Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCENTRAL CITY (WFIE) - Central City Police have made a drug dealing arrest after a traffic stop last Thursday Officers say they clocked a pickup truck at a high rate of speed on the Western Kentucky Parkway They say marijuana could be smelled coming from the car Police say they found a large amount of cash and marijuana in the car was charged with speeding 25 mph over and trafficking marijuana His mug shot was not available at the time of this report Find sanctuary city resources from the City of Portland's Immigrant & Refugee Program including free legal services and state resources for reporting hate crimes This upcoming project in the Central City will make strategic updates to the Central City 2035 Plan.  Subscribe to Central City Planning or Monthly Long-range Planning Project Updates to receive emails about this project Post-pandemic trends continue to show higher retail and office vacancy rates in downtown and other parts of the Central City Portland has an urgent need to increase the supply of housing The Central City Amendments Project will address these key issues by exploring ways to foster more housing and support business activity in the city core This project will make strategic updates to the Central City 2035 Plan The vision is to lay the foundations for a vibrant Central City where people want to live The Central City covers only 3% of the land base in Portland and is planned to accommodate about 25% of the City’s total residential and employment growth through 2045. The existing plan for this area, known as the Central City 2035 Plan allows for some of the densest development in the region The plan accommodates a wide range of uses that co-exist to create a vibrant and active center Since Central City 2035 was adopted in 2018, the downtown area has experienced unprecedented trends in retail and office vacancy. Guided by the Housing Production Strategy the Central City Code Amendment Project will make strategic updates to the Central City 2035 Plan to remove barriers to housing production as well as facilitate economic revitalization in the downtown area Key zoning concepts being created will consider:   Staff continues to conduct research and analysis to support draft zoning code concepts for this project View a preliminary analysis of Central City height and FAR utilization: schedule and engagement strategy are under development and will be released in spring 2025 The intention is to release a discussion draft package of amendments for public review in the summer of 2025 and a BPS proposed draft with Planning Commission review and public hearings in fall 2025 hold hearings and vote on the amendments in early 2026 Portland’s Central City is Oregon’s urban center with the densest population of people and jobs in the state People from across the country are drawn to the Central City’s mix of urban vitality signature cultural amenities — and its connection to the Willamette River The Central City 2035 Plan (CC2035) replaced the 1988 Central City Plan as the primary guiding policy document for the Central City policies and tools designed to make Portland’s urban core more vibrant sustainable and resilient — a place that every Portlander can be proud to call their own The Plan builds upon the city’s traditions honoring the history of the place while boldly moving forward in new directions The Plan is the first amendment to the City’s updated Comprehensive Plan, implementing the Portland Plan as it applies to the Central City The plan also includes an update to the 1987 Willamette Greenway Plan for the Central Reach incorporating elements of the 2001 River Renaissance Vision into an exciting vision that will create a more vibrant multi-purpose and habitat-rich Willamette riverfront See something we could improve on this page? Give website feedback The City of Portland ensures meaningful access to City programs, services, and activities to comply with Civil Rights Title VI and ADA Title II laws and reasonably provides: translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services. Request an ADA accommodation or call 503-823-4000, Relay Service: 711 503-823-4000  Traducción e Interpretación | Biên Dịch và Thông Dịch | 口笔译服务 | Устный и письменный перевод | Turjumaad iyo Fasiraad | Письмовий і усний переклад | Traducere și interpretariat | Chiaku me Awewen Kapas | अनुवादन तथा व्याख्या The Owensboro Times After graduating from Central City High School in 1973 where he played basketball for his beloved Golden Tide he continued his education and basketball career at Belmont College with his teammate and life-long friend Tommy Eades and physical education for 33 years in Muhlenberg County where he coached girls’ basketball at Muhlenberg Central and girls’ and boys’ basketball at Muhlenberg South he continued to serve as a mentor and assistant coach on benches throughout the whole region His love for basketball was rivaled only by his love for people His greatest joy was getting to be “Gaga” to his grandchildren Jackie and Grant Taylor Sparks; grandparents Kenneth and Vera Ferrell Sparks and George T Laura (Jeremy) Vincent and Jacklyn (Jonathan) Murphy; grandchildren and Jeff (Ginger) Sparks; many beloved nieces and nephews; and all his players and friends that he embraced into his heart and family at 11:00 am in the old Central City High School Gym (Central City Convention Center) with Reverend Laura Sparks Vincent officiating Visitation will begin Friday from 4-8 pm and Saturday from 9-10:30 am in the old Central City High School Gym (Central City Convention Center) The family requests contributions to the Sam Sparks Scholarship Fund in lieu of flowers Tucker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements Online condolences may be made at www.tuckerfuneralhomes.com Privacy Policy Site by Tanner+West Neb — The Adams Central Patriots handed Central City/Centura their first loss of the season The Patriots won 5-2 over the Kernels on Tuesday Kearney scored two runs in top of the first inning and got 6 1/3 innings from starter Owen Waha to beat Bellevue East 2-1 on Tuesday at Memorial Field When Gorman & Co. agreed to build four market-rate houses in central city Milwaukee — to obtain approval for an adjacent apartment development — the firm calculated it might lose a relatively small amount of money that loss — around $70,000 per house — was bigger than expected for Gorman which is based in the Madison area and operates in Wisconsin and nine other states completed last fall next to Gorman's McKinley School Lofts are finally selling after the listed prices were cut multiple times The original price for a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house, at 2015 W. Vliet St., was $369,900 before being cut to to $339,900 and then to $309,900, according to Zillow.com. That 1,531-square-foot house was sold on April 4 for $281,000 according to a deed posted online by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue City records show its assessed value at $301,200 The firm spent around $425,000 on each house "That was a very interesting exercise," Matkom told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel It illustrates the difficulty of