Window Washer Wins The Jackpot + More News

Robert Stonecipher, a window washer wins $100,000 at Pechanga.

Window washer wins 100 thousand dollar jackpot - During a recent trip to Southern California, Robert Stonecipher stopped into Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula. The window washer from Grants Pass, Ore. spotted a $10 Bonus Time slot machine and decided to try his luck for a few minutes. Exactly three minutes and $60 later, Stonecipher started wondering what was happening as the bells on the slot machine began sounding. “I thought I won something but I had no idea how much,” he said. “I had to look at the chart at the top of the machine, and I kept doing the math until I finally got it. Wow, one hundred thousand dollars!” A crowd of onlookers in the casino congratulated him as he smiled big for pictures holding an oversized check. Also an avid golfer who enjoys playing the course at Pechanga, the Oregon resident says he plans to put a down payment on a house in his home state.

Unger Ultimate Squeegee: With only 1,964 pieces created worldwide to commemorate the founding of Unger in 1964, this first ever carbon squeegee reflects the attention to detail, design elements and desirability usually associated with the world's most highly engineered and technologically advanced car brands. Each Ultimate Squeegee is laser engraved with its own unique issue number and UNGER logo on the sand blasted stainless steel spring and comes in an exclusive presentation box including a special metal plate certificate of authenticity. 

Sweeping winter away: CATSKILL — A crewman with a window cleaning company stretches to clear the winter’s grime off the second story glass of the Greene County Office Building in Catskill. Spring cleaning appears to be in full swing on the county level. And Greene County Highway Department employee Tim LeMere assists with cleanup efforts in Leeds Tuesday, supplementing the work of the street sweeper as it passes by.

Inquest hears 62-year-old died after falling from window he was cleaning: A 62-year-old man suffered fatal head injuries after falling from a window he was attempting to clean, an inquest has heard. Robert Luders-Gibbs died on Wednesday, October 10, just days before he was due to fly to Spain to be reconciled with his daughter and ex-wife. Mr Luders-Gibbs had been staying with an old work colleague in Waltham Road, Maidenhead, and it is thought he was cleaning the bedroom he had been using in preparation for his departure. A neighbour described how she had seen what she thought to be 'a bag flying through the air', which was immediately followed by an 'almighty thump' at about 9am. She then saw Mr Luder-Gibbs lying on pavement and the emergency services were called for, arriving minutes later. Paramedics found a weak pulse and carried out chest compressions for 30 minutes before the patient went in to cardiac arrest and died at the scene.
Cleaning fluid was left on the window sill and police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. A series of letters to friends and family were found, but were of a personal nature, made no indication that he was considering taking his own life and were dated six months earlier. A post-mortem revealed fractured ribs, thought to have been sustained during the resuscitation attempts, and noted the death was due to brain lacerations and skull fractures. Assistant coroner for Berkshire, Emma Jones, recorded a verdict of 'accidental death caused by a fall from an upstairs window which led to a fatal injury.'

Unlicensed window cleaners arrested in Stenhousemuir as police crack down on doorstep crime: A new crackdown on unlicensed tradesmen and bogus callers has been launched with the aim of stamping out ‘doorstep crime’. The Forth Valley Division of Police Scotland is working alongside Trading Standards as part of a nationwide campaign that has already led to a number of arrrests. Last week two men were charged with operating an unlicensed window cleaning business in Stenhousemuir, and cops have warned that others are in their sights.

Superintendent Gus MacPherson said: “Doorstep crime can affect anyone within our local communities, but we are aware that the over-60s in particular can be targeted due to a perceived vulnerability. “Those who commit such crimes, like bogus callers and rogue traders, are extremely convincing in how they approach and interact with potential victims. Anyone can be convinced by the lies these criminals create. “We know that there is a significant amount of under-reporting of this crime type, with individuals either not being aware that they have been subject to a crime, or feeling embarrassed to tell someone.

