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New Book By Reclusive Local Author Highlights Judeo Christian Mysticism

In Local News, Media, National News, Senior Lifestyle on June 29, 2011 at 1:05 pm

Local Literary News

Images Old and New by Sarah Seymour-Winfield

GREENE COUNTY – A Greene County author now shares with readers a similarly controversial book, the result of a twenty-year journey following a deep, personal spiritual awakening. Officially released by Greyden Press in June, Images Old and New by Sarah Seymour-Winfield is described as, “A scholarly book about Christian mysticism.”

The book is a painstakingly referenced mixture of theologically-based studies including literature, philosophy and spiritualism, offering the reader unique insights into the Bible and its origins. The author’s goal is to help readers on a path to their own illumination.

“Long ago on Mount Sinai, Moses, Aaron, and seventy-two privileged men actually saw the God of Israel and with Him actually ate and drank,” recalled Seymour-Winfield. “Likewise, Images Old and New grants the contemporary reader a similar mystical privilege through the readings of Scripture alone – to see God in the contemporary world and live.”

Because of Seymour-Winfield’s notable public absence, the author is being represented by Gery L. Deer, senior publicist and managing copywriter with GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing in Jamestown. “Sarah’s work has received outstanding reviews from theological experts around the country,” Deer said. “Early interest in the book has been surprising, from the devout and the secular alike, particularly in the academic community.”

According to Deer, Images Old and New has been chosen as an accompanying text this fall for one of the religion courses at the University of Dayton. Writers of theologically-based fiction are also showing great interest in Images. The book is to be the focus of several panel sessions during the 2011 Context Alternative Fiction Literary Conference in Columbus, August 28-30.

Currently the book is available in paper and hardback editions online, directly from the publisher or by contacting the author’s publicist, Gery L. Deer by calling (937) 902-4857. Limited copies are available for scholarly review by application to the publicist. Excerpts and a full bibliography, as well as scholarly reviews of the book, are available on the official website http://www.imagesoldandnew.com.

Greene County Safe Communities Coalition Reminds 4th of July Drivers to Plan Ahead

In Local News, Media on June 28, 2011 at 2:55 pm

Xenia – July 4th celebrations often include cook-outs, picnics, boating, time
spent with family and friends and, of course, fireworks. But for too many
families, this holiday weekend can be filled with tragedy instead of
celebration. The Fourth of July is one of the deadliest holidays of the year
when it comes to alcohol-impaired-driving crashes on our roadways.

That is why the Greene County Safe Communities Coalition is reminding everyone
that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving and to designate a sober driver before the
celebrations begin.

Statistics gathered from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over
the past 25 years show that, on average, nearly half of all deadly traffic
crashes over each year’s July 4th holiday involved some level of alcohol.

In fact, 410 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes nationally
during the Fourth of July weekend in 2009. Of that number, 40 percent involved
drivers with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter or
higher.

“The Fourth of July is a time most Americans spend celebrating with family and
friends, but in order to keep someone you love from becoming another deadly
statistic, each of us can do our part to combat one of America’s deadliest
crimes—drunk driving,” said Laurie Fox, Safe Communities Coordinator. “We hope
each individual will be responsible, designate a sober driver before the parties
begin and will never get behind the wheel after they’ve been drinking.”

All 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have made it illegal to
drive with a BAC of .08 or higher.

“Alcohol impairs many of the skills that safe driving requires, including
judgment, concentration, comprehension, coordination, visual acuity and reaction
time,” said Fox. “Even driving ‘buzzed’ is simply not worth the risk to you or
the thousands of innocent victims who are hurt or killed each year by drunk
drivers.”

Impaired driving is one of America’s deadliest problems. In 2009 alone, 10,839
people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, accounting for 32
percent of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. That’s an average
of one impaired-driving fatality every 48 minutes in 2009.

Ms. Fox said that impaired drivers not only take the risk of hurting or killing
themselves or someone else, the trauma and financial costs of an
alcohol-impaired crash or an arrest can be significant. Violators often face
jail time, the loss of their driver licenses, higher insurance rates and dozens
of other unanticipated expenses.

“We want everyone to enjoy their holiday celebrations, but it’s important when
you or a friend are out drinking, to act on that knowledge by putting down your
keys or taking a friend’s keys to not let them drink and drive,” said Fox. “And
folks need to be particularly careful at night, because the rate of alcohol
impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2009 was four times higher
at night than during the day.”