developing market-rate housing within Milwaukee's central city — where home values are affected by depressed demand tied to such factors as racial segregation Gorman's experience also shows inflation's effects on construction costs a research fellow in Marquette University's Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and Civic Education It's "really hard to figure out how to build (central city) houses in a way that doesn't lose $100,000 per house," said Johnson, who recently posted online his analysis of the topic. Initial plans didn't include housesGorman's initial plans for the former McKinley School didn't include single-family homes The firm in 2017 applied for a zoning change so it could convert the fire-damaged school Gorman in 2018 refined those plans to 36 apartments within the school and four new townhouse-style buildings on Vliet Street Each building was to have two condominiums That won approval from the Common Council and then-Mayor Tom Barrett By 2020, the plan changed again with four single-family homes replacing the eight condos Barrett and the council agreed to provide $950,000 in city financing generated by the housing development's property taxes — with $650,000 for the apartments and $300,000 to help finance the houses Detached single-family homes were seen as more compatible with the neighborhood than townhouse-style condos "There's a potential good demand for single-family at the site we think," Prioletta told the council's Zoning That revised proposal, which included 39 apartments within the former school, received zoning approval in 2021. Matkom told zoning committee members in 2021 that single-family homes with yards and two-car garages were more marketable than townhouses built on part of the former school parking lot and playground were added to the development at the insistence of Alderman Robert Bauman Bauman wanted houses included within the project to help boost home ownership on Milwaukee's near west side McKinley School Lofts opened in 2023, and revived a long-dormant historic building. The school's Neoclassical-designed original portion was constructed in 1885, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society, with an addition built in 1898 Financing for the apartments included federal historic preservation tax credits as well as federal affordable housing tax credits The housing tax credits generally require development firms to provide 85% of a building's apartments at below-market rents to people earning no more than 60% of the local median income construction began on the four market-rate houses − which were listed for sale starting in May 2024 there were additional costs for the houses to comply with Milwaukee Preservation Commission exterior design guidelines according to the Department of City Development Gorman's final price tag was around $16 million the houses weren't drawing prospective buyers when they were priced above $300,000 That's despite including such extras as major household appliances and a location that's a five-minute drive from downtown Those houses would likely sell for around $360,000 if they were located in such Milwaukee neighborhoods as Bay View or Washington Heights The challenges of constructing central city housing should spur Milwaukee officials to make it easier for developers to obtain zoning approval "The developer is not the bogeyman," Johnson said New zoning district eases developmentThe Common Council on April 22 approved a new zoning district making it easier to develop apartment and condo buildings with up to eight units Council members also voted to continue working on a proposal to encourage construction of accessory dwelling units − small homes typically built in back yards − after it ran into opposition Meanwhile, Mayor Cavalier Johnson's administration is revising its Growing MKE plan over concerns from some council members and residents Bauman's takeaway from Gorman's experience: virtually any Milwaukee housing development — other than luxury housing — needs city financing help "My message to (Department of City Development) is: get ready to open your wallet," Bauman said Bauman has been among the council members urging the department to provide tax incremental financing help for "workforce housing" — middle-tier apartments aimed at people earning 60% to 100% of the area median income The department on April 22 issued new guidelines for workforce housing tax financing districts The availability of affordable single-family homes is an important part of the city's plan for improving the quality of life for Milwaukee residents Department of City Development marketing and communications officer The department's approach includes working with the nonprofit Community Development Alliance to provide tax financing help to build subsidized houses for lower-income buyers in the Midtown neighborhood She also cited the Milwaukee Home Down Payment Assistance Program for first-time homebuyers Gorman, a larger, well-capitalized developer But an approach with that level of losses isn't sustainable "The demand for home ownership in that neighborhood is high," he said "The interest at a certain price point is immense." Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram,Bluesky, X and Facebook Iowa — A piece of agricultural history came to life Saturday where a group of vintage farm enthusiasts gathered for an old-time plowing bee at the Lloyd H around a dozen pre-1960 antique tractors and moldboard plows worked together to till 25 acres of farmland recreating a long-standing farming tradition neighbors would hold similar events in support of families facing illness or loss stepping in to prepare fields for planting The event paid tribute to that legacy of community and cooperation The plowing bee served as a celebration of farming heritage and the equipment that helped build it it was a chance to reconnect with the work they once knew and to share a hands-on history lesson with a new generation "We have one guy here today out in the field plowing who is 96-years-old and so it’s just kind of a nostalgia thing," said Greif The Brown Farm Museum is located at 1361 Sawyer Road and the plowing bee also helps prepare the museum for its Pioneer Days event held the last weekend in July "and we’ve made friends all over the world actually who come to see our show." If you're interested in attending the Pioneer Days event in July, visit the Lloyd H. Brown Farm Museum website. 1/37Fairhope vs Central-Phenix City Playoff Baseball.