and New Orleans.

Travelers can access up-to-date information about weather-related road conditions, construction activities and other critical incidents by dialing 511 from their telephone.

The voice-activated 511 Traveler Information System is available to most wireless and landline telephone users. Out-of-state travelers can access the system by calling 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511). Travelers can also access this information by visiting the 511 Traveler Information System Web site at 511la.org.

Traffic cameras for the Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Hammond/Northshore, Houma, Lake Charles, Monroe/West Monroe, New Orleans, Shreveport/Bossier and surrounding areas also may be viewed from the 511 site.

DOTD’s Customer Service Center representatives can answer questions about road closures not listed above or any other DOTD-related questions. Please call (225) 379-1232 or 1-877-4LADOTD (1-877-452-3683) with questions. The center’s business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Customer Service Center will be closed Tuesday, February 21.

Finally, drivers are encouraged to tune in to local radio stations for current traffic and incident information prior to traveling.

Drivers who notice road hazards, such as potholes or debris in the road, are urged to call DOTD’s statewide, toll-free Highway Safety Hot Line at 1-800-259-HWAY (4929). The automated system operates 24-hours-a-day and routes callers to the appropriate field office to report hazardous conditions.

Article Sources: DOTD issues Mardi Gras travel advisory

RIVERSIDE — The teenager hears the advice from his father, and … well, you know how most teenagers are. What could HE possibly know about this?

Usually, it eventually sinks in that Dad does, indeed, know what he’s talking about.

For Riverside Community College freshman outfielder Ryan Garvey, that epiphany came a couple years ago when he realized that if he was going to aim for a baseball career, it wouldn’t hurt to listen to a guy who played 19 years in the big leagues with the Dodgers and Padres, with 10 All-Star appearances and one MVP award.

Yeah, Steve Garvey probably has some credibility on the subject. If it took Ryan a while to figure that out, it could be because he was born six years after his dad’s final big league game with San Diego in 1987.

“It was, ‘He’s my dad, he doesn’t know anything,’” Ryan said. “But then I started to get over that. … It’s actually helped me to follow what he’s been talking about all through my childhood.”

The apple hasn’t fallen that far from this tree, though Young Garv, through five RCC games, has struck out far more frequently than his dad ever did. Then again, he has a better arm than his dad ever did.

His approach to hitting?

“Right center,” he said. “My dad’s always gotten on me about going to right center. It’s, ‘You can drive a Taurus to left center, or a Mercedes (by going) to right center?’”

(As someone who used to drive a Taurus, I should be offended. Then again, I could never pull the ball, so maybe I just beat the odds.)

Ryan Garvey is at RCC primarily because of the siren call of the baseball draft. He was a 15th-round pick of the Phillies last June out of Palm Desert High but opted to attend USC, yet transferred after one semester.

“He was really torn between ’SC and the Phillies,” Steve Garvey said in a phone conversation. “He’d always wanted to go to ’SC. It was in his heart, and I think if he would have signed with the Phils he would have always said to himself, ‘What if? What would it have really been like at ‘SC?’

“He loved it. He had a great fall, he did well on the field and he loved the whole atmosphere. But eventually he was spending six or seven hours in class and tutoring and not as much time on the baseball field as he expected, and he started thinking about what he really wanted. He said, ‘Dad, I just want to be a professional baseball player. I don’t know, if I go for one day of the second semester, if I’m going to regret spending the next three years and not be able to begin my pro career.’

“That was a pretty mature statement, and one from the heart.”

Ultimately, Steve Garvey said, Mike Spiers of the ABD baseball academy program suggested they look at RCC because of coach Dennis Rogers’ background in professional baseball and his emphasis on player development.

It could be a win-win for all concerned. Ryan Garvey gets a chance to hone his skills in a situation where he can be drafted in June, rather than having to wait until the end of his junior year if he’d stayed at a four-year institution.

RCC’s program gets the attention of a former big leaguer’s son in its lineup — and of Steve and his wife, Candace, in the stands every so often — and the attention of major league scouts, who might come to check out Young Garv and find several other nuggets to be mined, too.

“He’s got a chance to be an offensive force,” Rogers said. “He’s a young kid who understands the hitting aspect. The ball comes off his bat a little differently. And there’s tremendous projectability about his future. You can envision him, two or three or four years from now, where that hitting approach and concept will continue to get better.”

Ryan started strong, going 2 for 9 with two doubles and two runs scored in the Tigers’ first two games before tailing off. He’s hitting .285 through five games, with a .285 on-base percentage, a .381 slugging percentage and six strikeouts in 21 at-bats.

