plus 1, Stimulus goes green creating energy jobs (video) - Pottstown Mercury

Stimulus goes green creating energy jobs (video) - Pottstown Mercury

Posted: 10 Oct 2010 03:22 AM PDT

By Angela Carter, Journal Register News Service

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NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Gene Bartholomew had 30 years invested in his career as an HVAC technician and had advanced to a rare factory representative position when a layoff displaced him.

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"It's a real eye opener. It's a real wakeup call," the Chester, Conn., resident said. "The stress of losing your job — I don't even know how to describe it. It's worse than a low punch in the gut."

The combination of income from his wife's accounting job, slashing discretionary spending and his unemployment benefits kept a roof over their heads. Bartholomew graduated back in June from a Sustainable Building Advisor certificate program at Gateway Community College in North Haven, the time his benefits were running out.

Gateway offered the course at no cost to the unemployed, using federal American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds targeted for creating so- called 'green jobs' and supporting training programs in fields related to smarter energy use and developing alternative fuel sources.

Bartholomew said he did not want to embark on an entirely new field. The college's program gave him a chance to pick up credentials that would make him marketable as the heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry adopts 'green' or environmentally-friendly practices and equipment.

"Right now, I think people are confused about green jobs and what the credentials mean," he said of emerging trends in everything from construction to water and utility use. "It can be applied to both residential and commercial buildings. We have to get our energy costs down."

Thanks to some good old-fashioned networking and the skills upgrades, Bartholomew was hired by Commercial Air Services in North Branford. "I found a better job. It's been worth it," he said.

The Obama administration and Congressional supporters dedicated $32 billion nationally through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on energy efficiency, environmental cleanups, modernizing the electric grid, carbon capture and storage, transportation, science and innovation and renewable energy.

Connecticut was awarded $297.3 million for projects and clean energy tax programs. Here are the allocations across five other states in the Journal Register Company's coverage area: Michigan, $1.9 billion; New Jersey, $378 million; New York, $1.6 billion; Ohio, $928 million; and Pennsylvania, $1 billion.

According to the National Governors Association, every state and territory over the past two years has advanced in energy efficiency and developing clean energy sources.

"Most states are developing clean energy not only as an environmental strategy but also as an economic development strategy - to reduce state energy costs and even create jobs in some instances," John Thomasian, director of NGA's Center for Best Practices, said in a statement.

The center found that since 2008, forty-nine states adopted or updated policies relating to clean electricity and took action to expand energy efficiency measures. Thirty-nine states made investments in green approaches to economic development, moves NGA attributed largely to economic recovery strategies.

Matthew Fritz, special assistant to Gov. M. Jodi Rell and state recovery act coordinator, said approximately $24.5 million was allocated to an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program that is aiding 26 municipalities with projects such as improving efficiency at town hall buildings, renewable energy sources and replacing things like heating units and lighting on athletic fields.

The Department of Social Services administers $64.3 million that will be spent on weatherization efforts for clients of regional agencies — including and comparable to Community Action Agency of New Haven Inc. — that serve low-income residents. Without ARRA funds, weatherization funds fluctuate between $1.5 million and $2 million annually. "It's a huge increase in that program," Fritz said.

The state's goal is to weatherize 7,500 homes. Fritz said block grants went to communities small and large. The state also allocated stimulus funds to cities and towns that did receive money directly.

He lauded Gateway for offering environmental programming on brownfields and other training areas, years before the federal dollars were available.

David Cooper, director of Gateway's new Center for a Sustainable Future, said programming efforts have existed since 2007. "We developed a foundation for offering green business development and technical training programs in many areas ranging from solar photovoltaics to sustainable building design, to sustainable business development, alternative energy transportation, deconstruction, energy auditing, clean water systems, and grant proposal writing," Cooper said.

The college has participated in two training programs tied directly to ARRA funding: a statewide building performance and weatherization program and the two solar photovoltaic courses.

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Andrew Bynum hoping he'll get that full-time job with Lakers - Lexington Herald-Leader

Posted: 06 Oct 2010 04:05 PM PDT

BARCELONA, Spain -- Part-time player? Not in Andrew Bynum's mind.

