The blade has a sharp hook on one side that can be used to pull out chunks of caulk. A razor blade scraper can also be used. When scraping, use extreme care to avoid scratching the tub or tiles. If the caulk appears to be silicone, work a corner of the tool under it, grasp the loose end, and pull.
Silicone can sometimes be pulled off in strips. Even if most of the caulk comes off cleanly, you will still have to scrape up some remnants. If the caulk is hard, you will need to soften it before scraping. You can try a solvent like 3M Caulk Remover, sold at home centers and on the Internet. You can also use a heat gun or gun-type hair dryer; be sure the tub is dry and use a moderate heat setting, especially on acrylic or fiberglass tubs. When you get the old caulk out cleanly, scrub the area with denatured alcohol to remove soap scum. Many brands of tub caulks are available, some of them claiming special resistance to mildew. Read more…
Republicans are vying to hold onto their town council and board of education majorities in the November election, endorsing a number of officials for re-election, while Democrats try to reclaim seats they once held with a slate laden with newcomers.
In perhaps the biggest shift, Republicans endorsed board of education Chairman Greg Stokes in a bid for an at-large seat on the town council. The town council has seven at-large seats. Republicans also endorsed incumbents Ken Nelson, Carol Hall and Bill Lee. Councilman Jake Keller decided not to run for re-election.
Republican Mayor Scott Kaupin will seek re-election in District 3, as will GOP council members Clemence Dumont in District 4 and Joe Bosco in District 1. Newcomer Dominic Alaimo, owner of the Freshwater Package Store, will try to unseat Democratic Councilman William “Red” Edgar Jr. Read more…
Brickell’s landscape will soon sport a giant color-changing glass cube. This isn’t an art installation, but a bank.
The $3.8 million project is veteran developer Tibor Hollo’s latest addition to Brickell’s financial district. Inspired by New York’s famous Fifth Avenue Apple store, the 2,500-square-foot, 30-foot high structure is the site for a new TD Bank.
Preliminary work began July 11 and full construction should start next month, said Hollo, president of Florida East Coast Realty. The Cube, as it’s called, will be built on the southwest corner of the existing office towers at 1101 Brickell Ave. The FECR bought the property two years ago and renovated it. The bank should open its doors next spring.
Special glass that changes color with sunlight gives the Cube its visual appeal. SageGlass —
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A real estate agent who pleaded guilty in an elaborate short-sale mortgage fraud scheme involving a Bridgeport home has been sentenced to eight months in a federal prison, plus three years of supervised release.
Anna McElaney, 40, of Norwalk, must spend the first six months of the supervised release in home confinement, according to the sentence handed down in U.S. District Court in New Haven Monday.
McElaney and another Farfield County real estate agent, Sergio Natera, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud last year in the short-sale scheme, which took place in 2008. Natera is awaiting sentencing.
McElaney also admitted to similar conduct on other properties, including a second in Bridgeport, one in Monroe and one in Wallingford. McElaney has paid restitution of $30,125.
“This prosecution should serve as a warning to real estate agents and others who seek to take advantage of the current financial crisis by defrauding lenders through short-sale fraud schemes,” said U.S. Read more…
Although there were popsicles and movies for the last day, the mood at Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary School was anything but jovial June 23. Teary students roamed halls made topsy-turvy by moving boxes, saying goodbye to the school that was closing not only for the summer, but for good. Faced with a dwindling number of students — enrollment fell from 320 to 256 over the last few years, according to Principal Robert Fenton — Stowe was one of two elementary schools closed this year, during the first stage of a massive school reorganization prompted by Enfield’s declining school-age population. Not only will Enfield students be redistributed across seven rather than nine elementary schools, but in coming years the board of education also plans to consolidate the town’s two high schools. The Read more…