It’s possible to walk past Helix Motorsports on Umbria Street in Manayunk and not know what happens in the building. Nestled between row homes and close to a bar, an elementary school and a purveyor of tomato pie, Helix’s headquarters could pass as a law or a dental office. It’s modest, just the way owner Eric Savage likes it. 

Savage comes across as a mellow guy, but he’s taken some risks in his career … and they seem to have paid off, as his MINI and BMW tuning business is now a pretty heavy hitter in the car community.

In 2001 Savage left AWE Tuning, a Willow Grove-based VW/Audi-focused company, to start something of his own. He then bought a MINI, rented some brewery space and then moved to Manayunk. 

“Basically, the way we started, we imported a Euro-spec MINI to this country before they were available here, to kind of get a head start on tuning,” Savage said.

“It was a normally-aspirated one, before the supercharged ones were introduced. It wasn’t that great of an investment, but we made a lot of suspension pieces for it and kept it for a while before we were required to export it because it wasn’t DOT-certified.”

Savage said he bought the MINI sight-unseen from a BMW dealer in Gothenburg, Sweden. Because the dollar was so strong at the time, he picked up the car — including the exporting fees — for about $13,000. He said he looking to get a jump on the tuning the MINI, as there were no real competitors. 

But why the “new” MINI?

“I thought that would make such a splash,” he said. “BMW was going to make the MINI with an independent rear suspension. The hot cars of yesterday were GTIs, and the problem with GTIs was that they had a solid rear axle, and they couldn’t handle as well as they could have. And when BMW said it was going to fit the MINI with safety and electronic stuff from the E46, it was very exciting. I thought, this is going to be a very cool, well handling car. Designs came out, and they looked great, and I knew that this was the car we were going to go for.” 

Over the years, Helix has developed a number of unique parts for MINIs; the company is probably best known for its front-mounted, stepped-core intercoolers. They’re designed in-house and produced by a thermodynamic engineer buddy of Savage’s.

“During his day job, he makes cooling devices for server farms and he just happens to be a gear head,” Savage said. “It’s basically just heat exchanging. If you’re good at it, you’re good at it.”

Helix also offers everything from supercharger pulleys to intakes to short-shift kits.

Savage’s business was growing quickly until 2008, when the economy went south. In May 2008, he moved his business to its current Umbria Street location … and kind of switched up his business model. Helix started offering BMW tuning, repair and maintenance to its lineup — mainly focusing on the turbocharged N54 and N55 engines. The company is also devising some parts for the newly introduced BMW N20 engines. It simply couldn’t overlook the popularity of newer, turbocharged BMWs, Savage said.

Currently, Helix’s garage houses several MINIs and a few BMWs, including a newer 328i and a vinyl wrapped 135i — a car Savage affectionately calls “the rolling lab.” The N54 has been treated to downpipes, a catback exhaust, a different intercooler and is tuned.

Other than the matte-black covering — and the sound when it’s opened up — you’d be hard pressed to tell the car apart from a stock 135i. The car, with its discreet embossed “Helix” logo on the driver’s side of the hood, sums up Savages business nicely.

“We keep a low profile here, and that’s the way I like it,” he said. 

--

Helix Motorsports is located at 4648 Umbria Street, Philadelphia; it can be reached at 267-335-4337. For more information, visit its website at www.helix13.com.

Two men were arrested in Philadelphia on Friday and charged with the April 10 knife-point robbery of Verizon Wireless in Ardmore, according to Lower Merion Township public information officer Tom Walsh.

Dale Woodson, 30, and Joshua Jackson, 25, both of Philadelphia, were located and arrested after police served a warrant on the 5400 block of Chester Avenue in Philadelphia, according to Walsh. A second warrant was served on the 5800 block of Ashland Avenue, also a Philadelphia address, where evidence from the robbery was found.

According to Lower Merion Police, on April 10 at approximately 11:14 a.m., Jackson and Woodson entered Verizon, produced knives, and forced the staff behind the counter. Police say the pair then took an unknown quantity of cellphones before driving away eastbound in a Dodge Caravan.

Jackson and Woodson were each charged with felony robbery and additional charges and, according to court documents, have preliminary hearings scheduled for Thursday.