The Greene County Safe Communities Coalition encourages a few simple precautions
to keep themselves and loved ones safe:

-Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
-Before drinking, designate a sober driver;
-If you’re impaired, don’t get behind the wheel. Call a taxi, use public

transportation or call a sober friend or family member so you are sure to get
home safely.
-If you see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact the local law
enforcement dispatch — because you may just save someone’s life.
-Remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. Take the keys and help them
make other arrangements to get where they are going safely.

“Remember, Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving, so whether you’ve had way too many,
or just one too many, it’s not worth the risk to yourself or others to get
behind the wheel,” said Fox. “Please plan ahead and designate a sober driver
before the party begins.”

For more information, please visit http://www.StopImpairedDriving.org.

Electric Cars Are Coal Powered

In Business, Economy, Local News, National News, Opinion, Politics on June 28, 2011 at 2:54 pm

By Gery L. Deer
Deer In Headlines

A few years ago gasoline prices were hovering around the 5-dollar per gallon
mark driving automakers around the world to meet the sweeping demand for
alternatively powered vehicles. Within a year, nearly every company had unveiled
its own version of either a hybrid or fully electric passenger car.

The first electrically-powered cars were introduced in the U.S. and Europe
around the mid-nineteenth century. Though it is unclear who actually invented
the concept back in those days, today there is every reason to believe that the
electric car is no better of a solution than its gasoline ancestors; at least
not yet.

According to the United States Energy Information Administration, almost half
(45 percent) of America’s electrical power is currently generated by burning
coal. Natural gas and nuclear power come in second and third, 23-percent and
20-percent, respectively. Wind and hydroelectric power providers barely even
register on the scale.

With these facts in mind, it may as well be said that an electric car being
operated in the United States is essentially powered by coal. Yes, coal; and
environmentally-minded drivers need to know that there’s nearly nothing green
about driving an electric car.

Coal mining requires the excavation of substantial areas of land and poses a
host of environmental hazards including soil erosion, excessive noise and
pollution of the air and water. In an effort to appear more environmentally
friendly over the years, mining companies have done a better job at covering
their tracks. However, backfilling and tree planting will ever undo the overall
destruction caused by the extraction process.

Mining also takes a toll in human life. In 2010, for example, 48 people died
working in American coal mines. At the same time, China lost more than 2,400
workers to mining accidents.

Once mined, coal is burned to boil water for immense steam turbines which
generate electricity. Burning coal is a dirty process; a statement that cannot
be easily disputed. Burning coal gives off a mixture of sulfur dioxide, carbon
dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

Any ideas that so-called clean coal technologies will help to curtail
environmental damage is idealistic but finally erroneous. Adding
chemical-filtering scrubbers to the chimneys of power plants will only slightly
reduce the amount of toxins released into the atmosphere over time because of
the increasing number of plants needed to meet power demands.

And what happens to the contaminants when reusable scrubbers are cleaned? Some
scientists claim that the filtered toxic waste ends up in the soil and water
supplies in close proximity to the power plants. There is no consensus on an
answer to this question.

Eventually, the world’s coal supply will be exhausted, just as petroleum stores
will be and vehicle designers will be back to square one. But the immediate
issue rests in how to limit America’s dependence on foreign fuel supplies. For
the moment, electricity seems to be the go-to technology, but even the cars
themselves pose an environmental threat.

While they may not directly create a pollution problem, electric cars have some
particularly toxic components, particularly the lithium-ion batteries which
power the motors. Currently, the federal government says these batteries can be
freely disposed of in normal municipal landfills.

Toyota, on the other hand, recently stated that lithium-ion batteries were far
too hazardous to be used in passenger cars at all. If sold en mass, these
batteries could create a significant amount of solid waste, with no
predetermined plan for their complete disposal or breakdown.

Trading one problem for another is not a solution. For now, the amount of
petroleum needed to generate wind and solar power prevents either from becoming
immediately affordable or practical. There is no perfect answer but until there
is a viable option, not just for gasoline but also for coal, the electric car is
not going to help the environmental problem.

In the end, using more electricity to run the millions of automobiles in the
United States will, at least in the short term, generate more pollution and
waste. Anyone looking down their environmentally-friendly noses from behind the
wheel of an electric car should remember just how much damage they may still be
doing.


Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business writer based in Jamestown,
Ohio. Read more at http://www.deerinheadlines.com.