Defensively, he has played left field and right field, and Rogers said he takes grounders at third (his dad’s original position with the Dodgers) and first (where Steve wound up spending most of his career) as well.

The interesting thing here is that Ryan didn’t devote much time to baseball until he was 12, when the family moved from Park City, Utah, to Palm Desert and he could play a schedule that wasn’t abbreviated by weather. By 14 he’d started to develop his skills, and he was a three-year starter at Palm Desert High, where his team won a CIF title his junior year and got to play on his dad’s old Dodger Stadium turf in a CIF finals loss to La Puente Bishop Amat last spring.

“I have a lot of things to catch up on,” Ryan said.

And now he knows what his dad brings to the table.

He sees the reaction when Steve goes to an All-Star Fan Fest and is still mobbed by fans, 25 years after his career ended. And he says he clicks on YouTube periodically to re-watch his dad’s most famous home run, the walkoff shot that ended Game 4 of the Padres-Cubs NL Championship Series in 1984 and set up San Diego’s first visit to the World Series.

Oh, and where did that home run go? Right center.

Follow Jim on Facebook (facebook.com/PE.JimAlexander) and Twitter (twitter.com/Jim_Alexander)

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Article Sources: ALEXANDER: Young Garvey realizes Dad knows best

The Point Loma-based pro has reached a point of diminishing drive and reordered priorities, the career crossroads where an athlete’s ambition begins to lag behind his ability. He has stopped trying to prolong his own adolescence in order to watch his children grow in real time.

“It’s fun to me playing golf, but it’s work at the same time,” Riley said Thursday following a first-round 67 in the Farmers Insurance Open. “I feel like I kind of (did) what I wanted to do in my career. I don’t want to beat my head in.

Thanks to the prize money explosion Tiger Woods triggered and his own superlative putting, Riley has reached the age of 38 with only one victory on the PGA Tour but more than twice the career earnings of Jack Nicklaus. He’s made more than $11.3 million without winning a major or losing his bearings, and he is so at peace with his plight that he chose not to chase his lost tour card at the PGA’s Qualifying School last fall.

He is teeing it up this week at Torrey Pines by virtue of a sponsor’s exemption, a reward for his honorable service, his local ties and his near-miss in 2004, and he is mindful that this might be his last time in the tournament. Yet while anticipation and anxiety have been playing havoc with his sleep, Chris Riley long ago came to terms with who he is and what he really wants.

“I wasn’t one of those guys trying to win the golf tournament,” he said. “I was trying to make a nice living. Not that I have Adrian Gonzalez money, but I don’t live high on the hog. I just live a normal life.

This isn’t the sort of story athletes typically tell, but it’s a lot closer to the truth than many of them would be willing to admit. Not all professional athletes spend every waking hour obsessed with the pursuit of immortality. Not all of them are as gifted, as driven (or as wayward) as is Tiger Woods. Some of them are able to recognize their limitations well enough to appreciate what they have and what they’ve done without desperately yearning for goals far beyond their grasp.

Article Sources: Riley shifts his priorities: Be competitive, not consumed

Anyone who’s been stranded in an airport knows those awkward chairs at the gate aren’t conducive to sleep—especially when you need it most. Enter the pod hotel, a small in-terminal hostelry comprised of mini-rooms where you can get some comfortable rest. A few airports around the world already have them, and more are opening soon. While these mini-hotels won’t win any Five-Star awards, the utilitarian spaces do offer privacy and, most important, a chance at some serious shut-eye.

The company Minute Suites chose two connection hubs for its debut hotels—Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport was the first to open in 2009, followed by Philadelphia International Airport, which opened last March. Two new locations inside Dallas/Fort Worth Airport are in the works—the first will open near the end of this year in Terminal D, serving several international and domestic airlines. Another is slated for Terminal A (where American Airlines currently resides) for the end of 2014.

Each roughly 56-square-foot room has a daybed—those in Philadelphia have an additional pull-out trundle—pillows and blankets, along with a 32-inch HDTV that also can be used as a computer with a wireless keyboard and mouse. An in-room workstation (desk, phone, office chair) appeals to the business travelers that make up most of the company’s customers. And, according to CEO Daniel Solomon, the rooms are even used for small meetings occasionally.

While there’s no room service or bathrooms in the current locations, the new Minute Suites at Dallas/Fort Worth will have private shower units, says Solomon. The suites go for $30 the first hour (the minimum stay) and $7.50 for every 15 minutes afterward (discounts apply for longer stays). The company doesn’t plan to stop expanding, either—it’s in negotiations with several other U.S. airport hubs.

