#emergency plumbing austin texas

[mrrooteraustin]

Emergency Plumbing Services in Austin, Texas

Dealing with a plumbing emergency? Find out which Austin Texas plumber offer fast service for urgent problems like burst pipes or big leaks, so you can get quick help when you need it. . Visit our website: https://www.mrrooter.com/austin/

Phone.no: +1 512-298-4916

[reasonsforhope]

Paywall-free version

On the outskirts of Austin, Texas, what began as a fringe experiment has quickly become central to the city’s efforts to reduce homelessness. To Justin Tyler Jr., it is home.

Mr. Tyler, 41, lives in Community First! Village, which aims to be a model of permanent affordable housing for people who are chronically homeless. In the fall of 2022, he joined nearly 400 residents of the village, moving into one of its typical digs: a 200-square-foot, one-room tiny house furnished with a kitchenette, a bed and a recliner.

The village is a self-contained, 51-acre community in a sparsely populated area just outside Austin. Stepping onto its grounds feels like entering another realm.

Eclectic tiny homes are clustered around shared outdoor kitchens, and neat rows of recreational vehicles and manufactured homes line looping cul-de-sacs.

There are chicken coops, two vegetable gardens, a convenience store, art and jewelry studios, a medical clinic and a chapel.

Roads run throughout, but residents mainly get around on foot or on an eight-passenger golf cart that makes regular stops around the property.

Mr. Tyler chose a home with a cobalt-blue door and a small patio in the oldest part of the village, where residents’ cactus and rock gardens created a “funky, hippie vibe” that appealed to him. He arrived in rough shape, struggling with alcoholism, his feet inflamed by gout, with severe back pain from nearly 10 years of sleeping in public parks, in vehicles and on street benches.

At first, he kept to himself. He locked his door and slept. He visited the clinic and started taking medication. After a month or so, he ventured out to meet his neighbors.

“For a while there, I just didn’t want to be seen and known,” he said. “Now I prefer it.”

Between communal meals and movie screenings, Mr. Tyler also works at the village, preparing homes for the dozen or more people who move there each month.

In the next few years, Community First is poised to grow to nearly 2,000 homes across three locations, which would make it by far the nation’s largest project of this kind, big enough to permanently house about half of Austin’s chronically homeless population.

Tiny-home villages for people who have been homeless have existed on a small scale for several decades, but have recently become a popular approach to addressing surging homelessness. Since 2019, the number of these villages across the country has nearly quadrupled, to 124 from 34, with dozens more coming, according to a census by Yetimoni Kpeebi, a researcher at Missouri State University.

Mandy Chapman Semple, a consultant who has helped cities like Houston transform their homelessness systems, said the growth of these villages reflects a need to replace inexpensive housing that was once widely available in the form of mobile home parks and single room occupancy units, and is rapidly being lost. But she said they are a highly imperfect solution.

“I think where we’re challenged is that ‘tiny home’ has taken on a spectrum of definitions,” said Chapman Semple. Many of those definitions fall short of housing standards, often lacking basic amenities like heat and indoor plumbing, which she said limits their ability to meet the needs of the population they intend to serve.

But Community First is pushing the tiny home model to a much larger scale. While most of its homes lack bathrooms and kitchens, its leaders see that as a necessary trade-off to be able to creatively and affordably house the growing number of people living on Austin’s streets. And unlike most other villages, many of which provide temporary emergency shelter in structures that can resemble tool sheds, Community First has been thoughtfully designed with homey spaces where people with some of the highest needs can stay for good. No other tiny home village has attempted to permanently house as many people.

Austin’s homelessness rate has been rapidly worsening, and the city’s response has whipped back and forth... In October [2023], the official estimate put the number of people living without shelter at 5,530, a 125 percent increase from two years earlier. Some of that rise is the result of better outreach, but officials acknowledged that more people have become homeless. City leaders vowed to build more housing, but that effort has been slowed by construction delays and resistance from residents.

Meanwhile, outside the city limits, Community First has been building fast. [Note from below the read more: It's outside city limits because the lack of zoning laws keeps more well-off Austin residents from blocking the project, as they did earlier attempts to build inside the city.] In a mere eight years, this once-modest project has grown into a sprawling community that the city is turning to as a desperately needed source of affordable housing. The village has now drawn hundreds of millions of dollars from public and private sources and given rise to similar initiatives across the country.

This rapid growth has come despite significant challenges. And some question whether a community on the outskirts of town with relaxed housing standards is a suitable way to meet the needs of people coming out of chronic homelessness. The next few years will be a test of whether these issues will be addressed or amplified as the village expands to five times its current size.

-via New York Times, January 8, 2024. Article continues below (at length!)

The community versus Community First

For Alan Graham, the expansion of Community First is just the latest stage in a long-evolving project. In the late 1990s, Mr. Graham, then a real estate developer, attended a Catholic men’s retreat that deepened his faith and inspired him to get more involved with his church. Soon after, he began delivering meals as a church volunteer to people living on Austin’s streets.

In 1998, Mr. Graham, now 67, became a founder of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, a nonprofit that has since amassed a fleet of vehicles that make daily rounds to deliver food and clothing to Austin’s homeless...

Talking to people like Mr. Johnston [a homeless Austin resident who Graham had befriended], Mr. Graham came to feel that housing alone was not enough for people who had been chronically homeless, the official term for those who have been homeless for years or repeatedly and have physical or mental disabilities, including substance-use disorders. About a third of the homeless population fits this description, and they are often estranged from family and other networks.

In 2006, Mr. Graham pitched an idea to Austin’s mayor: Create an R.V. park for people coming out of chronic homelessness. It would have about 150 homes, supportive services and easy access to public transportation. Most importantly, it would help to replace the “profound, catastrophic loss of family” he believed was at the root of the problem with a close-knit and supportive community.

The City Council voted unanimously in 2008 to lease Mr. Graham a 17-acre plot of city-owned land to make his vision a reality. Getting the council members on board, he said, turned out to be the easy part.

When residents near the intended site learned of the plan, they were outraged. They feared the development would reduce their property values and invite crime. One meeting to discuss the plan with the neighborhood grew so heated that Mr. Graham was escorted to his car by the police. Not a single one of the 52 community members in attendance voted in favor of the project.