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Ben Thomas | bthomas@al.comRock Gearhart homered twice for Fairhope in the first game and the fifth-ranked Pirates scored seven runs in the final three innings of Game 2 to complete a 7-3 3 Enterprise (32-1) in the semifinals next week The Wildcats swept Auburn in their quarterfinal series Rock Gearhart drove in 4 runs and the Pirates scored 5 runs in the bottom of the sixth to rally for the win Gearhart’s 2-run homer gave Fairhope the lead for good at 4-3 and ignited the big sixth inning Miller Humphries added a 2-run double and Will Sparks capped the rally with an RBI single Gearhart finished 2-for-2 with a walk and 2 runs scored Starter Miles Drew Johnson went 6 innings to get the win He allowed 6 hits and 3 runs and struck out 2 Harrison Cook got the final three outs for the save Sam Brown homered for the Red Devils and Cooper Kehoe drove in the other 2 runs Fairhope scored 3 runs in the top of the fifth to break a scoreless tie Kyle Hunter’s team added 4 more in the seventh to pull away for a comfortable win allowing just 2 hits and 1 run and striking out 8 Starter Cam Norton took the loss for Central Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here A Central City man has been charged with two traffic violations after he was caught on video last week driving … Home / News / Crashes The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread A Central City man has been charged with two traffic violations after he was caught on video last week driving a truck through two Marion yards Police were called to the 5900 block of Alburnett Road at about 6:22 p.m on April 18 for a report of a hit and run crash in which a pickup truck drove through two backyards The crash was caught on video by a Nest camera in one of the yards Pruismann was identified as the driver of the vehicle and interviewed and on Friday he was charged with failure to maintain control and striking fixtures upon a highway Comments: (319) 398-8328; emily.andersen@thegazette.com I cover breaking news and trends related to public safety for The Gazette The Gazette has been informing Iowans with in-depth local news coverage and insightful analysis for over 140 years independent journalism with a subscription today © 2025 The Gazette | All Rights Reserved (WFIE) - Police are on the lookout for two shoplifting suspects in Central City the man and the woman walked into the Dollar General and left with a case of beer without paying Police say one of their officers is currently investigating the incident They’ve shared a photo of the suspects on social media in hopes someone may recognize them contact the Central City Police Department Pardon our dust while we build a better museum! We are open with a series of special exhibitions. During construction, select permanent collection galleries in the Main Building will reopen on a rolling basis The Portland Art Museum is pleased to co-host a wide-ranging and inspiring conversation that looks at Portland’s future through seven transformative projects shaping the Central City From restorative justice and seismic resilience to urban design innovations hear from the leaders building Portland’s next chapter Albina Vision Trust: Executive Director Winta Yohannes and Director of Government Affairs JT Flowers offer a look at the largest restorative redevelopment project in the US.  OMSI District: Executive Director Erin Graham presents the 24-acre redevelopment and Center for Tribal Nations that will redefine the Central Eastside  Broadway Corridor: Prosper Portland’s Director of Development and Investment Lisa Abuaf details the new parks and a net-zero housing project for 14-acre former USPS site.  Green Loop: PBOT’s Deputy Director of Projects Art Pearce offers a glimpse at the sections taking shape for the 7-mile bike/pedestrian corridor that will link the central city’s neighborhoods.  Portland Art Museum – Campus Transformation: Museum Director Brian Ferriso shares updates on the new public spaces and galleries under construction on the South Park Blocks Lloyd Center: Urban Renaissance’s Tom Kilbane details the latest plans for the 29-acre Lloyd Center redevelopment.  Made in Old Town: Field State’s Matthew Claudel offers a look out how the next generation of footwear and apparel design reshape Old Town Earthquake-Ready Burnside Bridge: Landscape architect Carol Mayer-Reed will look beyond the critical seismic resiliency to the urban design improvements and connections the towering new bridge will bring Accessibility: The venue is mobility device accessible American Sign Language/English Interpretation will be provided Automated real-time captioning will be available near the stage FM compatible assisted listening devices will be available.  If you have other accessibility requests please send your request with at least two weeks notice to access@pam.org or leave a voicemail at 503-276-4284 Ticketing:  Tickets must be reserved through PDX Design Collaborative and can be reserved via Eventbrite.  Tickets are available on a sliding scale $5-20 A reception will follow at the City of Possibility exhibition (JK Gill Building This talk is organized by PDX Design Collaborative and in conjunction with its City of Possibility exhibition The Portland Art Museum recognizes and honors the Indigenous peoples of this region on whose ancestral lands the museum now stands Multnomah and Watlala Chinook Peoples and the Tualatin Kalapuya who today are part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and many other Native communities who made their homes along the Columbia River We also want to recognize that Portland today is a community of many diverse Native peoples who continue to live and work here We respectfully acknowledge and honor all Indigenous communities—past future—and are grateful for their ongoing and vibrant presence The Portland Art Museum and Center for an Untold Tomorrow are pleased to offer accommodations to ensure that our programs are accessible and inclusive We’ll do our best to accommodate your needs when you arrive — please give us 2-3 weeks advance notice for specific requests Email requests to access@pam.org An informational meeting to discuss the possible demolition of one of the buildings in the Central City Plaza complex on 6th and Vine Streets has been set for Sunday Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories in that station's most popular podcast.  This week’s Independent athlete of the week is Northwest soccer player Lupe Sanchez The Viking senior scored her 100th career goal during Northwest’s 10-0 win over Crete during the Central Conference Tournament this past Thursday She also scored three goals in the victory The Central City boys track team broke a Central Nebraska Track & Field Championships record that stood for 25 years in the 400 relay set in 2000 by the Grand Island relay team of Kalan Jones Turner Hanke and Wyatt Dent ran it in a time of 42.12 That time is good enough for third in the state across all classes this year After the race they celebrated with their medals and gathered for a picture while sporting some fun sunglasses I think the second meet of the season when we had a big meet with Waverly and all of them The sunglasses have been worn quite a bit since the tradition was started Central City’s Wyatt Dent ran the last leg of the 400-meter relay at the Central Nebraska Track & Field Championships at Northwest on Monday Dent was the anchor for the relay and for his accomplishments in the meet was named the CNTC most outstanding boys athlete of the meet Dent participated in two other events along with the relay — the 100-meter dash and the long jump Dent finished first with a time of 10.75 in what was one of the closest races of the day “He’s always kind of wanting a competition here Last three meets have actually been really good that’s a big deal,” Central City coach Allen Duerksen said especially about this time of year,” Duerksen said