Inspired by Japanese capsule hotels, London-based Yotel has pods inside Heathrow and Gatwick Airports as well as Amsterdam’s Schiphol and is looking to add more across the pond soon—it’s bidding to open a hotel inside New York City’s John F. Kennedy Airport and is negotiating with other large airports in the U. S. and Europe. The hotel’s rooms are largely self-service (you can book online and check in and out on a computer console) with a futuristic feel.

Standard cabins—measuring 75 square feet—come with a bunk-style single bed complete with a flat-screen TV, plus a small work desk and tiny bathroom with shower. Premium rooms provide a step up in square footage and a larger double bed.

Rooms must be rented for at least four hours, and prices run from £25 (about $45) for a standard room to £40 (about $63) for a premium cabin. Travelers often stay at Yotel before early morning flights or to get cleaned up before a big meeting.

The design-centric wooden pods by Russian-based Sleepbox may populate European airports and train stations with its cool concept soon. (Currently a model unit is in place at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport.) The self-contained compartments are the most spare on the mini-hotel spectrum, with a bed platform, electrical outlets, nightstand, reading lamps and electric blinds. In the meantime, Sleepbox is opening a Moscow hostel this spring that’s outfitted with the tiny rooms. Next up? Customizing Sleepboxes for use inside offices—another place where rest is hard to come by.

Article Sources: Pod Hotels Coming To An Airport Near You

When you arrive in New York, for your first time or after being away for a while, you want a taste of what makes the city unique. Sure, you could pop into one of those hip bastions of dining where everything’s pickled or ensconced in some kind of obscure animal fat but, really, aren’t they doing that in most food cities these days? What you crave is the sort of thing that doesn’t push the envelope in any way; you want comfort food, New York City style, served gruffly yet with an inscrutable sort of love. What you crave is the 2nd Avenue Deli.

It was never my intention to choose the 2nd Avenue Deli for our first meal back after six months away. But there we were on the Upper East Side (where we were staying) and the 2nd Avenue Deli was just down the street. And that made sense, didn’t it, for someone who’s been subsisting on farro salads and tacos here on the west coast. We needed a deli:

I suspect some of you might point out that L.A. has wonderful delis too, most notably Langer’s which (presumably) serves the best pastrami in the country. But that’s not really the point. The point is that in L.A., I don’t crave pastrami–the weather’s not right, the mood’s not right. In New York, on a chilly February night (though not as chilly as we were expecting) deli food is absolutely the correct thing to eat.

When you sit down at the 2nd Avenue Deli (which, I should reveal here, isn’t really on 2nd Avenue; neither is the other location) you’ll notice a container of spicy mustard on the table and a laminated menu set before you. Here’s Craig modeling his:

Is there really a tasting menu? No, definitely not. But I titled my post that because if you order what we ordered it pretty much IS a tasting menu for far less money than you’d normally spend on a tasting menu. The trick is to order a soup and half a sandwich (for $16). If you do that, you’ll be treated to crunchy, vinegary coleslaw:

A lovely selection of pickles (including a pickled tomato, which I never eat–I’m a cucumber pickle dude):

(I probably never told you that my grandmother–my mother’s mother–used to sell pickles at the Roosevelt Field flea market on Long Island. Her 2nd husband, my grandpa Joe, owned a pickle factory called Stern’s Pickles. One day I’ll tell you more about it.)

Next comes that soup which you see in the lead photo—a matzoh ball soup with a matzoh ball so light and fluffy you could tie it to your house and fly away like the guy in “Up.” The broth is light but flavorful (we once ordered a jar of it delivered to our apartment when Craig had a cold–it’s the ultimate cold cure) and it’s presented the way they might present soup at a fancier restaurant: the matzoh ball and carrots in the big empty bowl, the broth in a metal container that’s then poured out by your waitress in dramatic fashion. It’s dramatic because it seems like that boiling broth might spill over the sides but it’s the perfect amount.

When it’s time for your half sandwich, I say go with the corned beef (though pastrami is a fine choice too). Slather it with that spicy mustard:

You could even ask for some extra bread and make a whole sandwich out of your half sandwich–there’s so much meat in there, it would certainly work. At the 2nd Avenue Deli the corned beef is lean, incredibly tender and still warm as you bite into it. If that doesn’t scream “Welcome To New York” as you’re eating it, I don’t know what does.