After plans for the city-owned lot fell apart and other proposed locations faced similar resistance, Mr. Graham gave up on trying to build the development within city limits.

In 2012, he instead acquired a plot of land in a part of Travis County just northeast of Austin. It was far from public transportation and other services, but it had one big advantage: The county’s lack of zoning laws limited the power of neighbors to stop it.

Mr. Graham raised $20 million and began to build. In late 2015, Mr. Johnston left the R.V. park he had been living in and became the second person to move into the new village. It grew rapidly. In just two years, Mr. Graham bought an adjacent property, nearly doubling the village’s size to 51 acres and making room for hundreds more residents.

And then in the fall of 2022, he broke ground on the largest expansion yet: Adding two more sites to the village, expanding it by 127 acres to include nearly 2,000 homes.

“No one ever really did what they first did, and no one’s ever done what they’re about to do,” said Mark Hilbelink, the director of Sunrise Navigation Center, Austin’s largest homeless-services provider. “So there’s a little bit of excitement but also probably a little bit of trepidation about, ‘How do we do this right?’”

What it takes to make a village

Since he moved into Community First eight years ago, Mr. Johnston has found the stability that eluded him for so long. Most mornings, he wakes up early in his R.V., feeds his scruffy adopted terrier, Amos, and walks a few minutes down a quiet road to the village garden, where neat rows of carrots, leeks, beets and arugula await his attention.

Mr. Johnston worked in fast-food restaurants for most of his life, but he learned how to garden at the village. He now works full time cultivating produce for a weekly market that is free to residents.

“Once I got here, I said, This is where I’m going to spend pretty much my entire life now,” Mr. Johnston said.

Everyone at the village pays rent, which averages about $385 a month. The tiny homes that make up two-thirds of the dwellings go for slightly lower, but have no indoor plumbing; their residents use communal bathhouses and kitchens. The rest of the units are R.V.s and manufactured homes with their own bathrooms and kitchens.

Like Mr. Johnston, many residents have jobs in the village, created to offer residents flexible opportunities to earn some income. Last year, they earned a combined $1.5 million working as gardeners, landscapers, custodians, artists, jewelry makers and more, paid out by Mobile Loaves and Fishes.

Ute Dittemer, 66, faced a daily struggle for survival during a decade on the streets before moving into Community First five years ago with her husband. Now she supports herself by painting and molding figures out of clay at the village art house, augmented by her husband’s $800 monthly retirement income. A few years ago, a clay chess set she made sold for $10,000 at an auction. She used the money to buy her first car.

“I’m glad that we are not in a low-income-housing apartment complex,” she said. “We’ve got all this green out here, air to breathe.”

A small number of residents have jobs off-site, and a city bus makes hourly stops at the village 13 times a day to help people commute into town.

But about four out of five residents live on government benefits like disability or Social Security. Their incomes average $900 a month, making even tiny homes impossible to afford without help, Mr. Graham said.

“Essentially 100 percent of the people that move into this village will have to be subsidized for the rest of their lives,” he said.

For about $25,000 a year, Mr. Graham’s organization subsidizes one person’s housing at the village. (Services like primary health care and addiction counseling are provided by other organizations.) So far, that has been paid for entirely by private donations and in small part from collecting rent.

This would not be possible, Mr. Graham said, without a highly successful fund-raising operation that taps big Austin philanthropists. To build the next two expansions, Mr. Graham set a $225 million fund-raising goal, about $150 million of which has already been obtained from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, the founder of the Patrón Spirits Company, Hill Country Bible Church and others.

Support goes beyond monetary donations. A large land grant came from the philanthropic arm of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and Alamo Drafthouse, an Austin-based cinema chain, donated an outdoor amphitheater for movie screenings. Top architectural firms competed for the chance to design energy-efficient tiny homes free of charge. And every week, hundreds of volunteers come to help with landscaping and gardening or to serve free meals.

Around 55 residents, including 15 children, live in the village as “missionals” — unpaid neighbors generally motivated by their Christian faith to be part of the community.

All missionals undergo a monthslong “discernment process” before they can move in. They pay to live in R.V.s and manufactured homes distinguished by an “M” in the front window. Their presence in the community is meant to guard against the pitfalls of concentrated poverty and trauma.

“Missionals are our guardian angels,” said Blair Racine, a 69-year-old resident with a white beard that hangs to his chest. “They’re people we can always call. They’re always there for us.”

After moving into the village in 2018, Mr. Racine spent two years isolated in his R.V. because of a painful eye condition. But after an effective treatment, he became so social that he was nicknamed the Mayor. Missional residents drive him to get his medication once a week, he said. To their children he is Uncle Blair.

Though the village is open to people of any religious background, it is run by Christians, and public spaces are adorned with paintings of Jesus on the cross and other biblical scenes. The application to live in the community outlines a set of “core values” that refer to God and the Bible. But Mr. Graham said there is no proselytizing and people do not have to be sober or seek treatment to live there.

Mr. Graham lives in a 399-square-foot manufactured home in the middle of the village with his wife, Tricia Graham, who works as the community’s “head of neighbor care.” He said they do not have any illusions about solving the underlying mental-health and substance-use problems many residents live with, and that is not their goal.

“This is absolutely not nirvana,” Mr. Graham said. “And we want people to understand the beauty and the complexity of what we do. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else on the face of the planet than right here in the middle of this, but you’re not fixing these things.” ...

From an experiment to a model

Community First has already inspired spinoffs, with some tweaks. In 2018, Nate Schlueter, who previously worked with the village’s jobs program, opened Eden Village in his hometown, Springfield, Mo. Unlike in Community First, every home in Eden Village is identical and has its own bathroom and kitchen. Mr. Schlueter’s model has spread to 12 different cities with every village limited to 50 homes or fewer.

“Not every city is Austin, Texas,” Mr. Schlueter said. “We don’t want to build a large-scale village. And if the root cause of homelessness is a loss of family, and community is something that can duplicate that safety net to some extent, to have smaller villages to me seemed like a stronger community safety net. Everybody would know each other.”