“Police Scotland and all our partner agencies hope that this campaign will increase awareness amongst communities of this despicable crime and give confidence in being able to deal with those who cold-call at their door.” A spokesman for Trading Standards said: “We welcome the launch of the campaign today and fully support its aims to beat doorstep crime. “Doorstep crime remains the number one priority for Trading Standards services in Scotland and we are committed to working with our partners to tackle this unscrupulous crime.”

GOP senators block minimum-wage hike but Democrats vow to try again - Republican Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming (pictured) said the minimum-wage jobs he held as young man — a window washer and “stock boy” — prepared him for eventually owning his own business. “These are jobs where we learn to be dependable, to work with other employees and to learn that work ethic,” Enzi said. Today’s workers, he noted, often “don’t know how to interrupt their texting to wait on a customer.” The proposal would have initially boosted the minimum wage, now $7.25 an hour, to $8.20, then again in 95-cent increments over two years to $10.10. A Congressional Budget Office report said a higher rate would reduce employment by about 500,000 workers, but noted that “many more” would see an increase in earnings. Studies show about 28 million Americans earn the minimum wage. The White House initially considered a more modest increase to about $9 an hour, but Democrats in Congress pushed for the higher rate, which would be the first since President George W. Bush increased the $5.15 hourly rate after Democrats became the majority in Congress in 2007. The issue had threatened to divide Democrats in an election year when several conservative-state senators are up for reelection. 

The payment revolution starts here (UK): From 29 April you can use your mobile to make person-to-person payments. As phones with debit-card style chips are in the pipeline, cash, plastic, even wallets could be redundant. On 29 April, the end of cash will come a little bit closer. The major high street banks are launching Paym, which will let you pay the window cleaner, sort out a restaurant bill or pay back that fiver you borrowed at lunch, simply by pressing a few buttons on your mobile phone. For many, it will signal the death of the cheque – and is yet another nail in the coffin of high street bank branches.
Paym is backed by most of the major banks, including Lloyds, Barclays and HSBC, though not, initially, RBS/NatWest (they join later this year), and will let you send and receive payments directly to a current account using just a mobile phone number. There will be no need to ask for the other person's sort code or account number, or tell them your own. Want to pay £15 to the cleaner? Then just enter their mobile phone number, confirm their name, check the amount and press "send".

'Superhero Day' comforts young Central DuPage Hospital patients: Organizers for a National Superhero Day event held Monday at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield say everyone in the pediatric unit is a superhero -- from premature babies like Michael to teenagers fighting cancer to all the doctors and nurses. "It's just a great way to honor our patients and our staff," said Holly Kulikowski, director of special events for the Cadence Health Foundation. "They're all heroes in their own way."
Activities for the day included cape making and mask decorating for more than 200 patients, a staff costume contest and a visit from a therapy dog dressed as a superhero, Kulikowski said. Dr. Jeffery Loughead, neonatologist site leader of the pediatric program at Lurie Children's Hospital at Cadence Health, sported a Superman shirt under his blue coat. Many of his colleagues, including staff members in other departments, dressed up as other superheroes, such as Batman and Wonder Woman.
Parents snapped photos and the kids cheered and waved as Spider-Man, Superman and Captain America appeared before them. The men dressed up in the costumes were window washers for the West Chicago-based company T.J. Maintenance Inc. They held their hands against the glass and the children gave them high-fives.

Superman, Captain America and Spider-Man pulled double-duty at Connecticut Children's Medical Center on Monday, rappelling down the side of the hospital to wash windows and lift the morale of "superhero" patients with their own battles. "They're coming! They're coming!" shouted Joey Divito, 3, of Manchester, standing near the eighth-floor elevators. Nichole Castro, a 10-year-old patient from New Britain, clutched a vital signs monitor and wore a Superwoman-like cape. When Spider-Man appeared and waved at her from beyond the glass, Nichole placed a hand over her mouth, as if in disbelief.