Dent finished fifth with a distance of 21-10 His teammate Truman Ryan came away with first place with a jump of 23-00 1/4 Hanke also performed well; he finished first in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.81 and barely beat out Adams Central’s Briley Hughes The CNTC offers a look at where athletes and schools stack up against some of the best in Central Nebraska and Central City is looking to build on the momentum from Monday “We got a big meet coming up this week with conference and our kids are going to have to double up and just try to see what we can do there to win conference again to repeat,” Duerksen said Central City’s Wyatt Dent leans forward to win the 100 meter dash at the Central Nebraska Track & Field Championships at Northwest on Monday Email notifications are only sent once a day The Viking senior scored her 100th career goal during Nor… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account admin March 16, 20252025 Incidents, Home, March 2025 Photo courtesy of Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office On March 16th, 2025 Central City Fire Department responded to a structure fire on Spring St Crews arrived to abandoned building on fire and started fire attack and firefighters worked the fire for several hours before it was contained To ensure adequate water flow for firefighters the water system to the KOA Campground and Gold Mountain Village Apartments was temporarily shut off Additional information provided by Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office A public awareness campaign has been launched to save Milwaukee’s first Black-owned Black-operated and Black-designed shopping mall The Milwaukee Preservation Alliance and Docomomo US/Wisconsin kicked off the campaign at an information meeting Feb. 23 on the future of Central City Plaza located on the corner of North Sixth and West Walnut streets Docomomo US/Wisconsin is a nonprofit organization missioned to preserve mid-century modern buildings in the state the two preservation organizations gave information on the plaza’s history and the threat of its demolition and explored ways to preserve the building through adaptive reuse One of the three buildings that comprise Central City Plaza could be demolished to make room for a homeless shelter About a dozen residents attended the gathering at Pilcrow Coffee “We are trying to preserve a story,” Emma Rudd executive director of the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance Central City Plaza had a notable beginningRudd admitted she didn’t know the history of Central City Plaza until six months ago Others may not be aware of its historical importance in Milwaukee's history it was the city's first Black shopping mall boasting 14-Black owned businesses at a time when fewer than 1% of all Wisconsin businesses were Black-owned The two groups launched the campaign to ensure the complex's landmark status The campaign includes a petition drive and more community outreach to educate others about Robinson’s work The group also seeks letters of support to preserve the plaza Milwaukee architect Chris Rute and the Preservation Alliance had petitioned the city’s Historic Preservation Commission to make the site a landmark The commission is expected to do that at its Monday meeting The real challenge will come at the April 15 meeting of the city's Zoning Rudd said residents must attend the meeting en masse to let the committee know this site is worth protecting “That helps tell our local representatives that this is a direction we should go," she said "That is really what advocacy comes down to." Although the Common Council has final approval of landmark status the city's preservation ordinance says the council "shall balance the public interest" in preserving the site with the owner's interest in using the property Central City Plaza is one of Milwaukee’s rare examples of New Formalism The style merged classical elements like symmetry and arches with clean and modern lines of mid-century design The three white buildings on the corner of North Sixth and West Walnut streets have had various uses and tenants since they were built in 1973 The mall originally contained small businesses The Salvation Army owns two of three buildings. It wants to tear down the building at 1747 N. 6th St. to construct a much-needed homeless shelter Officials from the social service agencies recognize the site’s historical significance But the Salvation Army worries landmark status may hamper its ability to provide services Rudd stressed their effort isn't about stopping the Salvation Army’s work but about finding a win-win solution that preserves the building in a way that fits the Salvation Army's plans One option is to use the current building as an entry point to what the Salvation Army wants to build “We don’t want to stop progress or hinder the wheels that are in motion but we do want to protect the story,” Rudd said “We do want to protect the legacy and see a good outcome for both sides.” Robinson worked for over 40 years as an architect for the county, the city, and in private practice. He designed over 100 buildings, including churches and storefronts. He designed courtrooms, park pavilions and other municipal buildings including the Milwaukee Fire Department headquarters But some of his buildings have already been torn down, including the Blue Spruce Motel, 1918 N. 6th St. which has been replaced by an apartment building “We want to try to keep some of his buildings still standing,” said the architect’s son was known for working with clients with small budgets but incorporating arches in his designs “It set himself apart from other architects,” he said He wants to follow in his great-grandfather’s footsteps pointing out buildings his great-grandfather designed “I inherited from him my building skills,” Mason said More: With one of his Milwaukee buildings at risk, this is the story of Wisconsin's first Black architect, Alonzo Robinson Valencia Drew-Westmoreland went to school with Kim Robinson and their families attended the same church But she never knew the mall where she shopped and went bowling was designed by her classmate’s father “We enjoyed going there almost weekly," she said Jennifer Lenge is a fan of mid-century modern architecture She happened upon Central City Plaza while driving by it two weeks ago She learned through a Google search the buildings might be torn down and came to the meeting “I think it is such a fantastic little gem of a mid-century modern building,” Lenge said “I’m from Milwaukee and I didn’t appreciate those (buildings) growing up and now I do I would really like to see them not get torn down.” Letters of support can be emailed to Kimfoto39@sbcglobal.net, HPC@milwaukee.gov or mpa@milwaukeepreservation.org A new wrinkle has emerged in the Salvation Army’s plans to construct a homeless shelter on the corner of North 6th and West Vine streets Now a city committee is weighing a request to designate the entire three-building complex as historic which the Salvation Army says would hamper its ability to provide necessary services The Historic Preservation Commission plans to vote on the designation in March, pushing it back twice after it was first raised