My Name is Zach White and I am honored to be your guest blogger this week.

If you live in Pickens County, you may have seen me on Saturday Mornings at the Jasper Farmers Market during the Spring and Fall, selling my annual flowers. I work Full time at Reinhardt University as the Horticulturalist. I also have worked at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens before coming to work at Reinhardt 8 years ago. I live in Southern Pickens County and do a lot of gardening at my home and at Reinhardt University. I am going to talk this week about 3 of my favorite Annual flowers and the 3 most important factors that affect you picking out the right annual flower for your garden. Annual flowers only last one season so I want you to get your money’s worth and have one of the most beautiful gardens in Pickens county.

To read more, click here Pickens Living Online

You cannot beat a North Georgia Mountain View!!! This is what we love about our area of the world!!!

Peter & Margo Vallone, residents and realtors of Big Canoe-we would love to help you realize your real estate dreams!

Peter and Margo

Take a brief video tour of Big Canoe with the Vallones and let them show you the features and amenities that Big Canoe has to offer -

Week of Sunday, July 27th – Every week on Sunday, we are checking the gas prices in the Jasper, Pickens County, Georgia area to see where the cheapest/least expensive gas prices are. Check back each Sunday evening or Monday morning, just before you go to fill up your gas tank. You could save a few dollars.

This week, July 27, 2008, the winner of the Cheapest/Least Expensive Gas Prices is…Chevron 1005 CANTON HIGHWAY, BALL GROUND, GA 30107 @ $3.87/gallon

Prices for 30143

#	Station/Brand	Address	Unleaded	Plus	Premium	Diesel
	CHEVRON CHEVRON 0303526	1005 CANTON HIGHWAY BALL GROUND, GA 30107	07/26/08
	CITGO DUNN’S FOOD STORE #1	170 ANTIOCH CHURCH RD TALKING ROCK, GA 30175	07/25/08	07/27/08
	Bp JASPER BY PASS BP	2200 HIGHWAY 53 W JASPER, GA 30143	07/27/08			07/26/08
	KROGER KROGER #1620	115 BILL WIGINGTON PKWY JASPER, GA 30143	07/25/08			07/25/08
	CHEVRON COUNTRY CUPBOARD #15	1759 HIGHWAY 53 W JASPER, GA 30143	07/25/08			07/26/08
	BP JASPER BP FOOD SH	910 W CHURCH ST JASPER, GA 30143	07/27/08	07/26/08
	RACETRAC RACETRAC 118	303 INTERSTATE SOUTH DR JASPER, GA 30143	07/25/08
	BP BP WEST MARKET	4631 HIGHWAY 53 W JASPER, GA 30143	07/26/08
	CHEVRON CHEVRON #21049	13359 HIGHWAY 53 MARBLE HILL, GA 30148	07/27/08	07/25/08		07/26/08
	BP CLAYTON FOOD STORE	3421 LAND RD CANTON, GA 30114	07/25/08		07/26/08
	CITGO MOUNTAINVIEW CITGO	29 COVE RD JASPER, GA 30143	07/26/08
	CITGO WEST ENED GENERAL ST	2881 JERUSALEM CHURCH RD JASPER, GA 30143	07/25/08

Gas Prices for 30143
*MSN Autos strives to bring you the most up-to-date gas prices possible. However, we do not receive prices every day from every station. Our partner, OPIS, obtains pricing data from participating credit card transactions, direct feeds from participating retail chains, and other survey methods. Please note that during times of extreme price volatility, these collection methods may trail the latest prices at some stations. Learn more.

Detailed Pricing Information

Every night MSN Autos receives pricing data from over 90,000 gas stations across the nation. Please note that gas prices in your area may change more frequently than we can obtain them.*

Courtesy of Gas Prices in Jasper, Pickens County, GA

Please know that gas prices can/will change at any time, without notice.

