Builder's Choice Award Winners

Sanders/Lee Residence
Ketchum, Idaho
By Jessica Porter

The rough-hewn rock and heavy timber exterior of this 4,800- square-foot townhouse is only fitting for its mountain location in the historic mining town of Ketchum, Idaho. But rather than continuing the same aesthetic inside, the interiors offer a serene counterbalance of clean lines and polished surfaces. Radiant-heated cast concrete floors and fireplace surrounds are inlaid with fossils, semi-precious stones, mosaic tiles, and copper accents.

Read the whole story on Builder Online


Olympia Avenue Student Housing
Pullman, Wash.
By Jessica Porter

When the architects at Mithun were hired to design Washington State University’s first new residential hall in 30 years, they knew they’d been handed the keys to do something different. Now on track to receive LEED Silver certification, the 76,250-square-foot building features a geothermal heating and cooling system, distinctive sun shades, a stormwater collection system that reuses water for irrigation, low-flow plumbing fixtures designed for 20 percent water savings, and a location close to public transportation. Recycling and reuse strategies also allowed the builder, Graham Construction, to achieve a 50 percent reduction in construction waste.

Read the whole story on Builder Online


Eastlake 2851
Seattle
By Jessica Porter

Located in a former industrial area, this mixed-use project blends 127 waterfront apartments, 5,200 square feet of ground-floor retail, and underground parking into a prime spot adjacent to public transit. Every residential unit enjoys a view of Seattle’s Lake Union, while retail shops front a busy avenue on the building’s opposite side.

Read the whole story on Builder Online

Rising Star

The Energy Star for Homes Program enters a third, tougher phase next year. Here's how America's favorite green building program could affect you.
By Jessica Porter

Like a spaceship rocketing into the heavens, the Energy Star for Homes program is about to ignite the rocket's third stage. So far, dealers haven't had to do much besides enjoy the ride. But starting next year, program director Sam Rashkin says, you can expect to be put to work.

Read the whole story in ProSales Magazine

The Bugs that Made Summer Stink

The reason why stink bugs were such a pain this year.
By Jessica Porter

The invasion of the stink bugs may finally be coming to an end for the year, and feel free to blame the infestation on last year's freezing winter.

During the winter months, stink bugs go into the ground and wait until warmer weather. Because last year's winter was so cold, they went deeper into the ground than usual.

Read the whole story on Reston Patch.

Young Students Discover New Possibilities with Construction

A program in Cincinnati shows at-risk children the benefits of going into the housing industry.
By Jessica Porter

Middle-school students at Quebec Heights School in Cincinnati, an Ohio public school with no air conditioning and where 90% of students live at or below poverty level, are learning that they have more post grade-school options than a dead-end job.

They are discovering this through Construction Clubs, a free, eight-week afterschool program run by local volunteers to introduce students to various aspects of construction. Anne Mitchell, a construction industry advocate at Southwest Ohio Region Workforce Investment Board in charge of middle school outreach, says it is important to show children these skills—and opportunities--at a young age.

Read the whole story at Builder Online

Please, Don't Feed the Wild Animals

RA rules say leave wildlife alone, for a variety of reasons.
By Jessica Porter

As tempting as it may be to feed those cute little squirrels on your back porch, or to leave some food out for animals during the coldest winter months, resist the urge.

It is actually against a rule that was approved by the Reston Association board of directors in May 2008. The resolution states the feeding of non-domesticated wild animals (except songbirds) is prohibited. Some of these animals include foxes, deer, squirrels, skunks, raccoons and opossums.

Read the whole story on Reston Patch

Lake Audubon is Back in Business

The five-week dredging project is complete and Lake Audubon's health is restored.
By Jessica Porter

About 1,000 dump truck loads of sediment, or 12,000 cubic yards, were removed from Lake Audubon during a five-week dredging project that cost $550,000.

The sediment included materials such as natural leaf build up, construction materials and trash, and was removed to improve water quality and wildlife habitats, said Amelia Townsend, director of communications for Reston Association. It also improved recreation and boating access for area residents.