Local IT Firm Warns Of Slow PC Repair Scams

In Business, Home Improvement, Local News on June 28, 2011 at 2:43 pm

JAMESTOWN – Over the past several months Miami Valley residents have been exposed to a barrage of ads from websites and software companies who claim that they will clean up a computer’s programming and make it run faster. These firms then take credit card information, remote into the PC and install invasive software that, at best, turns off some of the Windows maintenance features.

Local writer and entrepreneur, Gery L. Deer, is the owner of Deer Computer Consulting, Ltd., an on-site computer support firm based in Jamestown. Deer said his company has been inundated with calls relating to consumers who have been taken advantage of by companies offering so-called optimization packages to speed up slow computers.

“Computers become slower over time for a multitude of reasons ranging from overloaded startup cues to excessive maintenance software,” Deer said. “These companies use scare tactics and offer an online program that they claim will clean up your computer and make it run faster. Usually, they install expensive, highly invasive programs that conflict with your machine’s built-in maintenance software.”

Deer added that he’s had to go so far as to issue confirmation of repair letters to credit card companies on behalf his clients to help them recover payments when refund requests were ignored by the online service providers.

“One of the ways we diagnose computer problems is to find out how the ailing machine is used and who uses it,” Deer said. “That’s something that cannot be done over the phone and an on-site check of the computer is far less costly.”

Deer also noted that there is rarely a need to install third-party software to speed up a computer. Additional programs running in the background only add an operational burden to the processor and would just serve to slow the machine down even more.

Security is also an issue here. Deer cautions people about letting any third-party have access or remote control over your computer. “Most of these companies use the Windows remote access program to go into your computer and manipulate its operation, load software and even extract information,” Deer said.

“Because you’ve given them access, these individuals, most of which are out of state and often out of the country, now have the ability to see any information stored on your computer, no matter how private.”

In response to these calls, Deer Computer Consulting, Ltd., has initiated a flat-rated computer check. Priced between $49 and $79 per hour, depending on the type of service and the location, a technician will perform a check on the computer to look for malware, viruses and the presence of any unwanted software.

“The goal here is to help people keep from being ripped off by these companies,” Deer acknowledges, adding that regular maintenance is just as important to a computer as it is to a car. “If you’ve already used one of these companies, with negative results, we may be able to help recover your money. We want to try to help our community be aware of these problems, provide solutions and offer steps consumers can take to prevent them.”

From now until July 21st, Deer Computer Consulting, Ltd., will be offering free phone or email consultations to help local consumers determine whether they need further help with slow, lagging computers.. For more information call (937) 902-4857, or visit http://www.deercomputerconsulting.com.

New Local home Care Business To Hold Job Fair July 8

In Business, Economy, Jobs, Local News, Senior Lifestyle on June 20, 2011 at 12:00 pm

SPRINGBORO – Miami Valley Golden Heart Senior Care, LLC, has opened a new office in Centerville to serve seniors in Warren, Prebble, Butler, and Warren Counties. In order to fill non-medical homecare staff vacancies the company will be holding a job fair from 9:00AM until 2:00PM on Friday, July 8 at the Springboro Dorothy Lane Market Upstairs Community Room, 740 N. Main St. in Springboro.

Miami Valley Golden Heart Senior Care, LLC, will be filling numerous positions in anticipation of rapid client growth over the next several months. Those selected for these jobs will work as in-home companions, home helpers, and provide other non-medical personal care. All Applicants will need a copy of current Driver’s License, proof of car insurance, proof of eligibility to work in the USA such as birth certificate, passport, or social security card. Background checks and drug screening will be required of new hires at employee expense.

Applicants should be prepared to complete application, provide resume, and speak with a Company representative during this process. Those meeting all requirements will be called back for a second interview and completion of employee paperwork, drug screening and background check. Inquiries many be directed to Kim Bromagen at 937-985-4911.

Miami Valley Golden Heart Senior Care, LLC, offers 24-hour, 7-day services to help elderly clients remain in their homes longer while still living full, productive lives free of some daily tasks that may have become more difficult as time passed. They can assist with personal care needs like bathing, meal preparation and mobility as well as grocery shopping, managing bills and keeping up with medications and appointments.

Bin Laden Is Dead. Now What?

In Media, National News, Opinion, Politics, Uncategorized on May 2, 2011 at 3:37 pm

Commentary By Gery L. Deer

Deer In Headlines

As the free world celebrates the final demise of Osama Bin Laden, it’s important to keep the victory in perspective. The death of this vicious murderer signals neither the end of global terrorism nor the collapse of Al Qaeda.

