Window Cleaning News

A clear vision: A window washer makes a clean sweep of a building at Sixth Avenue and Lenora Street in downtown Seattle as some panels reflect nearby structures. This view from the 2000 block of Westlake Avenue is possible because of the recent demolition of a structure. Longer hours of daylight that kick in this weekend figure to help the view. Click to supersize.

WONG: Building designers need a lesson in cleaning up - Architects seem to design buildings without thought to those who live and work in them. By work, I include those employed to maintain them. In Manhattan, for instance, the British starchitect, Norman Foster, designed the 46-storey Hearst Tower with an uncommon triangular framing pattern known as a diagrid.
The skyscraper has won environmental awards. At night, its radically angled windows gleam like a jewel. But window washers found it impossible to clean the corner windows, which resemble a bird’s open beak. The post-construction solution: a custom rig that cost $3 million and took engineers three years to design. Maybe architects should be condemned to clean what they design, say, for a week. OK, maybe we wouldn’t make them hang from a platform 46 stories in the sky, but they could at least do floors.

Why our tradesmen are downing tools - Britain faces a shortage of skilled tradesmen like plumbers, builders and bricklayers. The number working as window cleaners, carpenters or painters and decorators is also in decline. Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: “Being a tradesman is no longer the job it used to be because wages and stability have been cut by mass immigration from Eastern Europe.” Bricklayers have fallen by 19 per cent, while window cleaners have dropped 18 per cent and joiners are down 17 per cent. The number of cleaners has shot up by 33 per cent since 2009 as people working longer hours themselves struggle to find time to clean their own homes. 

Female window-cleaning and building businesses are up by 10 and eight per cent, while women painters and decorators have risen by five per cent. There has also been a four per cent rise in chimney sweep numbers in the past three years, thought to be due to a rise in the popularity of open fires. The report, based on an analysis of 300,000 small businesses, said the findings reflected the decline in the construction industry since 2009. Jason Stockwood, chief executive of Simply Business, said: "It is worrying to see a decline in some trades in recent years, as the slow economy has hit spending on infrastructure and home improvements."

Like many of Rome's churches, St. Bartholomew's is a cardinal parish, meaning it is formally entrusted to the care of one the church's cardinals. Chicago Cardinal Francis George is its cardinal priest. Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, a former archbishop of Prague who attended the event Tuesday with the city's current archbishop, Cardinal Dominik Duka, said the ceremony gave "symbolic proof of the suffering" of martyrs during World War II. Asked to compare the event to the cardinals' continued deliberations over the next pope, Vlk said Restituta's witness "confirms the role of the church." "The church has to be brave enough to evangelize in every situation," said Vlk, who served as Prague's archbishop from 1991 to 2010. Ordained in 1968, the communist state revoked his authorization to work as a priest in 1978. He spent the next decade as a window-cleaner in Prague. The Community of Sant'Egidio, an intentional Catholic community that claims about 50,000 members, hosted the prayer ceremony.

Is daylight savings worth the loss of an hour of sleep? Peter Cruz owns Clear Vüe window cleaning company and said the change this time of year is a benefit. "It definitely helps my business," he said. There are different versions of why we have daylight savings time. "Daylight saving time has been a subject of recurring debate in the United States, the United Kingdom, and many other countries around the world for about a hundred years,"

Results reveal profit-focused insurers: But what are brokers actually seeing on the ground? Howard Broadbent, director of broker PxL Insurance, said he had seen evidence of the focus on profit. He explained that insurers had been declining risks for window cleaning and roofing risks in particular. “We have made a few approaches,” he stated. “But insurers said they were risks they were not touching. “At least they’re being up front about it – in some ways it is better, we are not wasting any time.”

Hopeless companies: Liz Jones is not surprised that businesses are doing badly when their customer service is so poor: I’m not surprised that the credit rating of Great Britain has been downgraded. Take this, when I encountered a window-cleaner near my new, rented home. ‘Hoorah!’ I said, approaching with open arms. ‘Oh no,’ she said, backing away. ‘We’re too busy to take any more work on. How many windows have you got? Can you make do with every three months?’