in January Preservationists cite historical significanceBoth preservationists and the architect’s son point to the cultural significance of Central City Plaza the economic heart of the Black community up until the 1960s wanted a shopping district for Blacks who were often shut out of the city's downtown shopping area saving the buildings goes beyond preserving his dad’s legacy Central City Plaza was a manifestation of Milwaukee’s civil rights struggle His father marched with Father Groppi across the 16th Street viaduct for fair and open housing “We want to try to make sure that it stays and that it represents everything that we fought for as Black Americans here in Milwaukee,” said Robinson He hopes the Salvation Army can repurpose the building to help the homeless Architect and preservationist Chris Rute submitted the application to designate all three buildings historic Rute said he is not trying to circumvent the Salvation Army’s plan but rather preserve the site’s cultural value and the buildings on it “The site itself has significance from a cultural standpoint being one of the first entrepreneurial efforts from the Black community after the decimation of Bronzeville with the freeway and urban removal,” Rute said The delayed vote gives him and other preservationists time to educate the community about the buildings and rally support for the landmark designation Historian Clayborn Benson wants to go a step further He wants the site to be landmarked by the Wisconsin Historical Society Benson noted there are traces of African symbolism in Robinson's architectural designs incorporated African Adinkra symbols in its design notably in the building’s circular windows “You will never hear about him talking about Africa but you can see it in his work,” said Benson of the Wisconsin Black Historical Society Museum “You can see in the way he designed people’s homes “That’s why I want it to stay,” Benson said Robinson designed over 100 buildings over his illustrious four-decade career with both the city and Milwaukee County governments All three buildings in the Central City Plaza are designed in the New Formalist style which was popular in the 1960s and incorporates tall arch entryways symmetrical window placement and white concrete exteriors Notable buildings in the style include the World Trade Center and both the Lincoln and Kennedy Centers for the Performing Arts Salvation Army says historical designation would put them 'in a pinch'The Salvation Army’s  Rachel Stouder respects the building’s history which the social service agency learned as this process unfolded But the landmark status puts the organization “in a pinch,” she said The agency owns two of the three buildings that comprise the Central City Plaza complex Before settling on the plan to purchase and tear down the building at 1747 N the agency worked with the city to find other buildings that could be used for a shelter “Historic preservation would mean some real restrictions that would be cost prohibitive for us not just right now but moving forward,” said Stouder “What we are up against is finding a location that is not only affordable but also appropriate for the community that we are serving right there.” Common Council will have final sayThe designation doesn’t guarantee the building cannot be demolished The final decision comes down to the Common Council The city's preservation ordinance says the council "shall balance the public interest" in preserving the site with the owner's interest in using the property “There is always a balancing act we have when we consider owners’ rights and things like that,” Rute said and we have a public forum through which we can gather folks together to support saving the building.” Robert Bauman said it makes perfect sense to designate all three properties But he too admits he was unfamiliar with the history He has driven by the site many times and always thought the buildings were “kind of odd.” He often wondered who built them and how they got there “I know Milwaukee reasonably well – the city’s history including the north side and the Black community history But when I heard this report of the shopping center I was blown away,” Bauman said CENTRAL CITY ― The Pennsylvania State Police in Somerset released a statement Tuesday afternoon about the early morning fire in which a person was found dead "PSP responded to (the Lohr Street address) for a residential fire wherein a deceased individual was located inside the residence investigation ongoing," the statement said Fire crews were dispatched again around 3 p.m Tuesday to put out flames that had rekindled at the residence The state police and the borough's volunteer fire department are investigating the cause of a house fire where one person died early Tuesday Personnel from seven fire departments were dispatched at approximately 1:15 a.m for reports of a residential structure fire along Lohr Street "One of my assistant officers lives about two blocks away he reported (a) working fire," said Don Beltz deputy chief of the Central City Volunteer Fire Department "We also had numerous 911 calls confirming (a) working fire "I was approximately two minutes in responding behind the first assistant chief We had fire from division one clear up to the roof." Beltz said the person who died was an elderly female but would not release a name pending notification to the family He said he understood the woman lived alone but had family living nearby "We had conflicting reports whether it was entrapment or not we could not confirm that for a while into the call," he said we did get confirmation and I can confirm that we had one deceased member on the scene "We could not make entry into the building at all due to several division collapses; the roof collapsed the second floor collapsed onto the first floor and the first floor was compromised that we could not make entry at all into the building until we had heavy equipment actually dismantle part of the structure." In addition to the Central City department Friedens and Berlin fire departments responded as well as the Conemaugh Township and Somerset (Stoystown station) EMS units Firemen were on the scene for more than seven hours returning to the Central City fire hall around 10 a.m One firefighter taken to hospital"We also had one firefighter that went down with a medical emergency when we first started our operations," Beltz said "He was transported to Windber Hospital and at this point in time he's doing fine." The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the fire department and the State Police Fire Marshal "At this time we do not know how the fire started it's part of our active investigation," he said "We do know from the damage located in the house that it did start in the approximate kitchen area which is located at the rear of the structure." Beltz said that the single-digit air temperatures and winds of 20-30 miles per hour Tuesday morning made their work especially difficult so he wanted to be sure to thank all the fire personnel for their efforts "We had no pumps freezing but we were dealing with a lot of ice everywhere We were utilizing station 202's ladder truck and when we had it set up it actually started sliding on the