On Monday, National Superhero Day, employees at Connecticut Children's Medical Center said they wanted to honor the young patients fighting for their health. Comic book covers and reports from the Daily Planet were pinned inside the elevators, while some of the expansive windows overlooking Washington Street had a new look: a painted Batman logo joined by "POW!" and "ZAP!"
For the first time, the hospital also arranged a superhero visit from the costumed window-washers at Tri-State Building Facade Services, which has offices in Stamford and Poughkeepsie, N.Y., according to their boss, Batman. "Hi, I'm Batman," said Jim Grady, Tri-State's co-owner and president, extending his gloved right hand and taking photos with patients, many wearing customized capes for the special day. In case the children thought all superheroes were invincible, and impervious to pain, Batman rode into Hartford from Gotham City with his left arm wrapped in a soft cast. "I had elbow surgery Thursday," Grady said. "Tough guys don't wear slings."
Volunteers from The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, the Ashford-based nonprofit founded by the late Paul Newman, also wore their own costumes — hello there, Thor and Batwoman — and brought art supplies and games to play with the patients. Ian Fagan, 5, a kindergartner from Hebron, was asked about his favorite superhero after he met Batman. "Um, tough question," said Ian, wearing a red cape and Spider-Man shoes.
Jen Wheaton stood nearby with her T-shirt that read, "I fight cancer, what's your superpower?" Ian was one of her first patients when she started working at the medical center last fall as a Child Life specialist, where she uses therapeutic medical play to help kids understand and cope with their conditions. Ian was diagnosed with leukemia three years ago. He is in remission now, said his mother, Cindy Fagan, and "he has no fears here. This is almost like a second home to him. He doesn't know life without CCMC." Ian had blood drawn Monday and was going in his cape to receive chemotherapy. "We all feel like they're our superheroes," Wheaton said. "Ian has been an amazing little fighter, like all of our patients are, and it's nice just to have a day to bring a smile to their faces while they're having treatment."
On the sixth floor, Batman visited the room of Kya Roberge, 6, of Lisbon. The kindergartner has been homesick and dealing with abdominal migraines, where "she throws up and can't stop," said her father, Michael Roberge. Kya's mother helped make the yellow, embellished cape that the girl wore over her hospital gown. "Yesterday was tough for her," said Roberge, sporting a Captain America T-shirt, "so having this today has really boosted her spirits."

Window Cleaner, Mike with Louise Finch from Peter Walsh Hairdressers, on London Road who turned his hair pink.

Shocking pink hair brings in the cash: A window cleaner has been tickled pink by the generosity of his Stockton Heath customers after they helped him raise £2,700 for charity. Mike Quayle took the plunge and dyed his hair and beard shocking pink for the month of March to help raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. And through his high profile fundraising throughout the village he managed to reach the fundraising total. The 52-year-old said: “The responses have been amazing. People either want to stand and talk or walk by pretending I was invisible.”
Mike’s transformation was done by Peter Walsh Hairdressing, on London Road, and with help from businesses including All That Jazz at The Forge which kitted him out with pink accessories to make sure, even with the hair, he could not be missed. “Amidst the wit, sarcasm, encouragement and help – my attention seeking has managed to encourage customers, friends, relatives and strangers to sponsor my madness,” added Michael. “I raised £1,022 in the first 72 hours which is more than I would have been satisfied with all month “This experience is mine and I can recommend it to anyone, it’s a roller coaster. Just when you feel like giving up you bounce back.” And with the pink finally washed out of his hair Mike, of Elaine Street, Fairfield, was able to hand over his fundraising to Macmillan with the help of Natwest in Stockton Heath. You can still donate to Mike’s fundraising by visiting justgiving.com/mikequayle.

 

Masterchef presenter Gregg Wallace: He is the ebullient, pud-loving, sugar-holic from Masterchef. his first ever car, a white, Ford Escort van, which he used to carry his work stuff around when he started off as a window cleaner. That was followed by a large, plush, grey Ford Ghia automatic, to which he would strap on his ladders and soapy buckets of water. “I had a nice time cleaning windows and earned quite a bit of money doing it,” he recalled. “It was a nice life – very sociable and much nicer in the summer months than the winter. “I met loads of people and lots and lots of young women – it was great. “I started off in Catford, where there was row upon row of Edwardian terraced houses.

