(J. Scott Applewhite - Associated Press)
The U.S. Senate is out of town this week, and somebody may want to make sure its furniture is safe and secure.
An employee assigned to care for furniture used by Senate offices stole and illegally sold more than $13,700 worth of tables and chairs to a used furniture dealer in Virginia, according to a new watchdog report and people familiar with the investigation.
The employee worked for the Architect of the Capitol, the office responsible for maintenance, landscaping and renovations at the U.S. Capitol and adjoining congressional buildings. A report released this week by the AOC inspector general provided limited details of the illegal sale.
On three separate occasions between October 2010 and August 2011, the report said the employee used an AOC vehicle to transport the stolen furniture and sell it to a used furniture store.
The employee, who resigned his position one day before he was set to be fired, sold the furniture to a used furniture store in Virginia, according to two people familiar with the investigation who asked not to be identified for fear of retribution. The pieces were not considered valuable antiques, and were mostly excess office furniture previously used in Senate offices, the sources said.
The inspector general’s office learned of the illegal furniture sales from an AOC employee who spotted “what appeared to be AOC Senate furniture for sale in a local used furniture store,” according to the report. Watchdog investigators successfully identified the stolen furniture after finding “government markings” affixed to the furniture, the report said.
The employee later admitted to investigators that he earned about $1,000 for the stolen furniture. Investigators estimated that the total value of the recovered furniture was $13,750 — but the report did not say whether the AOC recovered all of its stolen furniture.
AOC Inspector General Carol Bates declined to provide further details of the case Wednesday, because the employee’s decision to resign didn’t require AOC to take formal disciplinary action. In her report, Bates said federal prosecutors in Washington declined to press charges in the case because of the AOC’s lax security and furniture inventory system.
AOC spokeswoman Eva Malecki previously declined to comment on the case.
The watchdog report, a semiannual report to the Senate Rules Committee and House Administration Committee, also details other personnel violations, including workers who improperly reported worker’s compensation claims and allegations that some employees stole flags, tools and copper from congressional facilities.
The AOC has been plagued for years by allegations from current and former employees of improper termination, sexual harassment and racism in hiring and disciplinary decisions. At least two federal lawsuits related to such allegations are pending in federal court in Washington.
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Furniture plant closing in northwest Iowa - madison
The closing of a furniture plant will cost the jobs of more than 110 people in northwest Iowa.
Nemschoff Chairs has announced that it will close its plant in Sioux Center. The Sheboygan, Wis.-based company manufactures furniture for use in health care facilities.
A spokesman said 19 people already had been laid off. Ninety-two more will lose their jobs, too. The closing is expected to be finished on Sept. 15.
The company blamed the closure on the economy, uncertainty caused by the federal health care changes and new federal regulations. .
Source: host.madison.com
Cartoon Slideshow: A Painting Causes an Uproar in South Africa - World
Marco Werman speaks with The World’s Cartoon Editor Carol Hills about the emotional and historical buttons pushed by a satirical painting of President Jacob Zuma. “The Spear” by Brett Murray had South Africans fuming and counter-fuming for three weeks until it was taken down on May 30th by a Capetown gallery.
(Left) A painting of South Africa's President Jacob Zuma at an exhibition in Johannesburg. (Photo: REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko) | (Right) The painting after it was vandalized by protesters. (Photo: Reuters)
The painting that launched a thousand political cartoons in South Africa is called “The Spear”.
It’s by a South African satirical artist named Brett Murray but President Jacob Zuma found nothing funny about it.
Three weeks of protest marches, boycotts, counter-protests, editorials, finger-wagging, and sober discussion about the role of free speech in the New South Africa have followed the painting, which was hanging in a Capetown gallery until May 30th.
It’s now down but you can see some of the cartoons it inspired in this slideshow by The World’s Carol Hills.
Source: www.theworld.org
Jubilee painting coming to Castle Galleries - miltonkeynes.co.uk
A PIECE of artwork that offers a modern twist on a classic Royal portrait is coming to a city art gallery.
Castle Galleries, located at thecentre:mk, has taken delivery of the striking royal portrait, which is hand embellished with Swarovski Crystals, to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
The side-profile painting is the work of Royalist and famed British artist Louise Dear. Entitled ‘Our Young Queen’, the artwork will be on display at Castle Galleries from Saturday.
Manager at Castle Galleries Milton Keynes, Peter Viet-Lu, said: “‘Our Young Queen’ shows an innocent, demure and youthful Queen Elizabeth before her sovereignty, set against the backdrop of her kingdom – a Union Jack teamed with an array of flowers and animals, including a queen bee and a regal robin.
“Crafted with the simple ambition to create an exquisite, contemporary and figurative piece of art that is fit for a Queen, enthusiasts of Dear will immediately spot her trademark characteristic stamp on the unique portrait – a playful mix of colour and passion, which is packed full of romance.”