During Tuesday's, Feb. 26, commissioners court: Among other expenses the commissioners approved the payment of $2,668.90 for courthouse window cleaning. Commissioner McCarty joked that workers on the third floor had thought the windows were tinted, but it turns out to be “organic tinting.”

ELECTION 2013: Where to Vote and Who are the Candidates - Michael Keenan (Taken verbatim from his election campaign website.) “Until the age of nine, I did wander the Royal Botanic Gardens of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Then my family headed west to Pomona Valley, California, where I have lived for the last 48 years. “By far most of that time I have spent happily living and working as a professional window cleaner in Claremont. I have also volunteered in many community, metropolitan and regional activities over this period. Biographical Highlights: Occupation: Professional Window Cleaner (Solar Panels too!). Spearheaded and Passed Resolution Against Patriot Act. Organized and Passed Claremont Medical Marijuana Ordinance.

Calaycay, 42, and Schroeder, 63, faced challenger Michael Keenan, 58, a professional window cleaner who had run for office unsuccessfully three previous times. Voters could select two candidates on the ballot. Elections officials had counted nearly 2,500 votes by late Tuesday, and Calaycay and Schroeder were ahead in what promised to be a low-turnout election. About 47 percent of the voters picked Schroeder on their ballots, and about 42 percent picked Calaycay, according to early returns. "I'm initially grateful for the returns, and we'll see how the rest of the night shapes up," Calaycay said. Keenan was the sole candidate to challenge the incumbents and had about 12 percent of the vote in the initial tally.

Keenan finished a distant third with 773 votes, or 11 percent, but it was the most votes he ever received in a race. "I thought it would look a little more healthy," Keenan said. "I wanted to try and hit 1,000 because it would look like there's a split going on." Keenan said he did not think he would run for office again. "I think I'm out. This is my last hurrah," he said. City Clerk Lynne Fryman said the election totals remain unofficial until council members certify them.

Blaenavon rugby man 'lucky to walk' after playing through spine injury: A rugby player is “lucky to be able to walk again” after playing rugby for 18 months with a prolapsed disc in his neck which could have severed his spinal cord on impact. The doctors told Bryan Wright his injury was similar to that suffered by Superman actor Christopher Reeve when he fell from his horse, only Mr Wright had been lucky his prolapsed disc, also known as a slipped disc, had only pinched and rubbed on his spinal cord, rather than severing it altogether. But the injury has left the active 32-year-old from Blaenavon hospital-bound for the last three weeks, with many more weeks of medical treatment ahead of him before he can get home and see his one-year-old daughter, Ruby, and wife, Bethan. 

The self-employed window- cleaner still has constant pins and needles down his left side, has suffered muscle wastage from the injury, and has lost his co-ordination as a result of the injury, meaning that although his legs are strong enough for him to stand, he still finds it almost impossible to walk. Tighthead prop Mr Wright explains: “It happened about 18 months ago when I was playing for Abergavenny against Pontypool United. “We went down for a scrum and on the hit of the engage I got what we call a stinger on my neck. “I went to Nevill Hall Hospital because I was getting pins and needles in my left index finger and little finger, but the doctors said they thought it was a trapped nerve. “So I just played on and went to see a physio and things like that.”

Flying start for North Somerset firms: North Somerset firms got off to a flying start in 2013, says a business support organisation. According to the North Somerset Enterprise Agency (NSEA) 13 new businesses have been launched in the area. This mirrors the number of businesses launched in the first month of 2012. An event management company, an online sports retailer, an antiques business, a window cleaning business and a juice bar were amongst the firms starting up. It was also another good month for job creation in the region. Start-ups and enterprises working with North Somerset Enterprise Agency created 16 new jobs. Angela Hicks (pictured), who is the Agency’s Chief Executive comments:“Recent national statistics have suggested that start-up businesses are on the increase. “That’s great news because small businesses have a key role to play, helping to drive the economy at both national and local level. “Ensuring that sound support and advice is available to those new enterprises is crucial to giving them the best chance of survival in their all-important first 12 months and then their first three years.