Jeff Smith is from Eau Claire, Wisconsin and served as a Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 2007 to 2011, representing the 93rd Assembly District. He was the Chair of the Elections and Campaign Reform Committee and a member of five other committees: Colleges and Universities, Financial Institutions, Education, Renewable Energy and Rural Affairs, and Public Safety. He sold his business, Bob Smith Window Cleaning in 2011 and, in March 2013, he became the Wisconsin Democratic Party's Regional Political Director for Northern Wisconsin.

Concerned that today’s kids are opting to play video games or surf social media rather than pick up a book, former East Kilbride window cleaner-turned author Martin King decided to marry gaming and literature together with the release of Jack Hunter: The French Connection. A former East Kilbride window cleaner is hoping to reignite childrens’ passion for reading after launching the world’s first 3D reality book. Concerned that today’s kids are opting to play video games or surf social media rather than pick up a book, former East Kilbride window cleaner-turned author Martin King decided to marry gaming and literature together with the release of Jack Hunter: The French Connection. The interactive adventure book combines new technology with traditional storytelling to enhance kid’s curiosity for adventure and encourage the digital generation to fall back in love with reading.
Martin (46), who was a well-known face in the Greenhills and Whitehills areas with his bucket and squeegee, penned his first story for a friend in 2010 which unlocked his imagination for children’s stories. And, before long, the idea for Jack Hunter was born. Martin explained: “The book brings the story alive using reality 3D technology. “By downloading a free app children can scan the illustrations in the book to enter the French Connection game, complete quests and find treasure. “Think Indiana Jones and The Goonies...”

Nikhil and Purvi Parekh of Raleigh are bringing Men In Kilts window washing service to the Triangle.

Men In Kilts to wash Triangle windows starting next week: If you like the idea of wearing a kilt to work, there’s a company bringing a franchise into the Triangle that encourages it. Men in Kilts is a window-washing, gutter-cleaning, pressure-washing company which started in Vancouver that will officially launch on May 5, but is hiring technicians to build its workforce. The franchise brand is being led by IBM software engineer Nikhil Parekh and his wife, Purvi, an occupational therapist. They’ve already got two people on staff since they brought the company to Raleigh.
And to answer the pressing questions on your mind right now: Yes, the technicians wear something under the kilts, and yes, woman can also apply for the jobs. The couple was researching companies to clean their windows when the stumbled upon Men In Kilts, and fell in love with the idea. Purvi says her husband never wore a kilt before, and wasn’t shy to try it on. “We have proper gear for all seasons,” she explains. “In the winter, we also wear a kilt, but there’s the option to wear longer clothing underneath.”
To start a franchise costs $48,400 on the low end, which includes $23,750 for the initial franchise fee, $5,900 for equipment and supplies and $7,500 for pre-opening advertising. On the high end, pre-opening expenses can add up to $126,900. Ongoing franchise costs include 6 percent for sales center fees, for which all inbound sales calls and job scheduling is handled, and a royalty cut of 7 percent of earnings, according to the franchise website. According to Parekh, the company will target four markets in the Triangle area, each of which have about 20,000 homes. The company will also offer services to apartment complexes, condominiums, restaurants and retail locations. Men In Kilts currently has 10 locations across Canada and the U.S. 

Cleaning doctor is a very familiar name around Fermanagh. The brand, founded by William Little, is a well respected and trusted in the cleaning industry, but few locally may realise there are over 40 branches of Cleaning Doctor spread across the UK and Ireland, and every one of them is directly connected to Fermanagh. William Little explains that he is 28 years in the cleaning business around Fermanagh and Tyrone and 14 years running Cleaning Doctor Limited and the ‘Cleaning Doctor’ brand. William describes how he initially started as ‘Little William’s Cleaning Service’ providing carpet and upholstery cleaning services. This was followed by ‘Hi-Tec Cleaning Group’, which sold cleaning machines, equipment and chemicals throughout Ireland. 