Security has been increased at air ports and military bases around the country and the world in preparation for possible retaliatory strikes against the United States. Officials at the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately raise the terror threat level, but are telling the media that they are keeping a, “heightened state of vigilance.”

Once the jubilation settles down, Americans will be saying, “Ok, we got him, now what?” Good question. The answer is that there is no answer. When Adolf Hitler was confirmed dead, the world celebrated. Needless to say, Hitler killed millions more than Bin Laden, but the sentimental comparison is similar.

The difference was that Hitler, for all of his madness, was the leader of a definable government. Once Berlin fell and Hitler was dead, the healing could begin. German citizens could begin rebuilding their country and try to undo the horrors he’d laid at their feet.

Bin Laden, on the other hand, was the leader of an ideal more so than an organization. His murderous followers firmly believe in the fanatical ideas that he preached, most notably that the United States and its allies are the evil scourge of the world and should be eradicated.

There is no doubt that they will continue his efforts undaunted by his death. If anything, he’s now a martyr to them, possibly fueling their fanaticism even further.

The so-called “War on Terror” is not over, by any stretch of the imagination, but the world can breathe for a minute while a stunned Al Qaeda regroups. American and Allied forces will continue their efforts to smoke out the remaining leaders of the organization and fight for freedom and the safety of all the world’s people.

Every free citizen of the world should be mindful of the level of destruction of which crazed fanatics like Bin Laden are capable. It can all happen again. Government leaders should be careful who they befriend. Where will the next threat come from – a terror group, or an organized government?

Instead of airplanes into buildings, the next attack could be nuclear bombs that wipe out an entire city. Intelligence agencies are working hard to stop these actions before they even get out of the planning stages. So far, they’ve managed to stay ahead of the terrorists, but America must not let her guard down for even a moment.

National security is still of the utmost importance. Every day, terror groups are recruiting new members and global intelligence organizations will do everything possible to keep them under surveillance.

In the meantime, how will the death of the world’s most notorious terrorist affect the daily lives of average Americans? With the possible exception of crackpot conspiracy theorists who believe the U.S. government arranged the 9/11 attacks, most Americans will be celebrating Bin Laden’s death. But it is unlikely that there will be any dramatic change to day-to-day activities.

Alabama will continue its tornado recovery efforts. Congress will maintain bickering across the aisle about budget cuts and party objectives. Commuters will worry about rising gas prices and shrinking paychecks.

Kids will be rushed off to school in the morning and those who have been struggling to find work will do their best to remain hopeful and diligent. Life goes on.

What’s next? Only time will tell. Celebrations will continue for a time, but, eventually, people will become complaisant once again. Osama Bin Laden’s death may yield a false sense of security, but the very nature of the enemy behests vigilance and consistency.

Massive Barn Fire In Xenia Township

In Local News, Media, State News, Uncategorized on May 2, 2011 at 9:39 am

Photos By Pam Suske and Shawn Keller

This massive barn fire on Gultice Road in Xenia broke out sometime around 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 1st. Xenia and New Jasper Township fire departments worked for several hours to get the fire under control. Greene County Sheriff’s deputies kept the road closed off to traffic until later in the evening. There is no word yet on the cause of the fire.

Aviation History Begins In Greene County

In Economy, Local News, Senior Lifestyle, State News, Uncategorized on April 29, 2011 at 2:58 pm

By Gery L. Deer

(FAIRBORN) – For those looking to save money on vacation this season, consider staying closer to home. Day and weekend trips to local attractions can save hundreds and provide a fun, educational experience for the whole family. The Dayton area offers many such locations and many are free to visit.

One particular jewel in the Gem city’s historic crown is the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. Comprised of multiple attractions, the park system includes homes and workshops of the Wright Brothers as well as related figures including poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar.

Most of the sites are located in or near Dayton proper, but, apart from the work done at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, most of the actual flying and development actually took place in Greene County.

Perched atop a hill at the corner of SR 444 and Kauffman Avenue in Fairborn is the Wright Memorial. The hill overlooks Huffman Prairie, where the two aviators developed many of the innovations of powered flight following their success at Kitty Hawk in 1903.

At the Huffman Flying Field Interpretive Center at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, visitors can see exhibits and films about the importance of the area to modern aviation.

Upon completing their experiments in North Carolina, Wilbur and Orville returned to Dayton to find a suitable location to perfect their new aircraft. A Dayton area banker named Torrence Huffman owned a field situated about eight miles northeast of the city where he kept horses and cattle.