Inspiration for the portrait came from a 1951 photograph taken by Yousaf Karsh, before the young Elizabeth was even crowned.
Devon-based artist, Mrs Dear said: “The feeling of patriotism is so strong this year that I had the desire to create an iconic image that would inspire generations to come.”
Each limited edition print is available to purchase from June 2-10. The print will be available as a limited edition of just 60, priced at £995.
For more information on Louise Dear or to request a catalogue of her artworks please visit www.castlegalleries.com
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Print this pageSource: www.miltonkeynes.co.uk
Furniture orders rise, but at a slower rate - The Business Journal
Furniture orders are rising, but at a slower rate.
Orders for new furniture continued to rise in March, though at a slower pace, according to the latest survey of manufacturers by High Point accounting and consulting firm Smith Leonard, PLLC .
New orders in March were up 2 percent over March of 2011, and by 1 percent from February. The survey had been finding double-digit year-over-year increases since September of last year.
Reflecting those recent sales, shipments of completed orders were up 7 percent in March compared to last year. The number of factory employees was up 6 percent from a year ago, but was flat from February. Overall payrolls were up 7 percent from 2011 and 12 percent from February.
Survey author Ken Smith said he's been hearing reports of "softness" in orders starting in late March and going into April. Most in the industry seem to think business is "bumping along."
"The good news is that most companies have adjusted to these conditions. They also have adjusted staffing and spending levels to current business levels and with just a little bump in business, can make some money," he said.
Matt Evans covers biotech, entrepreneurship, higher education, financial services and furniture. Contact him at (336) 370-2916.
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Probation for Colorado woman who slid buttocks across $30 mln painting - au.news.yahoo.com
DENVER, May 31 (Reuters) - A woman who punched, scratched and slid her buttocks against a $30 million painting by abstract expressionist Clyfford Still at a Denver museum has been sentenced to two years of probation, and will have to undergo mental health treatment, prosecutors said on Thursday.
Carmen Tisch, 37, pleaded guilty earlier this month to felony criminal mischief for striking at and leaning against the oil-on-canvas painting "1957-J No. 2" at the Clyfford Still Museum last year, the Denver District Attorney's Office said.
After causing an estimated $10,000 worth of damage to the painting, an intoxicated Tisch then pulled down her pants, slid her buttocks against the painting and urinated on the museum floor, prosecutors said.
A judge sentenced Tisch to two years probation and she must also undergo mental health treatment and receive help for alcohol dependency as a condition of her sentence. She may still face a restitution hearing.
The North Dakota-born Still was considered one of the most influential post-World War Two American abstract expressionist artists, but he was not as famous as contemporaries such as Jackson Pollock.
Still died in 1980, and Denver officials worked for decades with his widow, Patricia, to secure a single-artist museum featuring his works. When she died in 2005, she bequeathed her husband's collection to the city.
Four of his works were auctioned by Sotheby's for $114 million to endow the museum, which opened in late 2011. (Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis, Cynthia Johnston and Lisa Shumaker)Source: au.news.yahoo.com
The Painting Company Says Brown is a Popular Paint Color in Atlanta - 24-7PressRelease.com
ATLANTA, GA, May 31, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Many homeowners do not even consider the color brown when choosing paint colors. What they are missing out on is an extremely versatile color that can be used in any room. Brown is classic in any shade and is easily complimented with furnishings. When painting in Atlanta, more homeowners are looking to basic browns for their walls.
Brown is known to be a naturally relaxing color, and for this reason it is a great choice for painting bedrooms. Studies have shown that brown walls in a bedroom may actually promote better sleep. Choose the optimal shade of brown based on the amount of natural light available. Darker shades are acceptable with ample incoming light.
Painting a room brown opens up many possibilities for furnishings and accents. Atlanta painters and decorators think of it as a blank slate where a homeowner can really use their imagination to decorate. Mixing brown shades on walls with bright white trim creates a solid definition that is visually appealing.
Chris Camp, owner of The painting Company in Atlanta, says, "Some homeowners are reluctant at first because they are afraid that painting rooms in their house brown will look drab and boring, but of all the house painting in Atlanta we do, not once has a homeowner been unhappy with the results."
Men particularly tend to gravitate towards the color brown because it is the color of natural elements like wood and leather. It pleases women as well because they are free to accessorize with just about anything that suits their eye. For more information about interior painting in Atlanta, visit http://atlantapaintingcompany.com
About The Painting Company
The Painting Company is an award-winning, full service painting company specializing in home improvements for residential homeowners and commercial businesses. A BBC accredited business, The Painting Company offers quality products and courteous, professional service to clients in Atlanta, GA, and the surrounding metro area.
For more information, visit http://www.atlantapaintingcompany.com.
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