The rapid growth of Community First has challenged that ideal. In recent years, some of the original missional residents and staff members have left, finding it harder to support the number of people moving into the village. Steven Hebbard, who lived and worked at the village since its inception, left in 2019 when he said it shifted from a “tiny-town dynamic” where he knew everyone’s name to something that felt more like a city, straining the supportive culture that helped people succeed.

Mobile Loaves and Fishes said more staff members had recently been hired to help new residents adjust, but Mr. Graham noted that there was a limit to what any housing provider could do without violating people’s privacy and autonomy.

Despite these concerns, the organization, which had been run entirely on private money, has recently drawn public support. In January 2023, Travis County gave Mobile Loaves and Fishes $35 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to build 640 units as part of its expansion.

Then four months later came a significant surprise: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approved the use of federal housing vouchers, which subsidize part or all of a low-income resident’s rent, for the village’s tiny homes. This will make running the village much more financially sustainable, Mr. Graham said, and may make it a more replicable blueprint for other places.

“That’s a big deal for us, and it’s a big deal on a national basis,” Mr. Graham said. “It’s a recognition that this model, managed the way that this model is, has a role in the system.”

Usually, the government considers homes without indoor plumbing to be substandard, but, in this case, it made an exception by applying the housing standards it uses for single-room-occupancy units. The village still did not meet the required ratio of bathrooms per person, but at the request of Travis County and the City of Austin’s housing officials, who cited Austin’s “severe lack of affordable housing” that made it impossible for some homeless people with vouchers to find anywhere else to live, HUD waived its usual requirements.

In the waiver, a HUD staffer wrote that Mr. Graham told HUD officials over the phone that the proportion of in-unit bathrooms “has not been an issue.” But in conversations with The Times, other homeless-service providers in Austin and some village residents said the lack of in-unit bathrooms is one of the biggest problems people have with living there. It also makes the villages less accessible to people with certain disabilities and health issues that are relatively common among the chronically homeless....

Mr. Graham said that with a doctor’s note, people could secure an R.V. or manufactured home at the village, although those are in short supply and have a long waiting list. He said the village’s use of tiny homes allowed them to build at a fraction of the usual cost when few other options existed, and helps ensure residents aren’t isolated in their units, reinforcing the village’s communal ethos.

“If somebody wants to live in a tiny home they ought to have the choice,” Mr. Graham said, “and if they are poor we ought to respect their civil right to live in that place and be subsidized to live there.” But he conceded that for some people, “this might not be the model.”

“Nobody can be everything for everyone,” he said.

By the spring of 2025, Mr. Graham hopes to begin moving people into the next phase of the village, across the street from the current property. The darker visions some once predicted of an impoverished community on the outskirts of town overtaken by drugs and violence have not come to pass. Instead, the village has permanently housed hundreds of people and earned the approval and financial backing of the city, the county and the federal government. But for the model to truly meet the scale of the challenge in Austin and beyond, Chapman Semple said, the compromises that led to Community First in its current incarnation will have to be reckoned with.

“We can build smaller villages that can be fully integrated into the community, that can have access to amenities within the community that we all need to live, including jobs and groceries,” Chapman Semple said. “If it’s a wonderful model then we should be embracing and fighting for its inclusion within our community.”

-via New York Times, January 8, 2024

[h3103re]

Winning the Local Search Game: Effective Local SEO Techniques for Service Based Businesses in 2024

In today’s digital landscape, service businesses must have a strong online presence to attract local customers. Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a powerful strategy to ensure that your business appears prominently in search results when potential customers look for services in their area. For service businesses, mastering local SEO can mean the difference between thriving and being overlooked. Here are key local SEO techniques to help service businesses stand out and attract more local clients.

1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile

One of the most effective local SEO tools is Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). This free tool allows you to manage how your business appears in Google Search and Maps. To optimize your profile:

Complete Your Profile: Ensure all information is accurate and up-to-date, including your business name, address, phone number, website, and business hours.

Select the Right Categories: Choose the most relevant categories for your services to help Google understand what your business offers.

Add Photos and Videos: High-quality images and videos of your services, staff, and location can enhance your profile and attract more clicks.

Collect Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews. Respond to reviews to show that you value customer feedback, which can also improve your local search rankings.

2. Target Local Keywords

Keyword research is essential for any SEO strategy, and it’s particularly important for local SEO. Focus on keywords that reflect the services you offer and the locations you serve. For example, if you’re a plumber in Austin, Texas, target keywords like “Austin plumber,” “emergency plumbing Austin,” or “plumbing services near me.”

To find effective local keywords:

Use Google’s Keyword Planner: This tool can help you identify popular search terms related to your business and location.

Check Competitors’ Keywords: Analyze which keywords your local competitors rank for and incorporate similar ones into your strategy.

Incorporate Long-Tail Keywords: Long-tail keywords (e.g., “best roofing contractor in San Diego”) often have less competition and can attract highly targeted traffic.

3. Create Location-Specific Content

Content that speaks directly to your local audience is key for improving your local SEO. This can include:

Location Pages: If your business serves multiple areas, create a dedicated page for each location. Each page should include relevant keywords, service details, customer testimonials, and unique content that reflects the specific needs of that area.

Local Blog Posts: Write about local events, news, or community involvement. For instance, a landscaping company might blog about seasonal tips for lawn care in their region. This not only helps with SEO but also establishes your business as a local authority.

4. Ensure Consistent NAP Information

NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number, and consistency across the web is crucial for local SEO. Your NAP information should be identical on your website, Google Business Profile, social media pages, and online directories. Inconsistent information can confuse search engines and potential customers, leading to lower rankings and missed opportunities.

To maintain consistency:

Audit Your Online Listings: Regularly check that your NAP information is correct on all platforms.

Use a Citation Management Tool: Tools like Moz Local or BrightLocal can help you manage and update your business listings across various directories.

5. Build Local Citations and Backlinks

Local citations are mentions of your business on other websites, such as online directories, review sites, and local blogs. These citations help Google verify your business’s legitimacy and relevance, boosting your local search rankings.

To build local citations:

Submit to Online Directories: List your business on reputable directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific sites.

Get Featured in Local Media: Reach out to local newspapers, blogs, or radio stations for features or interviews. These not only increase your visibility but also generate valuable backlinks to your website.