Read the whole story on Reston Patch

Going Batty at Walker Nature Education Center

Bat sanctuary visits with presentation about misunderstood animals.
By Jessica Porter

About 50 children spent Wednesday evening learning about a creature that lives in their own backyards – or even in our shutters and attics – but is often overlooked.

Welcome, the bat.

Leslie Sturges, director of Bat World NOVA, a local bat conservation group, came to Reston Association's ­­­Walker Nature Education Center to talk about the little mammals for a "Gone Batty," workshop. The children and parents went on a nature hike to Lake Audubon, where they saw some local bats, and also got to meet two of Bat World's Big Brown Bats.

Read the whole story on Reston Patch

Builders Seek New Work in Older Homes

Historic preservation training program teaches valuable skills in a bad economy.
By: Jessica Porter

Dismal market conditions have prompted many builders and trade contractors who previously specialized in new construction to explore alternative lines of work. Those enrolled in the preservation trades technology program at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster, Pa., are hoping to add a few new skills that will open doors to building restoration projects.

Roughly 60 students are currently enrolled in this program, which began in 2008 and is geared towards professionals already working in the building and construction industry. Classes are offered on weekends and at night so that students can continue to work full time and put their new knowledge immediately into practice.

Read the whole story in Builder Online

Bald Eagle Factors Into Delaware Development Plan

Wharton’s Bluff receives National Green Building Standard recognition for avian habitat preservation.
By: Jessica Porter

The builders and developers of Wharton’s Bluff in Millsboro, Del., are thanking an unanticipated resident–a bald eagle–for receiving a four-star land development certification under the NAHB's National Green Building Standard.

The development is the first on the East Coast and only the fourth nationwide to receive the certification, which recognizes regionally appropriate green building practices.

Read the whole story in Builder Online

Why 'No Swimming' means No Swimming

Swimming is prohibited in Reston lakes for a variety of reasons that should be taken seriously.
By Jessica Porter

During these hot summer months, running to one of Reston's lakes and jumping in is tempting. However, look before you leap. It is considered trespassing, and you can get a ticket.

Read the whole story on Patch.com

Dredging of Lake Audubon will Restore Health and Beauty

Manpower, cranes and barges are working together to dredge the lake of sediment build up.
By Jessica Porter

Reston's Lake Audubon is being dredged cove-by-cove for the fourth time since its creation to prevent build up of excessive sediment that could hinder usage of the Western portion of the lake.

Read the whole story on Patch.com

Off to College? Author Tells It Like It Is

The Dandelion Patch hosts Christie Garton for wine, cupcakes and a book signing
By Jessica Porter

Christie Garton wants every young woman leaving for college to know the basics of life beyond their parents' house.

Read the whole story on Patch.com

Suburban and Traditional Neighborhood Preferences Closer Than They Seem

Study indicates that both groups of residents rank safety and attractiveness important in their satisfaction with their neighborhoods.
By: Jessica Porter

A study published in the July 2010 issue of Landscape and Urban Planning suggests that innovative neighborhood planning that incorporates qualities from suburban and traditional neighborhood plans could satisfy people who prefer to live in both types of communities

Read the whole story on Builder Online

Foreclosures Rise 8% in First Six Months of Year

RealtyTrac executive predicts more than 1 million bank repossessions in 2010.
By Jessica Porter

Foreclosure filings continue to increase in 2010, rising 8% nationally in the first six months of 2010 to nearly 2 million, compared to the same period in 2009. Almost 1.7 million properties across the country, or 1 in 78 housing units, received a foreclosure filing--which includes default notices, auctions, and repossessions--from January to June, according to Irvine, Calif.-based firm RealtyTrac’s mid-year report

Read the whole story on Builder Online

New Models for Affordable Housing Honored

HUD awards identify best practices in low-income housing, accessible design, and development.
By Jessica Porter

Architecture that practices responsible land use and blends function with aesthetics to serve local needs made a strong showing in the 2010 HUD Secretary’s Housing and Community Design Awards, sponsored by HUD and the American Institute of Architects.

