| Parish hopes to reopen improved office annex
ST. FRANCISVILLE — West Feliciana Parish Police Jury officials said Thursday they hope improvements made in recent weeks would allow them to reopen the parish’s courthouse annex Monday. Jury President Bert Babers and Parish Manager Ambrose Sims said the jury will monitor the air quality in the building through the weekend and again Monday morning. "All things being equal, we hope we can reopen Monday," Babers said after meeting with a consulting engineer the jury hired last month when workers in the building began complaining of illnesses. Investigations into possible causes for the illnesses showed a buildup of carbon dioxide in the building, as well as dirty ductwork in part of the building’s heating and air conditioning systems. A year ago, dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide made workers ill and forced the jury to close the building until the jury sealed an exterior opening in its boiler room wall near the boilers’ exhausts.
Electric cars face battery of hurdles
In the rush to deliver an electric car to the masses, General Motors Corp. is finding that the all-important battery might not be the only major hurdle. The heating and cooling systems, for example, are a challenge because they typically are built to run off a traditional fuel combustion engine. That means new types of air conditioning and heating systems must be built. GM, in a high-stakes race with Toyota Motor Corp. to turn out an affordable, effective battery-powered car, has found that while the lithium-ion batteries themselves are hitting all the marks on early road tests, a host of other issues are beginning to crop up. .
American Standard finishes year with Trane ride
It has been anything but a standard year for American Standard. The Piscataway-based company completed the sale of its renowned bath and kitchen business and spun off its vehicle-control systems operation to focus solely on its more-profitable air-conditioning and heating systems. And Wednesday, it completed its three-way business split by announcing its name change to Trane, to identify with its popular HVAC brand. "Everyone has been clearly focused on the separation plan, and we're in the final stages," company spokesman Skip Colcord said. It was February when American Standard Chief Executive Officer Fred Poses announced that the company, which employs about 1,450 in New Jersey, would separate into three units in the hopes of creating greater shareholder value for its varied operations.
Watsco, Incorporated Earnings Conference Call (Q4 2007)
Watsco, Inc., along with its subsidiaries, distributes air conditioning, heating, refrigeration equipment, and related parts and supplies in the United States. Its products primarily comprise residential central air conditioners; light commercial air conditioners; gas, electric, and oil furnaces; commercial air conditioning and heating equipment and systems; and other specialized equipment. The company also offers various parts, including replacement compressors, evaporator coils, motors, and other component parts; and supplies consisting of thermostats, insulation material, refrigerants, ductwork, grills, registers, sheet metal, tools, copper tubing, concrete pads, tape, adhesives, and other ancillary supplies. Watsco operates through approximately 380 locations in 32 states. It distributes its products to contractors and dealers who service the replacement and new construction markets.
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