6. Leverage Social Media for Local Engagement

Social media platforms are valuable for local SEO, especially when used to engage with your community. Regularly post updates, promotions, and local events on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Tag your location in posts and encourage local customers to share their experiences.

Join Local Groups and Communities: Participate in local Facebook groups, Nextdoor, or LinkedIn communities related to your industry. This can increase your visibility among potential customers and drive traffic to your website.

Conclusion

Local SEO is a vital strategy for service businesses looking to attract more customers from their surrounding areas. By optimizing your Google Business Profile, targeting local keywords, creating location-specific content, ensuring consistent NAP information, building local citations, and engaging on social media, you can enhance your local online presence. Implementing these techniques will help your service business climb local search rankings, ultimately driving more traffic, leads, and revenue.

[cspipeinspection]

The Importance of Residential Drain Cleaning Services in Austin, Texas

Living in Austin, Texas, is a unique experience, blending vibrant culture, bustling tech scenes, and the charm of the Hill Country. However, like any other city, Austin homeowners face their share of maintenance challenges, particularly with residential drains. Ensuring that your home’s drainage system operates smoothly is crucial for maintaining a healthy living environment. This is where professional residential drain cleaning​ services in Austin Texas come into play.

Why Regular Drain Cleaning is Essential

Drains are an often-overlooked component of home maintenance until a problem arises. Blocked drains can lead to numerous issues, including unpleasant odors, slow drainage, and even severe water damage. Regular drain cleaning is essential to prevent these problems and ensure that your plumbing system functions efficiently. Here are some reasons why maintaining clean drains is critical:

Prevention of Blockages: Over time, debris such as hair, grease, and soap scum can accumulate in your drains, leading to blockages. Regular cleaning helps prevent these buildups, ensuring smooth water flow.

Odor Control: Accumulated waste in drains can emit foul odors, making your home less pleasant. Professional cleaning eliminates these deposits, keeping your home smelling fresh.

Avoiding Water Damage: Blocked drains can cause water to back up, potentially leading to leaks and water damage. This can result in expensive repairs and damage to your property. Regular maintenance helps avoid these issues.

Extending Plumbing Lifespan: Regular cleaning and maintenance can extend the life of your plumbing system, saving you money on premature replacements and repairs.

The Expertise of Cavayoo Services Corp

When it comes to residential drain cleaning services in Austin, Cavayoo Services Corp stands out as a trusted name. With years of experience and a commitment to customer satisfaction, Cavayoo Services Corp offers comprehensive drain cleaning solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of Austin homeowners.

Services Offered

Cavayoo Services Corp provides a range of services designed to keep your drains in optimal condition:

Routine Drain Cleaning: Regular cleaning to prevent blockages and ensure efficient drainage.

Emergency Drain Cleaning: Prompt and reliable service for unexpected drain issues.

Hydrocleaning Jetting Service: High-pressure water jetting to remove stubborn clogs and buildup.

Understanding Hydrocleaning Jetting Services in Austin

One of the most effective methods of drain cleaning is hydrocleaning jetting. This service uses high-pressure water to clean drains thoroughly, removing even the most stubborn blockages and buildups. Hydrocleaning jetting is particularly beneficial for residential properties in Austin, given the unique plumbing challenges posed by the local environment.

How Hydrocleaning Jetting Works

Hydrocleaning jetting involves inserting a high-pressure hose with a specialized nozzle into the drain. The hose then releases powerful jets of water, breaking down and flushing away debris, grease, and other obstructions. This method is highly effective for several reasons:

Thorough Cleaning: The high-pressure water can reach and clean areas that traditional methods cannot, ensuring a comprehensive clean.

Environmentally Friendly: Hydrocleaning uses only water, making it an eco-friendly option for drain cleaning.

Prevention of Future Blockages: By thoroughly cleaning the pipes, hydrocleaning helps prevent future clogs, reducing the need for frequent maintenance.

Why Choose Cavayoo Services Corp for Hydrocleaning Jetting in Austin?

Cavayoo Services Corp is a leader in hydrocleaning jetting services in Austin. Here’s why they should be your go-to choice for this advanced cleaning method:

Experienced Technicians: Cavayoo Services Corp employs highly trained and experienced technicians who are skilled in using hydrocleaning jetting equipment.

Customer-Centric Approach: Cavayoo Services Corp is dedicated to providing excellent customer service, ensuring that all your drain cleaning needs are met with professionalism and care.

Local Expertise: As a local company, they understand the unique plumbing challenges faced by Austin homeowners and offer tailored solutions to address them.

Maintaining Clean Drains with Cavayoo Services Corp

Regular drain cleaning is an investment in the longevity and efficiency of your home’s plumbing system. With Cavayoo Services Corp, you can trust that your drains are in capable hands. Their comprehensive services, including routine drain cleaning and hydrocleaning jetting, ensure that your plumbing system remains in top condition, preventing costly repairs and maintaining a healthy living environment.

In conclusion, residential drain cleaning services in Austin, Texas, are essential for maintaining a functional and efficient plumbing system. Cavayoo Services Corp, with its expertise and advanced hydrocleaning jetting service, offers the perfect solution for homeowners looking to keep their drains clean and clog-free. Don’t wait for a blockage to occur; invest in regular drain cleaning and enjoy peace of mind knowing your home’s plumbing is in excellent condition.

[merrock]

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Garrett Hedlund

full name: Chase Drayton

nickname(s) / goes by: Chase, Austin 

pronouns & gender: he/him, cis man

sexuality: Straight

birth date: june 18, 1986 

birth place: Austin, Texas

arrival to merrock: Mid 90s, recently returned after leaving for 2 years

housing: Countryside

occupation: Construction worker and handyman

work place: NA.

family: None in town

relationship status: Single 

PERSONALITY

“You can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out the boy,” is the perfect way to describe Chase. He’s a southern guy even if he spent most of his life in merrock. He loves to offer a helping hand when he can and will be the first to volunteer to get a drink with you.

WRITTEN BY: Drea (she/her), pst.

BACKGROUND / BIO

triggering / sensitive content: mentions of substance abuse, parental loss.