Read the whole story on Builder Online

Gold Nugget Awards Reflect Shifts in Housing Landscape

Good looks still matter in annual design competition, but the winning homes are also contextual, affordable, and energy-efficient.
By: Jenny Sullivan and Jessica Porter

There will always be a place for the luxury estate overlooking a majestic hillside, or a beautiful stretch of coastline. But houses, on the whole, are getting smaller, more economical, more energy-efficient, and more urban as builders gingerly emerge from the recession and get their backhoes rumbling again.

Read the whole story on Builder Online

Menhaden aren’t overfished, report says

By Xanthe Waters and Jessica Porter

Atlantic menhaden along the East Coast are not being overfished, but there are “signs of concern,” according to a report released this week by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Read the whole story in the Gainesville Times

Small Fish Attracts Big Environmental Debate

By Xanthe Waters and Jessica Porter

RICHMOND – Big trouble could be on the horizon for a tiny fish, the Atlantic menhaden.

Some worry that menhaden, which play an important role in the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay, are being overfished – mostly by a company in Virginia. That’s triggered a debate in environmental circles, the fishing community and the General Assembly over how to manage the menhaden population.

Read the whole story in the Williamsburg Yorktown Daily

Amid 'depressing session,' Lewis sees successes

By Jessica Porter
Capital News Service

RICHMOND -- Delegate Lynwood Lewis recently finished his seventh regular legislative session representing the Eastern Shore in the Virginia House. Of the 14 bills he introduced this session, eight passed -- a success rate of 57 percent.

Read the whole story in the Eastern Shore News

Concerns voiced about student-athletes' concussions

By Jessica Porter
Capital News Service

RICHMOND - Sen. Ralph Northam, D-Norfolk, is urging the House to pass a law to educate athletes and coaches in Virginia's public schools about the dangers of concussions and to ensure that injured student-athletes get medical attention before returning to play.

Read the whole story in the Star Tribune

Fishing bill gains traction

BY JESSICA PORTER • CAPITAL NEWS SERVICE • FEBRUARY 24, 2010

RICHMOND -- The General Assembly has unanimously passed legislation by Delegate Lynwood Lewis,D-Accomac, and Sen. Ralph Northam, D-Norfolk, to prevent nonresidents from getting a commercial fishing license from Virginia if their home state doesn't reciprocate for Virginians.

House Bill 1291 and Senate Bill 192 will prohibit the Virginia Marine Resources Commission "from selling a commercial fishing license to a nonresident whose state of residence does not offer for sale the same or similar license to a resident of the Commonwealth."

Currently, fishermen from states such as Maryland and New Jersey come to Virginia to buy licenses that neither they nor Virginians can get in their home state.

"Maybe (the bill) will broaden the doors on what we're able to do. And if it doesn't broaden our doors, maybe it will stop people from taking our resources," said Ken Smith, president of the Virginia Waterman's Association.

HB 1291 passed 97-0 in the House and 40-0 in the Senate. It has been sent to Gov. Bob McDonnell for his signature.

SB 192 passed 39-0 in the Senate and 95-0 in the House but with amendments.

"It's basically a reciprocity bill," said John Bull, spokesman for the Marine Resources Commission. "If other states are not treating Virginia fisherman the same way we treat their fisherman ... the license structure will change as a result."

Read the whole story in the Eastern Shore News

Legislation seeks to help students succeed

BY JESSICA PORTER • CAPITAL NEWS SERVICE • FEBRUARY 17, 2010

RICHMOND -- Gov. Bob McDonnell says charter schools, online educational programs and college partnerships can boost the performance of Virginia's public school students -- especially those at risk or in underperforming districts.

McDonnell and a bipartisan group of lawmakers unveiled a package of school reform legislation.

"All of the initiatives in 'The Opportunity to Learn'legislative package will help our young people,regardless of where they live, gain the opportunity to go wherever their talent, dreams and hard work will take them," said McDonnell, a Republican.