But what rounded out the “tasting menu” for us was this very kind gesture from the waitress. She brought us each a shot of an egg cream and rugelach for dessert:

I asked her if every table got this and she said, “Only tables that I like.” Some New York sass to boot!

It’s easy for food people who plan their trips around food to forget that newer doesn’t necessarily equal better. Sometimes it’s the stuff that a city is famous for–in this case, deli food–that’s worth seeking out for your first meal there. Save the dehydrated pork belly with pickled fennel stems for Day 2.

Article Sources: The “Welcome To New York” Tasting Menu at The 2nd Avenue Deli – Amateur Gourmet

The following are real estate transfers filed in La CrosseCounty. By law, some transfers are exempt from transfer fees; theseproperties are listed without prices.

Andrew L. Horstman to city of La Crosse, 3723 28th St. S.

Wells Fargo Bank to Secretary of Housing and Urban DevelopmentUSA, 1523 Adams St., $132,800.

Jerry A. Davis and La Crosse County Sheriff to Wells Fargo Bank,5250 Brackenwood Court.

Kenneth J. Greene to Emily Greene, 3728 Elm Drive.

Cynthia L. and Richard M. Withrow to Withrow Properties LLC,1345, 1347 and 1349 Avon St.

Cynthia L. and Richard M. Withrow to Withrow Properties LLC,2024 and 2026 31st St. S.

Cynthia L. and Richard M. Withrow to Withrow Properties LLC,2307 Diagonal Road.

Campus Centre Properties LLC to Parker Prestige Properties LLC,410, 412 and 414 Ninth St. N., $120,000.

Matthew E. Inda to Matthew E. Inda Special Needs Trust, 420 22ndSt. S.

Michael and Nicole Bernard to Bernard Properties LLC, 226Caledonia St.

Tammy J. Donskey and La Crosse County Sheriff to M&WInvestment Properties LLC, 821 Johnson St., $42,301.

Marilyn J. and Thomas Brockman to Aimee C. Bergeron, 2922 GeorgeSt., $47,000.

Bernard G. Volz to Bernard G. Volz Revocable Trust, 926 EastAve. S.

Roger D. Lowry to RWR Properties LLC, 1207 and 1209 10th St.S.

Robert A. Jackson to Joe A. Kernin, 1532 Kane St., $106,000.

Stephen M. Cottrell to Stephen M. Cottrell 2010 Revocable Trust,1222 Cass St.

Everbrite Investment Co. to Russ Davis Wholesale Inc., 3145Airport Road, $1.5 million.

Melinda S. and Stephen E. Carlisle to Corina M. and Steven G.Turriff, 3307 Augusta Lane, $64,000.

Terrance C. Herbst to Terrance C. Herbst and Thane P. Page, 3716and 3718 E. Emerald Drive.

Helen Koloski Estate to Koloski House Trust, 938 Aspen ValleyDrive.

Luanne M. and Scott S. Freng to James A. and Sandra L. Freng,1101 Venture Place.

Federal National Mortgage Association to Erica and NathanSchumaker.

Jerold M. Ming to Leah R. and Wesley J. Fechner, $75,000.

Barbara I. and Lawrence G. Anderson to Lawrence and BarbaraAnderson Irrevocable Living Trust.

Della L. and Ira D. Stuhr to Larry W. and Randy C. Stuhr.

Debra A. and Robert E. Allen to James P. Shurson, $564,400.

Beyer Investments LLC to Dana L. Raudebush and Matthew J.Reiman, $130,000.

Amy K. Lepper to Brian C. Miller.

Harley L. Evenson and Debra M. Thesing to Anthony L. Clementsand Katie L. Hibbard, $137,000.

Jeannie M. and Robert E. Bush to Robert E. and Jeannie M. BushRevocable Trust.

Thomas W. Davenport to Juliana R. Stalsberg and John O. Zahn,$180,000.

Article Sources: Real estate transfers for Sunday, February 19, 2012

Super stoked about the wedding in Louisiana coming up this weekend.  From what I’ve heard from Emily (the bride!) and Kristen (the wedding planner!) the details and location are to die for!  Seriously a wedding in Louisiana on a farm on a lake with fantastic weather, talk about making my job easy.  These stamped vintage handkerchief wedding invitations should be proof enough that this wedding is going to be off the detail hook.

So all you brides out there planning your big day, please come and get some inspiration, and if you are in need of a wedding planner please run don’t walk to Signature Occasions and ask for Kristen Blackard.  I’m serious go as soon as you look at the photos!