hill because of the icy conditions we had firefighters up on the top of the aerials and we had to call them down because the wind was blowing so hard that it was a safety factor." Beltz also thanked those who provided other assistance including McIlwain Bus for a school bus they used as a warming station people who donated coffee and snacks on the scene and Central City Borough and Shade Township for salting the roads and bringing in the heavy equipment Pa (WJAC) — Somerset County coroner Cullen Swank has identified the victim of Tuesday morning's deadly house fire in Central City Officials say 67-year-old Cheryl Bottorff was pronounced dead at the scene nearly seven hours after the fire initially broke out Emergency officials say firefighters were called to the home located along the 900 block of Lohr Street Firefighters say they immediately encountered heavy smoke and flames and spent several hours fighting the blaze before discovering the victim's body Authorities say Bottorff was the sole occupant of the home The coroner's office notes that an autopsy was conducted on Wednesday and the cause and manner of death are still pending Authorities in Somerset County say a woman was killed early Tuesday morning in a house fire in Central City Fire officials say crews responded to the home Firefighters say they immediately encountered heavy smoke and flames coming from the roof of the residence Emergency officials say crews spent several hours battling the flames before discovering Authorities say the woman is not being identified at this time Investigators note that the home nearly collapsed from the flames and is considered a total loss The Central City Fire Department and a state police fire marshal are investigating the cause of the deadly blaze officials say it is believed that the fire originated in the kitchen area of the home Officials add that a firefighter also suffered a cardiac event Authorities say he has since been treated and is reportedly in stable condition 911 officials note that crews were on scene for approximately seven hours Emergency officials say one person is unaccounted for and a firefighter has been injured following an overnight house fire in Somerset County Officials say they responded to a call of a fire in progress Video from the scene shows the home's interior has completely collapsed as a result of that fire and fire crews were on scene for several hours Somerset County dispatch says a firefighter reportedly suffered a cardiac event while fighting the fire and was transported to a local hospital The firefighter is reportedly in stable condition Dispatch also says one person who was living in the home has not yet been located by first responders It's unknown if they were in the home at the time of the fire passed away peacefully in the presence of beloved family members on Monday 2025 at 9:17PM at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital in Owensboro at Muhlenberg Community Hospital in Greenville Hugh was a member of the First Christian Church of Central City undergoing the ordinance of baptism by Brother C.W Hugh’s love for his country was evident as he was a six-year veteran of the Kentucky Army National Guard Central City,” Hugh was an active member of many civic and fraternal organizations and served in a multitude of leadership roles Due to his love for NASCAR racing and automobiles in general he organized the Muhlenberg County Topless Cruisers (a convertible club) The club enjoyed going on trips and dining at various locations The entrepreneurial spirit Hugh possessed led him to various careers which included working at First National Bank His various business ventures included establishment of West Kentucky Printing Along with his wife Patricia and business partners Johnny and Gail Clark Hugh created and developed Cherry Hill Pointe subdivision over the past three decades His greatest professional pride and many of his most important achievements came as both a two term Central City Board of Council member and serving thirteen years as Central City Mayor His forward thinking and positive “can-do” attitude led to his efforts to successfully recruit new businesses in Central City and Muhlenberg County including the Geen River Correctional Complex thus bringing substantial job growth to the community Hugh established the Central City Tourism Commission which by his forward thinking led to many additions to Central City including the Central City Convention Center and Festival Square Hugh led the efforts as Mayor to allow Central City to join the state retirement system for its employees Hugh introduced the “take home cruiser program” for the Central City Police Department This allowed CCPD Officers the ability to respond to emergency calls from home without having to report to the police department for a vehicle As a founding member of the Everly Brothers Foundation Hugh was instrumental in creating the successful annual Everly Brothers Homecoming Concert every Labor Day weekend in Central City which brought thousands of tourists to the city His larger than life and charismatic personality was evident in his gift to communicate He loved to tell stories and share his life experiences along with his colorful memories of growing up and living in Central City and Muhlenberg County Hugh had a special loving relationship with his children and grandchildren whom they called “Pa.” Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of 52 years Patricia and Jon Phillip (Jessi) Sweatt; grandchildren include Mackenzie Abram Knox and William Isaac; step-grandchild Erin (Kyle) Jones; and one great-grandchild 2025 at 11AM at Tucker Funeral Home in Central City with Bro Visitation will be Friday from 5-8PM at the funeral home Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Humane Society or the charity of your choice Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMERRICK COUNTY (KSNB) - A Central City man has died following a two-vehicle crash on New Year’s Eve According to the Merrick County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the crash around 10:43 p.m A preliminary investigation revealed that a car was traveling on Highway 30 crossed the center line and collided with a van The 50-year-old driver of the van from Grand Island was transported to the hospital with serious injuries MCSO said alcohol is believed to be a contributing factor Assistance at the scene was provided by the Nebraska State Patrol Click here to subscribe to our KSNB Local4 daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox A Milwaukee building caught between a demolition plan and an effort to save it as a historic landmark will be spared after its owner decided to renovate it instead of tearing it down The building — part of the former Central City Plaza, Milwaukee’s first Black-owned Black-operated and Black-designed shopping mall — was going to be razed by The Salvation Army which wants to build a homeless shelter and resource center on the site But spurred by the ensuing community dialogue The Salvation Army retooled the design of its project and will preserve the building “We didn’t know if we could make it work,” said Rachel Stouder general secretary of The Salvation Army's Wisconsin Division