"That is a worthy goal, and one that all Virginians can come together to support."

Components of the package are being sponsored by Republican Delegates Richard Bell of Staunton,Scott Lingamfelter of Woodbridge and Christopher Peace of Mechanicsville; Democratic Delegates Rosalyn Dance of Petersburg and Jennifer McClellan of Richmond; and Sen. Stephen Newman, R-Forest.

"As public servants, we must always focus on the needs of Virginia's children first. This effort recognizes that while Virginia has a strong systemof public education, we can and must do better," said Dance, who is co-sponsoring the bill to expand the state's charter schools.

Under that measure, the state Board of Education would review all applications for new charter schools in Virginia before the local school board gets a chance to review them. Also, if an application is denied, the charter school applicants
would have the right to appeal.

McDonnell said that legislation would provide guidance and consistency to the charter school application process. Virginia has only four charter schools (with a fifth scheduled to open this year in Richmond); McDonnell hopes to increase that number.

Another bill aims to expand "virtual schools" and distance-learning programs. These schools adhere to the same standards as public schools; students are taught by Virginia-certified teachers and take the state's Standards of Learning tests.

"It is critical that we provide every tool possible for local school divisions, teachers, parents and students to access information, coursework and expertise regardless of where they live," said Newman, co-sponsor of that proposal.

"It is equally important that we ensure providers of online courses and web based learning are strong, committed partners with our local school systems."

The legislative package also calls for more partnerships between higher education and K-12 schools by expanding the usage of college laboratory schools. Such programs allow students to use resources at institutions of higher education not available in a K-12 school.

That bill is being carried by Peace and McClellan.

"Led by the best and brightest minds in our university system, college lab schools will offer opportunities for all children to succeed in education regardless of whether they need remedial help or want to specialize in science, technology, engineering and math," Peace said.

The legislative package was sparked by "Race to the Top," a federal program started by President Barack Obama in November. The program will reward an undetermined number of states with grants if they:

- Enhance standards and assessments

- Improve the collection and use of data

- Increase teacher effectiveness and achieve equity in teacher distribution

- Turn around struggling schools

Virginia is eligible to receive $150 million to $250 million in grants under the program.

"With the president's 'Race to the Top' program allocating federal grant monies to states that share the administration's commitment to educational innovation,Virginia can literally not afford to stick to the status quo," McDonnell said.

Read the whole story in the Eastern Shore News

Delegate hopes to repeal same-sex marriage ban

By Jessica Porter
Capital News Service

RICHMOND - Delegate David Englin, D-Alexandria, wants Virginia to repeal its constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages.

He says the amendment, which voters approved four years ago, is unfair to gay and lesbian couples. So he's trying for the third time to repeal it.

Read the whole story in the San Diego Ranch Coast News

Buddhism: Growing With Time

By Jessica Porter

With actors like Richard Gere and Orlando Bloom converting to Buddhism, the religion is becoming more main stream in American Culture. Considering many people in the United States grew up Christian, this new wave of Buddhism is taking many by surprise.

Read the whole story in Ground Report

Buddhism is an Eastern Way of Life Appealing to Westerners

By Jessica Porter

Scarlett Sams works in a Presbyterian Church during the day, but on Thursday nights she attends a meeting of Tibetan Buddhist’s at Ekoji Buddhist Sangha in Richmond, Va. She is a part of a growing Buddhist movement in the United States of every day Americans finding comfort in this Eastern tradition.

Read the whole story in Ground Report

Bill Provides Fairness for Va. Fishermen

By Jessica Porter
Capital News Service

RICHMOND -- At the urging of legislators representing the Eastern Shore, the General Assembly seems likely to approve a law to ensure fair fishing rights for Virginia's commercial fishermen.

The Senate has unanimously passed Senate Bill 192, sponsored by Sen. Ralph Northam, D-Norfolk. And the House is considering final approval of the almost identical House Bill 1291, sponsored by Delegate Lynwood Lewis, D-Accomac.