Hardships are nothing new to the Drayton family. With their mother working multiple jobs and their father spending that money on booze and drugs, there wasn’t enough to keep a roof over their heads. Shelters or squatting being one of their homes while they scouted for another location. 

Still, Chase always believed in his father’s empty promises of getting sober and doing right by his family. He was the first to make excuses for his father, often claiming that his dad was looking for a job when that was far from the truth. Months turned into years, and Chase lost his father to vices. Slowly, his father stopped coming around altogether, leaving their mother to raise their three young children while juggling her multiple jobs.

Eventually, his father returned, begging for forgiveness. Deciding to give him one last chance, their mother agreed to let him back. Things were perfect for a while and Chase felt like he finally had his father back, and that they were past the emotional rollercoaster. That was until his father fell down the same road. Except for, this time, he lashed out on his children, making their mother react by taking their children and leaving. With most of their mother’s family living on the East Coast, she decided to join her sister that lived in Merrock until they got back on their feet.

Chase started off his middle school years in Merrock, meeting friends along the way. It was a tough adjustment that was much needed but Chase didn’t see it that way. Too often, the boy picked fights either verbal or physical in school, and that would land him in detention or suspension. A couple of years after the move, he finally found to channel most of his anger and emotions on sports, or occasionally, still got into a fight. That was until he met an older man in town that took him under his wing. A man with a similar past as Chase that could understand his situation. The man taught Chase everything about plumbing and how to fix cars. Although Chase would never admit it, he always looked at him as a father figure. Eventually, Chase’s demeanor changed as did his grades in school.

After graduating, Chase began to work as a mechanic for a couple of years before he showed interest in being a construction worker. With the income that he got from his job and side jobs, Chase rented out a place out in the countryside. While it’s a bit of a fixer-upper, it doesn’t bother Chase. After all, he has two sheds filled with wood and tools that he could bring his work home with him. What more could a guy want?

A sudden family emergency did have the southern man fleeing back home. His father's passing had Chase go down in a spiral, and resulted to him staying in Austin while he dealt with his loss. He had no plans to return to Merrock until he browsed through his phone and went through his heartwarming memories of the town he grew to love. 

[capitalcityplumbingdrain]

Fast And Efficient Water Heater Repair In Austin TX

https://capitalcityplumbing.services/ - Capital City Plumbing & Drain: Your go-to emergency plumber in Austin, TX. They offer residential plumbing, drain cleaning, water heater, and tankless water heater repair services. They provide the Best Water Heater Repair In Austin TX.

Company Name: Capital City Plumbing & Drain First Name: Gabriel Last Name: Nieves City: Austin State: Texas Country: United States ZIP: 78734 Tel No: (512) 630-0852 Business/Office Hours: Monday: 24 Hours Tuesday: 24 Hours Wednesday: 24 Hours Thursday: 24 Hours Friday: 24 Hours Saturday: 24 Hours Sunday: 24 Hours

Business Email Id: Ccityplumbingnn@gmail.com

For more information visit to our website capitalcityplumbing.services.

[localplumber4]

Plumber Near You in Austin Texas

Rooter-Man of Austin, TX is a plumbing and drain cleaning company that's locally owned and operated by The Coucke Family. We service all of Austin, TX and surrounding communities, and strive to provide the best customer service experience you will find. Whether your service is as simple as routine preventative maintenance, or is as urgent and complicated as emergency plumbing repairs, Rooter-Man is here to solve your plumbing, sewer, and drain problems with as little as a phone call.

Rooter-Man Plumbing Austin TX 15503 Patrica St, Austin, TX 78728 512-900-7676

https://rooterman.com/greater-austin/

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[rootermanaustin]

Standard post published to Rooter-Man Plumbing Austin TX at March 21, 2023 17:00

Sewer Line Service Austin, TX

Are you need a sewer line service provider in Austin, Texas? Look no further than Rooter-Man Plumbing Austin TX. We are experts in plumbing and sewer line services and offer repair, excavation, re-routing, maintenance, and cleaning services for various potential problems. Whether you are looking for a routine inspection or need an emergency repair, Rooter-Man can help. We have been serving the Austin, TX, community and have the experience, skill, and knowledge to take care of your plumbing needs. If your plumbing needs are not addressed promptly, it can lead to significant problems. That’s why Rooter-Man Plumbing Austin TX works hard to ensure our customers have the best possible service experience.

Learn more

source https://local.google.com/place?id=2547096794442844494&use=posts&lpsid=CIHM0ogKEICAgIDhv4T3Fw

[alcalavicci]

1988 interview with Dean. This is a really good one and helps bring more of his life into perspective. Note: the newspaper originally censored his swearing, but I’ve put it back.

Guthman, Edward. "Dean Stockwell: Third Time's a Charm." The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California), August 14, 1988.

“Six years ago, Dean Stockwell's acting career had turned to dust. Reduced to playing parts in unreleasable, made-in-Mexico movies that now make him cringe, Stockwell decided to chuck it all and get out of Hollywood.

“Along with his second wife, Joy, Stockwell moved to Santa Fe, settled down under the wide New Mexico sky and applied for a real estate license. He even placed an ad in Daily Variety to announce his exile: 'Dean Stockwell will help you with all your real estate needs in the new center of creative energy.'

“Stockwell never sold a house; he didn't need to. Instead, almost as soon as he'd relocated, things started happening to the former 1940s child star. It began with a small part in David Lynch's 'Dune,' and escalated with an important supporting role in Wim Wenders' highly regarded 'Paris, Texas.'

“Moving back to California to cash in on his fortune, Stockwell acted in 'Beverly Hills Cop II,' 'Gardens of Stone,' and 'To Live and Die in L.A.' He also played a cameo role, as Howard Hughes, in the newly released 'Tucker: The Man and His Dream.' And in 'Blue Velvet,' David Lynch's American nightmare, he delivered a chilling cameo as Ben, a waxlike, sexually ambiguous drug dealer.

“And now, at 52, Stockwell says he's found 'the favorite role I've had, by far.'

“The picture is 'Married to the Mob,' a dark, romantic comedy by Jonathan Demme ('Melvin and Howard,' 'Stop Making Sense') and Stockwell plays Mafia don Tony 'the Tiger' Russo. Wearing an Al Capone fedora and full-length vicuna coat, Tony is a rich, sardonic, larger-than-life character -- the kind Stockwell has never had a chance to play until now.