Welcome to the Bent Tree Golf Center

Bent Tree is the home of one of the best courses ever designed by the renowned course designer Joe Lee. It’s a challenging 18 holes – a par 72 course measuring 6410 yards from the back tees with a 71.2/130 rating. There are three other sets of tees – burgundy at 6122 yards (70.6/129 rating), white at 5765 yards (68.9/128 rating) and reds, measuring 4810 yards (69.5/119 rating).The course meanders past waterfalls, mountain streams and brooks and boldly confronts the broad shoulder of Sharp Top Mountain. It’s a deceptively tranquil setting for a course that requires accuracy at every turn.

Complete with practice range, putting green, and practice bunker, all of the greens and bunkers were completely rebuilt in 2001. Head Professional Russell Smith and Assistant Professional Rick Abbott are both Class A PGA members.

Watch the website, bulletin boards, and the echo for information about upcoming tournaments and events, along with instructional clinics for men, women, and children. Stop in, call or email the Pro Shop with questions.

btproshop@gmail.com

Inspection team leader, Cindy Matyas, said the check was one piece of a statewide effort by DOT to inspect every truss bridge in Georgia. The collapse in Minnesota last year of a truss-spanned highway bridge across the Mississippi River inspired DOT’s current Georgia inspection initiative, Matyas said.

Inspectors looked, measured, prodded, even cat-walked along high supporting timbers to get an up-close assessment of the bridge and its construction design.
According to DOT records, the wood bridge has stood since 1912, Matyas said
“They don’t have [construction] plans for it,” she said. “They hired us to create drawings, plans of the bridge. And then, while we’re at it, they’re having us evaluate and inspect it.”

“This is the only timber truss bridge in the state of Georgia” Matyas said. “A rarity. The rest of the truss bridges are steel.”

Given its 1912 birthday, the old bridge has weathered well compared to some other engineering from that era. The year the wood bridge rose above the L&N Railroad tracks, the Titanic sank on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic.

ATLANTA — Although all new homes built in Georgia must pass inspections by county or municipal officials before the proper permits are issued, homeowners could still discover costly problems before the deal is complete.

Meet Pat Schneider a Newton County resident Pat Schneider has learned things can go wrong with a brand new house.

We really learned a valuable lesson,” she said recently. Months after moving into her new home, a bathroom leak led to a much bigger discovery and a repair bill close to $2,000. “The inspector told me is they probably put a flange kit on and then somebody came in and cut it off,” said Jeff Butler, a home repair specialist. “Now the toilet won’t go back on the original screws. The pipes to this toilet (can be seen) on the outside of the house.”Newton inspectors approved the plumbing work and Schneider’s home passed all other inspections during the construction, according to county records. But like many new home buyers, Schneider did not hire her own inspector to check the work. She believed the county inspection process would protect her. “I feel like the county has a major responsibility in assuring the homeowner gets quality work and gets things passed the way they’re supposed to be passed,” Schneider said.Homebuyers who wouldn’t close on an older home without an inspection gamble on new construction largely because they believe the warranty or county inspectors will protect them and their investment. Such an assumption can lead to trouble. Gary Lewis, president of the Georgia Association of Home Inspectors, said private contractors can spend between three to six hours on a job whereas county inspectors, “Just don’t have the luxury of having that amount of time. “Many county building inspectors agree, saying the number of assigned cases on their itinerary means they can only spend minutes at a job site. For example, Cobb County inspectors currently perform between 10,000 and 13,000 inspections every month. On one of the inspector’s busiest days, the official might have to review the workmanship of 40 homes. A new house will be reviewed at least three times but government inspectors say homebuyers should realize how much goes on between inspections. “You’ve got 3,000 or 4,000 houses at a time (and it’s) impossible regardless of how many inspectors you have to be there during every aspect of construction,” said Lee McClead, a Cobb building inspector. Schneider said she is still asking her builder to correct problems that she believes were missed by the county inspector. Newton officials, however, say any ongoing issues should be covered by her warranty.

Clark Howard’s Advice

• When buying a new house, don’t rely on the warranty or a government agency. Homeowners should hire their own inspector.
• Customers should ensure they have at least three inspections.
• Don’t do business with a builder who won’t let the inspector make multiple visits to the site throughout construction.
• The builder may restrict who can inspect the new house so homeowners should agree to such a restriction before signing the contract.