Danny KlimetzWebsiteBlog

Wedding Planner | Kristen Blackard with Signature Occasions

Article Sources: Vintage Wedding Invitations

This article looks at phlebotomy classes in Los Angeles. The information given here will help prospective students of phlebotomy in Los Angeles make an informed decision about getting into the profession of phlebotomy and find a school that fits them.

Introduction

Los Angeles, often known by its initials LA had a population of 3,792,621 according to the US Census 2010. In terms of population, it is the largest city in California and the second largest in the United States, after New York City. Several renowned professional, cultural, educational and industrial institutions have their base in Los Angeles. It is one of the most important economic centers in the US. It is ranked the third richest city and the fifth most influential and powerful city internationally, behind only the New York City.

Higher education in Los Angeles

Los Angeles has a well developed system of higher education. The universities and college in the city are the following:

Besides, the Los Angeles Community College District manages nine community colleges that offer a variety of vocational and career programs. These include Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles Harbor College, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, Los Angeles Mission College, Los Angeles Pierce College, Los Angeles Valley College, Los Angeles Southwest College East Los Angeles College and West Los Angeles College.

Phlebotomy training in Los Angeles

To become a phlebotomist one can either seek a trainee position in one of the city hospitals or enroll in an accredited phlebotomy school. There however are no accredited phlebotomy schools in Los Angeles. It is preferable for prospective students of phlebotomy to enroll in a program accredited by the National Accredited Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). This is because the certifying agencies accept only NAACLS-accredited training programs. Those joining as trainees also can get certified after completing the requisite hours of training and then passing the certifying examination conducted by an accreditation agency. The nationally reputed certifying agencies for phlebotomists are the National Phlebotomy Association, the American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians and the American Society for Clinical Pathologists.

The schools offering phlebotomy classes in Los Angeles that are not accredited by NAACLS are:

LA Vocational Institute3540 Wilshire Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90010213-480-4882lavocational.com

Central Nursing College3550 Wilshire Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90010213-384-4789cncla.org

California Technical Education College1820 Wilshire Blvd.Second FloorLos Angeles, CA, 90057213-989-2000caltechcollege.com

Clinical Training Institute2775 N Ventura RdOxnard, CA 93036805-485-4383

In California, California Institute of Medical Science, Fresno is the only school offering accredited training in phlebotomy. It offers a short term certificate program in phlebotomy. Its address is:

California Institute of Medical Science, Inc1901 E. Shields, Suite B-118Fresno, CA 93726

Conclusion

Thus, we find that those aspiring to become phlebotomists in Los Angeles have only one top quality school for training. There are four other phlebotomy schools in Los Angeles that are, however, not accredited by NAACLS. Learning phlebotomy on the job is also not a bad idea because once you complete the training, you can appear for a certifying examination conducted by one of the three agencies mentioned above and enhance your value.

Article Sources: Phlebotomy Classes in Los Angeles

Frequent travelers greeted news of Dane County RegionalAirport’s new full-body scanners, which will begin screeningpassengers on Friday, with a shrug.

Madison’s high-tech devices were unveiled Wednesday by theTransportation Security Administration, though such scannersalready are used in 140 U.S. airports, including five in Wisconsin.La Crosse’s airport is scheduled to receive scanners next week,said Carrie Harmon, a TSA spokeswoman.

That means they’re not really news at all to some travelers,including Tim Neel, 60, who was on his way home to Cleveland. 

Neel, who was in town on business at Sub-Zero/Wolf, said he wentthrough a full-body scanner at the Akron-Canton Regional Airportwith no problems and no worries. 

“I don’t care,” he said. “I can’t get that revved up aboutit.”

The machines use software that increases privacy by eliminatingpassenger-specific images. Instead, the units display acomputer-generated outline of a person that is identical for allpassengers. 

The scanners replace metal detectors, but travelers still needto remove shoes, belts and any items in pockets. Anything left in apocket, including paper and plastic items, can be detected by thescanners. “Anomalies” are indicated by a yellow patch on thecomputer generated image and typically trigger a pat-down to thatpart of the body, said Jane Hemberger, a TSA securitydirector. 

The scanners, which stand almost 9 feet tall and are 6 feetwide, have been installed at the north and south entrances to thesecure terminal area of the airport. Walk-through metal detectorswill remain for backup purposes, Harmon said.

Janis Stromer, on her way home to Tennessee after a trainingsession at Epic in Verona, said she went through a scanner inNashville on her way to Madison. 

“I’m kind of used to it, but I don’t feel any safer,” shesaid.

Article Sources: Passengers mostly indifferent as full-body scanners land at Dane County airport