Gladwin Community Arena Manager Bobby McKowen at his desk. With nine months of managing the Gladwin Community Arena under his belt, Bobby McKowen, 25, is looking for a busy summer to follow “A Frozen Affair” on April 13. “That’s our big fundraiser for the year,” commented the 2006 Gladwin High School graduate. “It’s kinda how we pay the bills around here.” McKowen also owns his own business, Blue Skies Window Cleaning, which he bought last year. Space and equipment rentals, concessions, spring and fall golf outings and fundraisers like “A Frozen Affair” all serve to bring in much need funds to keep the Arena going.

The Bottom Line: The accidental death of a man in a public space prompts an exploration of grief among his loved ones and strangers alike. A window-washer accidentally falls to his death from a Minneapolis office building, and witnesses and family suffer the traumatic emotional consequences. A cross section of lonely and alienated characters manage or fail to cope in their variegated ways, as this Crash-like premise develops instead in unconventionally symbolically poetic styles to express both collective and individual angst and grief. Based on playwright Peter Gil-Sheridan’s personal experience at the scene of such an accident, What May Fall plumbs the disconnectedness of city life by exploring flailing stabs at personal connections, and he conceives an array of vivid characterizations that run through plot entanglements more complicated than intricate.

Cockney comic Micky Flanagan kept the audience in stitches as he brought his national tour to a sold-out Portsmouth Guildhall on Friday night. Previously a window cleaner, he’s now one of the most recognisable comedians in the country. Flanagan has the working class appeal to him, making the stand-up gig more like a pint down your favourite local with a mate. He recalls his new-found ‘fame’ as somewhat of a hindrance as he now cannot steal sandwiches from the local garage. Flanagan is a breath of fresh air in the comedy world, as long as you like his ‘this is how it is’ approach to life. But he is not a comedian for those of a sensitive disposition as the act includes some adult content, some material on religion and a lot of swearing. Although some of the content is a bit on the risqué side, it’s hard not to love Flanagan’s genuine and warm performance.

Middle East becoming global crossroads of aviation: It's 1 a.m., and the sprawling airport in this desert city is bustling. Enough languages fill the air to make a United Nations translator's head spin. A window washer cleans up at a new concourse at Dubai's airport, which is increasingly replacing Europe as a crossroads for global travelers.

Edwards is honorary marshal: Slim Edwards won the title of Honorary Town Marshal of the Mother Lode Roundup by a landslide, with 525 nominations. Edwards doesn’t work much any more because of pain from a broken neck he suffered in 1954, but he still belongs to the Operating Engineers union and is due to receive a gold watch later this year for 50 years of membership. Asked how he feels about being named Honorary Town Marshal, Edwards said he can’t believe he won when so many notable people were nominated. “There are some wonderful people there,” he said. “I’m honored just to be mentioned with them.” He dominated the field of nominees with his 525 votes. Steven Marshall Duke came in second with 110 votes. Voters described him, among other things, as a hard worker, good singer, a great window washer, extremely friendly and a fixture in downtown Sonora.

Tartan Kilts Set to Launch in Toronto: Men In Kilts CEO, Tressa Wood says, “Toronto was the next big Canadian market we wanted to hit. We were thrilled when Sentwali Lewis and Darcy Longpre came to us wanting to start up the Toronto franchise. We could not have picked two more dynamic owners for this market. They have a real passion and dedication to delivering a top notch service experience.”Lewis and Longpre come from diverse backgrounds and are excited to start sporting their knee-length kilts and tartan trucks around the Greater Toronto Area. Lewis says, “This is a very familiar business venture for me. With my experience as a business coach in the franchise industry, I have a solid understanding of how to scale our operations. Owning Men In Kilts Toronto will provide a new adventure for myself and will be extremely rewarding.”

Longpre expands, “We are excited to launch. We see a huge opportunity in the overlooked window and exterior cleaning industry in our market. The time is right to open up a franchise here in Toronto. We could not be more amazed at the level of support and drive from the entire team at the Men In Kilts Head Office.” As with every new Men In Kilts franchise, locals in the Toronto area are sure to get a surprise the first time they spot these kilt-wearing men cleaning windows. Lewis says, “The feedback we have already received from family and friends has been incredible. Here in Toronto, we will continue bringing smiles into the world, one kilt at a time!”