The 22-year-old center plans on being a full-timer, deflecting an alternate possibility mentioned Tuesday by Lakers Coach Phil Jackson.

"I think everything will be all right," Bynum said Wednesday. "I just need to be healthy. I need to get back playing and hooping with the team and having some dominant games."

Bynum has suffered knee injuries each of the last three seasons and has had surgery twice, most recently in July. He is expected back sometime between mid-November and December, depending on whom you believe.

Jackson said somewhat ominously Tuesday that the Lakers would have to think about turning Bynum into a situational player if he sustained another knee injury.

"We're hopeful that this is the time he's able to start playing consistently through a season," Jackson said. "If not, we're going to have to look at Andrew as a short-minute guy, somebody like Yao Ming."

Yao has had recurring bone-related injuries and will play a maximum of 24 minutes a game this season for Houston. He also might sit out the second night of back-to-back games.

But Bynum sounded upbeat after practice as he stood in a corridor near the loading dock of the locally cherished Palau Sant Jordi, one of the main venues for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

"I think I'll be OK," he said. "Hopefully, I can just stay healthy. I'm just waiting to be cleared. Hopefully, it'll be in three weeks."

Bynum is consulting his personal doctor, David Altchek, on Oct. 25, the day before the Lakers' season opens. If he is cleared to play, he will need at least a few weeks to get into shape before returning to game action.

Bynum's response to Jackson's worst-case scenario was one of many developments Wednesday, which included a practice session at Palau Sant Jordi - sort of.

"We're doing pretty good in the NBA Cares clinics, but we're not doing so great with our own practices," said Jackson, who had maintained that the Lakers' exhibition season would be ruined because of their trip to Europe.

"I had five guys miss the team bus this morning. I blame Pau (Gasol) for that, but we won't hold it against him. He took them out last night and showed them some of the sights of Barcelona. We got a little bit behind the 8-ball on this trip."

Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant said he would play in the Lakers' exhibition Thursday against Regal FC Barcelona but did not say for how long. He played only six minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday in London.

The Lakers now play a team with former NBA guard Juan Carlos Navarro and Timberwolves draft pick Ricky Rubio. FC Barcelona won the Euroleague championship in May.

Bryant was impressed enough with the basketball team and its city to say he would strongly consider playing for FC Barcelona after his NBA playing days were behind him.

"At the end of my career, if I really sat down and thought about coming over to Europe and playing, Barcelona has to be (up there)," he said. "It's just such a beautiful place, a beautiful organization."

KOBE OR MICHAEL?

Jackson gets asked the question every once in a while and is often reluctant to go into great detail with his answer. Who's better: Bryant or Michael Jordan?

It came up again on Day 6 of the Lakers' eight-game European trek.

"Well, I guess I'd be about as good a judge as anybody on that, having been able to coach both those players," Jackson said. "Great competitors. Similarities in their game are great. Perhaps the eras have changed a little bit."

Then he got a little less politically correct.

"We love the idea that it could happen, that Kobe could win a sixth ring. I'm sure Michael is watching with great anticipation as to how it's going to come out too."

LAKERS OVER HEAT

If NBA general managers know what they're talking about - the Lakers should beat Miami for the NBA championship.

In the annual NBA.com general managers' survey, 63 percent of them picked the Lakers to win it all next June. Miami received 33.3 percent of the votes, and Boston had 3.7 percent. (Percentages were based on the pool of respondents to each particular question rather than all 30 general managers.)

Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant was the runaway winner in the MVP vote survey, with 66.67 percent; Bryant finished second (25.9 percent). Bryant easily had the most votes for the player a general manager would want to take the last shot with a game on the line (78.6 percent). Jackson had the most votes for best coach (39.3 percent).

COMING BACK?

Jackson was asked yet again if he would be back next season.

"I really don't have any intention of coaching," he said. "Of course, you can never say never in this game. There are just too many opportunities."

INJURIES, INJURIES

Reserve forward Derrick Caracter sustained a sprained ankle at Wednesday's practice, said Jackson, who also acknowledged limiting reserve center Theo Ratliff's practice time because of knee tendinitis.