Lower Merion Police made four alcohol or drug related arrests between May 8 and May 12, according to a briefing the department provided to the media last week.

• On May 12 at the Wawa in Ardmore , located at 19 Woodside Road, a 58-year-old Ardmore woman with a robust arrest record was charged with public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, and an open container violation after an altercation inside the store.
  
  According to Lower Merion Police, the woman shouted profanities at store employees and customers because the convenience store wouldn’t give her a free coffee on Mother’s Day. She was placed under arrests, and taken to police headquarters to sober up, police say.

• On May 12, two Conshohocken men were charged with public drunkenness after an officer found them stumbling around Bryn Mawr, police say.
  
  According to the department, the two roommates, one 20-years-old, the other 21-years-old, were spotted standing in the area of the 900 block of West Lancaster Avenue in Bryn Mawr at 2:02 a.m. Well, police say more like “leaning.” The men appeared, from a distance, to be intoxicated, and when the officer in question conducted a stop to speak with them, they could barely speak or answer simple questions.
  
  According to police, neither could pronounce “Conshohocken,” where they said they were walking. Both men were dirty and disheveled, indicating several falls, and police arrested them in interest of their safety, according to the department.

• On May 11, a 25-year-old Lansdowne man was charged with drug possession after he was pulled over on the corner of Haverford and Remington roads.
  
  According to Lower Merion Police, an officer was on patrol in Penn Wynne when they saw a blue Impala with overly tinted windows and a headlight that was out. The driver was pulled over, and during the stop the officer noticed the man was nervous and smelled like marijuana, police say. While the man initially denied the charge, he eventually reached into his pants and pulled out a small bag of marijuana, police say.
  
  According to the department, a subsequent search of his car didn’t turn up anything else illegal, and the man was charged with disorderly conduct and given warnings for his car.

• On May 8 at 2 a.m., a Havertown woman was charged with DUI and underage drinking after she was pulled over on City Avenue and 66th Street in Overboork.
  
  According to Lower Merion Police, the woman was spotted drifting as she traveled south on City Avenue, at one point stopping for a red light in the middle of an intersection. The officer pulled her over and, due to her slurred speech and glassy eyes, asked her to submit to field sobriety testing.
  
  The woman failed these tests and was placed under arrest, according to police. In the course of the stop, the department also learned that the car’s registration was suspended and the driver did not have insurance. 

The Narberth Memorial Day Parade is short a few marhsalls and is looking for six to eight volunteers to fill the role(s).  

The duties associated with the post are simple: volunteers will report to the Legion Post at 8:15 am on May 27 to help coordinate the lineup positions for the various civic and community groups in the parade, then, when the parade starts, ensure the various groups maintain a safe and reasonable distance between one another, so that each group can be seen and recognized.  

Interested parties are asked to contact John Nardi at 610-664-5504. Nardi will provide further instruction on what, precisely, the position entails. 

The 2013 Narberth Memorial Day Parade is scheduled for Monday, May 27. The parade begins at 9:30 a.m. at the intersection of Conway and Windsor avenues.

Gentleman, start your engines.

The June iteration of First Friday Main Line will center around the finest classic, sports, and antique cars the area has to offer, according to FFML executive director Sherry Tillman. 

The "CARtastic Car Event" will return to Cricket Avenue and the Cricket lot in downtown Ardmore on June 7 starting at 6 p.m. In addition to the automobiles that will be on display, FFML will, as always, feature live music, food, and craft demos.

Next month, music will be provided by The Everyday People Band, as well as duo Jenny Ziller and Chris Ross. A variety of craft artists will be on hand as well, including Elements By Na, Karen Godwin Jewelry, and more.

In addition, the following venues will house FFML art:

• Averil Barone at Armen Chevolet
• Sherry McVickar at Jack McSheas Public House
• Three Wheel Studio at Past*Present*Future
• Jermaine Grimes at Viva Video

For more information on June's First Friday celebration, visit www.firstfridaymainline.com, or check back with Patch for updates.

A recent U.S. Census Bureau report shows that blacks had the highest voter turnout among racial identifications in the 2012 general election.