The bills would address inequities in fishing rights along the East Coast.
In some states, fishermen cannot buy a license for certain types of commercial fishing, so they purchase it in Virginia, where it isn’t restricted.

The problem is that Virginians cannot use resources in the states those fishermen come from, because the license does not exist or because the state has a much higher non-resident license fee than Virginia.

“It’s a fairness bill. We want Virginia’s commercial fishermen to be treated the way we treat other state’s fishermen,” said John Bull, spokesman for the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.

For example, the sale of commercial gillnet licenses is closed in New Jersey, so many New Jersey fishermen come to Virginia to buy licenses, Bull said. However, Virginians cannot do the same in New Jersey.

Similarly, when Maryland fishermen cannot get licenses to crab dredge, they can cross the state line to Virginia, where crab dredging licenses soon will be available. Also, Maryland charges non-residents much more for licenses than Virginia does, Bull said.

SB 192 and HB 1291 states that “No commercial fishing license shall be sold to a non-resident whose state of residence does not offer for sale the same or substantially similar license to a resident of the Commonwealth.”

Ken Smith, president of the Virginia Waterman’s Association, said fisherman support the proposal.

“Maybe it will broaden the doors on what we’re able to do,” he said. “And if it doesn’t broaden our doors, maybe it will stop people from taking our resources. People come to our waters and catch our fish but they take them back to their state and sell them.”


Read the whole story at www.WTOP.com

Lewis, Northam begin session

BY JESSICA PORTER • CAPITAL NEWS SERVICE • JANUARY 20, 2010

RICHMOND -- Sen. Ralph Northam and Delegate Lynwood Lewis, the state legislators who represent the Eastern Shore, say they will try to protect public services while the General Assembly makes billion-dollar budget cuts during its 2010 session.

Virginia state government already has cut about $7 billion. This session, lawmakers must close an additional budget shortfall of $4 billion. Minimizing the harm of budget cuts will be first and foremost on legislators' minds, Lewis said.

"We've made so many cuts as far as state employees cutting back on services for education,health care, law enforcement and others. We're making even tougher choices; it hasn't really been determined yet," said Matt Strickler, Northam's
legislative assistant.

Northam, a Democrat from Norfolk, represents Senate District 6, which includes both Accomack and Northampton counties.

Lewis, a Democrat from Accomac, represents House District 100. He said he will try to get relief for volunteer fire and rescue companies to help them raise money. He also wants to recalculate how Virginia distributes money for 911 services.

Northam will try to protect law enforcement and health care.

"As a doctor himself, he sees firsthand the difficulties of not only hospitals and doctors, but also the trouble low-income folks have now. Those are the kind of things they want to watch out for and make sure the services are protected," Strickler said.

Environmental protection also is on the agenda for both lawmakers.

Northam hopes to keep the Atlantic's menhaden fishery managed and sustainable because it is a critically important part of the Chesapeake Bay, Strickler said. Lewis will call for a study of the Eastern Shore's seaside to determine its best productivity and use.

Both legislators also have plans to strengthen the local economy. Lewis will try to expand the nutrient trading program to be better used by Eastern Shore companies. That program works this way:

"If an entity or company has sewage treatment discharge into the bay and are exceeding the guidelines, they can purchase credits from entities that are below their requirements," Lewis said. Since the Eastern Shore is sparsely populated, there is limited opportunity for the area to participate in the program. He will push to expand that opportunity so local companies can buy from other locations.

Northam is pushing to extend a state law regarding liability and immunity for the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight Facility. As of now, the law is set to expire in mid-2013; that would make it hard for the Wallops facility to compete with programs elsewhere -- and this would hurt the economy on the Eastern
Shore, Strickler said.

He said Northam also wants to address Virginia's transportation problems.

"We have a transportation crisis in Virginia, and we have had to cut back a lot of transportation funding, so coming up with a way to finance transportation will be a big issue," Strickler said. However, Northam will not introduce his own transportation bill.

Read the whole story in the Eastern Shore News