William sourced equipment and training from as far away as the USA and Australia. Many of his customers also wanted training, so William added that to his business, bringing in specialists whenever required. His skills, business acumen and encouragement guided many start-up cleaning companies across Ireland. The combination of supplying machines, training and support led to the formulation of Cleaning Doctor as a fully-fledged franchise business with William Little at its head as the franchisor and managing director of Cleaning Doctor Limited. 

William states, “We advertise the Cleaning Doctor business opportunity in franchise magazines and websites, and after careful selection of suitable people, we bring them to Fermanagh for an intensive training course. “We turn them into experts of cleaning and restoration, teach them the basic business methods, fit out their vehicle with equipment and products, and prepare their marketing programmes. “Essentially, a new franchisee leaves Fermanagh trained and equipped, and when they get home a day or so later they are ready to launch their new business in their local area. 

Cleaning Doctor provides cleaning and restoration service to both domestic and commercial customers and one of William’s first contacts was with the Killyhevlin Hotel in Enniskillen. He states proudly, “They are still customers; we must be doing something right. “We have four different divisions within the franchise,” explains William, “Carpet and upholstery cleaning, floor restoration and sanding, external cleaning (window cleaning and power-washing) and home cleaning services.”

Window cleaner, Carl Jones, of South Cave, is dressing up as Goofy for a 24-hour Goofython to raise money for charities.

South Cave man Carl Jones dressing as 'Goofy' to raise funds for Alder Hey Children's Charity - 

Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Merseyside is one of Europe's busiest children's hospitals. It is one of the most famous children's hospitals in the UK and sees more than 270,000 young patients every year. Carl, 38, who runs a window cleaning company, said: "They gave us a memory box to keep and photographs of his hands and feet with mum and dad written on, some books for siblings, to explain what had happened, and they hold Christenings, too. "But it's all done through donations, not the hospital, so that is why we wanted to do something." Carl is holding the Goofython from 7am on Sunday, August 17, for 24 hours. He wants Goofy to visit as many community groups, workplaces, nurseries and buildings as possible in Hull and the surrounding areas. In return for having photographs and a visit from Goofy, people will be asked to donate to the fundraising drive on a JustGiving webpage. Anyone who would like Goofy to attend their building should visit Facebook and search "Dexter Appeal" or www.justgiving.com/dexterappeal to donate.

Kevin Daly: Can frequent flyers help new businesses take off? I've always wondered why my dog barks at the postman. As I'm the one getting the bills and the final demands, that's my job, surely. At least that's what I used to think, until just last week, that is. That's when I carried out my first ever door-to-door leaflet drop, an experience which has left me with sore knuckles and the deepest respect for our posties, I can tell you. What with all those stroppy householders, their stroppy dogs and spring-loaded letterboxes that could trap a bear – these aren't postal rounds, these are assault courses.

To be honest, I wasn't that keen on traipsing around a whole neighbourhood delivering leaflets promoting our local am-dram society's next production in the first place; I mean, no one really wants yet one more A5 sheet of paper stuffed through their front door to add to all those pizza flyers, charity bags and leaflets offering Zumba classes cluttering up their hallway, do they? Well, one particular householder I came across most certainly could. Before I had time to slide my A5 flyer through his letterbox he was hurling open his front door and barking "What's this rubbish?" Then his dog emerged and he began barking too.

Door-to-door leaflet dropping certainly poses a dilemma. Many hate the intrusion, yet without those flyers, all those would-be entrepreneurs – many of them young folk – would struggle to get their hairdressing, car-valeting or window-cleaning businesses off the ground. So maybe we should all lighten up a little when it comes to junk mail.