and they worked really hard to design what we believe is a really good solution.” Neighborhoods and Development Committee unanimously recommended granting historic landmark status to the building at 1747 N and the two nearby buildings comprising the Central City cluster The proposal heads to the Common Council at its April 22 meeting given the committee's approval and The Salvation Army's support “My hat's off to The Salvation Army for their willingness to switch gears and recognize the importance of this,” said Chris Rute an architect and preservationist leading the Central City effort Rute got the ball rolling to save Central City Plaza in December eventually seeking to have the entire complex designated as historic That halted demolition plans while the request was considered The Salvation Army owns two buildings on the complex and wanted to raze the smaller one it instead plans to build a glass hallway between the Yellow Cab building and the proposed two-story shelter it wants to build The glass enclosure could display the building’s history The organization has been on the site since 1979 and admits it was unaware of its history “We believe that we have an opportunity to share that historical importance,” Stouder said The Yellow Cab building will house the Salvation Army’s clinic now housed in its current emergency shelter Stouder said incorporating the smaller building into its design wouldn't affect the project's cost as had been anticipated Central City Plaza was designed by the state’s first licensed Black architect, Alonzo Robinson Jr and developed by civil rights leader Felmers O Chaney developed the mall to recapture the prominence of Walnut Street as an economic hub for the Black community until the 1960s Disinvestment and the construction of what's now Interstate 43 destroyed or displaced many Black businesses along that stretch of road Financial issues shuttered the plaza nearly four years after opening “This was and may still be the only Black-funded Black-designed and Black-operated shopping center in the history of the state of Wisconsin,” said Tim Askin Robinson incorporated the New Formalism style “I think that is so critical that we identify those heritage structures and elements in the city that are important to a variety of demographics and this being one of them,” Rute said Preserving the building and its history also is important for Kim A. Robinson, Alonzo Robinson's son. The younger Robinson worked with the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance and Docomomo US/Wisconsin to collect nearly 200 signatures supporting the plaza's preservation “The buildings will still stand and the history of all the buildings will be out there for the public to know,” he said “A lot of people didn’t know about all the history.” Central City Plaza holds fond memories for Alderman Russell Stamper His father’s law office operated out of the building that formerly housed the Masonic Temple “I always have a sentimental feeling when I drive past Sixth and Walnut,” Stamper said “I remember going to that office when I was young I am happy to see that it's historic now.” Alderwoman Milele Coggs was one of those unfamiliar with the complex’s history But she thanked The Salvation Army for its willingness to work with and listen to the community “At a time in our nation where there are extreme efforts to erase the uncomfortable parts about our history," Coggs said "it is so refreshing to see people coming together and working to affirm display and preserve the history right here in the city." La Risa Lynch is a community affairs reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Photo Courtesy of Hillcrest Academy Social Media The Hillcrest Academy Raven boys and girls track and field teams travel to Central City Tuesday for their Co-ed Relays The Ravens ran last at Mediapolis a week ago where the girls had the top area team finish Hillcrest had three event championships including Niva Helmuth in high jump Marie Yoder in the 3000 and Rya Scott in the 200 Scott also went second in the 100 and long jump and Yoder was second in the 800 The Hillcrest 4×200 team of Stavia Miller Morgyn Nafziger and Karina Bourha were third Delaney Shaw and Scott and Stanerson was fifth in the 3000 The Raven boys scored 33 points on their way to a seventh place finish Gibson Scott was third in the 110 hurdles and fourth in the 400 hurdles Kayden Estell went fourth in the 200 and the Raven 4×200 team was fourth And continues into the evening at Central City High School Pa (WJAC) — The extreme cold temperatures this winter are bringing heating concerns to one Somerset County school district Shade-Central City is reportedly experiencing heating problems in their junior-senior high school and elementary school buildings Superintendent Travis Robison says that the frozen pipes connected to the heating system are not working properly due to the cold temperatures Robison adds that students and staff were moved to other classrooms that have heat He says the heating system will not be fixed until the end of the heating season and that students and staff will be able to operate normally in the new classrooms by the end of the season Robison says there's no definitive timeline but hopes heating upgrades will begin in mid-April ALBUQUERQUE - Central Avenue now has one less problematic motel The City ordered the Bow and Arrow Lodge to shut its doors following an inspection on Wednesday February 19 that revealed numerous violations and serious risks to the safety of tenants and the surrounding area The Bow and Arrow Lodge had become overridden by crime with APD and AFR responding to over 100 calls for service at the motel in 2024 APD cleared 4 felony warrants and made 1 arrest The City is now shutting down this neighborhood nuisance “Businesses that willingly engage in criminal activity will not be tolerated in this city,” said Mayor Tim Keller “Let me be clear: If you endanger our community we will take decisive action to hold you accountable.” Bow and Arrow Lodge was previously in the ADAPT (Abandoned and Dilapidated Abatement Property Team) program from June 2022 to September 2023 While there was a reduction in crime while they were in the program the lodge has fallen back into negative cycles of disrepair and illicit activity Since January 2024 APD has responded to the Bow and Arrow Lodge for: Violations at the Bow and Arrow Lodge included: The tenants of the Bow and Arrow Lodge included elderly and families paying between $80 and $120 per night to stay in dangerous living conditions Many units lacked necessities and safety features This is another example of a good property that was allowed to decline instead of being properly maintained,” said Planning Department Director Alan Varela “We will continue to take action against problematic properties to keep our neighborhoods safe.” To support those who were staying at the motel Albuquerque Community Safety helped connect tenants to other safe living arrangements and provided transportation to get there ACS will continue to support the tenants to get into long-term There were also companion animals living at the motel and Animal Welfare has the pets in protective custody If the owners choose to reclaim their pets we will ensure that the pets are in compliance with the HEART ordinance upon reclaim The 311 Community Contact Center is a centralized call center for the City of Albuquerque The 311 service is a single telephone number for all non-emergency City of Albuquerque inquiries and services The official website for the City of Albuquerque Black-operated and Black-designed shopping center is at risk of being torn down the first Black licensed architect in Wisconsin designed Milwaukee’s Central City Plaza The plaza became home to 14 Black-owned businesses at a time when fewer than 1% of Wisconsin businesses were Black-owned.  