Nationwide, 66.2 percent of black citizens voted, exceeding for the first time the turnout of white voters, which was 64.1 percent. In 2008, 66.1 percent of whites voted, to 64.7 percent of blacks.

Back in 1996, white turnout was 60.7 percent and black turnout was 53 percent.

Black turnout also exceeded white turnout in Pennsylvania last year, 65.2 percent to 62.5 percent.

Read a Huffington Post report on the census findings, and see below for statistics comparing other voting demographics:

Group PA turnout % US turnout % All 61.6 61.8 White 62.5 64.1 Black 65.2 66.2 Hispanic 45.1 48 Asian 47.6 47.3 Men 60.4 59.7 Women 62.7 63.7

Voter turnout is expected to be far lower in Tuesday's off-year primary election. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

If you plan to vote Tuesday, which position(s) do you have a strong opinion about? Please tell us in the comments section below.

This post was created in Storify, which does not display on our mobile platform. Click here to view it in Storify.

Residents in Ardmore's Ward 4 Precinct 1 should no longer plan to vote in at First Baptist Church of Ardmore.

For Tuesday's primary election, 4-1 voters should go to St. Mary's Episcopal Church at 36 Ardmore Ave., according to county election officials.

If you're not sure which precinct is yours, find it through the state's website.

All polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Patch has launched a new site, Small Business Patch, to educate and empower small businesses with the digital tools, social media strategies and marketing know-how needed to ensure long-term growth.

Readers will have access to exclusive interviews with well-known founders and CEOs and small business industry experts who share their experiences, advice and tips for success.

One of the latest articles features an exclusive interview with successful real estate entrepreneur, Barbara Corcoran, founder of The Corcoran Group. In this Q&A, Corcoran discusses the how to take advantage of the size of a small businesses, and why making big “mistakes” made all the difference in her success. Click here to read about the tactics Corcoran used to grow her business.

Additional Small Business Patch features include:

• The latest small business news, trends & tips
• Profiles of successful small businesses from Patch sites across the country
• Small business events and associations

Are you a small business owner? Sign up for the Patch Small Business newsletter.

Chester and Montgomery counties have issued alerts for a 13-year-old girl from Reading, who was last seen Wednesday.

Destiny Hernandez is described by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children as an endangered runaway.

Destiny may be in the company of an adult male. She has a scar on her left hand. When Destiny was last seen, she had red and orange highlights in her hair. -according to her missing poster.

Hernandez is described as being 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing about 180 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information should call the Reading Police Department at (610) 655-6116.

Saturday night's Powerball jackpot has climbed to $550 million—the second highest Powerball prize of all time. A winner who matches all five numbers and the red Powerball can get a $350.1 million cash payout (before taxes).

The Powerball drawing is held every Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. 

The largest Powerball Jackpot cash payout to date was $384 million and was won in November 2012 in Arizona and Missouri.

Here are some local places to buy Powerball tickets:

• 7-Eleven, 169 W. City Ave., Bala Cynwyd
• Acme, 121 E. City Ave., Bala Cynwyd
• Acme, 829 Montgomery Ave., Penn Valley
• Bala News, 1 Bala Plaza, Bala Cynwyd
• Bala Pizza, 163 Bala Ave., Bala Cynwyd
• Express Deli, 2 Bala Plaza, Bala Cynwyd
• Narberth Pharmacy, 220 Haverford Ave., Narberth
• Rite Aid, 640 Montgomery Ave., Narberth
• Sunoco, 101 Belmont Ave., Bala Cynwyd
• Sunoco, 1 E. City Ave., Bala Cynwyd
• U.S. Mailroom, 45 E. City Ave., Bala Cynwyd
• Wawa, 193 Belmont Ave., Bala Cynwyd
• Wawa, Route 23 and Rock Hill Road, Bala Cynwyd
• Wawa, 949 Montgomery Ave., Penn Valley
• 7-Eleven, 969 Glenbrook Ave., Bryn Mawr
• Acme, 601 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr
• Bryn Mawr Beverage, 196 Landover Road, Bryn Mawr
• Bryn Mawr News Agency, 916 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr
• Mrs. Marty's Deli, 22 N. Bryn Mawr Ave., Bryn Mawr
• Rite Aid, 705 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr
• Sunoco, 1240 Lancaster Ave., Rosemont
• Sunoco, 775 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr
• Super Fresh, 1110 Youngs Ford Road, Gladwyne
• Wawa, 201 S. Bryn Mawr Ave., Bryn Mawr

Here's How to Play Powerball, according to the PA Lottery:

1. Visit your PA Lottery retailer and pick up a Powerball Lottery playslip. Each game is $2. For an additional dollar, you can select the Powerball Power Play® option. 
2. Play up to five panels on your Powerball playslip. On each game panel, select five numbers from 1 to 59 in the top grid, and select one number from 1 to 35 in the bottom grid – that’s your Powerball number! Or, select the quick pick option to have your numbers randomly selected by the computer.
3. Be sure to check your Powerball ticket as soon as you receive it to verify that the information is correct and legible.

There are 23 open houses scheduled for the weekend of May 18-19 in the Ardmore-Merion-Wynnewood Patch coverage area, according to the listings on AOL Real Estate.

The highest asking price is $1,250,000, for 317 Berkley Road. It has 6 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms and can be seen Sunday between 2 and 4 p.m.

To find more open houses around the greater Philadelphia area, visit realestate.aol.com.

If you are in favor of privatizing the state’s liquor sales, odds are good that your neighbor feels differently, at least according to one poll.

The Frankin and Marshall College poll of Pennsylvania voters for May 2013 showed that voters are nearly split on the issue of liquor sales in the state. 47 percent of polled voters are in favor of ending state control.

According to the poll, the 47 percent in May is “significantly lower than it was in February,” when 53 percent of voters were in favor privatizing liquor.

“Support for selling the state stores has declined from February among both Republicans (54 percent, down from 61 percent) and Democrats (41 percent, down from 48 percent),” the study states. 

Additionally, the number of voters who “strongly oppose” changing the state-run liquor business rose from 24 percent in February to 31 percent in May. Check out the February poll here.

“Despite support for the liquor stores sales, more registered voters believe the state-owned liquor stores should continue as they are (31 percent) or be modernized (26 percent) than believe they should be sold to private companies (37 percent),” the study states.

The poll also found that privatizing Pennsylvania liquor stores was low on voter priorities, getting a mean score of 4.9 out of 10 and making it the second-lowest rated issue of the poll in front of “privatizing the lottery.” The highest-rated issue was “improve the state economy.”

Do you think Pennsylvania should privatize liquor stores? How important is it to you that lawmakers address this issue? Share your opinions in the comments area below.

Check out more findings from the Franklin & Marshall College Poll from May 2013:

• Same-Sex Marraige 
• Legalized Pot

The Montgomery County Health Department recently conducted inspections on facilities in Lower Merion Township.

Below is each facility's name as well as the date of its inspection. Also listed is each facility's number of violations, out of 54 categories. To see the complete report for each listing, visit the Montgomery County Health Department website here.

Ardmore

• Barbacoa, 64 Rittenhouse Place, Ardmore (inspected 5/13, 1 total violation)
• Cupcakes Gourmet, Ardmore Farmer’s Market, 120 Coulter Avenue, Ardmore (inspected 5/7, 0 total violations)
• Dunkin Donuts, 163 W. Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore (inspected 5/9, 1 total violation)
• McCloskey’s Tavern, 17 Cricket Avenue, Ardmore (inspected 5/2, 6 total violations)
• Shreeji Subway Inc., 61 W. Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore (inspected 5/7, 1 total violation)
• Silver Springs Chinese and Japanese Cuisine, 11 Cricket Avenue, Ardmore (inspected 5/9, 11 total violations)
• Starbucks, 41 St. James Place, Ardmore (inspected 5/9, 0 total violations)
• Stoultzfus Poultry and Meat, 120 Coulter Avenue, Ardmore (inspected 5/7, 2 total violations)

Bala Cynwyd

• Group Dynamics In Focus, Inc., 555 City Line Avenue, Bala Cynwyd (inspected 5/7. total violations 1)
• Juice Plus (LA Fitness), 25 E. City Avenue, Bala Cynwyd (inspected 5/7, 2 total violations)
• The New Tavern Restaurant, 261 Montgomery Avenue, Bala Cynwyd (inspected 5/7, 6 total violatons)

Bryn Mawr

• Bryn Mawr Hospital Café, 130 S. Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr (inspected 5/8, 4 total violations)
• Lourdas Greek Taverna Inc., 50 N. Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr (inspected 5/7, 4 total violations)
• Pinkberry, 761 W. Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr (inspected 5/9, 2 total violations)
• Sunoco, 775 W. Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr (inspected 5/13, 0 total violations)

Gladwyne

• The Gladwyne Lunch Box, 951 Youngsford Road, Gladwyne (inspected 5/13, 2 total violations)
• The Old Guard House Inn, 953 Youngsford Road, Gladwyne (inspected 5/9, 3 total violations)

Haverford

• Kiwi Yogurt, 392 W. Lancaster Avenue, Haverford (inspected 5/13, 3 total violations)
• Sunrise Assisted Living, 217 W. Montgomery Avenue, Haverford (inspected 5/13, 2 total violations)

Rosemont

• McDonalds, 1257 Lancaster Avenue, Rosemont (inspected 5/7, 6 total violations)
• Rosemont A Plus, 1240 E. Lancaster Avenue, Rosemont (inspected 5/13, 5 total violations)

Wynnewood

• Sunoco A Plus Mini Market, 330 E. Lancaster Avenue, Wynnewood(inspected 5/13, 2 total violations)

Americans may be living longer, but our retirement plans aren’t keeping up. Which means people are living longer with smaller bank accounts.

But Marlene Konkoly will retire at age 50. How did she do it? She contributes a whopping 45 percent of the gross annual income she earns as a procurement officer for an automotive finance company to her retirement—all while owning a home and remaining debt-free.

Konkoly is actually well ahead of the retirement savings curve compared to many of her fellow Americans. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, fewer than half of Americans even know how much money they would need to retire. And nearly a third of employees who had access to a defined contribution plan such as a 401(k) did not participate in it.

“Save at least what your employer matches in your 401(k),” Konkoly said. “It’s like saying no to free money if you don’t.”

Konkoly, who lives in Royal Oak, MI, said she started saving at 22—but only because other people said she should. She saved a mere 2 percent at her first job out of college. 

“I didn’t think I could afford much. I didn’t have any understanding of savings and how it would affect my future,” she said.

$17,000 in Debt

At 27, she had $17,000 in credit card debt—but this became a turning point in her financial history.

“I made the decision right then to get myself out of debt,” she said. “I took on extra work where I could. I started to learn how to research purchases before I bought items, and I began budgeting for the first time ever. I successfully eliminated my debt five years later.”

Once she was out of credit card debt, Konkoly, who is single and has no children, turned her focus to her golden years.

“I started to see people around me who simply could not afford to ever retire,” she said. “I knew I didn’t want to be in that position, so I started applying the same principles which got me out of debt toward saving more for retirement.”

How She Got Smart

Konkoly decided to get smart: She took graduate classes in personal finance to understand her portfolio and learn about retirement savings. She reads books, researches on the Internet and follows blogs about saving and investing. And she works with a financial adviser she trusts.

“Just because I can do it myself doesn’t mean I have to,” Konkoly said. “Having a professional adviser allows me to focus on other parts of my life without the time commitment of constantly researching the market.”

Maxing Out Her 401K

Konkoly “maxes out” on everything. She contributes the maximum to her employer’s 401(k), to other retirement investments such as a Roth IRA, and to her employer’s health savings account. She also has a personal investment account for everything else except emergencies.

Fitness for $12 a Month

“My favorite fitness trainer says, ‘Nothing that is easy is ever going to change your body,’” Konkoly said. “The same principle applies to finances. If it’s easy, it won’t move the needle. Yes, it does mean I have to sacrifice in other areas, and sometimes it makes me uncomfortable thinking of all the things I can buy with that money, but I remain focused on my goals to counteract that discomfort.”

To really maximize her savings, Konkoly uses coupons, and takes advantage of loyalty programs, travel miles and credit card points. She streams television on the Internet rather than paying for cable, and subscribes to a $12-a-month fitness video on-demand service instead of a gym membership.

She Pays Herself First

“I put savings at a higher priority than all of the other creature comforts,” she said.

Her One Splurge

She does, however, splurge now and then, and her ultimate passion is travel. For her 40th birthday last year, she spent 10 days traveling to Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. She stayed in nothing but five-star resorts, and spent a total of $1,400 on airfare, accommodations, meals and train transportation.

In her retirement, Konkoly plans to continue to travel the world, and says she would love to relocate to Sausalito, CA “for the wonderful weather and gorgeous views of San Francisco Bay.”

About this series: As part of our Smart Spending reporting, Patch is profiling people across the country who have found creative ways to save money. Are you an extreme saver? We want to hear from you! Share your story here or in the comments section below.

Lower Merion Police will conduct impaired driving checkpoints and roving patrols through the township from May 17 to May 19.

According to the township, the initiative is part of a partnership with a national impaired driving crackdown that entails highly visible enforcement activities and uses the tagline, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”      

The sobriety checkpoint is being funded by a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation grant.

The final episode of 'The Office' isn't just a difficult goodbye for the long-running NBC sitcom's die hard fans. It marks a major turning point for the cast too.

In an interview with Philly.com, America's favorite fictional alcoholic, Ardmore native Kate Flannery, opened up about her humble beginnings and her favorite moments from what was she said was the best, and longest, job of her life.

Here's what the Archbishop John Carroll graduate said when asked about her favorite episode of the show:

Favorite episode ever, from Meredith's perspective?

"I'm going to have to say 'Moroccan Christmas,' where Michael Scott [Steve Carell] basically decides to hold an intervention during a Christmas party, literally dragging [Meredith, whose hair caught fire in the episode] into rehab. And that episode was directed by Paul Feig, who directed 'Bridesmaids.' "

To read the full interview, click here.

It’s that time of year again and you’re outside, enjoying your yard. Then you start nosing around—maybe you’re inspecting your plants, or reviewing the condition of your lawn or setting up your sprinklers—and before you know it, reality hits.

You need to paint the house.   

A daunting task. An expensive task. A necessary task—because it's not just about how your house looks, it's about your home's value. Neglect is not an option.

Take heart, however. Information and resources have never been more easily available to help you through this project.

Know Your Options

Your options are to either hire a contractor or paint it yourself. Hiring a contractor is an expensive option, but if it's in your budget and you do the necessary research to find a quality contractor, you won't regret it.

The best method to find a professional painter is word-of-mouth. Ask a neighbor who's recently repainted, or go to a local paint store and ask for recommendations. You could also use a service such as the popular Angie's List. Once you've contacted the painter, ask for references before you even bother getting a quote.

Most professional contractors will give you a free estimate. They know what they're looking for and can point out important issues you may have missed such as carpentry work on deteriorated siding.

If your house is extremely tall or has dangerous gables, professionals have the equipment and insurance to handle this type of treacherous job. And many contractors guarantee their work for a year, so if something chips or peels, you’re covered.

Your DIY Checklist

If your budget—or your house—is smaller, and you enjoy a good do-it-yourself project, you can paint your house yourself. It's a multi-step process, and you’ll want to spend some time preparing for it. Here’s a brief game plan:

1. Decide when to paint. Spring and fall are the best times of year to paint. When outside temperatures are in the mid-50s and higher, the caulk, primer and paint cure properly.

2. Decide where to start your prep work. Do you need to scrape peeling areas? Do you have any rotten wood that needs to be replaced? Be sure to check the base of your columns and areas around and under gutters. Also check all window sills, especially windows that are in damp, shady areas. Replacing wood might require a handyman, and getting someone who knows what they are doing is worth every penny.

Do you have metal railings or awnings that need painting? This requires a whole different set of supplies and techniques.

3. Once all the scraping and potential rot problems are addressed, the next job is to pressure wash your house. Even if it's brick or stucco, wash it anyway to remove any mold or mildew that will compromise your new paint job. If you’re doing this yourself, you’ll need to rent equipment and plan a day (at least) to complete the task.  