Huffman offered the field to the aviators on the sole condition that they keep the gates closed so that his livestock would remain in the pasture. Huffman Prairie, as it later became known, was flat, open and bordered along the north by the Urbana Electric Railway system.

The trolley depot at Simms Station, near the prairie, allowed for easy transport of tools and equipment. The Wrights had no way of knowing that less than a decade later, this would become location of the world’s first airport and aviation school.

From 1904 until 1905, the Wright Brothers had developed a flying machine capable of controlled, sustainable flight, but the task had not been without its problems. The tree line surrounding the field often created unpredictable wind drafts, thus making take off and landing problematic for the fledgling airplanes. At the end of 1905, the men moved from the site and did not return until 1910 when they built a permanent hangar and aviation school after obtaining a patent for their new invention.

Today the field is part of the national park in their honor and now situated at the end of one of the busiest military runways in the world at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Flying over Huffman Prairie, the birthplace of modern aeronautics, are some of the largest and most complex flying machines ever devised by mankind.

As a tribute to the accomplishments of the Wright Brothers, the Wright Memorial was erected in the middle of a 27-acre parcel of land in 1940. Originally planned for construction in 1913, the project was put on hold because of the great flood of that year.

In 1938, a revised plan was undertaken on land owned by the newly-formed Miami Conservancy District. Overlooking the Huffman Prairie Flying Field, the memorial was dedicated on August 19, 1940, Orville Wright’s 69th birthday.

Though Wilbur had passed on, his brother and several of their flying students were on hand for the ceremony. The site today includes the monument and plaza, a scenic overlook, a series of Native American burial mounds and an interpretive center.

The monument is a 17-foot obelisk made of pink, North Carolina granite. The material was taken from the same quarry as that used in the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kitty Hawk.

A bronze plaque on the face of the monument notes the accomplishments and dedication of the monument, while four smaller ones adorn columns at the entrances to the plaza area. Each plaque commemorates an historic attribute of the site including its prehistoric significance. Surrounding the monument is a circular plaza.

The site was also important to the Native Americans known as the Adena, who lived in the region between B.C. 500 and 200 A.D. Several burial mounds of various sizes are easily spotted by even the most amateur archeologist. In 1974, The Wright Brothers Hill Mound Group was placed on the National Register of Historic Places for its archeological significance.

The Wright Memorial and Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center is located at 2380 Memorial Road, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Visitation hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Hours are extended to 6 p.m. daily from Memorial to Labor Day and the facility is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

In addition to the Wright Memorial, there are several other Wright-related sites in the Dayton area including the Huffman Prairie Flying Field, The Wright Brothers Aviation Center, the Wright Cycle Company, and the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center.

The sites are easy to find and most are free to visit, including the Wright Memorial, or require a minimal donation. For more information visit the U.S. National Parks Service website http://www.nps.gov/daav or call the Huffman Prairie Interpretive Center at (937) 937-425-0008.

Area Writers From All Genres Meet In Fairborn May 4th

In Business, Local News, Media, Senior Lifestyle on April 27, 2011 at 6:07 pm

FAIRBORN – Writers from around the southwest Ohio region are invited to attend the next meeting of the Western Ohio Writers Association scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4th in the Green Room of the Fairborn Community Center, 1078 Kauffman Avenue. All genre authors, professional or hobbyist, are welcome to attend. A $2 per person donation is requested at the door and participants who would like to have their work critiqued must bring 10 copies of no more than 3 pages, double spaced.

Founded in 2008, the WOWA was established to provide area writers with critique support, educational opportunities, networking and professional resources. Independent columnist and business writer Gery L. Deer is the founder and co-director of the non-profit organization.

“There has long been a need for support and education for writers in our area, beyond writing conferences which, even locally, can cost hundreds of dollars to attend,” Deer says. “We have nearly 100 participants within the group including poets, playwrights, novelists and freelance journalists, all of whom enjoy exchanging ideas and helping each other succeed in writing.”

From housewives to college professors and everything in between, the WOWA participants exhibit a diverse talent base. For some, the meetings are the only chance they have to work with other writers, face-to-face. Deer stresses that the WOWA is not an online forum, but a flesh-and-blood organization in which participants are dependent on personal contact to be successful.

In addition to monthly meetings, the WOWA also has other kinds of literary events. Three times a year, for example, the group holds a public reading at Books & Co. in Kettering. Known as the “Beatnik Café,” writers take to the stage reading work aloud in a 1960’s style café format. Each event has drawn participants from farther away.