Student files $5M lawsuit against school board over glass safety - Lawyer says more than 100 claims against Ontario schools related to safety glass in 13 years. A Burlington student filed a $5 million lawsuit against the Halton Catholic District School Board Tuesday morning, nearly one year after he severely lacerated his arm trying to push open a hallway door.
The suit alleges the wire mesh “safety glass,” in place as a fire retardant, is more dangerous than its plate glass counterpart – something the suit claims the board is aware of. The suit contains allegations that have not been proven in court. “The glass essentially severed half of his forearm. If you can imagine taking a slice, slicing your forearm in half,” said Michael Smitiuch, lawyer of Sean Lloyd, a former student from Assumption Catholic Secondary School. The glass broke and his arm went through. His lawyer says the muscles, nerves and tendons were severely lacerated, and the once avid high school athlete has not regained the full use of his arm a year later.
"This case raises serious concerns about the potential danger that wired glass poses for all students," said Smitiuch. "The reality is that Sean is one of far too many young people injured by wired glass in schools." Lloyd’s lawyer says the Ontario School Boards’ Insurance Exchange has more than 100 claims against Ontario schools related to safety glass in the past 13 years. Smitiuch says the size of the claim is in part because of those numbers. Doug Perovic, a University of Toronto engineering professor who will give evidence in the case, says the wire meshed glass breaks more easily. “The fracture toughness of that glass is significantly reduced.  And in fact, it's reduced even more than regular cheap window glass,” Perovic.”That's how bad it is.”

Nikkie Plessen's photo Diary - The Brand Store in Maastricht. Nikkie Simone begins with a thorough cleaning by washing the windows!  The girls from Nikkie Brand Stores began a spring cleaning in the shops.

Murdered window cleaner John O'Regan laid to rest: Murdered window cleaner John O'Regan was laid to rest in Ballymun this morning. The 48-year-old Finglas native was shot dead on his way to work ten days ago. Family and friends turned out at the Church of the Holy Spirity in Ballymun for the service. He was shot up to six times with a handgun by the lone gunman who fled the scene on foot. Detectives are probing whether a dangerous Finglas gang are behind the murder as it is believed that Mr O'Regan got involved in a dispute with a senior member of this mob in recent times and felt under threat. Window cleaning equipment was found near the scene of the capital's latest gun murder and it is understood that Mr O'Regan was on his way to do a job. Advanced paramedics from Dublin Fire Brigade tried to save the man's life but he was pronounced dead in the Mater Hospital after being rushed there.

Now a former window cleaner from Kent, Gareth Davis, has had all his sound equipment – from stereo to iPod to TV – removed by the local council because of persistent complaints that he "repeatedly played Celine Dion too loudly". Who the hell do the jobsworths on that council think they are, to decide when something is too loud? It's actually very clear – playing Celine Dion should be immediate grounds for the confiscation of all your gear, regardless of the volume. Now that's a form of zero tolerance we could all respect.

Crime Tracker: Know Who’s Knocking: The warm weather usually brings vendors to our homes offering services like window washing and lawn care, but law enforcement reminds people there are some safety considerations you should contemplate before you open the door to a stranger. Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputy Travis Pendell says every person needs to be able to see who is standing on their front step before they open the door. He recommends the following:
Peepholes: Pendell says a peephole up high and one down low for the kids lets everyone in the house see who is on the front step. A locking screen door: The Deputy says a screen door with a lock adds another layer of protection between you and the person on the other side. Chain lock: These locks allow you to open the door slightly but makes it harder for a would-be intruder to push his way through. Don’t open the door if you feel uncomfortable: Deputy Pendell says not to open the door if you don’t feel safe. He says you can even let the person down politely and ask them to leave a business card saying you’ll get back to them when you have a chance.
These are warnings that Deputy Pendell says everyone should take into consideration. Even though Spokane doesn’t see forced entries like this a lot, Deputy Pendell says that it’s a good time of year to remind people about the precautions they should take when they open the front door. 

A bogus window cleaner has been targeting the elderly in Stockton and Norton, police have warned. The man has visited people’s homes and collected money as a window cleaner without carrying out the work. But he has also tried to befriend – and take financial advantage of – several vulnerable and elderly people. One man in his 90s had been targeted. Cleveland Police said four incidents had been reported to them on Hartburn Avenue, Cherry Tree Gardens, Bromley Road and Petch Street between April 21 and 22. Detectives are investigating and urged people with elderly or vulnerable relatives to warn them about the man and the importance of not letting people into their homes without the suitable identification or a close friend or family member present.