Two of Central City Plaza’s three buildings are now owned by the Salvation Army which wants to demolish the building at 1747 N to expand its homeless shelter services.  “The Salvation Army has served Milwaukee County’s most vulnerable residents on this city block for over 40 years at The Salvation Army Emergency Lodge,” a Salvation Army spokesperson said in a statement “As we maintain our commitment to provide safe shelter for single men there is need to expand increased services to this community.” Now the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance and Docomomo US/Wisconsin are launching an effort to prevent the historic building from being torn down spoke at a community meeting at Pilcrow Coffee in February to gather support for the effort “We are trying to work with the Salvation Army to show them that there are ways to not only preserve the building but adaptively reuse it,” says Emma Rudd the building could become the entrance to an expanded shelter there will be a public hearing of the city’s Zoning and Development Committee at City Hall as part of the process to determine if Central City Plaza will be designated historic landmarks by the Common Council That would mean protection from demolition not only for the building at 1747 N Supporters of the preservation effort are encouraging people to attend the meeting and speak in favor of designating the site a historic landmark.  He served in the Navy during World War II and graduated from Howard University in 1951 with a degree in architecture where he worked in the City Bureau of Bridges and Buildings before starting a private practice and founding Wisconsin’s first Black-owned architecture firm.  public buildings and schools across the state Black shopowners frequently reached out to him for commissions and his skills played a key part in uplifting Black entrepreneurship His designs include the former Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church at 2567 N and the city’s Fire Department Administration Building at 711 W Central City Plaza is one of his most significant projects becoming one of Milwaukee’s first examples of New Formalism a style of architecture which gained popularity in the ’60s and ’70s The Salvation Army purchased the Sixth Street building in May of 2024.  Robinson’s designs have been submitted to the Central Library’s archives and his work is being documented by UW-Milwaukee historians through a grant from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund a program from the National Trust for Historic Preservation ― The home of a Central City volunteer firefighter and his family was damaged in a house fire Tuesday morning in Cairnbrook Six fire departments were dispatched at 6:58 a.m. for a residential structure fire along Third Street, according to the Somerset County 911 Communications Center a Central City firefighter reported a working fire at the rear of the structure Responding to the first alarm call were Central City Windber and Scalp Level-Paint fire departments and the Conemaugh Twp A second alarm was requested to bring more manpower to the scene, according to Don Beltz, deputy chief of the Central City Volunteer Fire Department Departments called on the second alarm were Friedens Shanksville and Shawnee Valley in Schellsburg "I did call for a second alarm for manpower I had a lot of people on the first alarm assignment but daylight crews for everybody is a challenge Sailor from USS Indianapolis honored: 'We gave him his goodbye:' Cairnbrook and Central City dedicate bridge to SFC Raymond Kozik I called for a second alarm to give everybody a relief The second alarm was called mainly for manpower for people who can put air packs on and go in and work." The Salvation Army Disaster Services truck also responded to the scene Thinking of others: How North Star High School students are giving back to their Boswell neighbors Beltz said the home belongs to a member of the Central City fire department and there were three or four occupants and also pets in the home when the fire started "He did get everybody of the house and all the pets out made sure all the doors and windows were closed so the fire was contained to the back room," Beltz said Making merry: Celebrate the Christmas season with these live local performances Beltz said they believe the fire started in that back room which he said appeared to be a family room as the most fire damage occurred in that room There was also some fire damage to a kitchen area located between the back room and the rest of the home "The bulk of the fire was contained to the back room the firefighters had a really fast knockdown on it," Beltz said "They got it out before it extended to the rest of the house The rest of the house did receive heavy smoke damage." There were no injuries to either the occupants or fire personnel at the scene and the cause of the fire is under investigation Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBATON ROUGE (WAFB) - The City of Central broke ground Tuesday on the future site of the Central City Hall the 2.73-acre tract will help anchor the city’s Mainstreet 2030 vision and will become the hub for community events and governmental business The construction of the new building will allow the city to combine all departments under one roof The city is also collaborating with the school system to allow citizens to park in one spot to deal with either of the governing bodies The new building will also house an East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court office “This building and this corner will be the anchor of our downtown for generations to come,” said Mayor Wade Evans The building will complement the new school administration building but will be more architecturally defined as a city hall The large columns are a defining feature and will be prominently facing Sullivan Road Click here to report a typo Click here to subscribe to our WAFB 9 News daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox Iowa (Iowa's News Now) — A Central City woman was taken to the hospital after hitting her head on the road early Wednesday morning The Linn County Sheriff's Office says they responded to the incident at Highway 13 and Austin Road around 3 am That's where a 25-year-old male was driving northbound on Highway 13 when he got into an argument with a 23-year-old woman in the vehicle The driver began to slow down so she could get out but authorities say she tried to get out before the car was stopped and she hit her head on the pavement She was taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries