ProfNet Experts Available on Residential Construction, National Divorce Month, More

NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact them via the contact information at the end of the listing. To receive these updates by email, send a note to [e-mail] with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.

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EXPERT ALERTS

    --  Political Turmoil in Turkey/Gulen Movement
    --  Trends for New Residential Construction in 2014
    --  National Divorce Month: Start off the Year by Choosing the Right Lawyer

MEDIA JOBS

    --  Journalist - Long Island Business News (NY)
    --  Editorial Assistant - Wilmington News Journal (OH)
    --  Reporter - Law360 (CA)

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

    --  5 Old-School Freelance Writer Rules You Should Break
    --  Media 411: Focusing on Journalism Skills
    --  How Technology Can Help Writers

EXPERT ALERTS:

Political Turmoil in Turkey/Gulen Movement
Joshua Hendrick, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Loyola University Maryland
"Turkey's 'Gulen Movement' (Hizmet) is the country's most influential religious identity community with education, media, business, and cultural outreach institutions that span approximately 150 countries. The 'Islamist roots' Justice and Development Party has governed Turkey as a single-party regime since 2002, and has overseen a long period of steady economic development and rising standards of living. For much of the 2000s, these two social forces in Turkey operated as a coalition dividing the labor between civil (GM) and political (JDP) power and influence in what analysts refer to be 'the new Turkey.' In 2010, however, a cleavage with this coalition developed, and in late 2013, this cleavage developed into a public battle for social power. Turkey's future as a regional leader in the broader Middle East is in many ways conditioned by how this battle for position will play out."
Hendrick is available to discuss the Fethullah Gulen movement, Islamic political identity, elite-level social change, and processes of democratization and global integration in Turkey. He has spoken and presented extensively on the impact of the Fethullah Gulen movement in Turkey and throughout the world. His recent book, "Gülen: The Ambiguous Politics of Market Islam in Turkey and the World" (2013), is published by New York University Press. He is located in Baltimore, MD.
Bio: http://bit.ly/JwFO4M
Website: http://bit.ly/1g3ypET
Media Contact: Nick Alexopulos, [e-mail]

Trends for New Residential Construction in 2014
Brian Brunhofer
President
Meritus Homes
"With the calendar turned over to 2014, buyers and homebuilders alike are looking ahead to the spring homebuying season. As confidence in the residential real estate recovery grows, more buyers are stepping into the market. At the same time, available inventory of existing for-sale homes continues to be low, making more readily available new-construction homes a great choice for buyers in 2014. Homebuyers looking for a new-construction home want more flexibility and options in how they work with their builder. Buyers in today's market don't want the typical 'Option A, B or C' experience of home building. They want a home that is unique to their lifestyle. While custom homes will always be in demand, semi-custom homes are rising in popularity as they are a good compromise for some buyers' budgets and timelines and also allow buyers to still add original touches to a design. In addition to opportunities for customization, buyers are also seeking larger home sites that can accommodate a sizable floor plan as well as additional features such as a three-car garage, spacious deck, extensive landscaping and even a pool."
Brunhofer is available to discuss trends in the new-construction residential real estate market - including strength and recovery of the market, characteristics of in-demand new-home communities, as well as the floor plans, features and finishes that are most popular among today's new home buyers. Based in the Chicago suburb of Deerfield, Ill., Meritus Homes was founded by homebuilding veterans Brian and Karen Brunhofer, who were previously both division presidents at Pulte Homes. The couple has more than 30 years of combined homebuilding experience, during which time they led teams that delivered more than 10,000 homes to the Chicago area. Meritus Homes is currently building in Long Grove, Naperville, Inverness and St. Charles, Ill.
Media Contact: Sarah Lyons, [e-mail]

National Divorce Month: Start off the Year by Choosing the Right Lawyer
Lynda L. Hinkle Esq.
Principal, Lead Attorney and CEO
Law Offices of Lynda L. Hinkle Esq.
"I always tell my clients to make decisions today as though they are the person they'll be in a year or two, once all of the pain and frustration has settled. It's not an easy time for anyone, but keeping a level head and making wise legal decisions can make all the difference when you look back."
Statistics from eDivorcePapers.com show that January holds the record for the highest number of divorce filings. Hinkle, who has seen this spike during other stressful seasons, e.g., tax time in April, attributes the rise to couples' attempts to give their children a happy holiday season before coming to terms with their troublesome marriage. Author of the ultimate guide to surviving this process, "Breaking Up," she is available to discuss an insider's guide to choosing a lawyer, saving money, and handling the step-by-step of divorce both literally and emotionally.
Website: http://www.lyndahinkle.com
Media Contact: Tom Peri?, [e-mail]

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MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: http://bit.ly/pncjobboard

    --  Journalist - Long Island Business News (NY)
    --  Editorial Assistant - Wilmington News Journal (OH)

    --  Reporter - Law360 (CA)

See more listings here.

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OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [e-mail]

5 OLD-SCHOOL FREELANCE WRITER RULES YOU SHOULD BREAK. Want to know what successful freelancing veterans have learned about the changing nature of the writing business? Read on to see Dawn Papandrea's take: http://bit.ly/1dqPy8o

MEDIA 411: FOCUSING ON JOURNALISM SKILLS. There are lots of useful skills to make you stand out in the newsroom. Although this list is not all-inclusive, these are some of those considered particularly important in today's media world. Do you have any skills you would add to the list? http://bit.ly/19gCwhK

HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP WRITERS. Technology serves many purposes. It can really help make one's work less time consuming and more efficient. In a recent #ConnectChat, we discussed how technology can benefit writers with our guest Julio Ojeda-Zapata, author and technology writer at St. Paul Pioneer Press. http://bit.ly/1cPrsTM

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SOURCE ProfNet