Wear your pyjamas to work tomorrow — it’s your duty! With one day to go before London’s pyjama extravaganza gets under way, Evgeny Lebedev donned his finest silks and urged Londoners to throw caution to the wind by wearing their nightclothes to work to raise money for Red Nose Day. The owner of the London Evening Standard today agreed to become patron of the £9.4 million Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund, as he sported his jimjams to support the fund’s joint appeal with Comic Relief. Today, from the heights of skyscrapers to the tunnels of the London Dungeons, workers across the capital united to urge everyone to get sponsored and join the pyjama party. Window cleaners, dancers, actors, hosts at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the Standard’s own City staff  joined in a mass un-dress rehearsal.

How to improve your kerb appeal: Industry figures show home buyers take an average of eight seconds to decide to buy. The approach to the house is a crucial part of those eight seconds. Signs of neglect or indications that time and money need to be spent on the property exterior could impact majorly on that decision. Conversely, there are some simple actions that can help your property get its foot in the door. It may need a new paint job, or, at the least, a good scrub to remove scuff marks. Whether it's a paint job, sanding, or cleaning the brass and glass, your door is the face of your home and should offer a gleaming welcome. Importantly, wash the windows. If the exterior is sparkling but the windows are dirty, this will spoil the effect. Clean windows are extremely important.

Retailers take in tips on bolstering window displays: The secret to creating retail windows displays is all about mixing it up. “Change your décor every six weeks,” advised American Hairlines' Dave McCormack. McCormack was one of several presenters who gave Bethlehem retailers insight on how to become more successful and achieve larger profits yesterday. Part of the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce's "The Merchant Seminar: Learn how to profit on YOUR Main Street," the presentation day-long seminar was held at the Hotel Bethlehem on Main Street in Bethlehem. McCormack said he has 20 years of experience in visual marketing and offered many tips on creating show-stopping window displays for retailers. "Your windows are like billboards. You only have eight seconds to grab the shoppers' attention," he said. The first step retailers should take in decorating their windows is cleaning, McCormack said. "Decorating is the last step … the biggest pet peeve of mine is dirty windows. Clean your windows!" McCormack told the audience.

CLEAN SWEEP: Unemployed Mark Dunlavey, who is on a one-man mission to clean up the streets of Cleethorpes.

The 'Caped Poosader' on a mission to clean up the streets of Cleethorpes: Meet Mark Dunlavey – a man on a mission to clean up the streets of Cleethorpes ... and beyond. Armed with a broom and fuelled by his hatred for dodging dog mess, the 39-year-old, nicknamed "Crapman", is taking matters into his own hands – and street litter into his own bin. He hopes others will join his crusade to make the area a better place to live. Unemployed Mark, of Fair View Avenue, said: "I love Cleethorpes, it has so much going for it but I became so tired of the mess. "I thought about going to the council but I know they have cuts and there are few resources to clean the streets. So instead of waiting for someone else to do it, I figured I have the time, I am fit and looking for work, what is stopping me from doing it?"

Mark moved back to Cleethorpes from Harrogate after losing his job as a senior carer at a nursing home and the break-up of his relationship. He lives with his mother and is dependent on Jobseekers' Allowance, which he used to buy a broom – only for the head to fall off the next day. Undeterred, he strapped it back on and has so far cleaned Frederick Street, Giles Street and Bursar Street. He has also founded Street People, of which he is the only member – so far. Mark continued: "People get great satisfaction from a clean street and once people are sure their streets are clean they won't be looking down at the ground anymore, people will make eye contact with one another, stop and say hello. "People are so busy avoiding dog mess and vomit that they don't look at each other. I didn't see this in Harrogate and I believe it will make a big difference."