“Opening Friday at the Galaxy and UA the Movies, 'Married to the Mob' has been touted as Demme's first shot at a genuine box-office winner. Set in Long Island, New Jersey and Florida, it stars Michelle Pfeiffer as Angela DeMarco, a young Mafia wife who tries to start a new life when her husband, Frankie 'the Cucumber' DeMarco, is pumped full of lead during a hot-tub tryst at the Fantasia Motel.

“When Stockwell's character isn't ordering hits, drug deals and the dumping of toxic waste, he's lusting assiduously after the gorgeous widow. Meanwhile, bumbling FBI agent Mike Downey (played by Matthew Modine) is jumping through hoops trying to shadow Angela and 'catch Tony with his pants down.' Instead, he falls in love with Angela.

“During a recent luncheon interview, not far from his central California home, Stockwell spoke about the film, about his new happiness as the father of two children and about the bizarre trajectory of his long career. Dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and slacks, wearing a Panama hat and drawing first on a cigaret, later on a cigar, Stockwell emanates prosperity and calm.

“'I don't know why I was unemployed so long,' he says, reflecting on a fallow period that started in the '60s and lasted the better part of two decades. 'The only thing I can figure out in my own mind is that, for some reason or another, I was being made to wait until a certain time in my life when my talent would reach its full maturity and fruition.'

“Ironically, he says, he felt just as equipped 10 years ago to do the work he's doing now -- 'only I couldn't get fucking arrested.'

“Today, Stockwell sees harmony in the fact that his new success coincides with the arrival of two children. His son, Austin, will be 5 in November, and his daughter, Sophia, turns 3 this month. Inordinately proud and protective, he refuses to allow his children to be photographed, and also requests that the town in which he and his family reside not be named. (There were no children from his first marriage, to Millie Perkins, which lasted from 1960 to 1962.)

“'I want to make a lot of money and I want to put it away for my children,' he says. To that end, Stockwell has been snapping up job offers. 'A lot of people ask me, "How have you been able to choose these wonderful things you're doing? Have you been very selective?" And I have to tell them, "I haven't been choosing what I'm doing." Things have been coming and I've been accepting virtually anything that's come.'

“Stockwell's ambition is so great that, for the first time in his life, he actively pursues aspects of his career that he once shunned- interviews, for example.

“'My entire motivation in life is my family,' he says. 'I don't need to get an award. I don't need recognition. I've had that already. What I need is to provide. The best way I can provide is to be successful, and the best way I can be successful is to take advantage of all the things at my disposal to achieve that, one of which certainly is press.'

“Take a look at the young Stockwell, specifically the version that emerges from old magazine and newspaper interviews, and you meet another person altogether.

“Robbed of a normal childhood, Stockwell had made 22 films by the time he was 15 -- including 'The Boy with Green Hair,' 'Kim,' 'Anchors Aweigh,' and the Oscar-winning 'Gentleman's Agreement.' Working nonstop, he had a privileged life that millions of children probably envied, but he loathed it nonetheless.

“The son of show-business parents -- his father, Harry Stockwell, was the voice of the Prince in 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,' and his mother, Betty Veronica, was a former stage dancer -- Stockwell made his professional debut at 7. It all happened by a fluke: when Stockwell accompanied his older brother, Guy, on a Broadway audition, the casting director took a liking to both boys, and cast each one. The play, aptly enough, was called 'Innocent Voyage,' and it led to an MGM contract for curly-haired Dean.

“From the beginning, the pressure on young Stockwell was intense. His parents had divorced when he was 6, and when his father defaulted on child-support payments, Dean reluctantly became the family provider. Over a six-year period, he averaged three to four films per year.

“At home, he says, 'There was a lot of friction... I was getting all the attention, but I hated it. [Guy] couldn't appreciate that, because he wasn't getting the attention. He had all these friends, his peer group, that he took for granted. I had none and I resented him for being able to live that way. I was fucking lonely.'

“When he was 13, chained to a seven-year contract, Stockwell was described by one magazine as 'a young rebel who despises acting and resents every moment it takes from his fleeting boyhood.' Many years later, Stockwell told columnist Hedda Hopper, 'Child actors exist in a sort of limbo between childhood and maturity and belong to neither. Adults take them too seriously and other children are either awed or hostile. A child actor can find friends in neither group.'

“Finally, Stockwell fled Hollywood when he was 16. He cut off his curly locks, started using his real name, Robert Stockwell, and for the next five years roamed the country, working menial jobs and disavowing his true identity. 'People that might have known me from seeing my films knew me as a young child,' he remembers. 'Now I was 17 and I wasn't that recognizable.'

“Around the time of his 21st birthday, Stockwell was pushing papers as mail boy to a Manhattan plumbing firm. 'Of all the jobs that I'd had in those intervening years,' he remembers. 'I think I hated that worse than anything. I came to the realization I had no training at anything. My primary education was very skimpy, very poor, and happened under the worst type of conditions. I was literally at the mercy of the world.'

“Most of Stockwell's childhood earnings were squandered by crooked accountants, he says, and he knew that the tiny sum being held in a trust wouldn't last forever. 'So I thought, "What am I gonna do? Well, let's go back and attack this [acting career] again, and see if I can do it a little more on my terms."'

“What followed for Stockwell was a brief but impressive 'second career.' He starred in the 1959 film 'Compulsion,' based on the Leopold-Loeb case of the '20s, and won a joint acting award with Orson Welles and Bradford Dillman at the Cannes Film Festival. He played the lead in the 1960 film of D. H. Lawrence's 'Sons and Lovers,' and in 1962 scored the plum role of Edmund Tyrone in Sidney Lumet's film version of 'Long Day's Journey Into Night,' holding his own alongside Katharine Hepburn, Ralph Richardson and Jason Robards.

“Stockwell was winning the best parts, but found his attention drifting elsewhere. What was happening, he says, were the first signs of the '60s youth revolution. 'It captured my imagination as much as anybody's. And it represented to me -- I can see this in retrospect -- something in childhood that I had missed: the freedom and loving being alive, without responsibilities and work and having to report to the studio every day, and deal with fans and interviews and shit that I hated when I was a kid.'

“So Stockwell called his agent, said, 'I'm not workin',' and dropped out once again. When he tried to come back three years later, though, 'I found it very difficult, 'cause I'd been out-of-sight, out-of-mind.' What followed was a long period of marginal employment: He found some TV work, took parts in low-budget trash ('The Dunwich Horror') and occasional oddities (Dennis Hopper's 'The Last Movie') and co-directed a film with musician Neil Young ('Human Highway') but often just didn't work at all. At one point, he went 18 months without a job.

“Today, along with his buddy Hopper, Stockwell is enjoying a major career renaissance. And with his starring role in 'Married to the Mob,' he says, he's never felt more confident.

“'I knew before I started the film that this character was going to work in spades,' he says, adding that Demme, as director, deserves credit for taking a risk with such offbeat casting. Instead of picking Peter Falk, Vincent Gardenia or another ethnically identified actor to play the Mafia don, he went with Stockwell (who is actually half-Italian on his mother's side).

“Demme's inspiration occurred on a flight from Los Angeles to New York, when he opened a copy of the Hollywood Reporter. Stockwell had just changed agents, and in order to announce the fact, had taken out a full-page ad. Demme saw the picture, and instantly recognized his Tony.

“Weirdly enough, Stockwell made another film immediately prior to 'Married to the Mob': a Canadian feature called 'Palais Royale,' due for an October release, in which he plays a character almost identical to Tony Russo.

“'It's very curious,' he says. 'For all my years I'd never had a role like this come my way, and here it was twice. The Mafia don in New York, the Mafia don in Toronto, both of them colorful and charming and also threatening. And I just thought, "What am I gonna do? It's the same character." So I decided to do the same character in both those movies.'

“To take the coincidence 'one nauseating step further,' Stockwell says he's also got a part in the recently completed 'Backtrack,' Hopper's next film. This time he plays a corrupt mob lawyer, dropping the Italian accent for a generalized East Coast sound.

“It would be difficult to find a film actor who's busier than Stockwell at this moment. And it would be difficult to find anyone whose job history better illustrates the vicissitudes, serendipities and insecurity of a Hollywood career.

“Looking back on his misfortunes -- at the career that he was forced to accept as a child, and the humiliation he felt when he couldn't maintain it as an adult -- Stockwell says he's not bitter. 'When you reach your maturity, I think it behooves you to accept the fact that it's absolutely futile and fruitless even to speculate on changing anything in your life. All you can do is get embittered. So I accept everything that's happened as part of my life, and try to push it in a positive direction from the moment right now.'”

[handymanautx-blog]

Plumbers Austin TX are  persons who install and repair pipes that carry waste away from, as well as supply water and gas to homes and businesses.

Plumbers Austin TX  are known to be a professional in the installation of plumbing fixtures such as sinks, toilets, bathtubs, and appliances including washing machines and dishwashers.

What Problem Does a Plumber Solve?

Plumbers Austin TX are known to be problem solvers, and they do solve problems related to pipes. Below are some of the common duties of plumbers in Austin Texas:

-    Maintains all fittings, fixtures, plumbing, and pipelines          

-    Installs, maintains and repairs hot water and steam systems, chilled water, piping, backflow preventers, traps, valves, and general fixtures of all types

For more information:

https://youtu.be/j70xlCfF6OQ

-    Unstops lavatories, sinks, sewers, and commodes

-    Maintains the operation of different piping systems in a home or office and keeping records of all assigned shop equipment.

-    Inspection of fixtures or equipment in case of breakdown or malfunction and the use of appropriate test equipment like vacuum and pressure gauges to determine the location and cause of the trouble.

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[h3103re]

Winning the Local Search Game: Effective Local SEO Techniques for Service Based Businesses in 2024

In today’s digital landscape, service businesses must have a strong online presence to attract local customers. Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a powerful strategy to ensure that your business appears prominently in search results when potential customers look for services in their area. For service businesses, mastering local SEO can mean the difference between thriving and being overlooked. Here are key local SEO techniques to help service businesses stand out and attract more local clients.

1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile

One of the most effective local SEO tools is Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). This free tool allows you to manage how your business appears in Google Search and Maps. To optimize your profile:

Complete Your Profile: Ensure all information is accurate and up-to-date, including your business name, address, phone number, website, and business hours.

Select the Right Categories: Choose the most relevant categories for your services to help Google understand what your business offers.

Add Photos and Videos: High-quality images and videos of your services, staff, and location can enhance your profile and attract more clicks.

Collect Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews. Respond to reviews to show that you value customer feedback, which can also improve your local search rankings.

2. Target Local Keywords

Keyword research is essential for any SEO strategy, and it’s particularly important for local SEO. Focus on keywords that reflect the services you offer and the locations you serve. For example, if you’re a plumber in Austin, Texas, target keywords like “Austin plumber,” “emergency plumbing Austin,” or “plumbing services near me.”

To find effective local keywords:

Use Google’s Keyword Planner: This tool can help you identify popular search terms related to your business and location.

Check Competitors’ Keywords: Analyze which keywords your local competitors rank for and incorporate similar ones into your strategy.

Incorporate Long-Tail Keywords: Long-tail keywords (e.g., “best roofing contractor in San Diego”) often have less competition and can attract highly targeted traffic.

3. Create Location-Specific Content

Content that speaks directly to your local audience is key for improving your local SEO. This can include:

Location Pages: If your business serves multiple areas, create a dedicated page for each location. Each page should include relevant keywords, service details, customer testimonials, and unique content that reflects the specific needs of that area.

Local Blog Posts: Write about local events, news, or community involvement. For instance, a landscaping company might blog about seasonal tips for lawn care in their region. This not only helps with SEO but also establishes your business as a local authority.

4. Ensure Consistent NAP Information

NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number, and consistency across the web is crucial for local SEO. Your NAP information should be identical on your website, Google Business Profile, social media pages, and online directories. Inconsistent information can confuse search engines and potential customers, leading to lower rankings and missed opportunities.

To maintain consistency:

Audit Your Online Listings: Regularly check that your NAP information is correct on all platforms.