Inspecting the Home Inspector

Georgia law makes no mention of a provision that sets out qualifications for private home inspectors, meaning they do not have to be trained, tested or licensed. So it is up to the homeowner who is considering hiring an inspector to make sure the professional has the proper credentials.

Meet Joe Smith
Homeowner Joe Smith decided it was worth the money to have his house inspected before his one-year warranty expired but he did not think it was necessary to hire an inspector as the home was being built. “You figure you’re getting a brand new home so why pay the extra money to have an inspector to come through,” he said. His nearly-new home gets good grades overall. But the inspection report includes a few items inspector Steve Goolsby thinks were missed by county inspectors, including shoddy caulking and missing flashing. “The exterior items we’re talking about . . . should have been caught by the county inspectors and they should have been able to address them with the builder,” he said. Homebuyers who spend a little more to hire their own inspector during construction can find that the money is a good investment. The findings can be used to force a builder to repair problems before final payment is made. Consumers who hire the wrong inspector can find that they have wasted their money.”The most important thing is to hire a code-certified inspector,” said Gary Lewis, president of the Georgia Association of Home Inspectors. Inspectors who are code certified, or CABO, have passed independent inspection test on building standards. Although inspectors who are members of the Georgia Association of Home Inspectors must be code certified to join the group, state law does not require the certification for those who work as inspectors. Said Goolsby: “If they’ve got a flashlight, they’re qualified to be a home inspector in the state of Georgia.”The homebuilder may require the certification, however. The Greater Atlanta Homebuilders Association suggests that homeowners discuss it with the builder before construction begins. “It’s always important to make very clear with the builder what your expectations are for inspection before you get into a situation where you don’t feel like you’ve got the options you would like to have,” said Jeff Rader, a spokesman for the group.

Clark Howard’s Advice
Before hiring a home inspector, homebuyers should ask the professional a series of questions, including:

• Are they code certified?
• How many inspections of the home they plan to make as it is being built? The standard is three.
• How long does it take to perform an average inspection? Experts say even the smallest homes require several hours.

Copyright 2004 by WSBTV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Please know that in the State of Georgia, Home Inspectors are not licensed or regulated. How do you know what you are getting? You have got to ask questions. Check out our web site at: www.weinspect4u.com to find out some very valuable information on home inspections and why it is important to have one; whether you’re buying a resale, building new construction, having a maintenance inspection done or a pre-listing inspection. You are also welcome to call our office and talk to us about what we offer 770-645-2132. We look forward to working with you on your home buying and selling process. Beth

Contact the fraud department of any of the three consumer reporting companies – Equifax www.equifax.com, Experian www.experian.com/ and Trans Unionwww.transunion.com/ – to place a fraud alert on your credit report. The fraud alert automatically lets credit card companies and other creditors know they must contact you before opening any new accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts.

The above information will keep you and your credit safe.

How to Maintain and Prevent Problems with your Refrigerator

Refrigerator coils are located in the rear or the refrigerator. You can simply vacuum the vents and coils to clean them. Dusty coils have to work harder to cool down the interior and contents of the refrigerator.

The drip pan of the refrigerator should also be cleaned. It is located beneath your refrigerator and can be removed by pulling it out.

Keep gaskets in good shape by washing them down with soapy water.

Replace gaskets when they are no longer in good condition. You can test the condition by trying to slide a piece of paper between the rubber seal and the wall of the refrigerator. If the piece of paper slips between the seal and the wall, the seal is not tight enough and the gasket requires replacement.

For optimum performance, maintain refrigerator temperature between 36½F and 38½F.

Minimize moisture by keeping food covered and containers shut. Moisture can cause the compressor to work harder unnecessarily.

Keep your refrigerator around 37-40 degrees F for the fresh food compartment. Use a thermometer to check inside temperatures.

Consider the location of your refrigerator and/or freezer. Do not position them in direct contact with hot appliances as this will make the compressor work harder.

Anything that we can do today to help minimize our utility bill is a good thing. Check out your refrigerator and see if you can save a few $$ each month by doing these few items above.

If you have a good appliance, home maintenance or general tip, please reply to this comment. We can all use good maintenance information!