He has plans to expand his clean-up mission to Grimsby and wants to start jet-cleaning walls and pavements as well as repairing homes and painting walls. He said: "Virtue is its own reward, just doing something for the sake of doing it. At the beginning people might feel stupid – I fully expected to be ridiculed – but as soon as people saw what I was doing, they have come up to say thank you. "It only takes one, determined person to start this. Someone who has the time to do it, and the guts to be ridiculed at first. Someone who can motivate others towards a positive change. Oh dear, I think that's me..." As well as recruiting others to Street People, Mark needs someone to lend him the right tools to expand his mission.

Joke texts ‘led window cleaner to kill himself’ -  A man killed himself by stepping in front of a train following a series of text messages sent by a friend posing as a former lover. An inquest heard how married man Jeremy Brown, of Windmeres, Evesham, confided in Grant Owen, a friend of 12 years, last March about an affair he had ended after his wife Sarah found out. However, in early September Mr Owen and a friend sent Mr Brown a number of messages posing as the married woman while under the influence of alcohol. The texts haunted Mr Brown, a self-employed window cleaner. He died after being struck by the 11.21 London Paddington to Great Malvern train on the Littleton and Badsey level crossing, near Evesham, at about 1.10pm on Friday, September 14,.
Giving evidence, Mrs Brown said the affair was over by the end of April and the couple had been working on their relationship and August had been a “really good” month but the texts from Mr Owen sent him “downhill”. She added: “He would cry himself to sleep. He frantically tried to find out where they came from.” Mr Owen, who bought a new sim card to send the messages, called it a “childish prank”. He added: “I thought if he could not get in contact with that number he would realise it was us messing about. I was expecting a call from him and never got it. “In hindsight I probably should have let him know.”
Mr Brown had made two previous attempts to take his own life and wrote suicide notes, as well as speaking openly to his wife about killing himself, saying he would have to use a train for his next attempt. Worcestershire's deputy coroner Marguerite Elcock said Mr Owen’s actions were not those of a friend and were “at the very least remarkably juvenile”.  Witnesses reported seeing the 38 year old step out calmly in front of the train in a deliberate act. Train driver Peter Allen said the train was travelling at the speed limit of 75mph when he saw Mr Brown at a distance of about 200 yards. Although he sounded the horn several times and applied the brake, Mr Brown stood unmoved with his back to the locomotive. Speaking after the inquest, Mrs Brown said: “He was loved and will be missed by all the family and friends.” A post-mortem test showed Mr Brown suffered multiple injuries and massive cerebral trauma but he had not been under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A jury returned a verdict of suicide.

Family and friends of Coronation Street stalwart Chris Canavan have paid tribute to a ‘lovely character’ who lit up their lives. The 84 year old actor, who was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and moved to Preston at the age of 11, was an extra in the hit soap from 1962. The grandfather had been in the show for almost as long as William Roache, who plays Weatherfield’s longest running character, Ken Barlow. Son Dermot, 48, said his father played characters including The Mouse Catcher, Dusty and a window cleaner - the latter his real life job outside of acting. He said: “His first appearance was within a year of Coronation Street being on. “In those days actors could come back and play several characters, a bit like Roy Barraclough, who was a very good friend of my dad’s at Preston Playhouse - my dad got him his Equity Card. “He was a builder called Dusty who worked on a construction site owned by Len Fairclough and Ray Langton and he was a mouse catcher when the Ogden’s had mice. “He actually had a window cleaning business. He loved it and he was still cleaning windows until last year.

Watching TV for free a cause for Red Bank rebel: Red Bank resident Gary Figaro has all the TV he needs and it’s free. He watches the news on the broadcast channels and shows on Channel 13, public television. They all come in via the antenna on his roof. “There’s enough stuff on the television to keep me busy. If not, I’ll leave,” Figaro said. He won’t pay for cable TV. Never has. Never will. Figaro contacted Press on Your Side after reading about Howell resident John F. Donohue and his quest to drop his cable TV service. “All my friends call me a dinosaur. It’s a matter of being a rebel,” Figaro said. “I refuse to pay for television. Everyone wants you to pay for everything there is.” What about friends who want him to get cable TV. “People who love to pay bills want you to pay too,” Figaro said. The free programs have broadened his mind. For instance, watching shows in foreign languages, channels that are among the free ones out there, has helped him learn a few words of Japanese. And it has made Figaro, who owns a window-washing business, a little more financially secure. Years ago, instead of paying for cable, he took the money and put it into a retirement account, creating a little nest egg. “It’s something I know is there,” Figaro said. 