Use a Citation Management Tool: Tools like Moz Local or BrightLocal can help you manage and update your business listings across various directories.

5. Build Local Citations and Backlinks

Local citations are mentions of your business on other websites, such as online directories, review sites, and local blogs. These citations help Google verify your business’s legitimacy and relevance, boosting your local search rankings.

To build local citations:

Submit to Online Directories: List your business on reputable directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific sites.

Get Featured in Local Media: Reach out to local newspapers, blogs, or radio stations for features or interviews. These not only increase your visibility but also generate valuable backlinks to your website.

6. Leverage Social Media for Local Engagement

Social media platforms are valuable for local SEO, especially when used to engage with your community. Regularly post updates, promotions, and local events on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Tag your location in posts and encourage local customers to share their experiences.

Join Local Groups and Communities: Participate in local Facebook groups, Nextdoor, or LinkedIn communities related to your industry. This can increase your visibility among potential customers and drive traffic to your website.

Conclusion

Local SEO is a vital strategy for service businesses looking to attract more customers from their surrounding areas. By optimizing your Google Business Profile, targeting local keywords, creating location-specific content, ensuring consistent NAP information, building local citations, and engaging on social media, you can enhance your local online presence. Implementing these techniques will help your service business climb local search rankings, ultimately driving more traffic, leads, and revenue.

[waterkaty]

[karingudino]

When natural disasters strike, be prepared

For the primary time in historical past, all the state of Texas was not too long ago positioned beneath a record-setting winter storm warning when a frigid Arctic blast gripped a lot of the nation. Throughout the state, 1000’s of residents suffered hardships as a consequence of lack of energy, water stress and communication (web and telephone) providers. Roads had been rapidly encased in ice, making emergency providers gradual to reply and private journey almost not possible.

However hope was discovered within the hard-working professionals going above and past to revive these providers in addition to neighbors serving to neighbors: sharing what provides and providers they may supply. Though this excessive, uncommon storm was unpredictable, what can we do to raised put together ourselves when emergencies come up? As a necessary providers supplier, it’s a query we deal with with our workforce frequently to assist defend our infrastructure, workers and prospects.

“Infrastructure on this a part of the nation just isn’t constructed to resist the intensive intervals of below-freezing temperature we not too long ago skilled,” stated Raf Mendoza, the Lakeway Municipal Utility District’s Water Division supervisor. “Once we discuss excessive climate, our focus has been withstanding excessive warmth, drought, flooding and wildfires. Not often will we focus on excessive chilly as a result of all predictions point out our local weather is getting hotter, not colder. Fortunately, Lakeway’s water infrastructure is pretty new and well-maintained, in comparison with lots of methods throughout the USA, so supplies used and laws adopted in the course of the set up course of are constructed to resist extreme climate frequent in our space.”

“Step one in emergency preparedness is understanding the probability of assorted threats in your space,” stated Earl Foster, LMUD’s Basic Supervisor. “Our knowledge comes from climatology research, business and regional planners, in addition to the non-public expertise of our workers. We make enhancements to our system in addition to present workers coaching based mostly on these findings so we may be higher ready somewhat than simply react in a disaster state of affairs.”

“We’ve discovered, nonetheless, that our personal preparedness can solely take us to this point. It’s actually a continuous group effort that helps maintain the impression of disasters to a minimal,” stated Stephanie Threinen, LMUD’s public data liaison. “For a small utility, we publish lots of data to assist educate our prospects about sustaining their residence’s plumbing system as a result of it will probably vastly impression our skill to proceed offering dependable water and wastewater providers. For instance, placing grease down drains can’t solely clog a house’s plumbing, but when it reaches our mainlines, could cause a clog that impacts a complete neighborhood. Conservation can be key; all of our uncooked water comes from Lake Travis and with predicted hotter temperatures and longer intervals of drought, there may simply be water shortages.”

Emergency preparedness is one thing everybody can do to assist defend their property and household. Realizing which threats are extra seemingly in your space throughout completely different occasions of 12 months can assist you understand how to arrange. For instance, in Central Texas extreme climate threats sometimes embody:

• Excessive warmth has the best weather-related fatality fee. Texas summers are lengthy, with highest common temperatures occurring in July and August, typically reaching 100 levels Fahrenheit for a number of days in a row.

• Flooding is frequent close to rivers and low-lying areas. In actual fact, some meteorologists proclaim Austin and the outlying Hill Nation as “Flash Flood Alley,” the worst space within the nation for intense flooding. The wettest months of the 12 months are April and Might, with common annual precipitation starting from 21 to 35 inches.

• Drought in Texas is more likely throughout La Niña. La Niña, or the cooling of South Pacific Ocean water temperatures, interprets to hotter, drier atmospheric circumstances for a lot of the South that peak by way of fall and winter seasons. Due to these dry circumstances, a lot of western Austin and Travis County are at excessive threat for wildfire. Lake ranges may also rapidly drop with too little precipitation to replenish them.

• Thunderstorms can deliver harmful lightening and damaging hail. These storms can occur any time of 12 months, however are commonest within the spring.

•  Tornados are potential, however not frequent. “Twister Alley” stops wanting Central Texas. The probably time to see a twister in Texas is March, April, and Might.

The outdated Lone Star adage, “If you happen to do not just like the climate, simply wait a day, it’s going to change” rings true, however as we not too long ago skilled, the aftereffects of some quick days can final a for much longer time. Keep ready, neighbors and plan forward!

Written by Stephanie Threinen, public data liaison for the Lakeway Municipal Utility District. Earl Foster is the overall supervisor of LMUD.

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source https://fikiss.net/when-natural-disasters-strike-be-prepared/ When natural disasters strike, be prepared published first on https://fikiss.net/ from Karin Gudino https://karingudino.blogspot.com/2021/02/when-natural-disasters-strike-be.html

[mrrooteraustin]

Austin Plumbing Company: Quality Service You Can Rely On

Searching for a dependable Austin plumbing company? Look no further! Our team of skilled plumbers offers prompt and professional plumbing solutions for residential and commercial clients. Turn plumbing issues into peace of mind with our Austin region plumbing company. We turn drips into dreams with our professional services and expert team.