“We have people who come from as far north as Columbus and south as Mason,” Deer says. “So we do our best to make the time worthwhile, spending nearly three hours per meeting doing group critiques or having professionals speak about anything from writing to forensic research.”

Deer adds that he is always on the lookout for guest speakers in the area. “We can’t pay them, we just don’t have that kind of budget, but we can give them access to a brilliant network of gifted writers.”

Individual donations are accepted at each event to help cover some costs, but the majority of WOWA activities are made possible by the support of local sponsors including the Fairborn Community Center and Deer Computer Consulting. Sponsors provide anything from meeting facilities to promotional assistance. Local businesses are welcome to apply to sponsor the WOWA for $100 per year, which includes a banner advertisement on the group’s website.

The group organizes monthly events through the Meetup.com website. Participants are encouraged to bring paper and pen, at least 10 copies of their work for critique, and their own refreshments. For more information or to RSVP for the May 4th meeting, go online to http://www.gerydeer.com and click on the WOWA logo in the upper right.

Tips From A Pro On Hiring A Handyman

In Business, Economy, Home Improvement, Local News on April 15, 2011 at 3:42 pm

By Gery L. Deer

Photo By Martine Doucet

Spring is finally settling over the Miami Valley region and many property owners are preparing to dive into that long list of home improvement and repair projects. Occasionally, some tasks may be beyond require more expertise, yet be smaller than what might require a large-scale contractor. For these jobs, many people seek out the services of an independent building repair specialist, also known as a “handyman.”

A handyman can do many different kinds of jobs but is often incorrectly labeled as a jack-of-all-trades, with most people assuming there is no expertise or specialized skills needed for the job. Renovation and repair specialist Rob Breckler disagrees. A native of Kettering, Breckler is an independent home improvement and remodeling contractor and owner of Quality Handyman Services, LLC, based in Miamisburg.

“I think the term handyman is perceived as a person who just fixes all of the small items that a larger contractor does not want to do,” says Breckler, who graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in finance from Brescia University in Owensboro, Kentucky. “While that may be true in some ways, it is certainly not all a handyman does. Anyone who describes themselves as a handyman should also be able to take on more involved projects as well, like a bathroom or kitchen remodel and minor plumbing and electrical work.”

According to Breckler, it’s not enough to just have a tool box and the ability to use the equipment inside. A professional handyman and home improvement specialist needs to have knowledge in many different areas of home repair.

Sometimes a job is more than it appears on the surface and an experienced professional will know what to do in those situations. “Most people let things go a lot longer than they should before doing repairs so until you start tearing into a project you can’t see the extent of the problem,” Breckler says.

“Part of the job is troubleshooting and determining what the right course of action will be based on the customer’s budget and other considerations.” He notes that while there are plenty of good people working independently in the remodeling trades, consumers need to be cautious.

Before hiring someone to take care of that spring honey-do list, Breckler has some suggestions. “References are the most important marketing tools of any remodeling professional,” he says. “Get the names and phone numbers of previous customers and call around to see what kind of work was done and get their take on how it went.”

Punctuality and professionalism are also important traits of a good handyman service. “I am frequently told that one thing my customers like is that I show up when I say I’m going to,” says Breckler, who adds that people should be wary about someone going door to door offering to do odd repair jobs.

“We all know times are hard right now, but if someone just comes knocking at your door, out of the blue, offering to fix a broken porch light or other problem visible from the road, it’s probably best to say no thank you,” Breckler adds. “Since a lot of people are without work right now, many people that have some knowledge about remodeling are trying to be a handyman and working for little money just to get by.”

“I’ve heard certain contractors referred to as ‘band-aid’ repairmen because all they do is cover the problem rather than fix it permanently,” Breckler continued. “Then, after taking your money, some just disappear and they are rarely insured nor are they part of any organization like the BBB to hold them accountable for their work.”

Finally, Breckler recommends that people get quotes or other critical project information in writing. “If someone is unwilling to put it in writing, you probably shouldn’t work with them,” he says. “A reputable company will always give you a written estimate on work and most will guarantee pricing, work time and other points of the job.”

Consumers have many choices in the area of home improvement and, with money being so tight, they should be cautious and take the steps necessary to prevent problems with disreputable service providers. To learn more about hiring an independent home improvement specialist, contact Rob Breckler at Quality Handyman Services, LLC, by calling (937) 620-8212.