Window washers scale the new UW Medicine South Lake Union research building on Dexter Avenue North and Republican Street. The newest research building at UW Medicine South Lake Union is completed, and is now undergoing commissioning and certification. Several UW biomedical research laboratories will be moving in from April through June. Occupying the seven-story facility will be lab groups involved in kidney research, vision sciences, immunology, rheumatology, and infectious disease investigations.  These scientists are advancing the understanding of multiple sclerosis, blindness, malaria, lupus, renal failure and many other conditions. Supersize picture by clicking.

Ecovacs Robotics 'Winbot,' the first and only robot designed exclusively for cleaning windows, swept the "Household + Home Environment Electrics" category taking this year's coveted Innovation Award at the 2013 International Home + Housewares Show. According to the International Housewares Association, which stages the annual trade show at Chicago's McCormick Place, there were nearly 500 product submissions this year, all vying for first place in one of 13 Innovation Award categories. Sixty-five finalists were chosen and voted on by members of the press and major retail buyers at the event.

"We are absolutely thrilled to receive the 2013 Innovation Award from the International Housewares Association," said Nick Savadian, Executive General Manager of Ecovacs Robotics. "To have our Winbot named the most innovative product in the Household + Home Environment Electrics category is very gratifying for everyone in our company." Winbot was selected as 2013's best cutting-edge innovation in its category by a panel of distinguished industry experts, seasoned designers, retailers and the news media at the event. The Winbot does all kinds of windows, including Thermopane windows. It's the first-ever window cleaning robot that cleans either inside or outside windows. Winbot works on both the inside or outside glass. Ready for full production, Winbot will soon be available for distribution to retailers.

The new window cleaning robot is very user friendly and comes with detailed instructions for proper use that makes cleaning windows a breeze. Simply put the pads on the Winbot and mist with the solution. The user just places the Winbot on the window and a blue light comes on when suction takes hold. The device first measures the glass and then begins a zigzag pattern that covers every inch of the window. Winbot contains pads that can be reused many times. The wet pad moistens the glass, a squeegee cleans it and another pad will dry it. When the glass is clean, Winbot will return to its original starting position and signal that the job is finished. An air release trigger will free it from the glass. With "Live Smart. Enjoy Life." as its main focus for consumers, Ecovacs Robotics is a firm that is truly on the cutting edge of robotic technology. The company's scientists and engineers are constantly pushing the envelope, filling the pipeline with wondrous products that amaze us today and are destined to become tomorrow's essentials.

China’s Commerce Minister Is Not Impressed: China’s commerce minister might have some sympathy for famously disappointed U.S. Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney. When it comes to China’s online shopping service, he’s not impressed. “There still are a lot of problems with online shopping,” Chen Deming told reporters recently (transcript in Chinese). “I’ve had a few myself.” China’s Internet users expressed a mix of amusement and despair over the weekend after the minister, known for his even-tempered style even when dishing out criticism on hot-button issues like disputes over solar panels or the nation’s currency, cheerfully ran through an electronic shopping cart full of complaints at a nationally televised news conference on Friday.But it wasn’t just the couriers Mr. Chen found wanting. “I’ve also bought a few things that had quality problems,” he related. “On two occasions I bought a window cleaner. The first time I used one of them, it broke.”

Vincent Simpson was acquitted in 2007 of strangling 20-year-old nursery nurse Elizabeth McCabe, whose naked body was found in the woods near Dundee in 1980. Police said last year that a specialist unit were looking again at the case. But Simpson, 66, who now lives in Surrey and works as a window cleaner, is not expecting detectives to knock on his door. He said: “The review of the case doesn’t worry me one iota. I don’t lose any sleep. I still go out and go to work. “The cold case will go on and on. The police have got no avenues to go down. “They haven’t tried to talk to me since my trial. They’re leaving me alone now. I won’t hear from them. “The police went down the channel of focusing their investigation on me and never came off it. It was a total farce.” 

Owensboro Police continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding what they are calling a 'suspicious' death. Forty-four year old Kenneth Yerardi was found dead Thursday inside his business in America's Silver and Gold Exchange. They say he died of a gun shot wound, but many questions about his death remain. When we showed up at Yerardi's business today. Many who knew him were in the area. They say they are confused and ready for answers on what really happened to their friend.
Michael Drake has been washing windows since he was seven. It's a job he enjoys doing especially when he gets to know the person behind the window. "We have good conversations. He tells me about what he wants to do with his life. He just recently opened a new shop somewhere in town, and he wanted me to do his windows there too." Drake says he has washed windows at America's Silver and Gold Exchange for a while, where he became friends with owner Kenneth Yerardi. "I was coming to do his windows yesterday, that's why it was a shock to me. I was coming up and saw all the police out here," says Drake. Owensboro Police have called the incident suspicious, but they are releasing few other details. Many of Yerardi's friends want to know if his death is a suicide, or if someone shot the business owner? We spoke with many of the customers and businesses along here, who say they knew the forty-four year old personally.

Jail for window cleaner conman tricked Hall Green pensioners out of cash: James Jones targeted elderly residents, telling them he was their replacement cleaner. A bogus window cleaner who tricked pensioners into handing over cash for work that was never carried out has been jailed for six months. James Jones, who is 32 and from Tyseley, was sentenced after targeting elderly residents in Hall Green between June and October last year. Residents were told he was collecting cash on behalf of their regular window cleaner who he said was unwell. Some victims handed over £10 and £20 notes to the trickster and promised to return with change, but never did. Detective Inspector Ben West, said: “We’re only talking about small sums, usually no more than £20. "But many pensioners across the West Midlands can ill afford to lose that amount of money, whilst the damage to victims’ confidence and trust as a result of these cons cannot be overstated.” Unemployed Jones admitted three counts of fraud by false representation.

Heroin addict stole OAP's pension cash: Desperate thief Wayne Murphy has been locked up after he stole an 83-year-old woman's pension money to buy heroin. Murphy sneaked into the victim's house through a side door which had been left open because the OAP was expecting a visit from a district nurse. He rifled through her belongings while she was in the house, and the pensioner later discovered cash, bank cards and jewellery were missing. When challenged by a neighbour, Murphy said he was a window cleaner looking for work.

Crafty Keith Robinson not only polished windows, he also took things to the cleaners... including his best friend. The devious window cleaner stole pal Claire Archer's bank card and then helped himself to her cash and bought pizzas, hotel rooms and a watch. Robinson, 27, also had the nerve to go out to a club with the university student and tip a friend, who offered them a lift, £50. Ms Archer later told police she thought the father-of-two was being very generous, especially as he went on to buy everyone drinks at the club – not realising he was using HER stolen cash. Robinson, of Jillian Way, Ashford, admitted charges of theft and fraud on the day he was due to stand trial at Canterbury Crown Court for the £1,000 rip-off. But despite it being a breach of trust he escaped with a community order to do 120 hours of unpaid work. And a curfew order, which puts him under partial house arrest for the next four months, is to be lifted for a week - so he can go on holiday with the mother of one of his children.

My father was an incorrigible optimist for his whole life. On the last day of his window cleaning job the platform that he was using suddenly gave way and he was left to plunge seventy-eight floors to the sidewalk below. Yet, even as he fell at an increasingly alarming rate, the office workers on each floor of the building tell me that they looked up from their desks to see him smiling in their direction, holding both thumbs aloft, shouting “So far so good! So far so good!”. That’s the kind of positive mantra that fans of the Whitecaps can cling to after the two home wins that opened the season but, sooner or later, the team are going to have a setback that sees them hit the floor almost as hard as my late lamented father and the question then becomes; will they bounce or will they break?