There is skill involved in pressure washing. Not too hard, not too soft. Make sure you find out which PSI setting the sprayer should be on for your particular house materials. To bleach or not to bleach? If your bleach is too strong, it will kill your plants, so consider holding off on new plantings until the job is done.  

You can do this yourself—just do your homework first. Pressure washing is a very satisfying job, but it's not an easy one.

4. Now she's clean—sparkling even. Time to caulk and prime. You’ll want to get every joint, every crack, every piece of wood. Caulking makes your paint job appear seamless, and seals off your home from infestation of termites, bees, and other problematic invaders. It also makes your home more energy efficient.

If your house already has several coats of paint, you may only need to prime new or recently exposed wood. The quality and type of primer you use in those cases is important. Many new paints have built-in primer, but old-school painters don't go for that. Primer is an entirely different product from paint, so choose carefully. Primer not only protects your paint job, it can help you solve for lead-based paint issues and oil vs. latex.  

5. Now for the fun part! The colors. If your house is brick and you only need to paint a few siding areas, shutters and trim, you might want to keep the colors that came with the house. But if you're open, a change can make it feel like a brand new home!

The newest software at Behr Paint offers color visualizer options that help you select both interior and exterior colors. You can view varying styles of homes and select swatches to make a virtual colorboard. You can also get sample bottles for a small fee at local Home Depot stores so you can try it before you buy it.   

Home Depot’s website offers a wealth of information on all the brands of paint it carries, including Martha Stewart and Glidden paints, and the top-rated Behr. Speaking of name brand paints, do your homework here as well. Cheap paint won't hold up to sun and weather. This is an extremely labor-intensive job and you don't want to have to do it again for at least another ten years. Don't skimp on quality when it comes to exterior paint. If you are using a professional painter, make sure you find out what brand they prefer. Sometimes it's more about their bottom line than the longevity of the paint job. Make sure they are using quality products.

Looking to choose an entirely new paint palette? Take a ride through nearby neighborhoods on a sunny afternoon to see what others are doing. It's important to consider the colors of your roof shingles and any stone or brick on the foundation before you decide on a color. Reviewing exterior colors on other homes might change your ideas about what colors to choose for your own house.

If you just can’t make up your mind, hire a professional color consultant for a one-hour consultation.

Once you select your colors, you'll need to determine quantities and buy supplies. Ask the experts at the store. Paint department employees have extensive training and experience and they really know their stuff. They can talk you through brushing vs. spraying, rolling vs. brushing, and all the other possibilities.  

It's a lot of work to paint your own house. But if you take your time with it, you can save thousands of dollars and take great pride in your finished product.

Pennsylvania voters aren't in favor of legalizing marijuana, according to one pole.

The Frankin and Marshall College poll of Pennsylvania voters for May 2013 showed that 54 percent of voters polled opposed to legalizing marijuana in the state. 

A similar F&M Poll at the beginning of February found that 55 percent of respondants were against legalizing marijuana.

While voters don't support its outright legalization, 82 percent of those polled favor the use of marijuana for medical reasons if prescribed by a doctor.

The poll, which was conducted between April 30 and May 5, gathered responses from 526 registered voters, including 265 Democrats, 196 Republicans and 65 Independents.

The full poll is available for review here.

The following information represents the questions asked in the survey and the results given by voters.

1) Do you think the use of marijuana should be made legal, or not?

Yes No Don't Know May 2013 38 percent 54 percent 8 percent Feb 2013 36 percent 55 percent 9 percent May 2010 33 percent 60 percent 7 percent May 2006 22 percent 72 percent 6 percent

2) Generally speaking, do you favor or oppose allowing adults to legally use purposes if a doctor recommends it?

Strongly Favor Somewhat Favor Somewhat Oppose Strongly Oppose Don't Know May 2013 55 percent 27 percent 3 percent 13 percent 3 percent Feb 2013 51 percent 31 percent 3 percent 13 percent 2 percent May 2010 53 percent 27 percent 4 percent 13 percent 3 percent May 2006 44 percent 32 percent 7 percent 13 percent 4 percent

Do you think marijuana should be legalized? What about for medical purposes? Share your thoughts in the comments area below.

Check out more findings from the Franklin & Marshall College Poll from May 2013:

• Same-Sex Marraige